The 19th International Latino Book Awards ceremony is happening tonight at the California State University campus at Dominguez Hills. Edward James Olmos will be the emcee honoring more than 200 award-winning authors in what’s been dubbed “The Academy Awards of Latino Literature & Culture.” So we’re thrilled that Thrums Books’ authors Deborah Chandler and Teresa Cordón are guests at this year’s ceremony. Their book, Traditional Weavers of Guatemala: Their Stories, Their Lives, is a finalist in the Best Latino-Focused Nonfiction Book category. We’re so proud of them and grateful that they were able to travel from Guatemala to attend the festivities.
Edward James Olmos and Kirk Whisler founded Latino Literacy Now twenty years ago to promote literacy in the community in all forms. Since Latino Literacy Now created the International Latino Book Awards (ILBA) it has presented more than 2,000 awards to authors and publishers. The award divisions cover multiple genres of books for children and adults in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Deborah and Teresa also are generously acting as Thrums Books ambassadors this weekend as they’re on hand to show support for two of our other titles that are also finalists: Textile Fiestas of Mexico by Sheri Brautigam (a finalist in the Best Travel Book category) and Oaxaca Stories in Cloth by Eric Mindling (a finalist in the Best Arts Book category). Tomorrow, they will head out to the Plaza de Cultura y Artes in downtown LA to participate in the Los Angeles Latino Book & Family Festival. If you’re in LA, drop on in to say hello and check out some wonderful books! Congratulations Deborah, Teresa, Sheri, and Eric. ¡Bien hecho!
As we celebrate Latino literature and culture, let us also hold in our hearts our friends and loved ones in Mexico as they recover from the devastation of the recent earthquake.
—Karen
