Téa Mutonji facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Téa Mutonji
Mutonji in Toronto, October 11, 2022
Born	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Occupation	Author
Alma mater	University of Toronto Scarborough
Notable works	Shut Up You're Pretty (2019)
Notable awards	Trillium Book Award—English Prose (2019) Edmund White Award (2020)

Téa Mutonji is a talented Canadian writer and poet. She is known for her first book of short stories, Shut Up You're Pretty, which came out in 2019.

Growing Up

Téa Mutonji was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When she was young, her family moved to Canada. She grew up in the Scarborough area of Toronto and also in Oshawa.

While living in Scarborough, she worked in different jobs that served people. Later, she went to the University of Toronto Scarborough. There, she studied media and learned how to write creatively. Téa had plans to go to law school. However, something exciting happened! She was chosen to be the very first writer published by VS. Books. This is a special publishing company started by Vivek Shraya to help new writers of color share their stories.

Her Books

Téa Mutonji's book, Shut Up You're Pretty, was published in 2019. It is a collection of stories about a young girl growing up in the Galloway neighborhood of Scarborough.

Téa wrote this book to show a different side of her neighborhood. She wanted to share the good experiences she had there. She hoped to change some of the negative ideas people might have about the area.

Right now, Téa is working on a new book with other writers, Adrian De Leon and Natasha Ramoutar. This new book will be a collection of writings all about Scarborough.

What She Writes About

Téa Mutonji often writes with a focus on making a difference. She calls this writing from an "activist lens." This means she uses her stories to talk about important ideas and to challenge common ways of thinking.

For example, Téa has shared that being called "pretty" is not always a compliment. She feels it can be hurtful because it makes a woman's looks seem more important than all her other qualities. Téa believes that women want to be seen for their character and who they are inside, first and foremost.

Awards and Honors

Téa Mutonji has received several awards for her writing. In 2017, the Ontario Book Publishers Organization recognized her as an important new writer.

In 2023, she was one of ten winners of the Journey Prize. This was a special edition of the award that celebrated Black Canadian writers.

Her book, Shut Up You're Pretty, was also chosen for the 2024 edition of Canada Reads. This is a popular book competition in Canada. The actress Kudakwashe Rutendo defended Téa's book during the competition.