Femmes d'Esprit Fall 2005 Issue 2

2005·24.6 MB·English

by  College of New Rochelle

HONORS MATTERS: WELCOME HOME
Dr. Amy Bass
"You get a strange feeling when you're focused on its global purpose that it can-
about to leave a place, like you'll not only not be replicated in any other space. I
miss the people you love but you'll miss the know this. I know it well. And yet the
person you are now at this time and this significance of it does not really hit me un-
place, because you'll never be this way ever til the plane returns me to JFK it is there
again." that I recognize that it will take days, per-
- Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran haps weeks, for the routine of the normal
to return, to wipe the Olympics almost,
Finding what you love to do, and where although not entirely, clean from my head.
you love to do it, is something that you But it is strange: the return to the familiar
both can and cannot learn in school. My is actually a departure from it: The home
interest in the Olympic Games began as a city is strange, while the Olympic city -
television viewer, and then developed after tied to feelings and sensations contained to
I started graduate school, becoming the a very specific place - is missed.
focus of my growing interest in sports as a It is not that I stop being who I am
window into cultural history. My first while I am there. But now that I am here,
Olympic eJl.'.Perience, Atlanta, sucked me in it seems impossible to shed the walks
completely. But was perhaps at my fourth down porticoed T orinese streets, a rare
Olympics, Athens, when I started to fully appearance of sun on the River Po, cappuc-
understand just how important this event cinos with impossibly thick froth, or the
had become to me. The theme of Athens swarms of sports fans from around the
was "Welcome Home," a phrase that made globe chanting and singing and hoping
me smile every time I saw a banner that that their athletes will do them proud and
heralded it. This motto spoke, of course, to bring home gold.
the fact that the Olympic Games had been With my return home comes the inevi-
born in Greece in ancient days, and then table question of "How was it?" It is ques-
made their modern debut in Athens in tion of interest, a question that should be
asked, a question that I truly appreciate,
1896.
I recently returned home myself, from and yet it is one that I have the most trou-
the Olympic Winter Games in Torino, It- ble answering. "Fine." "Great." "Hard."
aly. It was my fifth time working at an "Tiring." All are accurate, but no answer
Olympics, and like each time before, it was that I can scare up does any of it.
a unique, difficult, and worthwhile experi- Where's your home? Where's your
ence. Those of us who make the Olympic Olympics? Whether you are at home in
trek - and some of the people that I work class, or at home sitting in the Student
with I have knuwn and worked closely Campus Center, or at home thinking about
with for a decade or more - understand the study abroad prograrp from a previous
that we have no choice but to return from semester, or at home thinking about an
the Olympics once they are over. The experience that is yeno come, find it, and
Games end, and with their end, the real then go find another. Have many homes,
world returns, or at least, we return to it. and remember each one. And make sure to
It is not an easy re-entry. The Olympic pay each a visit whenever you can.
city - every Olympic city - is a inimitable
space, one so international in scope and so
with regards to shattering the confines evident with regards to these exam-
of stereotypes. ples. Is this commercial not sending
Interestingly enough, after watching a bad message? Are men actually en-
this commercial, 1 was less motivated couraged to buy this product for
to buy a cell phone as I was to make such reasons? How would Susan B.
sure that after peo- Anthony view
ple laugh at this this spectacle?
funny little bit, This advertise-
they have the same ment seems also
moment of realiza- to be regressing
tion. I'm by no from the many
means an anti- advancements
humor extremist. that women have
However, I do made towards
hope to provoke creating an inde-
consciousness. pendent, equal
See, what I fear image.
most is the day A "warning" displayed in a This issue's
when 1 am unfazed by the similar Tag Body Spray com- theme is "women on the
blatancy of commercials mercial move." Considering
with similar content. Photc1: Yah(H).t·om this, I thought that it
Unfortunately, my dismay with the would be interesting to examine the
content of commercials didn't end lack of progress evident in these
there. It took me about two seconds to television commercials, versus the
get over my disgust with major movements that the College of
"Christmahanukwanzaca," only to be New Rochelle's women of Honors
bombarded again with a charming little continue to make. In opening this
commercial for a product called I ag issue with the themes of social stag-
Body Spray. nation evident in the two commer-
In this advertisement, after spraying cial examples, the articles of this is-
himself with the product, a man walks sue seem only more astounding in
through the supermarket, and is soon their progression toward knowl-
tackled by a myriad of lusting women. edge, wisdom and enlightenment.
