Audre Lorde
A self-described “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet,” Audre Lorde was a graduate of both Hunter High School (1951) and Hunter College (1959). She went on to serve as Thomas Hunter Distinguished Professor (1981–82), and as a member of the Hunter English Department faculty until 1986. The Hunter College “Audre Lorde Award,” a prize for excellence in poetry and prose, is given in her honor.
Alexia Arthurs
The celebrated author and Hunter College alumna Alexia Arthurs arrived in Brooklyn from Jamaica at age 12 as an undocumented immigrant. Now a rising literary voice known for her captivating storytelling and exploration of identity, belonging, and the complexities of human relationships, Arthurs has said it was her Hunter College education more than anything else that helped her achieve that dream.
Vinson Cunningham
Vinson Cunningham graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Hunter College in 2014, and is now a theatre critic for The New Yorker, where he has been on staff since 2016. An English major, Cunningham credits the courses and instructors at Hunter for helping him dive deeply into subject matter and extracting the most from his studies.