Book Lights
“The Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky literary landscape is historically rich and fertile ground,” says Holly Brians Ragusa, founder of Lit Cincy “We see stark differences along the natural divide of the Ohio River, which is the impetus for writers to build bridges with words.”
Brians Ragusa, author and local literary advocate, today recently announced the launch of Lit Cincy, a new charitable organization dedicated to strengthening and unifying the literary ecosystem across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
Lit Cincy is a community-driven, partnership-focused initiative designed to make the region’s literary life more visible, connected, and thriving —from poets to playwrights, novelists to journalists, emerging and youth voices to established authors.
“I am always inspired by Cincy's literary offerings, and certainly wanted to highlight them, but in this instance I am compelled to meet this moment in our nation's history–an inflection point at 250 years of democratic ideals–where literacy rates are falling, misinformation runs rampant, freedom of speech is in peril, books are banned, digital tools write for us, authors are cancelled and members of the press are under increasing threat,” she says. “Not since the Guttenberg Press have we had an acceleration in technology meet with repression of knowledge. For the first time in recorded memory, we are backsliding, as the Flynn effect shows us with Gen Z. Now is the time to stress and feature our literary past and paths foward.”
Lit Cincy is already building partnerships within the region. The organization focuses on several key priorities, including amplifying literary events across the region; advocating for literary expression and accessibility; supporting writers and creating meaningful connections for readers; fostering cross-genre collaboration; encouraging literacy; and increasing visibility for literary spaces.
The organization’s board of directors offers a microcosm of literary voices, including award-winning authors, poets, journalists, essayists, academics, and independent creatives from around the region, all united by a shared passion for the written word.
Lit Cincy has developed a comprehensive calendar which include upcoming readings and other literary events. But it is also a space for partners and interested collaborators to share their programs and raise their platforms.
“While I am excited to support partners, build collaborations and fill programming gaps with literary love, I think I am most excited about our volunteer opportunities and purpose driven board,” says Brians Ragusa. “We aim to invest energy in our literary community and advocate for literacy, expression, and the unfettered pursuit of knowledge. Books in hands. Words on pages. Minds in action. That is what drives us.”
More information about Lit Cincy, including opportunities for involvement, events, and donations, is available at litcincy.org.
