Margaret Reynolds Receives Zee Edgell Award for Literary Arts

Belizean poet, author and publisher Margaret Reynolds has been named this year’s recipient of the Zee Edgell Award for Literary Arts, as part of the Belize@45 Creative and Cultural Excellence Awards. Reynolds is being recognized for her contribution to Belize’s literary arts and her work in promoting local writers and creative expression. Reynolds says receiving the recognition is meaningful to her, particularly after years of contributing to Belize’s literary community.

Margaret Reynolds, Writer: “So I started writing as young as nine years old I started experimenting with poetry. My writing should increase your view about how others feel. It is basically leaning towards teaching you to be empathetic. 501 from way back we had the Poets Society. I was a founding member in that. I had moved away because of work and had a lot of other commitments. Then eventually I heard that they no longer existed. And so one day I was on the bus and I met two other poets that used to go and we were talking about this, that we need to get it back. I guess that was the push I needed. In June of 2013, we had a first show. From the very first night, we had a crowd and the exchange was great. I met a lot of new poets that night, younger poets and from that moment on the decision was made. We can’t stop, we need to continue with this. Zee Edgell she’s a painter with words. Her writing, it brings you in. It brings you in. So when I heard about the award, I felt really good.”

For more than two decades, Reynolds has been involved in Belize’s literary community. She is the founder of Reynolds Desktop Publishing and the creator of SpokenWord 501, a platform that has provided Belizean poets with a space to share their work and explore issues including culture, identity, history and social concerns. Her publishing work has also contributed to the development of Belizean literature, including the publication of, ‘Of Poets and Poetry’ and the ‘Spoken Word 501’ compilation series. The Zee Edgell Award is named after renowned Belizean author Zee Edgell and forms part of the national awards recognizing Belizeans who have made significant contributions to the country’s creative and cultural landscape. The recognition places Reynolds among a growing list of Belizean literary figures including Evan X. Hyde, Lawrence Vernon, Godfrey Smith and Rowland Parks. /