Welcome!

The Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors, along with the Director of Writing Across the Curriculum, the Knowledge Market Partners (Speech Lab & Research Consultants), members from the English Department, Anthropology Department, and the Division of Inclusion and Equity are joining forces to seek social justice for all students at Grand Valley with our new Linguistic Diversity Initiative.

Linguistic Inclusivity

We recognize that one's home-language is a foundational component to one's sense of self. The ways we speak, write, listen, or sign are expressions of who we are, have been, or hope to be. Our mission is to validate all identities and provide every person with respect for their dignity and understanding through empathy; therefore, we are passionate about creating and maintaining a space for all students to feel comfortable and encouraged to exercise their natural identities free from judgement, criticism, or rejection. 

Whether you're coming to the Writing Center or the Knowledge Market for help with writing, researching, or speaking, we believe you have the right to your own voice. 

Please click here for our printable flier. 

Our Linguistic Inclusive Resolution

In alignment with members of the National Council of Teachers of English, the Linguistic Society of America, and the Conference on College Composition and Communication’s declaration of Students’ Right to Their Own Language (2014), the Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors accepts, validates, and promotes all language varieties represented by the students we serve. Our program does not judge any language or dialect as inferior or incorrect. 

Furthermore, our program agrees: “We affirm the students’ right to their own patterns and varieties of language–the dialects of their nurture or whatever dialects in which they find their own identity and style. Language scholars long ago denied that the myth of a standard American dialect has any validity. The claim that any one dialect is unacceptable amounts to an attempt of one social group to exert its dominance over another. Such a claim leads to false advice for speakers and writers, and immoral advice for humans. A nation proud of its diverse heritage and its cultural and racial variety will preserve its heritage of dialects." 

The Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors…

• Aims to actively promote not only the acquisition and mastery of discipline-specific styles in writing, but also the acknowledgement, development, and mastery of one’s home language or dialect.
• Does not acknowledge any inherent linguistic hierarchy among the many varieties of English.
• Aligns itself with the GVSU community in stressing the importance of students becoming versed in the language of social and cultural power: Standard Edited Written English (SEWE).
• Recognizes that it is theoretically and pedagogically proven that empowerment and mastery of one’s home language provides a better opportunity for mastery of another language or language variety.
• Believes it is through the empowerment of one’s home language that writers and speakers from any background feel valued and more confident about learning new knowledge and skills.
• Trains writing consultants to respect all language varieties, believing that when individuals feel respected, they are more likely to succeed.

This is a living collection. We will be adding resources as we encounter them -- will include educational materials, books, videos, news articles, etc. 

Students' Rights to Their Own Language, Conference on College Composition and Communication

English with an Accent, by Rosina Lippi Green

African American English: From the Hood to the Amen Corner, by Geneva Smitherman

Stanford linguist says prejudice toward African American dialect can result in unfair rulings (News Article), 2014

Do You Speak American? -- PBS

Greenfield, L. & Rowan, K.(2011). Writing Centers and the New Racism: A Call for Sustainable Dialogue and Change. Logan: Utah State University Press. Retrieved June 7, 2019, from Project MUSE database.

Alim, H. S., & Smitherman, G. (2012). Articulate while black : Barack Obama, language, and race in the u. s.. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Smitherman, G. (1977). Talkin and testifyin: The language of black america. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

If you would like more information about your rights, our initiative, or continued efforts across campus, feel free to contact anyone listed below. 

Patrick Johnson 
Faculty/Staff 
[email protected] 
(616) 331-8077 
Writing and Michigan Authors, Fred Meijer Center for 
119 Lake Ontario Hall 
Dept. Phone: (616) 331-2922 

Meredith Fedewa 
Faculty/Staff 
[email protected] 
(616) 331-8493 
Writing and Michigan Authors, Fred Meijer Center for 
112 Lake Ontario Hall 
Dept. Phone: (616) 331-2922 

Research

Jennifer Torreano 
Faculty/Staff 
[email protected] 
(616) 331-2604 
Library - University Libraries 
240 Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons 
Dept. Phone: (616) 331-3500 

Speech

Carl Brown 
Faculty/Staff 
[email protected] 
(616) 331-8199 
Communications, School of 
153 Lake Michigan Hall 
Dept. Phone: (616) 331-3668 
Dept. Fax: (616) 331-2700 

Colleen Brice 
Faculty/Staff 
[email protected] 
(616) 331-8574 
English - Main 
226 Lake Huron Hall 
Dept. Phone: (616) 331-3405 
Dept. Fax: (616) 331-3430 

Lindsay Ellis 
Faculty/Staff 
[email protected] 
(616) 331-2994 
English - Main; Lake Michigan Writing Project
218 Lake Huron Hall 
Dept. Phone: (616) 331-3405 
Dept. Fax: (616) 331-3430 

Michael Wroblewski 
Faculty/Staff 
[email protected] 
(616) 331-8931 
Anthropology 
230 Lake Michigan Hall 
Dept. Phone: (616) 331-2325 
Dept. Fax: (616) 331-2328 

Relando Thompkins-Jones 
Faculty/Staff 
[email protected] 
(616) 331-9202 
Inclusion and Equity, Office of the Vice President 
4035 James H Zumberge Hall 
Dept. Phone: (616) 331-3296 
Dept. Fax: (616) 331-3684 

Have other questions? Contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible!