N.K. Jemisin's Hugo Acceptance Speech

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N.K. Jemisin=E2=80=99s Historic Hugo Speech

by=C2=A0Joel Cunningham/

August 20, 2018 at 11:00 am

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At WorldCon 76 in San Jose, N.K. Jemisin made history, winning her third co=
nsecutive Hugo Award for=C2=A0The Stone Sky, the third book in The Broken E=
arth trilogy. She is the first person to win three Best Novel Hugo awards i=
n a row, and the first to win top honors for every book in a series. (If yo=
u haven=E2=80=99t jumped in to this game-changing epic fantasy yet, you can=
=C2=A0preorder the boxed set, due out in October).Below, we present the tex=
t of Jemisin=E2=80=99s historic speech, provided to us via her publisher, O=
rbit Books.=C2=A0
How Long 'til Black Future Month?: StoriesBut another thing I tried to touc=
h on in the Broken Earth is that life in a hard world is never just the str=
uggle. Life is family, blood and found. Life is those allies who prove them=
selves worthy by actions and not just talk. Life means celebrating every vi=
ctory, no matter how small.So as I stand here before you, beneath these lig=
hts, I want you to remember that 2018 is also a good year. This is a year i=
n which records have been set. A year in which even the most privilege-blin=
dered of us has been forced to acknowledge that the world is broken and nee=
ds fixing=E2=80=94and that=E2=80=99s a good thing! Acknowledging the proble=
m is the first step toward fixing it. I look to science fiction and fantasy=
 as the aspirational drive of the Zeitgeist: we creators are the engineers =
of possibility. And as this genre finally, however grudgingly, acknowledges=
 that the dreams of the marginalized matter and that=C2=A0all=C2=A0of us ha=
ve a future, so will go the world. (Soon, I hope.)And yes, there will be na=
ysayers. I know that I am here on this stage, accepting this award, for pre=
tty much the same reason as every previous Best Novel winner: because I wor=
ked my ass off. I have poured my pain onto paper when I could not afford th=
erapy. I have studied works of literature that range widely and dig deeply,=
 to learn what I could and refine my voice. I have written a Million Words =
of Crap and probably a Million More of Meh.
But beyond that, I have smiled and nodded while well-meaning magazine edito=
rs advised me to tone down my allegories and anger. (I didn=E2=80=99t.) I h=
ave gritted my teeth while an established professional writer went on a ten=
-minute tirade at me=E2=80=94as a proxy for basically all black people=E2=
=80=94for mentioning underrepresentation in the sciences. I have kept writi=
ng even though my first novel,=C2=A0The Killing Moon, was initially rejecte=
d on the assumption that only black people would ever possibly want to read=
 the work of a black writer. I have raised my voice to talk back over fello=
w panelists who tried to talk over me about my own damn life. I have fought=
 myself, and the little voice inside me that constantly,=C2=A0still, whispe=
rs that I should just keep my head down and shut up and let the real writer=
s talk.Hardcover=C2=A0$26.00Pre-Order: Add to BagSee All Formats & Editions=
 =E2=80=BABut this is the year in which I get to smile at all of those nays=
ayers=E2=80=94every single mediocre insecure wannabe who fixes their mouth =
to suggest that I do not belong on this stage, that people like me cannot p=
ossibly have=C2=A0earned=C2=A0such an honor, that when they win it it=E2=80=
=99s meritocracy but when we win it it=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cidentity politics=
=E2=80=9D =E2=80=94 I get to smile at those people, and lift a massive, shi=
ning, rocket-shaped middle finger in their direction.How many of y=E2=80=99=
all saw=C2=A0Black Panther? Probably my favorite part of it is actually Ken=
drick Lamar=E2=80=99s theme song, =E2=80=9CAll the Stars.=E2=80=9D The chor=
us of it is =E2=80=9CThis may be the night that my dreams might let me know=
: all the stars are closer.=E2=80=9D Let 2018 be the year that the stars ca=
me closer for all of us. The stars are ours. Thank you.
