Freelance Writer Puerto Rico
Resume:
RICHARD L. KEARNS
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110
*************@*****.***
EDUCATION
- M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University School of Journalism, May, 1986.
- B.A. in Spanish, minor in Journalism from Millersville University of Pennsylvania,
December, 1984.
JOURNALISTIC EXPERIENCE
FREELANCE:
- Pennlive.com, https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2023/12/the-legacy-of-an-open- minded-and-open-hearted-patriot-opinion.html
https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2024/01/a-brief-history-of-harrisburgs-latino-community-from-the-barrio.html
https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2024/02/las-delicias-unites-latinos-with-both-great-food-and-culture-from-the-barrio.html
- Dickinson Magazine, Summer 2014, "Reclaiming History" (about the Carlisle Indian
School digital records project operated by the college).
-Correspondent on indigenous Latin American issues from February 2006
to 09/04/2017 for Indian Country Today (Media Network). They published over 450
articles in ICTMN. I covered stories involving Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador,
Peru, Chile, Paraguay, Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Mexico, Puerto
Rico, Dominican Republic and a few from the US.
(www.indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com).
- Native American Voices (3rd Edition), Prentice Hall Publishing, my article “Native
Environmental Hero: Jesus Leon Santos” was included in this anthology which is the
principal text for Native American studies courses across the U.S. Anthology
published in 10/09, article first appeared in “Indian Country Today” in 7/25/08.
- The Burg, from December of 2008 - 2010, monthly community newspaper for
Harrisburg, PA.
- New York Latino Journal: 7/05, “Honor Her With Justice” (Interview with
Nuyorican Poet/Playwright Magdalena Gomez). (www.nylatinojournal.com)
- Harrisburg Magazine, 10/02, "Pedro Cortes; Portrait of a Leader". (Less than a year
after this interview Cortes was appointed Secretary of the Commonwealth of PA; he
became the first Latino in a PA state cabinet-level position.)
- Native Americas, nationally distributed quarterly magazine of Native news and
culture, based at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. "Puerto Rico: An Indian Nation?"
Summer, 2000.
- Hispanic Magazine, nationally distributed general-interest magazine, the largest of its
kind in the U.S. "Nacion Taina: Recovery and Restoration of the Culture," Jan/Feb.
1999. "Latino Mushroom Workers Persevere/Win Union In Pennsylvania," May, 1999.
"Environmental Catastrophe in Vieques, Puerto Rico," Sept., 1999.
- Native Peoples Magazine, Native American arts and culture affiliated with the
Smithsonian Institute. "The Taino Restoration Movement; We Never Disappeared",
Winter 1998.
- EFE News Service, news writer for the Philadelphia area and New Jersey, 8/98-2/99
(also wrote national stories.) EFE is based in Madrid, Spain and provides articles to
newspapers, broadcast media and magazines in 40 countries.
- El Hispano - Bilingual weekly newspaper reaching six cities in Pa. including
Philadelphia as well as Camden and Trenton, NJ, approx. 300,000 readers. I was a
contributing writer from 11/94 to 4/98. Covered mostly political and social issues
mainly in English although a few in Spanish. I won the Best Interview of '98 Award
from the National Association of Hispanic Owned Newspapers for "Interview With
Manuel Rodriguez Orellana, No Excuse for Slavery," Orellana is the spokesman for the
Puerto Rico Independence Party. I also won 2nd Place for Community News for '98
from the NAHOP. Wrote many stories on welfare rights, tenants rights and migrant
labor issues.
- City Paper - Philadelphia alternative weekly, "Bad Reviews/City officials chafe at
proposed state legislation to kill the Police Advisory Commission." Jan. 5-12, '96.
TEACHING/EDUCATION EXPERIENCE
- Instructor of English 101, Engl. Composition II, Creative Writing I, Spring,
Summer & Fall Semesters, 23-24 (Remote, Zoom).
- Director of Wildwood Writer’s Festival, Spring & Fall Semesters, ’21 &’22
(Remote, Zoom)..
- Faculty Advisor to The Copper Quill, Student Literary Magazine, from Spring, ’21
to present, (Remote, Zoom)..
- Instructor of English 102, Engl. Composition II, and English 101, Engl.
Composition I Spring Semester, '21 & ’22, HACC, (Remote, Zoom).
- Instructor of English 101, Engl. Composition II, Fall Semester, '20, HACC.
- Instructor of English 102, Engl. Composition II, Spring Semester, '20, HACC.
- Instructor of English 102, Engl. Composition II, Fall Semester, '19, HACC.
- Instructor of English 101, Engl. Composition I, Fall Semester, '19, HACC
- Instructor of English 102, Engl. Composition II, Fall Semester, '18, HACC.
- Instructor of English 101, Engl. Composition I, Spring Semester, '18, HACC.
- Instructor of English 102, Engl. Composition II, Spring Semester, '18, HACC.
- Faculty Advisor to Muslim Students Association, since Fall '17, HACC.
- Instructor of English 101, Engl. Composition I, Spring Semester, '17, HACC.
- Instructor of English 102, Engl. Composition II, Spring Semester, '17, HACC.
- Faculty Advisor to The Fourth Estate, HACC student newspaper,
Fall, '16 to Fall ‘19.
- Instructor of English 101, Engl. Composition I, since Fall Semester '16, HACC
- Instructor of Comm 222, News Reporting and Writing, Spring Semester, 2016,
HACC.
- Instructor of Ethnographic Writing, Fall Residency 2014, Graduate level course,
Goucher College, Towson, Md.
