Please welcome our new Executive Director and Publisher Jamia Wilson!

NEW YORK, NY— The Feminist Press at CUNY is pleased to announce that Jamia Wilson has been appointed Executive Director and Publisher. Wilson will succeed Jennifer Baumgardner, who ended her four-year tenure in May. The youngest director in the Press’s 47-year history, Jamia Wilson is also the first woman of color to head the organization.

The Feminist Press was founded in 1970 by Florence Howe as a crucial publishing component of second wave feminism, reprinting feminist classics by writers such as Zora Neale Hurston and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and providing much-needed texts for the developing field of women’s studies. Now in its 47th year, FP publishes feminist literature from around the world and has become the vanguard for books on contemporary feminist issues with authors such as Michelle Tea, Ana Castillo, and Sarah Schulman. Last year, the Press founded the Louise Meriwether First Book Prize, a literary prize for debut women and nonbinary authors of color.

“I can’t think of a more perfect leader to take the Press, with its gifted staff, into its bright future,” said former ED Jennifer Baumgardner. Founder Florence Howe emphasized, “Wilson is more than an activist, she’s a movement maker, and I’m immensely proud to see her take the helm of the Press as our fifth director.”

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Board Chair Rebecca Seawright shared, “Jamia Wilson brings vision, commitment, and expertise that will enable new paths to be forged at the oldest and most important publishing institution dedicated to feminist voices. We look forward to her leadership and to many successes.”

Jamia Wilson joins the Press after serving as Executive Director of Women, Action, & the Media, a direct-action network dedicated to creating gender justice in media at all levels. Previously, Wilson has served as TED Prize Storyteller and VP of Programs at Women’s Media Center. A thought leader and writer, Wilson has contributed to New York Magazine, the New York Times, The Today Show, and the Guardian, and is a columnist for Rookie. In 2016 Wilson was honored as a Black Feminist Human Rights Defender by Black Women’s Blueprint and was recognized by Refinery 29 as one of “17 Faces of the Future of Feminism“ in 2013.

“I grew up reading Feminist Press books from my mother’s shelf, and they were instrumental in developing my voice as an activist and writer. It’s an honor to join this intergenerational team to enliven the Press’s intersectional vision of publishing unapologetic, accessible texts that inspire action, teach empathy, and build community,” Wilson explained. “As I join this historic institution on the week of the 155th anniversary of Ida B. Wells’s birth, I’m guided by her wisdom that ‘the way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.’ It is with that spirit that I’ll continue to build on FP’s commitment to creating space for and representing a myriad of feminisms through books of all genres and beyond.”

“I couldn’t be more excited at the Black Girl Magic that Jamia Wilson will bring to the FP family. Jamia has a bold and inclusive vision for what intersectional, engaged feminist publishing should be,” said Dr. Brittney C. Cooper. Cofounder and president of Take The Lead Gloria Feldt shared that Wilson has “a perfect blend of vision, passion, and leadership skills.”

Gloria Steinem added, “I’ve supported and loved both Jamia Wilson and the Feminist Press since their respective entries into the feminist cosmos of words and deeds, and I look forward to the creativity and changed history that will result from this coming together.” Said activist Loretta Ross, “Jamia’s selection is a testament to her wisdom, brilliance, and energy.”

Wilson will begin her tenure on July 18 and can be reached at jamia@feministpress.org. Please join us in welcoming Wilson to the Feminist Press team!

Please support FP’s next chapter! Your contribution in Jamia’s honor is tax deductible, gets you a shoutout on social media, and helps support revolutionary feminist publishing. 
Let’s show Jamia some love!

Click here to download the press release.