One of the reasons I started this blog was because students were walking in my door to discuss academic work on the city of Camden. One wanted to understand urban farming here. Another wanted to do an oral history on the public school system here with a focus on student voice. Another wanted to do their final project on the proposed Kipp School in Lanning Square. Another wrote their first paper in my class on the business curfew. 

The passion of these students gives me unbelievable energy, but I also realized, with some sadness, that amazing, creative work was being completed by students here at the University and much of it was getting lost and limited to the classroom. That was the impetus of creating this blog; I wanted to have a hub to share that work. 

So it is with much pleasure that I announce that my first student project is “in the pipeline.” A few of my students have been working on a paper that examines the I Am Camden facebook page. The page was recommended to me by local activist Juan Rodriguez, who kindly compiled a reading list of local organizations and activists for me when I first arrived in the city (and who I still owe a beer – don’t worry Juan, I haven’t forgotten).  

In my Local Knowledge class, one of the constant themes is trying to understand local voice, and relate it to the broader policy themes of city policy. A few of my students focused and wrote about I Am Camden, and wow, they blew me away. They recently agreed to adapt their papers to blog format, and I can’t wait. In the meantime, head on over to facebook (you know you want to) to read what my students’ have been focusing their academic energies on: what I Am Camden has to say.