Artist Bio
Cole W. Williams is the author of Hear the River Dammed: Poems from the Edge of the Mississippi (Beaver’s Pond Press, 2017) as well as several books for children. Her poems have appeared in various journals, as well as in a number of anthologies. Williams is a graduate from the MFA program at Augsburg University in Minneapolis.
Author Engagements
Volunteer for The Women's Prison Book Project, MN Poetry Out Loud, Bright Light Stories in the Night annual event, East Freedom Library's Banned Book Event.
Friends of the Mississippi River 2021 Gala Featured Story
Honorable mention from the International Human Rights Art Festival
Creator of Nutshells Writing Collective, Poetry for Healthcare website
Augsburg University MFA in Creative Writing 2019-2021
Copper Canyon Press Internship Fall 2021-December, 2021
Belwin Bison 50th Celebration Poetry Reading Summer 2021
Reviewer MN State Arts Board Individual grants 2021 cycle
Reviewer for the MIPA Awards; 2020, 2021, 2022
The Loft Literary Center teacher Summer 2020 in creative nonfiction
Coffee House Press Internship Spring 2020
Howling Bird Press Volunteer Reading Manuscripts
Bakken Museum guest author readings and presentation
Contributor for Creatopia Magazine
Poetry and book club teacher, Creators Space summer 2018, Writing Ambassador position summer 2018
Taught Write and Stay Writing and Exploring Poetry at WOW Writing Conference September 2018
Taught Working with a Publicist at Rosemount Literary Festival, 2018.
Five books published in children's fiction, children's nonfiction and poetry.
Recipient of multiple book awards including two Nautilus Awards
Member of LOMP: League of Minnesota Poets
Member of WOW: Women of Words
Member of The Loft Literary Center
NaNoWriMo 2017
Attended Iowa Writing Festival 2018 with Jude Nutter
HEP Annual Meeting Keynote speaker
FOP2 guest speaker
Err Artists event at Honey, Mpls live poetry reading
Water & Environmental Advocacy Engagements
Cottage Grove Elected Parks Commissioner 2021
Board Member South Washington Watershed District Elected 2021-present
Board member, FOP2 Friends of Pool2 2017-2018
Member of the Citizens Advisory Committee for South Washington Watershed District
Minnesota Water Steward graduate from the 2017-2018 program, ongoing
Recipient of multiple grants including Clean Water Fund, Washington County Conservation District, South Washington Watershed District with MWS program
Installation of a plug prairie (5,500 sq. ft.) shoreline buffer along the Mississippi River
Installation of a broad seed prairie (quarter acres) along Mississippi River
Community organizer of Mississippi River clean-ups including coordinating sponsorship through TerraCycle and Bridgestone
Aquatic Invasive Species certified detector
Wrote and secured a 1Mississippi grant for FOP2 and organized the 2018 annual Reach the River meeting and Letter Writing Party for members
FMR Friends of the Mississippi River avid volunteer
LPLA Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance Member
FOP2 supporter
HEP, Hastings Environmental Protectors member
Organized Night for the River in St. Louis with Dean Klinkenberg and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment
Avid volunteer for Great River Greening, The Xerxes Society, Mississippi Park Connection and more
