Authors and Academia

Our history is not the past; it’s who we are. This moving memoir is about a young man’s discovery of personal history, its inspirational power, and the price he has to pay to turn tragedies into opportunity for growth and triumph. It tells the history of Masachs, who must survive a civil war in the Republic of the Congo to arise, grow and attain a Fulbright Fellowship at Brandeis University. In that hard-won triumph, Masachs uncovers stories full of more hardships and personal setbacks faced by other sub-Saharan African immigrants—who are still filled with courage and optimism to pursue their American Dream. On returning home from the United States, many find it difficult to adjust to their new environments, requiring more trials to overcome.  

Matthew H. Jones writes horror, fantasy and generally strange fiction. He’s a blind, Black guy with a big head and uneven legs.

He unilaterally declared himself the best African American writer with Macular Degeneration in Lowell and he welcomes anyone to try and take his throne. Unfortunately, people find him enough of a novelty that he’s managed to use his diversity as a marketing tool. His stuff is pretty good, even without it being written by a blind, Black guy.

After getting beat up in love and life, he spilled that onto his page, and he saw himself there. He found someone quiet, weary, worn, angry and lonely. He was funny, but bitter. He was contemplative but cynical. That glimpse of himself became the short story collection titled, "Wish I Could Love You: A Collection of Failed Love Stories". He was still kind of sad and angry. Therapy helped with that. His father’s family are descendants of the enslaved on a plantation in Barbados. His mother’s family are descendants from the enslaved on a plantation in Texas.

Mr. Jones had been writing seriously for ten years before he started to confront that fact. His grappling created the novels, "The Rules Don’t Apply" and "In the Hotel Zion". Lastly, he wrote the non-fiction piece "Remembering Eugene Williams and The Red Summer of 1919".

Mr. Tabu is a Fulbright graduate scholar from Uganda, currently pursuing Ph.D. in Energy Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He holds MSc. Physics and Bachelor of Science Education degrees from Makerere University and Gulu University, respectively. Currently, his research focuses on the applications of solar and plasma for chemical synthesis, particularly conversion of waste to high-value products. His expertise includes pedagogy, plasma engineering, plasma diagnostics, solar system design and installation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. Benard is co-founder of Green Fertilizer, a technology that synthesizes fertilizer locally from water and air using solar energy. He’s also a co-founder of SunTel Holdings Limited, which offers solar and IT services to underprivileged areas of Northern Uganda. Mr. Tabu has over eight years of teaching physics at Gulu University and four years working in the solar industry (solar system sizing and installation).  Benard is passionate about enhancing the global shift to sustainable and clean fuels; and improving access to electricity and fertilizer in underserved areas, particularly developing countries.
Benard is a former President of the Solar Energy Association at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He has been actively involved in various community activities like the community empowerment program in Lowell organized by Lowell Alliance, in which grassroots leaders were supported to identify and solve community challenges. Benard is also interested in social development. Having lived his entire childhood in a war-ridden locality, he is an integral part of those who hope and advocate for the livelihood recovery of Northern Uganda.  He has been delivering inspirational talks to children and students for positivity building, goal alignment, and engaging the community on “what next after the war.”  He dreams of making the world attain “happy equilibrium,” a better place for everyone!​