TCCL honors Yuyi Morales with second-ever Hummingbird Literary Award

EAST TULSA, Okla — On Saurday at the Martin Regional Library, the Tulsa County Library awarded its second ever Hummingbird Literary Award. It went to Yuyi Morales, who's known for her books like "Bright Star" as well as "Dreamers".

Morales told 2 News she was amazed to come to Tulsa and feel so welcome at the library. It's something she hopes her books bring to people as well.

“I hope that they are feeling embraced," she said. "That they can feel the respect that I feel, and that people who are around me, when we are creating these books, that that we have for everybody, for our readers, I hope that they know by reading the stories, that they are the protagonists of their own stories.”

Dulce Castro and her daughter Abril said they loved seeing Yuyi’s work and getting an inside look into how she creates her stories.

They also said they really appreciated the message of some of her stories, including topics on immigration, diversity and love.

“With the situation we are currently going through, using the separation of animals to describe the separation of families," said Dulce. "It has been difficult and it’s something that many of us are living.”

Abril said she really liked singing with Yuyi and looking at her artwork.

“Her illustrations were very nice," she said. "The way she paints and draws. I don’t know, just her creativity.”

Morales says fences and walls don’t only keep physical things like nature, animals or humans out, but abstract notions like thoughts and ideas out too.

“What these fences and walls do? They are a symbol," she said. "They are a symbol of we don't want you here. They are a way of communicating: We won't let you cross. And they are more a symbol than a real thing.”

She went on to say she hopes people can unite and realize that everyone is stronger together.

“How can we, in our very own ways, retell that story, and find the ways in which we are gonna support each other to tell a different story?" she said. "A more beautiful story.”