The inaugural Emeka Walter Dinjos Memorial Award For Disability In Speculative Fiction winners were announced today.

DISABLED WRITER CATEGORY JOINT WINNER

• Dare Segun Falowo, for Sonskins (Baffling 1/1/21)
• Seanan McGuire, for “Treatment Plan” (Vital)

Other finalists

• Jaye Viner, for “Cannibalism in the Inhuman Age” (Drabblecast 3/4/21)
• Christine Lucas, for “Echoes of a Broken Mind” (Future SF 12/22/21)

DISABILITY REPRESENTING WORKS CATEGORY WINNER

• Justin C. Key, for “The Algorithm Will See You Now” (Vital)

Other finalists

• P.H. Low, for “The Loneliness of Former Constellations” (Strange Horizons 8/9/21)
• Jennifer Lee Rossman, for “The Steel Magnolia Metaphor” (Escape Pod 5/7/21)
• McKinley Valentine, for “The Code for Everything” (Fantasy 3/1/21)
• Tabatha Wood, for “Long Drop” (Seeds)

Award founder Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki explained why the results took this long to appear:

The finalists were announced in December 2022 and the award was meant to be presented in 2023. But unfortunately, immigration issues, incarceration, and subsequent grave illness that nearly claimed my life, delayed it.

He detailed adjustments to the prize money, and announced this will be the only edition of the award.

The winner of each category was to receive the sum of $250. The winner of the disability representing category Justin C. Key has, and Dare Segun Falowo and Seanan McGuire, joint winners in the disabled writers category shared the $250 price for that category, and got $150 each. Each of the finalists listed, got the token sum of $50. Marissa Lingen, a former finalist in the Disabled Writers category withdrew from consideration, and McKinley Valentine donated the $50 token sum back to the award to assist in operating costs. We offer our thanks for that. All monies have been disbursed to the winners and finalists.

Wole Talabi was a co-sponsor of the award, to the tune of $200

I regret to announce though, that this will be the first, final and only edition of the award. Unfortunately, my health and other challenges have made me unable to continue it. I do hope though that we will continue to value disabled people and their creative works, especially those operating from the margins, and places that make their existence and creation even more difficult. Anyone else who wants to take this up or set up an endeavor like this is highly encouraged to and I’ll strive to render any assistance I can. So feel free to reach out. 

More information about the finalists and their works can be found here.