This Week in Photos: Rhythm</h1> <article> <h1>This Week in Photos: Rhythm</h1> <p>ygay — Fri, 06 May 2022 17:52:36 +0000</p> <span>This Week in Photos: Rhythm</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-05-06T13:52:36-04:00" title="Friday, May 6, 2022 - 13:52">Fri, 05/06/2022 - 13:52</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Clarissa Heart ’20</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Since its inception in 1997, Colors of Rhythm (CoR) has provided a forum for disenfranchised student artists and performers of color. Presented annually, this event began as a constructive protest against what students found missing from the curriculum and academic departments that 91ֱ�� did not cover. Through the years the event has become one of several <a href="/mrc/signature-programs" target="_blank">signature programs</a> hosted by the <a href="/mrc" target="_blank">Multicultural Resource Center</a>. </p> <p>This year cultural performances, readings, and other artistic forms were presented by more than 10 group and single student performers, including works by OSLAM, the African Students Association, 91ֱ�� College Taiko, and the South Asian Students Association.</p> <p>See more photos from <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzNua6" target="_blank">Colors of Rhythm 2022</a> on 91ֱ��’s Flickr page.</p> <p>Our photo tour continues with a concert by jazz alum Kassa Overall ’05 in the ’Sco; a solo performance by pianist and 91ֱ�� 2021 Concerto Competition winner Leo Choi; the Jed Deppman Translation Symposium in Craig Lecture Hall; a reading by Peter Stephan Jungk in German House; a talk by President Carmen Twillie Ambar in Dye Lecture Hall; music by the Kenny Endo Contemporary Ensemble in Finney Chapel; and a winning match by the women’s tennis team.</p> <hr> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Jazz alum Kassa Overall '05 in concert. Photo credit: Jonathan Clark ’25 </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>The 91ֱ�� Orchestra performed under the direction of guest conductor James Feddeck (BM ’05, MM ’06), principal conductor of Orchestra i Pomeriggi Musicali in Milan, Italy. Pianist Leo Choi, a 2021 <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzJCkB" target="_blank">91ֱ�� Concerto Competition</a> winner, appeared as soloist. Photo credit: Yevhen Gulenko</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Fifteen translations were featured in the <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzMcPu" target="_blank">Jed Deppman Translation Symposium</a>. The annual multilingual event celebrates 91ֱ�� students' literary translation. Lawrence Venuti, professor emeritus of English at Temple University served as keynote speaker. Venuti is a translation theorist and historian as well as a translator from Italian, French, and Catalan. Photo credit: Carissa Heart '20</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>President Carmen Twillie Ambar <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzM3yJ" target="_blank">addressed junior and senior students</a> about the first 90 days on the job as they prepare to go into internships and work experiences this summer. Photo credit: Scott Shaw</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption><a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzMkLV" target="_blank">The Kenny Endo Contemporary Ensemble performs</a> in Kenny’s unique, versatile and vibrant style. The ensemble features prominent musicians in contemporary Japanese music with a jazz sensibility, on taiko, flute, vibes, shamisen, and koto, in dynamic original compositions. The CEM includes three to five musicians from Japan and the U.S. Photo credit: Clarissa Heart ’20</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>The <a href="https://goyeo.com/news/2022/5/1/womens-tennis-womens-tennis-claims-third-in-the-ncac.aspx" target="_blank">91ֱ�� College women's tennis team</a> beat the DePauw University Tigers, 5-0, to take third place in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. Photo credit: Amanda Phillips</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-05-06T12:00:00Z">Fri, 05/06/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The artistic display of dance, poetry, and music that students brought to the stage in Finney Chapel marked the return of a cherished 91ֱ�� tradition—Colors of Rhythm. The annual talent showcase highlights the work of students of color, and serves as inspiration for this week’s photo series.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2379">Student Life</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2355">Student Organizations</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2763">Multicultural Resource Commons</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2771">Athletics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Clarissa Heart '20</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>This Week in Photos: Listening, bell</h1> <p>ygay — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 18:14:06 +0000</p> <span>This Week in Photos: Listening, bell</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-03-16T14:14:06-04:00" title="Wednesday, March 16, 2022 - 14:14">Wed, 03/16/2022 - 14:14</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Photo credit: Anokha Venugopal ’23</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>With books in hand, members of the 91ֱ�� community gathered near the Reading Girl, and listened intently as their peers shared their favorite passages by hooks, and discussed the impact of those passages on their lives, work, scholarship, and activism.