AMHERST — State Rep. Mindy Domb nominated Onawumi Jean Moss — an accomplished storyteller, narrator, keynote speaker, author, and education administrator — for the 2026 Black Excellence on the Hill award.

Moss spent 21 years as the associate dean of students at Amherst college, where she founded the Keepers of the World storytelling festival. Her performances have encouraged pride of heritage, appreciation of cultural differences, and recognition of kinship.

Moss’ many accomplishments include being a 2005 recipient of the Zora Neale Hurston Storytelling Award, the highest award given by the National Assoc. of Black Storytellers. She holds lifetime membership in the National Storytellers Network, from which she received the 2015 Oracle Award for Lifetime Achievement for Sustained and Exemplary Contributions to Storytelling. She is also a member of the League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling.

“I am deeply honored that my collaborative work with committed, multi-cultural community-building leaders, within and beyond Amherst, was considered meritorious of the prestigious Black Excellence Award,” Moss said.

Domb added that “Moss’ solo performances, workshops, and keynotes are a seamless blend of story and a cappella singing that inspire imagination, inquiry, reflection, and expression. Her storytelling teaches, inspires, and connects the listener to our collective history.”

The Black Excellence on the Hill Awards event is hosted annually by the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus “to commemorate Black community leaders and trailblazers that are moving the needle forward in cities and towns across the state.” The event was held at the Massachusetts State House on Feb. 27.