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©Copyright 2008 Henry Cisneros

 

 

 

 

Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation

The Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation was created in 2000 to honor the memory of Sandra Cisneros' father, an upholsterer. "My father lived his life as an example of generosity and honest labor," Cisneros has written, "Even as he warned us to save our centavitos, he was always giving away his own. A meticulous craftsman, he would sooner rip the seams of a cushion apart and do it over than put his name on an item that wasn't up to his high standards. I especially wanted to honor his memory with an award showcasing writers who are equally proud of their own craft."

Since 2007, the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation has awarded over $75,500 to writers born in Texas, writing about Texas, or living in Texas. The Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation invites a panel of nominators to recommend writers from across the writing disciplines who exhibit both exceptional talent and profound commitment to their chosen form of artistic expression.

Three judges are invited annually to choose one or more recipients. Past judges have included journalists, memoirists, anthropologists, poets, historians, essayists, and novelists — Edwidge Danticat, Linda Hogan, Dr. Antonia Castañeda, John Phillip Santos, Dagoberto Gilb, Elva Treviño Hart, Dr. Ruth Behar, Dr. Arturo Madrid, Dr. Norma Elia Cantú, Dr. Carmen Tafolla, Carla Trujillo, and Rubén Martínez.

Sandra Cisneros has written: "In my own experience, grants not only allowed me time to write, but, more importantly, confirmed I was indeed a writer at precarious moments when my own faith in my art wobbled." It is her hope this award will strengthen the resolve of the award winners and further them along in their careers.

For more information or to make a donation to the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation, please email the Foundation Coordinator at acdmfoundation@yahoo.com or write to:

The Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation
P.O. Box 831046
San Antonio, TX 78283

Please note: The Foundation does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, nominations, applications, or individual or organizational funding requests. All unsolicited materials will be immediately discarded.

Award history

2008 Awards announcement

 

  Recipients         Judges
2008 Sheryl Luna Poet   Wanda Coleman, Lois-Ann Yamanaka, Ramiro Salazar
  Kristin S. vanNamen Prose Writer    
2007 Raul R. Salinas Established Artist   Josip Novakovich, Harryette Mullen, Dr. Ellen Riojas Clark
  Elisa A. Garza Emerging Artist    
  Monica Ortiz Honorable Mention    
2006 Christine Granados     Edwidge Danticat, Linda Hogan, Antonia Castaneda
2005 David Rice,
Cristina Henriquez
    Joy Harjo, Rueben Martinez, Marion Winik
2004 Diana López Established Writer   Ai, Richard Blanco, Paul Bonin-Rodríguez
  Natalia Treviño Emerging Writer    
  David Rutschman Honorable Mention    
2003 Gregorio Barrios Established Writer   Carla Trujillo, Gilberto Quesada, Ruben Martinez
  Pablo Miguel Martínez Emerging Writer    
  Sterling Houston Honorable Mention    
2002 Amalia Ortiz,
Barbara Renaud González,
Deborah Paredez
    Dagoberto Gilb, Ruth Behar, Elva Trevino Hart
2001 Frances Treviño,
JoAnne Reyes Boitel
    Norma Cantú, John Phillip Santos, and Carmen Tafolla
2000 Nicole Pollentier     Arturo Madrid, Norma Cantu, Bryce Milligan