</p> <p>Before her six-year tenure as associate professor in English and women’s studies began at 91ֱ�� in 1988, hooks published a collection of poetry—<em>And There We Wept</em>—and a book on femenist history called <em>Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism</em>. She would later lend her hand to more than 30 works, including children’s books, literary criticism, poetry, and self-help literature. Among her acknowledgements, hooks was recognized as one of the most influential women of the past century by <a href="https://time.com/5793676/bell-hooks-100-women-of-the-year/" target="_blank"><em>TIME</em> in 2020</a>. She died in December 2021.</p> <p>See more photos from the read-in on <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzFKTg" target="_blank">91ֱ��’s Flickr page</a>.</p> <p>Next, we join students at the Welcome Nursing Home in 91ֱ��, listen and learn from guest Kyle Kidd at the Cat in the Cream, get swept away by the 91ֱ�� Orchestra featuring professor Francesca dePasquale, get rhythm at the senior dance concert, and end with an <a href="/community-music-school" target="_blank">Community Music School</a> recital.</p> <hr> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Students <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzDGLp" target="_blank">spend time with residents</a> and work with staff at the Welcome Nursing Home in 91ֱ��. Photo credit: Clarissa Heart ’20</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Artist Kyle Kidd is welcomed to the Cat in the Cream stage as a part of <a href="/mrc/signature-programs/my-name-my-own" target="_blank">My Name Is My Own</a>. MNIMO provides institutional support to 91ֱ�� communities that identify as queer and of color in the broadest senses of those words. The program includes public lectures, film screenings, artistic and activist performances. Photo credit: Christy Chen ’22</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>The <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzFqSJ" target="_blank">91ֱ�� Orchestra performs</a> under the direction of conductor Raphael Jiménez featuring Assistant Professor of Violin <a href="/francesca-depasquale" target="_blank">Francesca dePasquale</a>. Photo credit: Clarissa Heart ’20</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Members of the 91ֱ�� community celebrate the artistic growth and original choreography of <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzFHZ4" target="_blank">graduating seniors</a>. The concert featured Analise LaRiviere's Au Milieu and Jewel Cameron's Dance Stories. Photo credit: Anokha Venugopal '23</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>More than 25 <a href="/community-music-school" target="_blank">Community Music School</a> (CMS) students gave <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzFSV8" target="_blank">a concert featuring underrepresented composers</a>. CMS students (who ranged from toddlers to teenagers) were accompanied by two 91ֱ�� Conservatory of Music students on guitar and piano and nine CMS faculty members who performed both solo and accompanimental works. Photo credit: Clarissa Heart ’20</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p><em>This Week in Photos is a selection of images and is not meant to represent a weekly timeline. Images highlight campus, community, people, and events related to 91ֱ�� College.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-03-16T12:00:00Z">Wed, 03/16/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Eboni Johnson, outreach and programming librarian, holds a hand to her ear as a student across the room reads literature written by bell hooks. The public read-in at Mudd Center’s academic commons honors this prolific writter during Women’s History Month. It also serves as inspiration for this week’s photo series.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3452">Community Music School</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3155">91ֱ�� Orchestra</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2763">Multicultural Resource Commons</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2495">Black History Month</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3793">Women's History Month</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2382">Community Service</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3515">Dance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3449">91ֱ�� College Libraries</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2546">Photo Feature</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/francesca-depasquale" hreflang="und">Francesca dePasquale</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/eboni-johnson" hreflang="und">Eboni A. Johnson ’97</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/dance" hreflang="und">Dance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/strings" hreflang="und">Strings</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Eboni Johnson, outreach and programming librarian, holds a hand to her ear.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Anokha Venugopal ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Who is Ilianna Velez?</h1> <p>ygay — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 21:37:26 +0000</p> <span>Who is Ilianna Velez?</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-11-29T16:37:26-05:00" title="Monday, November 29, 2021 - 16:37">Mon, 11/29/2021 - 16:37</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> </p> <hr> <p><strong>Full Name:</strong> <a href="/ilianna-velez" target="_blank">Ilianna Velez</a></p> <p><strong>Department and location on campus</strong>: The <a href="/mrc" target="_blank">Multicultural Resource Center</a> (MRC) located in Wilder Hall, 208 and 212.