Alum Erica Perl 86F on Cancellation, Curiosity, and the Hampshire Education That Inspired Her

Using her experience as a trial lawyer, she fought back and wrote about the experience for School Library Journal. We caught up with Perl and asked her how she made her way from Hampshire to where she is now.

I came to Hampshire because I visited the Putney School, where my then-boyfriend — who later became a Hampshire student — went to high school. I was a traditional public school kid, and seeing alternative education in action was eye-opening. It made me want to go to a college where students pursued self-directed projects, teachers encouraged critical inquiry, and everyone seemed happy and excited. So I applied to Hampshire.
 
I was interested in creative writing and theater, so I spent my first two years working with the writing and theater faculty, including Andrew Salkey and Rhonda Blair. (Fun fact: Liev Schreiber was the T.A. for my first semester acting class!) I then got interested in a different kind of drama: that of the courtroom. I did my Div III on challenges faced by inmates with AIDS, went to law school, and worked as a public defender for several years.

Since making stuff up was frowned on in court, I channeled my creativity into an evening class at The New School in writing and illustrating for children. My first book came out of that class, which sounds straightforward but wasn’t — it took years of rejection and revision!
 
Twenty years and 50 books later, I credit Hampshire for nurturing my curiosity and determination. I also love having a career that isn’t just one thing. In addition to writing books for young people, I teach writing to adults and children and present my work at schools all over the country (and world!).

I also worked as a vice president for First Book, a national nonprofit that distributes books to kids in need. I have Hampshire to thank for nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit that helps me seize opportunities, engage challenges, and keep making art, even during trying times.

This year, when a school visit got canceled over a nonbinary snail character in one of my books, of all things, it was a bit surreal. I found myself in a predicament that combined aspects of all my professional choices as a children’s book author and former trial attorney. It was also more than a little daunting, since there wasn’t a playbook for how to handle this situation. But as a Hampshire grad, I knew what I needed to do. My Hampshire education taught me the importance of charting my own path, confronting injustice, and helping others benefit from my experience.