books

UH Poet Wins Major Literary Award

UH Poet Wins Major Literary Award

poet francine j. harris — who prefers her name be spelled all lowercase

THIS YEAR, TWO Houstonians were nominated for National Book Critics Circle Awards which, along with the Pulitzer Prizes and National Book Awards, are among the most prestigious literary awards given each year. Bryan Washington, who won numerous awards for his 2019 debut collection of short stories, Lot, was a finalist for the NBCC award in Fiction for his 2020 novel Memorial. And the poet francine j. harris — who prefers her name be spelled all lowercase — was a finalist for the NBCCC prize for poetry for her third collection, Here is the Sweet Hand. On Thursday, harris won!

harris is an associate professor of English at the University of Houston, where she teaches creative writing. Originally from Detroit, she is the author of play dead, which won a Lambda Literary and Audre Lorde Awards and was a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award.

Her poems describe a personal and political geography, about being Black and a lesbian and living in these tumultuous times of loss. It's a book that is in full dialog with the present and the past.

Upon learning she had won the award — during a virtual ceremony — harris was moved to tears. She thanked mentorship of previous generations of Black women poets, and noted the passing of poet Adam Zagajewski, the former long-time UH poetry professor, earlier this week.

Related Articles Around the Web
People + Places
promoted

Cool for ‘Schools’! CIS Wants to Transport You to a Whimsical ‘Wonderland’ at Milestone Gala

Cool for ‘Schools’! CIS Wants to Transport You to a Whimsical ‘Wonderland’ at Milestone Gala

CIS 2024 Gala Honorary Co-Chair Judy Tate, Co-Chair Lauren Brollier, Co-Chair Cassie Milam, Honorary Co-Chair Kirby McCool

WHETHER YOU PREFER Alice, the Mad Hatter or the Queen of Hearts, Communities In Schools of Houston’s A Night in Wonderland 45th Anniversary GalaA Night in Wonderland 45th Anniversary Gala is not to be missed! Join in the celebration for a whimsical good time on Thursday, April 4th, at the luxurious Post Oak Hotel.

Keep Reading Show less
music

With New Concept Album, Jacob Hilton Processes Mental-Health Struggles

Dakota Garrett

Jacob Hilton, a.k.a. Travid Halton, at home in his kitchen, where he enjoys cooking as a form of therapy.

PINK FLOYD'S THE Wall. Sinatra’s In the Wee Small Hours. Beyonce’s Lemonade. Three divergent examples of the album as a cathartic, psychological, conceptual work, meant to be experienced in a single sitting. Houston singer-songwriter Jacob Hilton, 37, who records as Travid Halton, a portmanteau of his mother and father’s names, might balk at being mentioned in such company. (This is a thoroughly unpretentious man, who describes himself as an “archaeologist turned singer-songwriter.”)

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment
promoted

Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

Al Torres

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

Keep Reading Show less