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<html><head></head><body><div style=3D"color:#000; background-color:#fff; f=
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353455_44147" title-off=3D"">N.K. Jemisin=E2=80=99s Historic Hugo Speech</a=
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serif; width: 632px; float: left; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 14px;"=
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r" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-serif; t=
ext-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(122, 122, 120); line-height: 1.2;" id=
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a><span style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Lato, Arial, sans-ser=
if; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 2px 0px 6px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153=
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 float: left;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44153">August 20, 2018=
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_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44162"></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-bo=
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"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44163"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-bo=
x;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44164"><div style=3D"box-sizing: =
border-box; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; =
font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.65; margin-bottom: 12px;" id=3D"yui_3_=
16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44165"><em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box;" id=
=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44166"><img src=3D"https://www.barnesan=
dnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/08/jemisinin=
terview.jpg" alt=3D"" width=3D"637" height=3D"367" srcset=3D"https://www.ba=
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jpg 95w, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/wp-content/uplo=
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dnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/08/jemisinin=
terview-228x132.jpg 228w" sizes=3D"(max-width: 637px) 100vw, 637px" style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 2px; border-style: solid; border-=
color: rgb(255, 255, 255); vertical-align: middle; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0=
, 0.15) 0px 0px 2px 1px; border-radius: 5px; display: block; clear: both; m=
argin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 15px; max-width: 100%;=
 min-height: auto;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44167" data-id=3D=
"9f49a1b6-30cf-dce3-3261-c7d969c74ea6" class=3D"">At WorldCon 76 in San Jos=
e, N.K. Jemisin made history, winning her third consecutive Hugo Award for&=
nbsp;</em>The Stone Sky<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box;" id=3D"yui_3_16=
_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44168">, the third book in The Broken Earth trilogy=
. She is the first person to win three Best Novel Hugo awards in a row, and=
 the first to win top honors for every book in a series. (If you haven=E2=
=80=99t jumped in to this game-changing epic fantasy yet, you can&nbsp;<a h=
ref=3D"https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-broken-earth-trilogy-n-k-jemisi=
n/1128012091?ean=3D9780316527194#/" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-w=
eight: bold; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(217, 102, 48); line-hei=
ght: 1.6; font-size: 16px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44169">pr=
eorder the boxed set</a>, due out in October).</em></div><div style=3D"box-=
sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: =
normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.65; margin-bottom: 12px;" id=
=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44170"><em style=3D"box-sizing: border-=
box;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44171">Below, we present the te=
xt of Jemisin=E2=80=99s historic speech, provided to us via her publisher, =
Orbit Books.&nbsp;</em></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-var=
iant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal=
; line-height: 1.65; margin-bottom: 12px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15349983=
53455_44201"><a href=3D"http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-long-til-black-=
future-month-n-k-jemisin/1129102295?ean=3D9780316491341" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_y=
m19_1_1534998353455_44228" style=3D"background-color: rgb(246, 246, 245); t=
ext-align: center; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; text-decorati=
on-line: none; color: rgb(217, 102, 48); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(213, =
212, 205); padding-bottom: 8px; line-height: 1.6; font-size: 16px; display:=
 inline !important;"><br>How Long 'til Black Future Month?: Stories</a>But =
another thing I tried to touch on in the Broken Earth is that life in a har=
d world is never just the struggle. Life is family, blood and found. Life i=
s those allies who prove themselves worthy by actions and not just talk. Li=
fe means celebrating every victory, no matter how small.</div><div style=3D=
"box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-as=
ian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.65; margin-bottom: 12px;"=
 id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44202">So as I stand here before you=
, beneath these lights, I want you to remember that 2018 is also a good yea=
r. This is a year in which records have been set. A year in which even the =
most privilege-blindered of us has been forced to acknowledge that the worl=
d is broken and needs fixing=E2=80=94and that=E2=80=99s a good thing! Ackno=
wledging the problem is the first step toward fixing it. I look to science =
fiction and fantasy as the aspirational drive of the Zeitgeist: we creators=
 are the engineers of possibility. And as this genre finally, however grudg=
ingly, acknowledges that the dreams of the marginalized matter and that&nbs=
p;<span style=3D"box-sizing: border-box;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153499835=
3455_44203">all</span>&nbsp;of us have a future, so will go the world. (Soo=
n, I hope.)</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric=
: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-heigh=
t: 1.65; margin-bottom: 12px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44204"=
>And yes, there will be naysayers. I know that I am here on this stage, acc=
epting this award, for pretty much the same reason as every previous Best N=
ovel winner: because I worked my ass off. I have poured my pain onto paper =
when I could not afford therapy. I have studied works of literature that ra=
nge widely and dig deeply, to learn what I could and refine my voice. I hav=
e written a Million Words of Crap and probably a Million More of Meh.</div>=
