The Power of Language:
John Jay College Writers of Excellence
We continue into our second year displaying the work of outstanding students. Launched in 2021, this site is the digital home for award winning, creative, research-driven, inquiry-based projects from student writers in the Vertical Writing Program of John Jay College.
Empowering students.
Inspiring writers.
Featured Writers
Jennifer Chin
ENG 133: Language and Justice Research Project
Faculty Mentor: Timothy McCormack
Chin’s bio:
Jennifer Chin ’25, a forensic psychology major from Queens, New York, grew up with lots of different languages swirling around in her household. Identifying as “half Chinese and half African American” because her father has Chinese and Portuguese ancestors, and her mother is a Black woman from Côte d'Ivoire, Chin’s likely to hear a mix of Cantonese, Portuguese, French, English, and Spanish on a typical day. She often wondered if there was a link between how easily a person learned a language and their relationship with the culture and speakers.
The above is an excerpt from the spotlight on Chin published by John Jay College. Read it here.
Tasfiya Kashem
ENG 201: Exploring Writing Across the Disciplines Opinion Piece
Faculty Mentor: Irene Chrysafi
Kashem’s bio:
Tasfiya is a first-year student at John Jay majoring in Law and Society. Prior to her time at John Jay, she had the opportunity to participate in the 2021 Abolitionist Youth Organizing Institute, where she learned about prison industrial complex abolition and transformative justice. As a student of abolition, Tasfiya is committed to an abolitionist politic that she strives to reflect in every aspect of her life, including her writing.
Read Kashem’s powerful opinion piece “More Policing is not the Solution to Hate Crimes” here.
Jaxon Tartaglia
HIS 106: A Writing Across the Curriculum History Project
Faculty Mentors: Fritz Umbach and Valerie West
Tartaglia’s bio:
Tartaglia is a first-year student at John Jay, majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology and minoring in Environmental Justice. He has found a deep passion in fighting climate change and aspires to work in climate science and ecological restoration. Jaxon is also a passionate dancer, performing locally in tap, jazz, and Irish step. He also enjoys writing, specifically playwriting, and has helped write and produce multiple shows for school and student-led theatre companies.
Read Tartaglia’s research project and poster “National Data Points to Opportunity Barriers for LatinX Women” here.