BRCC students learn hard work yields
rewards
Several BRCC students have learned that with hard work, commitment, and diligence,
anything is possible.
If you've ever visited Bea Gyimah’s English 201 class at BRCC, you've heard her refer to
her students as the “Future Leaders of Tomorrow.”
The Future Leaders of Tomorrow, have become “the Leaders of Today,” with a selfpublished Race and Ethnic Studies journal under their wings.
As part of the My America, Your America, Our America Writers’ Project, during the
2012 Spring and Fall semester, Gyimah assigned to her students the task of writing ethnic
autobiographies that encouraged them to discover and examine their ethnic identity
within the context of double consciousness or how they define themselves along with
how others perceive them.
This end-of-semester project would ultimately set the stage for her students to create a
Race and Ethnic Studies Journal.
With both grace and grit, twenty essayists and two poets intimately showcased their
personal declarations regarding their cultural and ethnic identities, in a self-published
Race and Ethnic Studies Journal entitled America the Beautiful In Spite of It All: Student
Reflections on Exploring Their Cultural Identities in the Land of the Free and the Home
of the Brave.
Several students who
worked on the project had an opportunity to see the journal displayed on the bookshelf at
the Louisiana State Library, for the first time last week.
The students were elated with excitement to know that their work has found a place in the
Louisiana Authors Collection.
"I feel accomplished and over-whelmed with joy because this project has allowed me to
appreciate my talent more. If someone else thinks your work is worth publishing so
should you. I am honored and humbled," said Antira Jackson, who is one of the featured
poets.
Students had an opportunity to meet with Assistant Secretary and State Librarian,
Rebecca Hamilton at the State Library Office.
"The 5th floor is where we collect things that are important to the history of Louisiana,
written by people from Louisiana or about Louisiana," said Hamilton. "This piece of
work is important because it is written by Louisiana students. Ethnicity in Louisiana is a
sensitive issue, and it's great to have student perspectives."
The journal has been placed in the permanent collection at the Louisiana State Library,
where it will remain forever. It will also be housed at the River Center Branch Library in
The Baton Rouge Room, which focuses on local history.
A copy of the journal can also be found at BRCC's Magnolia Library.
For additional information on this project contact Bea Gyimah at gyimaha@mybrcc.edu
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to
view it .
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