</p> <p><strong>Job title:</strong> Interim Associate Director</p> <p><strong>What does your job entail?</strong> I lead initiatives that promote cross-cultural understanding. I work closely with our program associates to implement programs and services that support diversity and inclusion within the campus community. I also collaborate with campus and community partners to identify and implement a range of activities and educational opportunities that positively impact the retention and matriculation of students from underrepresented populations.</p> <p><strong>How many years at 91ֱ��?</strong> Two</p> <p><strong>What is the mission of the Multicultural Resource Center?</strong> To provide programs and services that affirm and promote equity for students of color, LGBTQ+ students, and first-generation college students. We are committed to working with campus and community partners to create a climate where all students belong and have equitable opportunities and outcomes.</p> <p><strong>What do you think most students do not know about the MRC?</strong> We recently opened the new MRC lounge space in Wilder Hall 212, which is really exciting.</p> <p><strong>Best advice someone ever gave you?</strong> ‘Live YOUR life. Not someone else’s.’</p> <p><strong>Favorite place in 91ֱ�� and why?</strong> Tappan Square—it's so beautiful year-round. </p> <p><strong>Favorite childhood memory?</strong> When I lived in Puerto Rico, I used to love going to the beach with my sisters and parents. My sisters and I would dive into the little waves and let it push us to the shore. :) It was so much fun. </p> <p><strong>Best vacation ever?</strong> Los Cabos in Mexico. I saw the most beautiful sunsets, ate amazing food, and danced my entire trip! :)</p> <p><strong>Any recent achievements you would like to tell us about?</strong> The most recent achievement I’ve had was getting my personal training certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. </p> <p><strong>Hobbies?</strong> Going to the gym, running, hiking, biking—basically anything that will keep me active! </p> <p><strong>Favorite food?</strong> Mofongo </p> <p><strong>Favorite quote or personal philosophy?</strong> “I am no longer accepting the things that I cannot change. I am changing the things that I cannot accept,” by Angela Davis.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-11-29T12:00:00Z">Mon, 11/29/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Interim Associate Director of the Multicultural Resource Center Ilianna Velez collaborates with campus and community partners. Find out how a recent achievement will extend her collaborative nature outside of work in this installment of Who Am I?</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2763">Multicultural Resource Commons</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2551">Staff</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Ilianna Velez, interim associate director of the Multicultural Resource Center.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Photo credit: Courtesy of Velez</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Teach-in and alumni panel discuss solidarity and allyship for Asians and Asian Americans</h1> <p>swargo — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 13:10:15 +0000</p> <span>Teach-in and alumni panel discuss solidarity and allyship for Asians and Asian Americans</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-03-25T09:10:15-04:00" title="Thursday, March 25, 2021 - 09:10">Thu, 03/25/2021 - 09:10</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Two upcoming events will provide an opportunity to learn about the work of solidarity and how to be an ally in addressing anti-Asian violence.</p> <p><strong>On Monday, March 29, at 7 p.m.</strong>, a teach-in sponsored by the Department of Comparative American Studies and the <a href="/about-oberlin/presidential-initiative-racial-equity-and-diversity" target="_blank">Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity</a> will provide a forum to educate participants on the hard work of solidarity. It is also an opportunity, as Shelley Lee, professor of history and chair of comparative American studies, noted in her recent op-ed in the <em>91ֱ�� Review</em>, to recognize that while we live in “attention- and resource-scarce times, when it feels like everything is at stake all at once, simply learning, valuing, and wanting to know about one another does seem both a hopelessly naïve and insurmountably tall order. But this may also be our only way forward.” Advance registration <strong>for the webinar is required</strong>. </p> <p><strong>On Wednesday, March 31 at 12 p.m.</strong>, the <a href="/mrc" target="_blank">Multicultural Resource Center</a> welcomes all students, staff, and faculty to a panel discussion featuring 91ֱ�� alumni working in various fields to discuss their efforts in supporting Asian and Asian-American communities and how their work has evolved during COVID-19. Moderator Shelley Lee will be in conversation with Anjan Chaudry ’09, director of dommunity empowerment, National Coalition for Asian Pacific Americans Community Development; Daniel Domaguin ’06, co-founder, NorCal Filipinx Wellness Collective, and Nancy D. Nguyen ’05, executive director of VietLead. Advance registration <strong>is required for the event</strong>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-03-25T12:00:00Z">Thu, 03/25/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2763">Multicultural Resource Commons</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3490">Presidential Initiative</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25311">Comparative