Community Playlist Final Project from Alia Dietsch's Spring 2023 Society and Natural Resources course at Southeastern Correctional Institution (Lancaster, OH)
This past Spring, students in Professor Alia Dietsch's Society and Natural Resources course at Southeastern Correctional Institution took a slightly different approach to their end-of-semester final project. Together, they produced a "Community Playlist" and created the following written document to go along with it:
Inside the document, students described the assignment and their goals in creating it together:
"The Social and Environmental Inequality Playlist assignment invites us to creatively interpret (through music) what we learned this semester. Music reminds us to be curious, to feel a range of emotions, and to listen to what’s really being said despite the tone of how it’s shared. Here, we demonstrate through a selection of songs what we seek to remember. Side A focuses on songs related to the first half of the semester where we learned about complex systems thinking and the key habitats we share with all lifeforms and resources that sustain us. The sound frequencies of these songs radiate the frustration and destruction to the only home we have ever known, the Earth. Side B invites us to question the harm of others and to better engage in individual, collective, and polity level actions that can lead to improved outcomes for all beings."
The group then went on to explain why they appreciated this unique opportunity and type of assignment:
"So often, well-meaning instructors design final exams that test our knowledge, yet such assignments rarely offer the chance to (re)examine what we learned and how that knowledge underscores or challenges our lived experiences. With this assignment, we made creative connections to multiple concepts, and were able to work together to deepen our understanding and better communicate with others. Additionally, creating this assignment together provides a unique way for us to revisit course concepts, and to remember the impact of our work after we part ways."
And before delving into the playlist, students prefaced their song choices and written explanations with this:
"Despite the numerous inequalities we learned about or have personally experienced, every story has an element of hope, redemption, resilience, and more. If we truly seek to have a holistic, equitable future for all, then we must understand these difficult truths while uplifting these positive stories and work with those most impacted by our actions to reduce and prevent such harms."
The following musical tracks and artists were included in the playlist (please see PDF document for correct order!):
- (*Bonus Track*) "Rock the Nation" by Michael Franti & Spearhead (selected by Alia)
- "Wake Up Everybody" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (selected by Is)
- "Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen (selected by Anna)
- "So Much Trouble in the World" by Bob Marley (selected by Ali)
- "Magic" by Xiuhtezcatl Martinez (X) (selected by Keely)
- "Modern Jesus" by Portugal. The Man (selected by Keely)
- "Paradise" by John Prine (selected by Anna)
- "Let the River In" by Dotan (selected by Kara)
- "Breathing" by Kate Bush (selected by Julia)
- "Self-Destruction" by The Stop the Violence Movement (selected by Jason)
- "I Can’t Breathe" by H.E.R. (selected by Myke P.)
- "Mercy, Mercy Me" by Marvin Gaye (selected by Myke P.)
- "Feels Like Summer" by Childish Gambino (selected by Kara)
- "American Terrorist" by Lupe Fiasco (selected by JD)
- "Earthquake" by B.o.B. (selected by Mike)
- "I See Fire" by Ed Sheeran (selected by JD)
- "Where is the Love?" by the Black Eyed Peas (selected by Sergio)
This playlist can also be found on Spotify, thanks to OPEEP Program Coordinator Nicole Edgerton's father, who was deeply moved by the students' work (and loves making playlists!). Click here to listen now on Spotify!
Student Writings from David Adams' Spring 2023 Creative Nonfiction Writing course at the Ohio Reformatory for Women (Marysville, OH)
Three incarcerated students from Professor David Adams' Spring 2023 Creative Nonfiction Writing course at the Ohio Reformatory for Women had writings published in the most recent issue of Hog Creek Hardin, a literary journal housed at The Ohio State University Lima campus and edited by undergraduates. The journal has been in continuous circulation since 2007, publishing works by Ohio State Lima students and area high school students. The editors are dedicated to encouraging and promoting new writers and highlighting regional work.
