My name is Jalen Lisbon, and I’m a junior English major minors in Writing and Education Studies. As a tutor, I work to help clients feel comfortable and empowered as writers. A significant part of my developing pedagogy is what Vershawn Ashanti Young coined “code meshing.” In other words, I don’t privilege Standard English, but honor clients’ varying dialects, languages, and vernacular to ensure that their clear, authentic voice shows up on the page.
Previously, I have assisted with teaching fiction at the Ithaca Young Writers Institute, and I currently serve as the Student Director for Ithaca College’s New Voices Literary Festival. In addition, I serve on IC’s Graphic Novel Advisory Board, working with local libraries to equitably expand their graphic novel catalogue. My writing specialties include research papers, academic writing, fiction, literary analysis, creative nonfiction, personal essay, and argument.
