Sidik Fofana
1995 MAX Fellow
James P. Timilty Middle School (now closed), Boston, MA
In the fall of 2022, we received a note in the mail from 1995 Max Fellow, Sidik Fofana, along with a copy of his most recent book Stories From The Tenants Downstairs. His note read:
“27 years ago you published an essay I wrote in the 6th grade about courage and put a photo of me on the cover of your anthology. I am now all grown up and have published a book of my own that I would like you to have. I’m so happy to see your organization still making a tremendous impact and Max’s life still continues to inspire me.”
Sidik has since joined our advisory board and was the keynote speaker at our annual gala. Sidik brought the crowd to their feet in a standing ovation with an incredible speech about the impact of MAXCourage on his life and his accomplishments as a best selling author. He said:
“In 1995, at the James P. Timilty Middle School, I wrote an essay, and it changed my life. It was the first time I was ever published in a book. It made me feel like I could write something that could move people.”
Please take the time to watch Sidik's speech!
Sidik Fofana is a graduate of NYU’s MFA program and a public school teacher in Brooklyn. His work has appeared in the Sewanee Review and Granta. He was named a fellow at the Center for Fiction in 2018, and is the recipient of a 2023 Whiting Award and the 2023 Gotham Book Prize.
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs, his debut short story collection composed of eight narratives about residents of a fictional building in Harlem, has received glowing reviews from The Boston Globe, NPR, The New York Times, and many others.
Learn more about Sidik at https://www.sidikfofana.com/