This commercial in particular sug- So, look at a Broadway musical
gested an animalistic tendency in through a critic's eye, see the many
women. How interesting it is that after wonderful experiences that our
spraying said product, women come Honors women have participated in,
running from afar to the "lucky" man. and hear both a student and teach-
In this case, I ag is almost reminiscent ers perspectives on an Honors semi-
to a dog whistle , which attracts the nar. Submerge yourself in the pro-
animals from afar to the caller. gress of these women on the move ...
In examining the word "bitch" in
terms of its literal and colloquial mean- Jeanene James
ings, a correlation quickly makes itself Editor-in-Chief
. .
Danielle _Lombard, _09 _____
i_ j
. AVB'. ,1 ·' LL·...
PL
·. · . •- ,i ..... _•. > On October 20,
I ··, 2005, members of the
Honors class were given
the opportunity to see
the Broadway play
"Chicago." The play was
wonderful and provided
a great beginning to my
first semester in college.
The play was based oh
two murder trials and
the media coverage they
received. The perform-
ances portrayed these
images in a creative, fes-
tive, and very enjoyable
manner for the audi-
ence.
As a freshman
from New Jersey, the play gave me an
opportunity to see New York City and
a Broadway show at a very affordable
cost. The play was quite captivating,
using many different songs and dances
to exhibit the plot line. The actors and
actresses were very ani-
mated and performed
very well. I highly recom-
mend this experience for
anyone, because it is an
inexpensive way to enjoy
New York, and the many
interesting facets of the
city. The show also pro-
vided a very memorable
experience to reflect on
for years to come.
REFLECTION: REFLECTION:
Betsy Skrip: Kathryn Ty ranski
I am very grateful to all of the peo- As a seasoned NCHC National
ple who helped me to create, refine, Conference attendee, I have to say
and submit my project Nature Por- that the St. Louis conference is by
trayed Through the Evolution of Art to ap- far the best conference I've at-
ply for the NCHCs Portz Scholar- tended as far as session content
ship-namely Emily Stern, Dr. Susan and things to do within the con-
Canning, Dr. Michael Quinn, Dr. ference. There were so many ses-
Richard Thompson and his office sions I wanted to attend! From
staff, and Dr. Amy Bass, particularly "The Beatles: An Honors Gateway
for inviting me to accompany her, to Pop Culture" to "iPod as Gate-
Kathryn T yranski, and Sara Weigand way for Honors Exploratior,i and
to what was my first national honors Discovery" to "Honors is a Politi-
conference, and my first time to St. cal Animal" ...t here were so many,
Louis. too many! I have to say that every
Imagine this for an introduction to session I attended was very infor-
the city: a view from the airplane of mative and there was hardly ever a
the Mississippi River winding its way seat left in each conference room.
out of the sunlit clouds. And directly 1 have always found the plethora
below, the Arch of St. Louis, com- of presentations and sessions
pleted 40 years ago to the day amazing when I attend confer-
(October 28) that the four of us ad- ences. NCHC has always had
venturous travelers entered this ITTand wonderful themes and this confer-
0
monument and gazed out over the ence's theme-Gateway to Explo-
city and the river from 630 feet above ration and Discovery-led to a
the ground. Just as a note of interest, multitude of sessions revolving
mode of transportation to the top? An around every topic imaginable.
