Rhonda Kitchens
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The Testaments (2020) is a dystopian novel of resistance. There is nothing straight-forward about this novel, For this reader, they all highlight the power of literate |
My research always starts with the full intention of being a carefully planned expedition. I like to think I know exactly what I want to find, however, that is not always, or even sometimes, rarely the case. I don’t think this is a bad thing though! You never know what you’re going to find in the rabbit hole.
I always attempt to keep my mental space open-minded. Like when I say “You never know what you’re going to find in the rabbit hole!”. Who are we to ONLY focus our area of research on what we want to read? It is so important to stay open-minded, otherwise, how are we ever going to learn something new?
In terms of my specific research, I do tend to stay within the realm of criminology. Within this realm, my favorite area to dig deep into includes understanding the criminal mind, life behind bars, and the reintegration and reentry process for former inmates. All of this of course leads to further rabbit hole topics such as the ongoing nature vs. nurture argument, generational criminals/trauma, mental health issues in the world of the corrections system, gangs, prison culture, the old and new concepts of deviant behavior, and the list goes on.
In terms of content-dense resources, Robert Agnew, Larry Gaines, Roger Miller, or Faith Lutze are my go to. In regard to the above response, Faith Lutze does a great job of helping readers consider things from varying points of view that can absolutely challenge one's typical way of thinking.
In terms of entertainment, you can expect that while I am at home on the couch or scrolling on my phone, I am likely listening to, reading or scrolling from one of the following:
Podcasts: Crime Junkie and/or The Deck
TikTok/Instagram: Soft White Underbelly, SOSA, Killer Bee Tactical, Jesse Crosson, and/or Crimes
Ted Talks: Anything by Brene Brown, Elizabeth Loftus, Ben David, Ronald Sullivan, and Tony Hoffman are all great.
I am a great cook! When I have an open afternoon or evening, I love to spend that time cooking. I don’t want to say I am not a rule follower per say, but I can tell you I sure am not a recipe follower. I love “trying new recipes”, when in reality, that means I go on Pinterest, find a recipe that sounds good, get the needed ingredients, and wing it. I must admit, according to my fiance, my meals turn out great nine times out of ten. Don’t ask him about the time I went a little too heavy on the cumin. I come from a family of fantastic cooks and bakers, so you could say it is generational. I have high hopes I will carry those genes on.
In addition, this really isn’t a big surprise, but I am very optimistic. With that in mind, I am also a huge empath. When I feel feelings, I feel them hard, even when those feelings are expressed for others. I am the type of person who will cry if you cry, get emotional seeing homeless individuals on street corners, get emotional when I see a stray dog or feel even more excitement than you do when you get a new job or ace your final exam. However, what does surprise people is that I have fallen in love with and have become so very passionate in studying one of the most dark, twisted, evil, and frustrating fields - criminal justice. How can someone so happy and smiley and optimistic be so passionate about something so dark? Well, to be completely honest I don’t know. I don’t have a solid answer to that. But I can say, that optimism is important.
Understanding criminal behavior. And to be specific, conducting my own qualitative research with criminals/inmates through surveys and questionnaires with those willing to participate.
I wish I could give you the name of the author and title of this poem, however, I can’t. I came across this poem that was mentioned very briefly in a qualitative study I stumbled on in grad school. The purpose of the study was to determine recidivism rates of former inmates and understand what their reentry/reintegration process was like and where it went right and where it went wrong following release.
This poem was written by a recent inmate (identified by his Department of Corrections identification number) who was locked away for what I want to say was 20-30 years. He was in prison when iPhones came out, social media boomed, streaming apps like Netflix and Hulu became popular, and so on. In other words, what this man was suggesting was that the world outside of his got busy. He shared how when he got out, he couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sensory overload. Busses and cars were louder than ever, phones vibrating, ringing, and dinging were louder than ever, city lights, street lights, car lights, and phone lights were brighter than ever, and food was saltier, fattier, spicier, and more potent than ever. We don’t think twice about these things, because we have been along for the ride this entire time. This man was now realizing he needed to play catch-up. His world was “on pause” while in prison, as the world and lives around him boomed.
In addition, a lot of so-called “gang bangers” and “druggies” are engulfed in a culture of rap music. The rap music they are engulfed in consists of lyrics talking about the dark and evil side of crime. At their most basic levels, rap and poetry are both structured the same, but after reading this poem, I thought to myself, this inmate's once dark rap music has morphed into reflective, meaningful poetry. And that was just the start of his (hopefully) successful release.