American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25381">History</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-american-studies" hreflang="und">Comparative American Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/history" hreflang="und">History</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jason Leung</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>This Week in Photos: Campus Life on a Fall Day</h1> <p>ygay — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:22:11 +0000</p> <span>This Week in Photos: Campus Life on a Fall Day</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-10-28T13:22:11-04:00" title="Wednesday, October 28, 2020 - 13:22">Wed, 10/28/2020 - 13:22</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Students nestle themselves on tree swings and concrete columns, while others dot the campus with study circles, blanket lunches, and classes. In this photo series, we visit some of these spaces and get consumed by the beauty of the season. </p> <p>See more campus photos on a fall day on <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHsmRGgKbZ" target="_blank">91ֱ��’s Flickr page</a>.</p> <hr> <p> </p> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>A study circle. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Walking through Tappan Square. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Is this an art installation? Not exactly. While one student studies, another takes a break at the Memorial Arch. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Chatting it up on a bench. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>An Indigenous People's Day screening. Photo credit: Anokha Venugopal</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Husssh. This student is studying. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>The snack break. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="obj-center"> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Swimming in fall colors. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>This Week in Photos is a selection of images and is not meant to represent a weekly timeline. Images highlight campus, community, people, and events related to 91ֱ�� College.</em></p> <p><br> <br> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2020-10-28T12:00:00Z">Wed, 10/28/2020 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>There’s something magical in the air at 91ֱ�� College on a fall day. The trees are filled with yellows, reds, and golds, and the crunch beneath your feet sounds like potato chips.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2379">Student Life</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2566">Wilder Bowl</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2545">Tappan Square</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2354">Campus Life</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2410">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2763">Multicultural Resource Commons</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">An outdoor class.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Kuumba Week Film Festival</h1> <p>ygay — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 21:10:34 +0000</p> <span>Kuumba Week Film Festival</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-11-19T16:10:34-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 19, 2019 - 16:10">Tue, 11/19/2019 - 16:10</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Actor, director, and activist Danny Glover is interviewed by Professor of Studio Art and Africana Studies Johnny Coleman after the screening of <em>The Last Black Man in San Francisco</em>, in which Glover portrays Grandpa Allen. The film launched 91ֱ��’s first Kuumba Week Film Festival. Kuumba Week is an annual celebration of black creativity.</p> <p>In<em>The Last Black Man in San Francisco</em>, Jimmie Fails dreams of reclaiming the Victorian home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco. Joined on his quest by his best friend Monty, Jimmie searches for belonging in a rapidly changing city that seems to have left them behind. </p> <p>Personally, “I was always interested in old housing,” said Glover in reference to the large mansion that plays a key role in the film. Having spent much of his life in San Francisco, Glover had been exposed to many ornate historic homes. The city also played a large part in his development as an actor and activist.</p> <p>While in San Francisco, Glover trained at the Black Actors' Workshop of the American Conservatory Theater and attended San Francisco State University. Although he was exposed to activism through his parent’s involvement with the NAACP, he was impressed with “young people who were in the movement as organizers” in the late 1960s. His involvement with the Black Students Union would lead to the establishment of an ethnic studies department at San Francisco State University. In the 1970s, “I thought there was something I could say as an actor,” said Glover. But activism was never far behind. </p> <p>“I have always seen art as activism.”</p> <p>The Kuumba Week Film Festival continues through November 22, with screenings of <em>Amazing Grace</em>, <em>KiKi</em>, <em>Agents of Change</em>, and <em>Do the Right Thing</em>.