CHORD: Short-listed for the 2016 PEN Literary Award

This morning the English Department found out that our very own Rick Barot’s latest collection of poems has been short-listed for the 2016 PEN Open Book Award. The website stipulates that PEN awards recognize “some of the best writers and translators working today.”

Please join us in celebrating this great recognition of Rick’s work!

The PEN Open Book Award recognizes writers of color publishing in the United States. It was created by the PEN American Center’s Open Book Committee, “a group committed to racial and ethnic diversity within the literary and publishing communities.” The award confers the winner with a $5,000 prize.

About PEN:

The PEN award is one of the most prestigious forms of recognition an English-speaking writer can receive.

For 90 years, PEN’s mission has been to “ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to make it possible for everyone to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others.” And they do so both by recognizing the creative work of writers across genres through its awards and by supporting freedom of the press and opposing censorship.

The finalists will be announced on March 1st, so stay tuned.