A Tribute to Walter Dean Myers (August 12, 1937-July 1, 2014)
His element was as a spokesman for the male point of view in black literature for children. More
Why Do You Write? Adult and Teen Writers Speak Out
Unlike posh private schools, the inner-city public and charter high schools have no money to bring authors; yet they have enthusiastic readers and writers who deserve support. More
Fatima Shaik: Translation, Semantics, and Race
In the 1950s, my father discovered a mountain of old journals on the back of a dump truck. He stored the journals in a closet because they were “very… More
Working Day: New Orleans
April 28, 2011 | Old School | New York CityWith Sarah Broom, Richard Campanella, Fatima Shaik, and Billy Sothern; curated by Nathaniel Rich New Orleans has long been a city from… More
Writing Melitte
In my young adult novel Melitte, I did not let readers know that she was a slave until the third chapter. I wanted them first to identify with the… More
Fatima Shaik: Christmas in New Orleans
December 22, 2005 | In These TimesPicture Santa’s sled with a rolling kitchenette attached and you have some idea about the size of a FEMA trailer. >> Read the… More
Fatima Shaik: Masking New Orleans
February 24, 2006 | In These TimesOn Mardi Gras Day, the nation will be looking to New Orleans to see if we are wearing masks. >> Read the story More