“There is so much powerful, perspective-shifting work being done by Maya-Gawonii.” - past workshop participant

Welcome!
Cowrie Crossings is an imprint for Black stories in all their fullness (love and joy, memory and magic, rage and reverence) and a home for liberatory facilitation. We’re building our first anthologies led by Black women, and creating spaces where people write, heal, and reimagine together.

Founded by author, critical essayist, and community educator Maya-Gawonii Saleh.

  1. Anthologies
    Collections led by Black women, gathering the voices too often left out of the room. Our first anthology will be revealed December 26, and the interest list for Black women writers from the South is open now (under the ‘Anthology’ tab in the navigation bar).

  2. Workshops
    Interactive writing workshops for schools, universities, libraries, and community groups across the Bay Area. Core workshops are listed in the navigation bar, and custom workshops can also be curated for any group.

  3. Events
    Readings, gatherings, and spaces for creating, remembering, and reimagining together.

Write with us. Read with us. Gather with us.
Join the anthology interest list, or book a workshop using the navigation bar above.

want to connect? email cowriecrossings@gmail.com

My Approach

Feedback from past participants

“Maya-Gawonii facilitated a great workshop grounded in safety and support. The conversation encouraged incredible conversation with a wonderful group of people. Super grateful for this resource and would highly recommend to anyone.” - Loving Community workshop participant

“Maya-Gawonii is an amazing facilitator and it was apparent that she put so much thought and love into the workshop.”

Liberatory Facilitation

I design and hold justice-rooted gatherings that weave grief, ritual, and radical imagination into transformative experiences. Whether through embodied strategy workshops, community healing circles, or one-on-one death-care consultations, I center Afro-Indigenous cosmologies, trauma-informed facilitation, and Black feminist ethics. Together, we create brave spaces to mourn our losses, honor ancestors, and co-create visionary futures grounded in solidarity, presence, and collective wholeness.