I am overjoyed and honored to have been chosen for induction into the Unionville – Chadd’s Ford School District Wall of Honor.
I am proud to have grown up in the Chadds Ford/West Chester area of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with its history of revolutionaries and artists, where I graduated from Unionville High School before moving on to complete both my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees at Penn State, University Park Campus. To be chosen as one of the three Unionville – Chadds Ford alumni to be inducted into the Hall of Honor this year, especially as the FIRST poet and the first ACTIVIST in the history of the program, is an incredible and unexpected acknowledgment of my efforts and life choices. I offer my congratulations to the other two 2018 Inductees, Jean Russell and Harry Hammond. I’m humbled by the support of so many people, including the faculty members of both the Unionville – Chadds Ford Middle and High Schools who encouraged my writing, especially Betsy Strickland Hickman who nominated me for this honor, and the classmates who have offered their support and encouragement over the years, all of which has helped me to stay true to myself and my own path. Thank you to all of the teachers, classmates and alumni who have supported me in pursuing my dreams as a poet and activist in service of justice, healing and empowerment.
My Bio and photo as they will appear on the wall of honor:
DORA E. MCQUAID, CLASS OF 1986.
Dora is an acclaimed poet, activist, speaker and university teacher whose work embodies the intersections of the arts and activism, service and empowerment. Her unique blend of art, emotion and advocacy has earned numerous literary and service awards and honors, including a Pennsylvania Governor’s Pathfinder Award and a Pushcart Prize nomination for poetry, among others. In honor of her international activism addressing domestic and sexual violence, Dora’s image was painted into a prominent position in the Inspiration mural near Penn State, where it notably replaced that of former football coach and convicted pedophile Jerry Sandusky in 2012. Dora’s published works, including her groundbreaking collection of poems, the scorched earth, are used across the country as tools for training, instruction and healing. Dora has dedicated her life to the empowerment of others, and to using her voice as a means of social justice and change.
DORA E. MCQUAID
- Award-winning poet/activist and author of the scorched earth
- www.doramcquaid.com and on Facebook: Dora E. McQuaid
- Unionville to Induct Three Alumni To Wall of Honor, Southern Chester County Weekly, July 10 2018
- View the Unionville – Chadds Ford School District Wall of Honor Program here.
