I am absolutely thrilled to participate in events for two public libraries this week.
Tonight, Tuesday, October 21, The Chicago Public Library Foundation is celebrating storytelling at its annual awards gala. Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author Percival Everett will be honored with the Carl Sandburg Literary Award; Poet Jose Olivarez will receive the 21st Century Award, and the Civic Award will go to Mary Dempsey, the innovative Former Commissioner of the Chicago Public Library. (Please find photos of all three honorees at the bottom of this piece.) This is an event that should be on everyone’s calendar at least once. Chicago has such a rich, deep and varied literary tradition.
The reception will be preceded by a parade of 50 Chicago authors, and I am happy to say, that this year I am included in the parade. My book, “It’s Time to Give a FECK: Elevating Humanity Through Forgiveness, Empathy, Compassion and Kindness” became an indie bestseller. And next April 4, 2026, Chicago will host the Inaugural FECK Awards to shine a light on people living these principles.
UPDATE: It was announced at the 2025 Chicago Public Library Foundation Gala (cplfoundation.org) that the annual Civic Award will henceforth be known as the “Cindy Pritzker Civic Award.” This honor is bestowed posthumously in appreciation of the forty years of service she devoted to improving the Chicago Public Library system in a private-public collaboration. She was also the founder of the Chicago Public Library Foundation and helped endow programs that will benefit children at all 81 branches of the library. She passed away in March of this year.
The first Cindy Pritzker Civic Award was given to former Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey.
Roger Ebert was honored with the Carl Sandburg Award in 2011.
Thursday, October 23, I will be the Keynote Speaker at the Cleveland Public Library Golden Gala. The Gala celebrates the library’s commitment to literacy, community engagement and cultural enrichment.
The “Golden” signifies that learning is a life-long pursuit. The event also highlights the opportunity to empower older citizens through technology and digital literacy. As my late mother Mrs. Johnnie Mae Hammel used to tell me, “Honey, age is nothing but a number.”
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