15th Annual Awards
The Orson F. Whitney Outstanding Achievement Award and Lifetime Achievement Award honor exceptional bodies of work and/or contributions to the writing community by authors who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We are thrilled to announce that this year's Achievement Award winners are BRANDON SANDERSON and DARIUS GRAY.
Outstanding Achievement Award:
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon is the author of epic fantasies such as the Mistborn series and The Stormlight Archive. He is also the author of young adult novels like the Alcatraz and Reckoners series.
His accomplishments as a writer include the Hugo Award, the David Gemmell Legend Award, regular listings on the New York Times Best-Seller List, and publications in thirty-five languages.
Beyond his achievements, Brandon consistently and generously gives his time and energy to help developing authors as a teacher at BYU, through his YouTube series, at conferences, and as a host on the popular podcast Writing Excuses.
We are elated to recognize his significant achievements and contributions.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Darius Gray
Darius is a speaker, essayist, and former journalist. His work often addresses the intersection of Black experience and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He is the co-author of the Standing on the Promises historical trilogy and co-producer/director of the documentary Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons. He also co-directed the Freedman’s Bank Records project for the Church’s Family History Department and is one of the founding members of the Genesis Group.
His awards include a special citation by the Mormon History Association and the Martin Luther King Jr. Award from the Utah NAACP.
We are honored to acknowledge his unique and important contributions to the cannon of literature written by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
