Talking Poetry and Passion for Writing with LLP Major Destini Rainer

Rainer

 By Brianna McGuire
 Social Media Intern

A bright and ambitious student, Destini Rainer gives us insight into her passion for writing and how the English department has impacted her writing skills through mentorship, English classes, and an amazing poetry slam club called Soul Fire. She is a senior, double majoring in English and Political Science, with hopes of becoming an intellectual property lawyer. Rainer talks about her strong feelings towards writing and how Soul Fire has allowed her to explore her creativity with like-minded students.

My interview with her is below:

Tell me about yourself.

 I am currently in a couple organizations on campus, which are Women of Empowerment, Tennessee Intercollegiate Legislature, and Soul Fire which is coming into the works of becoming an improved version of itself within the English Department since COVID-19, and I am currently writing a book.

 What do you hope to accomplish with your English Degree?

 With my English degree, I just hope to become a better writer. I started off as an English minor and that was because I still really wanted to work on my poetry. I hit a writer's block a long time ago as soon as I hit college campus, I was very disconnected from my true self and political science didn’t seem like it was doing enough. I felt like I was missing a part of myself, and a huge part of myself was writing. I needed some way, shape, or form back to who I was a writer. So, I started off as an English minor and then eventually upgraded to an English major because I had time and I figured why not.

 After you graduate, what career field are you going into?

 I would like to be an intellectual property lawyer, protecting others belongings, inventions, books, and more. I would also like to be an author.

 How has the English department personally impacted you?

The first professor that I met was Dr. Pinkard and she opened my eyes to the thought that everything does not have to be black or white when you write, like it does not have to look the same or feel the same. With that being said, the English department really showed me how to not be so single minded and that writing comes in different shapes or forms. When it comes to being an author or poet, I now know that I can do anything that I want to do with my writing just as long as it makes sense.

What do you enjoy most about the English department?

 I enjoy how personal they are, that they really understand that a lot of us English majors just want to write and this is where our heart is and they want to help us elevate our writing so that we are not stuck in one place. I appreciate that they take the time to get to know us and our writing styles and also at the same time still try to properly teach us the correct formatting so that when we do go to graduate school or decide to take time off and actually write we know that we can actually go to them for help.

Rainer Center Front at Soul Fire

 Tell me about your role with Soul Fire. How did you get involved?

 My mentor is Dr. Pinkard, she is the person who really helped me to get out of my writer's block. She taught me different poetry styles and she always advertised Soul Fire to me, however the online formatting was not for me. You couldn’t really feel the energy of the room. So, for two years and I convinced Dr. Pinkard to make Soul Fire in-person and to make it live. As a poet, I know that poets strive to have that in-person feel and energy, there are certain things that you cannot feel through a zoom link. So this year, she finally said okay and allowed for Soul Fire to be in-person. Through my role as the student representative, I hope to create a safe and creative space for poets on campus. A lot of poets are not taken seriously on campus when this is our craft and that is what Soul Fire is meant to do. It is to allow us to creatively explore our craft.

Lastly, as the student representative, I hope to make our presence known to others on campus.

 What do you enjoy most about Soul Fire?

I enjoy being surrounded by other people that are like-minded. We sit and we read poems constantly. I love that it is from 5pm-6pm, after having a long-extended day and being really stressed I feel like Soul Fire is really that time that I don’t have in my room and I sit with other poets who also have had a long day and we just write and then we read and then we listen and when you listen you actually hear that other people have different experiences that you did not know that they had on campus or never would have heard before.  You also realize that this is a safe space.

 
What something that you would like to say to other students that are not involved in Soul Fire in hopes of getting them involved?

 I would say that if you do not feel like you do not have the interest in writing at this moment, come to Soul Fire to see if this is something that you would like. I believe that everyone has the mind to write and everyone can write poetry, it is not something that you are born with, it is something that can be taught and feel. When you come to Soul Fire you do not need confidence, it is something that you gain and walk out the door with. Soul Fire is definitely that space where you can freely think, write, and listen.

 What would you like to say to other English students?

 Your opinion is an extension of your mind. Whatever you are thinking, or decide to write is a reflection of you and the English department itself so have fun, don't be overwhelmed and you can persevere.

 Rainer is a huge inspiration to other students like me who share the same passion ofwriting. Just hearing her talk about it simply amazes me. It is a breath of fresh air to know that other students have the same intensity for writing and hope to explore their creativity through the art of literature. She has definitely convinced me to explore a newfound interest in poetry and attend one of Soul Fire’s sessions.

Congrats to Ms. Rainer on her many poetic successes!