We stand with the Association of International Educators (NAFSA), its partner institutions, and countless colleges and universities in observing International Education Week as usual, from November 17-21, 2025. This edition of our Lois Letter contributes to its global observance with news from three of our Project Support Award alums: two recent and one from 2015. (If you follow us on social media, you may have already had the pleasure of reading some of this news; if not, please do follow us!) The work of all our Project Support awardees is impressive and inspiring—both things we could use more of. It is very gratifying to read of the many, diverse ways in which our alums are continuing the creative legacy of Lois Roth. She would be so proud and excited!
Lydia Barrett, Morocco 2024-2025:
Ethnomusicologist Lydia Barrett went to Morocco to explore the songs of African women living in migrant camps on the Mediterranean coast. She combined ethnographic interviews and music analysis to draw connections between women in communities from Morocco to Senegal. Our award enabled her to create an album of the songs and stories she collected. Following the lives of Zeinab and Khadija, two women from Côte d’Ivoire, she learned the songs punctuate daily practices that are passed down from mother to daughter and form a living archive of cultural exchange throughout Northwest Africa. The showcased artists created the album title, Aventurières, in self-reflection of their experiences in trans-Saharan migration. Released through SADFAM records, Aventurières is now available for preorder on Bandcamp, and will soon be available on larger streaming platforms.
Ethelene Whitmire, Denmark 2015:
Ethelene received our award for her research into the history of African Americans in Denmark. She is now a Professor and the Graduate Program Director in the Department of African American Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she is also affiliated with the Departments of Scandinavian and Women’s Studies. Her first book was the 2014 biography of a notable African American woman: Regina Robinson Andrews: Harlem Renaissance Librarian (2014, UIL Press). Ethelene brings letters to life in her forthcoming second book, The Remarkable Life of Reed Peggram: The Man Who Stared Down World War II in the Name of Love. She read a trove of Reed’s letters after meeting one of his descendants at a lecture and now brings to light the young man’s extraordinary journey of love, identity, and resilience in a time of war. The book will be released by Penguin Random House on February 3, 2026. Pre-order your copy here!
Kristina Nielsen, Denmark 2023:
Ethnomusicologist Kristina F. Nielsen shared the forthcoming release of her book on an ever-evolving artform, Aztec Music and Dance in California: The roots and transformations of a Mexican and Mexican American genre (1/6/26. Music in American Life Series, UI Press). Kristina is an Associate Professor and award-winning teacher in the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. Her research focuses on nationalism, Indigeneity, and legacies of colonialism in musical contexts. In 2023, she received our support for her research on multiculturalism in Denmark, a project to which she is now returning; her next book will focus on Danish children’s music and questions of nationalism and belonging.
I hope these stories help bolster your morale. If you have the means, please remember that Giving Tuesday takes place on December 2 and consider donating to support these and other Roth Foundation programs!
Wishing you all a warm and peaceful harvest celebration from the Lois Roth Foundation!
