Jazmine and I first crossed paths when she was enrolled in an introductory course at UC Santa Cruz. Students in that class were not asked to write traditional essays, but to prepare for and participate in small group workshops, which were recorded and sent to their TA for grading. Some time later, I was happy to find Jazmine enrolled in an upper division course for which I was a teaching assistant, where she made thoughtful contributions to our discussion sections. She brought a maturity and oftentimes, alternative points of view, to the classroom that made for a richer dialogue. In our private talks, we learned that our backgrounds and interests were quite similar in a number of ways. I look forward to seeing what she makes of her love of poetry and philosophy.
What Jazmine says about herself:
I am a person of Mexican descent from East San Jose, and the first in my family to attend college. I am the eldest of three children raised by a single father. My grandmother played a pivotal role in my upbringing, teaching me that to live passionately is the most important thing in life. My greatest aspiration is not only to live this way, but to also help others discover the means by which they can do the same. In my free time I write poetry, paint, and read a lot! I am also into rockabilly, pin-up, and old school car culture, and I love all things vintage and horror-related (Editor's note: this is one thing we do not have in common. I reflexively punch people when I watch horror movies.)
I am a literature and philosophy double major. What I am most interested in is the distortion of reality: magical realism, surrealism, ethics, identity, and death. I plan to attain a master's degree and, eventually, a PhD, and I hope to teach at the community college or university level. I am motivated to continue my education in order to inspire others from my socio-economic background to empower themselves through education. I'd like to speak at prisons, half-way homes, and underfunded high schools, as these institutions have had a direct impact on who I have become.
What Jazmine says about working with Amena:
Amena set an example for being creative in the university setting. By thinking outside the box to explain philosophical theories written hundreds of years ago, she allowed students to interact with these ideas in their own way. Using recording as part of our workshop assignment, we were able to watch ourselves discussing the same concepts the ancient Greeks had discussed. When I first worked with Amena, I was very new to philosophy, so this was a big deal for me. I had never been exposed to this way of thinking, but because I was never intimidated by Amena, I felt encouraged to pursue the subject as a major. I also admired the way she held the attention of a large classroom and spoke with clarity. Most of all, I appreciate that she took time to have a personal conversation with me and to give advice to an aspiring academic.
If you'd like to contact Jazmine, write to jajelope@ucsc.edu.