Kennedy Finds Community Through Tennis

Kennedy grew up in Arrowsmith, Illinois, a town of about 250 people in the central part of the state. She grew up loving to play sports such as volleyball, basketball and baseball and softball.

“I developed a love for sports early on. I was the only girl on the Little League Team after Title IX was passed in 1972.”

After finishing up her PhD in Rhetoric, English and the Teaching of English at the University of Arizona, she moved to Omaha around 12 years ago when she accepted a professor position at the University of Nebraska-Omaha teaching writing, film and gender studies classes. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, she recognizes the importance of Pride Month, but hopes someday people within the community will be more accepted by the general public.

“My larger wish, however, is that LGBTQ+ people are no longer relegated to a specific month of celebration and/or recognition,” she explained. “Instead, I hope that people understand that LGBTQ+ people are a very diverse group, as well, representing the full range of our collective humanity and the vast diversity and difference of people within specific identity communities.”

Kennedy adds that it’s important to recognize the diversity and difference of all people and their contributions, but it’s also important to introduce people to other cultures and identities.