Kathya Alexander

KATHYA ALEXANDER was a Writer-in-Residence at the prestigious Hedgebrook Women Writer's Retreat and won the Fringe First Award for Black to My Roots: African American Tales from the Head and the Heart at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland for Outstanding New Production and Innovation in Theatre. She was also awarded Freehold Theater's Diversity Scholarship, the Jack Straw Artist Support Program Award; 4Culture’s Arts Projects Award; and the WRAP Award, Youth Arts Award, and the CityArtist Award from Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture. As Literary Director for Brownbox Theater, an African American theater company in Seattle, she has written several plays including Black D*ick Matters, emotionalblackmale for Seattle University's Declaration of Independents Project; David & Jonathan: A Modern Day Re-telling of the Biblical Story staged at The Seattle Rep and The Neptune Theater; Dream'n (adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream); HumaNature (choreopoem); and Homegoing. Kathya's writing has appeared in Colors Northwest Magazine, Arkana Magazine, The Pitkin Review, Native Skin, the South Seattle Emerald, and Raising Lily Ledbetter: Women Poets Occupy the Workplace by Lost Horse Press. She is the author of Angel in the Outhouse, a collection of short stories available on Amazon; God the Mother: A Creation Story; and the God the Mother Calendar. She has a BA from the University of Illinois-Urbana and an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College, and is a member of the African American Writers Alliance, the Seattle Storytellers Guild, and the Creative Advantage Arts Partners Roster.

COMMENTS ABOUT ANGEL IN THE OUTHOUSE

Kathya used nuanced humor and song to provide the audience with a glimpse into the first-hand experiences of normal people living through and being a part of the Civil Rights Movement. Her ability to adapt her stories to a classroom setting was also remarkable; she provided a self-contained history and social justice lesson while spinning a tale that captivated adults and children alike. – Kyle, Whitman College

Thank you for sharing your stories with us. They were amazing! I really learned a lot about the Civil Rights Movement. I also wish I had your writing skills. If I did I’d be famous! – Joshua, 6th grader

Thank you so much for telling us your storys! I really enjoyed how you elaborated on your story. I also liked how you showed us pictures of what you were talking about. My favorite was the picture of what your washer looked like. Another thing I liked was how your story had a moral that was like listen to your mom. Thanks again!!! – Caroline, 5th grader

Thank you for telling us a story about what it was like to be Black during the Civil Rights Movement.  It answered a lot of questions that I had.  – Tate, 2nd grader

I really enjoyed listening to your story. One of my favorite parts was how you didn’t understand why you were treated so poorly by whites. I especially liked your style of storytelling.  It was very active.  You always kept me laughing. – Pax, middle school