We at VIDA are proud to announce that our own Amy King is the recipient of the Women’s National Book Association’s 2015 Award given to “a living American woman who derives part or all of her income from books and allied arts, and who has done meritorious work in the world of books beyond the duties or responsibilities of her profession or occupation.”
WNBA’s recognition of Amy King reflects on all those who work for VIDA on an entirely volunteer basis. VIDA would not exist if not for those who understand the importance of giving back to the larger literary community.
Since joining the Executive Board in 2013, Amy King has overseen the complete revamping of VIDA’s website, not only curating its content, but establishing our Member Forums. She has been an integral contributor to VIDA since its inception in 2009, a time at which she was instrumental to shaping the VIDA Count.
One of the most provocative voices in the larger literary conversation, Amy King is not only an academic and an activist, but an accomplished poet whose books include I Want to Make You Safe (Litmus Press), I’m the Man Who Loves You, Slaves to Do These Things and Antidotes for an Alibi, from BlazeVOX Books, and The People Instruments (Pavement Saw Press).
We believe that WNBA’s recognition of Amy King honors the important work that writers conduct on behalf of other writers in an effort to make underrepresented voices heard.
—Cate Marvin, VIDA Co-founder
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women’s National Book Association (WNBA) Announces
the 2015 Winner of the WNBA Award
The WNBA has selected Amy King, poet, professor of Creative Writing at SUNY Nassau Community College and Executive Board Member of VIDA—Women in Literary Arts.
“VIDA’s mission as a research-driven organization is to increase critical attention to contemporary women’s writing as well as further transparency around gender equality issues in contemporary literary culture.” (from VIDA’s website: http://www.vidaweb.org/
The WNBA Award is presented every second year to “a living American woman who derives part or all of her income from books and allied arts, and who has done meritorious work in the world of books beyond the duties or responsibilities of her profession or occupation.” (from WNBA’s website: http://www.wnba-
The award will be presented at a special event June 6, 2015, as part of WNBA’s annual meeting, to be held this year in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Amy King was honored by The Feminist Press as one of the “40 Under 40: The Future of Feminism” awardees, and she received the 2012 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. Her most recent book from Litmus Press, I Want to Make You Safe (2011), was one of the Boston Globe’s Best Poetry Books of 2011, and it was reviewed, among others, by the Poetry
Foundation and the Colorado Review. King is also the author of Slaves to do These Things, I’m the Man Who Loves You and Antidotes for an Alibi, all from Blazevox Books, as well as The People Instruments (Pavement Saw Press) and Kiss Me With the Mouth of Your Country (Dusie Press).
King serves on the executive board of VIDA: Woman in Literary Arts and is currently co-editing the anthology, Big Energy Poets of the Anthropocene: When Ecopoets Think Climate Change. She also moderates the Women’s Poetry Listserv (WOMPO) and the Goodreads Poetry! Group. She teaches English and Creative Writing at SUNY Nassau Community College. Please visit amyking.wordpress.com
(from her page on NCC’s website: http://faculty.ncc.edu/kinga/
For any inquiries, please contact:
Penny Anna Makras Nc Weil
Communications Chair, WNBA WNBA Award Chair
pamakras@gmail.com www.wnba-