Page 31 - ARUBA TODAY

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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 31 January 2020
Houston writer Bryan Washington to receive Gaines award

By CHEVEL JOHNSON without compromising. The
Associated Press narratives are very much
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — His of his moment and I feel
path to writing was not like anytime someone does
straightforward, but Bryan that so deeply, that's admi-
Washington says he's grate- rable," he said.
ful to have found his way. Asked what's next on his
"I really fell into this," Wash- plate, Washington said he
ington said in a recent in- has a novel coming out
terview with The Associat- this fall titled "Memorial." He
ed Press. "I worked in a few didn't provide any details.
kitchens. I taught English as "In some sense it's a pro-
a second language and gression. I couldn't have
really enjoyed doing both. done it three years ago. I
Then I took an undergradu- wasn't good enough," he
ate course (on writing) and said. Previous winners of
I really, really enjoyed it the Gaines award include
and I've kept writing ever This photo provided by David Gracia shows author Bryan Washington. Houston writer Bryan Jamel Brinkley, Ladee Hub-
since." At just 26 years old, Washington has been named the 2019 recipient of the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary bard, Crystal Wilkinson and
Washington's fiction and Excellence, for his debut short story collection “Lot.” Associated Press T. Geronimo Johnson.q
essays have appeared in
The New York Times, The home and it's a city I'm en-
New York Times Magazine, amored with and I wanted Groups promoting news literacy to
The New Yorker, The Paris to see the community rep-
Review, Boston Review, resented on the page," he combat misinformation
and other publications. said. "To tell the stories of
He's also a National Book the people who live here By DAVID BAUDER Scripps president and CEO, "We did not tell the public
Foundation 5 Under 35 win- is really a cool opportunity. AP Media Writer said Wednesday. what we did, how impor-
ner, the recipient of an O. Above all else, I wanted to NEW YORK (AP) — A spe- "Over the long haul, if tant it is and why," he said.
Henry Award and the 2019 write something that my cial effort launched this Americans cannot discern "There is just a tremendous
winner of the 13th annual friends would enjoy." week is promoting the idea quality journalism from amount that they're not
Ernest J. Gaines Award for Washington earned a of news literacy education garbage, we as a journal- aware of. And why would
Literary Excellence. bachelor's degree in Eng- to help the public, particu- ism company are going they be?"
Washington will receive lish from the University of larly young people who to have trouble selling our Because asking uncom-
the Gaines award and its Houston and a master's in have grown up with social wares," Symson said. fortable questions of the
$15,000 prize at a ceremo- creative writing from the media, learn to track down The news literacy experts nation's elite is part of their
ny Thursday in Baton Rouge University of New Orleans. trustworthy information. cite surveys that show many role, journalists have never
for a debut collection of He is currently a lecturer at News organizations across people don't know the dif- been particularly popu-
short stories titled "Lot." The Rice University teaching in- the country are backing ference between opinion lar, and President Donald
award recognizes out- troduction to fiction. National News Literacy pieces and news articles. Trump repeatedly attacks
standing work from prom- He said he appreciates the Week, with a particular- An overwhelming majority the press. Secretary of
ising African American fic- accolades he's received ly aggressive campaign of young people did not State Mike Pompeo's anger
tion writers while honoring for his work. "It's a nice feel- across television stations understand, for example, at a National Public Radio
Gaines' contribution to the ing when you get visibil- and other properties why they might want to reporter for what she asked
literary world. A Louisiana ity for a story," he said. "I'm owned by the E.W. Scripps double-check assertions in an interview last week is
native, Gaines wrote the grateful for it. Co. Teachers are meeting about climate change on only the latest example of
critically acclaimed nov- Everyone mostly has been journalists at Bloomberg a website funded by the this playing out.
el "The Autobiography of saying really nice stuff." News to learn how news- fossil fuel industry. Symson said the problems
Miss Jane Pittman," one of Washington said receiving gathering works. The idea of news literacy of some journalists are less
four of his works that were the Gaines award in light The ultimate goal is to get is to get people to under- important than the Ameri-
adapted for films. His 1993 of the celebrated author's news literacy programs in- stand biases embedded can public being armed
novel "A Lesson Before Dy- passing is "bittersweet." corporated into civics edu- in information and recog- with information so they
ing" won the National Book "Still it's an honor more so cation in as many schools nize credible news sources can be smart participants
Critics Circle Award for fic- than anything else. To tell as possible, said Alan Miller, where they can double- in civic life. Journalists at
tion. Gaines died Nov. 5 at the stories I've been try- founder of the News Litera- check for the truth, Miller Scripps stations have vol-
his home in Oscar, Louisi- ing to tell about folks who cy Project. said. unteered at high schools to
ana. He was 86. are just doing interesting "The truth is we live at a Consumers need to look teach the standards and
The stories of "Lot" are set things in their communi- time when people have no further than the 2016 principles of journalism and
in Houston's multiethnic ties, about people of color more credible and valu- election and other political help them produce stories.
neighborhoods. "I was and queer people of color. able information at their campaigns to see the ease The News Literacy Project
drawn to the Houston Gaines was someone who fingertips than at any time and influence of spreading has also created a game-
area partly because it's my wrote about people he in history," Miller said. "Yet false information, he said. like app designed to help
knew and his community. misinformation has turned "We believe that misinfor- people distinguish be-
It means a lot to look at his that world against us in so mation is one of the chal- tween what is factual and
work and look at my work many ways." lenges of our time," said what is not.
as a reflection of him. That's Young people are growing Miller, a former reporter for "Opinions are stubborn
an honor in and of itself." up with social media that the Los Angeles Times. "We things and are often imper-
Washington said Gaines can spread false rumors as believe it is threatening to vious to facts," Miller said. "If
definitely has had an in- fast as fact, and watching undermine the civic life of we get to a point in society
fluence on his craft. "The television stations where our country." where we can't agree on
specificity of his voice and it's hard to discern opinions Journalists have also taken facts, we're going to have
his community. He wrote from fact, Adam Symson, a lot for granted, he said. a real problem."q