Blunts, Bullets and Belligerence: A Memoir Remembering the Students America Forgot
Available for purchase here.
As a writer you can only hope that your stories resonate with your audience in a meaningful way. My personal hope was that the reader felt as though they were witnessing these accounts detailed in my memoir, Blunts, Bullets and Belligerence. I wanted to shed light on the not-so-glamorous, yet real, topics that are often misrepresented by the media and general society. That said, I wanted to provide an accurate voice to often neglected communities – sharing frustrations, fears, pains, and ideologies.
This book not only outlines the academic dilemmas our schools face, but how these feats impact our students psychologically. Moreover, how it effects their families and the communities at-large. It implores readers to start intentionally addressing these matters while perceiving them from a humanistic and wholistic approach. Ultimately, it examines the lingering effect of discrimination and the way it has systemically impacted schools, students and our current sociological constructs.
Ideally, I wanted this book to invoke a sense of mindfulness. The reality is we have way too many kids whose needs are not being met, and that number is continuing to grow. I want us to generate intentional dialogue and self-inventories that will allow us to collectively start addressing the faults within our education system. I want people to be comfortable acknowledging something isn’t working and having a conversation about what the solution might be. Additionally, I would encourage individuals to look at education not for what it is now, but instead, for what it could be if we took the time to redefine it. I think people can get weighed down by the common rhetoric around education and everything begins to sound like an empty promise. Redefining what education is requires us to listen to students, parents, and community members. We have to know who we are serving before we can think about making positive changes. This book sheds light on the myriad disparities that exist within education and the importance of understanding who you are serving and letting that be your guide regarding the methodology and approach.
Megan Blaising is an Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the University of Indianapolis. Her professional background lies in education – namely urban education. She has dedicated her life to fostering visibility to disenfranchised and neglected communities and advocating for equal educational opportunities for all. She has served as a counselor, social worker, legal advocate, leader, and educational consultant.
Instagram: @megan.blaising
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