Honoring The Matriarch

Dr. Valerie Adeniji Lawrence (Iya Adeniji)

Dr. Lawrence’s dissertation titled, “If We Don’t Show You, Who Will? Children’s Window to Africa: A Counter Narrative to Popular Distortions about African American Cultural Identity, History and Heritage” explores how story, images and language, influence meaning and knowledge creation for children.  She is especially concerned with the impact of popular culture, particular Hollywood/Disney movies, on African youth. Her work gives voice and presence to African children as primary subjects.

She served as Founder and Artistic Director of Ebony Players in Staunton, VA & Louisville, KY; as Founder and Editor of Magnolia Press in Pittsburgh, PA; as an Assistant Director, Actor and Playwright for Kuntu Repertory Theatre also in Pittsburgh, PA. Her numerous publications include four poetry collections and seven plays for children.  Each published by Magnolia Press. Her poetry was also published in The Pennsylvania Review, Catalyst, and Shooting Star Literary Journal.

Dr. Lawrence worked with community activists, artists, educators and parents to create Children’s Window to Africa, a cultural program for elementary aged African children in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, PA. She also helped launch Ourstory to help lift nonfiction narratives of African American history. Additional work in education includes service as a Poet & Playwright-in-Residence in Pittsburgh’s public and  private schools; as Professor of African American Literature at Carlow University also in Pittsburgh. She is currently the middle school Language Arts teacher at AYA Educational Institute in Atlanta, GA.

As a life-time learner, Iya Adeniji earned her PhD in 2015 from Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, OH. In-process projects include a presentation/book about movies entitled, Illusions of Inclusions: Black and Brown Children & Movies. 

Iya Adeniji commemorates her 18^th year as an Initiated Priest-Olorisha, ala Aganju, in the Yoruba Lukumi Spiritual Tradition.