"On the cusp of the Obama age, we kicked off the annual Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival celebrating stories of the Mixed experience through film and literary readings on Loving Day 2008. Rebecca Walker set the tone for the weekend's festivities with her amazing and energizing inaugural address, "Tipas for Hapas." Her opening remarks made for an unforgettable night and a grand beginning to this annual event. Thank you Rebecca!"
--Heidi Durrow & Fanshen Cox, co-founders and co-producers Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival

"It was both a pleasure and blessing to have Rebecca Walker visit us at Saint Joseph's University. She arrived on one of the coldest days we've had in Philadelphia but her spirit and positivity warmed the hearts of our entire university-- staff and students alike. Rebecca's message of pursuing action leading to a better and improved experience for women was embraced by those in attendance, a diverse crowd representing the universal reach of her message. Prior to meeting Rebecca, I had not read any of her books, but after a brief conversation with her I counted that as a major disadvantage. I instantly became intrigued with her idea of 3rd Wave Feminism and the thought process behind What Makes a Man, her book on masculinity. I hurried to my office and ordered her texts even before she left campus."
-- Miciah Yehudah, Program Coordinator, Office of Multicultural Life, Saint Joseph's University

"We had the privilege of having Rebecca lead a session at The North Carolina Conference for Women in Charlotte, North Carolina. In a room filled with more than 300 women of varying ages, races, occupations and socio-economic backgrounds, Rebecca was able to engage us, educate us, listen to us, and bring every voice, mind and heart into the room. She created a feeling of intimacy and brought almost a spiritual quality to our conversation. She is clearly so intelligent and well-spoken, yet also is able to relate to the 'every woman' in all of us. We could have listened to her for hours and still not gotten enough."
-- Shannon McFayden, Head of Human Resources and Corporate Relations, Wachovia Corporation, NC Conference for Women Co-Founder

"Rebecca Walker brought a new and different voice to the table at our discussion, urging everyone involved - participants and audience - to challenge stereotypes of young women, to avoid automatically casting intergenerational discourse in terms of conflict and to remember the most marginalized constituents in any conversation of women's and family issues. Rebecca is not afraid to call things as she seems them, and does so in a way that invites learning, growth and respect. Rebecca broadens the conversation, inviting us to broaden our own definitions of family, of support, and of community."
--Melissa Weiler Gerber, Executive Director, Women's Way

"As keynote speaker for the United Minorities Council's annual Celebration of Cultures, Rebecca was wonderful! She was profoundly generous with her spirit, sharing her light and engaging the students, faculty and staff in an intimate and inspiring conversation. As the tragedies at Virginia Tech had occured only a day before our event, Rebecca offered sincere consolation and genuine concern for our well-being as members of the university community. Speaking on her own ideas of openness, she challenged and encouraged the audience to embrace a new consciousness in human relationships, so that we may collectively forge a path to a peaceful universe. Rebecca's presentation was thought-provoking and spiritually uplifting, and it was a thrill to be in her warm presence. Thank you!"
--Aichlee Bushnell, United Minorities Council, University of Pennsylvania

"As the opening and closing speaker for the first annual Gulf Coast Women's Expo, Rebecca inspired women in our area to cultivate our most valuable resource: openness. Her mind-stretching words were a welcome challenge to peel back layers of preconception, scale the walls of judgment and embrace humanity with open hearts and open minds. Women from all walks of lifeŠgeneration, religion and colorŠcame together and were equally moved, perhaps closer to one another, by the profound message Rebecca shared. With a rare combination of wisdom and warmth, Rebecca held the audience close in her hands like a nest of new birds all leaning in to hear more. Rebecca's voice at our event was immeasurably valued, desperately needed and deeply resonant."
--Denise M. Berry, Online Director, Pensacola News Journal

"Rebecca was fabulous! Her warmth, spirit, and compassion filled the room. She was a joy to work with and to hear. Our students, faculty, and staff all enjoyed her willingness to share her insights and listen. When someone asked a question, it was as though they were the only person in the room. Her generosity of spirit was appreciated by all. Many thanks!"
--Lisa Webb, Associate Dean of Students, Director of Ethnic Student Services, Lewis and Clark College

