`I was always encouraged and motivated by other artists’ breaking down trails for us. The best thing about these awards is that you encourage someone you don’t even know and may never meet. I keep thinking all this will go away, and no one will remember any of it, but maybe some young immigrant girl somewhere will pick up a book someday and say, `I can do this.'”

Junot Diaz, in an article after winning the freakin’ Pulitzer Prize.


He is a man who was a boy who didn’t know English.  He grew up poor. He is the son of immigrants. He shouldn’t have had the life he has.


But Junot Diaz does. He writes the stories worth writing with the voice and depth bestowed upon age and experience. 


So not only did this man win the Pulitzer Prize, he now gets to judge them.And I’m even prouder of him. I don’t even know the cat but I do know that that quote at the top of this point, the one about a girl picking up a book, is about me. 


Yup. I’m the girl. I’m the girl he talks about. 


Thanks, Junot.