Justin Torres' novel Blackouts is an ode to the erased and forgotten histories of queer people. And it is now the recipient of the National Book Award for fiction. But during his speech Wednesday night, he invited all the other finalists on stage to deliver a collective statement calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.
"We oppose the ongoing bombardment of Gaza," said Aaliayh Bilal, author of the book Temple Folk, standing in front of more than a dozen finalists. "We oppose antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian sentiment and Islamophobia equally, accepting the human dignity of all parties, knowing that further bloodshed does nothing to secure lasting peace in the region."
