The Abernathy contributor spotlight series shines the spotlight on our brilliant authors. If you’d like to write for Abernathy, please submit your best work here.
Why is writing important to you?
I write because I feel a need to critique. Putting those critiques to paper helps me visualize and consider new possibilities to the problems that I see.
What keeps you busy when you’re not writing?
Being a dad to my lovely daughter, a partner to my wife, reading, running, watching Netflix, thinking about higher education, and supporting Manchester United & DC United.
What piece are you most proud of and why?
I’m proud of the piece, Men Need Feminism, here on Abernathy because I think it points out the responsibility cis-gender men have in rethinking and confronting toxic masculinity.
What book or books have most influenced your thinking or writing?
It’s too hard to narrow! There is a lot of fiction that has shaped my perspectives, but I think non-fiction has shaped more about my writing and thinking. These authors include bell hooks, Angela Davis, Howard Zinn, Chris Crass, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Thich Nhat Hahn, and a whole lot more.
Who is your favorite writer or author? Where should people start if they want to read this person’s best work?
My favorite writer is probably the one who has been most influential on me and that would be bell hooks. Reading some of her work early on in my development as an educator has shaped a lot about how I choose to do my work. I started by reading Teaching for Community but other great places to start are Feminism is for Everyone, The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love, and Killing Rage.
Where can our audience find out more about you?
My blog and portfolio is at aaronhood.net and I’m on twitter, linkedin, instagram, goodreads, pinterest, and some other social media networks as aaronhood. I’m also working with JPHigherEd as a webinar facilitator where I’m creating professional development workshops for professionals to think more creatively on how to incorporate cultural competence and social justice education into their work.
Anything else?
I really love the Abernathy project and the work that the team is able to put out to highlight some voices they believe are important for their audience to hear from. I’m honored to be a part of that group and I’m looking forward to the continued excellence of this publication.
More from AJ on Abernathy:
- The Detox: A Word (For Men) On Loving Before Losing
- For Us, By Us On The Low: A Movement For Black Media
- I Don’t Blame You For Not Wanting To Vote… But You Should Vote Anyway
- Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” Wasn’t For Me… And That’s Okay
- No Safe Spaces: When Violence Against Women is Fantasy and Reality
- Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and #BlackLivesMatter: Why “Stop Killing Us” is Both Revolutionary and Insufficient
The Abernathy contributor spotlight series shines the spotlight on our brilliant authors. If you’d like to write for Abernathy, please submit your best work here.
