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Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Logo

Amy Danzer's (Not) Farewell 

Dear Friends of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame,

As many of you may already know, my term on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame has come to an end. It’s been an honor over these nearly seven years – four as President and more than two as Secretary – to play some small role in all that CLHOF has been doing to celebrate, preserve, and promote Chicago’s rich literary heritage. 

In my time with the organization, the CLHOF community has come together for book launches, literary festivals, Independent Bookstore Days, a parade, readings, writing workshops, bus and walking tours, cocktail parties. Central to CLHOF programming, of course, are the organization’s signature events – ceremonies for the Fuller Lifetime Achievement Award, the Hall of Fame Induction, and the Randall Albers Young Writers Award – which never cease to move me and confirm the value of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. Witnessing the community come together and rally around writers for these events has deepened my pride and appreciation for the city, its writers, educators, readers. The ceremonies especially will always be powerful reminders of why literature is important in helping us see the humanity in one another.  

At a time when efforts to stifle expression, erase histories, and divide people seem more robust, it is ever more critical to continue the CLHOF’s mission to grow, honor, and preserve Chicago’s stories and literary history, create space for a diversity of voices, and build community together. 

Please continue to support the amazing work the CLHOF does. Following are ways you can help:

  • Attend, volunteer, or participate in CLHOF events.
  • Help the CLHOF grow its community.
  • Introduce friends/colleagues/students to the CLHOF by inviting them to a CLHOF event.
  • Recommend individuals for the CLHOF’s Governing Board.
  • Encourage friends and colleagues – especially young writers – to join the CLHOF’s Associate Board.
  • Write for the CLHOF blog.
  • Follow the CLHOF on social media (Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | YouTube | X ) and repost/share info about CLHOF events and initiatives. 
  • Send news to the CLHOF about literary events, new books, etc. at newswire@chicagoliteraryhof.org so the CLHOF can help make some noise about your news.
  • Make a donation. You can make a direct and private donation here: https://chicagoliteraryhof.org/support or send a check made payable to the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, and send to 4043 N. Ravenswood Ave., Unit 222, Chicago, IL 60613. The CLHOF is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit charitable organization (TAX-ID 46-3016017). All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Any amount of support you’re able to provide is deeply appreciated. We can’t do the work we do without being propped up by the community. 

Stepping into the role of Board President for 2026 is Jane Hseu. Jane is a writer, teacher, scholar, and organizer. She is Professor of English at Dominican University, where she teaches and does research about racial minority US literatures and also creative writing. Jane has published academic essays on Asian American and Latine literature, and personal essays, and is currently shopping around a full-length memoir manuscript. For two years, Jane has been a tremendous contributor to the organization, first as Secretary and then as Vice President. She has helped put together CLHOF events like the Fuller Award ceremony for Harriette Gillem Robinet, a screening and discussion of the film The Light of Truth: Richard Hunt’s Monument to Ida. B Wells, and an online reading celebrating Chicago’s Asian American literary community. Jane has recruited and facilitated oversight of interns and has helped strengthen our Associate Board. Please join me in welcoming the new President of the Board of Directors. The organization will be in excellent hands with Jane at the helm of the Board.

Assisting Jane Hseu and Founding Executive Director Don Evans is CLHOF’s stellar Board of Directors: Dave Stern (Treasurer), Ugochi Nwaogwugwu (Secretary), Arthur (Ade) Amaker, Heidi Bloom, Terry Cottrell, Carlos Cumpián, Richard Guzman, Vincent Francone, Dipika Mukherjee, and Kenyatta Rogers, and an ever-developing Associate Board, which includes Kelci Dean (Secretary), Brian Clancy, Katie Corboy, Anushka Dabhade, Reuben Diaz, Kelley Engelbrecht, Adrian Hernandez, Anna Hyslop, Eric Johnson, Anna Hernandez Jung, Clayton Lovell, Allison Manley, Jasminum McMullen, Donna Montgomery, Cristian D. Stoicescu, Gus Weise, and Kirby Wilson. The CLHOF also has a generously helpful Advisory Council and incredible Partners.

Although my time on the Board is up, you will still see me at CLHOF events cheering on the organization from the sidelines. I’ll look forward to seeing you there too! Feel free to stay in touch with me via LinkedIn and/or Instagram.

Photo by Monica Kass Rogers

 

Very best wishes to you and yours in the new year!

With love,

Amy

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Amy Danzer

Your Former Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Board President

Submissions for the Randall Albers
Young Writers Awards are OPEN!

Submissions for the Fourth Annual Randall Albers Young Writers Awards are now open to all Chicago area high school writers. We'll again welcome entries in either poetry or prose. We've increased, by nearly a third, the prize award amounts, a tradition we hope to continue as the years go on.  

This awards, named after one of Chicago’s most dedicated writing teachers—Columbia College’s Professor and Chair Emeritus of Fiction Writing, Randall Albers—aim to support and encourage our city’s next great generation of writers. As Albers said when commenting on a past competition: “People beyond Chicago need to understand that this city is a hotbed of writing talent and that plenty of young people are focused on creativity. That represents a great hope for the future, one that we hope is contagious. All of this expansion would be another terrific movement toward building a powerhouse city of writers, as the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame always seeks to do.”

The contest is open to all Chicago area students currently enrolled in grades 9-12 and will remain open until Monday, February 17, 2026 at 5PM CT or until we reach our submissions cap of 400 entries—whichever comes first. This year's final judges will be Timothy David Rey (poetry) and Megan Stielstra (prose). 

Winners in each of our two categories—prose and poetry—will receive awards in the following amounts:

  • 1st place: $300
  • 2nd place: $200
  • 3rd place: $150
  • 4th place: $100

Each winner will also receive publication in a commemorative program produced in conjunction with the awards ceremony. Winners will be listed on our website and will have the opportunity to read from their entries during the awards ceremony on April 18, 2026 at the Harold Washington Library's Reception Hall.

Learn How to Enter

The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame’s mission is to honor and preserve Chicago’s great literary heritage.
The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame is a federally registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible.

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