</p> <p> </p> <p>View more images from Johnny Coleman’s interview with Danny Glover on <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHsmJtAbm6" target="_blank">91ֱ�� Flickr</a> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2019-11-19T12:00:00Z">Tue, 11/19/2019 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2763">Multicultural Resource Commons</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2354">Campus Life</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Michael Hartman</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-28790" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-photo-gallery paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="section--photo-gallery o-flex--photo-gallery"> <p class="header-tag">Photo Gallery</p> <div class="o-flex--photo-gallery__grid"> <div class="o-flex--photo-gallery--overlay"> <div class="o-flex--photo-gallery--overlay__content"> <button class="btn js-modal" data-modal-prefix-class="fullscreen" data-modal-content-id="28790" data-modal-background-click="disabled"> View photo gallery </button> </div> </div> <div class="o-flex--photo-gallery__grid__img-wrapper"> </div> <div class="o-flex--photo-gallery__grid__img-wrapper"> </div> <div class="o-flex--photo-gallery__grid__img-wrapper"> </div> <div class="o-flex--photo-gallery__grid__img-wrapper"> </div> </div> </div> <div id="28790" class="photo-gallery-wrapper"> <div class="photo-gallery"> <div class="photo-gallery__slides"> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__wrapper"> <figure class="photo-gallery__slide"> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__image"> </div> <figcaption> <span class="figure__credit">Photo credit: Michael Hartman</span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__wrapper"> <figure class="photo-gallery__slide"> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__image"> </div> <figcaption> <span class="figure__credit">Photo credit: Michael Hartman</span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__wrapper"> <figure class="photo-gallery__slide"> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__image"> </div> <figcaption> <span class="figure__credit">Photo credit: Michael Hartman</span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__wrapper"> <figure class="photo-gallery__slide"> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__image"> </div> <figcaption> <span class="figure__credit">Photo credit: Michael Hartman</span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__wrapper"> <figure class="photo-gallery__slide"> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__image"> </div> <figcaption> <span class="figure__credit">Photo credit: Michael Hartman</span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__wrapper"> <figure class="photo-gallery__slide"> <div class="photo-gallery__slide__image"> </div> <figcaption> <span class="figure__credit">Photo credit: Michael Hartman</span> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="photo-gallery__navbar"> <figure class="photo-gallery__navbar__item"> </figure> <figure class="photo-gallery__navbar__item"> </figure> <figure class="photo-gallery__navbar__item"> </figure> <figure class="photo-gallery__navbar__item"> </figure> <figure class="photo-gallery__navbar__item"> </figure> <figure class="photo-gallery__navbar__item"> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Q&A with Ilianna Velez</h1> <p>hhempste — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 19:24:52 +0000</p> <span>Q&A with Ilianna Velez</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-10-10T15:24:52-04:00" title="Thursday, October 10, 2019 - 15:24">Thu, 10/10/2019 - 15:24</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><a href="/ilianna-velez">Ilianna Velez</a>, assistant director, works in the <a href="/mrc">Multicultural Resource Center</a>. There, she leads initiatives promoting cross-cultural understanding and implements programs and services that support diversity and inclusion on campus. She began her role in August 2019.</p> <p>Get to know more about Velez in this Q&A.</p> <p><strong>Describe your role in six words.</strong></p> <p>Educator, mentor, diversity, equity, inclusion</p> <p><strong>What’s the best advice someone gave you?</strong></p> <p>A moment of sacrifice for a lifetime of paradise</p> <p><strong>What’s your favorite place on Earth?</strong></p> <p>Puerto Rico, because I used to live there during my childhood; it's home for me. The food, music, beach, and overall culture of the island is amazing.</p> <p><strong>What's your guilty pleasure?</strong></p> <p>Hot Cheetos; I should really stop eating them, but they're so good.</p> <p><strong>Do you have a favorite concert?</strong></p> <p>Beyonce and Jay-Z in their On the Run Tour</p> <p><strong>What’s your most regrettable fashion choice? </strong></p> <p>Platform gym shoes. I was young and not tall enough to ride certain rides at Cedar Point, so I wore those shoes hoping it would help. It didn't. </p> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2019-10-10T12:00:00Z">Thu, 10/10/2019 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>“Q&A with…” is a series dedicated to introducing staff members to the 91ֱ�� community. Is there someone you’d like to nominate? <a href="mailto:communic@oberlin.edu">Please get in touch.</a></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2551">Staff</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2763">Multicultural Resource Commons</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Ilianna Velez, assistant director in the Multicultural Resource Center</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Innovation Grant Awarded to Fund Student Support Services</h1> <p>hhempste — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 16:01:47 +0000</p> <span>Innovation Grant Awarded to Fund Student Support Services</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-03-11T12:01:47-04:00" title="Monday, March 11, 2019 - 12:01">Mon, 03/11/2019 - 12:01</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Located in the Third World House classroom, Obie Xing is a new student support hub that links the residential experience with resources that foster student success.