Jayden McCree

Hello LAH! My name is Jayden McCree, and I received the Hogan/Schell Undergraduate Award in Black Queer Studies. I am a sophomore majoring in  Economics and African & African Diaspora Studies. Creating the portfolio, titled “Eden,” was not an organized or particularly intensive endeavor, but rather just the culmination of my thoughts and feelings over the span of a few months made manifest in poetry and composition. My creative practice is heavily spontaneous, journalistic, and more so a daily practice of mindfulness. KB Brookins' Freedom House had such a tangible vision for an American Black-Queer “Eden” that the concept became something my poetry and composition regularly returned to throughout the semester.

To me, this award indicates a thriving community of Black Queer scholars and creatives, as well as the versatility of the field in its embracing of the artistic as a form of scholarship. Initially I hesitated to submit a purely creative portfolio. However, these awards taught me that Black creativity is unable to be divorced from Black Studies, as any honest reflection on life in intersection depicts vividly the influence of society, history, and other “academic” subjects.

Regardless of your identity, use, and use regularly the incredible resources UT Libraries has to offer on campus. The Black Diaspora Archive, Black Queer Studies Library, and UT Poetry Center are just a few of the places to go for inspiration. Exposure to the diverse stories these locations have to offer could be the impetus for new ways of thinking and creating.