In announcing the award for excellence in literature, PEN Oakland noted "Deena Metzger's novel La Negra y Blanca: Fugue and Commentary explores relationships between people, historical and imaginary, in the bloody tragedy of U.S. imperialism in Guatemala and Latin America."

Judged by respected writers, the awards honor books published the previous year that both reflect a multi-cultural or marginalized viewpoint and represent the highest standards of literature.  

The PEN Oakland-Josephine Miles Awards were created 20 years ago to honor writers of exceptional works often not acknowledged by the mainstream literary community.  

The 22nd Annual PEN Oakland-Josephine Miles National Literary Awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Rockridge Branch of the Oakland Public Library. The event is open to the public, and will be followed by a reception and book signings. For further information, please contact Kim McMillon at 510-681-5652 or John Curl at 510-526-9324.   

According to PEN Oakland Vice President John Curl, Oakland is the first chapter to target multi-cultural issues within the United States. Its unique purpose is to promote works of excellence by writers of all cultural and racial backgrounds and to educate both the public and the media as to the nature of multi-cultural work.  

PEN Oakland, chartered in early 1989, is a chapter of the Los Angeles based PEN USA, part of PEN International, an organization of professional writers founded in London in 1921. PEN members "pledge themselves to do their utmost to dispel race, class and national hatreds and to champion the ideal of one humanity living in peace in the world."