I currently offer three presentations:

“What’s Your Story?”: Suitable for fourth grade through high school, this presentation focuses on my memoir – “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round” to discuss my journey into activism from 18 years old to present. I talk about the importance of activism and using our individual gifts to make the world a better place.

“Sometimes “No” means “Not Right Now”: Suitable for fourth through eighth grade students, this presentation shares my journey to becoming a published author. I talk about how we can reframe and use rejections as feedback in furtherance of our hopes and dreams.

“Bringing Books to Life”: Suitable for third through fifth grade students, this presentation is a multi-sensory reading from a preset list of books. Discover more at the Literacy Lab tab.

I am open to other ideas as well.

I offer three workshops:

“Bringing Books to Life – The How-to Guide”: This workshop provides step-by-step instructions for how teachers, librarians and educators can adopt the Team Kirkwood methodology for increasing literacy and student engagement through books.

“Voting Rights Series”: This workshop provides teachers with a built-in lesson plan to discuss civic engagement and the importance of voting. Based in the Team Kirkwood methodology, the lesson plan includes age-based customizations ranging from speech writing, to class elections.

“Connecting History and Activism for Young Readers”: Presented at the 2022 ALA Conference, this workshop shows how history informs the present, and how librarians and teachers can help children see the past as a vibrant story that reverberates in their own time. View select presentation slides.

I am open to other ideas as well.

My talk focuses on how I became a published author at 71 years old.

I am open to other ideas as well.

Immersive book reading of my debut book – Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round – incorporating the music and songs of the Civil Rights Movement to bring the spirit of protest to the audience. Sneek peak here!