First Writer in Residence

YpsiWrites is pleased to announce its inaugural Writer in Residence, Angelica Esquivel. 

ABOUT ANGELICA

Angelica holds a master’s degree in creative writing, teaches composition at Washtenaw Community College, and is an editor at Paraselene Magazine. Her writing includes a work-in-progress poetry collection titled  Crying My Best, and a fragmented novel that explores Midwestern Latinidad, ancestral trauma, and spiritual syncretism. She was previously recognized as a Writer of Ypsilanti in 2023.

ABOUT THE WRITER IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM

As the Writer in Residence, Angelica will focus her programming around the 2025-2026 YpsiWrites theme, “Writing Together,” offering collaborative workshops for writers to brainstorm, share, and write their stories, poetry, and art. This fall, she will host a workshop on poetry and two workshops on flash fiction. In the winter, Ypsilanti residents will be invited to a workshop on creating zines.

Angelica’s residency will result in a community anthology titled “Envisioning Ypsi: Histories and Futures” and an art exhibit featuring local artists in the spring of 2026. The anthology and art exhibit are meant to showcase the creative spirit of local writers and artists. Below are the submission guidelines.

CALL FOR STORIES, POETRY AND VISUAL ART: Are you a local writer or artist? 2025-2026 Writer in Residence, Angelica Esquivel, YpsiWrites is creating an anthology by Ypsi-based creatives and would love to feature your work! We encourage you to submit your poems, stories, and visual art, especially work created at YpsiWrites workshops throughout the year.

Submission Guidelines: 

- Types of submissions are limited to poetry, flash fiction, or visual art

- Previously published pieces are acceptable, but please make a note about when and where they were first published

 - Pieces about or set in Ypsilanti are encouraged, but this is not a requirement for submission 

- All submissions should be submitted as a .pdf or .docx file to ypsiwrites@gmail.com. Please include the subject line “YpsiWrites Anthology Submission”

- In the submission email, please include the following:

- Author’s name as it should appear in the publication

- An email address we can contact you at with any questions

 - A third-person biography of 100 words or less. (Example: Molly Finn is a queer writer and dancer who has lived in Ypsi for the past ten years. She teaches dance at Riverside Arts Center and writes a weekly newsletter about local performing arts events. )

 - Any additional notes about previous publication

Documents can be submitted as follows:

- Poetry - submit up to 5 poems in a single document. 

- Fiction - submit up to 3 flash fiction pieces (1000 words or less each) in a single document. 

- Visual Art - submit as a PNG or JPEG up to 8 visual art pieces. 

Submissions will be accepted until February 1st, 2026.  

If you have any additional questions about the Writer in Residency program or submission guidelines, please email ypsiwrites@gmail.com.