New York, NY (February 11, 2026)—The Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) is thrilled to announce that Host Publications, based in Austin, Texas, is the winner of the 2026 Constellation Award. The press will receive $10,000. CavanKerry Press was selected as a finalist, located in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Given to honor an independent literary press that champions the writing of people of color, including Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American & Pacific Islander individuals, for excellence in publishing, the Constellation Award was launched in 2021 by CLMP with the support of Penguin Random House, which has annually underwritten the award.
“We are honored to recognize Host Publications for its commitment to advancing equity in publishing by elevating voices that are historically underrepresented in literature,” said Claire von Schilling, EVP, Director, Corporate Communications & Social Responsibility, Penguin Random House. “Host Publications exemplifies the vital role independent presses play in expanding access, inclusion, and opportunity across the literary landscape, and we are proud to continue our partnership with CLMP in support of this work.”
As of this year, Host Publications celebrates its thirty-eighth year as a publishing house, and second year as a nonprofit literary organization. Since 2017, Host has been led by a seasoned team of editors—publisher Annar Veröld-Miranda and editor-in-chief Claire Bowman—who are devoted to publishing historically marginalized writers, providing mentorship to emerging editors of color, organizing intersectional literary spaces for in-person and virtual artistic expression, and leading educational workshops.
With a current focus on poetry, Host publishes radical writing by emerging LGBTQ+, BIPOC, intersectional feminist, and immigrant voices, championing experimental writing that queers language and meaning-making, and engages with a poetics of liberation. Host works to empower its community of writers whose work inspires social transformation and creates a new sense of what is possible in writing.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this award!” said the Host team. “After working so passionately during an increasingly challenging time, it is truly such a gift to be celebrated in this way. As we grow our small organization, these funds will make a great impact on our ability to spend genuine time engaging writers from historically marginalized communities, and to continue going above and beyond for each writer we work with.”
“During this time of increased violence against the most vulnerable members of our communities and against those who insist on bearing witness, the role of independent publishers that champion the voices of people of color is vital,” said CLMP Board Member Deborah Paredez. “Their lively functioning—imperiled by the dismantling of federal funding and institutional attacks on diversity—is crucial to the maintenance of our vibrant literary landscape and our democratic chorus. This year’s award winner, Host Publications, has demonstrated an abiding support of queer and BIPOC writers for decades and offers inspiring and concrete visions for how to meet our current moment.”
The judges for this year’s award were Sunyoung Lee, publisher and editor of Kaya Press, and CLMP Board Members Beena Kamlani, author and freelance editor; Deborah Paredez, author, cofounder of CantoMundo, and associate professor at Columbia University; and Clarence Reynolds, former director of literary programs at The Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College CUNY.
For more information about the Constellation Award, visit www.clmp.org/constellation-award.
About the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP)
CLMP ensures a vibrant, diverse literary landscape by helping mission-driven independent literary magazines and presses thrive. Since 1967, CLMP has provided publishers with funding and technical assistance; facilitated peer-to-peer learning and group action; served as a dependable, essential hub for best practices, resources, and nurturing community support; and connected publishers with other groups of literary stakeholders, including readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, educators, presenting organizations, and funders. Along with directly serving 1,000+ publishers located in every state in the country, CLMP administers the Lit Mag Adoption program, which provides educators and students with discounted magazine subscriptions; the $10,000 Constellation Award, given to honor an independent literary press that is led by and/or champions the writing of people of color for excellence in publishing; and the Firecracker Awards for Independently Published Literature, which celebrate magazines and books that make a significant contribution to our literary culture, among other programs. Learn more at www.clmp.org.
