Aracelis Girmay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aracelis Girmay
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| Born | December 10, 1977 |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Education | Connecticut College (BA) New York University (MFA) |
Aracelis Girmay, born on December 10, 1977, is an American poet. She has written three collections of poems. Her book Kingdom Animalia (2011) was even a finalist for a big award called the National Book Critics Circle Award. Besides writing, she also teaches poetry. She is an assistant professor at Hampshire College and started teaching at Stanford University in the summer of 2023.
Early Life
Aracelis Girmay grew up in Santa Ana, California. Her family has roots in Eritrea, a country in Africa. She went to Connecticut College for her first degree. Later, she earned a special degree called a Master of Fine Arts from New York University.
Career as a Poet
Girmay's first collection of poems was Teeth, published in 2007. For this book, she won the Great Lakes Colleges Association New Writers Award. This award recognizes talented new writers.
In 2011, Girmay released Kingdom Animalia. This book was so good that it became a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry. A writer named Camille T. Dungy said that Girmay's poems talk about how people can connect. They also show how the world sometimes keeps us apart.
Another famous writer, Junot Diaz, said that the poem "Kingdom Animalia" from her book was his favorite. He wrote in The New York Times that the poem was very powerful for him. It helped him think about how we are connected to others and the world around us.
The Black Maria (2016) was Girmay's third poetry collection. Publishers Weekly magazine called it a "Pick of the Week" in April 2016. They said it was a moving collection of poems. These poems use strong images and show a balance between being open and being strong. The Boston Globe newspaper also named it one of the best books of 2016.
Aracelis Girmay also shares her knowledge with students. She is an Assistant Professor of Poetry at Hampshire College.
Awards and Honors
Aracelis Girmay has received several important awards for her poetry:
- 2009 winner, Great Lakes Colleges Association New Writers Award
- 2011 finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award, poetry, for Kingdom Animalia
- 2015 winner, Whiting Award for poetry
Published Works
Here are some of the books Aracelis Girmay has written:
