David Emeka and Anyang Kual Ayai Join the National Book Critics Circle’s 2026-2027 Emerging Critics Cohort
Two African diaspora writers have earned spots in one of American literary criticism's most competitive programs. Anyang Kual Ayai and David Emeka are among ten writers selected for the National Book Critics Circle's 2026 to 2027 Emerging Critics cohort, a one-year fellowship designed to identify, nurture, and support the next generation of book critics.
Ayai brings a rich cross-continental story to the cohort. A South Sudanese American writer raised between Nigeria and Tennessee, she carries exactly the kind of layered perspective that shapes sharp, culturally attuned criticism.
Both writers join a program that sits at the center of American literary culture, and their presence signals something worth watching. Keep your eyes on their bylines.
Originally published by Brittle Paper.