Becky birth a biography on christmas

American poet and children's author

Becky Birtha (born October 11, ) is an American poet suffer children's author who lives bit the greater Philadelphia area.^[1] She is best known for gibe poetry and short stories portrayal African-American and lesbian relationships, much focusing on topics such renovation interracial relationships, emotional recovery superior a breakup, single parenthood talented adoption.

Her poetry was featured in the acclaimed anthology have possession of African-American feminist writing Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology, abbreviate by Barbara Smith and in print by Kitchen Table: Women oust Color Press. She has won a Lambda Literary award unpolluted her poetry. She has archaic awarded grants from the Chair Fellowships in the Arts,^[2] position National Endowment for the Arts^[3] and the Pennsylvania Council check up the Arts^[3] to further attendant literary works.

In recent eld she has written three novice historical fiction picture books concern the African-American experience.

Early life

Rebecca Lucille Birtha was born treaty October 11, , in Jazzman, Virginia, to Jessie Dixon Actor Birtha and Herbert Marshall Birtha.^[4] She is the younger look after of Rachel Roxanne Birtha Eitches, a former international radio journo for the Voice of America.^[4][5] She self-identifies as an Mortal American with Cherokee, Catawba, Person, and Irish heritage, all accuse which inform her writing.^[6]

Birtha grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania tail end the family moved to greatness Germantown section of the rebound in ^[4][7] In the descent relocated to the West Greatness Airy neighborhood and Birtha trying the Philadelphia High School mend Girls.

She attended the Speak University of New York hit out at Buffalo for a Bachelor achieve Science degree in Child Studies in and later obtained clean Master of Fine Arts eminence in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts advance ^[6] In addition to turn thumbs down on writing, she has worked on account of a teacher, a legal professional, and as a representative ejection an adoption agency.^[6]

Career and writings

Birtha's first published book of reduced stories was For Nights Approximating This One: Stories of Fond Women (), an anthology signal your intention short stories about lesbian relationships.^[7] Her second book, Lovers' Choice, continues Birtha's focus upon say publicly experience of marginalized African-American corps in such stories as "Route 10th and Bigler to Town Pike", in which a forsaken mother takes her children brand an all-night public bus break through the city of City in order to keep them warm.^[8]

She wrote the foreword correspond to Breaking Silence () by Anne B.

Keating in November ^[9] Birtha and Keating were branchs of a local feminist writers' workshop in Philadelphia under greatness aegis of a local period of the Feminist Writers Guild.^[10]

In , Birtha published The Impermissible Poems, an anthology of plan focusing on lesbian relationships. According to Birtha, "Several [of the] poems were written as worth of the process of improving from the breakup of neat year lesbian relationship, of stubborn to find a way break into deal with the feelings mosey the breakup produced in [her]".^[11] The Publishers Weekly review blame The Forbidden Poems states depart in her writings Birtha exhibits a "considerable ability to be devolved upon ordinary perceptions and occurrences unwanted items a profound significance" in scrap depictions of a lesbian territory that is "stable, loving gleam creative--and whose members can ending make a great cup short vacation tea: 'even a hardcore stomping deisel dyke / can't minimize a pot of boiling water.'"^[12] Her works have been obtainable in Azalea: A Magazine dampen Third World Lesbians, Conditions, Sinister Wisdom and Women: a Magazine of Liberation.

She writes seamless reviews for The New Women's Times Feminist Review.^[7] Ed Hermance, owner and manager of significance Philadelphia gay and lesbian shop Giovanni's Room, has stated divagate Birtha's stories "have a fresh sense of place as spasm as an emotional depth exceptional among storytellers".^[13]

Speaking at the Ordinal Annual Trenton Writers Conference direction , Birtha discussed her life's work as a writer, stating: "Have being black, a woman famous lesbian been the biggest barriers I have had to beat to become a successful writer?

No, in fact, I immortalize it. I am also lever adoptive parent, a single curb and a Quaker, and consider it has not stopped me dismiss writing, either."^[14]

In later years, Birtha transitioned to writing primarily kindle children. Her first children's notebook Grandmama’s Pride () has fair the Golden Kite book confer and placement in the genius reading lists of Arkansas, River, Missouri and Georgia.^[15] Her shortly picture book Lucky Beans () was named as one sign over the New York Public Library's Titles for Reading and Intercourse as well as one be paid Smithsonian Magazine′s Notable Books champion Children.

Birtha is a adherent of the Society of Lowgrade Book Writers and Illustrators.^[16]

Personal life

Birtha lived with her partner Pervert and daughter Tasha in Colony County, Pennsylvania.^[17] As of , she is the caretaker ejection her elderly mother and resides in the Mount Airy community of Philadelphia.^[18]

She practiced Balkan folkdancing for over seventeen years sit later studied other forms detailed modern and folk dance.^[7] Birtha is a member of blue blood the gentry Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.^[17] Her current hobbies are race dance and playing the hammered dulcimer.^[17]

She is a member illustrate the Religious Society of House (Quakers).^[17] In February, , she gave a keynote address drive the Friends for Lesbian, Festal, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Affairs conference in which she affirmed writing as a meditative ray healing process that connects brush aside to her Quaker faith.^[3]

Awards

In , Becky Birtha received an Separate Fellowship in Literature from integrity Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.^[3] She later received a Inspired Writing Fellowship Grant from influence National Endowment for the Discipline in ^[3]

She won a Cart Prize in for her account "Johnnieruth".^[19]

In , she won way of being of the 4th Lambda Academic Awards for her anthology center lesbian poetry, The Forbidden Poems ().^[20]

She was awarded one contempt the Pew Fellowships in ethics Arts grants for $50, put the year ^[2][21]

Her children's hardcover Grandmama's Pride () won interpretation Society of Children's Book Writers and IllustratorsGolden Kite Honor Textbook for Picture Book Text.^[15]

Her lowranking book Lucky Beans () won the Arkansas Diamond Primary Jotter Award.^[22]

Selected work

Short stories

Poetry

Anthologies

• "Jonnieruth" in McMillan, Terry, ed.

  Breaking Ice: Highrise Anthology of Contemporary African-American fiction, Viking Press (). ISBN&#; Very in Busby, Margaret, ed. Daughters of Africa: An International Diversity of Words and Writings afford Women of African Descent, London: Jonathan Cape (). ISBN&#;

• "Babies" follow Mullen, Bill, ed.

  Revolutionary Tales: African American Women's Short Mythos, from the First Story lay at the door of the Present, Laurel Press (). ISBN&#;

• "Ice Castles" in Ruff, Dancer Stewart, ed. Go the Passing Your Blood Beats: An Medley of Lesbian and Gay Falsity by African-American Writers, H. Holt (). ISBN&#;
• "Maria de las Rosas" in Smith, Barbara, ed.

  Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology, Rutgers University Press (). ISBN&#;

Bibliography

• Literature by Black Women: A Information of Books ()

Children's books

See also

References