Woman. Warrior. Writer. 4-2022
Artress Bethany-White Vol. 3 No. 7 April 1, 2022
Aloha,
Meet Woman Warrior Writer Artress Bethany-White!
Artress Bethany White is a poet, essayist, and literary critic. She is the recipient of the Trio Award for her poetry collection My Afmerica (Trio House Press, 2019) and author of Survivor’s Guilt: Essays on Race and American Identity (New Rivers Press, 2020). She is associate professor of English at East Stroudsburg University and teaches poetry and nonfiction workshops for Rosemont College Summer Writer’s Retreat in Pennsylvania.
How did you come to author your life?
I came to author my life when I accepted my first university teaching position. I was already living in New York and describing myself as a writer. I was working as a coordinator for New York University’s executive MBA program and I was earning a livable wage. Then someone approached me about a teaching job at Long Island University. Intuitively, I knew that this was going to be a game-changer for me, and it was. That first job propelled me into completing a master’s degree and a Ph.D., and became the perfect career companion to my life as a writer. I love what I do!
I highly recommend Survivor’s Guilt for K-12 and undergraduate teachers. If there is one book that can help guide your teaching in terms of African American lit/cultural studies that gives you solid guidance, especially if you do not have this in your wheelhouse, this is it. It covers the bases and will really help you. I think books that discuss pedagogical approaches can make all the difference when you teach!
Mental and Emotional Health
My three articles on divorce were published by Scarlet Society, a publication that focuses on wellness, sexuality, and health for women 40+. I am really thrilled to be a part of the launch. It’s a publication that proposes different choices and ideas for women to consider.
Writing about my divorce, firstly, for my legal file, was one of the most significant steps to healing and has shaped how I approach my health. I write about divorce because it remains a social taboo and as a 28 billion dollar a year industry deserves more discussion. It affects our economy and impacts our social structures, and yet it remains hidden from public discourse.
Why Divorce is an Opportunity to Feel More Empowered
5 Big Lessons My High-Conflict Divorce Taught Me About Money
How to Write Your Divorce Story
Intersectionality: Manuscript Workshop
The spring class ended this week! It’s been an honor to read the work and experience and listen to all the ways that women write, think, and perceive their place in this world.
Summer Intersectionality: Manuscript Workshop begins June 7 and runs 8 weeks. This is a limited enrollment class. Former students receive a 10% discount.
Please contact me for details — class is by instructor permission only writer@drstephaniehan.com
Weight Vests
This is a hinge. One hand on the pole. Then other hand brings the weight close to your chest. Switch legs and do the other side. Here I am wearing an 8-pound weight vest. This means my hand weight (5 pounds) doesn’t have to be increased. Darin thinks about the workarounds.
This past week my 12-pound vest arrived. It is heavy! I highly suggest a vest as it distributes the weight. I asked Darin what he thought of me wearing this inside. He pointed out I might forget about my core and positioning. He’s right. It’s an effort to remain aware of how I might best walk, sit, and stand.
I remembered carrying around my 26-pound child who did not walk until he was 15 months old. The Michelin Man. Women with young children weightlift hours a day. The caretaking of young children requires a lot of manual labor. I digress…
I’ve now moved up from a 6 to a 12 pound vest. We’ll see what the next step might be! I’m trying bone visualizations, but what happens is that I get this image of a Halloween skeleton. I’m not sure about that…I may have to rethink how I am imagining my bone growth…
FOOD
Other news on the bone front: consuming more greens…(do not eat raw spinach, you must cook it if you have bone issues!) and bone broth from Local I’A.
Wanna know what I do with fish bone broth? I throw in kimchi, mushrooms, green onion, potato, tofu (option).
Wanna know how I make poké? Raw fish (fresh!) chopped in small squarish or trapezoid 3-D pieces, mayo, gochujang (Korean red chili paste), green onion, sesame seed (option), place on top of hapa (brown and white) rice. Sprinkle of kiem/nori or dried roasted seaweed on top (option).
ADHD Will This Work? OK, We’ll Try It…
The Kid and I had a chat yesterday about how things might get more organized. We’ve tried calendars, whiteboards, more calendars, datebooks… We’re now trying this.
Everyday I will write down stuff he is supposed to do when he walks in. I put it outside on the chair next to the door. Today is quite easy; on another day he may have to clean the guinea pig cage or do laundry. Most parents would remember to ask about the hard copy of the report card or scores. I forgot for two days. The master calendar will be my own, but at this stage, we’ve got to get through the day.
Update: He did not see it on the chair. He said he told me to tape it to the door. I forgot…But we will try again!
The key to most of this ADHD stuff is cutting myself some slack. Cutting him some slack. We learn and we will get it. But it is unlikely to be in the order or sequence that we anticipate and that’s OK. Life is not a race. It’s an experience.
Pedagogical Tip of the Day
Students can only take in two corrections per assignment. Apparently, there were studies about this… this is challenging for those who teach younger students and undergraduates. If you are teaching creative writing class focus on the big stuff: structure, voice, point-of-view, and all of that. You have limited time. Think about what matters.
Please forward this newsletter to a friend! I look forward to seeing you in class.
If you would like to recommend a Woman Warrior Writer, please do so! Email me at writer@drstephaniehan.com