Cecilia Manguerra Brainard is the author and editor of over 22 books. Her recent books include: Growing Up Filipino 3: New Stories for Young Adults (USTph 2022), Selected Short Stories by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard (USTph 2021), When the Rainbow Goddess Wept (USTph 2019)The Newspaper Widow (novel, USTPh 2017), and Magdalena (novel, USTph 2016).
Her recent awards and recognition include the 40th National Book Award and the Cirilo F. Bautista Prize in 2023 for her Selected Short Stories. This book was also finalist of the Gintong Aklat Award . The book she edited, Growing Up Filipino 3 was finalist for the 41th National Book Award in 2024. Brainard has been recognized by universities, libraries, and other institutions for her lectures and for books which she donated. These include the Philippine Embassies in Washington D.C and Jeddah, University of the Philippine Cebu, the Cebuano Studies Center, and more.
Brainard’s past recognitions include also received a Top Hat Award from the Philippine Business Improvement and Development of San Diego, California in 2015; the prestigious Outstanding Individual Award from her birthplace of Cebu in 1998, and Amazing Achiever’s Award from her alma mater Maryknoll College in 2003, several travel grants from the US Embassy (1995, 1997, 1998), a California Arts Council Fellowship (1990), a Brody Arts Fund Fellowship (1991), among others.
She has taught at UCLA, USC, the California State Summer School for the Arts, the Writers’ Program at UCLA Extension and she continues to lecture and perform in literary arts venues and universities. She has served as Executive Board member and Officer of PEN, PAAWWW (Pacific Asian American Women Writers West), Arts & Letters at the Cal State University LA, PAWWA (Philippine American Woman Writers and Artists), and PALH (Philippine American Literary House).
Her official website is ceciliabrainarddotcom.
