N.V.M. Gonzalez: "An Affair with Letters"

Filipino writer N.V.M. Gonzalez once said, "Literature is an affair of letters." Born Nestor Vicente Madali Gonzalez, this journalist, essayist, author, and teacher has become one of the most widely recognized and studied Filipino writers to date. "N.V.M." was raised in Mindoro, Philippines by his father, a school supervisor and teacher. After high school, he attended the National University in Manila, but never earned in degree. However, while in Manila, N.V.M. edited for the Evening News Magazine and Manila Chronicle, and in 1934, he had his first essay published in the Philippine Graphic. In 1948, the Rockefeller Foundation gave the aspiring writer a chance to travel to Stanford University and Columbia University to study and meet with prominent American writers. When he returned to the Philippines in 1950, Gonzalez started teaching at the University of San Tomas, then later at the Philippine Women's University, and finally spent 18 years teaching at the University of the Philippines. Here, he hosted the first writers' workshop.

When Gonzalez moved back to California, he continued his teaching career in several universities, including UC Santa Barbara. Throughout his entire teaching career, N.V.M. Gonzalez wrote 14 books and various poems and short stories. For all his writings, he has received a multitude of awards such as an honorary doctorate from the University of the Philippines, the National Artist Award for Literature, and the Jose Rizal Pro Patria Award. Gonzalez passed away in 1999 due to kidney complications.

N.V.M. Gonzalez's tremendous impact on the literary world helped encourage other Filipino and Filipino American to pursue different careers in writing. This is evident in the foundation established in his name, N.V.M. Inc. This Filipino non-profit organization continues his literary legacy by hosting short story workshops, writing competitions, and other artistic events. Moreover, their NVM awards has already given $1000 to aspiring writers looking to furher their careers in literature. Along with this foundation, Gonzalez's teaching career was a significant contribution in itself to students in both the Philippines and in America. N.V.M. was a mentor especially for writers of Filipino heritage, and as a Filipino teacher and writer in the United States, he provided the minority perspective since there were not many Filipino writers in the country during his time. His lengthy career may encourage other Filipinos to be more expressive of their ideas through the arts, especially through writing or even pursue a career in teaching higher level education.