Serving both professional artists and the general public equally

Alvin Love's mentorship and role in Obama's Chicago success

Consciousness-raising groups and breaking silence among women in Gainesville

Discovering authenticity through death penalty advocacy work in Atlanta

Living with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mary Richardson Kennedy in Bedford

Hopes for her legacy and vision of a more balanced future

McCain's Liberty Medal speech and its message of unity and decency

Reflecting on the role of storytelling in human existence and community

Response to the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. and its systemic implications

Guiding Obama through doubts and his decision to join Trinity

Growing up in a culturally diverse neighborhood with immigrant factory workers

Chatham Square Library as a vital community hub for 100 years

Emotional and logistical weight of King's funeral procession in Atlanta

Founding the Literary Lions event and ideas for its future format

Gordon Parks capturing the elegance of Black life for Black audiences

Libraries as preservers of cultural heritage and active educational participants

Maternal grandmother's influence and visits to Philadelphia

Colonial use of liberty as a rallying cry against British authority

Emmett Till's murder and its role in galvanizing Civil Rights activism

Obama's marriage to Michelle Robinson and the grounding it provided

Experiencing the night of Obama's 2008 election victory in New York City

Formation of the National Organization for Women in 1965

Applying Mother Teresa's quote about belonging to each other to social issues

Schomburg Center's role as a cultural hub in Harlem

Growing up in a politically active family in Texas

Lasting importance of Life Magazine as a weekly publication