Roger Porter is a writer and educator from Oakland, CA USA.
His first book, "The Souls of Hood Folk," is available at lulu.com. He describes himself as "An average everyday man from East Oakland who writes about average everyday hood life." Follow my blog at www.ghettosun.com
Roger Porter is an Oakland, CA native, a tenured English Professor, a proud father, a social activist, and a writer. He primarily writes about everything from black male identity and his experiences growing up in the dangerous flatlands of Deep East Oakland to movie reviews and cultural critiques. Porter has a BA from UC Berkeley and an MFA from Mills College.
He teaches through the lens of his “hood upbringing” focusing on simplifying literature rather than celebrating its perceived elitism. He passionately teaches writing as a mode of expression and not as a discipline. “All great literature is great storytelling, and everyone can tell a story.” His own writing has been published in Zyzzyva Magazine, Rad Dad Magazine, and The Utne Reader. He currently teaches at Laney College.
Mental Health in the Hood
The panel discussion "Mental Health in the Hood: The Homeless Crisis" took place at Laney College on May 2, 2018. Panelists included Candice Elder of The East Oakland Collective, Therapist Gerald Chambers, and Laney College Student Prentice Mayo.