2024 American Indian Literature Award Medal Acceptance: Kim Rogers

Editors Note: On January 25, 2025, the American Indian Library Association (AILA) held its Youth Literature Award Ceremony in Phoenix. I am pleased to share the remarks Kim Rogers delivered when she received the American Indian Youth Literature Award in the picture book category for A Letter for Bob. 

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AIYLA Medal Acceptance Remarks

Kim Rogers

This is my first trip to Phoenix. It’s a wonderful reprieve from the freezing Oklahoma winter. Last week, during single digit temperatures, I was trying to thaw out our frozen shower with a portable space heater. Phoenix is a lot warmer, and I am grateful!

I am delighted to be here with you today to celebrate this special occasion in Native American Children's Literature. 

Thank you so much for that kind introduction and warm welcome. Thank you to the American Indian Youth Literature Award committee members. I am grateful for the work you do. Thank you to everyone who made this event possible.

I am honored to receive this recognition along with many brilliant creatives whose work I admire.

Congrats to Laurel Goodluck and Jonathan Nelson. I am honored to share this recognition with you both.

My love of stories began at a young age when my Wichita grandmother and aunties would sit around my grandma’s living room and tell stories. They had me mesmerized.

They talked about all kinds of things. And maybe some things I wasn’t supposed to hear. They told stories about the men they’d dated, the latest gossip in town, and ghost stories on our tribal lands. Listening to them made me feel grown up and a part of them—a strong circle of women. And believe me, I learned a lot from those stories as you might imagine! Wow!

From the time I could read, I’d be lost in books. And I recruited others too. In my bedroom, I would line up my stuffed animals and pretend that I was a school teacher and read them picture books. Then I started writing my own.

I’d even illustrate the pages. I would staple them together and read them to my stuffed animal friends too. Yes, they were all ears!

In first grade, I wrote my first poem. It was raining that day and it filled me with so much emotion. I had to get the words on the page. I wrote it on a worksheet and drew a picture of a girl under an umbrella. My teacher commented later that she liked my poem and that it touched her. That’s when I learned the power of words.

In fourth grade, our teacher gave us the assignment of writing stories from our spelling word list. She would often ask me to read mine in front of the class. She told me I would be a writer someday. I laughed because I thought that something so fun could not be a real job. I thought jobs had to be miserable.

I am thankful for those wonderful teachers who encouraged me and were my first writing cheerleaders. They are part of the reason I stand here before you today.

For a long time, I was hesitant to write from my Wichita perspective. I grew up during a time when it did not feel safe for me to do so. With the start of 2025, it feels like that all over again.

But our work is incredibly important. It’s essential for our Native youth to see themselves in books. We must push back against book bans and efforts to silence our voices. We must continue on and write our stories for the sake our children and future generations.

Thank you to my friend Cynthia Leitich Smith, author - curator of Heartdrum who is another cheerleader in my life. Years ago, she had reached out to me on social media encouraging me to write about my Wichita heritage when I was writing everything else but that. She helped me find the courage to share my voice.

Thank you to my friend and agent Tricia Lawrence. I appreciate everything that you do for me!

Thank you to my editor and friend Rosemary Brosnan who had planned to celebrate with us today but could not be here. Sending you well-wishes and hugs. Thank you for your kindness and believing in my stories. Your brilliant editing makes every manuscript shine.

Thank you to all the wonderful people at Heartdrum. I am thrilled that I get to work with each one of you.

Thank you to Jonathan Nelson for bringing A LETTER TO BOB to life. I love seeing the beauty, humor, and relationships that you created in the illustrations of Katie and her family. And of course Bob the car.

Thank you to my family for your love and support, even those who are with me in spirit. Mom, I miss you each and every day.

Thank you to our sons for the memories of the many vacations, car rides, and adventures that helped me write the scenes in A LETTER FOR BOB.

Thank you especially to my husband, the love of my life and my biggest supporter and ultimate cheerleader who continues to tell everyone how proud he is of his wife—even our dentist! And I'm honestly a little embarrassed.

Thank you to everyone who advocates for Natives stories including librarians and teachers. YOU are my heroes. 

I am so grateful to you all. So:ti:c?a. Thank you.

2024 American Indian Youth Literature Award Medal Acceptance: Byron Graves

Editors Note: On January 25, 2025, the American Indian Library Association (AILA) held its Youth Literature Award Ceremony in Phoenix. I am pleased to share the remarks Byron Graves delivered when he received the American Indian Youth Literature Award in the young adult category for Rez Ball. 

