On 19th April 2026, Ghanaian poet Mariam Mohammed was named the winner of the 2025 Journal of African Youth Literature (JAY Lit) Prize for Poetry for her poem ‘The B(lack)ody as a Map to Self’, published in Issue 9 of the journal.
The JAY Lit Prize for Poetry is awarded by the Journal of African Youth Literature (JAY Lit), a non-profit, open-access platform dedicated to amplifying African voices. Established in 2024, the prize recognises outstanding poetry published within the year. JAY Lit itself was founded in 2019 by Browyn Bowles-King.
Mariam Mohammed is a versatile writer and academic whose work explores themes of identity and belonging. She is currently pursuing a PhD at Michigan State University (MSU) in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures.
Beyond JAY Lit, her poetry has been featured in Phoenix Literary Arts Magazine, the Contemporary Ghanaian Writers Series, and the Ghana Poetry Festival Anthology. In early 2026, she was also named among the 100 Notable Ghanaians Creatives in 2025 by Creatives Project Ghana, placing among the top 20 Ghanian writers on the list in recognition of her creative contributions.
Her award-winning poem was selected by a distinguished judging panel that included architect and poet Bash Amunoni. As the winner, she received a $50 cash prize and will be featured in the upcoming JAY Lit Spotlight Series.
Mariam’s academic and creative interests span race, language, identity, mental health, and storytelling.