Michele Norris is one of the most trusted voices in American Journalism. For more than a decade, she has served as co-host of NPR's news magazine "All Things Considered", public radio's longest-running national program. Norris also has extensive experience in television and print journalism. Prior to her tenure at NPR, she served as an ABC News Correspondent based in Washington DC where she covered the White House and was part of a team of reporters tasked with doing in-depth reports on America's most challenging issues including, education, poverty, the national drug problem and aftermath of 9/11. As a print reporter, Norris served as a staff writer for The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times. She has also written for Time and National Geographic magazines.

​

Michele Norris is also an acclaimed author. Her first book, The Grace of Silence: A Family Memoir. focuses on how America talks about race in the wake of the Obama presidency, and how her own complex legacy has shaped her dedication to informing others through sound and voice.

​

More recently her work around the issues of race and identity has served as an effective and provocative cultural bridge. In 2011, Norris created The Race Card Project, a narrative exercise that invites people to share their experiences and perspectives around race and identity. The project has archived tens of thousands of stories from all 50 states and more than 60 countries and is now used in hundreds of schools, colleges and communities as a forum for sparking productive dialogue.

​

Norris' work on The Race Card Project was honored with The Peabody Award, one of the most prestigious honors in broadcast journalism. She has received many other honors in journalism for her insight into American culture and social issues including, the Dupont Award, The Emmy, The Livingston Award, The National Dialogue Award and she was named Journalist of The Year by the National Association of Black Journalists. Norris received a Children's Choice award for her advocacy of children's literature while at NPR through her work on The Backseat Book Club.

​

Captivating and astute on air, in person, and especially on stage, Michele Norris has a voice that is undeniably recognizable....and a voice that embodies both authority and caring. 

 

Compelling....thoughtful...bold....and insightful....Norris' personality is hard to match. Please join me in giving warm applause and a robust welcome to Michele Norris.

​

​