Seattle’s Hansberry Project – Legend Award, 2016
Charlotte B. Chorpenning Playwright Award. Honors a nationally known writer of outstanding plays for children. Awarded June 2016
James W. Ray Distinguished Artist Award Nomination, 2016.
Distinguished Play Award (Akeelah) from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, 2016
Schwartz Visiting Fellow (Connecticut Pomfret School) – a speaking series for renowned experts in their field, 2015
Distinguished Play Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, 2013
Voted best Local Playwright by Seattle Weekly, 2013
Nominated for the Helen Hayes/ MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play, 2013
Webby Nomination for best writing for a web series, Diary of a Single Mom, 2010
Hedgebook Writer –In Residence, Whidbey Island, Washington, 2006
Prism Commendation for the movie based on her play Holiday Heart, 2001. Awarded by the Robert Wood Foundation, Entertainment Industries Council and National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Joeseph Papp Fellow – playwright in residence Second Stage
Beverly Hills Hollywood NAACP Theatre Award, “Best Playwright (Jar the Floor) 1995
NEA Playwriting Fellowships 1995-1996 (Jar the Floor and Holiday Heart)
Audelco Award – Playwright (Before it Hits Home)
Winner of Helen Hayes/McArthur Award for Outstanding New Play, (Before It Hits Home)
Winner of Susan Smith Blackburn Award (Before It Hits Home) 1991