Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard

Lesléa Newman‏

ستمبر 2023 · Abrams

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A poignant tribute to the life of Matthew Shepard and his legacy in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, honoring the formation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which dedicates its mission to erasing hate

On the night of October 6, 1998, in Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew Wayne Shepard (1976–1998) was brutally killed solely because he was gay. It was a shocking murder that was nationally covered in the media, and it became a rallying cry for the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In 2009, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed by President Barack Obama, expanding the federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

With a foreword by Jason Collins—the first openly gay active player in the NBA—and written by Lesléa Newman—author of the Stonewall Honor–winning novel-in-verse October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard and a friend of the Shepard family—Always Matt is an emotional yet ultimately hopeful look at the progress that’s been made, as well as the work that still continues, in advocating for the dignity and equality of all people.

Without shying away from the pain and tragedy of his death, Newman’s moving, lyrical prose and Brian Britigan’s simple color line drawings present a celebration of his incredible life. Matthew’s story still resonates for those who lived through it, and remains a vital piece of LGBTQ+ history for younger generations to learn.

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Lesléa Newman is the author of over 80 books for children and adults. She has received many awards, including two Stonewall Book Awards honors, the National Jewish Book Award (Gittel’s Journey), fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Massachusetts Book Award, a Sydney Taylor Book Award and Honor, the Highlights for Children Fiction Writing Award, and the James Baldwin Award for Cultural Achievement, among many others. Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists. She is also a popular guest lecturer at college campuses across the country, and currently she is a faculty mentor at Spalding University’s School of Creative and Professional Writing.; Born and raised in Iowa City, Iowa, Brian Britigan studied art and animation at the University of Washington in Seattle before earning an MFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. His illustrations have appeared in print and online publications, such as the New York Times, the Star Tribune, and the Progressive, and he has created animations for documentary projects, including the Emmy-nominated The Office of Missing Children. Britigan is an instructor and mentor at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He and his partner live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ; Jason Collins is a former professional basketball player who was a center for 13 seasons and also the first openly gay active player in the NBA. Born in Northridge, California, he played college basketball for Stanford, where he was an All-American in 2000–01. With the Brooklyn Nets, he made history in 2014 when he became the first openly gay athlete to play in a game in the United States’ four major professional leagues. In 2014, Collins was featured on the cover of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” issue. He lives in Los Angeles.