Octavian Robinson is Director of the Buckeye Sign Language and Multimodal Collaborative, as well as an Associate Professor in the Department of Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies at OSU.
What prompted you to become an OPEEP instructor?
Folks were saying how much they enjoyed teaching OPEEP classes and that the students at ORW were fabulous. I thought a change of pace in my teaching would be welcome.
What courses have you taught (or will you be teaching) for OPEEP, and have there been any challenges?
I have not taught for OPEEP yet! I am preparing a class on disability, power, and the body with a focus on language for fall 2026.
What takeaways would you like students to leave your class with?
First and foremost, I hope students will feel good about their languaging, (yes, I’m using language as a verb!). Students should feel affirmed about how they use language and understand how language is used as a tool of power and a form of capital.
What is the one thing you wish more people knew about prison abolition and transformative justice?
There is no disability justice without prison abolition. Prisons are disabling spaces, disabled people have long and complicated histories with incarceration, and disability logics have long been weaponized against various groups of people to justify, among other things, mass incarceration.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I am an avid puzzler. I always have a puzzle running, usually 1,500-3,000 pieces. I also enjoy reading all kinds of books but have been into fantasy and magical worlds lately. Weightlifting and hanging out with my critters keeps me grounded.