I Won the 2026 Smith Medal from Smith College

On February 26th, 2026, I was supposed to be in Northampton, Massachusetts accepting the Smith Medal from my alma mater, Smith College. Instead, I was sitting in my dining room in the south of Spain watching the ceremony on my computer screen. While I would have much preferred to be there in person - even with the blizzard-like conditions - I still shed real tears when the president of the college presented the award in my name.

The Smith Medal is awarded every year to distinguished alumni of the college, “who in the judgment of the trustees, exemplify in their lives and work the true purpose of a liberal arts education.” I was so incredibly honored to win the award because of what the medal stands for and because of the outstanding institution that Smith College is. What’s more, I just felt seen. I was singled out to win this award because of the work I’ve been doing as a writer and a literary activist. During her presentation, President LeBreton said, “As a journalist, author, podcast host, speaker, and educator, you use every medium available to amplify voices too often overlooked, and to illuminate complex truths that sit at the intersection of race and real life.”

Yes, I felt seen.

I feel very lucky that I love my job. That I get paid to write. That I have been able to make a living engaged in the world of words. That I have seen my name on the cover of seven different books and I still have more titles to come. But I’m not a household name. And my work is not sexy. And I doubt I will ever make The New York Times Bestseller list. (Although I won’t rule it out.) And I am perfectly okay with that because I didn’t become a writer to be famous. But I can admit that being recognized in this way for my work feels pretty darn amazing.

The journey continues.