Hudson, who died in 2023 at age 52, was a creative teacher, a McSweeney's editor and a prizewinning writer whose books included the novel “Dear Mr. President.” The prize, endowed by his mother, Sanchia Semere, is given for a book that conveys “humor, pathos, and a deep understanding of contemporary America.”
Greathead said in a statement Wednesday that Hudson's "generosity of spirit and humor are traits I admire greatly in writers and non-writers alike, and to be a small part of his legacy is as meaningful a tribute as I can imagine."
“It has become an unfortunate cliché that award recipients often say they are ‘humbled’ on such occasions, but in thinking of what Gabe and his writing meant to people, it is the word that comes first to mind,” she added.
The Hudson prize was launched last year: The first winner was Ayana Mathis' “The Unsettled.”