</p> <p>In February 2019, The Obie Xing program earned a $3,500 grant awarded to Assistant Vice President Adrian Bautista and Assistant Dean of Students <a href="/brook-escobedo">Brook Escobedo</a>. The <a href="https://www.naspa.org/foundation/awards/innovationgrants">Innovation Grants Program</a> <span aria-hidden="true" class="fa fa-external-link"></span> supports innovation, exploration, and development that promotes student learning and success. The <a href="https://www.naspa.org/">National Association of Student Personnel Administrators</a> <span aria-hidden="true" class="fa fa-external-link"></span> provides the funding.</p> <p>Other offices involved in the efforts include the Center for Student Success, the Office of Residential Education, and the Office of the Dean of Students.</p> <p>The idea for Obie Xing was born out of 91ֱ��’s PossePlus Retreat, an annual event that brings together <a href="https://www.possefoundation.org/">Posse Scholars</a> <span aria-hidden="true" class="fa fa-external-link"></span> and members of the student body, faculty, and staff. At last year’s retreat, attendees proposed the idea of creating a space on campus for first-generation college students to gather, study, and attend programs.</p> <p>“Obie Xing was created as a dedicated space for campus dialogue,” says Bautista. “That’s the purpose of the program; to bring folks together.”</p> <p>Bautista and Escobedo first applied for the grant in 2018, and they were awarded funding after applying a second time.</p> <p>“In 2018, we applied for resources to spruce up the space in Third World House,” says Escobedo. “While we didn’t receive that grant, we continued our efforts to transform the space and initiate programming. When we applied this year, our application was more program-focused.”</p> <p>The Obie Xing program has three stated objectives: fostering student success;,creating career and alumni connections,and encouraging dialogue.</p> <p>To that end, the Third World House classroom is being used for programs that support these objectives. Every first Friday of the month, the group organizes a workshop aimed at fostering success among first-generation college students.</p> <p>In February, a representative from the <a href="/career">Career Development Center</a> spoke about how to obtain funding for summer internships; in March, they sponsored a workshop that addressed imposter syndrome. A new student-led restorative justice program, Climate Circles, will also take place in Obie Xing this semester.</p> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>The Third World House classroom is being used as a space for Obie Xing programs.</figcaption> </figure> <p>While the audience for these programs is typically first-generation students, it’s not limited to just that group. There are also faculty and staff who participate in the services provided by Obie Xing.</p> <p>“When we say ‘first-generation,’ that’s really a broad network of individuals—it can also include faculty and staff,” says Escobedo. “There’s a group of staff who attend our programs that were the first in their family to attend college, or they received a Pell Grant to attend school.”</p> <p>The new space will also provide a venue for peer mentoring, <a href="/center-student-success/learning-enhancement">LEAD sessions</a>, and other workshops sponsored by student support offices.</p> <p>“We want to have the area function as a seminar-style space. It’s designated as a classroom space, and we hope to have both comparative American studies and gender, sexuality, and feminist studies classes there,” says Bautista.</p> <p>Both Bautista and Escobedo also see Obie Xing as working in concert with the <a href="/mrc">Multicultural Resource Center</a> (MRC), and there are plans to partner with the MRC as a complementary space.</p> <p>When considering the new space and what it means to the campus, Bautista sees the space as something that serves to unite and engage in useful dialogue.</p> <p>“We want to bring people together, and this is a place to do that. The students have been wanting this kind of space to call their own.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2019-03-11T12:00:00Z">Mon, 03/11/2019 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Hillary Hempstead</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A $3,500 grant from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Innovation Grants Program will fund student support services for first-generation students.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2410">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2354">Campus Life</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2579">Campus Dialogue</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2763">Multicultural Resource Commons</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/brook-escobedo" hreflang="und">Brook Escobedo</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Students and staff meet for a First Friday program in Third World House</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Q&A with Zahida Sherman, Director of the Multicultural Resource Center</h1> <p>hhempste — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 14:07:01 +0000</p> <span>Q&A with Zahida Sherman, Director of the Multicultural Resource Center</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-02-05T09:07:01-05:00" title="Tuesday, February 5, 2019 - 09:07">Tue, 02/05/2019 - 09:07</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Beginning on Monday, February 18, Zahida Sherman will serve as the new director of the <a href="/node/4516">Multicultural Resource Center</a>. Before coming to 91ֱ��, Sherman worked as an assistant director of black student success at University of the Pacific, associate development coordinator of diversity and inclusion at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP in Los Angeles, and assistant director of diversity, equity and inclusion and assistant director of admissions/director of multicultural admissions at Kenyon College. Sherman holds a master’s in history from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s in anthropology from Ithaca College.