thank you, david feinberg or and lisa lucas and everyone at the national book foundation.ission to honor books to celebrate the best writing and expand readership has never been more critical. my work at the alfred p. sloan foundation i wish to salute three distinguished colleagues, the chair of the sloan board, adam faulk, president of the foundation, lisa lynn, senior vice president. [applause] >> when i came to sloan 23 years ago, we did not support the arts. without steadfast commitment to put their money where my mouth was i wouldn't be here and couldn't have helped so many talented artists including 200 book authors, 600 screenwriters and filmmakers, 400 playwrights and 150 television and radio writers. i'm especially proud of sloan's support for many works by and about women and underrepresented minorities. 30 years ago. even before sloan, i joined the writers room, the largest shared writer space where i wrote my first two books, no one wants the job. a shout out to donna brody, executive director, affordable sanctuary for any writer open 24/seven. since i write bo