Major General James G. Blunt

Joanna Brooks (born September 29, 1971)[1] is an American author and professor of English and comparative literature at San Diego State University.[2] Brooks is currently the associate vice president of faculty advancement and professor of English and comparative literature.[3] She is a frequent media commentator on faith in American life, particularly in relation to her own Mormonism.[4][5][6] Politico named her one of 2011's "50 politicos to watch" for her Twitter feed, @askmormongirl.[7]

Mormonism

Brooks writes extensively about Mormonism and Mormon feminism and is often quoted in the media related to issues regarding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Huffington Post writes, "Brooks specializes in explaining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to non-Mormons, and in presenting a different way to be Mormon to those steeped in its orthodoxy."[8] She wrote a question-and-answer blog from 2010 to 2014[9] called "Ask Mormon Girl" with the tagline "unorthodox answers from an imperfect source". She also wrote as a senior correspondent for Religion Dispatches from 2011 to 2014, frequently addressing Mormon issues.[10][11] In early 2012, she self-published a memoir called The Book of Mormon Girl: Stories from an American Faith, which was later picked up by Simon & Schuster and published by them in August 2012.[12] Brooks was noted as one of "13 Religious Women to Watch in 2012".[13]

Brooks sits on the board of directors for Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought.[14] Brooks is described as a feminist and liberal Mormon, in contrast to the predominantly conservative culture of Mormonism.[15] In 2017 Brooks was among and ten co-authors publishing "Shoulder to the Wheel: Resources to Help Latter-day Saints Face Racism"[16][17]

Personal life

Brooks is married to David Kamper and has two daughters. She holds a bacherlor's degree from Brigham Young University and a PhD from UCLA. She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[2]

Works

  • "Face Zion Forward": First Writers of the Black Atlantic, 1785–1798 (Editor, with John Saillant). Northeastern, 2002. ISBN 978-1-55553-539-1
  • American Lazarus: Religion and the Rise of African-American and Native American Literatures (Author). Oxford, 2003. ISBN 978-0-19-533291-9. Winner of the Modern Language Association William Sanders Scarborough Award.
  • The Collected Writings of Samson Occom, Mohegan: Literature and Leadership in Eighteenth-Century America (Editor). Oxford, 2006. ISBN 978-0-19-517083-2
  • Transatlantic Feminisms in the Age of Revolutions (Editor, with Lisa L. Moore and Caroline Wigginton). Oxford, 2012. ISBN 978-0-19-974349-0
  • The Book of Mormon Girl: Stories from an American Faith (Author). Free Press, 2012. ISBN 978-1-451-69968-5. Winner of the Association for Mormon Letters memoir award.
  • Why We Left: Untold Stories and Songs of America's First Immigrants (Author). Minnesota, 2013. ISBN 978-0-8166-8125-9
  • Mormon Feminism: Essential Writings (Co-Editor). Oxford, 2015. ISBN 978-0-19-024803-1
  • Saving Alex: When I Was Fifteen I Told My Mormon Parents I Was Gay, and That's When My Nightmare Began. (By Alex Cooper, with Brooks). HarperOne, 2016. ISBN 9780062374608
  • Mormonism and white supremacy: American religion and the problem of racial innocence. New York: Oxford University Press, 2020. ISBN 978-0-19-008176-8.

References

  1. ^ Joanna Brooks; Rachel Hunt Steenblik; Hannah Wheelwright, eds. (2016). Mormon Feminism: Essential Writings. Oxford University Press. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-19-024803-1. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Ravitz, Jessica (February 5, 2012). "Crossing the plains and kicking up dirt, a new Mormon pioneer". CNN. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  3. ^ Lauren Markoe (July 18, 2018). "Joanna Brooks returns to previous position following unexpected removal last year". Daily Aztec. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  4. ^ Lauren Markoe (February 1, 2012). "10 minutes with ... Joanna Brooks". Washington Post. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  5. ^ Susan Leem. "Joanna Brooks on the Need for Politicians to Find Their Moral Bearings". On Being. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  6. ^ Guy Raz (December 2, 2011). "'Ask Mormon Girl' Discusses Mitt Romney's Candidacy". All Things Considered. National Public Radio. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  7. ^ "50 politicos to watch: Top tweeters". Politico.com. July 28, 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  8. ^ Markoe, Lauren (February 1, 2012). "Joanna Brooks Discusses Mormonism, American Politics". Huffington Post. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  9. ^ Joanna Brooks (April 21, 2015). "Welcome to the world of Ask Mormon Girl". Ask Mormon Girl. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  10. ^ Daniel Burke (July 13, 2012). "Mormon church lashes back at magazine over portrayal of prophet and profits". Washington Post. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  11. ^ Joanna Brooks. "Media". joannabrooks.org. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  12. ^ The Book of Mormon Girl: A Memoir of an American Faith. Simon & Schuster. August 7, 2012. ISBN 9781451699685. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  13. ^ Woodiwiss, Catherine; Farnellon, Emily (March 7, 2012). "13 Religious Women to Watch in 2012". Center for American Progress. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  14. ^ "Staff and Boards". dialoguejournal.com. Dialogue Foundation. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  15. ^ Randy Dotinga (August 19, 2011). "The Liberal, Feminist, Gay-Friendly Mormon". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  16. ^ "Commentary: Putting our shoulders to the wheel to end racism and white supremacy in Mormonism". Salt Lake Tribune. August 17, 2017.
  17. ^ Danielle Dubrasky, Aimee Evans Hickman, Rebecca de Schweinitz, Joanna Brooks, Emily Clyde Curtis, Cynthia Bailey Lee, Benjamin Park, Emily Jensen, Miguel Barker-Valdez, & Rachel Mabey-Whipple. "Resources – Shoulder to the Wheel". shouldertothewheel.org.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links