Jesmyn Ward

Jesmyn Ward is an acclaimed American novelist and memoirist known for her evocative storytelling and exploration of race, family, and community in the American South. Born in 1977 in DeLisle, Mississippi, Ward draws deeply from her personal experiences in her writing. She made history by becoming the first woman to win the National Book Award for Fiction twice, for her novels "Salvage the Bones" (2011) and "Sing, Unburied, Sing" (2017). Ward is also the author of the memoir "Men We Reaped," detailing the loss and resilience in her community. She teaches creative writing and continues to influence contemporary literature.