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The book cover depicts cartoon images of characters from classical Greek mythology, including Poseidon, Aphrodite, Perseus, and a harpy.

Greeking Out

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The book cover depicts cartoon versions of various characters from classical Greek mythology, including the Cyclops, Athena, Zeus, and three snakes.

by Jean B.

Greek myths are having a moment. From the Percy Jackson series where Greek gods inhabit today’s world, to Madeline Miller’s feminist novel Circe, to the blues and jazz songs driving the hit musical Hadestown, ancient stories keep popping up in new guises.

There’s a reason myths have stuck around for thousands of years. The core elements – the heroes, quests, relationships, life lessons – are memorable and timeless, but not static. These stories can be told in endless ways and the details suited to the times in which we live. They’re riveting and relatable whether recounted around a fire, in a book, on a stage, or even – in our electronic age – on a podcast.  

Enter the epically popular creators of Greeking Out, a National Geographic Kids podcast and book series. This fall, Kenny Curtis, a 30-year veteran of kids’ radio, and his daughter, Jillian Hughes, are bringing their funny, family-friendly renditions of classic world myths to HCLS. The Greeking Out podcast started in 2019 as an extension of the National Geographic book series, Zeus the Mighty, but gained great popularity in its own right and now includes three print books, each a collection of 20 stories and associated sidebars (silly, snarky, informational), as well as comic illustrations, a glossary of people and places with pronunciation guides, and maps of ancient places referenced in the tales. Whew!  Material of mythic proportions! Irresistible titles like “Three Scary Old Ladies and One Dirty Eyeball” and “The Princess, the Cow, and the Giant with 100 Eyes,” instantly pull in readers, young and old alike.

The book cover depicts cartoon images of characters from classical Greek mythology, including Poseidon, Aphrodite, Perseus, and a harpy.

I saw this for myself on September 17, when an enthusiastic crowd at HCLS Central Branch listened with delight to Curtis’s rendition of Persephone’s story. Maybe you think you know it? Probably not like this! How did she really feel about the Underworld? Was she tricked or was she the trickster? Curtis gave his listeners lots to think about. And while the storyteller helped the audience see different perspectives and possibilities, he didn’t have free rein with the facts. Fortunately, the Oracle of Wi-Fi (modern descendant of the one that resided in Delphi, and bearing a close resemblance to Jillian Hughes) weighed in regularly to bestow all-knowing wisdom, definitions, cultural tidbits, and little-known facts. For example, did you know that strawberries are NOT berries? And acorns are fruit?   

An exciting takeaway, for sure, but even more noteworthy was the atmosphere in the room. Demonstrating the power of myth and storytelling skills, Curtis and Hughes held the audience of eight- to ten-year-olds (and their grownups) without screens, devices, or even togas –  just dramatic voices and entertaining material.   

If you’re thinking, “I’ve got to see this for myself!” – you’re in luck! The Greeking Out authors offer two more presentations in October: 

Thursday, October 16 at HCLS Miller Branch at 6 pm

Saturday, October 18 at HCLS Glenwood Branch at 12 pm 

Greeking Out books on sale from local independent bookseller The Last Word, and the authors will gladly sign them. Registration preferred, as space is limited.

The book cover depicts various mythological characters from around the globe, one holding a scythe, one about to eat an apple, and one goddess wearing traditional Hindu dress.

In the meantime, check out a copy from the library: 
Book 1: Epic Retellings of Classic Greek Myths is available in print and as an e-book
Book 2: Heroes and Olympians is also available in print and as an e-book
Book 3: Tales from the Underworld, reaches into myths from other regions of the world. Set to be published on October 7, the latest book can be placed on hold.

While you’re waiting, listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Radio, Spotify, or YouTube. And for kids who just can’t get enough of these classic characters and stories, lots of other entertaining modern versions can keep them reading, including:

Goddess Girls/Thunder Girls by Joan Holub. Available as chapter books, first chapter books, and graphic novels. 

Myth-o-Mania by Kate McMullan. Chapter book series featuring classic characters telling their stories.

Heroes in Training various authors. Short chapter books with illustrations. 

You Choose Greek Myths various authors. Interactive stories put the reader in charge. 

Olympians by George O’Connor. Graphic novel series for kids, each volume about a particular god. 

Weird but True Know-It-All: Greek Mythology by Sarah Wassner Flynn. Trivia for fact fans.  

