Casey Deer
Women in Media Presentation Wiki Portion bell hook’s Beginning bell hook’s was born on September 25, 1952, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (BELL). Initially, her name at birth was, Gloria Jean Watkins (BELL). hooks’ has always enjoyed reading, even throughout her childhood. hooks’ adopted her name from her grandmother (BELL).
She has two reasons why she does not capitalize her name. One reason is to distinguish her name from her grandmother’s. Second, is to indicate the text and not the biography of the author (BELL). hooks’ received a scholarship to Stanford University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in
1973. Then, she went for her Master’s at the University of Wisconsin in 1976. But she wasn’t done yet; she received her PhD from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1983 (Burke). bell hooks’ Career bell hooks’ is heavily influenced by Paulo Freire; she met and worked with him several times (Burke).
She uses a quote from him in, Teaching Community , which states, “It is imperative that we maintain hope even when the harshness of reality may suggest the opposite” (Burke).
Berea College in Kentucky hired her as a Distinguished Professor in 2004. While there, she participated in feminist discussion groups (BELL).
Some Readings Written by hooks’
And There We Wept (1978)- This was a book that included a collection of poems (BELL).
Ain’t I a Woman?: Black Women and Feminism
(1981)- This book discusses the history of black women and sexist and racial social structures. She reviews theories on capitalism, patriarchy, and whitesupremacy (BELL).
Teaching to Transgress (1994) - (Burke) hooks discusses classroom structures. She says that classrooms could be used in transgressive ways to create a more naturalized and engaged body of students and teachers (BELL).
Teaching Community (2003)- Describes the process of building community in the classroom (Burke). hooks’ Beliefs
In hooks’,
Teaching to Transgress , she is passionate about education. She stated, “To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin” (Burke). hooks’ states in, Teaching Community
, “No one, no matter how intelligent and skillful at critical thinking, is protected against the subliminal suggestions that imprint themselves on our unconscious brain if we are watching hours and hours of television” (Burke).
The books bell hooks’ has written engage in pedagogy, sexuality, patriarchy, and masculinity. hooks’ switches between different media, and different writing tones. Also, hooks’ values accessibility and has given lectures in open venues, participated in documentaries, and written for mainstream magazines
(BELL).

Works Cited
Burke, B. (2004) ‘bell hooks on education’, the encyclopedia of informal education, www.infed.org/thinkers/hooks.htm
.
"BELL HOOKS - BIOGRAPHY." bell hooks . N.p., n.d. Web. 07 March. 2013. http://www.egs.edu/library/bell-hooks/biography/ .