Amy M. Alvarez, an associate professor of the practice at Messina College, was named the winner of the inaugural CARICON Prize for Poetry by the CARICON Foundation for her collection of poems, Makeshift Altar (The University Press of Kentucky, 2024). The CARICON Prize honors literary outstanding literary works by Caribbean authors across the Caribbean and the diaspora. The judging panel characterized Makeshift Altar as “stunning” and “a fearless meditation on belonging and becoming.” Alvarez is also the recipient of a 2025 American Book Award for Makeshift Altar. Alvarez teaches writing and literature courses at Messina College. Read more from BC News.