Red Ink publishes SKC student’s essay
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PABLO — Although now she’s on the “long trail of summer freedom,” Breana Harlow was a hard-working college student and mother during the 2009-2010 school year. And now she’s also a published author.
Harlow, 21, studies at Salish Kootenai College. Last fall she wrote an essay about her daughter Star, who is now 19 months old.
Harlow’s Composition 1 teacher, Chris Strom, thought the essay was worthy of being published. At about that time University of Montana Associate Professor of Native American Studies Angelica M. Larson accompanied Native American poet Simon Ortiz to SKC.
Strom asked Ortiz and Larson about ideas for getting Harlow’s essay published, and they told Strom about Red Ink.
Red Ink is a Native American, student-run publication at the University of Arizona established in 1989.
Harlow and Strom submitted Harlow’s essay and “waited and waited and waited,” Strom said.
In April Red Ink notified Harlow her essay would be published in the Fall 2009 edition.
Harlow has always liked to write; she has always wanted to write a book. She remembered writing a story about zombies in fourth grade, although she said she didn’t finish the story.
Writing is not her only love since Harlow is a psychology major. Speech was one of Harlow’s favorite classes, which surprised her since she was really bad about speaking in front of people.
“I dig learning new things, so my speeches were jam packed with information,” Harlow said.
Harlow also liked her humanities class and math, too, although she had math anxiety before SKC. Also before SKC, textbooks never interested Harlow because “it was always read the chapter and answer the questions at the end.” Now she’s astounded by the valuable information they contain.
As for summer plans, Harlow will be a flute apprentice at the Agnes Vanderburg Culture Camp during the week of June 7-11. Star, of course, will be right in the middle of all Harlow’s summer activities.
For her next writing project, Harlow said her grandmother has asked her to write a story about tribal elders so that will keep her busy until school starts again in the fall.