<div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; zoom: 1; margin-bottom: 12px; line-he=
ight: 1.65;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44205"></div><div style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east=
-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.65; margin-bottom: 12p=
x;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44220"><a href=3D"http://www.barn=
esandnoble.com/w/how-long-til-black-future-month-n-k-jemisin/1129102295?ean=
=3D9780316491341" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44225" style=3D"tex=
t-align: center; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; text-decoration=
-line: none; color: rgb(217, 102, 48); line-height: 1.6; font-size: 16px;">=
<br><img src=3D"http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/9780316491341.jpg" s=
tyle=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: non=
e; border-width: 2px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(255, 255, 255)=
; vertical-align: middle; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 0px 2px 1px; =
border-radius: 5px; margin: 0px 0px 9px; max-width: 169px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_=
0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44226" class=3D"" data-id=3D"7493852b-4df4-27bf-ee75=
-2666e95df2bb"></a>But beyond that, I have smiled and nodded while well-mea=
ning magazine editors advised me to tone down my allegories and anger. (I d=
idn=E2=80=99t.) I have gritted my teeth while an established professional w=
riter went on a ten-minute tirade at me=E2=80=94as a proxy for basically al=
l black people=E2=80=94for mentioning underrepresentation in the sciences. =
I have kept writing even though my first novel,&nbsp;<a href=3D"https://www=
.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-killing-moon-n-k-jemisin/1105113369?ean=3D9780316=
187282" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; text-decoration=
-line: none; color: rgb(217, 102, 48); line-height: 1.6; font-size: 16px;" =
id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44221">The Killing Moon</a>, was init=
ially rejected on the assumption that only black people would ever possibly=
 want to read the work of a black writer. I have raised my voice to talk ba=
ck over fellow panelists who tried to talk over me about my own damn life. =
I have fought myself, and the little voice inside me that constantly,&nbsp;=
<span style=3D"box-sizing: border-box;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15349983534=
55_44222">still</span>, whispers that I should just keep my head down and s=
hut up and let the real writers talk.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border=
-box; zoom: 1; margin-bottom: 12px; line-height: 1.65;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym=
19_1_1534998353455_44223"></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; float=
: left; background: rgb(246, 246, 245); margin: 0px 23px 12px 0px; padding:=
 16px; text-align: center; width: 205px; line-height: 1.65;" id=3D"yui_3_16=
_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44224"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin=
: 0px; line-height: 1.65;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44227"><di=
v style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-varia=
nt-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: =
1.2; padding-top: 7px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" id=3D"yui=
_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44229"><strong style=3D"box-sizing: border-box=
;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44230">Hardcover</strong>&nbsp;<sp=
an style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(217, 102,=
 48);" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44231">$26.00</span></div><div=
 style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-varian=
t-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2;" id=3D"yui_3_=
16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44232"><a href=3D"https://www.barnesandnoble.com/=
blog/sci-fi-fantasy/read-n-k-jemisins-historic-hugo-speech/#" data-ean=3D"9=
780316491341" data-quantity=3D"1" data-productid=3D"prd9780316491341" style=
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solid rgb(193, 91, 36); border-radius: 5px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3)=
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1) 0px 0px 8px inset, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5) 0px 1px 0px 0px inset; backg=
round-color: rgb(235, 110, 52); background-image: linear-gradient(to top, r=
gba(0, 0, 0, 0.1), rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1)); margin-top: 10px; margin-bott=
om: 10px; padding: 6px 5px; display: block;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_153499=
8353455_44233">Pre-Order: Add to Bag</a></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: bor=
der-box; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; fon=
t-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455=
_44234"><a href=3D"http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-long-til-black-futur=
e-month-n-k-jemisin/1129102295?ean=3D9780316491341" style=3D"box-sizing: bo=
rder-box; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(49, 105=
, 168); line-height: 1.2; font-size: 12px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998=
353455_44235">See All Formats &amp; Editions =E2=80=BA</a></div></div></div=
><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-v=
ariant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.65; margin-=
bottom: 12px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44236">But this is the=
 year in which I get to smile at all of those naysayers=E2=80=94every singl=
e mediocre insecure wannabe who fixes their mouth to suggest that I do not =
belong on this stage, that people like me cannot possibly have&nbsp;<span s=
tyle=3D"box-sizing: border-box;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_4423=
7">earned</span>&nbsp;such an honor, that when they win it it=E2=80=99s mer=
itocracy but when we win it it=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cidentity politics=E2=80=
=9D =E2=80=94 I get to smile at those people, and lift a massive, shining, =
rocket-shaped middle finger in their direction.</div><div style=3D"box-sizi=
ng: border-box; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: norm=
al; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.65; margin-bottom: 12px;" dir=3D"l=
tr" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534998353455_44238">How many of y=E2=80=99all =
saw&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1534=
998353455_44239">Black Panther</em>? Probably my favorite part of it is act=
ually Kendrick Lamar=E2=80=99s theme song, =E2=80=9CAll the Stars.=E2=80=9D=
 The chorus of it is =E2=80=9CThis may be the night that my dreams might le=
t me know: all the stars are closer.=E2=80=9D Let 2018 be the year that the=
 stars came closer for all of us. The stars are ours. Thank you.</div></div=
></div></div></div></body></html>
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