It was a great honor, and a week full of love, receiving the Janus Prize from the Chautauqua Institution this August 2022. Snapshots from the ceremony for “Jean” .

My lecture was Jean, Janus and Comic Book Realism. It wove astrophysics, genre-bending in identity and literature, comic book realism in Latinx literature, Puerto Rican and UWS Nuyorican history. It challenged the Observer. It was an expression of my love and gratitude for this honor.

The Institution very much celebrates its artists in multiple ways, including the Janus Prize. The anthology Jean is in (Speculative Fiction for Dreamers) was sold at multiple venues, including my lecture, with a Janus Prize sticker. It’s highlighted in their programs, the local library has copies with a display…. The local newspaper interviewed me. Chautauqua is a wonderful place that celebrates thought and love.