Fabu Phillis Carter, MA, outreach specialist, Geriatrics and Gerontology and Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, has been selected as a 2016 Outstanding Women of Color. Ms. Carter is a poet, scholar, teaching artist, and outreach professional focused on recruiting African Americans to participate in research studies aimed at identifying risk factors and genetic underpinnings of the disease in the African American community.

“As a UW Alum who has worked diligently in my beloved south Madison community, I appreciate this honor that recognizes my contributions as a writer, educator and community advocate,” she said.

The annual Outstanding Women of Color award, now in its ninth year, is an initiative of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement under the Office of the Provost. It recognizes women of the UW-Madison campus and in the greater Madison community who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of social justice, activism and advocacy on behalf of disadvantaged and/or marginalized populations, community-building to create an inclusive and respectful environment for all, and community service, scholarly research, writing, speaking and/or teaching on race, ethnicity and indigeneity in US society.

Ms. Carter was chosen along with five other women from the UW-Madison campus and greater Madison area. Honorees will be formally recognized at the annual celebratory reception from 5 to 7:30 PM on March 7, 2017 at the Edgewater Hotel, 1001 Wisconsin Place. The event is free to the campus and community, but registration is requested.

Ms. Carter's work focuses on education about Alzheimer’s disease in the African-American community, which experiences relatively high rates of Alzheimer's disease, under-diagnosis and late diagnosis, barriers to care for patients and support for caregivers, and under-representation in clinical studies. In January 2015, she joined the Department of Medicine and the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center to help recruit participants in longitudinal studies aimed at identifying risk factors and genetic underpinnings of Alzheimer’s disease in African-American populations. Her efforts help to develop inclusive treatment and prevention strategies.

Carter’s career has not only included helping elders, but youth as well.

Viewing poetry as a potent healing tool for people of all walks of life, Carter has long been working within Madison community nonprofit organizations and schools to empower individuals. For more than two decades, she has nurtured the creativity of Madison’s schoolchildren, visiting schools to encourage children, adolescents, and teens to write. She also works with seniors through the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project, founded by Gary Glazner.

Ms. Carter also served as poet laureate of Madison from 2008 to 2012, having been appointed to the honorary position by former Mayor David Cieslewicz.

Additional 2016 award winners are:

• Joan Fujimura, PhD, professor, Department of Sociology and Holtz Center for Research on Science and Technology
• Binnu Palta Hill, director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Wisconsin School of Business
• Sagashus Levingston, tutor/mentor with the Odyssey Project, co-teacher in the Odyssey Junior Program, and founder of the “Infamous Mothers” Project
• Denise Thomas, coordinator of Title VII American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), Madison Metropolitan School District
• Julissa Ventura, PhD, candidate in Educational Policy Studies and fellow of the Morgridge Center for Public Service, Community University Exchange of South Madison

Resources:

• "Six UW-Madison women to be honored as 2016 Outstanding Women of Color," University of Wisconsin News, March 2, 2017