Award-winning Author, Recognized as One of the Next Most Influential People in the World, to Speak at MCC
April 12, 2023
George M. Johnson will deliver keynote lecture during college’s annual Scholars’ Day showcase
George M. Johnson
BRIGHTON, N.Y. – Honored as one of the “TIME100 Next Most Influential People in the World,” George M. Johnson will discuss the importance of sharing diverse stories and how the community can elevate young adults’ voices and support their mental and physical health in a keynote lecture at Monroe Community College on Wednesday evening, May 3. Johnson is an award-winning non-binary writer, author, executive producer and activist who gained increased national attention after their debut memoir, “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” became a focus of growing book-banning efforts in 2021.
Johnson’s presentation will be held at 7 p.m. May 3 in the MCC Theatre, Robin and Tim Wentworth Arts Building, 1000 East Henrietta Road in Brighton. The author will answer questions following the presentation and sign copies of their book. Books will be available onsite for purchase. Tickets are required and available via MCC’s website. Admission is $10 for general public; $5 with MCC student ID. Parking is provided in lot F.
The event is the culmination of MCC’s 15th annual Scholars’ Day, which showcases the work of MCC students and faculty and celebrates academic excellence. Scholars’ Day 2023 will be celebrated on Tuesday, May 2 on MCC’s Brighton Campus. Presentations are free and open to the public.
About George M. Johnson
Johnson has written for major media outlets ─ including Teen Vogue, Entertainment Tonight, NBC, Buzzfeed, Essence and Ebony ─ on race, gender, sex, HIV, intersectionality, politics, culture and health. Johnson was listed on The Root 100 Most Influential African Americans in 2020 and Out magazine’s 100 most influential LGBTQ+ people in 2021.
Johnson’s second memoir, “We Are Not Broken,” received the 2022 Carter G. Woodson Book Award, which recognizes books that “accurately and sensitively depict the experience of one or more historically marginalized racial/ethnic groups in the United States.” The book also received the 2022 Young Adults’ Book Award in the nonfiction category from the International Literacy Association.
In 2021, Johnson wrote and executive produced the dramatic reading of “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” which received a 2022 Special Recognition Award from GLAAD. “All Boys Aren’t Blue” is a New York Times best-selling memoir discussing their adolescence growing up as a queer child in New Jersey through a series of powerful essays. The book was optioned for television by Gabrielle Union.
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Scholars’ Day scholarships are awarded to outstanding student presenters and made possible through support from presenting sponsor the ESL Charitable Foundation and from local philanthropists through the Monroe Community College Foundation. In 2022, nearly 60 students and faculty presented their research on a wide range of topics. Additional information on 2023 Scholars’ Day is available on MCC’s website.
The Monroe Community College Foundation seeks philanthropic investment to advance academic achievement, innovation, and the mission of excellence at the college.