The Jolita Hylland Benson Education Lecture will take place on April 18 at 7 p.m. The series honors Jolita Benson, who dedicated her life to educating children after graduating from PLU’s School of Education in 1963. Lê’s award-winning work is a necessary addition to inclusive literature where young people are heroes of their own adventures.”įounded in 2011, the Jolita Hylland Benson Education Lecture encourages thoughtful exploration of education’s capacities and the ways education can and should be accessible to all. “‘Drawn Together’ and his remake of the graphic novel series ‘Green Lantern’ richly portray the navigation of languages, cultures and identities that many first-generation Vietnamese American young people experience. “Lê takes readers on imaginative adventures that showcase the power of family, friendship and community,” says Gardiner. Lê has a master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University and serves as an early childhood policy consultant at the national, state and local levels.

Lê’s contributions to DC Comics include the middle-grade graphic novel “Green Lantern: Legacy” and the recent follow-up, “Green Lantern: Alliance.” Le serves on the board of the nonprofit advocacy organization We Need Diverse Books and as faculty for Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and YA program in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Lê is the author of multiple picture books, including “Lift” (a Washington Post Best Book of the Year) and “Drawn Together” (winner of the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature), both illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat.

Lê most recently authored the children’s picture book “The Blur,” a bittersweet portrayal of childhood’s fleeting moments. “Lê’s books promote imagination, empathy and perspective-taking attributes we want to cultivate in schools and communities,” says Wendy Gardiner, PLU’s Jolita Hylland Benson Endowed Chair in Elementary Education.

DC Festival of Heroes by Minh Lê