- Instructor of English 101, Engl. Composition I, Fall Semester 2013, HACC.
- Instructor of English 108, Creative Writing II, Spring Semester 2013, HACC.
- Instructor of English 102, Eng. Composition II, Spring Semester 2011, HACC.
- Professional Tutor of Span, Engl/Test Center Administrator, Midtown Campus,
starting January, 2011, HACC to present.
- Instructor of Spanish 101, Fall Semester 2010, HACC, 4-credit lab course.
- Instructor of Spanish 101, Spring Semester 2010, HACC, 4-credit lab course.
- Instructor of Spanish 101, Fall Semester 2009, HACC, 4-credit lab course.
- Instructor of Creative Writing, English 107, Fall Semester 2009, 3-credit survey and
writing course also at HACC (Harrisburg Area Community College).
- Instructor of Creative Non Fiction course for HACC’s Continuing Education
Program in late Fall ’07; once a week, two-hour sessions for six weeks.
- Professional Tutor of Spanish and English, from 6/07 to present, also work with
many international students in ESL (English as a Second Language) programs at
HACC (Harrisburg Area Community College.
- ACT 101 Retention Counselor from 8/03 to 7/06. Worked as advisor and advocate
for students in ACT 101 program, which targets low-income students who have to take
at least one developmental course, Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg,
PA. Informally provide help to Spanish-speaking and other Latino students since ’97.
- Interim Learning Center Coordinator. Supervised 70 tutors in four labs and assisted
in other Learning Support Services initiatives and programs, from 7/01-7/02,
Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, PA.
- Adjunct Instructor of English Composition II and Professional Tutor of English,
Spanish, ESL at Harrisburg Area Community College from 5/97 to 7/01.
- Instructor of News Editing & Reporting at Harrisburg Area Community
College, Fall 1999.
- Part-time Lecturer of "Poetry of Protest of Latin America" in the fall semesters of
1995 and 1996 at Rutgers University, main campus in New Brunswick, NJ. This was
an elective humanities course run through the Puerto Rican Studies Department.
- Instructor of News Editing & Reporting at Harrisburg Area Community
College/Lancaster Campus for Spring 1994.
- Instructor for poetry workshop at Catholic Charities in Spring, 1994. Students were
adjudicated youth from Harrisburg area.
- Instructor of Spanish I at Harrisburg Area Community College, Fall 1994.
- Instructor of Spanish I at York College for Fall Semester, 1993.
- Instructor of Mass Communications at Harrisburg Area Community College,
Lancaster Campus for Fall Semester, 1993.
TRANSLATIONS/INTERPRETING
- Have translated legal, business, medical, and pharmaceutical documents into Spanish
since 1987. Have translated correspondence, legal, and educational documents from
Spanish to English also since 1987.
- Working as a freelance interpreter of Spanish/English for the International Service
Center of Harrisburg, Pa from 12/18 to 12/20. Some of the assignments involved
interpreting for private appointments with psychiatrists, psychologists, or
counselors.
On a few occasions acted as interpreter at a psychiatric ward in a local hospital.
- Worked as freelance court interpreter for the Federal Public Defenders Office between
1992-1995, mostly in the Harrisburg office but also in York, Pa.
- Worked as bilingual social worker for the Dauphin County Pre-Trial Services Agency
from 1987-89. Assisted recently arrested inmates with contacting family, and legal
services; and informing inmates and their families about the criminal justice system
and process. Worked with all Spanish-speaking clients.
- Worked as bilingual counselor for the HELP Agency of Christian Churches United in
Harrisburg from 1989-1990, specializing in advocacy for mentally ill homeless
individuals. Provided general counseling and advocacy for homeless and low-income
clients including those with a variety of mental health issues. Helped clients get MH
and healthcare services as well as housing, employment (where possible), and other
programs. Dealt with most of the Spanish-speaking clients.
- Professional Tutor of Spanish and English, from 6/07 to present, also work with
many international students in ESL (English as a Second Language) programs at
HACC (Harrisburg Area Community College).
LECTURES
- Lecture on “No Longer Waiting for Justice/The Rise and Return of Indigenous
Latin America” at Millersville Univ. or Pa in November of 2008.
- Lecture/poetry reading on Puerto Ricans in Central Pennsylvania at Harrisburg Area
Community College in 5/97.
- Lecture/Roundtable Discussion on Latinos in Journalism at Penn State Harrisburg,
Eastgate Center on 7/97. Conference was televised by PCN and has been re-
broadcasted on a regular basis.
- Lecture/Poetry Reading at Swarthmore College on the Taino Cultural Restoration
efforts on 10/99.
- Have given talks and poetry readings on the Puerto Rican experience at various venues
since 1995.
COMMUNITY ACTIVISM
- President, Puerto Rican Organizing Committee which was the board of directors that
oversaw the policies and fundraising efforts of the Mt. Pleasant Hispanic American
Center, Harrisburg, Pa, from 10/04 to 11/05. The MPHAC provided human services,
educational programs and economic development projects to the mostly Latino
community of Allison Hill in the city. Have also worked as an instructor of poetry and
theater workshops at different times at the Center, as well as helped out as a general
volunteer since 1979. The MPHAC was a 501 (c3), non-profit corporation. First
elected as board member in 8/04, appointed Vice-President in 8/04.
- Board Member, Puerto Rican Organizing Committee, from 7/92-7/94.
- Supervisor, Latino Book Fair, at the Center, 9/91.
- Volunteer at Center, helped with grant-writing and other tasks since 1979.
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