Week 15: Not The End

Little did I know that this class would lead me to me to experience some true moments of real knowledge. I’m not talking about science and all the educational stuff that one can read about in a textbook (I never attended one of those scientific lectures--surprising), but rather those things that can only be learned by human experience. I certainly don’t mean to say that I have some sort of right to think that I “know” what some of the speakers have gone through, or that I can fully relate to them, but I could feel the honesty in many of their words. I’ve realized that one of my favorite parts of being human is our ability to share stories and personal memories with one another. Several of the lectures I attended involved this exactly, and those were probably the ones that will stick with me the most. Lots of people can speak in front of crowds, but not everyone has the ability to touch others with their thoughts. I feel grateful for having had the opportunity to hear a wide variety of stories, from individuals of many backgrounds.

I got a taste of what it was like to be transgender, a gay black man, a woman who has had an abortion, a man who has been in a wheelchair almost his whole life, a “bro,” a Muslim, a Sikh…the list goes on. Although I am none of these, that does not matter. The point is to realize that these are not merely categories, but that these are all people whose experiences often overlap. We all share the same strain of being human, so it boggles me to think of how inhumanely we have treated one another in the past. And unfortunately it is far from over, but I’m glad that classes like this exist and help us see things differently—in a much more broad and hopeful way.

This course, in a combination with others that I've taken this semester, has made me more critical (yet also more caring I’d say). I gave a presentation in my Islamic Arts of Africa class that spoke about the “Western” gaze on veiled women of the Middle East. Although public speaking is not really my forte, I left that worry behind as I got caught up in the material and discovered how stereotypes are rampant even in today’s pop culture. For example, I used a Bollywood music video for a popular song called “Mashallah” to show how Orientalist themes are still present today. Before this semester, I may have not even thought twice about the silly music video, but my awareness has shifted a little as a result of these classes. I hope it continues to expand and transform as I grow older.     

Week 14: I Hunger for Langar

Last Wednesday, the Sikh Student Association (SSA) fed over 1500 people at the first-ever "Langar" (or free kitchen) on campus. Until recently, Langar only existed as an idea for the organization of Sikh students...but the hard work and dedication of a few individuals has made a dream come to life.

I'm very proud to recognize that my two Sikh roommates, Simaren Sandh and Amrita Bamrah, were involved with this project at its core, and I don't think Langar would have ever happened without their leadership. Months of preparation and planning have went into this event, and we all got to see it pay off on April 24th, 2013. Some may just remember this as a day where a huge white tent was posted near the Engineering quad, in which free Indian food was being served.

 People coming purely for the food was expected, but the experience that took place was so much more than that. Many people do not know that Sikhism is a religion - and the fifth-largest organized one at that. In fact, our awareness of Sikh culture is probably limited to the image of an Indian man wearing a turban. (Keeping hair long and covered is common within Sikhism) Yet because of ignorance, many hate crimes have occurred post 9/11 because the turban became synonymous with terrorist.

      

Those killed in the Oak Creek temple shooting were remembered. 

You may recall just roughly a year ago when a gunman opened fire at the Oak Creek gurdwara (Sikh temple) in Wisconsin, killing six individuals. According to reports, those present at the gurdwara had been preparing for that day's langar, a communal meal which happens every week usually. In many ways, the Langar which took place on campus was an effort to reduce the ignorance which has often lead to so many horrors in history. Each person who stood in line for food received a pamphlet about Sikhism to browse through while they waited. Many people were actually reading them. Even Gino took one.


Sikhism preaches that everyone--regardless of race, gender, religion--is equal in the eyes of God. A person of any faith is welcome to enter a gurdwara and participate in langar as well. Thus, traditionally everyone sits together on the ground as they eat their meal. Serving the community is another key aspect of Sikhism, thus many volunteers (including my roommates' family members) and members of various Sikh communities nearby attended to help make the day run smoothly. They seemed very much happy to lend a hand wherever necessary, even though some of the volunteers appeared to be elderly. 
Some of them, including my roommates, were busy with preparations as early as 6 am, and did not leave until the langar was over around 5 pm.

For the first of its kind, this Langar was hugely successful and it drew in people from all kinds of different backgrounds. It is presumable that another langar event will be taking place next year, in case you missed it this time around. It also made the front page of The Daily Illini. To read more about it, check out the article here: http://www.dailyillini.com/news/campus/article_3686276a-ad39-11e2-8d90-0019bb30f31a.html   

Week 13: Health, Hunger & Happiness

Apparently there are at least 19,000 people in Champaign who do not have health insurance.

I learned this last Friday at the YMCA, where I heard Dr. Irfan Ahmad - from the Avicenna Community Health Center - speak about local healthcare opportunities. Avicenna's main goal is to "provide healthcare for the uninsured or under-insured." I have heard a friend refer to it as "the free clinic."