“Walker's candid presentation to the students in my Fathers and Daughters course and her lecture to students and faculty were inspiring, entertaining and enlightening. Weaving her own experiences as a biracial daughter and feminist into the larger tapestry of racism, homophobia, anti-semitism and sexism, she captured students and faculty at both an emotional and an intellectual level - a rare feat for any speaker to university audiences.”
--Dr. Linda Nielsen Wake Forest University Professor of Women's Studies

“We had the pleasure of inviting Rebecca Walker to a seminar on Masculinity in Sweden in September 2006 and this event has had an enormous impact. The definition of what makes a man has been on the public agenda ever since – in all our major newspaper, national radio and in an increasing number of seminars and debates at universities and organizations. Rebecca opened up a whole new dimension to the topic and her informal, candid style of speaking truly illustrated how the meaning of power should be redefined.”
--Catharina Hansson, editor-in-chief, Leva magazine, and organizer of the Masculinity event at Gothenburg International Book Fair 2006

“Rebecca was an excellent keynote speaker for UPS' Diversity Theme Year 2006-2007, "Intersections of Identity." Her informal tone and style created a warm, comfortable environment in which the audience was able to ask meaningful and sometimes difficult questions. We were enchanted for two solid hours, and I heard nothing but positive feedback after the event. Thanks!”
--Clay Harmon, Coordinator Diversity Theme Year Program 2006-2007 "Intersections of Identity" University of Puget Sound

“I regularly organize talks and workshops with international authors in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. One of my personal highlights of 2006 was Rebecca Walker's visit. Not only was she charming and a delight to spend time with, but she gave an inspired talk on her life and work to an attentive public: you could have heard a pin drop in the room. She also led a workshop on The Art of Memoir while she was here which I attended. I was not only impressed by her professionalism and knowledge but amazed at the effect she had on people. Her words found a resonance within every single participant; many of whom were so touched by her personal attention and encouragement that they now regularly meet up to continue their writing. I have never had so much positive feedback from any of our visiting authors. People are still talking about her...I look forward to welcoming her back sometime.”
--Pip Farquharson, Director, Amsterdam Literary Festival

“Rebecca Walker stepped onto the stage and immediately set the tone for the next couple of hours. She asked people to move toward the front, so we could all see one another and easily speak to each other. Then she read from Black, White, and Jewish, pausing between selections to offer us the back fill, the story around the writing. Heartfelt and honest, her words and voice offered us an intimate window into her life. We, in turn, were moved to respond with open hearts and personal questions. We had become collectively like family, just by being in the room where Rebecca read. It was a wonderful event. Thank you.”
-- Sharon Hoshida, Acting Director, UCSB Women's Center.

“The Womens Narratives of Success Project is an opportunity for women from Smith College to consider the paths that suit their own values, talents and needs – and embrace the unexpected (and unplanned turns). In November, 2006, we kicked-off with an inaugural event featuring a panel of esteemed women who share their individual journeys and personal experiences. Rebecca Walker’s conversation with our students was filled with real stories of her relationships, family and cultural expectations—and anxiety about living up to them—as well as risk-taking and decision-making. She was brave, warm, genuine and honest – her participation was essential to the success of the day and I thank her for generously giving of her heart and soul.
--Peg Pitzer, Director, Events Management, Smith College

“I had the pleasure of working with Ms. Walker during the Queer Shabbaton in Amsterdam. At this annual gathering for LGBTQ Jews, she talked about her turbulent life and work. Ms. Walker managed to capture the audience for hours with her stories full of pain and strength, all told in beautiful prose with her rich voice. In another, more interactive workshop Ms. Walker immediately touched the participants on the deepest level and successfully triggered them to tell their own stories and map out their various identities and journeys. It was breathtaking. At the Shabbaton Mrs. Walker showed us what she is: a storyteller, a social critic, a teacher, a wandering source that reaches out and is full of love, understanding and inspiration for many. In short, a Mensch.”
--Gideon Querido van Frank, President Queer Shabbaton

“When Rebecca Walker presented her keynote address at the Asian Women's Shelter event, her message of love resonated throughout everyone in attendance...staff, board, volunteers, supporters and victims of domestic violence. It wasn't just about the words...it was her acknowledgment, her expression of understanding and her sheer essence that made her message exceptionally powerful. As an organization committed to eliminating domestic violence by promoting the social, economic, and political self-determination of women it is imperative that these women feel and understand what it means to be loved not only by those close to them but also by those in support of them. Having a persona such as Rebecca show her support validated this need.”
--Patty Dingle, Board Chair, SF Asian Women’s Shelter

