Congratulations to the 2022 DWR Award Finalists!

POETRY

18+ Age Group

1st: Shout Out by Jimmie Smith Jr. 

2nd: Before Sunrise by Patrick W. Gibson

3rd: A Letter from an Overthinking Lover by Rae Holston

Honorable Mention: Untitled by Brea Liggons

13-17 Age Group

1st-tied: The Bleeding Heart by LayLa Sherman

1st-tied: I Am Different by Shayla Mostyn

FLASH FICTION

1st: Pet Store by Jeff Hoard

2nd: A Different Direction by Patrick W. Gibson

3rd: The Belle of Belle Isle by Stacey DuFord

NON-FICTION

1st: Breasts by Lisa-Erika James

2nd: A conversation about courage between body and soul by Ayelet Polter

3rd: The Dad Door by John Terzano

MEMOIR

1st: Sybil Warren's Life is Like The Roman Empire by Martha Graham

2nd: When A Workshop Feels More Like A Break-up by Jenn McKee

3rd: Born Blue by Nicole Ribbens

CHILDREN'S BOOK MANUSCRIPT

1st: Ida Pluck's Cluck by Patti Richards

2nd: 2857: The Story of the Rosa Parks Bus by Cheryl Johnson

3rd: Summer Town by Martha Graham

SCREENWRITING

1st: Talk Radio by David Santo

2nd: Oni by David Santo

3rd: Desperately Seeking Santa by Elizabeth Weigandt

Honorable Mention: The Magic Waiting Room by Stacey DuFord

BLOGS

1st: The Curse of Early Success - in School and in Softball by Jenn McKee

2nd: The One Mindset Shift That Continues to Improve the Way I Parent and Live by Albiona Rakipi

PUBLIC RELATIONS

1st: Downtown Boxing Gym's De La Salle Graduates by Robin Schwartz

2nd: ‘Freedom Village’ Provides Safe Haven for Refugee Families in Hamtramck by Jennie Miller

3rd: Social Media Helps a Community Virtually ‘Meet in Milford’ During the Pandemic by Franco

PHOTOGRAPHY

18+ Age Group

Winner: Candace Roulo

13-17 Age Group

LayLa Sherman

The Detroit Writing Room Awards benefit the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Coaching Detroit Forward which provides free writing and photography programs for Detroit high school students.