Acclaimed Mexican American Writer to Deliver Keynote Address at 40th Annual Printers Row Lit Fest
Renowned poet, short story writer, novelist, and essayist Sandra Cisneros has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Harold Washington Literary Award (HWLA). The award, named in honor of Chicago’s first African American mayor, will be presented by the Near South Planning Board at the annual HWLA dinner on September 4. Cisneros, a Mexican-American writer originally from Chicago, played a pivotal role in amplifying the Chicano literary movement of the 1980s and 1990s.
The HWLA dinner and award presentation will be held at the Union League Club of Chicago and will serve as the official opening event for the 40th annual Printers Row Lit Fest, the Midwest’s largest literary festival, which kicks off on September 6. In recognition of her achievements, the Chicago City Council will also declare September 4 as Sandra Cisneros Day.
Cisneros is best known for her landmark novel-in-vignettes, The House on Mango Street, a semi-autobiographical portrayal of growing up Latina and working-class in 1960s Chicago. The novel has sold over seven million copies, has been translated into more than 25 languages, and recently marked its 40th anniversary. She is also the author of the acclaimed short story collection Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories.
In addition to these works, Cisneros has written 14 books, including her recent poetry collection Woman Without Shame, a meditation on female sexual agency and power. A foundational voice in Chicana Literature, Cisneros has built a multifaceted body of work that spans genres and crosses cultural boundaries.
Cisneros is also recognized as a significant literary figure beyond her writing. Her accolades include the National Medal of Arts, a MacArthur Fellowship, the Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award from the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation, and the PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature from PEN America. She is the founder of the Macondo Writers Workshop, which supports a global network of activist writers and storytellers.
She will also deliver the keynote address at the 40th anniversary of the Printers Row Lit Fest, taking place on Saturday, September 6, and Sunday, September 7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Chicago’s historic Printers Row neighborhood. The event will feature more than 70 live programs across six indoor and outdoor stages, over 100 independent booksellers and publishers, literary organizations, educational institutions, and more. Admission is free. The full program, including participating authors and booksellers, will be announced later this summer. For updates, visit www.printersrowlitfest.org.
About the Harold Washington Literary Award
Established in 1989, the Harold Washington Literary Award honors the legacy of Chicago’s first African American mayor, recognizing his passion for literature and commitment to diversity in American life. The award is determined annually by a committee of over two dozen literary professionals, including authors, editors, and publishers. Past recipients include Ray Bradbury, Gwendolyn Brooks, Susan Sontag, Saul Bellow, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Doris Kearns Goodwin, Ralph Ellison, Walter Mosley, Isabel Allende, and Studs Terkel.
About the Near South Planning Board (NSPB)
Founded in 1946, the Near South Planning Board is a nonprofit community development organization dedicated to fostering sustainable economic growth on Chicago’s near south side. In addition to organizing the Printers Row Lit Fest, NSPB runs literary programs in Chicago Public Schools through its Authors in the Schools initiative and administers the Harold Washington Literary Award. As a delegate agency in the City of Chicago’s Neighborhood Business Development Center Program, NSPB provides resources and services to help attract, support, and grow local businesses. For more information, visit www.thenspb.org.
