Walidah Imarisha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walidah Imarisha
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Imarisha discusses Octavia's Brood on The Laura Flanders Show in 2015
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| Occupation | Writer, activist |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | Visionary fiction |
Walidah Imarisha is an American writer, activist, and educator. She is also a spoken word artist, which means she performs poetry. She uses her writing and art to talk about important ideas like fairness and justice for everyone.
Contents
Walidah Imarisha's Career
Writing Books and Stories
Walidah Imarisha has written and edited several books. She helped create Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories From Social Justice Movements. This book is named after the famous science fiction writer Octavia Butler. It shares stories about how people work together to make the world better.
She also helped edit Another World Is Possible. This was one of the first collections of writings after the 9/11 attacks.
Imarisha wrote a poetry book called Scars/Stars in 2013. She also wrote a non-fiction book called Angels with Dirty Faces: Dreaming Beyond Bars. This book looks at ideas for a fairer justice system. It won an award in 2017 for creative non-fiction.
Her words have appeared in many other books and magazines. These include collections about hip hop, young activists, and science fiction. She was also a founder and the first editor of AWOL Magazine, a publication about political hip hop.
Teaching and Sharing Ideas
Walidah Imarisha has taught at several universities. These include Oregon State University, Portland State University, and Southern New Hampshire University.
For six years, she was a public scholar with Oregon Humanities. She traveled all over Oregon to lead discussions. She talked about topics like Oregon's Black history and the history of hip hop. She also discussed new ideas for justice that are different from traditional prisons.
Working for Change
Walidah Imarisha has worked with groups that try to make society fairer. She spent six years on the board of the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors. This group supports people who refuse to fight in wars for moral reasons.
She also helped start the Human Rights Coalition. This group includes families of people in prison and former prisoners. They work together to support human rights for everyone.
