“Students today are seeking authentic, unfiltered perspectives, and Daniel delivered.”
– Robert Stewart, Director, E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University
“He is a gentle, humble, honest teacher, willing to discuss his writing process, and frustrations. My students left the class uplifted and very encouraged.”
– Michael J. LaRosa, Associate Professor of History, Rhodes College
“Daniel Connolly’s presentation is intelligent and well thought out. His on the ground reporting work gives him unique insight and understanding.”
– Jeff Weeks, Panhandle Tiger Bay Club.
“After students in my Urban Education class at Wabash College read The Book of Isaias, Daniel Connolly’s visit (via video conferencing during the Pandemic) was exactly what my class needed to continue their introduction to urban education. He was as engaging as I imagine he would have been if he’d met face-to-face with my students, challenging them to think more deeply about what they as future teachers could take away from Isaias’ story.”
– M. Michele Pittard, Associate Professor of Education Studies, Wabash College
“Unlike many authors and academics, Daniel knew his audience and spoke directly to them. His approach, content, and language was well gauged to the age group of the audience. One of the tests of an appropriate speaker for us is if he or she elicits questions, and we had a good collection of questions for him to field after his presentation. His presentation was both personal and informative, drawing on his own experience and blending into a field he had both lived and studied.”
– Wyoming Seminary (Boarding school in Kingston, Pennsylvania.)
“Because Daniel brought writing to life, the students left inspired to see themselves as writers even and especially when it is difficult. That’s a gift that will last throughout their academic and professional lives!”
– Jessica Swan, Ph.D., Instructor, Department of English, University of Memphis
“One of the most notable demographic changes in recent decades is Latino migration, settlement, and community formation in non-traditional destinations. Daniel Connolly’s engaging talk fosters awareness of the immigration debate, makes individuals rethink the demographic changes in their own communities, and highlights the far reaching impacts of Latin American migration to the United States.”
– Simone Delerme, McMullan Assistant Professor of Southern Studies & Anthropology, University of Mississippi
“The University of Memphis Honors Forum, Hispanic Immigration to the USA, was delighted to meet Daniel Connolly in person. He visited class, presented the ideas that inspired writing the book and answered student questions. The best part of the talk was getting Daniel’s authentic signature in student’s books. One student comment was, “How often do you have the real author’s signature in a book that you read for class!”
–Jennifer Johnston, Instructor of Spanish, University of Memphis
Invite Daniel to Speak
I travel throughout the U.S. to give talks. I’ve appeared at Princeton University, City University of New York School of Law, Kenyon College and Seattle University, national journalism conferences and many other colleges and trade groups.
Book me now, and I’ll make a custom-made presentation for your classroom or group! Email me at danieljamesconnolly@gmail.com.
Video
Here’s a rare joint appearance with me and Isaias Ramos on book launch night, October 4, 2016 in Memphis.
Here’s video of me speaking to the Panhandle Tiger Bay Club in Pensacola, Florida on February 17, 2017. Lots of tough questions from the audience!
Upcoming Events
We’re booking now for the Immigration and the South Virtual Speaking Tour! Dates to be announced soon.
Past Events
November 10, 2020. Virtual class visit to Southern Studies course at University of Mississippi.
October 6, 2020. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Virtual class visit for Latino studies course.
September 29, 2020. Rhodes College – virtual class visit for first-year writing class.
September 23, 2020. Vanderbilt University / Peabody College of Education. Virtual keynote.
April 9, 2020. Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana. Virtual class visit.
October 24, 2019 Listeners Book Club. Chickasaw Country Club. Memphis.
October 1, 2019. Food For Thought Group. Memphis.
September 26, 2019. Visit to English composition class at University of Memphis. (Students-only event.)
September 19, 2019. Tennessee State Museum Book Club. I appeared by video. I was honored to have my book selected by our state’s leading institution of history and culture to mark Hispanic heritage month.
Sept. 11, 2019. Books and Bourbon club, Memphis. (Semi-private event.)
Sept. 9, 2019. Class visit to immigration law course, University of Memphis. (Students-only event.)
August 21, 2019. “A Novel Book Club: Daniel Connolly discusses The Book of Isaias.” Novel Bookstore, Memphis.
July 19, 2019. Keynote at the inaugural conference of the Tennessee Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education. Cookeville, Tennessee.
June 19, 2019. Panel discussion at Investigative Reporters and Editors national conference, Houston, Texas.
June 5, 2019. Discussion with students at Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina. (Appeared via video.)
December 12, 2018. Presentations at Wyoming Seminary Upper School. Kingston, Pennsylvania.
Nov. 12, 2018. Book club dinner with attendees of conference of NAFSA, the professional association for International Educators.
November 6, 2018. Class presentation to Jessica Swan’s writing students at University of Memphis.