Among the Board of Directors, Dr. Ahmad is the president of the organization. His Islamic faith has played a definite role in the work he does today, but unfortunately I struggled to understand some of his reasoning because of technical difficulties with the microphone and due to his slight accent. So, I feel like I didn't get the full gist of what he wanted to communicate with us (which according to the event info was supposed to be about "local faith-based responses to hunger and healthcare").The clinic basically emerged as a response from local Muslims who found that access to free medical treatment was very limited in Champaign. I certainly got the vibe that Dr. Ahmad is a humanitarian of sorts, and has a humble character. There must be scores of people who get treated at Avicenna weekly that probably wouldn't be able to afford normal medical care otherwise.

Another speaker present was Donna Camp, representing the Wesley Evening Food Pantry, which fights local hunger on the third Thursday of every month. She has found that health crisis within the family is the No. 1 crisis which leads to seeking food at the pantry. Clients may take as many food items as they want, "as long as it fits" in the large cart that is provided.

Her talk seemed a bit more emotional in many ways --she relayed many personal stories to us of touching client interactions she has had and also of the changes she has went through in her own journey. Again, I got the strong feeling that she too genuinely cares about helping others, and sees much value in it in doing so. It seemed like she was almost choked up and holding back tears at some points.

"When it [compassion] goes away, everything falls apart."
--Donna Camp, Director of Wesley Evening Food Pantry

One of the key points she made was her realization that sometimes we are the givers, and sometimes we're the receivers. At the end of the day, we are more alike than we are different. We all have one fundamental thing in common: that we are human. And although the pantry is run in a church, a person of any faith may come to receive food or volunteer. Again, it was great to see religion brought about in a positive light. The no. 1 thing Camp tells volunteers is to smile and have a conversation; to make everyone feel welcome. Camp explained that she can't help but see a little bit of God in every person now.  

Surprisingly in all of this, there was a slight shift in the atmosphere during one particular moment of the Q&A in which an elderly man directed his question to Dr. Ahmad. This man said he knew a female who had gone to the Avicenna clinic for concerns about her skin problems, but ultimately did not get treatment because of her modesty around male physicians. He also threw in the word "Quranic" into his question, so he came across as rather critical and seemed to be questioning the legitimacy of Avicenna's practice. Dr. Ahmad responded saying that there are indeed female physicians as well, and tried explaining that there is no religious reason as to why the woman in this situation couldn't have been treated. So, it was interesting that this moment of awkward tension came up. The man also seemed to be offensive when he brought up the "give someone a fish, or teach them how to fish" quote in regards to the work of the pantry. Or in other words, he probably thought that it would make more sense to teach the people who come to to the pantry how to not be poor.
To me, he was taking away from all the good things that organizations like Avicenna and the Wesley Evening Food Pantry are doing, but to each his own I guess. His words certainly didn't ruin the presentation for me, and I doubt they did for Dr. Ahmad and Camp either.

  































Avicenna Community Health Center: http://www.avicennahealth.org/
Wesley Evening Food Pantry: http://wesleypantry.org/

 

Week 12: Stevie Hopkins and the Heart

Last Thursday, I listened to a young man named Stevie Hopkins talk about growing up with Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 2.

Hopkins is a University of Illinois alumni who started a company called 3E Love with his sister Annie to change society's perception of disability. He began his lecture by recounting a story he heard in which an old woman was dying of cancer. In her last days, she just wished that she could have been seen as a grandmother, a mother, a sister, or a friend...instead of just another "old woman dying of cancer." This struck a chord with Hopkins, who understood what it was like to be reduced to a "disabled" person.

In 1984, not long after he was born, the head of a neurology department at a hospital told his mother that she should go home and pretend like nothing had happened. He told her that she should simply "stop feeding, stop caring, and stop loving" for her 15-month old son because he wasn't going to live past 2 years. Luckily, his parents were not as heartless as that doctor. Even when his little sister Annie was born with the same muscular atrophy condition, they never treated their children like disabled people. So, Hopkins did the best he could to live a normal childhood. And for the most part, it wasn't so bad. In fact, he recalls being "the most popular kid in elementary school" and playing tons of sports.

Aging brought about its own complications though. It's a complex time when we become more aware of sexuality, body image, race, gender and other major issues within ourselves and society. This, combined with the arrival of more medical issues, proved to be a difficult period in Hopkins' life. Suddenly, the same kids who had played with him in childhood were the ones throwing things at him, and calling him names. Depression ultimately came to replace the fun of his early years as puberty and high school took over. I can't even begin to imagine the psychological trauma of being stuck at home playing video games all day while others are out and about living life, relying on personal assistants, or watching people dance and moving about freely--things that most of us take for granted. All of that free time proved to be worthwhile for Hopkins though. Instead of writing one page book reports, he wrote 10. His studying paid off; he graduated valedictorian of his class, and was accepted into UofI for his undergrad studies.

"This school is like heaven for people with wheelchairs," Hopkins said. I had no idea. I thought handicap accessibility was just a no-brainer on college campuses, but clearly that hasn't always been the case. In fact, Annie, who also attended UofI, seems to have played a role in the building of ramps at many sorority houses.  Hopkins had a positive outlook on life as he began his freshman year. "We're all going to be equals. People are going to treat me differently," he thought. Of course, it wasn't that simple though. His dorm, known as Beckwith Hall during that time, grouped him together with others who had physical disabilities and diseases, some he had never even heard of. He was scared of his own surroundings.

