Matthew PhillipsMatthew Phillips was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) in downtown Manhattan in 2003, earning an Associate's Degree in lieu of a High School Diploma at the age of 18. He earned a Bachelor's Degee at the State University of New York at Binghamton and from there enrolled in the CUNY Graduate Center where he was slated to earn a Master's Degree in Middle Eastern Studies. As a reader and writer of poetry, Matthew found his subject matter through a variety of topics, from the joy of learning to the game of chess. However, his primary focus in writing was the Israel-Palestine conflict. Often critical of Israel's involvement in the war, he published eight such essays from 2010-2011 through Mondoweiss, an online platform dedicated to informing the public about the ongoing struggle for peace in the region. He is the son of Louis Phillips and Patricia Ranard, and the twin brother of Ian Phillips. He died in New York City on April 4th, 2011, at the age of 26. Read More Read Less