Dominican-American poet and writer Julia Alvarez received a National Medal of Arts medal at the White House on Monday during the 2013 National Media of Arts and National Humanities Medal ceremony.

The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and their patrons. Alvarez was "recognized as a novelist, poet, and essayist, for her extraordinary storytelling. In poetry and in prose, Ms. Alvarez explores themes of identity, family, and cultural divides. She illustrates the complexity of navigating two worlds and reveals the human capacity for strength in the face of oppression."

Alvarez joined 10 other receipients, including dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones, singer Linda Ronstadt, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music for its innovative contributions to performing and visual arts. Eleven people received the National Humanities Medal.

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song," said President Barack Obama, quoting Maya Angelou. "Each of the men and women that we honor today has a song -- literally, in some cases. For others, it's a talent, or a drive, or a passion that they just had to share with the world."

Obama added, "To our honorees: Like most creative and brainy people, you did not cultivate your song for accolades or applause. If there were no medal for your work, I expect you'd still be out there designing buildings and making movies and digging through archives and asking tough questions in interviews."

He added, "But we do honor you today -- because your accomplishments have enriched our lives and reveal something about ourselves and about our country. And we can never take for granted the flash of insight that comes from watching a great documentary or reading a great memoir or novel, or seeing an extraordinary piece of architecture. We can't forget the wonder we feel when we stand before an incredible work of art, or the world of memories we find unlocked with a simple movement or a single note."

Obama continued, "The moments you help create -- moments of understanding or awe or joy or sorrow -- they add texture to our lives. They are not incidental to the American experience; they are central to it -- they are essential to it. So we not only congratulate you this afternoon, we thank you for an extraordinary lifetime of achievement."

The National Medal of Arts was established by Congress in 1984 as the nation's highest award given to artists and art patrons.

"Whether it's animation or architecture, writing or music, these artists' creativity and passion have made an enormous impact on our nation," Jane Chu, NEA Chairman, said. "I join the President in congratulating them and celebrating the arts in our country."

The National Humanities Medal was created in in 1997 to honor those who have deepened the nation's understanding of the humanities in fields including history, literature, languages and philosophy.

Julia Alvarez was born in New York City but from the age of three months was raised in the Dominican Republican under the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. Her father was involved in the underground movement to overturn Trujillo, and the family was forced to flee to the United States in 1960 when his identity was exposed. The family left four months before the three Mirabal sisters were murdered.

"When I'm asked what made me into a writer, I point to the watershed experience of coming to this country. Not understanding the language, I had to pay close attention to each word -- great training for a writer, said Alvarez. "I also discovered the welcoming world of the imagination and books. There, I sunk my new roots."

Alvarez's published works include five novels, a book of essays, four collections of poetry, four children's books and two works of adolescent fiction. Her novels include "How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents," "In the Time of the Butterflies" and "Yo!" Her publications as poet include "Homecoming" and the "Woman I Kept to Myself." Much of her work is influenced by her experiences as a Dominican in the United States, and address issues of assimilation and identity.