Shanda McManus
April 2023, preferred pronouns: she/her

The notification of my acceptance as a resident at Baldwin for the Arts validated and recognized my journey as an artist. I am a nontraditional writer in that I am a practicing physician, in addition to being Black and female. I have been writing consistently for the past three years. The time away from my responsibilities as a clinician, wife, and mother of five energized my writing practice. I could hold onto the threads of my work for long periods as I revised a full-length work.
I am grateful that BFTA has allotted a welcoming and well-appointed place for focused work. Thank you, BFTA, for supporting my efforts to tell my story.
I am grateful that BFTA has allotted a welcoming and well-appointed place for focused work. Thank you, BFTA, for supporting my efforts to tell my story.