2026 Julian Clement Chase Prize Award Ceremony

TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION!

Hosted by Maria Arana

Peruvian-American author and inaugural Literary Director of the Library of Congress; until recently, Writer at Large for The Washington Post.

This event is free and open to the public. 

3:30 p.m. | Pre-Ceremony Refreshments

4 p.m. | Awards Ceremony

5 p.m. | Reception

2026 Winners

JCC Prize for Research Writing on the District of Columbia 

• Chrestiane Tekola, "When the Salt Becomes Stone: Ethiopian Restaurants, Gentrification, and the Displacement of Cultural Infrastructure in Washington, D.C."
• Honorable Mention:
  • Caitlin Chan, Bridget Kinnaman, & Ruby Klein,""It Takes a Village: Urban Gardens in Washington, D.C."

JCC Prize for Creative Writing in Washington

• Quinn Giordano, More Than Just Drums
• Honorable Mention:
  • Maurice Brown, Far From Unloved
  • Alexis Schultz, In A Room Full of Strangers: The Many Reasons We Show Up to Move Together

JCC Prize for Community Impact in the District of Columbia

• Sabrina Yeh, Dementia Art Therapy Alliance at GW
• Honorable Mention:
  • Jessica Rich, Julia Bara, & Simone Semerjian; RootED (Rooted in Education and Development)

This event is supported in proud collaboration between the Julian Clement Chase Endowment and HumanitiesDC.

The Julian Clement Chase Prizes are presented by the University Writing Program in collaboration with the Creative Writing program and the Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service.