calandra's Work

calandra's Reflection and Work

Open Letter to Odyssey Class of 2025

Dear Kab, Kenneth (Huey), Sherell, Jamie, Rocío & Scott, Nico & Rey, Janelle, 
Amy, Aiesha, Elo, Ms. Charlotte, Kelly, and Nissi:

what a journey this has been ! it’s hard to put into words… over this academic year, i’ve been: 
challenged, 
encouraged, 
discouraged, 
inspired, 
stretched, 
tired, 
frustrated, 
exhilarated, 
surprised, 
stumped,
amused,
and so many other things, but each of you has made this part of my journey absolutely worth it. before Odyssey, i thought of myself as intellectually and pedagogically radical (a badass, if you will), but my time with you and Odyssey has made me reconsider (or think again— see what I did there?). while i am still committed to a revolutionary teaching praxis, i have learned that i have a ways to go in terms of fully realizing this commitment. i take very seriously my responsibility to utilize the limited institutional power to which i have access, as your instructor, to cultivate your awareness of the structural power which seeks to govern and control the production of knowledge, meaning, and morality both within and outside the academy. 
however, in many ways, i feel as though i failed you. (as your friend and cheerleader? totally crushing it. as your instructor, not so much.) over this past academic year we weathered many storms— changes to curriculum, changes to course structure, changes to our classroom family, interpersonal challenges, challenging content, and so on, but you have responded, for the most part, with grace. it is i who really struggled to lead you through these rough waters, and for that i’m sorry. i was so focused on getting you where i wanted us to go that i lost sight of what was right in front of me, namely the fact that there is nothing “typical” or traditional about Odyssey, and as such my approach to teaching you all needed to adapt to meet you where you were, not the other way around. (typical Leo behavior: always focused on the big picture, details be damned.) additionally, there were other structural changes that occurred that made it difficult for me to fully engage with you all the way i wanted to and the way i felt (and still feel) you deserved.
 you have the capacity to be intellectual giants; you already are. i hope you know that, truly. please let this be the beginning of your ongoing learning journeys, not the end. please continue to ask critical questions, challenge authority, speak up when you see or experience injustice, advocate and organize for yourself and other laborers; keep reading poems and short stories and critical nonfiction essays. keep growing and striving to know more. and please never forget, i am always,
always,
rooting for you.

All my love,
calandra