</p> <p>Learn more about Sherman in this Q&A.</p> <p><strong>How would you describe your role in 6 words?</strong><br> Cultural unifier with West Coast vibes.</p> <p><strong>What will your role as Director of the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC) entail?</strong><br> My role is to create opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to understand identity, power, privilege, and equity, inside and outside of the classroom. In other words, my role is to help Obies understand their own identities so they can better promote social justice and belonging for everyone.</p> <p><strong>What’s something that you’re excited about?</strong><br> I’m excited to foster collaborations across campus and bring more visibility to MRC programs, services, and especially its vibrant history.</p> <p><strong>What are you most looking forward to in your new role?</strong><br> I’m really looking forward to working with the campus community to explore what social justice means for 91ֱ�� right now.</p> <p><strong>What's one of your passions in life?</strong><br> I love storytelling in general, and writing, specifically. I love how our stories have the power to make our personal struggles and triumphs relatable on a universal level.</p> <p><strong>What do you think some people might be surprised to learn about you?</strong><br> When I was a kid, I wanted to be astronaut!</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2019-02-04T12:00:00Z">Mon, 02/04/2019 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2763">Multicultural Resource Commons</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2551">Staff</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Zahida Sherman</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Toni Myers Shares Vision for Multicultural Resource Center</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 01 May 2017 14:53:18 +0000</p> <span>Toni Myers Shares Vision for Multicultural Resource Center</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2017-05-01T10:53:18-04:00" title="Monday, May 1, 2017 - 10:53">Mon, 05/01/2017 - 10:53</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In May 2016, Antoinette (Toni) Myers began a one-year appointment as interim assistant dean of students and director of the <a href="/node/4516">Multicultural Resource Center</a> (MRC). As of March 2017, this short-term, one-year appointment became a long-term engagement, as Myers has accepted an offer to fill the roles permanently.</p> <p>“I'm very excited to have the opportunity to continue on in this role,” says Myers. “When I left 91ֱ�� in 2014, I had no idea that I'd ever come back. Every single day I’m reaffirmed in my decision to return, because I have the honor of working with 91ֱ�� students. They’re passionate, brilliant, committed to social justice and equity, and independent, critical thinkers who want to change the world we live in. Who wouldn't want to work here?”</p> <p>The upcoming 2017-2018 academic year will be Myers’ third year at 91ֱ��. Prior to earning a master’s degree in education at Stanford University, Myers previously worked in the MRC for one year as the Africana coordinator during the 2013-2014 school year.</p> <p>Founded in 1995, the 91ֱ�� College MRC supports historically disenfranchised communities and addresses issues of diversity and inclusion within a social justice context. Through its collaboration with members of the campus community, the center strives to create a vision of anti-oppression and social justice that supports educational excellence.</p> <p>"In embracing the holistic development of our students, we hope to demonstrate a commitment to pushing 91ֱ�� College to be ready for our historically disenfranchised student population. In the MRC, we laugh at memes, we dance to our favorite songs, we have deep political conversation, we express our anger and frustration at injustice, we honor those who have passed away, and we embrace all of the collective differences of the students we serve."</p> <p><strong>Defining Goals and Outcomes</strong><br> As interim director, Myers made it a priority to understand how the institution viewed key issues related to the MRC. “It was important for me to learn about how 91ֱ�� defines diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism and to re-center the MRC in campus conversations about social justice and equity.”</p> <p>To this end, the group created goals and outcomes for the year focusing on three areas:</p> <p><strong>1)</strong> Student community support, education, and advocacy, with a focus on social justice activism, care, and holistic well-being<br> <strong>2)</strong> Inter- and intra-community building through student leadership development and mentorship<br> <strong>3)</strong> Creative engagement with campus partners and local institutions</p> <p>Myers also rolled out several new initiatives during the academic year, including the introduction of additional areas of focus—student outreach and success and social justice education—for the MRC’s assistant directors. The office also headed up an Undocumented Student Initiative that advocates for issues such as urging 91ֱ�� to become a sanctuary campus, and it co-created with Obies for Undocumented Inclusion an undocumented student scholarship fund. These initiatives display the MRC’s commitment to supporting undocumented students on campus.