I highly encourage checking these out! Linked is a program and poems written by young inmates who express their voice through poetry:
'Our Minds are Still Free:' These Former Prisoners Find Strength Through Poetry
https://wamu.org/story/18/02/23/minds-still-free-former-prisoners-find-strength-poetry/
Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop
https://freemindsbookclub.org/poems/
I was commended by John Kerr and Jeff Wagnitz of Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) for my design of our college’s Guided Pathways course, which transitions students from Basic Education for Adults (BEdA) to college-credit bearing courses at Big Bend Community College (BBCC). Both Kerr and Wagnitz would like to use the course I designed as a statewide model for BEdA programs, and possibly nationally. It was a great honor to be recognized. I’ve heard from our students that the course has given them more information about the programs offered at BBCC and has inspired them to take classes at BBCC to pursue their degrees. That makes me happy as that was the goal. Immediately upon arriving at BBCC in 2019, I was asked to create a course that introduced students to college and career readiness, while also focusing on guided pathways. I’m happy that the NAV 101: Guided Pathways course is meeting this expectation so well.
In 2008, I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines. It was my first time being out of North America and it was quite the shock. I later joined Peace Corps Ukraine and lived there for 27 months teaching English to future English teachers. Sadly, the town I once lived in is now under Russian occupation, but I have managed to still keep in touch with some of my students and my former Russian teacher. In 2012, I moved to China to teach children English. While abroad, I also had the opportunity to travel to South Korea, Italy, France, and the UK. Traveling is my passion and one I’ve missed during the pandemic. To prepare for living abroad, I researched and read as much as I could about the country, culture, languages, and people. Regardless, I always managed to be surprised by something. However, what never ceased to surprise me was that I would experience reverse culture shock when I return to the USA. Hearing English and being bombarded with American culture again always leaves me a little dizzy and fatigued for a few days as I adjust to being an American in America again.
Thank you! I joined TikTok as an outlet during the lockdown in 2020. I never expected that so many people from around the world would actually be interested in hearing what I have to say. Social activism became important to me at a young age, but even more so as I lived overseas and saw the human rights violations not only abroad but domestically, as well. My TikTok account focuses on teaching people about social issues around the world. Most of my topics come from current events - my main source is The New York Times. I also rely on The Washington Post and other prominent and reliable newspapers. One of the greatest aspects of social media is the human experience - we get the opportunity to learn how others live. I have learned more about Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color and their experiences than I ever learned from a history book. It reminds me of traveling and living abroad, without leaving my living room. Not only do I get the opportunity to educate others, but I am also a student, and for that I am truly grateful.
As an instructor in Basic Education for Adults, I teach multiple subjects ranging from English, Science, History, and Health as students complete their high school education. To stay current, I read newspapers and magazines. Besides the New York Times, I like to read National Geographic, The Smithsonian Magazine, In These Times magazine, Ms. magazine, and Science News. I also watch documentaries to stay current. “Big Picture” with Kal Penn is a favorite documentary series. I just watched “Science Fair” by National Geographic on Disney+. I appreciated learning what innovations these young people have created, and I hope the information I was able to include in a recent lesson helps inspire my own students.
Reading is essential. I have always been a voracious reader. My favorite contemporary fiction author is Diana Gabaldon. I first read her Outlander series when I was 17-years-old, and it inspired me to want to become a writer myself. I appreciate that Gabaldon can tie in multiple characters and sensations, much like Hemmingway, but also make it engaging and interesting for the reader. I’m very excited that, after waiting seven years, the next book in Gabaldon’s series comes out on Nov. 23rd. I will spend my Thanksgiving break reading, I assure you.
The poet that I would say had the biggest impact is Ted Kooser. I read his “Abandoned Farmhouse” in my creative writing class in 2004, and I instantly fell in love with his imagery and ability to evoke emotion in a reader. I then had to buy every book he’s ever released. I now read his poetry to my daughter. It was that 2004 creative writing class, and that instructor, that made me realize how much I love writing poetry, which I still do from time to time.
Students and faculty of Big Bend Community College, we have a great database rich with research, tips, history, and even marketing ideas.
Agricultural Collection
Search these publications: Agribusiness
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"Rethinking drip irrigation for vineyards." Southwest Farm Press, 12 Nov. 2019, p. NA. Gale OneFile: Agriculture. Accessed 7 Jan. 2020.
"Nebraska plant scientist to help develop bio-based jet fuel." Southwest Farm Press, 3 Jan. 2020, p. NA. Gale OneFile: Agriculture. Accessed 7 Jan. 2020.
"Managing wheat breeding from space." Farm Industry News, 14 June 2019. Gale OneFile: Agriculture, Accessed 7 Jan. 2020.
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