On his first night, typical drunk students were leaving the bars around 2 am. There were some bushes near his window, which was open, and he remembers hearing rustling. Some guy was trying to urinate into the corner of Hopkins' room, and others outside began to laugh saying, "Haha, this is where all the retards live." That was the first time he had ever been called that in his life.

The 3E heart symbol is seen on the bag above.

Needless to say, his first semester wasn't the best. He had little money, got drunk a lot, fell in love with a lesbian...the list goes on. Eventually, he made some genuinely good friends and those with disabilities finally began to intermingle. Beckwith Hall had become a frat house for kids with wheelchairs. If they wanted to go out for dinner, they did. If they wanted to host a barcrawl, they did. Suddenly, everyone started forming romantic relationships too. "We were living the college dream," Hopkins said.

Of course, this "golden age" came to end at some point, and once again reality took over. Finding a job, heartbreak, lost friendships. However, this time Hopkins learned to finally embrace all of his challenges. With the aid of a graphic designer friend, his sister created what has become the symbol of the 3E Love movement. The image features the traditional handicapped symbol, but instead of a wheelchair a heart is the dominant form. The 3E slogan stands for "embrace diversity, educate your community, empower each other, and love life."

Unfortunately, I had to leave the lecture early before hearing more about Hopkins' work and the organization. After doing a little research though, I was a bit shocked to find out that his sister had passed away in 2009 at the age of 24. The work that Hopkins does now is a continuation of her legacy and message to "embrace diversity and live life to the fullest." I had actually thought that Annie was one of the girls in the front of the room while the lecture was being delivered. There were many other students in wheelchairs who had came to hear Hopkins speak though.

I suppose what stuck with me from hearing this talk was just seeing how personable and hilarious Hopkins was. We laughed at his humor, and felt the pain in his honesty. In fact, he was probably a better public speaker than most people I know. We're often guilty of dehumanizing people who have any sort of disability, or at least thinking we cannot relate to them. Or perhaps we find ourselves feeling very sorry for them...but it's not sympathy that they're looking for--it's equality.





            




http://www.3elove.com
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/article/20111110/NEWS/311109951

Week 11: The Coolest Patel I Know

When I first saw that someone named Eboo Patel was giving a lecture on campus, I was both surprised and confused. Of course the word "Patel" just naturally jumps out at me, since it's my last name. Yet I've never heard it paired with Eboo before. Then I realized that this man must not be your typical Gujarati "Patel" like most of the ones I know. In fact, he is anything but that.

Eboo is a Muslim Indian American of Gujarati heritage. Although I have met a few others who were like this, he is the first "Patel" I've ever known that practices Islam. He's the founder and director of the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), a member of Obama's faith advisory council, an author, a speaker, a father...the list goes on. Patel was named one of "America's Best Leaders" in 2009 by U.S News & World Report, and for good reason.

An article describes him as one of "America's deepest thinkers on religion and the human condition." And here at the University of Illinois is where it all got started, which is incredible to think about. Patel spoke to us about his undergrad years in the early 90's. He found that lots of important conversations about race, sexuality, and gender identity were already happening, but nothing was being said about religion. To some extent, we still see this today. I remember saying the Pledge of Allegiance in elementary school, and then somewhere along the way it just fell off the radar. I don't even remember when that happened. It's true though that religion has become a sort of taboo topic, especially when we think about everyday American classrooms.

Growing up, Patel always tried to "play in the white game" and recalls becoming a target for racial slurs by classmates. (On a side note, I also found it interesting that many of the attendees for this lecture seemed like older white men and women. Traditionally, I tend to think of this group as being the most conservative...but surely stereotyping has played a role in that) Later on in life, he began to ask big questions like "Who am I?" and "How do I contribute?". For Patel, the college campus is the best place to begin these experiences and expand religious awareness. He believes the campus can (and should) play a vital role in promoting interfaith cooperation and appreciation. The identity politics that have shaped our turbulent world history is best summed up in the question, "How have you oppressed me?" Patel's most basic job is to try and fight these problematic dialogues every day. The conversation we should be engaging in with one another should involve questions like: "Who am I? How do we relate to each other? What can we do together?". Yet he also believes that in order to become a part of that larger conversation we must have a strong sense of our own identity. For him, this meant finding value and appreciation for his own heritage, for Islam, for the samosas that his mother packed for lunch...

Patel wanted to make it clear that interfaith cooperation was not about taking a spiritual or political stance. One of the main goals of the IFYC is to "change the public discourse about religion from one of inevitable conflict to one of cooperation and religious pluralism." And basically what that means is using faith as a bridge instead of a barrier in order to strengthen societies and promote "the common good for all". This ties along very harmoniously with last week's student panel on religion - I have a feeling Eboo Patel would have been proud just knowing that such a conversation was taking place.

