I'm Jessie.

I write, sew, and live in Atlanta, Georgia.

My interest in the very relative nature of who and what is remembered and how is what drives me. It drives me to study history, it drives me to learn the stories of my students and others, and to question how any of us document our lives and experiences. There is no objective story, and we are the richer for our subjectivity, if we are willing to listen to one another.

I am endlessly curious. I love to learn, and this desire has drawn me deeply into fiber arts: modern quilting, garment sewing, knitting, crochet, weaving, dyeing fibers. Creativity is one of my cornerstone values, and the urge to create keeps me sane, interested, and constantly learning and growing. I have documented many of my quilts over the years on this blog, but need to do better documenting other makes. I hope to do so in 2020 and beyond.

I’ve long been a fan of podcasts as a medium for learning and storytelling, and in 2018, I started one! Along with my fabulous bestie and fellow learner, Olivia, and our producer Johnny, we started The Origins Of… Podcast. Naturally, we ask questions of our ancestors, like who was the first person to try eating really old, smelly grapes and discovering it tastes great (wine)? We do topics in pairs, with one sharing their history with the other for the first time, so you get to learn right along with us and share in the joy of discovery!

I’m earning a PhD in Rhetoric and Composition, which is the study of writing, argument, and narrative, and how we build all three in the things we compose every day (well beyond academic environments). I am especially interested in disrupting the archives, feminist rhetorics, women in work and labor, writing across the curriculum, undergraduate writing and research, and of course, history, Oh yeah, I also have two degrees in history.

I grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and have lived in Georgia since 1998. I have a deep appreciation for both, and can properly judge the lovely and the terrible of both regions. There’s more than a few thoughts on that posted here too, the many years I’ve been writing in this space.

Since 2008, Be The Ink has been a place for me to share my thoughts, ideas, and creative ventures.

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