It took more than two decades, four unpublished manuscripts, and scores of rejection letters before Laura Warrell brought her first book into the world—the acclaimed novel Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm, which was published by Pantheon Books last year and recently issued in a paperback edition. A lecturer in the English department at CSUDH since 2017, Warrell discussed the challenges she’s faced as a writer, her approach to the craft, and the inspiration for her debut novel during an evening of conversation on Oct. 4 at the Marvin Laser Recital Hall. The event, co-hosted by the departments of English and Women’s Studies, was introduced by Debra Best, professor of English, and featured a ... Read More
College of Arts & Humanities
Africana Studies Professor Puts Students First
Everyone who attended the Black History Month opening celebration at CSUDH in early February was struck by the passion and energy of the woman who kicked off the proceedings. As she recited two poems and performed an original song, it was clear that Africana Studies Adjunct Professor Meryah Fisher had a palpable connection to the students in attendance, who enthusiastically cheered and danced along. Such connections are by design. A large part of Fisher's teaching is formulated to center her students as people before delving into the coursework. “We start out every single day with the question 'How are you?',” she says. “I didn't even bother going over the syllabus during the first week ... Read More
Retrospective Exhibition Highlights Career of CSUDH Art Professor Emerita
CSUDH Professor Emerita of Art Gilah Yelin Hirsch has been honored with a retrospective exhibit at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA) in Santa Ana. Titled “The Archeology of Metaphor, the exhibit runs through Oct. 29 and features work from throughout her lengthy and varied career, from her earliest 1968 paintings to the present. Hirsch, who joined the art department faculty in 1973 and taught at CSUDH for almost 50 years, is considered one of the first feminist artists. She was a founding member and wrote the manifesto for the Los Angeles Council of Women Artists, one of the first women's art organizations. The statement protested the underrepresentation of women in ... Read More
Mellon Mays Fellows Spend Summer Hard at Work
For many college students, summer is a time for relaxing and putting their studies behind them for a few months. But for three talented recipients of the 2022 Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, summertime meant conducting in-depth research that helped them prepare for graduate school. “The Mellon Mays Fellowship allows arts and humanities students from underrepresented backgrounds or who are studying underrepresented aspects of research to apply for funding to help get them to go to graduate school,” says Andrea Johnson, an assistant professor of history and faculty coordinator for the program. “We prepare them for what life will be like in the academy as they continue on with their ... Read More
CSUDH English Lecturer Connects with First Novel
Author and CSUDH Department of English faculty member Laura Warrell has found that much of her writing revolves around a similar theme. “Everyone is interested in certain aspects of living, which keep showing up in their work,” she says. “I'm noticing that my patterns are about a desire to connect, a desire to have intimacy, and the blockages and challenges around that, whether they're societal or internal.” That striving for connection is one of the major themes of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm, Warrell's debut novel, which was published Sept. 27 by Pantheon Press. “These are characters who are trying to connect. I think that we all are like that. Every woman I know has been in a ... Read More
