SDCCD LEAGUE FOR INNOVATION
STUDENT LITERARY AWARD COMPETITION
SPRING 2022
ESTEEMED LOCAL JUDGES
DRAMA JUDGE
TIM WEST
TIM WEST taught for Cygnet Theatre for the last decade. A veteran area actor and award-winning director as well as producer and published playwright, West has had his plays and monologues performed in San Diego, Colorado, Illinois, Virginia, New York, and Kent, UK. He teaches writing for San Diego Writers, Ink. Learn more about Tim West on his website.
NON FICTION JUDGE
DICKSON LAM
DICKSON LAM is author of Paper Sons: A Memoir. Lam’s work has appeared in The Kenyon Review Online, Hyphen Magazine, The Normal School, and The Rumpus. He holds MFA degrees in creative writing from the University of Houston and Rutgers-Newark. Lam is a Professor of English at Contra Costa College. Learn more about Dickson Lam on his website.
POETRY JUDGE
STACY DYSON
STACY DYSON is a Black woman poet who explores/illuminates the life/times of the Black woman. She is a Poet Laureate nominee for the state of Colorado and has released six chapbooks, five CDs, and performed nation-wide. Currently, Dyson is touring with her latest poetry collections, Lovely and Suffering and Follow Me on This, and building her international women’s poetry network, TESORO. Learn more about Stacy Dyson on her website.
FICTION JUDGE
MATT RUNKLE
MATT RUNKLE is a writer who likes to engage with visual and tactile practices in the service of narrative. He’s drawn to hybrid genres, to junk, to the book as a form, and to the space between text and image. He lives in Oregon. Learn more about Matt Runkle on his website.
1st PLACE DISTRICT WINNERS
DRAMA WINNER
BRIDGETTE ROBERSON, SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE, THE REPRISE
BRIDGETTE ROBERSON, SAN DIEGO CITY COLLEGE, THE REPRISE
DRAMA JUDGE, TIM WEST: "I chose The Reprise because it integrates an event of living history (in the experience of an older character) with a dramatic problem (the experiences of a younger character) in a compelling way. The writer shows promise, being able to relate more familiar interpersonal issues with larger social concerns."
BRIDGETTE ROBERSON
1st PLACE INTERNATIONAL WINNER
After a fifteen-year career in the parcel business, Bridgette Roberson decided that it was time to write down some of the stories that lived inside of her. She talked it over with her husband. His reply was, "Go for it. I got this." She found her writing voice at San Diego City College, where she is currently completing a certificate in creative writing. Bridgette resides in Oceanside, California, with her husband, two children, dog Lucy, and a tortoise named Myrtle. First, she dreams, then she writes.
The Reprise
DRAMA_TheReprise_SDCCD.pdfPERSONAL ESSAY WINNER
GIMI WILLIE, SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE, "NO ONE TO HEAR MY NAME"
GIMI WILLIE, SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE, "NO ONE TO HEAR MY NAME"
PERSONAL ESSAY JUDGE, DICKSON LAM: "'No One to Hear My Name' captures a harrowing childhood moment and juxtaposes it with a contemporary news story to shed light on the marginalization of indigenous women. The vividness and immediacy in the storytelling coupled with the insightful observations of the author make this a compelling read for all."
GIMI WILLIE
2ND PLACE INTERNATIONAL WINNER
Gimi Willie is an Indigenous writer and creator in Southern California, with deep roots in her native Pacific Northwest. She has been married for 28 years, has raised two successful, adult daughters, and still isn’t sure what she wants to be when she grows up, besides a writer. She attends classes at both City and Mesa Colleges in her quest to learn and grow as a human. She loves hanging out with her family, working out, attending rock concerts, and travelling. She has lots of cats, not enough tattoos, and lives to create beautiful things.
"No One to Hear My Name"
PERSONALESSAY_NoOnetoHearMyName_SDCCD.pdfPOETRY WINNER
MATTHEW REMINGTON, SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE, "SURVIVOR"
MATTHEW REMINGTON, SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE, "SURVIVOR"
POETRY JUDGE, STACY DYSON: “My pick is 'Survivor'; the piece is vulnerable, no holds-barred. It captures the frustration/determination of being a person with a disabilty. I like the fact that it underscores that this is not an easy triumph. It is approachable, relevant, human."
MATTHEW REMINGTON
Matthew Remington is an aspiring Chamorro American poet, writer, and storyteller based in Southern California. He will be graduating from Mesa College in Spring 2022, with hopes to transfer to the University of California, San Diego, to pursue a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. He likes to be outdoors in his free time, exploring new places and seeing unfamiliar faces!
"Survivor"
POETRY_SURVIVOR_SDCCD.pdfFICTION WINNER
TIANYU YAO, SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE, "STOLEN SUN"
TIANYU YAO, SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE, "STOLEN SUN"
FICTION JUDGE, MATT RUNKLE: "I chose 'Stolen Sun' because it strikes a distinctive tone as it explores questions of metaphysics with searing humor, sincere emotional resonance, and a keen eye for detail."
TIANYU YAO
2ND PLACE INTERNATIONAL WINNER
Tianyu Yao is currently a full time elementary school teacher with a growing taste for the literary arts. He began his informal writing journey many years ago before pursuing formal training at San Diego Mesa College in the Fall of 2020. Tianyu is passionate about developing his writing as a tool for social change and hopes one day to spend his time as both a teacher and community storyteller. In his free time he also enjoys climbing rocks.
"Stolen Sun"
FICTION_StolenSun_SDCCD.pdfSPRING 2022
District Site Coordinators
Christy Ball, District/San Diego City College Coordinator, cball@sdccd.edu
Jennifer Derilo, San Diego Mesa College Coordinator, jderilo@sdccd.edu
Carmen Jay, San Diego Miramar College Coordinator, cjay@sdccd.edu
© 2022