Welcome to the Evolving Man Project’s ‘Evolved Man of the Week’ profiles. Each week we will highlight an individual that embodies what it means to be an evolved man, famous and non-famous men alike. The world needs to know their stories and deeds. This week’s honor goes to writer, poet, and artist, Malachi Jones.
The 17-year-old wunderkind who is heading to Columbia University this fall has been awarded a Gold Medal Portfolio, the highest honor of the 2018 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards presented by the nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.
Malachi has joined a prestigious group of former youth winners, now all household names, including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Joyce Carol Oates, and Stephen King, according to the Post and Courier website.
According to the Post and Courier, Malachi has rejected the trope of the stereotypical black man and instead chosen to forge his own way of being black in the world.
The article states, “Jones’s award-winning work—a collection of lyric essays and free-verse poems—revolves around his experience as a black teenager struggling with and finally coming to terms with his identity. Here is Malachi Jones in his own words about his most recent honor:
“I remember a loud silence when I received the phone call,” Jones said. “I felt like a siren was going off inside my head, but I was speechless. I had been submitting work to Scholastic since 7th grade, so it is insane to me to think an audience outside my family and peers want to read and appreciate my work.”
We at the Evolving Man Project wish Mr. Jones much-continued success and we’re looking forward to his very bright future as a writer. Malachi Jones is truly #BlackBoyJoy. Today we honor Malachi Jones has our Evolved Man of the Week.
Evolving Man Project 