Carmen Boullosa Wins a Poet’s Prize

Macaulay Honors College congratulates Professor Carmen Boullosa on being awarded the 2023 José Emilio Pacheco Excellence in Literature Award. Boullosa is known for crafting brilliant journeys across all genres that uniquely embody the Mexican literary tradition. She is one of the nation’s most treasured living writers and only the fourth woman ever to win the award.

Prof. Boullosa accepted the award during gala event March 11 at the Yucatan International Reading Fair (Filey) by UC-Mexicanistas, an association of scholars focused on Mexican literature, history and culture, to honor the work of major Mexican poet José Emilio Pacheco.

“When I was young we all admired José Emilio Pacheco,” Prof. Boullosa recalls. “Although I do not think about prizes, this award symbolizes my place within the Mexican literary world and it gives me great joy.”