Nikki Giovanni is a cultural and literary legend. She has received numerous awards for her work, including seven NAACP Image awards for poetry, the Langston Hughes Medal for poetry, the Rosa L. Parks Woman of Courage Award, among others.  The state of Tennessee, her birth state, has placed a historic marker at the home of her grandparents where she lived during her teen years, recognizing her as an iconic daughter of the state. She is the author/editor of more than 50 publications including children’s books, poetry, CDs, and nonfiction. Her latest books are Make Me Rain (poems) published by William Morrow and she edited Standing in the Need of Prayer (A Love Poem for Black Men) illustrated by Emily Calvos, which was published in 2020 by NikTom available through Amazon. Giovanni is a University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech.