Červená Barva Press editor and publisher Gloria Mindock.

In April, Červená Barva Press celebrated its 20th anniversary. To mark this milestone, editor and publisher Gloria Mindock recorded many of her authors reading poems or short excerpts from their fiction for a special video series, now available on YouTube. In addition to authors, several friends of the press – long-time supporters of its work – also contributed readings from their own writing. The series currently includes eight videos, each featuring approximately ten readers. Gloria plans to record two more groups before shifting to other celebratory events.

To date, the press has published approximately 270 books of poetry, fiction, and translations by writers from around the world. One of the press’s founding goals was to publish translated works and help bridge cultural divides between countries. Community has always been central to Červená Barva’s mission – 64 writers from Massachusetts have been published, many from the Somerville and Cambridge area, some multiple times.

Over its two decades, Červená Barva Press has offered a wide range of programming, including: Červená Barva Press Reading Series, Portrait of an Artist & Poet, Monologue Mondays, Poetry Roundtables, Translation Roundtables, Book Trailers, Behind the Book YouTube Interview Series, International Reading Series, Read America Read – a program that, since 2015, has distributed approximately 3,000 free books at various locations across the U.S., and monthly newsletters. The press has also participated in numerous global social activism efforts.

In 2023, the press launched the Dissident Award, named in honor of its first recipient, Svetoslav Nahum of Belgium. Svet has risked his life advocating for democracy and freedom for Ukraine, and has faced threats from Putin’s agents, including the threat of Novichok poisoning – the same chemical weapon used on Navalny. He and his family have recently faced renewed threats and are currently in hiding. In 2024, the award was given to Mbizo Chirasha of Zimbabwe, who spent time in hiding but is now active again. The 2025 recipient will be announced soon.

.Červená Barva Press will host its third Literary Summit on October 17, 18, and 19. All workshops and talks will be recorded and made available on YouTube for paid attendees, who can choose to watch them on a scheduled timeline or at their own pace.

This year’s confirmed lineup includes Andrey Gritsman, Mark Pawlak, Mary Bonina, Joyce Wilson, George Kalamaras, Lawrence Kessenich, John C. Mannone, Dorothy Nelson, J. Kates, Pamela Laskin, Irina Mashinski, and Miriam Levine, with more names to be announced soon.

A Special Thank You from Gloria

I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to the staff – past and present – who have helped Červená Barva Press thrive, to my interns, to the wonderful community I live in, and to the many writers and authors worldwide whom I’ve published and had the pleasure of getting to know.