{"product_id":"always-matt-a-tribute-to-matthew-shepard-hardcover","title":"Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eLesl饌 Newman\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eBrian Britigan\u003c\/b\u003e (Illustrator), \u003cb\u003eJason Collins\u003c\/b\u003e (Foreword by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA poignant tribute to the life of Matthew Shepard and his legacy in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, honoring the formation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ewhich dedicates its mission to erasing hate\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e On the night of October 6, 1998, in Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew Wayne Shepard (1976-1998) was brutally killed solely because he was gay. It was a shocking murder that was nationally covered in the media, and it became a rallying cry for the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In 2009, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed by President Barack Obama, expanding the federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e With a foreword by Jason Collins--the first openly gay active player in the NBA--and written by Lesl饌 Newman--author of the Stonewall Honor-winning novel-in-verse \u003ci\u003eOctober Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard\u003c\/i\u003e and a friend of the Shepard family--\u003ci\u003eAlways Matt\u003c\/i\u003e is an emotional yet ultimately hopeful look at the progress that's been made, as well as the work that still continues, in advocating for the dignity and equality of all people. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Without shying away from the pain and tragedy of his death, Newman's moving, lyrical prose and Brian Britigan's simple color line drawings present a celebration of his incredible life. Matthew's story still resonates for those who lived through it, and remains a vital piece of LGBTQ+ history for younger generations to learn.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJason Collins \u003c\/b\u003eis a former professional basketball player who was a center for 13 seasons and also the first openly gay active player in the NBA. Born in Northridge, California, he played college basketball for Stanford, where he was an All-American in 2000-01. With the Brooklyn Nets, he made history in 2014 when he became the first openly gay athlete to play in a game in the United States' four major professional leagues. In 2014, Collins was featured on the cover of \u003ci\u003eTime Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e's \"100 Most Influential People in the World\" issue. He lives in Los Angeles. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLesl饌 Newman\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of 80 books for readers of all ages, including the novel-in-verse \u003ci\u003eOctober Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard\u003c\/i\u003e; the short story collection \u003ci\u003eA Letter to Harvey Milk\u003c\/i\u003e; the dual memoir-in-verse \u003ci\u003eI Carry My Mother\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eI Wish My Father\u003c\/i\u003e; the picture books \u003ci\u003eSparkle Boy \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e The Boy Who Cried Fabulous\u003c\/i\u003e; and the children's classic \u003ci\u003eHeather Has Two Mommies\u003c\/i\u003e. Her honors and literary awards include the Matthew Shepard Foundation Making a Difference Award, a National Endowment for the Arts poetry fellowship, two American Library Association Stonewall Honors, two National Jewish Book Awards, the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award, and the Massachusetts Book Award. From 2008-10, she served as the poet laureate of Northampton, Massachusetts. Seven of her poems from \u003ci\u003eOctober Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard\u003c\/i\u003e are included in the libretto of \u003ci\u003eConsidering Matthew Shepard\u003c\/i\u003e, a fusion oratorio composed by Craig Hella Johnson. Newman lives in Holyoke, Massachusetts. \u003cbr\u003e Born and raised in Iowa City, Iowa, \u003cb\u003eBrian Britigan\u003c\/b\u003e studied art and animation at the University of Washington in Seattle before earning an MFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. His illustrations have appeared in print and online publications, such as the\u003ci\u003e New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, the\u003ci\u003e Star Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e, and the \u003ci\u003eProgressive\u003c\/i\u003e, and he has created animations for documentary projects, including the Emmy-nominated \u003ci\u003eThe Office of Missing Children\u003c\/i\u003e. Britigan is an instructor and mentor at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He and his partner live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 104\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.71 x 8.19 x 6.22 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 26, 2023\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51764753105184,"sku":"9781419759420","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/5a432dd0cf994e6e431109c831aa6aad.webp?v=1780254037","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/always-matt-a-tribute-to-matthew-shepard-hardcover","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}