FEATURED SPEAKER: DANA CANEDY
Learn about Dana’s recent accomplishments and groundbreaking career. Here are a couple great places to start:
Pulitzer Administrator Dana Canedy Steps Down To Accept Publisher Role at Simon & Schuster
Read something written by Ms. Canedy; her articles, her Pulitzer Prize winning 2001 New York Times series on race in America, or her bestselling 2008 memoir, “A Journal for Jordon” which is currently being made into a movie directed by Denzel Washington and starring Michael B. Jordan.
Learning more about the Pulitzer Prizes is a truly fascinating exercise, and it will help you form your question for Ms. Canedy. And that is just the beginning. You might be interested that recent Pulitzer winners include Kendrick Lamar, the Tony Award winning musical, “Hamilton,” and Louisville Courier Journal.
question guide
Regarding her career:
The influence of her Kentucky roots; her family, the schools she attended, her adult mentors, etc.
Her thoughts on any opportunities taken (and missed) along the way in her distinguished career
The personal career goals YOU have for your life and any advice she may have in response
Regarding her skillset:
The importance of media literacy for students or the ways in which she learned to be an effective communicator.
Her research process and advice for young writers
The amount of discipline required to be successful and any advice she may have for how to effectively schedule yourself for big projects in the future.
Regarding the Pulitzer Prizes and Simon and Schuster:
Her perspective and advice on the value of using the online resources of the Pulitzer Prizes and Simon and Schuster as a launching pad for research, additional reading, watching, listening, and writing, as well as for virtual discussions and online student presentations
Her thoughts on being the first woman, first African American and youngest person to ever be appointed as the administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes
Her dreams and goals for the future in her new role at Simon and Schuster
Regarding historical and contemporary social, political and cultural issues:
Her life’s work in addressing the issues of equity, equality, class, race and racism, gender issues, and sexism and any advice she has about working objectively and honestly when writing about deeply personal issues
Her views on issues, pressures, challenges, and opportunities faced by young people today that are different from those she faced as she was maturing into adulthood
How the tragedies of wars and violence have affected her life and the lives of countless other Americans and her thoughts on the ever-growing militarization of America both domestically and abroad
Or, ignore all of these suggestions and come up with something all your own to ask Dana! We look forward to hearing from you!
