Hello
Leah Maitland (she/they) is a poet, storyteller, and lover of literature focused in Wisconsin. They are a recent graduate of University of Wisconsin Madison with a B.A. in English – Creative Writing, with certificates in Digital Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, Classical Studies, European Studies, and LGBTQ+ Studies. They are continuing their studies at UW-Madison through the Master's of Library and Information Studies program ('27).
Leah's Story
As a writer, Leah is passionate about exploring queer identity and mental health through poetry, as well as creating space for diverse representation in children’s and YA literature and in alternative communities. She has presented at the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Student Showcase on Books for Budding Bela Lugosis: Children’s and Young Adult Lit Featuring Goth, Metal, and Punk Subcultures in April 2024, as well as on Spring into a Good Book: An Analysis of Multicultural Book Circulation from a Display at Madison Central in April 2025 and Sex Education from Page to Practice: Children’s Literature in the College Classroom in April 2026. She served for two years as writing director and three years as a contributing author and artist for ALT magazine, a campus magazine dedicated to alternative fashion and lifestyles. Her poetry has also been published in Illumination Journal through UW-Madison, fsm Arts Journal, and Pergola Literary Magazine's inaugural janet jai Visual Poetry Contest.
Outside of the world of reading and writing, Leah is a multifaceted creative whose insights are utilized for managing social media pages, running community events, and service to the general public. She enjoys working with children, teens, and adults alike, and aims to further join the Library Science field where her detail-oriented nature and vivid originality may be used to create a space for self-expression and community gathering. She is hoping you consider her for any projects within the poetry or library field, working with alternative communities, or anything you want to have extra creative flair.