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This episode features our conversation with Nikesha Elise Williams, which was live-streamed on June 22, 2026.

Nikesha Elise Williams is a two-time Emmy Award-winning producer, an award-winning author, and the producer and host of the Black and Published podcast. A narrative strategist by day and journalist always, her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Bitter Southerner, Essence, and Vox. Nikesha’s work has been supported by the Kimbilio Fiction Fellowship, the DeGroot Foundation, and the Tin House Summer Workshop. A Chicago native, she lives in Florida with her family.

During this episode, we talked about her latest work, The Seven Daughters of Dupree (Gallery/Scout Press, 2026).

The Seven Daughters of Dupree masterfully weaves together themes of generational trauma, Black women’s resilience, and unbreakable familial bonds. Echoing the literary power of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis, Nikesha Elise Williams delivers a feminist literary fiction that explores the ripple effects of actions, secrets, and love through seven generations of Black women.

Learn more about Nikesha Elise Williams and her work by visiting https://www.newwrites.com/

Mentioned in this episode:

Read the article, "The Spirit of American Beach" by Nikesha Elise Williams for The Bitter Southerner

Watch The Write Reasons interview with Nikesha Elise Williams and her editor, Alison Callahan

Purchase your copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupreee by Nikesha Elise Williams from our Bookshop

Find Nikesha on Instagram: @nikesha_elise

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