“Where I’m From”
As I read these poems and stories I realized I was reading the very future of American literature, and that it is deep, diverse, daring, and at times sublime.
–Sapphire, Contest Judge
First Place: “Alex” by Taylor Price
Second Place: “Jay Street” by Alice Mitchell
Third Place: “Clean Up” by Hannah Fitzgerald
About the Judge: Sapphire is the author of two bestselling novels, Push and The Kid. Push was adapted into the Academy Award-winning major motion film Precious, which received the Academy Award for Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress. Sapphire is also the author of two collections of poetry: American Dreams, and Black Wings & Blind Angels. Her work has been translated into thirteen languages and has been adapted for stage in the United States and Europe. Her poetry, fiction, and essays have appeared in The Black Scholar, The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, The Teacher’s Voice, The New Yorker, Spin, and Bomb.