Emma Sepulveda, a writer, University of Nevada, Reno professor and director of the University’s Latino Research Center, won an International Latino Book Award given by Latino Literacy Now at their annual ceremony, which took place this year in Las Vegas, June 28.Sepulveda won two International Latino Book Award’s in 2011 with her internationally acclaimed book “Seventy Days of Night,” a non-fiction account of the 33 Chilean miners trapped underground after a mining accident. This year, Sepulveda won another award with a book that is somewhat the polar-opposite of her previously award-winning book. Her book, “Gringosincrasias: cómo sobrevivir en Estados Unidos y entender su idiosincrasia” (How to Survive in the U.S. and Understand its Idiosyncrasy), is a book of personal, humorous reflections from the viewpoint of a Latina immigrant living in the United States.
More than 180 notable Latino authors gathered for the 16th annual International Latino Book Award ceremony. Last month’s event announced the best Latino books in 87 categories. This year, there were more than 1,800 submissions, a 41 percent increase over last year. Latino Literacy Now had to nearly double the number of judges from last year to handle the submissions. Winners came from across the United States and from 18 other countries.
Similar to the International Latino Book Awards she won in 2011, this recognition for Sepulveda again came from the largest Latino Literary Awards in the country.
“It’s a wonderful honor to receive another first place in the Latino Book Awards and be among so many great Latino leaders and writers this year – like Isabel Allende and Supreme Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor, among so many others,” Sepulveda said.
The Latino Research Center at the University of Nevada, Reno serves as a nexus between the Latino community and the University. Its mission is to foster research, student achievement, faculty collaboration, advocacy and outreach in a manner that best meets the educational needs and goals of the state of Nevada and best honors the intellectual and cultural capital of the Latino presence in our state. For more information, visit www.unr.edu/latinocenter.