elevator system consisting of small, This conference also hosted
futuristic-looking pods \Vith seats for several performance events. I
thought the "Performance: George
five passengers. (Oh yes, think Star
Washington Carver" was excel-
Wars when R2-D2 and C-3PO jettison
lent. I never knew that Carver did
their way to T atooine.) Other events
so much! It was a good tool to in-
for the evening included a tour of the
troduce me to the history of a Mis-
Museum of Westward Expansion,
sourian and to the state. I thought
located directly beneath the Arch,
the "gala" event at this conference
where we learned of Eero Saarinen
was great-taking a trip to the
the Arch's designer, as well as a visit
Arc and going to th~ courthouse. I
to the Old Courthouse, site of the
will never forget the four of us-
Dred Scott decision, which required
Sarah, Betsy, Dr. Bass, and my
that slaves who escaped to "free"
I I 24 1
Continued on page 26 ' Continued on page
A PROFESSOR'S PERSPECTIVE:
O N THE SELF IN C ONTEXT
Dr. Lisa Paler
I started the semester with this strengths, their areas for growth, and
huge three ring binder notebook con- learn the language (if you will) of the
taining all my class notes and outlines. CNR community. Thus while skill de-
I was ready! But as I faced the last velopment is important, I believe the
couple of weeks of the semester I was purpose of this class is to foster an eas-
left with merely the binder-empty. I ier acculturation process.
have taken out the notes, moved things There is always a degree of trepida-
around and have a tendency to never tion when I enter a class for the first
put things back where I found them. time, especially for the INS/HON
You should see my office. Hopefully, course. The success of HON 101 is
the students (as well as myself) begin largely based on the ,;,.,ill, interest, and
the semester one way and come out openness of the students. When I
changed, with things not quite put walked into the classroom, I was facing
back in the same way. Despite having a table of 16 (soon to be 17) students. I
taught in the INS/HON 101 rotation for soon found I was unable to actually sit
four out of the five years I have been at at the table for the better part of the
The College of New Rochelle, this was semester because of the size of the
my first time teaching the Honors sec- room. Yet while physically excluded, I
tion. And this course is really like no felt very embraced, challenged, and en-
other in that it truly is a new iteration couraged as a professor. Part of the ac-
each time it is taught whether you have culturation process is to help students
a binder full of class notes or not! Not connect- connect with their work,
only do you have new students but the their professor, the institution they
"flavor" or focus of the course changes have selected, and most importantly
just as new topics are introduced and with themselves. To accomplish this,
the cadre of professors who teach the the primary task in the first week was
course change. In my experience, to quickly establish a climate of safety.
HON/INS never turns out as I plan (it On the first day students created a con-
usually is better!) and has never be- tract outlining the types of behavior
come stale or routine. necessary to facilitate a climate of safe,
I see this course as particularly im- self-exploration. My biggest contribu-
portant in the student's introduction to tion was to take notes and type up the
college and even more so for the stu- contract which was disq.1ssed and
dent's introduction to The College of agreed upon at the next class meeting.
New Rochelle community. In particu- This contract was referred to through-
lar, HON 101 was designed to help the out the re.st of the semester.
freshwomen of 2009 to assess their Continued on page 25
ATm rc of Powe,~T he cover of Elaine Brown's autobiography.
Pi1,1;.::: l·;:v1.~k Ci~!!!
ing it to look more white. I even, at one true Sister
point, dressed in traditional African cloth- would be
ing. As I entered the realm of being a Black happy to sleep
Panther I learned that my ideology and with a revolu-
own individuality would bring on the tionary
revolution we were fighting for. I tried to Brother." That
remain myself in all this change. I had al- struggle would
ways loved music, playing the piano, sing- not come for
ing, songwriting. Through that artistic some time, al-
energy, songs about my heritage came though it was
forth. Soon my voice would be ringing something I
through America singing the songs of my was aware of ....
dead comrades and echoing my hope for .. .I was preg-
the future of Black America ... nant in 1969 and not concentrating on be-
... When I joined in 1967, I was soon to ing a mother until I had my child, Ericka
become the second woman to begin to rise Brown in March of 1970. This was unchar-
to power within the Party as a representa- acteristic for the time since merely a dec-
tive to the Black Congress. 1w as well edu- ade earlier women were only expected to
cated, so I was also working on the Black be wives and mothers ... or at least white
Panther's newspaper. While a part of the women. Black women had children but
Black Panther Party, I truly appreciated could not mother their own children be-
myself as a member of the black commu- cause we were the mothers and domestic
nity. I no longer thought of that character- servants for white mothers. White women
istic-being black-as a strike. Rather, I were the focus for all of the 1950s hoopla
was proud about wife and mother. Black women
---------------~ to be who I
were not included as women ...
