Storytellers

Tara Lake is a writer, performer, and educator based in Durham, NC. Scholar and professor of African American Studies, Ms. Lake has written widely and her popular work has been published in outlets such as BET.com, Washington Blade/Southern Voice, and her (sometimes irreverent) blog at www.taralake.blogspot.com. Tara has also performed throughout the country, and her repertoire includes classical theatre, spoken word poetry, and vocal jazz performance. A leave from her position at a small Los Angeles college has allowed her to pursue several writing projects and to continue the eventful work of merging her creative and academic interests. In addition to her academic work, she’s developing a one-woman play exploring the impact of Reagan-era politics on black communities and a coming-of-age novel exploring a fresh perspective on youth activism in the Civil Rights Movement. In January, Tara appeared as a guest on the WUNC radio show The State of Things to discuss the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Her acclaimed radio documentary on the election of President Barack Obama can be found at www.taralake.com. Ms. Lake holds an M.A. in African American Studies from UCLA.