Most Interesting People 2015: Karen Long

WHY SHE'S INTERESTING: Long took over as manager of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards last year, adding a little verve to the historic prize. The awards, given to literary works dealing with racism and diversity, will celebrate its 80-year anniversary this year. Long wants to leave her mark, expanding from one night to a yearlong celebration with workshops, readings and literary get-togethers.

Curatorial cred: When Long was young, her mother alternated reading fiction and nonfiction to her every few weeks. Years later, that eye for diverse reads landed her a spot as the book editor at The Plain Dealer, a position she held for eight years before departing last January. "It was the way [my mother] kept her intellectual life alive. One of my saddest parts of this joyful gig is that she died before I became book editor of The Plain Dealer."

Ring master: For 2014 poetry winner Adrian Matejka's The Big Smoke, a collection about pioneering black boxer Jack Johnson, Long set up a reading in a boxing gym. This year, Long wants to schedule even more events that open up a book's sometimes-challenging subjects. "To me, a lot of what is rewarding is sitting at the grown-up table," she says. "That's how I kind of describe Anisfield-Wolf: They're hard books, but they're so worth it."

Spreading the word: The awards have recognized a range of authors since beginning in 1935, including Junot Diaz, Nam Le, Toni Morrison and Robert Coles. Yet the awards are still relatively unknown in Cleveland. The solution, Long says, is to emphasize their relevance and ability to elevate the disenfranchised. "Part of what is awe-inspiring is who has won it. It was the biggest payday of Zora Neale Hurston's life. It was the first book Martin Luther King Jr. wrote."

Writer's instinct: She worked her way up through the ranks at The Plain Dealer, covering the science and religion beats, with a stint in the cop shop. "As someone who wouldn't look scary with a submachine gun, [journalism] was a way into power for me. I was condescended to. I looked about 12 when I started at The Plain Dealer, but I always got the last word."

Book it: A mother of three grown children, Long got used to on-the-go reading to the tune of more than 100 books a year. Her current favorite? A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James, about an assassination attempt on Bob Marley. But she doesn't have any voice in the final selection of winners. "I'll just have to see how the jury sets the table," she says.

Screen time: Long takes pleasure in traditional literature but has no qualms about diving into more contemporary fare. "I was watching The Walking Dead. It is a golden age of television and character development. You're missing the good stuff if you have those high-low problems. What's exciting is when they mix."