Stacey McAdoo, who teaches at the historic Central High School in Little Rock and was 2019’s Arkansas Teacher of the Year, had a vision over twenty years ago that she would one day stand and speak to a crowd of millions.

She interpreted that vision to mean she would change the world by serving as a writer, educator, and advocate for students. Today, her vision is a reality, as she represents the voices of 34,000 educators and 500,000 students across Arkansas.

McAdoo mixes passion and poetry to amplify the voices of her students, honor the history of her school, and unite her community. She has participated in several literacy/spoken-word organizations, such as the Sankofa Poets, the Word Up! Poetry Troupe, and Foreign Tongues, and is an Educator to Educator Facilitator with the Arkansas Education Association, an oral communications instructor, and the AVID (a college and career readiness program) coordinator at Little Rock Central High School.

Teaching Tolerance magazine recently featured her as a student advocate. Author of the books Sweet Melanin Messages and Baring My Soul, McAdoo is the sponsor of the Writeous Poets, co-produced the radio show The Writeous Hour, and has published two books of her students’ works: Stage A: Where Students Think, Speak and Dream and A Writeous Look at the Crisis. To read some of her recent work or follow her journey, visit www.stillstacey.com or @2019ATOY on all social media platforms.

Legacies & Lunch is a free monthly program of CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies about Arkansas related topics. Program are held from noon to 1 pm on the first Wednesday of the month. Attendees are invited to bring a sack lunch; drinks and dessert are provided. A library parking discount is available upon request. For more information, please contact 918-3030.