City of Asylum

For the book and the television series, see Asylum City.
City of Asylum
Formation2004
FoundersR. Henry Reese, Diane Samuels
TypeNon-profit
PurposeTo provide sanctuary to endangered literary writers.
Headquarters40 W. North Ave
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Coordinates40°27′20″N 80°00′27″W / 40.45562°N 80.007519°W / 40.45562; -80.007519
Executive Director
Andrés Franco
Budget
$1,100,000
Staff
14
Websitecityofasylum.org

City of Asylum (more formally City of Asylum/Pittsburgh) is a nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that helps writers exiled from their countries for their controversial writing.[1]

Exiled writers accepted to the organization's program receive two years of financial and medical support for their families and up to four years of free housing. The aid is intended to provide the writers time and means to seek resettlement and adjust to life in the United States.[1][2][3][4][5]

Founded in 2004 by Henry Reese and Diane Samuels,[6] the organization runs the Alphabet City venue, Sampsonia Way magazine, and Pittsburgh's Jazz Poetry Month. City of Asylum hosts more than 175 cultural and literary events every year which are free to the public.[7]

In 2016, it became the U.S. headquarters for the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN), which called the organization a “model for the world.”[8] In 2017, the organization converted an old Masonic lodge into their main headquarters, called Alphabet City.[9]

  1. ^ a b Pressimone, Salina (November 30, 2017). "An Asylum for Artists: Students intern at a Sanctuary for Exiled Writers". Pitt News. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  2. ^ Gentile, Carmen (August 10, 2014). "In Pittsburgh, a refuge for endangered writers". Al Jazeera. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  3. ^ Conway, Brian (February 13, 2017). "City of Asylum @ Alphabet City opens its doors to the community". NEXTPittsburgh. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  4. ^ Zhao, Kathy (January 5, 2015). "City of Asylum writers take refuge in Pittsburgh". Pitt News. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  5. ^ Volk, David. "City of Asylum: Helping persecuted artists in Pittsburgh". Columns Magazine. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  6. ^ Studebaker, Bob (July 16, 2017). "StoryCorps Pittsburgh: Henry Reese And Diane Samuels". WESA. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  7. ^ Pitz, Marylynne (February 27, 2019). "Broadcasting executive chosen to lead City of Asylum". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved March 25, 2019. The North Side nonprofit houses exiled writers and presents more than 175 free cultural and literary events each year
  8. ^ O'Driscoll, Bill (May 11, 2016). "City of Asylum/Pittsburgh Restaurant, Bookstore, Event Space Set for September". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved March 25, 2019. called City of Asylum/Pittsburgh "the model for the world."
  9. ^ Kirkland, Kevin (February 27, 2017). "Alphabet City bookstore: Newly opened bookstore provides an asylum for works of writers in exile". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved March 25, 2019.