Our Special Guest Speaker

Lena Epps Brooker was born in Lumberton and grew up in the rural community of Saddletree in Robeson County in eastern NC.   She attended Magnolia School, a public school for American Indians, and was the first American Indian (and first person of color) to graduate from Meredith College, Raleigh.  She lived in Raleigh for 26 years, taught school, and worked for NC State Government, including the Commission of Indian Affairs, the Department of Employment and Training, and The Women’s Center.  She was the corporate diversity consultant for a multi-state financial institution.  Brooker’s volunteer activities in Raleigh included board member of the city’s Human Relations Council, the Arts Council, and the Triangle Native American Society.  She served on the boards of NC Council of Women, NC American Civil Liberties Union, and the administrative board of Hayes Barton United Methodist church.  She is a certified lay minister for the Western NC Conference of the United Methodist Church.  Brooker’s honors include the Lights of Hope Award from the Wake Public Schools, Woman of Achievement Award from the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of NC, Who’s Who in the South, and the Distinguished Woman Award from American Indian Women of Proud Nations.  Lena is married to Jim Brooker and lives north of Asheville on a mountainside overlooking Reems Creek Valley.  In addition to enjoying time with their two children, she also gardens and plays tennis.

Biography retrieved from http://cmlitfest.org/2019-authors/

More about Lena here  https://prabook.com/web/lena_epps.brooker/908340