DIONNE  BRAND

DATE OF BIRTH: 1953
PLACE OF BIRTH: Guayaguayare, Trinidad
EDUCATION:
  • Naparima Girls' High School (1970)
  • University of Toronto (BA in English and Philosophy, 1975)
  • University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (MA in Philosophy of Education, 1988)
  • CAREER:                                     Brand moved to Toronto, Canada, in 1970 after finishing high school. In the 1970s, she was a community worker in Toronto when she began her career as a writer. She edited and wrote for several journals and newspapers and, in 1986, she was a co-founder and editor of Our Lives, the first Black women's newspaper in Canada. From 1990 to 1991, she was Writer-in-Residence at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada. In 1991, she gave public readings in England, Scotland, The Netherlands, and South Africa and, from 1992 to 1994, taught in the English Department at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. In 1999, she was a lecturer at the University of British Columbia, and, in 2000, she lectured at York University. From 2000 to 2002, she was a professor at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia. In addition to writing several anthologies, Brand's lifetime published works include the following:

    BOOKS:

    • 1986 - Rivers Have Sources, Trees Have Roots, Speaking of Racism
    • 1988 - Sans Souci and Other Stories
    • 1991 - No Burden to Carry: Narratives of Black Working Women in Ontario 1920s to 1950s
    • 1994 - A Grammar of Dissent; We Are Rooted Here, They Can't Pull Us Up; Bread Out of Stone: Recollections, Sex, Recognitions, Race, Dreaming, Politics
    • 1996 - In Another Place, Not Here
    • 1999 - At the Full and Change of the Moon
    • 2001 - A Map to the Door of No Return

    POETRY:

    • 1978 - 'Fore Day Morning
    • 1980 - Earth Magic
    • 1983 - Winter Epigrams and Epigrams to Ernesto Cardenal in Defence of Claudia; Primitive Offensive
    • 1984 - Chronicles of the Hot Sun
    • 1990 - No Language Is Neutral
    • 1997 - Land to Light On
    • 2002 - Thirsty
    AWARDS:
    • 1997 - Canadian Governor-General Award for Poetry (for "Land to Light On")
    • 1998 - The Trillium Award (for "Land to Light On")
    Compiled by Ronald C. Emrit