Description: This literary award is offered to honor Professor Rigofredo Granados’ memory and to encourage students to continue his mission, through the written word. 

 Professor Rigofredo Granados was responsible for developing the World Language program at City Tech. During his life, Professor Granados fought many battles. Born and raised in Cuba, he experienced the hardship of an oppressive political system and was persecuted for his ideas. Unwilling to be silenced, he had to leave behind family, friends, and students, sacrificing his love for his native country, to which he never returned, to start a new life in the United States. Professor Granados admired the democratic institutions and the freedom he found in the US, and passed these values to his students during the decades that he taught at City Tech.

Professor Rigofredo Granados is an example not only to the City Tech community, but also to any citizen in the world who loves integrity, righteousness, and freedom.

 Prizes: Two prizes of $150 will be awarded to the winners in each category, one for texts written in Spanish and another in the English language. The winners will each receive a $150 Amazon gift card. Honorable mentions will also be awarded to entrants whose work demonstrates promise.

To receive these prizes, the winners must be present in an award ceremony on the 21^st of October 2022, from 12 pm to 1:30 pm in the Academic Complex, Room 209.

What to write about: Fictional and biographical short stories, or essays on themes about freedom and human rights will be accepted. Freedom of speech and expression has always been important through the years. It grants all individuals the liberty to express what is just or what is not and speak their minds without fear of being censored or persecuted. Additionally, human rights violations and policies that restrict freedom have increased in many forms in the US and in some parts of the world.

Length and deadlines: Stories must be original unpublished fiction or essays, typed and double-spaced, and may not exceed 1,500 words in length, with a minimum of 800 words. Entries submitted online after October 18, 2022 will not be accepted.

Submission requirements: Entries may be submitted online here. Writers may submit multiple entries, but each must be in separate cover sheet. The author’s name should not appear on the paper. Our entrants are judged anonymously. Each original entry must be accompanied by a separate cover sheet with the writer’s name, complete mailing address, e-mail address, phone number, the title of the piece, and the word count.

Award ceremony: Announcement of winners and honorable mentions will take place on the 21^st of October 2022, from 1 pm to 2 pm in the Academic Complex, Room 209. The reading of the awarded submissions will be delivered during the ceremony.