Be part of something epic and start Greeking Out!

Jean is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch. She loves talking about books with people of all ages, but especially enjoys leading the Heavy Medals book club for fourth and fifth graders, exploring award-winning books of all genres.

The photograph shows four women aviators from the World War II era in uniform, several with flight gear and goggles, marching arm-in-arm in front of a propeller plane.

Meet the Author: Becky Aikman

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The photograph shows four women aviators from the World War II era in uniform, several with flight gear and goggles, marching arm-in-arm in front of a propeller plane.

Spitfires: American Women who Flew in the Face of Danger during WWII
Mon May 19 7 – 8:30 pm Miller
For adults. Register here.

“A bold and soaring work of history …whip-smart, deeply researched, and beautifully written.”
~ Jonathan Eig, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of King: A Life

The heart-pounding true story of the daring American women who piloted the most dangerous aircraft of World War II through the treacherous skies of Britain. They were crop dusters and debutantes, college girls and performers in flying circuses–all of them trained as pilots. Because they were women, they were denied the opportunity to fly for their country when the United States entered the Second World War. But Great Britain, desperately fighting for survival, would let anyone serve in this capacity: even Americans, even women piloted warplanes. Thus, 25 daring young aviators bolted for England in 1942, becoming the first American women to command military aircraft.

In a faraway land, these “spitfires” lived like women decades ahead of their time. Risking their lives in one of the deadliest jobs of the war, they ferried new, barely tested fighters and bombers to air bases and returned shot-up wrecks for repair, never knowing what might go wrong until they were high in the sky. Many ferry pilots died in crashes or made spectacular saves. It was exciting, often terrifying work. The pilots broke new ground off duty as well, shocking their hosts with thoroughly modern behavior.

With cinematic sweep, Becky Aikman follows the stories of nine of the women who served, drawing on unpublished diaries, letters, and records, along with her own interviews, to bring these forgotten heroines fully to life. Spitfires is a vivid, richly detailed account of war, ambition, and a group of remarkable women whose lives were as unconventional as their dreams.

Becky Aikman is the author of two books of narrative nonfiction: her memoir, Saturday Night Widows (available as an e-book from CloudLibrary and an e-audiobook from Libby), and Off the Cliff: How the Making of Thelma & Louise Drove Hollywood to the Edge. A former journalist at Newsday, Aikman has written for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. She lives in New York.

Books available for purchase and signing.

A person in armor, hiding another person, appears in black and white against a red background with golden lettering.

Meet the Author: Neon Yang

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Photo of the author looking seriously straight at the camera.
A person in armor, hiding another person, appears in black and white against a red background with golden lettering.

Meet Author Neon Yang
Wed, May 7 | 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Online. Register at bit.ly/Author-Yang to receive the link for the event.
For adults.

Neon Yang is a queer non-binary author based in the UK. They have been nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Lambda Literary, Ignyte, and Locus Awards, and their Tensorate series of novellas (The Black Tides of Heaven, The Red Threads of Fortune, The Descent of Monsters, and The Ascent to Godhood) was an Otherwise Award Honoree. In previous incarnations, Neon was a molecular biologist, a science communicator, a writer for animation, games and comic studios, and a journalist for one of Singapore’s major papers.

The Black Tides of Heaven & The Red Threads of Fortune

Review by Kristen B.

A person with long black hair and a determined scowl, dressed in black robes, sits cross-legged upon a cloud. The art is ornate and swirling like classic Asian paintings.

How do fate and free will coexist? Can they? Is a person’s fate preordained no matter their actions, or can they swim upstream against the current? The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang examines this conundrum through a set of turning points in Sanao Akeha’s life. Born an unexpected twin, Akeha lives their life always in the shadow of their more famous sibling, Mokoya the prophet, who has visions of future events. This novella considers Akeha’s opposition to the roles and responsibilities of being a member of the ruling dynasty. In a series of vignettes from childhood through early adulthood, Akeha makes choices that affect himself and his relationships, his twin, his mother, and maybe the entire nation.

