waddie welcome and nikki booker

When I arrived home today, awaiting me in the mailbox was my reward.
In January, I had thrown my bit of funds into backing a play by a young physically disabled woman in Ohio.
Her play was about a physically disabled Savannah, Georgia, man.
Pretty incredible coincidences at work there, wouldn't you agree?
Her play is to be performed this coming Saturday at Emery Theatre in Cincinnati.
I wish I could be there, but I leave the next day for a Study Abroad trip to Italy with the nursing students.
I had not been sure of the date her play was to be performed, but her Thank-you note, which was postmarked 4 May 2012, told me.

Dear Faustina,

Thank you so much for donating to my kickstarter project. I hope that you'll enjoy the play on May 12th.

Sincerely,
Nikki Booker

I wish her much continued success and thank her for bringing a bright light to the world.
Saying "thank you" is important, y'all.

waddie welcome & the beloved community

I cannot recall how I found this project on kickstarter. However, as soon as I saw the title, I knew I wanted to be a backer.
Why? It isn't a local project, or even a project somewhere in Georgia. So, why?
The answer is in two parts.
My first attraction was the title, as I said. The university at which I teach has a Common Read book each academic year, a book which every freshman will read as part of their English core classes. Sometimes the book chosen is also incorporated into other disciplines, such as history, biology, chemistry, economics, criminal justice, education...you catch my drift.
The Fall semester of 2010 was my first as a full-time teacher at the university and I was immersing myself in the experience, including attendance at the seminars on the Common Read book for that year. Written by two local authors about a Savannah man with cerebral palsy, Waddie Welcome and the Beloved Community appealed to me on many levels. So much so, that I even spoke about the book to the publisher and authors after the first seminar.
Then I saw the title on kickstarter and the first thing I noticed was: the young woman involved with sharing this story is physically disabled. Nikki Booker had chosen, for her senior project, to bring this book to others in the form of a play, to share its message of community and inclusion.
Wow.
How could I not back it?
And share that project with others to also back?
And so I have.