Overall, I found him to be very knowledgeable and truly leader-like. I found more of his lectures on YouTube, and shared one of the videos about the strong influence of women in his life and faith with fellow blogger (and roommate) Roshni. After watching, she said it "brought me to tears" and that his passion is "so beautiful." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIaEOl6tLF8

Sources:
http://www.usnews.com/news/best-leaders/articles/2009/10/22/eboo-patel-obama-faith-adviser-preaches-religious-tolerance
http://business.illinois.edu/ael/alumni/illinois-entrepreneurs/profiles/patel.html

This event took place at the University YMCA as a part of their Friday Forum series.

Week 10: Interfaith & Ignorance

Religion. Faith. Belief. Love. Hate.

More often than not, I feel like I get these things mixed up. I don't consider myself to be overly-religious, nor do I know what exactly causes someone to fall into that category. I would say though that I've come to develop a somewhat negative connotation to the overall idea of religion, and I'm not really sure why. Similarly, if you were to ask me why I identify as a Hindu, I don't have a clear answer. I was born into a Hindu family, so that part makes sense. Do I believe in all the tenets of Hinduism? Do I even know what Hinduism is all about? Probably not. But I'm okay with that, and I'm willing to bet that there are others out there like me.

I believe in something - that much is clear to me. And religion does play a definite role in my life, I know that too. Just last week as I was reading an article for my art history class, the Islamic Arts of Africa, I found myself wanting to defend my religion. The term "god-pictures" was used by someone to refer to the common usage of deity iconography in everyday Hindu life. It's true, images of important gods and goddesses are often abundantly seen in our homes. It's also very typical for Hindus to have some part of a home reserved for prayer and meditation, in which you're likely to find a small-scale mandir (temple). And inside it is where you'll probably find the so called "god-pictures." All of this can be found in my home in Kentucky.

My "prasad" from the Women's Resources Center.
Too good.

In the mandir or shrine, there may be framed color portraits/illustrations, small figurines, etc. Each is a beautifully-done artistic rendering of Hindu gods, goddesses, or other religious icons. They are seen as manifestations of God, and are meant to be treated with the same holy veneration. We light diyas (oil lamps) in the temple everyday, sing prayers here, and also serve prasad (food offerings) to the deities - which is then believed to have been blessed by the gods themselves. 

Basically my point is...I was offended by this simplified take on Hindu iconography. Maybe to an outsider, it's an acceptable way of looking at it. This train of thought is risky though, and lends itself to the creation of stereotypes.

__________

Now I wasn't thinking about any of this as I walked into the "Speedfaithing" event at the Women's Resources Center last Friday. I actually didn't even know I was going to attend - one of my roommates told me she was on the student panel that would be leading a discussion on faith identities. She was representing Sikhism, a major religion in India. The other 3 student speakers were followers of Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism. They responded to pre-determined questions by another Muslim student, Najah Batty (seen to the left in the picture below).

  

As you can see, a representative for the Christian faith was missing. It was also a little strange to me that only one person was guiding the discussion in many ways, since Q&A from the audience was mostly held off until the end. Regardless, the issues addressed were still pretty interesting and relevant. One of the questions asked the panelists to describe any stereotypes associated with their particular religion. In the post 9/11 world, Anti-Muslim sentiment is still evident today. Unsurprisingly, this has affected Sikhs as well, who are known for wearing turbans in their religion. Ignorance has caused some to equate this symbol for terrorism, leading to an increase in hate crimes.

Of course, sometimes it doesn't even take a politicized symbol to spark tension and racial discrimination. I  haven't forgotten the day that a group of older boys began to laugh at me because I looked like "Osama Bin Laden's daughter" to them. This happened in sixth grade -nearly a decade ago- and the memory is still fresh in my mind.

The theme of unity and love between human beings was a message being promoted across the board by the student panelists. This is essentially the core (or should be) of any major religion, it seems like. It was nice to see such a positive outlook on religion, because as I said earlier, I have doubts about some things. And it seems like it's not so much religion that has flaws, but rather the actions of certain individuals who compel us to think that way. Promoting awareness and defeating ignorance is key to a better tomorrow. 

Photo by Ross Wantland

Week 9: Transformation Tuesday

I had no idea that today I would be hearing powerful words from a transgender artist, Rebecca Kling. Sometimes it amazes me how little I seem to know about the complexities of human beings, but I am grateful to have these opportunities to expand my knowledge. Kling gave a spoken word perfomance called "Uncovering the Mirrors" - a sort of coming-of-age personal narrative that she wrote herself. It is full of stories and metaphors, humor and wit, pain and pleasure.

Kling is the kind of person that can tell a good story. There were no gimmicky props, costumes, or distractions - it was all about the words and the movement of her body. There were times when I felt like she was looking right at me, and for a moment I was terrified. And yet at the same time, I was in awe of her strong presence. She's just that good.

Although I would be lying if I said I understood all of her performance clearly, there were several parts that stood out for me. She painted this great picture in our heads of The Land of Gender - a place that was once vast and beautiful, wild and untamed. It was full of secrets and the unknown, where explorers would make ambitious treks in attempts to understand its landscape. The Land of Gender refused to be defined, until one day an explorer named "He" arrived. He feared the unknown, and began to create a map that would "measure, manage, and master the Land of Gender once and for all." Instead of consulting other explorers for their unique perspectives on the land, He relied only on his own beliefs when mapping out the terrain. Ultimately, He was successful in mapping the landscape - but it only had two paths from which travelers could travel through. Both were very rigid and straight, and very much separate.      

