M.F.A. Graduate's Memoir, Black Freak Mosh Heaven, Explores Life as an Opponent of Intolerance
July 12, 2016
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
Ron Williams, M.F.A. '16, a spoken-word performer and an adjunct faculty member in the University of Baltimore's Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences, has published Black Freak Mosh Heaven, a memoir about his middle-class youth in Washington, D.C., and his lifelong struggle against intolerance, stereotypes and cynicism. The book is a companion piece to his autobiographical one-man show, Dreadlocks, Rock 'n Roll & Human Rights.
Williams's book explores his tumultuous upbringing, his passion for rock music, and the conflicts between society's expectations and who he is in this personal and political work. Currently serving as an instructor in UB's College Readiness Program for local young people who are considering going to college, Williams says his book is a continuation of his lifelong quest of breaking down conflicts to their component parts, in order to promote understanding and healing.
"Our fear creates societies of intolerance and injustice," Williams says. "When we stop building walls out of our fear and love without borders, we will create a world of acceptance and justice."
Williams's mix of poetry and autobiography reveal his dedication to the cause of overcoming bigotry and hatred. From his days as a graduate student, during which he undertook a long-term effort to educate others about the importance of voting, to his work as an educator and activist, Williams has sought to tear down walls between people. For his efforts, he has received a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award, a Baltimore City African American Male Unsung Hero Award, and a United Workers Human Rights Champion award. Earlier this year, he was named an alternate in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Learn more about the M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts in the Klein Family School of Communications Design, part of the University of Baltimore's Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the UB School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.