Patrick Oliver

Patrick M. Oliver is a literary and education consultant dedicated to promoting reading and writing as tools of empowerment. Through a variety of innovative projects, Oliver engages children, youth and adults in activities such as writing workshops, virtual series, author talks, book discussions, professional development sessions, and community forums. Oliver currently serves as a literary and business development consultant for educational institutions, non-profit organizations, publishers and best-selling and award-winning authors. As his passion for literacy and education grew, Oliver founded Say It Loud! Readers and Writers in 1997, a literary arts organization that has continued to flourish throughout the years. After 20 years of its inception in 2017, Patrick Oliver was honored by his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, as the city proclaimed April 29th, Say It Loud! Readers and Writers Day.

Administrator and Leader

Patrick has previously served as Director of Sales and Marketing at Third World Press (Chicago, IL); Program Director for the Open Book Program a citywide after-school reading program (Chicago, IL) and spent over 10 years as a material management analyst and senior contract administrator in the defense industry (Los Angeles, CA). He has organized and facilitated panels and workshops for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs, American Library Association, College Language Association, Ohio State University, National Black Writers Conference, Princeton University, Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, Harlem Book Fair and numerous other conferences and events. In February 2020, Oliver was named as a Vice Chairman Advisory Board Member for Furious Flower Poetry Center at James Madison University.

Innovator and Writer

A passionate writer and publisher, Oliver’s works have gained their share of notoriety throughout the years.

  • Publisher and editor of the Essence Magazine best-selling anthology Turn the Page and You Don’t Stop: Sharing Successful Chapters in Our Lives with Youth (2006).

  • Contributor – “Featuring Leaders of Poetry Organizations for Kids from Around the United States” in the publication Open the Door: How to Excite Young People About Poetry (McSweeney’s April 2013).

  • Author and publisher On My Own: Vision Board Guidebook for Young People Second Edition (2021). Creator and publisher of the Ananse Journal (2020).

  • Forthcoming book Notes From A Literary Activist: Creating the Next Generation of Readers, Writers and Leaders scheduled for April 2024 (Third World Press).

  • Creator, executive producer and host of Literary Nation Talk Radio a live weekly broadcast (2015 to 2019).

  • Several appearances on CSPAN BookTV participating in literary events around the United States

  • Black America Web feature “Faces of Hope: Patrick Oliver Teaches Kids to Be Successful Readers and Writers”

  • Special guest author and Literary Excellence Award recipient at the National Book Club Conference (2014).

Mentor, Literary and Education Consultant

Over the years Patrick has worked vigorously as a mentor, literary and education consultant. He has developed in-school, after-school and summer enrichment programs for the Little Rock School District, William Penn School District (Lansdowne, PA), Open Book Program (Chicago, IL), Pulaski Technical College (North Little Rock, AR), City of Little Rock Community Programs Office, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Center for Diversity Affairs (Little Rock, AR) and Wallace Community College Trio/Upward Bound Program (Eufaula, AL).

  • Project developer and lead coordinator Better Community Developers Nia Career and Computer Training Center (2010)
  • Program developer and manager Hey Everybody I’m Going to be A Doctor for University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Center for Diversity Affairs (Summers 2010, 2011).
  • Co-founder annual Black Male Development Symposium (Arcadia University)
  • Researcher Little Rock School District to identify ways to increase number of minority boys participating in Gifted and Talented Programs (2012).
  • Co-wrote grant and program consultant with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Center for Diversity Affairs for the program Pipeline to Health Professions (PHP2) (April 2013).
  • Marketing consultant Third World Press (2008 to present).
  • Co-creator of Literacy and Law Tour with Law Professor Gloria Browne-Marshall. (2015)
  • Creator and co-facilitator Boys, Breakfast and Books program at Winthrop Rockefeller Elementary, Little Rock, AR (2017 to 2019).
  • Coordinated the three-day 20th Anniversary Celebration of Say It Loud! Readers and Writers (2017)
  • Lead consultant Roosevelt Union Free School District Boys to Men Mentoring Program/ Read Men Read funded by the President Barack Obama’s White House initiative My Brother’s Keepers (2017 to 2018).
  • Literary consultant and curator WordSpace (Dallas) (2017 to 2018)
  • Creator and co-facilitator Say It Loud! Youth Digital Media project Winthrop Rockefeller Elementary School, Little Rock, AR (2018 to 2019)
  • Co-creator and facilitator Read, Lead and Level Up literary arts program at Hall High School, Little Rock, AR. (2018 to 2019)
  • Creator and co-facilitator LIT@Lunch (30 boys) at Pulaski Heights Middle School, Little Rock, AR (Spring 2019)
  • Creator and facilitator Dallas Boys are Lit in partnership with the Dallas Public Library, Dallas, TX (Summer 2019).
  • Facilitator and creator of the Ananse Journal writing project for boys and young men (2020).
  • Creator and producer We Got Game, Stories and Visions for the Future virtual series for boys and young (2020).
  • Creator and producer Wellness, Wisdom and Writing: Conversations for Girls and Young Women virtual series (2020).
  • Creator and project director TLC Saturday Empowerment Academy Summer and Fall 2022
  • Little Rock Police Department and Say It Loud!Readers and Writer Book ’em Summer and Fall 2022
  • Dallas Public Library and Say It Loud! Readers and Writers Vision series Winter and Spring 2023

Read Voyage Dallas’s interview of Patrick M. Oliver

Read BlackAmericaWeb’s profile of Patrick M. Oliver and his compelling story.