I found these clever and evident metaphors fascinating. In fact, it provoked me to find more of Kling's writing online. You can read from her book, "No Gender Left Behind" right here: http://www.rebeccakling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/No-Gender-Left-Behind-Rebecca-Kling-free-download.pdf

After the performance was over, time was left for questions of course. A decent amount of time was actually spent on this. A lot of times, it seems like only a few questions are asked by audience members. And even though the group wasn't that large, a valuable discussion began to take place. Kling was genuinely interested in our thoughts and curiosities, and was very honest in her responses.

For her, the "transitioning"process did not have a definitive starting point, nor has it ended. She rather sees herself as always having been "Rebecca," and believes that she would have committed suicide had she not taken the steps that brought her to where she is today.

--

 Photo by Peter McCullough

Week 8: By the People, For the People

This week I chose to attend an exhibit called "From Protest to Peace," currently on display at the Spurlock Museum. Going into it, I knew that my familiarity with the subject matter - a tumultous time period in Northern Ireland known as "the Troubles"- was fairly limited. As far as my memory of Ireland's history goes, images of potatoes, great famines, and immigrants coming to the US are the only things that come to mind. So I was hoping to learn a thing or two after seeing this exhibit by the Bogside artists, three Irish painters who experienced "the Troubles" firsthand.

My lack of awareness was made visible from the very first sign that I viewed. It said, "You are now entering Free Derry." My gut reaction was to think of the word "dairy", and try to make some sort of correlation between it and the image which stood before me. Although I was initially stumped, it didn't take long to realize that Derry was an actually city in Ireland which held a lot of significance as far as the history of "the Troubles" goes. There were several informational hangings which described in detail the history of the land, the political unrest, the civil rights movement, the martyrs, the deaths of children...in some ways I expected to see these visual cues to aid the uninformed like myself, but at the same time I wasn't expecting to see how serious the matter was. Despite attending the exhibit and reading about the events though, I'm still afraid that the average viewer cannot grasp the history as well as the Bogside artists or actual Irish citizens themselves probably understand it. I certainly wouldn't call it a failed attempt either. What I personally failed to realize for some time was that the images that were placed together in this exhibit before me were simply smaller installation versions of the "real deal" - the gigantic painted murals which are actually located on buildings in Derry today. Understanding that was definitely a bit of a game changer for me. That's when it hit me that these weren't just some nice illustrations of troubled Irish people. I also realized that these things were happening around the same time when big changes were happening in America as well, such as our own civil rights movement. 
There was a small video playing in the very back of the room, and unfortunately it was difficult to hear the audio whenever others nearby in the Museum were talking. I thought it was a wise choice to have this non-static piece of information that was alive. I got to listen to the history from the perspective of the actual Bogside artists, and they helped cement the reminder that these events happened to real people, and that it was about the everyday people.
 I also thought it was great how local children were assimilated into the process by helping design and paint some of the murals, such as finale in the series, "The Peace Mural." This reminds me of how I've sometimes wished that the School of Art+Design would let us paint the walls of the building or even leave our mark on the exterior somehow. I think some of the best freedom of expression I've seen in the entire place was the restroom graffiti, and sadly that too is gone. I'm not saying that there is politically-charged history within our school property, but it doesn't seem like a bad idea to leave some inspiration for future generations.

Week 7: "The Year I Broke My Voice"

As a part of their Sex+Gender Film Series, the Women's Resources Center featured "The Year I Broke My Voice" by Madsen Minax. I had only read a short description of the film before attending, and the only thing I could recall was that it was supposed to have some sort of 'coming of age' theme.
*Spoiler alert*

The film itself is actually only 47 minutes, so it wasn't your typical Hollywood flick. In fact, most of the film was anything but Hollywood, at least content-wise. The majority of the film is comprised of long shots and carefully composed visuals, with peculiar sound effects and music overlaying some of the scenes. Okay, maybe it doesn't sound too different from every other movie but this one just seemed like it was on a different page altogether. If there is a predictable plot or traditional story line, it's not very obvious. Rather the emphasis is on the group of actors. We are presented with multiple young characters, some of whom remain unnamed throughout the film. The age and gender of each individual is also fairly ambiguous, and that seems to be an essential theme overall.

 Many of the figures are boyishly handsome, but a few have very unique looks and voices. They are all youthful, yet they seem to carry a lot of weight on their shoulders in regards to acceptance, identity, sexuality, lust, and love. It was only after the viewing was over that I realized each scene of the film is inspired by or uses material from popular texts and films such as The Outsiders (1983), Stand By Me (1986), and The Year My Voice Broke (1987). 
What's interesting is that this film seems to create a truly desolate sort of environment, with a complete lack of adults or any concrete sense of the outside world. Amazingly enough, the director Madsen Minax was also present to watch the screening with us, and elaborate a little more on the film. Science fiction from the 50's and 60's has always been a driving thematic in his work, and this time he utilized the aforementioned coming-of-age films from the 1980s as his main sources.

