Watch Professor Fairuze Welcome Video!

Dear First-Year Writers,

I’m a first-generation Yemeni-Arab American college graduate. I earned my B.A. in Anthropology and my M.A. in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), along with a certificate to teach college-level writing and composition, from Sacramento State. Since 2019, I’ve taught academic reading and writing at Sac State, UC Davis, and Cosumnes River College. I’m also currently a doctoral student in the Educational Leadership program at Sac State.

About My Doctoral Work:

My research and teaching are deeply intertwined. I focus on improving curriculum and assessment design in higher education by centering anti-racist, inclusive practices. Through community-based participatory research and teacher action research, I work to foster meaningful dialogue and sustainable change in the classroom. I believe students’ lived and learning experiences should shape how we design our courses—learning should be relevant, useful, and meaningful to you. In my class, we challenge what counts as an academic 'source' and respect different ways of knowing, being, and communicating.

My teaching is rooted in values of equity, social justice, and global citizenship. I draw inspiration from feminist thinkers and critical educators like Paulo Freire, Louise Dunlap, bell hooks, and Norman Fairclough. These scholars believe that education can—and should—be a form of activism that helps us reimagine and transform our society.

What This Means for You:

Your voice matters. In fact, your ideas, experiences, and ways of seeing the world will shape our learning together. In this class, we’ll co-create knowledge by reading, writing, and thinking critically about topics that matter—to us and to the world we live in.

We’ll examine language, culture, and education as social and political forces. Together, we’ll explore how texts, images, and public messages shape our beliefs about people, language, and society—and how we can respond creatively and critically. We'll ask questions like: How do we use language to make meaning, build community, or challenge injustice? And how can we learn to reinhabit our society in more inclusive and thoughtful ways?

This class will be a brave space where we reflect, collaborate, and challenge ideas with respect and curiosity. We’ll share our stories, negotiate meaning, and build trust as a learning community. I want you to leave this course feeling more confident in your reading, writing, and communication skills—and more aware of your own power and growth.

Please take some time to explore this liquid syllabus to set your expectations for the course and our learning journey together.

I look forward to meeting you, learning from you, and witnessing your academic and personal growth.

Sincerely,

Professor Fairuze Ahmed Ramirez 

She/Her/Hers