Brain: Gabrielle Civil

In the Twin Cities: Laurie Carlos, program director of the Naked Stages Program at Intermedia Arts; Lynne Gildensoph, professor of biology and women’s studies at the College of St. Catherine (and coauthor of the forthcoming textbook The Biology of Women); Maria Damon, University of Minnesota professor of English and local poetics activist.

Elizabeth Catlett, Adrian Piper, Suzan–Lori Parks, and Jayne Cortez come first to mind, as they have claimed unprecedented space for themselves as black women artists to generate extraordinary, ingenious work.

A Field Guide for Female Interrogators by Coco Fusco (about gender and torture in the Iraq War) and To and From by GE Patterson (a lovely collection of poems by a local poet).

“Hold Fast to Dreams” by Langston Hughes recited by my mother.

Obama.

Say no to drugs! And to standardized tests!

People smart (although I’m more book smart).

Prince.

No. Wisdom comes from moving through the world with open eyes and an open heart.

Intelligence without compassion and generosity is shameful.