Bernadine Evaristo is a highly acclaimed author, born in London, who has made significant contributions to the literary world through her exploration of the African diaspora in her works. She is an Anglo-Nigerian writer of several award-winning books, including fiction, poetry, and literature. Evaristo's writing is known for its experimentation, daring, subversion, and challenging the myths of various Afro-diasporic histories and identities.
Evaristo's novels, such as "Girl, Woman, Other" and "Mr Loverman," have won numerous awards and accolades. She has written in various genres, including poetry, verse-novels, prose novels, radio and theatre drama, and literary essays and criticism. In addition to her work as an author, Evaristo is also a Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University in London and Vice Chair of the Royal Society of Literature. She has been made an MBE in 2009 for her services to literature.
As a literary activist for inclusion, Evaristo has founded several successful initiatives, including Spread the Word writer development agency, the Complete Works mentoring scheme for poets of colour, and the Brunel International African Poetry Prize. She has also received numerous awards for her writing, including the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize, EMMA Best Book Award, Big Red Read, Orange Youth Panel Award, NESTA Fellowship Award, and Arts Council Writer's Award. Her books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year in British newspapers and magazines, and she has been made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Evaristo was born in Woolwich, south east London, the fourth of eight children, to an English mother and Nigerian father. She was educated at Eltham Hill Girls Grammar School, the Rose Bruford College of Speech & Drama, and Goldsmiths, University of London, where she earned a PhD in Creative Writing. She has toured widely in the UK and internationally, accepting invitations to take part in over 100 international visits as a writer, delivering talks, keynotes, workshops, and courses.