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I really don’t believe in rec letters. No one wants to ask for them. No one looks forward to reading them. & the same busy people get asked to write them cuz everyone’s under the impression that who or what institution the rec comes from cld be even more useful than what it says.
I’m pretty sure the system of rec letters is in and of itself racist and classist. And while I understand how they are necessary for some things, they are DEFINITELY NOT NECESSARY IN ALL THE CASES WE REQUIRE THEM.
It wld also be so much easier for everyone involved (particularly in in cases where the biggest criteria SHOULD be a work sample) if folk were contacted for recs after someone is in a close finalist position. Askn for them up front wastes so many peoples’ time. We could fix that.
Some grants and fellowships don’t say it directly but will not give you the fellowship if your recs don’t come from people who’ve had the fellowship. I know folks think I’m elitist or whatever (and I hope I am lol), but that’s just umm wrong. Grants ain’t fraternities y’all!
@SandraMeek_poet and I were talking about this recently and trying to figure out how and if we cld do something that cld be helpful with this. I’m sorry Sandy if I’m jumping the gun here, but it was on my mind and I started trying. Twitter fingers I guess.
I just wish there was a way we could make some kind of master list of the things people tend to regularly apply for (even mfa programs!) and then have the administrators of those particular thing review how and when and why they’ve made use of recs in the past. Here’s the thing:
We used to know all the same folklore about poetry and now things are different. But many folk will remember and I think you can actually google the fact that: THERE IS NO REC LETTER THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED GWENDOLYN BROOKS TO BE A CHANCELLOR FOR THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS!
Anyway, I’m horrendously grateful to the people who’ve written for me for things in the past. Someone is probably writing a review letter for me right now and dear Lord I really appreciate it and know I plan to do and be whatever good things that letter says.
And I do believe it is a part of my job to advocate for my students and brag on the folks writing poems I live every chance I get! That’s probably a little too clear and maybe gets on people’s nerves.
But honestly if someone asks me for a rec and I write it, I’m only going to glow and gush. I think that has value, but how much value does that have when we’re glowing and gushing 20 times three times a year for different apps.
And RIGHT NOW, young artists from more diverse backgrounds we in particular should feel all the more FREE to apply for all the more things with what the have and not with what they have to ask for!!!
Okay I think I’m done. Sorry about the rant. I just wld like us to use the moment to rethink a thing so many of us at every level don’t like about our jobs from askers to doers to readers or recs.
I’m sorry for all the typos. I actually like one of those tweets a lot but it’s full of typos so I’m going to say it again here:
And RIGHT NOW, young artists from more diverse backgrounds in particular should feel all the more FREE to apply for all the more things with what they have and not with what they have to ask for!!!
Okay. Bye.