I was somewhat surprised to find out that the actors in this were all friends of Minax's. Unlike your traditional movies, there wasn't much of a budget or rehearsal time. For some of the actors, the first time they had seen the scripts were on the day shooting began. Another challenge they faced was the fact that they were filming during the winter season. Clearly, this didn't stop the team from creating a strange little cinematic world. In order to appreciate the film, Minax said that the "willingness to go on a trip of random happenings" is key. I definitely agree with him there. This is one of those films that I feel like I would need to watch a few more times to really get some clarity; the ending left me puzzled. However, it successfully took me out out of Champaign and into this weird other place - that may not be as foreign as I originally thought.
_____________________________________________________________

Passing through day into night, the film closes off in a nocturnal state of indeterminacy. Nothing is repaired or improved, at least not overtly, but characters have shared tentative affection with one another, and those risks have subtly shifted their social landscape. The film’s refusal to offer any easy answers leaves the audience pondering many of the questions the characters pose, long after they leave the bleak post-industrial landscape of the screen. 
-Matt Morris


  

Images: http://www.brokevoicefilm.com/stills.html

Week 6: Behind the Cape

I think we all know what a superhero is, though everyone's version may be a little different. Whether it's a firefighter, the guy with the red cape, or your mom - it doesn't really matter. If they're doing something that inspires others, then they probably qualify. I suppose there's a difference though between a hero and a superhero, but maybe it's just that the latter brings in more money. (That's probably not the whole story.)

In the recent history of popular culture, it's quite easy to see just how much comic book characters have penetrated mainstream culture. In fact, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of superheros now is Hollywood and theatrical trailers with epic soundtracks. So, it seemed relevant when I chose to attend a lecture called, "Psychology of Superheros" at the Women's Resources Center (which, by the way, is quickly becoming one of my new favorite places on campus).
    
The speakers were three men, one of whom was John Jennings, a former professor of graphic design here at the University of Illinois. It was interesting to see how superheros and comic books play a role in some of his current work. The other speakers seemed quite knowledgeable in their respective fields as well. Of course, at the time I didn't find it strange that our speakers were males only. This specific area of pop culture is very male-dominated, as indicated by the majority of masculine characters and overly-sexualized female ones. In fact, it was kind of funny when they noted how female superheroes were often drawn in such a way that their front and backs could partially be seen - nothing ambiguous about that. It's not just the depiction of women though that brings up a discussion about body image; popular heroes such as Batman have also been "bulkified"over the years (as shown below) to the point where the results are practically unattainable for the common man.    

The most striking thing that I got out of this conversation was learning how naive I am in regards to the social and political history that may have fueled much of the creation of superheros. Obviously the battle between good versus evil is evident, but to realize its relationship with actual historical events and figures is important.
One of the speakers, Mikhail Lyubansky, mentioned this quote by X-men writer Chris Claremont: "The X-men are hated, feared, and despised collectively by humanity for no other reason than that they are mutants. So what we have....intended or not, is a book that is about racism, bigotry, and prejudice." He also made correlations with the key X-Men characters Charles Xavier and Magneto to Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X. Charles Xavier, the leader of the X-men, dreamed of a world in which humans and mutants could live in peace and unity. Magneto (the villain) also identified with the oppressed mutants but intended to liberate his people "by any means necessary." Although Lyubansky finds that these metaphors work to some extent, they are also flawed and damaging. Check out his article in Psychology Today to see more of his thoughts on the racial politics of X-Men: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/between-the-lines/201106/the-racial-politics-x-men

 

Week 5: Defining the "Dream"

Me looking scary with the flyer.

This week the Women's Resources Center hosted a workshop titled, "Finding Your Dream Job." Of course this was a fairly relevant topic for any college student, so I was surprised to see that only a few people (apart from Courtney, Roshni and myself) attended. I suppose one could easily find a boatload of information on the topic from the comfort of their own room, but there was something nice about having a small, intimate discussion in a warm and welcoming place complete with cookies.

The great thing about the small turnout was that it became more personalized towards our individual concerns, rather than just being about discovering our "dream jobs". After briefly introducing ourselves, our speaker from the Career Center, Amanda Cox, dove right in to help address any anxieties that we were facing - from giving pointers on how to handle a phone interview to helping an unsure freshman find a niche for herself. 

List of Things You Should Remember:

• You don't have to be perfect to get an internship.
• After sophomore year, leave out the high school stuff in resumes.
• Practice "The Elevator Pitch" - the brief intro about yourself. 
• Research businesses/employers beforehand.
• Show that you've done your homework.
• Remember that employers are human beings, too.
• Try to go early to career fairs. (The later you go, the more tired they will be.)
• It's always best to overdress than under dress in these situations.   
• At career fairs, don't go to your No. 1 choice first. Visit other booths first to get practice.
• Write out any questions you have beforehand. 
• "What do you like most about working here?" 
• "How did you get into the field/break into the industry?"
• Get your resume reviewed at The Career Center, or with advisors
• Attend on campus events such as "Pizza and a Professional" to hear about careers that interest you.
• Don't forget the employer's business card. 
• Email them later to thank them for coming.
• Jot some notes down to help you remember that person/multiple people.

