Yona Harvey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yona Harvey
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Harvey at Busboys and Poets, 2014
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| Born | 1974 (age 50–51) Cincinnati, Ohio, United States |
| Occupation | Poet Professor |
| Alma mater | Howard University Ohio State University University of Pittsburgh |
| Notable works | Hemming the Water |
| Notable awards | Kate Tufts Discovery Award |
Yona Harvey, born in 1974, is an American poet and a professor. She is known for her amazing poetry and for being one of the first Black women to write for Marvel Comics! She won a special award called the Kate Tufts Discovery Award in 2014.
Contents
About Yona Harvey
Yona Harvey is a talented writer who teaches at the University of Pittsburgh. She has written many poems and even helped create stories for popular comic books. Her work often explores the lives and experiences of Black American women.
Early Life and Education
Yona Harvey studied English at Howard University. Some of her classmates there became famous writers too, like Ta-Nehisi Coates. After Howard, she continued her studies at Ohio State University and the University of Pittsburgh. She earned advanced degrees in English and Library Science.
Writing Career
Yona Harvey's writing career includes both poetry and comic books. She is known for her unique style that blends different voices and ideas.
Poetry Works
Harvey's poems have appeared in many well-known literary magazines. In 2013, she published her first collection of poems called Hemming the Water. This book was very successful! It won the Kate Tufts Discovery Award in 2014. It was also a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for poetry.
Critics praised Hemming the Water for its beautiful language and how it weaves together different feelings. One reviewer said her poems were like "the best machines that sew and sing," with every word fitting perfectly.
Yona Harvey is currently a professor of poetry at Smith College. She used to teach at the University of Pittsburgh. She helps students learn about African literature, digital media, and how to write poetry and essays.
Writing for Comics
Yona Harvey also writes for Marvel Comics! In 2016, she became a writer for the series World of Wakanda. This series is a spin-off from the popular Black Panther comics. Yona Harvey and Roxane Gay were the first two Black women to write for Marvel.
Ta-Nehisi Coates, who also writes for Marvel, suggested Yona Harvey for the job. He believed her skills as a poet would be perfect for writing short, powerful comic book stories. Harvey helped create the origin story for a character named Zenzi in World of Wakanda. She was inspired by real-life leaders like Winnie Mandela.
Harvey and Coates also worked together on another Black Panther series called Black Panther & The Crew. This series was set in Harlem.
Future Projects
Yona Harvey is currently working on a second book of poems. She is also writing a memoir, which is a true story about her own life. This memoir will share stories about her younger sister.
Personal Life
Yona Harvey has two children, a son and a daughter. She met her former husband, Terrance Hayes, who is also a poet, at a writing retreat in 1996.
Published Works
- Hemming the Water, Four Way Books 2013, ISBN: 9781935536321
- The Subject of Retreat (poem, 2015)
- Hurricane (poem, 2013)
- Gingivitis, Notes on Fear (poem, 2013)
Awards and Recognition
- Winner, 2014 Kate Tufts Discovery Award
- Finalist, 2014 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, Poetry
- Winner, 2016 Carol R. Brown Creative Achievement Awards, Established Artist, from the Pittsburgh Foundation and the Heinz Endowments
- Individual Artist grant in nonfiction from The Pittsburgh Foundation
See also
In Spanish: Yona Harvey para niños
