Alexander Chee: “Community always has a certain amount of struggle.”

Alexander Chee is living the answer to an American question that is as elusive as it is enduring: how do we integrate political consciousness into who we are?

Chee is the bestselling author of the novels Edinburgh and Queen of the Night, as well as the essay collection How to Write an Autobiographical Novel. The recipient of many prestigious writing awards, he has served as a judge for some of the publishing industry’s most recognizable book prizes and teaches creative writing at Dartmouth College. Beyond this constellation of literary stunners, it is his advocacy and generosity of spirit that moved us to name him the honoree of Guernica‘s 2022 benefit.

Community has been central to Chee’s journey as an activist and author; it is a resource, he says, that the publishing industry is still learning about. When asked what it was like to be a gay writer in the ’90s, Chee explained how his community had rallied for him: “They throw you a parade before you get to the stadium and play the game.” As an emerging writer, Chee felt supported by queer publications and anthologies, and when his debut novel launched at an Asian American Writers’ Workshop event in New York City’s Koreatown, over 200 people attended — and his books sold out. Throughout his career, Chee has been committed to advocating for and mentoring writers from marginalized communities (especially queer and AAPI writers) as well as demystifying the writing process for underrepresented communities with limited