Justin Torres is a novelist and UCLA professor who made waves with his 2011 debut novel, We the Animals. The semi-autobiographical book was named one of the “100 Best Books of the 21st Century” by The New York Times. His sophomore novel, Blackouts (2023), landed Torres the National Book Award for Fiction.
“Winning the National Book Award for my novel, Blackouts, was incredible — and I’m proud of that,” Torres says. “During the ceremony, many of the nominees across categories came together and collectively called for a ceasefire in Gaza. Tragically, that was almost a year ago, the early days of a genocide that has only worsened.”
Growing up in Brooklyn with a Puerto Rican mother and Italian-Irish father, Torres felt isolated as a mixed-race gay man. But the writer has learned to embrace his identities and use his platform to support other marginalized groups.
“Queer liberation is connected to other struggles for liberation. As a teacher, it’s heartening to see so many young queers understanding those connections and leading student protest movements against the genocide in Gaza.”
