Writing Center coordinator receives literary honor as emerging children’s writer

October 25, 2018

Vong Thao, Writing Center Coordinator at Anoka-Ramsey Community College, is one of 12 recipients of the prestigious 2018-2019 Loft Mirrors and Windows Fellowship. Thao will participate in workshops with literary experts and receive additional support from The Loft Literary Center.

Born in Laos, Thao grew up in St. Paul, Minn., where her family resettled as Vietnam War refugees. After studying journalism at St. Catherine University, she moved to New York City and received a Master in Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Creative Writing from The New School. She is a recipient of the Yuyi Morales Award for Diverse Children's Writers and a winner of the Writing with the Stars Picture Book Writers/Artists Contest. She now lives outside of the Twin Cities and is at work on her latest project, a middle grade novel about two Hmong refugee brothers in search of their grandfather's magical treasure stuck in the spirit world.

Thao was inspired as a child by the storytellers in her life and the literature of her youth.

“The Hmong had no written language for centuries, so history and stories have been passed down orally,” she said. “I am inspired by the storytellers in my family to share stories of my own.”

Thao remembers an important book from her childhood, Of Nightingales that Weep, by Katherine Paterson, as an unforgettable moment in literature for her.

“That was the only book with an Asian character on the cover in my school’s library,” said Thao. “I cherished it because the girl on the cover looked like me. I want to write books that include characters from diverse backgrounds, so that children would have more than one book to treasure growing up.”

The Loft’s Mirrors and Windows Fellowship helps Indigenous writers and writers of color see themselves and others through literature. The program receives funding from the Jerome Foundation and Loft membership support. Founded in 1974, the Loft is a haven for readers and writers; one of the largest centers of its kind of the country. Their mission is to advance the artistic development of writers, foster a thriving literary community, and inspire a passion for literature.

For more information about The Loft, visit Loft.org/  

For more information about the award-winning staff and faculty at Anoka-Ramsey Community College visit, AnokaRamsey.edu