Splash Biography

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Karen Ford is a freelance journalist with over 20 years experience. She has written for a number of local, national and international publications including the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Parent magazine, the Citizen Newspapers, Screen Magazine and Lutheran Woman Today. Her corporate clients have included the University of Illinois, the Chicago Labor Education Project, the Illinois Business Development Authority and the Women in Business Yellow Pages. She has written political ad copy for several local and county candidates and co-authored the book “Get That Cutie in Commercials.”

Ford is a member of the National Writers Union, UAW 1981. It is comprised of over 3,000 members across the US who are freelance writers in every genre. She has served as a national officer (the first Black woman to serve on the national board), is co-founder of SPIN, the Black writers caucus and is co-chair of the Chicago Chapter of NWU and co-chair of NWU’s national journalism committee. She is a member of NWU’s journalism, diversity and civil rights committees. Regionally she has served on the UAW Region 4 Civil Rights and TOP committees.

Karen Ford is also a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, the American Diabetic Association, the Midwest Political Science Association, the National Conference of Black Political Scientists, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Committee for Concerned Journalists and the United Association for Labor Educators. She has also served on the board of Luther High School South.

Ford has taught writing classes at Olive-Harvey College and at the Discovery Center. She taught classes on political accountability at the Midwest School for Women Workers and religion and labor at the Regina Polk Conference Women Labor Leaders.

In 2005, Coalition of Labor Union Women presented Ford with the Florence Criley Award for her contributions to the advancement of women in the labor movement. She was also presented with a Personal Contribution Award by the Building Bridges Project of the Chicago Interfaith Committee on Workers Issues in 2005.

Ford is married, has one son and attends St. Stephen’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. She is graduating in June of 2009 with a BA in political science from DePaul University. In her spare time she loves to read, dance, travel and cook.

Past Classes