Awards
O, Miami is proud to recognize writers for their commitments to their communities. Below you'll find information about the various awards, fellowships, and laureateships that O, Miami produces alone, or with partners. Information about submission (if applicable) is linked below and also on our Submit page, whenever submissions are open.
The Jubi Arriola-Headley South Florida Book Prize
O, Miami is proud to announce that submissions are open for the first annual Jubi Arriola-Headley South Florida Book Prize, a new book prize supporting the publication of a full-length manuscript by a South Florida poet.
We are honored to do this work in loving memory of our friend and beloved poet, Jubi Arriola-Headley (1969-2025) (he/him), a Black queer poet, storyteller, and activist whose work explored themes of vulnerability, manhood, and joy. He was the author of the poetry collections original kink (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2020) and Bound (Persea Books, 2024).
Open to emerging and established poets regardless of publication history
Open to South Florida residents, former residents, and others with enduring deep ties to the region, defined as Palm Beach County, Broward County, Miami-Dade County, and Monroe County
Current and former employees and board members of O, Miami are not eligible to submit
To view submission materials and submit your work, visit the application.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas Poetry Award
O, Miami and The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center are proud to present the annual Marjory Stoneman Douglas Poetry Award. Each April, during the O, Miami Poetry Festival, one South Florida poet is selected who represents qualities that reflect Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the legacy she left behind in South Florida.
What we look for in an awardee
- Be an advocate for South Florida’s ecosystems
- Be active and outspoken in addressing the challenges faced by our natural environment
- Be a natural preservationist/conservationist
- Be a writer or poet
Current Awardee
- Catherine Esposito Prescott
Past Awardees
- Arsimmer McCoy
- Yaddyra Peralta
- Houston Cypress
- Cherry Pickman
- Aja Monet
- Jaswinder Bolina
Derricotte/Eady Prize
O, Miami is proud to collaborate with Cave Canem Foundation to produce the annual Derricotte/Eady Prize, developed in collaboration with The Writer’s Room at The Betsy-South Beach.
Established to celebrate Cave Canem’s 20th anniversary, the prize seeks to publish one outstanding chapbook manuscript by a Black poet per year, regardless of the poet’s publication history or career status.
For more information, visit Cave Canem
Current winner
- Chaun Ballard
Love Letters to My Future Self
Previous winners
- Mia Word
Great River - Zaynab Iliyasu Bobi
Cadaver of Red Roses - Meredith Nnoka
I Could Never Be Your Woman - Demetrius A. Buckley
Here Is Home - Wale Ayinla
To Cast A Dream - Marissa Davis
My Name & Other Languages I Am Learning How to Speak - Mia S. Willis
monster house - Layla Benitez-James
God Suspected My Heart Was a Geode But He Had to Make Sure - Nick Makoha
Resurrection Man - Rio Cortez
I have learned to define a field as a space between mountains
