Meet the 2019 Arizona Humanities Awards Winners
Congratulations to the 2019 Arizona Humanities Awards winners!
- Natalie Diaz – Humanities Public Scholar
- Joan McGregor – Humanities Public Scholar
- Kevin Schindler – Friend of the Humanities
- Rachel Egboro – Humanities Rising Star
- Morning Star Leaders, Inc. – Founders Community Partnership Award
- Rodo Sofranac – Outstanding Supporter Award
Humanities Public Scholars

Photo courtesy Alonso Parra
Natalie Diaz
Maxine and Jonathan Marshall Chair in Modern and Contemporary Poetry, Associate Professor, Arizona State University

Photo courtesy Joan McGregory and School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies
Joan McGregor
Friend of the Humanities

Humanities Rising Star

Founders Community Partner Award

Debbie Nez-Manuel and Royce Manuel leading their Arizona Humanities AZ Speaks program, “Protecting a Way of Life, Kinship Responsibilities”
Morning Star Leaders, Inc.
Outstanding Supporter Award

Rodo Sofranac spent his first few years in a tiny village called Rijeka Crnojevića, Montenegro-former Yugoslavia. His family fled to Austria and later immigrated to the United States. The Montenegrin connection brought him to Arizona in 1974. He speaks, reads, and writes Serbo-Croatian and German. This diversity of cultures and languages inspires Rodo to read, write, and enjoy sharing stories. As a teacher, translator, mentor, and community organizer, he has worked with people of all ages-from birth to over 100-and in numerous settings, including over 25 years at the university level. Rodo’s award-wining work embraces varied storytelling, the latest being seven fun children’s books. Sofranac has connected Arizona Humanities to new friends and supporters through his readings, book donations, volunteerism, and advocacy to individuals and local businesses across Arizona.
2019 Humanities Awards Nominees
Humanities Public Scholar Nominees
Owen Anderson, T.J. Davis, Betsy Fahlman, Ronald Geronimo, Björn Krondorfer, Tyler Meier, Paul Morris, Heidi Osselaer, Kirt Shineman, and Brooks Simpson
Friend of the Humanities Nominees
Stuart Graff, Randall Holdridge, Jean Reynolds, Helen Stephenson
Rising Star Nominees
Travis Franks, Jake Friedman and Kelsey Pinckney, Sean Avery Medlin, J. Seth Schermerhorn