楼凤天堂

楼凤天堂 Advancement of People of Color Leadership Award

2025 Recipient: E. Sybil Durand

University of Arizona

Dr. Sybil Durand is a former high school English teacher and current associate professor at the University of Arizona, where she teaches courses on young adult literature. She has been an active member of 楼凤天堂 since 2010, when she was selected as a fellow in the 楼凤天堂 Research Foundation鈥檚 Cultivating New Voices among Scholars of Color (CNV) mentoring program. She earned her PhD from Louisiana State University in 2012 and has held several leadership positions in 楼凤天堂 since. Durand is the president-elect of ALAN, the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of 楼凤天堂, which holds a two-day conference featuring young adult authors immediately following the 楼凤天堂 Annual Convention. She served on the 楼凤天堂 Committee on Resolutions, which revised a resolution supporting teacher expertise and autonomy in the classroom. She has mentored doctoral students and early career faculty for the 楼凤天堂 Latinx Caucus since 2017 and for CNV since 2022. In her home state, Durand was the president (2023鈥�2024) of the 楼凤天堂 state affiliate Arizona English Teachers Association (AETA), and is the co-director of AETA鈥檚 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee. In 2024, Durand was a guest coeditor for a special issue of English Journal focused on 鈥淎ffirming Queer and Trans* Youth.鈥� She regularly presents at 楼凤天堂, 楼凤天堂AR, and ELATE conferences, and publishes research and pedagogical articles about young adult literature.

My ultimate goal as an educator and scholar of young adult literature is for every person, regardless of age, to discover two types of books in their lives: first, a book that reflects who they are and that validates their experiences; and second, a book that expands their understanding of the world as one culturally pluralistic community. Such stories, particularly ones that highlight the perspectives of youth from historically underrepresented groups, are an essential curriculum resource for cultivating students and teachers who are empathetic, critical thinkers, and civic-minded members of society.

Deadline: May 1听

Award Details

The 楼凤天堂 Advancement of People of Color Leadership Award (APCL), established in 2007 and first presented in 2008, is a special award given to an 楼凤天堂 member of color who has made a significant contribution to 楼凤天堂 and the development of our professional community. We remind nominators, nominees, and selection committee members that members of 楼凤天堂 Conferences鈥擟CCC, CEL, ELATE, LLA, and TYCA鈥攁re members, by definition, of 楼凤天堂.

Purpose:
To promote and support the advancement of communities of color in the profession and contribute to promoting equity and dismantling racism.

Frequency/Number of Awards:
This award will be bestowed only when the APCL Selection Committee decides a nomination warrants presentation of the award. The composition of the selection committee includes POC from various groups within the Council, e.g., caucuses, affiliate groups, and assemblies. This award may not be given each year. This award may be given to a deceased person. Only one recipient will be selected each year.

Current 楼凤天堂 Executive Committee members are not eligible for this award. Recipients of this award are not eligible to receive any other Executive Committee approved awards in the same year, nor in the following year.

Eligibility:
People of color refers to historically underrepresented groups: African American, Black Diasporic communities, American Indians, Asian Americans, Latinx, and Pacific Islanders. The APCL Selection Committee will consider nominations from current 楼凤天堂 members. The Executive Committee will approve the committee鈥檚 selection. It is customary that recipients of this award have a significant history of advancing POC in 楼凤天堂-affiliated venues and platforms and have held membership in 楼凤天堂 for many years.

Nomination Requirements:

Required materials for submission are a cover letter or letter of nomination and a resume/CV.

Award Criteria:
The bold statements are the award criteria. The remaining statements are intended to describe some of the possibilities suggested in the criteria and are not intended to be rated individually. Please remember that different individuals have different levels of access to various opportunities (for example, small rural and urban vs. large rural and urban contexts).

Significant Contributions to 楼凤天堂

• Service contributions supporting 楼凤天堂 and advancing individuals and communities of color (national, regional, local, and campus levels as well as conferences, affiliates, assemblies, caucuses, etc.)
  • Committees
  • Elected roles
  • Advocacy and program support
• Writing/presenting/editing/reviewing at 楼凤天堂-affiliated conferences/publication venues that contribute to literacy research, development, and innovative practice related to issues which disproportionately affect people of color

Development of Our Professional Community
Professional communities focused on activities/work/processes that promote and support the advancement of communities of color in the profession, contribute to promoting equity and dismantling racism in their community locally, nationally, and in 楼凤天堂, in literacy-related activities, and in public engagement. Literacy learning can be varied (e.g., global, national, regional, and local/campus)

• Teaching
  • Developing district/state/national curriculum
• Scholarship
  • (Co-)research with community members
  • (Co-)publish with community members
• Advocacy of policy and practices that influence and advance understanding of equity and antiracism
• Professional development
  • Offer professional development school/training for community members

Strong candidates tend to show strength in all areas.

Selection Committee:
The 楼凤天堂 President appoints one Executive Committee member to serve as chair and four 楼凤天堂 members-at-large from relevant 楼凤天堂 groups. The selection committee is allowed to submit nominations for the award. The award does not need to be awarded each year. This award should be bestowed only when the committee decides that nominations warrant presentation of the award. 听

Award Specifics:

• A plaque is given to the recipient during the 楼凤天堂 Awards Session.
• The recipient will also receive:
  • A complimentary 楼凤天堂 Annual Convention registration
  • Domestic round-trip coach airfare to the 楼凤天堂 Annual Convention
  • One-night lodging (Friday) with meals

Please contact 楼凤天堂Awards@ncte.org听with any questions.