"Bernardine Evaristo Discusses the Political Nature of Writing, Her Upbringing as a Black British Individual, and Her Victory at the Booker Prize"

"Bernardine Evaristo Discusses the Political Nature of Writing, Her Upbringing as a Black British Individual, and Her Victory at the Booker Prize"

Bernardine Evaristo, a groundbreaking figure in British literature, made history in 2019 as the first Black woman to win the prestigious Booker Prize for her novel "Girl, Woman, Other." Since then, the sales of this masterpiece, a fusion of different stories and a tribute to Black British women, have skyrocketed, with over a million copies sold in the English language.

Evaristo's writing journey began early, with her first published poem appearing in a school magazine when she was just 14 years old. Her love for creativity and storytelling has remained a constant throughout her life, even as she faced obstacles such as racism, ageism, and misogyny.

Evaristo's family background and upbringing played a significant role in shaping her activism and tenacious spirit as a writer. Born in Woolwich to an English mother and a Nigerian father who became the first Black councillor in the area, she was raised in a large family of seven siblings. This bicultural and politically engaged environment likely fostered her awareness of racial and social issues from an early age.

Her father's pioneering role in politics and her mother's left-wing activism instilled in her a strong sense of social justice. This upbringing, combined with early artistic exposure at the Greenwich Young People's Theatre, helped shape Evaristo into a writer who champions marginalized voices.

Evaristo's activism extended beyond her writing, as she co-founded the Theatre of Black Women, the first such company in Britain, and organised major conferences on Black British writing and theatre in the 1990s. She also co-founded Spread the Word, an agency supporting writers’ development, linking her vocation as a writer with fostering community and activism.

In addition to her work on "Girl, Woman, Other," Evaristo is currently working on the "Black Britain Writing Back" project, an initiative aimed at bringing back overlooked or underrepresented Black British writers from over a hundred years ago. Notable books in this project include "Growing Out Black Hair and Black Pride in the Swinging 60s" by Barbara Blake Hannah, Britain's first Black reporter, and "A Black Boy at Eton" by Dillibe Onyeama, the first Nigerian and the first Black person to graduate from Eton College, the school attended by 20 British prime ministers, including the current one.

Evaristo sees her work as a means of writing Black British women's stories into history and counteracting their invisibility in literature. She considers herself a political writer, using her platform to highlight the experiences of Black British women and challenge the status quo. Despite the challenges she has faced, Evaristo's determination remains undeterred, driven by her love for creativity and her commitment to social justice.

With the release of her new memoir, "Manifesto: On Never Giving Up," Evaristo continues to inspire and advocate for change, embodying the spirit of resilience and perseverance that has come to define her career.

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