DECATUR, Ill. – Millikin University’s School of Writing, Languages & Cultures proudly presents poet and activist Sandra Brown as the next English Speaker Series event on Thursday, April 11, from 6-7:30 p.m. in rooms 138-140 of the University Commons. Brown will share pieces of her book "Odyssey in Progress," which was published in 2022. The event is free and open to the public.
Brown is also presenting at the Decatur Public Library on April 20 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Born and raised in Chicago, Brown is a doctoral student enrolled in California Coast University’s Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership program.
She also served 22 years as an incarcerated survivor in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Despite challenges to accessing higher education in prison, Brown became the first incarcerated woman in Illinois to earn an academic master’s degree and the first to be accepted into an academic doctoral program. Brown’s experience underscores her work as a student, educator, researcher, activist, and creative writer.
Brown is a two-time recipient of the Davis-Putter Scholarship, which provides grants to students actively working for peace and justice, and the Marilyn Buck Award.
Brown's publications include a collection of works featured in “Critical Storytelling from Behind Invisible Bars: Undergraduates and Inmates Write Their Way Out.” Her self-published poetry memoir, “Odyssey in Progress,” was published in 2022. In December of 2022, Brown’s empowerment journey was featured in The Chicago Tribune. Illinois Humanities also features some of Brown’s work in its workbook, “Envisioning Justice RE: ACTION.”