"Rebecca spoke to a room of 250 readers and writers at the Women's Literary Festival in Santa Barbara. From the moment she began, the environment felt wonderfully intimate. Her manner of speaking was warm and personal. She had each person's full attention as she spoke to the social and cultural experiences that move her to write. She offered fresh, enlightened and articulate perspectives related to our mission of celebrating diversity, literacy and social justice. During Q & A people praised her work and the healing effect it had on their lives. We were thrilled to have Rebecca Walker in our festival program."
--Founder, Jennifer Adams, Santa Barbara Women's Literary Festival

"Having Rebecca come and speak at Kingswood-Oxford was great! Rebecca began our community discussions on awareness, understanding, and acceptance of diversity. She focused her comments on the creation of an identity that created a space for empathy and understanding. Her discussion spurred great conversations in Spanish, History, Science and English classes. When she spoke with a smaller group of students about the writing process, students were impressed by her honesty and the thoughtfulness with which she approached every one of their comments and questions. Overall, during her brief visit Rebecca made a tremendous and positive impact on the community."
--Yom Odamtten, Departments of English and History, Kingswood-Oxford School

"Rebecca Walker’s workshop gave me the tools to grow and to thrive as a creative spirit. As an American expatriate living in the Netherlands, I spent an inspiring afternoon reading and writing with Rebecca at the majestic Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (Amsterdam's Public Library). From the start, Rebecca immediately connected with our intimate group of writers. She successfully organized a safe space for us to investigate our feelings about expressing our creativity via the written word. Rebecca’s tools and techniques gave me the foundation to structure my memoir in an affective manner. The workshop continues to influence me, guiding me as I work towards the next level of writing my memoir."
--Pamela Armstrong de Vreeze

"I feel very, very blessed to have had an opportunity to work with Rebecca Walker. After the first day of the workshop I turned to my one of my peers and said, "I think my life as a writer will change after this week's workshop." She responded, "I think mine already has." I'm not trying to be melodramatic, but Rebecca set a tone during the week that allowed us to reveal our depths as memoirists. She taught us to consider the "I" in the piece--to consider how we as writers relate to the people, places and situations we write about. We discussed technique and craft as it applied to our work. She led us in writing exercises that illuminated our workshop pieces and provided new ideas for future work. I feel like I take myself and the material I am working on much more seriously after a week in her workshop."
--Beth Newberry

"What an amazing experience it was taking Rebecca's memoir class. I was so impressed with the way Rebecca reviewed the work, she was so caring and sensitive, yet at the same time provided motivation and thoughtful guidance. It was one of the best experiences I've had with a writing teacher. It wasn't just the advice Rebecca gave about writing, which was, of course, very useful. But what made the course and our one-on-one session so unique was how Rebecca looks at the craft itself;the spiritual approach to writing that helped us to self-discovery."
--Loretta Worters

"Rebecca Walker leads workshop in a thoughtfully stimulating fashion. She commands respect through a rich voice (both as teacher and writer), but deploys her authority through the measured approach of inquiry. Rebecca brought out the best in us, fostering an active and stimulating inquiry on craft, but also reasons to write.”
--Jim Wilson

"This was by far the best workshop I've had. I am convinced Rebecca set the tone for the workshop: an open, academic, place of trust. I so appreciate how she encouraged us to go deeper, to uncover those suppressed parts of ourselves. This was a risk-taking workshop, one which was wholly successful."
--Judy Shearer

"The leadership was the best I've had in a MFA workshop. When I think about what Rebecca did (or didn't) do to effect the workshop, I believe it was her ability to "zero in" on the heart of each piece -its strengths and weaknesses- that made all the difference."
--Glenny Brock

"Time changes in Rebecca's workshops. I arrived in Thailand in a
flurry of readings, checklists, long-haul flights, five-minute
deadlines, and myriad writing projects, for 10 days with Rebecca. But
sitting around our outdoor breakfast table in Chiang Mai, our group
discussions were guided by calmness, thought, precision, rationality,
and technique - and silence, occasionally, where we could consider
and reflect. As a result, we became time-travellers. We cruised
deliberately and smoothly through our own lives as writers, on what
seemed to be Rebecca's invincible spaceship which was the craft of
memoir and the vehicle of language.
--Tanya Gupta