Bio
Taking the scenic route
My careers have chosen ME, over the years. I've always jumped into every opportunity feet first - and ended up in over my head! I wouldn't change my approach for all the riches in the world (which I probably could have had by now if I had just picked a path and stuck with it!).
My family has chosen me: here is a snippet of my life in a single shot. I believe we all belong together, and we would choose each other again if we had a hundred more lifetimes. Life with them is rich and full. Never a dull moment - I'm always learning, and it is always the right place and the right time.
The lessons I've learned are indescribable. The only way I can tell my story is to jump into the narrative from where I stand; any other method leads to - has led to, over the course of many years - paralysis. My perspective as a jack-of-all-trades, and the many times I've traded in one skin for another, have lent to my unique voice and skill set.
Jennifer Stagner:
Author, Educator and Cultural Observer
Writer's Portfolio
Portfolio of Work
Cultural and Historical Analysis for the Modern Era
Roots of the Crisis of the American Conscience, July 2020
In the wake of the George Floyd protests and civil unrest throughout the country, I was moved to present my perspective on the WHY. I am exceedingly grateful to Editor-In-Chief Christine Andreu for leading LA Style Magazine with heart and believing in the importance of my voice!
LinkedIn Commentary and Linked Lesson Plan for Grades 8-12
My good friend Claudia Bedolla created the RobotYams blog for parents who homeschool, whether by choice or necessity. Lesson planning can and should work backwards: determine a finished product and a set of takeaways that is manageable for the students YOU have, and then determine how you will get them there. This activity is engaging for multi-level groups, and includes enrichment for those who need additional challenges.
August 2020
My friend and fellow Youth Advocate, Leah Bonner, brought awareness to her webpage on this important topic. I recalled what I had learned about Human Trafficking as a Social Studies teacher at Fusion Academy, and decided I could add some global and cultural perspective to the public discourse.
Projects
Showcase of Work
Color Is Beautiful
Working with Editor-in-Chief Christine Andreu and Publisher Tricia Love Vargas was amazing! I edited interviews, copy edited and worked on design and layout for other content, and learned so much about the process of publishing a high-quality magazine. The result of our impromptu collaboration was a permanent position as Associate Editor. I can't wait to see where this leads.
Here is a link to the purchase site -although I am not able to post the magazine in its entirety at this time, you may wish to support the artists and commemorate the George Floyd protest movement as a moment in history with a purchase:
Now Available on Amazon
Michelle is living in limbo after graduating from college, undecided about her future career plans. It's pretty easy to do when you live in Paradise: Hawaii is full of temporary jobs, temporary inhabitants, and endless partying, with a backdrop of picture-perfect scenery and weather to round it all out. But when her predictable bubble of self-doubt is burst by a spate of uncharacteristically bold choices, she finds herself embroiled in not one, but TWO bad romances: her own and her best friend's. As their attachments grow, so do her misgivings, exceeded only by her addiction to the hot sex and pretty words strung together by her head-over-heels in-love boyfriend.... or is the man she thinks she loves only a figment of her imagination? She must examine her innermost soft spots and biggest identity questions - with the help of her friends and the guidance of powers greater than herself - to decide.
If you are ready to escape from a COVID lockdown to a vacation in Hawaii, or have ever wondered what it's REALLY like to live there, then this book is for you. Questions of race, ethnic identity, Hawaiian Sovereignty, spirituality, power imbalances, and sexuality are explored through the eyes of Michelle and escapades with her friends. The legal, the illegal, the right, the wrong: all are laid bare by this glimpse into the secret world of influence and ohana.
“One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can’t utter.” —James Earl Jones
