Author: Promote Globally

Liza Donnelly – What’s So Funny About Humor?

In 2013, I was honored to be invited to deliver a talk at the Distinguished Lecture Series at the University Of  Michigan. It is a lecture series called Penny W Stamps Lecture Series, and the speakers are always in art and design. So my talk focused on the creative process. Below is their description of me:

“Known for her acute observations on cultural and political issues, Liza Donnelly’s cartoons have been appearing in The New Yorker magazine for over three decades. In Donnelly’s view, humor is serious business, helping us laugh at our failings, and working to make changes in ourselves and the world. Donnelly is an author of fifteen books, columnist for Forbes.com, and a cartoonist for Women’s Enews, among other places. She travels the world as a Cultural Envoy for the US State Department, speaking about women’s rights and freedom of speech, and she delivered a very popular TED talk in 2010 She is the founder of WorldInk.org, a site that promotes international cartoonists and their work, and is a member of Cartooning For Peace, PEN and the Writer’s Guild. She is at work on a screenplay based on being a woman cartoonist.”

University of Connecticut Graduate School Commencement 2014

I was extremely honored to receive an honorary degree from The University of Connecticut Graduate School this May, and to be invited to deliver their commencement speech. It was an amazing experience to be in the huge auditorium (where they play their famous basketball) and to speak to 9,000+ students, family and friends.  We had a great time– it was a very festive atmosphere. Above is a video of the  full 2014 commencement ceremony–you can catch my introduction by the president of the University, Susan Herbst at 7:00 min, followed by my address.  I tried to be humorous and serious, not an easy task. Particularly without my cartoons to help me!