In these books, the magic system is based on elemental powers, such as air, water, and earth, that weave through the Slack. Magic users “tense” to employ the energies available. I really like the idea of tense/slack as a way of projecting power. In another interesting piece of world-building, children are genderless. Each person confirms their chosen gender as they approach adulthood. The twins’ mother, the Protector, rules as a complete authoritarian, with an iron fist in the form of Tensorate pugilists who train at the Great Monastery. Akeha discovers a rebellion of Machinists, who employ physics and chemistry to rival the Tensors. Yang does an excellent job building a rich world that seems both familiar and foreign.

The Red Threads of Fortune follows Mokoya, after the devastating and tragic events of the first book. She has moved on from her role as prophet and now hunts magical beasts in the desert. She’s following rumors of a particularly large and dangerous naga, a dragonish serpent from the Quarterlands where gravity is lighter so the monsters can fly. Rider, who comes from the Quarterlands astride a tamed naga, hunts the same creature, and they team up with Akeha and the Machinists rebellion after the naga attacks a small city. Moyoka eventually finds an answer to the unwanted prophecies that seem to ruin her life. I look forward to reading the next two installments in this complicated world.

Their latest book, Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame, is a stunning queer novella about a dragon hunter finding home with a dragon queen. New York Times bestselling author Olivie Blake calls it, “A lovely, intricate gem of a fairy tale about finding yourself in another person and traveling distant lands to finally come home. I loved it.”

Kristen B. is a devoted bookworm lucky enough to work as the graphic designer for HCLS. She likes to read, stitch, dance, and watch baseball (but not all at the same time).

A colorful, busy cover inter-splices two classical paintings together, with a young Black man looking out from among flowers.

Meet the Author: Paterson Joseph

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A colorful, busy cover inter-splices two oil paintings together, with a young Black man looking out from among flowers.

Paterson Joseph & The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho
Tue, Apr 15 | 7 – 8:30 pm
HCLS Miller Branch
For adults. Register at bit.ly/Paterson-Joseph

“[T]he rollicking fictionalized memoirs of a real-life Black British trailblazer … An entertaining portrait that also illuminates rare opportunities for Black people in 18th-century London.” ~ Kirkus Review

The Secret Diaries of Ignatius Sancho is Paterson Joseph’s debut novel and is a story that begins on a slave ship in the Atlantic and ends at the very center of London life. It is a lush and immersive tale of adventure, artistry, romance, and freedom set in 18th-century England and based on the true story of the first Black person to vote in Britain, who fought to end slavery. Joseph channels the writing style of the day and draws on the real-life Sancho’s diaries to give voice to his hero’s interior life.

Joseph is a beloved British actor and writer. Recently seen on Vigil, Noughts + Crosses, and Boat Story, he has also starred in The Leftovers and Law & Order UK. He also plays Arthur Slugworth in the Wonka movie. He has won the Royal Society of Literature’s Christopher Bland prize and the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Historical Crown 2023 award. Books available for purchase and signing.

More About the Era of Charles Ignatius Sancho
by Ian L-F
Often celebrated as the Age of Enlightenment, the 18th century is regarded as an era of immense scientific progress, with philosophy and reason expanding the boundaries of thought that, at times, challenged authority. However, the radiant optimism of this period must be understood alongside its darker tendencies, where ideals of liberty coexisted with systemic exploitation. England’s economic rise, framed as a triumph of innovation and industry, was fueled by the profits of slavery and European imperialism.

Following the War of Spanish Succession, Britain was granted by treaty the asiento de negros, a monopoly on the sale of enslaved people to Spain’s colonies, solidifying its position as the largest slave-trading nation by 1730. Despite slavery being nominally outlawed in England since the 12th century, Britain, like other European powers, externalized its reliance on slavery to their colonies. This policy enabled them to condemn the trade morally while still reaping its profits, in every cup of sugared coffee and nutmeg-spiced delicacy.

Amidst this sea of madness, Charles Ignatius Sancho emerged as a beacon of erudition and resilience. Born on a slave ship and sold into bondage in New Granada, Sancho overcame incredible odds to achieve freedom and defy the prejudices of his time. A self-educated man of letters, a composer, and a businessman, he became a celebrated voice in Britain’s abolition movement. Yet, opposition to slavery in Britain remained scarce until the late 18th century, and as W.E.B. DuBois later observed, abolitionist efforts often aligned with economic interests: “The moral force they represented would have met greater resistance had it not been working along lines favorable to English investment and colonial profit.”

