Nafissa Thompson-Spires facts for kids
Nafissa Thompson-Spires, born in 1983, is an amazing African American writer. She is known for her stories. Her first book, Heads of the Colored People, came out in 2019. This book won several important awards. These include the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and the PEN/Open Book Award. It also won a Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for fiction.
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About Nafissa Thompson-Spires
Nafissa Thompson-Spires was born in San Diego, California, in 1983. She studied a lot to become a writer and teacher. She earned a special degree called a PhD in English from Vanderbilt University. She also got a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in creative writing. She earned this degree from both University of Illinois and Vanderbilt University.
Her Award-Winning Book
Her first book, Heads of the Colored People, is a collection of short stories. It was very popular and won many awards. Besides the ones mentioned, it also won a 2019 Whiting Award. The book was even considered for the 2018 National Book Award. People in other countries can read her book too. It has been translated into Italian, Turkish, and Portuguese.
Where Her Stories Appear
Nafissa Thompson-Spires writes different kinds of stories. Some are fiction, which means they are made up. Others are creative nonfiction, which means they are true stories told in an interesting way. Her writings have been published in many well-known magazines. These include New York, The Cut, and The Root. Her work has also appeared in The Paris Review and Ploughshares.
One of her short pieces, called “Unbought, Unbossed, Unbothered,” is part of The 1619 Project. This project explores the history and impact of slavery in the United States.
Teaching and Appearances
Nafissa Thompson-Spires is also a teacher. She currently teaches at Cornell University. She helps students learn how to write fiction. She also teaches about television studies. In 2020, she helped choose winners for PEN America. This group works to protect free expression. She even appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers in October 2018. She was on the show with famous comedians David Cross and Wanda Sykes.
