A tradition has lived on for generations: tamales bubbling over a large cooking pot, the smell of masa and fresh spices filling the air, friends and family gathered around a long table savoring the taste of their culture’s food. Despite the warmth and joy these traditions invoke, one Baylor professor says there is still a harmful immigrant narrative in the U.S. that is gaining ground.

“That’s the most fundamental category with which we ought to interact with one another,” Foley said. “You are a person created in the image of God, and therefore worthy of my love.”

“We exist with one foot in the Baylor world and one foot in the larger world of academic publishing,” Jarrell said. “It is our hope to serve both spheres, bridging excellence in our industry and prestigious service to our leadership while playing a role in furthering Baylor’s missional life as an R1 institution.”

The bottom line is this: When we cover a controversial topic or event, it does not mean we condone or encourage it. And when an individual writes a controversial column or opinion, it does not mean we all identify with the beliefs expressed in that column or opinion.

With her debut novel entitled “102 Days Of Lying About Lauren” set to be published in June, Dr. Maura Jortner, senior lecturer in English, is no stranger to the highs and lows that writing a book can bring.