Canisia Lubrin facts for kids

Canisia Lubrin (born 1984) is a talented writer, poet, and professor. She was born on the beautiful island of St. Lucia and now lives in Whitby, Ontario, Canada.

Early Life and Education

Canisia Lubrin was born in St. Lucia. She later moved to Canada to continue her education. She earned a bachelor's degree from York University and a graduate degree in creative writing from the University of Guelph.

A Career in Writing and Teaching

Canisia Lubrin is well-known for her powerful poetry and fiction. She also works as a professor and editor.

Her First Poetry Book: Voodoo Hypothesis

Her first collection of poems, Voodoo Hypothesis, came out in 2017. This book challenges old ideas that unfairly show Black people as less important. It also talks about the history of slavery in the Caribbean, where Lubrin grew up.

Voodoo Hypothesis was recognized as one of the best Canadian poetry books in 2017 by CBC Books. It was also named a "must-read" book by the League of Canadian Poets.

The Dyzgraphxst: Award-Winning Poetry

Lubrin's second poetry collection, The Dyzgraphxst, was published in 2020. This book received many important awards. It was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for English-language poetry.

The Dyzgraphxst won four major awards, including the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature. It also won the Derek Walcott Prize and the 2021 Griffin Poetry Prize. These are some of the biggest awards for poetry.

Code Noir: Her First Fiction Book

In 2024, Canisia Lubrin published her first fiction book, Code Noir. This book was also recognized for its excellence. It was shortlisted for the Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. It was also a finalist for the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction.

Teaching and Editing

Besides writing, Lubrin is an Assistant Professor at the University of Guelph. She teaches in the School of English and Theatre Studies. She has also worked as an editor for Buckrider Books. In 2021, she became the new poetry editor for McClelland & Stewart, a big Canadian publisher.

Awards and Recognition

In 2021, Canisia Lubrin won the Windham–Campbell Literature Prize for poetry. This is a very important international award. She shared the poetry prize with Natalie Scenters-Zapico. It was a special year because another Canadian writer, Dionne Brand, also won the fiction prize. This was the first time two Canadians won in the same year.

Works

Poetry Books

• Augur. Gap Riot Press, 2017. ISBN: 9781775056119
• Voodoo Hypothesis. Buckrider Books, 2017. ISBN: 9781928088424
• The Dyzgraphxst. McClelland & Stewart, 2020. ISBN: 9780771048692

Fiction Books

• Code Noir. Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 2024. ISBN: 9780735282216