September 27, 2018. River Readers Book Club of the First Unitarian Church of Memphis.
August 28, 2018. Kirby Pines Retirement Community book club.
August 1, 2018. Presentation to AP English teachers. Central High School, Memphis.
June 19, 2018. Pax Christi monthly meeting, Memphis.
May 11, 2018. Cornerstone Prep – Denver Campus. Spoke at a career day for elementary school students in Memphis.
April 28, 2018. Presbyterian Women’s Annual Gathering. Memphis.
April 19, 2018. Shady Grove Presbyterian Church book club, Memphis.
Thursday, March 22, 2018. Oxford Conference for the Book. Oxford, Mississippi. I spoke on the Latino experience in the South with Simone Delerme (moderator), and fellow authors Leon Fink and Angela Stuesse.
Feb. 15, 2018. Skype session with the book club at The Education Trust in Washington.
February 7, 2018. Muddy’s Bake Shop book club.
Jan. 8, 2018. Buntyn Presbyterian Church. Meeting of Church Women United. 561 S. Prescott. Memphis, Tennessee.
Dec. 6, 2017. Wednesday Book Club – Germantown.
Thursday, November 9, 2017. Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio. Pierce Lounge. I spoke on careers in journalism.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017. Kenyon College. Gambier, Ohio. My alma mater! I gave a talk on the Book of Isaias and the secret history of immigration in the U.S. 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Community Foundation Theater in the Gund Galley, GAL 001.
Tuesday, November 7, 2017. Ohio University. Athens, Ohio. Journalism school.
November 4, 2017. Byhalia Christian Writers Group. Byhalia, Mississippi. I spoke on navigating the world of book agents and publishers.
October 25, 2017. Servicemaster Corp. Memphis, Tennessee.
October 12, 2017. University of Memphis – modern languages department, class visit to honors seminar on immigration.
October 5, 2017. Spoke at Character Day at Jackson Elementary School as well as Southern Foodways Symposium. Memphis, Tennessee.
August 5, 2017. Taught at Byhalia Christian Writers Group. Byhalia, Mississippi.
July 29, 2017. Poplar-White Station Library, Memphis, Tennessee.
June 24, 2017. Investigative Reporters and Editors conference. Phoenix, Arizona.
June 1, 2017. Education Writers Association National Seminar, Washington, DC.
April 29, 2017. Keynote speaker at Bookstock, the book fest organized by Memphis public libraries.
April 13, 2017. Allenby Lakes Book Club, Memphis.
March 28, 2017. Food for Thought group, Memphis.
March 25, 2017. Taught at Oxford Writes Spring Workshop.
March 21, 2017. Books & Beyond Book Club. Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, Memphis, Tennessee.
March 11-12, 2017. Tucson Festival of Books, Tucson, Arizona. Gave five talks and panels, including one on C-SPAN Book TV.
March 9, 2017 Tennessee Teachers to Speakers of Other Languages conference, Memphis, Tennessee.
Saturday, February 25, 2017. Seattle University, Seattle, Washington. Search for Meaning Book Festival. Pigott 201.
Friday, February 17, 2017. Panhandle Tiger Bay Club. New World Landing. 600 South Palafox Street. Pensacola, Florida.
Thursday, February 16, 2017. University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida.
NEW YORK / NEW JERSEY TOUR
Friday, October 21, 2016. The Mexican Community Accessing Education Symposium. CUNY School of Law. Queens, New York. Organized by The Jaime Lucero Mexican Studies Institute and the Anchoring Achievement in Mexican Communities Initiative of the Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation.
Thursday, October 20, 2016 at noon. Princeton University. Colloquium series sponsored by the Center for Migration and Development and the Program in Latino Studies.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016. 2:30 p.m. Rutgers University-Newark, hosted by the Center for Migration and the Global City. Newark, New Jersey.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 6 p.m. Tompkins County Public Library. Ithaca, New York.
Saturday, October 15, 2016. Southern Festival of Books, Nashville, Tennessee.
Thursday, October 13, 2016. Speaking on the radio show Think on KERA in Dallas.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016. Twitter chat with Georgetown’s Center on Education and the Workforce. @GeorgetownCEW.
Thursday, October 6, 2016 Off Square Books / Thacker Mountain Radio. Oxford, Mississippi.
Wednesday, October 5, 2016 Barnes & Noble at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016.
News Engagement Day at The University of Memphis Department of Journalism and Strategic Media.
Book launch at The Booksellers at Laurelwood in Memphis.
Saturday, September 10, 2016. Mid-South Book Festival.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016. Latino Memphis Congreso.
Thursday, June 16, 2016. Investigative Reporters and Editors conference, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Daniel speaking with students at McKinley Technology High School, Washington D.C., 2013. Photo by Meghan Dhaliwal / Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.