</p> <p>However, Myers’ immediate plans for the MRC incorporate both continuing programs and initiatives that currently reside within the center while also introducing new ideas.</p> <p><strong>Next Steps for the MRC</strong><br> One area Myers plans to address is programming, as the center co-sponsors and supports more than 20 programs a year, in addition to "Power, Privilege, and Oppression" and "Beyond the Binary," workshops, as well as new "UndocuAlly" trainings. “In the future, we’re hoping to really focus on our <a href="/node/51991">flagship programs</a>—’My Name is My Own,’ and the ‘Indigenous Women’s Series,’” says Myers. “We’ll work on reducing the number of smaller programs so we can really focus on quality and the organization of our large programs. What will help with this is working with the MRC faculty advisory board to create learning outcomes specific to the centers' programs and workshops. After we've created outcomes and goals, we'll be in a much better position to assess if we are effective in how we serve our students. We also hope to develop a social justice education curriculum, which may take the form of an ExCo next year.”</p> <p>According to Myers, the primary initiative for the MRC will be community building. “Outreach beyond 91ֱ��’s immediate campus is a really big part of what we used to do as a center and what we maybe don’t do as well currently,” says Myers. “But in the future, I want us to be better at engaging the surrounding local communities in our work.”</p> <p>To address this, MRC staff have begun building connections with underrepresented groups in the community, including those in nearby areas in Lorain.</p> <p>“Julio Reyes, our program director for undocumented students, went out and made connections with folks in Lorain [who support undocumented immigrants],” Myers says. “By doing this, he also showed the 91ֱ�� campus community that there are folks nearby who are engaging in important discussions around support for undocumented and DACA-mented folks in the midst of this tense political climate.”</p> <p>The MRC has also begun to conduct outreach with area LGBTQ groups to further build on the idea of community.</p> <p>“Even though our LGBTQ student life coordinator’s job is to connect with 91ֱ�� students, he wanted to be part of the LGBTQ Lorain task force to link our two communities and to understand how to support LGBTQ and trans youth, and their parents, in Lorain county. He’s been going to their meetings to find out how to host those students on our campus,” says Myers.</p> <p>“And those are just two examples. We want to do more of that,” says Myers. “I want to be aware of the influence I have in this specific role and within this institution. I want to think about how we can truly engage with folks that might never have the opportunity to enroll in a class at 91ֱ��.”</p> <p>Myers’ vision for the MRC also expands the concept of 91ֱ��’s community geographically. “In Ohio, I think we have an opportunity to work with local folks in Lorain and all the way to East Cleveland," says Myers. “If you can drive here, you’re part of my community.”</p> <p>From an institutional standpoint, Myers plans to broaden the MRC’s community to include peer and regional colleges. “I’d like to engage the Great Lakes Colleges Association and the Five Colleges of Ohio—those peer colleges we talk about. But I’m also thinking of Case Western Reserve University, which has a fantastic social justice institute, Cleveland State University, and historically black colleges like Wilberforce University and Central State University.”</p> <p><strong>Vision for the Future</strong><br> Myers’ overall vision for the MRC is to center the voices and experiences of historically disenfranchised students at 91ֱ�� in all the work they do. “It is to be more than a center that focuses on cultural programming. And while community-specific multicultural programming is incredibly important work and a vital connection to our faculty and staff campus partners, the coordinators in the MRC are also advisers to individual students and student organizations, facilitators of workshops and trainings, and offer specialized knowledge in areas of social justice and equity that is crucial to creating an inclusive and equitable campus culture and climate. As the needs of our students evolve, so will our center.”</p> <p>When planning for the future of the MRC, Myers believes in working closely with the college. “Creating a general advisory board next fall with student participants and relaunching the faculty advisory board this past spring are just two ways that we hope to truly collaborate with the 91ֱ�� College community in co-creating a new vision for the MRC."</p> <p>Finally, Myers envisions the MRC as a catalyst for campus-wide social awareness and change. “I want the MRC to be seen as a partner in a larger campus coalition around diversity, equity, and social justice. I believe that all of us at 91ֱ�� College have a stake in supporting historically disenfranchised students. If we begin to think of ourselves as a coalition invested in student success, it makes it a lot easier for us to foster that sense of community our students are really hungry for.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2017-04-13T12:00:00Z">Thu, 04/13/2017 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2763">Multicultural Resource Commons</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jennifer Manna</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>