was and ...O nce Huey was arrested and I took
who I still the lead, 1h ad my supporters and my ene-
am. I was mies. I learned who would be there for-
ready for Larry, Ericka, Big Bob. I was truly scared.
anything. Huey was in Cuba, exiled until his trial-
Orso I until it was safe for his trial. And I was
thought. I here. A black woman, the second biggest
was ready enemy aside from the Man to the Black
to be Panthers. I took charge. I appointed
black, the women to many prominent positions in
Party hov,,- the Party. Our programs ·helped the com-
ever, was- munity and our school ~ecame much
n't ready stronger under my reign. We jumped into
for me to politics head first. l ran for City Council,
bea but lost. However, we were determined to
woman. 1 push on. Huey remained a part of the
was once Continued on page 22
told that "a
Bobby Seale and Huey Newton, founders of the Black_P anther P~rty.
eh~ihi: ( 1:\1g/(.(\,m
newed sense of the
spirit of New York. We
were given the opportu-
nity to look beyond our
everyday routine and
see the city as observ-
ers, rather than people
accustomed to the com-
ings and goings of eve-
ryday life. That being
said, we hope an agree-
ment can be reached
soon.
Reporting to you from
Astoria.
alike. We witnessed a glorious sun-
set and were taken by the beauty of
the city and positive attitudes of
our fellow New Yorkers faced with
adversity. We descended the
bridge and continued on, back to
Astoria, making it in 90 minutes,
however at least 30 of that was
spent taking pictures and admiring
the sunset and the wonder that is
New York and it's people.
The day started with extreme
obstacles, but rather than allowing
them to overwhelm us, we over-
came this struggle and developed
our own solutions. On day two of
the strike we did the Queensbor-
ough route again, this tin1e making
it to work in a little under an hour.
In a way we are glad that the
strike happened as it gave us a re-
Photographs of the NYC skyline.
Ph.Ho f· \Li:in;;:~
Students participating in the HNMl IN conference accompanied
by Dr. McCarthy of the Political Science department.
Ph,~rl,· ;". t.H,!!1111H
REFLECTION:
Hasiba Mohommad:
From February 16 to Feb-
ruary 19, a group of the hon-
ors students and Dr. Daniel
McCarthy made the trip to
Boston for the 2006 Harvard
Model United Nations con-
ference. CNR was assigned
to represent the country of
Estonia, as well as the committees that
REFLECTION:
Estonia was involved in. Shonda Gaylord
Alexandria Bignall: and 1 chose to be on the Special-Political
and Decolonization committee. We be-
Going to the Harvard Model United came delegates of Estonia and we had to
Nations this year was truly an experi- prepare Estonia's position on the two
ence. I have never seen so many students specific topics assigned to each commit-
from all over the world show so much tee. After obtaining the necessary back-
passion for something such as the Na- ground information on Estonia's position,
tional Han,ard Model United Nations. we debated with the representatives of
Waking up early in the mornings to other nations in order to come up with a
spend three or four hours in one or tvvo Resolution, which we would later pass.
committee meetings in one day was also In addition to playing the part of true
an experience, but it was all worth it for delegates and debating with other na-
I was able to meet and engage in conver- tions, we had the chance to mingle with
sation with many talented and intelli- students from all over the United States,
gent individuals. It was a lot of hard and several international students as
work corning up with definitions of uni- well. We stayed at the lovely Boston Park
lateral acts and in the end deciding Plaza Hotel and had the opportunity to
which ones would check out
pass and which the Boston
ones would not, scenes. Af-
however, with care- ter a long
ful preparation and day of de-
effort, my c01m11it- bating in
tee and l came up our com-
with many success- mittees, it
ful proposals and was nice to
amendments. Over- just to hang
all, T can honestly out with
say that l would do the rest of
the Han,ard Na- the girls and
tional Model UN as talk about
much as possible the new
for it was an experience I utterly en- people we met and how much we were
joyed. enjoying our stay in Boston. Although, it
was a mission in itself just to grab a bite
to eat from the nearby restaurants, it was
The delegation of Estonia attending closing ceremonies. truly an enjoyable experience.
MY LIFE, MY HONORS ...
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.Jeanene James, Editor-in-Chief.
Femmes ])'Esprit
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