"Living with Lynching" wins BOOK AWARD!!!

On Friday, August 3, 2012, Living with Lynching won the American Theatre and Drama Society's award for best book published in 2011. 

The selection committee chair, Jim Fisher, giving me the award.  He is a prolific, well respected scholar, director, and stage actor.  This is a truly humbling moment!

 I don't think I could be smiling any harder!  I was absolutely blown away by what he said about Living with Lynching before calling me up to accept the award.  

 I didn't want to lose all composure, so I wrote out my acceptance speech.  It wasn't as boring as this looks.  I managed to make pretty decent eye contact!

The next day, I got a chance to speak with both Professor Fisher and Professor Felicia Hardison Londré, who also served on the book award selection committee.  She holds an endowed chair and has written or edited 14 books.  Professor Fisher has written or edited no fewer than 8 books, so I surrounded myself with these two intellectual forces, hoping that some of their brilliance and discipline would rub off on me!!! 

Seriously, I cannot say how much it means to have them—and so many others in ATDS whom I admire—see value in my work!

For more on the American Theatre & Drama Society, including how to become a member, please visit http://www.atds.org/

Honored by Student Organization

On Friday, February 3, 2012, Unplugging Society: Woman of Color Think Tank held a Hat and Gloves Tea in honor of 4 women role models, and they counted me among them!

Before the event, I got some proof that I had actually found appropriate attire!

My English Department colleague Andrea Williams made the time to share this moment with me.

Thanking Unplugging Society for the award and for their presence. The work that this organization is doing on campus and beyond is nothing short of amazing. They are working against human trafficking, facilitating serious inter-faith discussions, mentoring students in under-resourced public schools, and more. It is truly humbling to have them see that my work emerges from similar investments, even if in a seemingly less hands-on way.

This is Dr. Patricia "Patty" Cunningham. She took a graduate literature class with me a few years ago on her way to the PhD. It was a really rough quarter for me, so I'm shocked that I managed to leave a positive impression. I am honored that she thought enough of me to nominate me for this award and that she made enough of a case that the organization's leadership decided I was suitable for recognition this year.

As a part of this celebration, the organization showed a 20-minute video featuring the honorees. It is now available here. What extraordinary company!!! I am truly humbled that they could see my contributions as even remotely in the company of the amazing work that these 3 women are doing!