As the end of the semester approaches students at the University of New Mexico begin to plan their class schedules for the spring, with each semester bringing new classes for students to take advantage of.
In the Africana Studies Program, a new creative writing class called Introduction to Black Creative Writing offers students the chance to explore the work of black authors as well as expand their own writing skills.
Taught by Naima Yael Tokunow, the class includes not only fictional prose, but also nonfiction, poetry and drama in order to give students a well-rounded view of black authors and their work.
These works will extend from slave narratives to the writings of contemporary black authors. Tokunow said she hopes that this wide range of writing in the readings that she has chosen will appeal to students who connect to various types of literature.
“I wanted to put together works that spoke to each other in some way, that either were agreeing with each other or disagreeing with each other or talking about the same thing in different ways,” said Tokunow. “So not only would we be having conversations with each other as a class, the texts would be the catalyst for those conversations.”
Students will also have the opportunity to write for each of the different genres studied in the class in order to improve their writing skills in these genres.
The writing assignments and readings for the class set it apart from a traditional creative writing class by extending the curriculum to genres beyond fiction, something that Tokunow said she hopes will make it appealing to students who do not usually find fiction writing appealing, whether they are reading it or creating it themselves.
The use of different types of writing is also an invitation for students from various departments all over campus to take the class and learn more about what Africana Studies has to offer.
Recently, the university announced that it will be offering a Master of the Arts and PhD. Degree program in Chicano and Chicana Studies, and the Africana Studies Program is currently in the process of petitioning to become a department within the university.
Dr. Charles Becknell Jr., the director of the Africana Studies Program, has been an avid supporter of adding the new class and hopes that it will promote the spirit of inclusivity found in the program.
“When we look at creative writing from the black literary tradition, we’re looking at an opportunity where other units across campus who have an expertise in this area,” Becknell said. “They can learn and they can grow from including perspectives from the black experience.”
He also hopes that the class will be a place for students to experience individual growth both by reading the works of others and through their writing. The curriculum shifts the focus away from the Eurocentric literature that most students experience in English and creative writing classes, and instead allows students to focus on different narratives in order to expand their perspectives of literature.
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“I want students to come away with a stronger sense of self and a firmer understanding of the world that they live in,” Becknell said.
Veronica Apodaca is a culture writer for the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted by email at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @veeapodaca.