The 18th-century era contended with forces not too dissimilar from our own. In echoes of history’s tribulations and the lives of remarkable individuals, we find lessons that challenge us to confront injustice, question power, and strive for a more equitable world. If your interest in history has been piqued, our online research tools, like Gale OneFile’s World History database, are a fantastic starting point for an educational journey.

Ian is an Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS East Columbia Branch. He is a huge nerd with too many interests to list here. Currently, he is fixated on the interconnection between history and fiction. His favorite kind of stories are stories about stories.

An brightly colored illustration show a man and woman facing each other across a picket fence, with a ghost rising from the barn in the background.

Happy Medium: A Behind-the-Curtain Look at Writing

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by Rohini G.

The perfect alchemy of romance, humor and quirky originality.”
—Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author

An brightly colored illustration show a man and woman facing each other across a picket fence, with a ghost rising from the barn in the background.

Sarah Adler was folding laundry. A decidedly boring task. To distract herself, Sarah Adler told herself a joke, which then transformed itself into a clever romance novel with a honest and funny con-woman, a chatty ghost, and a hazel-eyed farmer. Now that is some fascinating alchemy!

I am curious about this mundane-to-magical process of writing and plan to ask some serious questions when Sarah Adler visits the library on July 27. Sarah plans to offer a candid behind-the-curtain look at writing and publishing genre fiction, as well as a discuss the book itself. She will focus on different writing precepts for creating compelling stories and specifically analyze high concept romance and premise vs. plot.

A photo of Sarah Adler, who has long brown curly hair and wears glasses.

To meet with Sarah Adler, visit HCLS Miller Branch on Saturday July 27 at 3 pm and REGISTER to save your spot.

More about Happy Medium:

A clever con woman must convince a skeptical, sexy farmer of his property’s resident real-life ghost if she’s to save them all from a fate worse than death. Fake spirit medium Gretchen Acorn is happy to help when her best (read: wealthiest) client hires her to investigate the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner’s struggling goat farm. Gretchen is happy to help a nice old man finally retire and put some much-needed cash in her pockets at the same time.

Of course, it turns out said bridge partner isn’t the kindly AARP member Gretchen imagined—Charlie Waybill is young, hot as hell, and extremely unconvinced that Gretchen can communicate with the dead. (Which, fair.) Except, to her surprise, Gretchen finds herself face-to-face with Everett: the very real, very chatty ghost that’s been wreaking havoc during every open house. And he wants her to help ensure Charlie avoids the same family curse that’s had Everett haunting Gilded Creek since the 1920s.

Sarah Adler is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic comedies about lovable weirdos finding their happily ever afters. Her debut novel, Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, was a New York Public Library Best Book of 2023. Her second, Happy Medium, is a USA Today bestseller. She received both her BA in History and American Studies and MA in History from American University in Washington, DC, where she focused on 19th and early 20th century U.S. culture.

She lives in Maryland with her husband, daughter, and very mischievous cat.

You can borrow Happy Medium as a print book, e-book, or e-audiobook.

Rohini is the Adult Curriculum Specialist with HCLS. She loves literature and rainy days.

A snowy border overlays a plate and utensils tied with a bow, surrounded by pinecones.

Author Works: Wendy Eckel

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A snowy border overlays a plate and utensils tied with a bow, surrounded by pinecones.

Saturday, Dec 2 
2 – 3 pm  
Miller Branch
For adults. Register.

In Killer in a Winter Wonderland, the much-anticipated holiday-themed fourth book in the Rosalie Hart cozy mystery series, Wendy Sand Eckel once again brings the fictional town of Cardigan, Maryland to life. With delectable menus, high stakes sleuthing, and the rich atmospheric scenes only the holiday season can provide, Killer in a Winter Wonderland is a cornucopia of delicious fare, compelling new and returning characters, and a fast-paced tale that keeps one riveted to the last page.

Eckel studied criminology and earned a Masters in Social Work. Before becoming a writer she worked as a psychotherapist, helping families and adolescents. Her mystery series has been awarded “Best Cozy” by Suspense magazine, and Mystery at Windswept Farm, the third book in the series, made the humorous novel bestseller list on Amazon. A trained life coach, Wendy writes the advice column for the Maryland Writers’ Association newsletter and enjoys mentoring aspiring authors.

A girl with her hair blowing across her face stands against a night sky with sunflowers in front of her.

Meet the Author: Jas Hammonds

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A girl with her hair blowing across her face stands against a night sky with sunflowers in front of her.

