MacArthur Awards Go to 21 Diverse Fellows; New York Times, 9/17/14

Felicia R. Lee, New York Times; MacArthur Awards Go to 21 Diverse Fellows:

"Twelve men and nine women, whose work is as diverse as studying the racial elements in perceptions of crime and translating contemporary Arab poetry, have been named the 2014 fellows of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The fellowships, based on achievement and potential, come with a stipend of $625,000 over five years and are among the most prestigious prizes for artists, scholars and professionals...

The artists among this year’s winners include Alison Bechdel, 54, a cartoonist and graphic memoirist in Bolton, Vt., whose 2006 memoir, “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomedy,” became a musical at the Public Theater in 2013...

Sarah Deer, 41, a professor at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, develops policies and legislation to combat domestic abuse and sexual violence against American Indian women. Ms. Deer said she would use her MacArthur money to elevate the voices of such women, who she contends have been failed by both tribal courts and federal laws.

“Native Americans are the most victimized group for sexual violence and domestic violence,” Ms. Deer said in a telephone interview. “The treatment of native women that came with early settlement never stopped.”

Mary L. Bonauto, 53, a civil rights lawyer with the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders in Boston is among the other 2014 fellows whose talents have led her to advocacy work. Ms. Bonauto is credited as a major force behind the same-sex marriage cases that went to the Supreme Court."