garden wall in San Francisco, CA
For history, as nearly no one seems to know, is not merely something to be read. And it does not refer merely, or even principally, to the past. On the contrary, the great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do.
-James Baldwin, "Unnameable Objects, Unspeakable Crimes," The White Problem in America, 1966
-James Baldwin, "Unnameable Objects, Unspeakable Crimes," The White Problem in America, 1966
WELCOME!
This site is created to assist students who are enrolled in my classes at Santa Ana College and elsewhere in finding course materials, with easy access links to syllabi, assignments, Canvas, news media, and more. Should you not find what you're looking for, please email me using your course section name and number in the subject line.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Navigating difficult times
If you follow the news or even scroll through news headlines, you may feel overwhelmed and or a bit depressed by the mostly negative, sometimes heartbreaking, and often violent topics brought to your attention; I know I can feel that way. When I discuss these feelings with friends and family (because I am not alone nor are you in feeling this way) one thing that keeps coming to my rescue is something one of my professors said to me and my classmates as we were all feeling devastated about certain current events that were consuming us at the moment. She said (and this is a paraphrase!) that she takes comfort in studying the past, because knowing all the terrible things that happened in the past helps remind her that the present is not always worse. This somewhat twisted logic is quite helpful to me - maybe it is to you too.
Another way that I find the study of the past to be helpful is through fiction. Historical fiction or novels can be a great way to imagine the past, but also to come to terms with or "get a grip" on present reality. Below is a SHORT list of novels that I love; they are compelling stories with sympathetic and complex characters, and they challenge me to strive to be my best self in my present moment, knowing I have the luxury of hindsight. Some of these also blend reality with magic and spirituality in ways that challenge me to be open and accepting beyond what I can see or touch, which is in some ways much like imagining history itself. These books are "difficult" - the topics, the violence, the cruelty that is described, yet all of these stories are intensely beautiful to me. Perhaps you may find some comfort and beauty in them as well, by imagining how to navigate your own difficult times.
The Fraud, by Zadie Smith
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
The Book of Night Women by Marlon James
Tracks by Louise Erdrich
Another way that I find the study of the past to be helpful is through fiction. Historical fiction or novels can be a great way to imagine the past, but also to come to terms with or "get a grip" on present reality. Below is a SHORT list of novels that I love; they are compelling stories with sympathetic and complex characters, and they challenge me to strive to be my best self in my present moment, knowing I have the luxury of hindsight. Some of these also blend reality with magic and spirituality in ways that challenge me to be open and accepting beyond what I can see or touch, which is in some ways much like imagining history itself. These books are "difficult" - the topics, the violence, the cruelty that is described, yet all of these stories are intensely beautiful to me. Perhaps you may find some comfort and beauty in them as well, by imagining how to navigate your own difficult times.
The Fraud, by Zadie Smith
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
The Book of Night Women by Marlon James
Tracks by Louise Erdrich
Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor SocietyDo you have a GPA of 3.0 or higher? Consider joining Alpha Gamma Sigma at either Santa Ana College or Los Angeles Harbor College. I encourage all of my students to join this or any other club through their campus. Get involved!
Are you paying out-of-state tuition fees?You may qualify for in-state tuition under CA law, AB540. For more information visit: http://ab540.com/What_Is_AB540_.html
SAC students can also find more information here. California State University has an excellent list of additional resources for AB540 or DACA students throughout CA, Los Angeles and Orange Counties included. 
Learning Resources
Here is a compilation of useful web pages, books, study tips and more that I have used in the Learning Resource Center at LAHC and Tutoring Center at Ventura College.
Chicano Park, San Diego, CA
CoursesUse this page to find your class: get more information, download syllabi, access materials and weblinks.
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Covid-19 Resources for StudentsAI - Is it Plagiarism?WOW. The intensity and speed with which artificial intelligence (AI) is exponentially improving, in the form of chatbots and generative capabilities, has me spinning. There is a LOT I could say about all of it, but what concerns me here is how it is being used by YOU - students - in the classroom. I continue to engage in conversations, exploration, and experimentation regarding AI in history classes specifically, and I want to preface my position (which I will highlight here) by highlighting a section of the American Historical Association's Standards on Professional Conduct. As discipline practitioners we all have guidelines, and here is a sample of guidelines that many historians subscribe to and abide by:
Historians cannot successfully do [their] work without mutual trust and respect. By practicing their craft with integrity, historians acquire a reputation for trustworthiness that is arguably their single most precious professional asset. The trust and respect both of one’s peers and of the public at large are among the greatest and most hard-won achievements that any historian can attain. It is foolish indeed to put them at risk. Although historians disagree with each other about many things, they do know what they trust and respect in each other’s work. All historians believe in honoring the integrity of the historical record. They do not fabricate evidence. Forgery and fraud violate the most basic foundations on which historians construct their interpretations of the past. An undetected counterfeit undermines not just the historical arguments of the forger, but all subsequent scholarship that relies on the forger’s work. Those who invent, alter, ignore, remove, or destroy evidence of any kind make it difficult for any serious historian ever wholly to trust their work again. (emphasis added) YES YES YES! As a student in my history class, I will continue to push and demand that we all engage in the work - yes work - of learning, understanding, and creating history. I call work submitted by students but written by AI "counterfeit." Our job together is to learn and for me to assess learning historical content and application; I am not here to assess your AI prompt skills - let's save that for another class! As I continue to learn and grow in my own skills and knowledge of AI, I will continue to refine my position. However, here is what you will expect to find on my syllabi at this time:
You are not allowed to use advanced automated tools (artificial intelligence or machine learning tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2) on assignments in this course. Each student is expected to complete each assignment without substantive assistance from others, including automated tools. My job is to assess your learning of historical content and production, not your ability to effectively input AI prompts. Remember, I will not give you credit for work that is not your own. So please - let's do the work as historians together and continue to be respected and reliable sources of accurate and trustworthy evidence and interpretations!! |
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