The Christopher Hewitt Award is an annual literary award given each June by ''A&U'' magazine for writing that addresses or relates to

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

. One award is given in each of four categories: fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and drama. Awards were first given in 2013. The winners for 2013 were Lisa Sandlin (fiction), Dorothy Alexander (poetry), Terry Dugan (creative nonfiction), and Evan Guilford-Blake (drama). ''A&U'' (originally, ''Art & Understanding'') was established in 1991 as a response to the ongoing loss of members of the creative community due to HIV/AIDS and as a forum for documenting their work. Today, the nonprofit magazine focuses on a variety of aspects of the global pandemic—including advocacy, prevention, and care—in addition to literature and the arts. Notable artists, activists, and writers are interviewed and featured in each issue. Examples include Anjelica Huston, Janet Jackson,

Tony Kushner Anthony Robert Kushner (born July 16, 1956) is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter. Lauded for his work on stage he's most known for his seminal work ''Angels in America'' which earned a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award. At the turn ...

George Takei George Takei (; ja, ジョージ・タケイ; born Hosato Takei (武井穂郷), April 20, 1937) is an American actor, author and activist known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the fictional starship USS ''Enterprise'' in the televi ...

, and

Lupe Ontiveros Guadalupe Ontiveros ( Moreno; September 17, 1942 – July 26, 2012) was an American actress best known for portraying Rosalita in ''The Goonies'', and Yolanda Saldívar in the film ''Selena''. She acted in numerous films and television shows, ...

. The award was initiated by Brent Calderwood, ''A&U'''s literary editor from 2011 to 2015, along with Chael Needle, A&U's editor. It was named for Christopher Hewitt, who served as ''A&Us first literary editor. Born in Worcestershire, England, Hewitt immigrated to the United States in 1974. His poems and translations appeared in ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

'', ''

American Poetry Review ''The American Poetry Review'' (''APR'') is an American poetry magazine printed every other month on tabloid-sized newsprint. It was founded in 1972 by Stephen Berg and Stephen Parker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The magazine's editor is Elizab ...

'', ''The Advocate'', ''The James White Review'', BENT, and in the anthology Queer Crips: Disabled Gay Men Tell Their Stories. At the time of his death in 2004 at the age of fifty-eight, he was working on a memoir titled “Brittle Bones,” in part about living with

osteogenesis imperfecta Osteogenesis imperfecta (; OI), colloquially known as brittle bone disease, is a group of genetic disorders that all result in bones that break easily. The range of symptoms—on the skeleton as well as on the body's other organs—may b ...

. Christoper Hewitt Award Winners 2020 Nonfiction: “The Handsomest Man in New York” by Patrick Mulcahey Drama: “The Toe Incident” by Katherine Gleason Poetry: “It Was Never Supposed to Be Ours” by Ben Kline Fiction: “Soul Cowboy” by Cris Eli Blak Christoper Hewitt Award Winners 2019 Nonfiction: “How Online Dating Empowers Women with HIV” by Claire Gasamagera Drama: “My Darling Love” by

Joe Gulla Joe Gulla (born July 23, 1964) is an American playwright, actor and reality television participant. He is best known for the autobiographical monologues that he writes and performs for the theater. He is a regular performer at Feinstein's/54 Be ...

Poetry: “Elegy for Ken Meeks” by Travis Chi Wing Lau Fiction: No winning entry Christoper Hewitt Award Winners 2018 Nonfiction: “The Custody Visit (1987)” by Andrea Laiacona Dooley Drama: “Nancy F@&*ing Reagan” by Daniel Hurewitz Poetry: “San Francisco General” by Greg Casale Fiction: “The Pond” by John Whittier Treat Christoper Hewitt Award Winners 2017 Nonfiction: “We Blessed” by John Boucher Drama: “The War Years” by Charles Stephens Poetry: No winning entry Fiction: “The Love Whisperer” by Raymond Luczak Christoper Hewitt Award Winners 2016 Nonfiction: “Save Tonight” by Jennifer Sembler Drama: No winning entry Poetry: “Days of 1993, ’94, and ’95” by Benjamin S. Grossberg Fiction: “Albert’s Prayer” by Marie Esposito Christoper Hewitt Award Winners 2015 Nonfiction: “Long-Term Survivor” by Victoria Noe Drama: No winning entry Poetry: “At the LGBT History Museum in San Francisco…” by Sean Patrick Mulroy (tied with) “New New Colossus” by Noah Stetzer Fiction: “Drowned River” by Dale Corvino Christoper Hewitt Award Winners 2014 Nonfiction: “Voicing That Inner Scream: Visibility and AIDS in LGBT Africa” by Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko Drama: No winning entry Poetry: “Building Immunities” by Stephen Mead Fiction: “After the Cure” by Stephen S. Mills Christopher Hewitt Award Winners 2013 Nonfiction: “Like Taking Blood from a Baby” by Terry Dugan Drama: “Cowboy Nocturne” by Evan Guilford-Blake Poetry: “Trip to Wyuka” by Dorothy Alexander Fiction: “Greyhound, 1984” by Lisa Sandlin

References

{{Reflist, 2 HIV/AIDS in literature Literary awards by magazines and newspapers Writing contests Dramatist and playwright awards American non-fiction literary awards American fiction awards American poetry awards Essay awards