Kari White is a creative writer from the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it city of Wilmington, Delaware. Raised on a steady diet of fantasy, science fiction, National Geographics and local newspapers, she quickly developed a love for the written word and a fascination with the world around her. Her love of fiction led to her developing an interest in how fantasy, science fiction, and historical fiction color the ways that we view our history, our environment, and our communities. In much of her writing, she seeks to break down her favorite shows, movies, and books to highlight the narratives that lay just beneath the surface.

White’s fascination with writing began at the age of five, when she handed her mother a small, blank book, and began dictating a story of princesses, witches, and trolls. White continued to write throughout her childhood, until she decided to change courses in eighth grade. That year, White and her friends began a weekly newsletter, which they wrote, designed, and distributed to every classroom on Fridays.

She continued to develop her love of writing, both fiction and journalism, while studying at Fordham University. While there, she wrote for The Fordham Ram, Fordham’s journal of record, and served as the culture editor for two years. She published a total of fifty articles, most of which focused on pop culture, entertainment, and events happening around campus. She loved writing about how her favorite (and, occasionally, least favorite) movies, books and television shows contributed to larger societal discussions. Despite all the times a friend has told her, “You’re reading too far into it,” she knows she’s not. Every piece of art—regardless of whether it's a somber, philosophical bildungsroman or a cheesy, rom-com about a zombie—highlights different elements of our cultural psyche. She’s convinced that pop culture is the best barometer for societal pressure.

During her time at the Ram, however, White also dabbled in writing about food. How could she not, when food serves as such an exciting vessel to discuss culture, history, and the environment? She began a column, titled College Cuisine, which included easy meals that fit neatly within a college student’s budget, while still looking rather impressive. While she had always loved food, this sparked her love for cooking. Since her column ended, she’s begun growing more and more interested in the alchemy of alcohol. She’s very excited to continue learning about food and wine, especially now that she can share her favorite discoveries with the readers at Meer.

She thrills to find any opportunity to discuss environmental issues and pop culture within the same breath. While an undergraduate, she wrote an honors thesis analyzing Sir Gawain and the Green Knight through an ecofeminist lens. While the fourteenth century poem features an array of mostly male characters, feminist scholarship has unearthed how the female characters drive the plot forward. Similarly, ecocritical research, which analyzes how literature relates to the natural world, has deemed this a very eco-conscious poem. Its antagonist does, after all, embody nature. White’s thesis paired these two realms of scholarship, discovering that the female characters were the primary drivers behind the poem’s eco-friendly message.

Currently, White has a fellowship with Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture, where she is working on her debut novel. Her book explores the lethal intersection of religion, politics and tribalism, but in a fun, YA fantasy way! She’s very excited to write about the myriad of topics that inspire her, and is thrilled to become a part of the Meer team.