Barbara Lau connects her commitment to justice with the power of community practice in her teaching, curatorial work and writing. For 20 years se has developed public humanities programs, curated exhibitions and designed public art projects. She is the lead developer of the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice, a local cultural start up focused on transforming Murray’s childhood home into a national center for history, education, the arts and social mobilization.  Lau is a recipient of the 2014 Samuel DuBois Cook Society Award and the 2012 of the Carlie B. Sessoms Award from the Durham Human Relations Commission for her leadership.