I currently offer several presentation options:

“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.

Workshops for Middle School & High School Students

Marching Towards Equality: The Role of Youth in Shaping Democracy": This presentation delves into the pivotal role that young people have played in the civil rights movement and continue to play in shaping democracy today. Drawing on my experiences marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I show how student activism in the 1960s has paved the way for modern movements. Students will be inspired to participate in their communities and understand how their actions can influence government and positive change.

"Voices of Change: How Every Vote Contributes to History": Aimed at demystifying the electoral process, this presentation underscores the importance of every vote and how it contributes to the larger narrative of American democracy. Using personal anecdotes from my activism, I discuss the journey from hard-won battles for voting rights to desegregation to the enactment of the federal holiday honoring MLK Jr. I help students understand that their efforts are still relevant in protecting democracy and making the world a better place today.

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!