The STAR Method:

If asked a behavioral-based interview question, think of the following.

S - set the scene, talk about the situation

T - task you were trying to achieve

A - action that you took

R - result or positive outcomes

-------------------------------------------------

Now back to the original topic of the "dream job." 

Interests vs. Skills vs. Values

-what you like to do---what you're good at doing---what's important to you-

In a nutshell, if you can find the perfect marriage between these 3 things...then you may have found your dream job. What's important to remember is that the path to finding it is not always clear-cut. As demonstrated in the slide above, Cox told us about the twists and turns that happened to her before she finally got to where she is today. At the end of the day, the dream job is all about you. There may be times in your career path where you could earn more money, but hate what you're doing. You don't want to be that person that wakes up Monday morning wanting to write this on the walls:

  Image from slacktory.com

Week 4: Bros before Ho(mos)

I'll be the first to admit that, as a female, I've often believed that men have it easier in life than most women do. In fact, this type of conversation gets brought up quite a bit when I'm with my other girl friends. It may be that we're just a bunch of jealous and hormonal creatures, but of course we all know that there's more to it than that; the issue of gender equality has been raging for many decades. Last Friday at the Women's Resources Center,  I experienced a slight shift in my perspective towards men though.
Kenneth Importante, Rory James, and Herb Jones were the three male speakers who led a discussion on "Bromance: Exploring the Rewards, Challenges, and Tensions of Men's Friendships," which was a part of the Diversity Ed's 'Conversation Cafe' Lunch On Us series.

Importante spoke to us about his experiences during his college years, a time when he was constantly self-aware of his behavior and actions because of the fact that he was gay. Being true to one's self, he said, was probably the most important virtue at the end of the day. At the moment, I certainly appreciated the inspirational message in his words. It's an ideal that many of us would aim for, but I can't help but wonder how often we are actually being "true" to ourselves.

The bulk of the conversation was initiated by images from their slideshow, as seen to the right.
During the 1960's, the "Rat Pack" was a star-studded male group of American actors and singers that appeared in films, including the likes of Frank Sinatra and Sammie Davis, Jr. The point being made was that back then it was probably unheard of to point out any homosexual undertones within popular culture, whereas today the male-to-male relationship is always being questioned. In our world where hetero-normative beliefs have always reigned supreme, the word "bromance" has come to have a very sexually charged connotation.
Tons of homoerotic imagery can be found just by doing a quick Google search of "bromance". Also, the phrase "no homo" has become a staple in the urban dictionary of the 21st century. A member of the audience shared an interesting example. While on Facebook, this person noticed that one of her female acquaintances also wrote "no homo" at the end of a wall post on another female's page - even though she was just expressing her love for the friendship. The existence of this phrase in modern culture seems to beg a larger conversation.

My perspective began to change the most when we started to talk about the bigger social and psychological issues at hand that today's men face. Regardless of sexual orientation, there is a strong need for males to have access to loving, platonic relationships with other males, but without the labels and assumptions that society has made. Why? One of the speakers explained that social support is lacking in college men. Expressing raw emotion is somewhat of a big "no no" in regards to masculinity, with the exception of sports of course. And because of that, males are more likely to keep pent-up feelings or serious concerns to themselves, which can certainly lead to destructive behavior. In order to get this deeper conversation going though, it seems like men will have to take their "bromances" beyond just the football field and gym.
               


      

Week 3: Yes, I do have power.

This week I had the opportunity to hear a wonderful man named Keith Boykin speak about his life, lessons, and beliefs. Although he doesn't look a day over thirty, he is actually a very accomplished 47-year-old African American who was once the highest ranking openly-gay individual in the White House during the Clinton administration. Most recently, he is known for being a New York Times best-selling author and political commentator.

Time after time, Boykin kept referring back to Robert Frost and "the road less traveled" -which to him meant not going to graduate school and corporate America. He instead chose to get involved with campaigning (which didn't always pay much), but ultimately traveled to all 48 contiguous states. His family often questioned his choices, but there was one unforgettable moment in which Boykin witnessed his mother's unconditional love - the day he came out to her as gay. He called her (and hung up) about three times before he was able to tell her. The room went dead silent as he told us the same words that he told his mother. For a few moments everyone was still, and then Boykin said that was the exact reaction she greeted him with - complete silence. It was broken when the first thing his mother said to him was, "I love you." For whatever reason, that almost made me cry.

Boykin's words had power to them. He told us about his frustrations when he attended Harvard Law school and found that diversity was sorely lacking among professors who taught there. The majority of instructors were heterosexual white males. Alongside other law students, he argued a case that discriminatory hiring processes were being used. Boykin believes that events like this have had a "ripple effect"; you never know when your words or actions could have an impact in the future. Harvard did make changes in the years following, and since then at least 2 women have became deans of the law school. What's interesting is that this was all happening right when I was born, around 20 years ago. And forty years before that moment, segregation was declared unconstitutional. Now, we just re-elected our first black president. It's all kind of mind blowing in some ways.