Click here to access the digital version of Hog Creek Hardin Issue 1, Volume 3, where you can find the following publications written by Professor Adams' students:
- "Trainwreck" by E.B. Green (pages 14-15)
- "The Light of the Firefly" by Ciera Johnson (pages 17-21)
- "Auditorium" by Mary E. Thompson (page 47)
Student Reflections from Amy Shuster's Spring 2023 Philosophy of Happiness course at Southeastern Correctional Institution (Lancaster, OH)
- "I thought this course would be an opportunity to escape the torment [of incarceration] for a few hours a week. I was wrong. It has become an opportunity to rise above the torment with real growth that I will take with me. In particular, this course has revealed the breadth of control I hold in regard to my happiness. That happiness can survive, and even thrive, in the face of oppression. Choosing to be happy, choosing to learn and grow, all constitute an act of protest to oppression. I will choose to pursue knowledge and growth regardless of what is expected from someone like me. I choose to be human.”
- "This course provided me with helpful outlooks on life and happiness both through the academic content and the class environment. It felt unique to be able to participate in such an unconventional classroom environment, and to discuss happiness in a pervasive manner among peers with strikingly different living situations. Sometimes the class felt like a groundbreaking intersection between academia on the inside versus the outside; at other times this course made ever-more apparent the realities of life in prison. More than anything, I am aware of the unique and colorful circumstances of each person. I now do not see people devoid of context—I think about who they are, why they are, and what they might become.”
- "This course means a broadening of my perspectve. Happiness means different things to different people. You can find happiness within yourself no matter the situation you find yourself in. This class has changed me tremendously. It has built my empathy to be forgiven after any mistake. Everyone deserves happiness. This course has shown me that ideas and creative people full of intelligence blossom everywhere, yet not all are in a position to be heard.”
- "This course was an opportunity for me to gain insight into philosophies of happiness, and to explore new approaches to living a happier life. I personally found meaning in interacting with a diverse group of students. This course meant a lot to me because it not only expanded my understanding about acquiring happiness, but also gave me a new experience to measure successful social interaction. This class changed me by helping me understand that I must be careful about my approach to happiness. I no longer just associate happiness with good circumstances but also suffering as part of the process of achieving happiness.”
- "This OPEEP course has truly changed the way my mind works when it comes to understanding different types of people and the value of their perspectives. I came into this class not knowing what I was going to learn, and I eventually realized that the interactions and relationships I have formed with my classmates will stick with me for the rest of my life. This class has changed me for the better in numerous ways. I am no longer able to see systems of incarceration as something we can make excuses for, and I have been able to humanize the experience of being in a situation that may at times feel helpless and hopeless.”
- "This course has helped me to understand the meaning of happiness from different perspectives—from hedonists to desire satisfactionists to eudaimonists. It has also been an attempt to help find my happiness through these perspectives. This class has changed me through intellectual conversations, despite the seemingly invisible barrier of my incarceration. This class has helped me to further my education, challenged me to consider new thoughts, and listen to other people’s perspectives.”
- "This class has made me hold myself more accountable for my actions. I will say it made me stronger in my own beliefs and more in tuned with others around me. I have realized that we all need some form of love.”
- “This course taught me that language can perpetuate archaic systems and ideas, and allowed me to expand my view of the carceral system to understand why the system is in such dire need of change. This class also allowed me to learn and theorize about happiness, what role it plays in a person's life, and what access incarcerated individuals have to it. This class also allowed me to think about what role happiness plays in a person’s life, especially in an incarcerated person's life. It’s allowed me to recognize the privileges that I have as a person who is not a victim of the carceral system, and recognize that the system needs systemic change. I think that the biggest effect that this class has had on me is how many opportunities I have to be happy, and how to approach my goal of happiness. Thinking about the various theories and conceptions of happiness allowed me to solidify exactly what I view happiness as being, and the way that I want to approach problems and difficulties in my own life.”
- “The Philosophy of Happiness course means the general search for or understanding of what it means to be well and content within myself. This course is a platform for self-discovery and enlightenment. This class has changed the way I define happiness and how to obtain it.”
- "Taking this course has enhanced my ability to become a more in-depth critical thinker. It had a profound impact on my view and understanding of the world and why people such as myself do the things they do in pursuit of happiness. I am grateful for having been able to experience what I consider to be one of the greatest opportunities of my life.”
- “This class has changed me and my viewpoint on happiness. It has changed the way I communicate with people. It has changed my understanding of college classes and my confidence when it comes to education.”
