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 collection of short stories, Shut Up You're Pretty, which came out in 2019.

About Téa Mutonji

Early Life and Education

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. She had plans to go to law school.

However, her path changed when she was chosen for a special opportunity. She became the very first writer to be published by VS. Books. This is a new publishing group started by Vivek Shraya for new writers of color.

Her Books and Stories

Téa Mutonji's first book, Shut Up You're Pretty, was published in 2019. It is a collection of short stories that are all connected. The book follows a young girl named Loli as she grows up in Scarborough's Galloway neighborhood.

The stories explore Loli's journey, including her move from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Canada. They also talk about understanding different roles for boys and girls. Mutonji wrote this book to show a more positive side of the neighborhood. She wanted to share her own good experiences of living there.

Téa Mutonji is also working on a new book project. It is an anthology, which is a collection of writings by different authors. She is creating it with Adrian De Leon and Natasha Ramoutar. This new book will focus on writing from the Scarborough area.

Important Ideas in Her Writing

Téa Mutonji often writes with a focus on making a positive change. She calls this writing from an "activist lens." This means her stories often highlight important social issues.

She has shared that being called "pretty" is not always a compliment. She feels it can make people focus only on how a woman looks. This can hide all the other great qualities a woman has. Mutonji believes that women want their character and abilities to be seen first.

Awards and Recognition

Téa Mutonji has received several awards for her writing. In 2017, the Ontario Book Publishers Organization recognized her. They named her an emerging writer of the year.

In 2023, she was one of ten writers to win the Journey Prize. This was a special edition of the award for Black Canadian writers.

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