Jaquira Díaz Wins 2023 Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction

Author: LeKesha Lewis

June 7, 2023

Lambda Literary is thrilled to announce Jaquira Díaz as the 2023 winner of the Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction.

In memory of the beloved activist and author, the Córdova Prize honors lesbian/queer-identified women and trans/gender non-conforming nonfiction writers. The award goes to a writer committed to nonfiction work that captures the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture, and/or history. Winners have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking and challenging work. The award was established in 2018 and includes a cash prize of $2,500.

This year’s prize was judged by Sarah Schulman and Lynn Ballen.

Diaz has had a strong start to a promising career and we are proud to support her development. 

Sarah Schulman, Judge

Jaquira Díaz is the author of Ordinary Girls: A Memoir, winner of a Whiting Award, a Florida Book Awards Gold Medal, a Lambda Literary Awards finalist, an American Booksellers Association Indies Introduce Selection, an Indie Next Pick, and a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Notable Selection. The recipient of an Elizabeth George Foundation grant, a Shearing Fellowship from the Black Mountain Institute, and fellowships from MacDowell, the Kenyon Review, VCCA, and the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing, she has written for The Atlantic, The Guardian, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, and elsewhere. Her second book, I Am Deliberate, a novel, is forthcoming from Algonquin Books. As of July 2023, Díaz will be an Assistant Professor of Writing at Columbia University.