Elizabeth Acevedo

About

American writer and novelist who is best recognized for having written the New York Times bestselling books The Poet X and With the Fire on High. She is also known for having won the Pure Belpre Aythor Award in 2019 for her focus on portraying Latinx culture and experiences. 

Before Fame

She attended The George Washington University where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Performing Arts. She then went on to earn her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. She started her career as a participant in the Callaloo Writer's Workshops. 

Trivia

Her debut novel, The Poet X won the 2018 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. 

Family Life

While she was born in New York City, she later settled in Washington, DC with her husband Shakir Cannon-Moye. She shared a photo of her niece to Instagram in June of 2019. 

Associated With

Other winners of the National Book Award in the Young People's Literature category include Lloyd Alexander and Jason Reynolds.