The following is a recording of a live interview and reading with Cathie Wright-Lewis. Cathie is a lover of Linguistics, Ancient History, Education and Metaphysics. Simultaneously quenching her thirst for a daily dose of discourse with classic authors and molding young minds, she served the New York City public school system as a high school English teacher for 30 years. A native of the Brownsville section of Brooklyn and a participant in the bussing program to achieve racial integration during the sixties, she was exposed early in life to diverse cultures and dialects of the English Language. Cathie found the language, culture and political struggle intriguing. They all laid the foundation for her future as an educator, writer and activist.Wright-Lewis has channeled her passion for literature and equality to craft stories of characters struggling in the fiery conflicts that are a legacy of American slavery and Jim Crow. Her first novel, Maurya's Seed-why hope lives behind project walls in 2001, depicts Brooklyn’s explosive reaction to the murder of an innocent 9 year-old Black boy by the police in 1963, a chapter of the Civil Rights Era and its impact on education and the challenged people of inner city communities. Her most recent novel, Passions Pride is a science-fiction, fantasy novel that traces the connection between 9/11 and slavery through the personal journey of high school teacher Mecca Freeman. As a disclaimer, the following interview deals with the sensitive themes of slavery in American history, race, and 9/11. The views expressed in this program do not reflect the views of WKCR, its Board of Directors, or the Trustees of Columbia University.
Date Broadcast:
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Audio File:
