Picture a Minneapolis-born storyteller weaving tales of queer Black love and cosmic wonder—meet Junauda Petrus! This multidisciplinary artist of Afro-Caribbean descent has captivated readers with her debut novel, The Stars and the Blackness Between Them, a lyrical young adult masterpiece that pulses with Afro-futurism, resilience, and ancestral healing. Petrus’s work is a vibrant celebration of identity, making her a rising star in contemporary literature.
The Making of Junauda Petrus
Born on Dakota land in Minneapolis, Junauda Petrus grew up in the Phillips neighborhood, surrounded by the rich cultural tapestry of her Trinidadian mother and US Virgin Islands-born father. As a child, she dreamed of becoming an astronaut, inspired by the limitless cosmos and the vivid imaginations of her parents, avid readers despite not finishing high school. Influenced by literary giants like Maya Angelou and Alice Walker, Petrus pursued a degree in Social Justice and the African Diaspora at Hamline University, laying the foundation for her boundary-pushing art.
Her creative journey spans playwriting, filmmaking, and performance art, often exploring Black wildness and queerness. In 2009, she trained in aerial circus arts in Brooklyn, using the corde lisse to reimagine narratives of Blackness and femininity. With Erin Sharkey, she co-founded Free Black Dirt, a Minneapolis collective amplifying emerging artists through theater and performance, cementing her role as a community-driven creator.
Junauda Petrus’s Unforgettable Stories
Petrus’s debut novel, The Stars and the Blackness Between Them (2019), is a soul-stirring young adult story of two queer Black teens, Audre and Mabel, navigating love and loss in Minneapolis. Written in lush, poetic prose, it blends Afro-futurism and magical realism, earning a Coretta Scott King Honor Award in 2020. The novel’s vibrant voices and themes of ancestral healing have made it a touchstone for Black queer youth, though it’s faced book bans for its bold representation.
Beyond her novel, Petrus has crafted works like Sweetness of Wild, a poetic film series celebrating Black life in Minneapolis, and Impact Theory of Mass Extinction, a puppet show about Black teens time-traveling to a dinosaur realm. Her play There Are Other Worlds uses aerial arts to tell a story of a Black mother’s incarceration, showcasing her knack for blending speculative fiction with social justice. Petrus’s style—rhythmic, spiritual, and unabashedly erotic—creates worlds where Black and queer identities shine as divine.
Currently, she’s working on Black Circus, a second novel about a young Black woman finding solace in circus arts, and a screenplay adaptation of her debut. Her poetry, infused with Caribbean storytelling flair, also graces Minneapolis as the city’s second poet laureate, bringing verse to buses and barbershops.
Why Junauda Petrus Matters
Junauda Petrus’s work redefines young adult literature by centering Black queer narratives in spaces often dominated by white voices. Her stories offer solace and empowerment to marginalized readers, reflecting the limitless potential of Black identity. As Minneapolis author Shannon Gibney notes, Petrus’s art transcends oppressive categorizations, creating an “Eden” where Caribbean, Black, and LGBT cultures thrive. Her activism, from co-founding Free Black Dirt to addressing incarceration and police violence, amplifies her impact as a healer through art.
In a world where only a fraction of children’s books feature Black characters, Petrus’s voice is vital. Her ability to weave grief and joy, as seen in her poem “Ritual on How to Love Minneapolis Again,” connects communities across diasporas, making her a cultural bridge. As Minneapolis’s poet laureate, she continues to inspire youth and elders alike, proving storytelling can spark change.
- Born: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Key Work: The Stars and the Blackness Between Them (2019)
- Awards: Coretta Scott King Honor Award (2020), City Pages Artist of the Year (2016)
- Fun Fact: Petrus studied West African and Afro-Caribbean dance to inform her art.
Snag The Stars and the Blackness Between Them and dive into Junauda Petrus’s Afro-futuristic world of love and liberation!