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AIYLA Medal Acceptance Remarks

Byron Graves

Rez Ball was inspired by fond memories of playing basketball for my high school basketball team on the Red Lake Reservation.

Our basketball team was a beautiful distraction from the tough, cold, dark winter months. We were something to cheer for, something to talk about, something to look forward to.

Sometimes life on our reservation can be tough for a wide variety of reasons. But basketball has always been what brought us together, what made us all smile no matter what we might be going through.

As I wrote Rez Ball, I delved into more memories. Some of love, some of pain. The excitement and the thrill of winning under bright lights in the biggest of moments. The crushing heartbreak of losing the final game.

For a long time, I felt like I had let my family, friends, teammates and community down when we lost the state tournament. That disappointment and frustration lingered. It was a weight that held me down. More loss and failure followed. Dreams that I chased, fell apart. My community was devastated by a school shooting. Some of my best friends and myself faced challenges with drugs and alcohol. Cancer stole My father and nephew, who was an upcoming basketball star.

There was a point in my life, when I began to believe that I wouldn’t ever win. At anything.

But basketball reminded me that life isn’t about the final score, it’s about the battle we face within. My younger sister and my niece, both were versions of Rez Ball’s main character, Tre Brun. In the middle of a school year, in the heart of their basketball seasons, they battled grief while staying in school and working hard, all the while, continuing to shine on the basketball court.

I cheered as they splashed deep three pointers and made flashy no look passes. But in my heart is where I cheered the loudest.

In awe of their strength, their bravery, their courage. Watching my family and reservation cope with loss and grief by playing a game, and cheering for each other inspired me to write Rez Ball. It inspired me to believe in myself again. It made me chase my dreams, with courage and excitement. Unafraid of the final score. Knowing it was about much more than that.

Rez Ball was a love letter to my family, my teammates, and my reservation. It is a shout out to all Indigenous communities across the country, where basketball, hoop dreams, carry us above the rim and lifts us when we need it most.

This book was all about teamwork. I couldn’t have done this without my team.

My father, for showing me tough love, pushing me beyond what I thought were my limits, and instilling in me, an undying work ethic.

My mother, for nourishing my creative interests. Instead of reading me bed time stories, she used to make them up as she went. Until I began to interject, with proposals I had for ideas of where the story should actually go next. And asking for multiverse cameos, as I believed her story could really use the star power of the smurfs and scooby doo.

She told me this, and it’s probably the biggest reason I’m standing up here today. “Christ, why don’t you just make up your own stories then?” And that was the end of story time, but the beginning of me creating my own stories. Thanks Mom!

My little sister, Bimwewe, who always was my biggest fan, and made me like an award winning author, well before I deserved such praise. But her love and support, tricked me into believing in myself during some of my darkest times.

My basketball teammates and coaches for the lessons, friendships and memories.

My reservation, for the unwavering support they show to young student athletes.

My best friend, Dalton Walker, and his amazing family, Taté and Ohíya. These three are the epitome of brilliance, of giving, of learning, of caring. I hold them near and dear in my heart in dark times, as they are a lighthouse of good in this world. They are my north star, guiding me towards the type of person I would love to be.

Rez Ball would not have been possible without the amazing, kind, and talented Cynthia Leitich-Smith. She taught me how to write. She saw my vision for Rez Ball, for the characters, the story, and the deeper meanings.

Cynthia helped me shape those threads, tighten them, sharpen them. Rez Ball has her fingerprints all over it. Miigwech Cynthia.

Rosemary Brosnan, for being an integral part of an imprint like Heartdrum even existing in the first place. For having bravery, a vision, and for being an ally as we tell our stories.

Thank you to everyone involved with the American Indian Youth Literature Awards for your countless hours of reading, thinking, and conversation. This is an unbelievably important and much needed space and stage that you have carved out for Indigenous authors.   

Winning this award is the honor of my lifetime. This category had some of my all time favorite authors. I’m so damn proud to even be in their company, to be considered alongside them. My author heroes and friends. I’ve looked up to them for a long time, and strive to be as skilled as they are some day.

Rez Ball being ultimately chosen, is as a testament of how a game, how a book, how losing over and over in life, can show us all, what winning is actually all about. It’s about staying humble, fighting the good fight, uplifting your peers, accepting help, loving your community, finding a purpose beyond the superficial, and especially, never, ever giving up on yourself or your dreams.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Miigwech