“An expertly fleshed-out cast and a lushly described setting [that] thoughtfully examine questions of mortality and identity. This remarkable debut explores multi-generational trauma and how its effects leave severe wounds on the present while resonating into the future, making for a heartrending tale.”
– Publishers Weekly, starred review

On Saturday, Hammonds discusses her inspiration, writing process, and more.

Saturday, July 15 | 4 – 5 pm
HCLS Miller Branch
For ages 14 & up
Registration required.

Books available for purchase and signing.

Family secrets, a swoon-worthy romance, and a slow-burn mystery collide in We Deserve Monuments, a YA debut from Jas Hammonds that explores how racial violence can ripple down through generations.

From Macmillan Publishers: What’s more important: Knowing the truth or keeping the peace? Seventeen-year-old Avery Anderson is convinced her senior year is ruined when she’s uprooted from her life in DC and forced into the hostile home of her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. The tension between Avery’s mom and Mama Letty makes for a frosty arrival and unearths past drama they refuse to talk about. Every time Avery tries to look deeper, she’s turned away, leaving her desperate to learn the secrets that split her family in two. While tempers flare in her avoidant family, Avery finds friendship in unexpected places: in Simone Cole, her captivating next-door neighbor, and Jade Oliver, daughter of the town’s most prominent family—whose mother’s murder remains unsolved.

Official Author Bio 

Jas Hammonds (they/she) was raised in many cities and between the pages of many books. They have received support for their writing from the Highlights Foundation, Baldwin for the Arts and more. They are also a grateful recipient of the MacDowell James Baldwin Fellowship. Their debut novel, We Deserve Monuments, won the 2023 Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe Award for New Talent. She lives in New Jersey.

Unofficially…

Hi! I’m Jas (pronounced like Jazz).

I like writing about messy families and queer characters and finding magic in the mundane. When I’m not writing, I enjoy reading, working on jigsaw puzzles, riding my bicycle, and making my surroundings as cozy as possible. I’m a flight attendant by day (and early morning…and late night…) and I love exploring bookstores and coffee shops in every city I visit. I’m a sucker for autumn and rainy days and fuzzy socks.

We Deserve Monuments is on Howard County Library System’s Summer Reading booklist, and it is available in print, as an e-book and e-audiobook.

A boy with a flashlight stands on an open curving staircase, with a spooky hand reaching out of the shadows toward the back of his head. The background is an eerie green.

The Reason That I Read: Mary Downing Hahn 

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Top down view of feet in sneakers, a muddy creek, and a man's face in the lower right corner

by Julie N.

I am excited to be able to host my favorite author at Central Branch on Friday, August 19 at 3 pm and to have the opportunity to celebrate her extensive career. She is a fan favorite, a kid favorite, and my favorite! Over the years, many students have been captivated by the stories she creates, the worlds she builds, and the magic in her words. Mary Downing Hahn thoughtfully weaves ghosts, history, and local places into her books.

As an awkward, homeschooled seventh grader I would hardly have called myself a reader. Far from it, in fact! I enjoyed looking at books, but to be honest I can name only a few that ever stood out to me as a child. While visiting the old Miller Branch, I found a book called The Wind Blows Backward by Mary Downing Hahn. Many of you probably know Mary Downing Hahn for her incredibly popular ghost stories such as Wait Till Helen Comes, Deep and Dark and Dangerous, and Took (also in graphic format), but I first fell in love with her realistic fiction. I devoured her adventures like The Spanish Kidnapping Disaster and mysteries such as The Dead Man in Indian Creek.

A boy with a flashlight stands on an open curving staircase, with a spooky hand reaching out of the shadows toward the back of his head. The

At some point, I tried one of Mary Downing Hahn ghost stories, Time for Andrew, and immediately bought my first bag of marbles. I quickly followed that with one of her most popular books, Wait Till Helen Comes, about a young girl at odds with her new step-siblings, a farmhouse complete with a backyard graveyard, and the ghost of a young girl named Helen. 

Mary began her career as an illustrator and a children’s librarian before, thankfully, directing her sights on writing children’s books. Her first book was published in 1979 and she has authored dozens of books since then. Most known for her ghost stories, she doesn’t shy away from writing genuinely scary books for children, and they love her for it! Notably, she has won more than 50 child-voted state awards for her work. 

