The Carol Connolly Initiative for Poets and Writers

During her lifetime, Carol Connolly led an iconic life that continues to inspire Saint Paul poets, writers, and activists. She achieved a lifetime position as Saint Paul’s first poet laureate in 2006, an honor bestowed by Mayor Chris Coleman. Carol’s poems galvanized her colleagues, friends, and younger literary artists she mentored along the way. She became instrumental in helping to build Saint Paul Almanac, where she invested innumerable hours offering invaluable advice and insight as a director of the board since the organization’s inception. Carol’s largess of spirit and influence led us to honor her memory in November 2020 upon her passing by establishing the Carol Connolly Initiative for Poets and Writers. This is a fund that recognizes and supports the work of the contributors of Saint Paul Almanac’s publication, the Almanac. This initiative is a nod to Carol passing the hat at poetry readings.