Smoker Named Walter Grant Recipient
The Walter Dean Myers Grant program has announced its recipients for 2024. Poplar’s Lori Smoker was named to a list of 18 recipients. The program was established to provide grants of $2,000 each to promising diverse writers and illustrators who are currently unpublished. Since 2015, the organization has awarded over 55 grants.
“I broke down in tears when I was notified that I was a Walter Grant recipient,” said Smoker. “I didn’t realize until that moment how much it meant to me. This is validation for a dream I’ve held close to my heart since I was a little girl. I was hesitant to submit my essays and sample manuscript because of doubt and fear, but at the last moment, I decided to just go for it. I want my kids to know they can do anything they set their minds to. For anyone that needs to hear this, and mainly as a reminder to myself: don’t let anything stop you from chasing your dreams — whether it’s doubt, fear, age, or where you come from. Rez kids really can do anything.”
The full list of 18 Walter Grantees for 2024 includes Zarlasht Niaz, Wanyu Yang, Patricia Gao, Anyély Gómez- Dickerson, Aseel Ayesh, Dima Masri, Mariam Alhusseini, Amal Ileiwat, Jenna Abed, Isaiah Holbrook, Saskia Kercy, Camara Aaron, Jynastie Wilson, Tehya Foussat, Tyler Mitchell, Cynthia J. Notti and Lily Michelon Rosenthal.
Applications for the 2025 Walter Grants will open up once again later this year, so be sure to visit diversebooks. org for the latest announcements and updates.
