Lasana M. Sekou (St. Martin, Caribbean), is a poet, journalist, author, publisher. He has authored over 20 books of poetry, short stories, monologues, and essays. He is the founder of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP) and is the co-founder of the annual St. Martin Book Fair. Awards and honors include an International Writers Workshop Visiting Fellow (China), a James Michener Fellow (USA), Recognition for literary excellence in the service of Caribbean unity (Dominican Republic), a knighthood (Netherlands), the CTO Award of Excellence, and a judge for the Casa de las Americas Literary Prize (Cuba), Small Axe Literary Competition (USA), and the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (Barbados). Lasana M. Sekou is an advocate for the independence of St. Martin, a colony of the Netherlands and France. Hurricane Protocol is his newest book of poems.