Student Parent Spotlight
Congratulations to student parent, Korka Sall, on the birth of her daughter, Fatou! Korka and family are doing well and grateful for the support of fellow student parent families who have brought meals and support as they settle into this new chapter.
Korka shared her story with us:
Greetings! My name is Korka Sall - I come to you by way of Senegal 🇸🇳
I am a PhD candidate in English and recently defended my dissertation "Negritude Feminisms: Rethinking gender with Black Francophone Women Writers". This work centers Negritude Feminisms re-orients the debate about the participation of black women in the Negritude movement by focusing on the contributions of Annette Mbaye d’Erneville (1926-) and Aminata Sow Fall (1941-) from Senegal, reading their work in conversation with Paulette Nardal (1896-1985) and Suzanne Césaire (1915-1966) from Martinique.
As a daughter of Senegal and the African diaspora, I draw inspiration from the rich literature history of my ancestors, which informs my work at UMass and beyond. I draw strength from my ancestors and African women who have come before me and laid the groundwork for my research and activism.
I am a student parent and have three girls (Maimouna 6years, Coumba 17 months and a newborn, Fatou!) I have been at UMass Amherst for the past seven years and regularly participate in Student Parent Programs events like Dinner On Us/Study Lounge, Workshops and Saturday family events. With the help of Student Parent Programs, I am able to connect with other student parents, get support for childcare expenses and learn tips for balancing academic life with personal life as a parent. SPP is a space that is a supportive environment for graduate student parents of color and international students with children. Fun things I love to do with the girls: walk at the UMass Pond to feed the ducks, read children’s books, coloring, and chat with my family back home in Senegal!
What Korka has not shared with you is that whether she is teaching a course, writing her dissertation, playing with her girls, or fighting for equity and justice, she brings her fierce determination and infectious positivity to all that she does. For those who have had the opportunity to be around Korka, you know what an inspiration she is to us all.
If you have a story that you'd like shared in our newsletter - perhaps it's a milestone you're proud of, an honor or award you've received, a paper you've published or something that would be inspiring for other student parents, please email us. We will feature new student parent stories each month.
