Witness

A potent YA poetry anthology that explores policing and public safety while honoring the past, recognizing our present, and making space for dreams of the future.This wide-ranging collection springs from a simple invitation to share stories. It includes contributions from nearly forty poets, including Ada Limon, Jason Reynolds, Erin Entrada Kelly, Danez Smith, and Amanda Gorman. The multifaceted chorus of voices explores experiences and emotions related to policing and over-policing by various law enforcement officers and agencies, touching on everything from the slave trade to an ICE agent killing Renee Good in early 2026. Evocative pieces of artwork by Damon Davis are interspersed, adding additional layers of meaning.In this deeply moving collection, anthologists and poets Ari Tison and Ty Chapman give readers an opportunity to reflect, to discuss, and above all, to witness.The complete list of poets includes:Kauakanilehua Mahoe AdamsD. R. BernstromFong Li BlessingTy ChapmanKinsale DrakeMargarita EngleAmanda GormanRonald GreerNikki GrimesCarolyn HolbrookKari Anne HoltDouglas KearneyTae KellerErin Entrada KellyHalee KirkwoodMichael Kleber-DiggsAda LimonMariama J. LockingtonW. J. LoftonKyle Carrero LopezKekla MagoonKyle Tran MyhreAlice PaigeJunauda PetrusBao PhiJason ReynoldsKaruna RiaziLaura RubyAida SalazarHannah V. SawyerrOllie SchminkeyTaiwana ShambleySun Yung ShinDanez SmithAri TisonPadma VenkatramanJasmine WargaKao Kalia Yang