2026 Hilary Weston International Award winner Hanif Abdurraqib

Hanif Abdurraqib is an American memoirist and poet known for his distinctive style of cultural and artistic criticism through the lens of music, sport, and contemporary American issues. On Monday, September 14 at the Royal Ontario Museum, in a creative and wide-ranging talk, Abdurraqib brought his unique and rare intellect to the role of nonfiction in our society, and his relationship to it as someone from an unconventional background. Together, event attendees experienced the impact of nonfiction storytelling at its best, as Abdurraqib reflected on concepts like the capacity of a heart to hold both joy and grief, and the wonder and heartache that each second, each moment, might uncover.   Events like these are supported by the generosity of our community. We are grateful to The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation for its ongoing support of nonfiction literature. We are also grateful to our event partners PwC Canada, The Globe and Mail, CBC Ideas, and Another Story Bookshop — thank you for making the evening a wonderful success. Relive the evening — watch the recap video of Abdurraqib’s lecture and interview juror 2026 Hilary Weston International Award juror Tessa McWatt now.