LSU to Host Conversation on Storytelling, Justice, and Documenting Difficult Stories
March 17, 2026
BATON ROUGE, LA - The Manship School of Mass Communication and the School of Social Work will host a day of conversations on April 7 exploring storytelling, justice, and the responsibility of documenting complex human experiences. The event will feature LSU alumna Monique Morrison, editor and steward of Waiting to Die: One Man’s Journey on Death Row, and Cecile Guin, PhD, LCSW, for a series of discussions examining how personal narratives shape understanding of justice, accountability, and humanity.
The day begins at 10:00 a.m. with an In Conversation dialogue with Morrison in the Holliday Forum, LSU Journalism Building, where she will discuss the process of editing and stewarding the memoir. At 5:00 p.m., Morrison and Guin will hold a press conference in the same location.
Evening events will move to the Huey P. Long Field House Ballroom. At 5:30 p.m., Morrison and Guin will participate in a moderated panel discussion exploring the ethics and challenges of documenting difficult stories, followed by audience questions. The program concludes at 6:45 p.m. with a conversation and book signing, where attendees can engage with the speakers and purchase copies of the book through the LSU Bookstore.
The featured book, Waiting to Die: One Man’s Journey on Death Row, written by Feltus Taylor, Jr. and edited by Morrison with a foreword by Sr. Helen Prejean, offers a deeply personal account of a life shaped by trauma, hardship, and ultimately violence. Through Taylor’s own words—written while incarcerated on Louisiana’s death row—the memoir reflects on the circumstances that led to his crimes, the impact of his actions, and the complicated humanity that exists within a life defined by its worst moments.
Taylor recounts a childhood marked by abandonment, neglect, and developmental challenges, describing how early trauma and instability shaped his path. Yet the memoir also chronicles a journey of reflection and spiritual searching as Taylor grapples with responsibility and the consequences of the lives he forever harmed. Written up to the morning of his execution in 2000, the work offers readers a rare and intimate portrait of a life most people would never see in full.
Waiting to Die asks a difficult question: Is a person defined solely by the worst thing they have ever done? Through storytelling and reflection, the book invites readers to consider justice, accountability, and humanity that can exist even within the most difficult circumstances.
The event is designed to encourage thoughtful dialogue and reflection. Organizers recognize that issues surrounding capital punishment affect many individuals and families, including victims’ families, and the conversations will approach these topics with care and respect.
The program is open to students, faculty, and community members interested in storytelling, justice, and the ethical responsibility of documenting lived experiences. Attendees are encouraged to participate in the panel discussion and remain for the evening conversation and book signing.