At some point in their lives, every child that is educated in America learns about the civil rights movement. Rarely though do you see it manifest in daily life today. There was something about Boykin that seemed to reflect the spirit of those movements. He believes in collective power, the opportunity to follow your dreams, and that a single person can make a difference in the world. He is convinced that some people will never learn to accept, that they will always discriminate - but ultimately those generations will fade away, along with their narrow mindsets.

He mentioned the memorable photo of Elizabeth Eckford, a member of the Little Rock nine, on her way to school. An angry mob surrounds her, presumably screaming profanities and threatening her life. Boykins asked, "How can you be so hateful? How can you justify your behavior?"

Photo by Will Counts

Event: An Evening with Keith Boykin: A Celebration of Black LGBT History Month
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/1137/27516029

Week 2: Bhangra and Bonding

Last Friday, I had the unexpected pleasure of attending an on-campus celebration of Lohri, a holiday which is highly popular in the northern region of India (specifically in the state of Punjab). Despite being Indian myself, I was oblivious to the fact that this festival held so much significance in Punjabi culture. Thanks to the Sikh Student Association (SSA), that all changed this past weekend.

Two of my own roommates -very active members of SSA- are of Punjabi origin. I was able to witness firsthand the excitement and dedication with which they prepared for the celebration -the first official Lohri to ever take place on campus.

Lohri is dedicated to the end of the winter season, and the ripening of harvested crops such as wheat and barley. For this reason, it is seen as a financial new year to many people who celebrate it. A bonfire (as depicted in the photo to the right) is an iconic symbol of Lohri. Since it was not possible to light a fire indoors, a large paper version was installed to represent its importance. Singing and dancing are the most common ways of expressing the joy of the holiday. A traditional Punjabi folk song was sang, and Punjab's particular style of dance known as bhangra was performed by my roommates and another female member of SSA. Not only had they prepared their dance routine and memorized the folk song within a few days, but they had also handled the task of food, decorations, cleanup, etc. To me, it speaks highly of the character of the Sikh Student Association. It's truly great to see people of my own generation making the effort to retain their cultural roots. 

"The festival of Lohri is meant to relieve people from worldly day to day routine, and make them relaxed, cheerful and happy. It it is the time when people from all castes and social strata come together forgetting all past differences and grievances."

-Durga Mandir (Princeton, NJ)

Slowly but surely, the rest of the student body put their shyness away to bust some moves on the dance floor as well. It was not merely a crowd of Indian students; there was great variety in ethnicity. For me, the coming together of different cultural backgrounds in one location was the most rewarding aspect of Lohri Night. The color of your skin did not matter that night, and it shouldn't matter on any other night.  

Caucasian. African American. Korean. Chinese. Mexican. Punjabi. Gujarati. Marathi. Bengali. All in one photo. 

Lohri Night details:
Sponsor: Sikh Student Association
Date: January 25, 2013
Time: 7-11 pm
Location: Asian American Cultural Center
1210 W. Nevada Street, Urbana, IL 61801

Quote from Durga Mandir website: http://www.durgamandir.com/lohri.html

Week 1: I was born this way.

Anyone who has even the slightest inkling about American pop culture in the 21st century has probably heard of Lady Gaga. From her odd fashion taste (see: meat dress) to her provocative music videos, she is the epitome of everything that is unconventional. Fun fact: you can even take a course at the University of South Carolina called, "Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame." http://www.gagacourse.net/

So when I saw that the Women's Resources Center in Champaign was hosting a free lecture titled, "Mama Monster: Lady Gaga and Gender Politics," it didn't take me long to decide that I would be attending. That and the mention of free food - I was sold. 

The speaker was Arnau Roig, a doctoral candidate from the Institute for Communications Research. I was actually surprised to find that he was a young Hispanic male. In a very relaxing environment, he spoke to us about his findings on Lady Gaga, a figure who has been the subject of his recent papers. 

He described her rise to fame and how social media has played an important role in it. In the past, Gaga has held the record for the most followers on Twitter ever, which gives a sense of how widespread her fan base is - or at least makes me think that many people all over the world find her interesting.

Although her main devotees are considered to be young females and the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) community, her work and public image brings up a discussion that I think is definitely worth having - no matter what kind of person you are. Roig explained to us how Gaga's fans are often referred to as "little monsters" in the media world. (https://littlemonsters.com/) She made these fans proud by saying that it's okay if you are "the freak, the monster." Queer theory, bulimia/anorexia, and self-mutilation were also brought up. It seems so important to address these issues of body image and self identity that plague our society, but it's ironic that the discussion very rarely happens in our everyday lives. I thought it was noteworthy when Roig mentioned how no other female pop divas ever seem to appear "un-beautiful" - Gaga purposefully tries to look rough sometimes, and even embraces androgyny. 

Our speaker concluded by telling us how a Marxist guy had bashed him at one of his previous lectures. Roig kind of laughed saying his response should have been, "You've never been an LGBT teen before."