I love reading her stories and recognizing the locations where they took place. Mary Downing Hahn is the author of the first book I loved and many more that followed. She is a valued author, a local favorite and she is, without a doubt, the reason that I read.

Julie is the teen instructor and research specialist at Central Branch.

Cover of Michael Twitty's new book shows him in formal vest and tie, sitting at a table covered in braided bread, reading a book.

Author Works with Michael Twitty

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Portrait of Michael W. Twitty, wearing a zip-up hoodie and touching his beard.

Thursday, Aug 11 from 7 – 8 pm at Miller Branch.

Please register to attend. Limited seats.
Register at bit.ly/twittyhcls

In partnership with the Howard County Jewish Federation and Baltimore Jewish Council

In his new book KosherSoul, Michael Twitty, author of the acclaimed The Cooking Gene (read a review), explores the cultural crossroads of Jewish and African diaspora cuisine and issues of memory, identity, and food.

Twitty examines the creation of African/Jewish global food as a conversation of migrations, a dialogue of diasporas, and the rich background for people who participate in it. At the same time, he shares recipes for Southern culinary touchstones like apple barbecue sauce, watermelon and feta salad, and collard green lasagna, while blending the traditions of his mixed identity into new creations such as Louisiana style latkes and kush. KosherSoul is more than a cookbook, it’s an exploration of selfhood when born at a crossroads of race.

The question is not just who makes the food and who it belongs to, but how food makes the people, reflects the journey, and validates the existence of these marginalized identities. Twitty aims to move beyond the idea of Jews of Color as outliers, but as significant and meaningful cultural creators in both Black and Jewish civilizations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A highly sought-after speaker and consultant, Twitty has appeared on programs with Andrew Zimmern, Henry Louis Gates, Padma Lakshmi, and most recently on Michelle Obama’s Waffles and Mochi.

He is a TED Fellow and was just named as a National Geographic Emerging Explorer. His first MasterClass course, “Tracing Your Roots Through Food,” is now available. Over the past year he has partnered with Atlas Obscura to teach multiple online seminars and was the first guest on a new web series for their food division. Michael will also be a Consulting Producer on a new food competition program coming soon from OWN. He lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Head shot of author, a Black woman with her long hair straight, wearing black, smiling.

Author Works: Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman

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Head shot of author, a Black woman with her long hair straight, wearing black, smiling.

Wednesday, Jul 27; 7 – 8 pm
Equity Resource Center, second floor of HCLS Central Branch

Register at bit.ly/boldsolutionshcls

The Black Agenda: Bold Solutions For a Broken System features Black voices across economics, education, health, climate, and technology, speaking to the question “What’s next?” as it pertains to centering Black people in policy matters in our country.

Black background with title in slightly distressed large block letter, "agenda" in red.

Essays by Dr. Sandy Darity, Dr. Hedwig Lee, Mary Heglar, Janelle Jones, and others present groundbreaking ideas ranging from Black maternal health to reparations to AI bias to inclusive economic policy, with the potential to uplift and heal not only Black America, but the entire country.

Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman is an award-winning Ghanaian-American researcher, entrepreneur, and writer. Her new book, The Black Agenda: Bold Solutions for a Broken System, is the first collection to exclusively feature Black scholars and experts across economics, education, health, climate, criminal justice, and technology. She graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2019 with a Bachelors of Arts in Mathematics and a minor in Economics. Currently, she is a graduate student at Harvard Kennedy School studying public policy and economics. Her advocacy, research, and commentary are featured widely by media outlets such as Bloomberg, NPR, Teen Vogue, Slate, and The New York Times.

She will be in conversation with Dr. Sheri Parks, the vice president for strategic initiatives for Maryland Institute College of Art. A noted public intellectual, Parks has appeared frequently in national and international media and is a regular cultural critic for WYPR-NPR and the Baltimore Sun podcast, Roughly Speaking. Her research specializes in public aesthetics, particularly the ways in which people find and create meaning and beauty in their everyday lives, with specific emphasis on race, gender, social class, sexuality, popular culture, and media. Her most recent publication is Fierce Angels: Living with a Legacy from the Sacred Dark Feminine to the Strong Black Woman. In all of her work, Parks strives to explain the deeper cultural histories that inform the expectations, attitudes, and relations that individuals in our country have with each other so that richer understandings will lead to more sophisticated and mutually rewarding interactions.