Award winning writers will be representing minority voices in the African American Poetry Series.

The Lion Rock Writers Series is showcasing authors from genres such as fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, short stories, multi-genre writing and spoken word.

Katharine Whitcomb, poetry professor, said the Lion Rock Series gives students a chance to speak one-on-one with published authors. In addition, taking part in the events fulfills some course requirements for students in the professional and creative writing program.

The series also promotes the material of Central’s faculty, encourages diversity and establishes a reputation for Central with other colleges in Washington.

“We bring in writers to promote creative writing as an art form on campus,” Whitcomb said.

Lisa Norris, the chair of the Lion Rock committee, said authors are selected for the Lion Rock Series by suggestions, which are then evaluated by the committee.

In spring, the series will feature two acclaimed poets, Allison Joseph and Tim Seibles, for part of the African-American Poetry Series.

While the committee prioritizes writers who are closer to Ellensburg, Norris said that the presence of Joseph and Seibles will give voice to those who may have otherwise been underrepresented at the poetry celebration, especially in light of the recent events in Ferguson, Miss. and Baltimore, Md.

“You don’t hear [African-American] voices in Ellensburg,” Norris said. “And given the recent events, it would behoove people to hear minority voices.”

Joseph, professor for Southern Illinois University and co-founder of the literary journal “Crab Orchard Review,” is an advocate for all emerging writers. She has published seven collections of poems including her latest work, “My Father’s Kites: Poems” in 2010.

Joseph is also an advocate for social justice; her poems derive from feminist and black perspectives.

Seibles, professor at the Stonecoast MFA Writing Program for the University of Southern Maine, is the author of several poetry books including “Body Moves,” “Ten Miles an Hour” and recently published “Fast Animal.” He is a finalist for the 2012 National Book Award.

Professor Xavier Cavazos wants the African-American Poetry Series to expose as much diversity and literature as possible, not just to the students in the writing program, but to the whole campus. He feels that curriculum up to this point has been eurocentric, and he wants the Lion Rock Series to be at the front of promoting minority voices by including African American, American Indian, Asian American and LGBT voices.

When asked about the recent events in Baltimore regarding Freddie Gray, Cavazos said the poetry series will voice a lot of concerns and present writing that will “force people to look at who they are and challenge some of their constructions about race.”

“We’re at a boiling point,” Cavazos said. “If we don’t start having meaningful conversations about our similarities, our differences, our perspectives, then it’s only going to get worse.”