The six winners of the 2019 Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Awards have been unveiled. The honor, which this year comes with a $40,000 award to each author, is given to a selection of women writers who, per the organization, "demonstrate excellence and promise in the early stages of their careers."
This year's winners are: Selena Anderson (fiction); Magogodi oaMphela Makhene (fiction); Sarah Passino (poetry); Nicolette Polek (fiction); Elizabeth Schambelan (nonfiction); and Debbie Urbanski (fiction/nonfiction).
The award, founded by novelist Rona Jaffe, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The only literary honor in the country dedicated to supporting women writers, it has awarded over $2.5 million since its inception in 1995. At the celebration of this year's winners, set for September 12 in New York City, Jacqueline Woodson will be the guest speaker.
