Jaminnia R. States

Writing

As a writer, most of Jaminnia's projects ponder and explore the interior experiences of Black women. Her writing makes the profound mundane, and the mundane profound by capturing life as she knows it, or how she imagines it was known by her subjects. In her non-fiction, she writes to figure out answers to questions that keep her up at night. Her essays invite readers to muse (a)long with her in pursuit of our personal and collective Truths.

Jaminnia is the 2020 Non-Fiction Contest First Runner-up for PRISM International Magazine. Her essay, "Meditations on my Face" appears exclusively online. Her work also appears in Root Work Journal and A Gathering Together. Most recently, her essay "Flirting" appears in Black Girl(hood): The Anthology.

For more of her writing, sign up for her newsletter.

(You should see a sign up form just above this text. If not, you're like me and have SOOO many cookie blocks and tracker shields on! Try another browser, or just go to kionispeaks.substack.com to sign up.)

Current Offerings

As a passionate advocate for all things reading and reading-related, I choose work that allows me to share, to teach, and indulge in the love of reading. It is my firm belief that both the ability to read and the ability to imagine unlock our personal power and leads to a well-lived life. My work is rooted in the idea that every person should have that capability.

In following my passions, I has developed workshops that coach students to engage curiosity, creativity, and imagination via mind exercises, writing, research, as well as exploratory, play-based science, and visual art.

With 11 years of experience as a school and children's librarian and curriculum design consultant, I have a full grasp of building curriculum that facilitates 21st century learning with both vertical and horizontal continuity (across multiple grade levels and across one school year/grade level). My students have consistently praised not only how much they've learned, but also how much fun they've had while learning.I currently levrage my expertise and experience matching the right child to the right resource working as a curriculum development and design consultant.

If your organization has need for this particular set of super powers, or any other ones, feel free to contact me.

Classes and Workshops

• Back

All-Around Thickums 2020*

I had a good sister friend with whom I used to laugh until we cried ALL THE TIME. We had our own secret language of goofiness and understanding. I attribute it to being two Sagittarian women of a similar age. She dubbed me an "All-Around Thickums" in 2020, and I promised to put that bit of high praise on my website. It's been there ever since.

Qualifications

I do this work on a case-by-case basis. Basically, if I like what you're doing and I believe in the power and necessity of your work, I'll take it on.If you're interested in my services, feel free to contact me with a proposal and scope of work and we can go from there. Mention All-Around Thickums 2020 and I might give you a lil' discount.References available upon request.

*IYKYK

• Back

Creative Educator. Teacher-Librarian.

As a former school librarian with DC Public Schools, I provided leadership for my school community as well as district librarians, by creating library programs where there previously had not been any and supporting students’ information literacy and research skills in grades PK-5. In summers and throughout the school year, I wrote and revised some English & Language Arts curriculum and provided tailored workshops for librarians that supported them to create engaging and dynamic lessons and programs. As a public services librarian, I led a team of five children’s librarians, supervising departmental programs as well as restructuring and coaching a team of public service associates who were new to the profession.

• Current & Past Offerings

Alchemist.

Alchemists turn lead into gold, darkness into light. We are all capable.

Information, knowledge and wisdom are my happy places. My biggest lament in life is that being an oldest child makes you the default pioneer, the test case, the mistake maker, the experimentalist. Sometimes I just wish someone older would give me honest answers, by which I can choose to guide my light. But, Alaha has other plans.

In many ways, I need to experience and come to know things for myself. Often I seek and listen to those who are willing to go first, and willing to share. Luckily, I have found many such persons and I get to braid their wisdom together, to create a broad yet deep understanding of the world around me.Like many seekers, I am left with still more questions, which propel me to the next adventure and the next stop on this journey we call life.

In an effort to "lift as I climb" and to encourage those on the path behind me to keep going, I try to share these wisdom braids with whomever might find them.Here are some of my attempts at that. (Click image to learn more.)

Contact

Send me an email by filling out the form below.
Say hello, send me an article or book recommendation, or a proposal for contract work.