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Cultura y conciencia

Elizabeth Acevedo Becomes First Person of Color to Win Carnegie Medal

Cultura, Culture, Literature, Literatura, NewsNelson SantanaComment

During its 83-year history, the prestigious Carnegie Medal had not been awarded to a writer of color—that is, until Afro-Dominican Elizabeth Acevedo received the honor in June. The daughter of Dominican immigrants has been awarded the United Kingdom’s most prestigious children’s books award. The award honors Acevedo’s contribution to the Young Adult (YA) genre.

“I think we should have poetry in every room”
— Elizabeth Acevedo

According to Carnegie, in her acceptance speech, Acevedo credited a student for inspiring Poet X. Acevedo said, “I felt like this student had given me a challenge, or at least permission to grab the baton. She gave me permission to write a story about young people who take up space, who do not make themselves small, who learn the power of their own words.” She continued, “I think we should have poetry in every room as much as possible, and because I fundamentally believe in Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s words that children’s literature should be a mirror and a window.”

For several years, Julia Alvarez occupied the top spot of Dominican-descended U.S.-based literary writer. Junot Díaz took the mantle afterward, reigning supreme for more than a decade. After the recent success of Poet X (2018) and her most recent novel, With the Fire on High (2019), it is safe to say that Elizabeth Acevedo is the top Dominican-descended literary figure in the United States. Other writers of Dominican descent whose works have left a mark are Loida Maritza Perez, Nelly Rosario and Angie Cruz.

Given the climate of anti-immigrant sentiment and racism that exists in the United Kingdom because of the Brexit referendum, it is paradoxical that an old-time institution honors an artist of color.

“This one will stay with you a long time”
— Angie Thomas

In 2018, Acevedo’s work appeared in the prestigious Poetry magazine as reported by ESENDOM:

The April edition of the “oldest monthly devoted to verse in the English-speaking world,” features three poems by Elizabeth Acevedo: Iron, You Mean You Don’t Weep at the Nail Salon? and Hearing That   Joe Arroyo Song at Ibiza Nightclub, 2008.

As noted by ESENDOM:

Twenty years ago it was rare to read the work of a writer of Dominican descent in US mainstream literary magazines. Two decades later, Dominican writers—from the island or abroad—have made inroads into mainstream publications.

According to Carnegie’s press release:

The Poet X explores themes of identity, freedom, first love and finding your own voice. A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother's religion and her own relationship to the world.

Speaking about Poet X, bestselling author Angie Thomas noted, “This one will stay with you a long time.”

Born and raised in New York, Acevedo resides in Washington, D.C. She is the recipient of numerous awards. She is a National Slam Champion, Beltway Grand Slam Champion, and the 2016 Women of the World Poetry Slam representative for Washington, D.C.

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La escritora de origen dominicano, Elizabeth Acevedo, ganó la Medalla de Carnegie, el premio más importante de literatura infantil de Gran Bretaña. . Acevedo, quien recibió el premio la tarde de este martes, recibió el galardón por su primera novela “The Poet X”, en la Biblioteca Británica, escenario donde se celebró la premiación. . La autora expresó que está muy emocionada porque es la primera persona de color en ganar el premio, y la primera dominicana en llevarse la medalla que ha sido otorgada a escritores como C.S Lewis, de las Crónicas de Narnia. . Elizabeth estuvo nominada junto a Kate Saunders (The Land of Neverendings); Frances Hardinge (A Skinful of Shadows); Jason Reynolds (Long Way Down); Sally Nicholls (Things a Bright Girl Can Do); Candy Gourlay (Bone Talk), y Sophie Anderson (The House with Chicken Legs). . La Medalla Carnegie se otorga cada año al mejor libro infantil/ juvenil, y a sus ganadores los premian con una medalla dorada, el premio Colin Mears valorado en 5,000 libras esterlinas y 500 libras para donarlas en libros para una biblioteca pública o centro educativo de su preferencia. . El primer libro de Acevedo recibió este año el premio Pura Belpré; también el galardón Michael L. . Printz que premia la excelencia en la literatura de adulto joven y el audiolibro de “The Poet X” ganó el premio Odyssey como el mejor producido para niños y adultos jóvenes. . Hace unos meses publicó su segunda “With the fire on high”, que ha ocupado los primeros lugares de la lista de los más vendidos del New York Times. . Fuente: m.noticiassin.com . . #Noticias #GrupoMicheli #LaRomana #RepublicaDominicana #Radio #Television #NoticiasDominicanas #UltimasNoticias #NoticiasenEspañol #Dominicanos #PrensaDominicana #GranBretaña #MedalladeCarnegie #LiteraturaInfantil #ThePoetX #ElizabethAcevedo

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#ElizabethAcevedo 🇩🇴 was born in New York to Dominican immigrant parents. She acquired her BA in Performing Arts from George Washington University and her MFA in creative writing from the University of Maryland. ----- Her debut novel, #ThePoetX - "A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother's religion and her own relationship to the world." The book is available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. ------ The book won numerous awards: New York Times Bestseller, National Book Award Winner. 2018 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children's Literature, 2018 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, 2019 Michael L. Printz Awards, and the 2019 Carnegie Medal. ----- Elizabeth is the first writer of color to win the Carnegie Medal, in its 83-year history. It is an annual British literary award that recognizes one outstanding new English-language book for children or young adults. It is referred to as "UK's oldest and most prestigious children's book awards." ----- Read more at bustle.com // cc: @acevedowrites @bustle

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Elizabeth Acevedo, the author of National Book Award-winning YA novel "The Poet X," became the first writer of color to receive the Carnegie Medal in the prize's 83-year history. "The Carnegie Medal is an annual British literary award that recognizes one outstanding new English-language book for children or young adults."⠀ .⠀ Students in our Adolescent Book Group read "The Poet X" this year and LOVED it. Congrats, @acevedowrites! . Source: https://www.bustle.com/p/elizabeth-acevedo-just-became-the-first-writer-of-color-to-win-the-carnegie-medal-in-its-83-year-history-18013315⠀ .⠀ #elizabethacevedo #thepoetx #withthefireonhigh #yanovel #youngadultnovel #youngadult #carnegiemedal #books #book #bookstagram #reading #reader

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É com muito orgulho que anunciamos que Elizabeth Acevedo ganhou a medalha Carnegie, o mais prestigiado prêmio de livros infantis do Reino Unido. Ela se tornou a primeira autora não branca a ganhar o reconhecimento pelo seu livro “A poeta X”, lançado pela Galera. Com este feito, Elizabeth se junta a autores como CS Lewis e Neil Gaiman na lista dos reconhecidos pelo prêmio. ⠀ Filha de pais dominicanos, a autora é campeã americana de Slam Poetry, competição de poesia falada que tem se tornado uma via de expressão para jovens em todo o mundo. Para escrever “A poeta X”, a autora buscou em sua própria experiência a inspiração para escrever a história de Xiomara Batista, uma protagonista que sente sem voz e desconectada do mundo que a cerca. Narrado por meio de poesias – que, na melhor tradição do slam poetry, pedem uma leitura em voz alta –, o livro acompanha Xiomara em meio a provações clássicas da adolescência: a paixão pelo amigo da aula de biologia; a raiva e a ferocidade que sempre acabam respondendo primeiro aos gracejos. ⠀ Saiba mais no blog: http://www.blogdaeditorarecord.com.br/2019/06/19/elizabeth-acevedo-ganha-medalha-carnegie/ ⠀ Foto: Katariina Jarvinen ⠀ #livro #ElizabethAcevedo #Prêmio #slampoetry #APoetaX #CarnegieMedal

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