Pulitzer Prizewinner, Natalie Díaz, will judge The Plaza Poetry Prize (60 lines max) in 2025

Natalie Diaz is a distinguished poet and scholar who won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2021 for her collection Postcolonial Love Poem.

Born in 1978 in Needles, California, Diaz is of Mojave and Mexican descent and is an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community. Her work is deeply influenced by her cultural heritage, the landscapes of the American Southwest, and the complexities of identity, love, and language. Diaz originally pursued a career in basketball, playing professionally in Europe, before shifting her focus to literature.

She earned her MFA in creative writing from Old Dominion University, where she also began teaching. Diaz’s debut poetry collection, When My Brother Was an Aztec (2012), garnered critical acclaim for its powerful exploration of family, trauma, and the intersection of personal and cultural histories. Her work often reflects on the challenges faced by Native communities, particularly the struggles related to land, water, and sovereignty.

In addition to her Pulitzer Prize, Diaz has received numerous honors, including a MacArthur Fellowship, a Lannan Literary Fellowship, and a Native Arts and Cultures Foundation Artist Fellowship. Her poetry is celebrated for its lyrical intensity and its ability to weave together themes of myth, memory, and survival.

Beyond her writing, Diaz is a committed advocate for the revitalization of the Mojave language and works as a language activist. She is a Professor at Arizona State University, where she also serves as the Director of the Center for Imagination in the Borderlands. Diaz’s work continues to push the boundaries of contemporary poetry, offering a powerful voice for Indigenous and marginalized communities.

OPEN FOR ENTRIES NOW. The Plaza Poetry Prize (60 lines max). Judge: Natalie Diaz. 1st Prize: £4000 ($5000). Deadline: 28th February 2025. .