What is a First-Generation Student?
First-generation is a term typically used to describe a student who is the first to attend college in their family or is the child of a parent/parents who did not complete a 4-year college degree. First-generation students can vary in identities, ages, and backgrounds but are often working students from the local area and commonly face challenges navigating the completion of their degree.�� Research discussing first-generation students suggests that first-generation students graduate at lower rates and benefit from resources such as academic advising, faculty support both in and out of the classroom, and student services to support educational success and a sense of belonging. It is common for first-generation students to need extra help navigating what is available. Ģ������Ƶ is committed to supporting first-generation students.

What are some tips for First Generation students?

Learn About Your Resources
WSU offers an assortment of class modalities including online, asynchronous, and evening offerings. Options can help first-generation students fit their academic life into their schedules. Resources for navigating college can be incredibly beneficial and include one-on-one meetings with an Academic Advisor or reviewing written resources such as the Guide to Academic Affairs (linked below). Awareness of resources, even when not always needed, can benefit first-generation students by providing the knowledge of where to look when support is necessary. Tutoring services at WSU are available to all students and can alleviate the stress of challenging courses with additional support. All services are free of charge for students.

Find Community
First-generation college students feel more connected to their institutions when they have a community of support and a strong sense of belonging. Student services that provide opportunities to connect students with others are readily available at WSU. The Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development offers over 40 clubs and organizations that students can join and find a community around common interests. Members of the OSILD staff can assist students in matching them with the right organization or involvement opportunity. The Office of Multicultural Affairs provides spaces and events for students of different backgrounds to connect. The Beninda Center for Civic Engagement can connect students with community projects outside Ģ������Ƶ State. WSU has a new student organization for first-generation students, First Generation Nation. This organization’s mission is to support the needs of and provide a community for other students who identify as first-generation. These opportunities are only a few that offer a sense of connection on the peer-to-peer level and help students establish positive relationships with university staff they can look to for support.

Build Leadership Skills & Advocate
First-generation students often have an anxious approach when looking to advocate for their needs. There is commonly a fear that they will not be heard or taken seriously if their communication skills or knowledge of the college process is on the same level as their peers. Ģ������Ƶ provides many leadership development opportunities to help students build the skills needed to feel more confident in communication, decision-making, and using their natural talents to succeed on campus and in their future career endeavors. Programs such as the Circles of Leadership and the annual Leadership Symposium offer students the chance to practice these skills while connecting with other students looking to build the same skills. These programs are free and accessible to all students.

Take Care of Mental Health
Frequently, first-generation students are students whose home environment is not always understanding or, at times, not supportive of the student’s educational goals and necessities. This, along with academic, social, and societal pressures, takes a toll on a first-generation student’s mental health. For any student, a negative mental state can result in academic challenges, social isolation, and a decline in physical health. Counseling Services provides free services for students, including regular therapy or occasional mental health support. With supportive counselors and accessible resources, students can maintain positive mental health and well-being.

The post Making Change: First-Generation Students appeared first on Campus Life.

Alison has been at Ģ������Ƶ State for one full year and was born and raised in Ģ������Ƶ. While leading the efforts to establish the LGBTQ+ Resource room at Ģ������Ƶ State, Alison’s role with Title IX is to aid in the process and education efforts through the SAVE Committee and other programs that work to make our campus a safer place. Alison is involved with our LGBTQ+ Advisory board. “A lot of what we do is at the core of listening to the pulse of what we can do to make policies better for LGBTQ+ people at Ģ������Ƶ State.” Alison shared she is proud of the work done before she got to Ģ������Ƶ State and is looking forward to continuing the work with the people involved on that committee.

Alison Park, Assistant Director of the LGBTQ+ Resource Room and Deputy Title IX Coordinator

Lessons in Leadership

In her time at WSU Alison feels she has grown as a leader with the many hats she wears in her different roles. “At times it’s finding which hat fits at different points. I feel there are different aspects of what I need to do to feel successful and make sure others feel welcome and included.” She feels the biggest lesson she learned in her leadership journey thus far is the importance of accountability and being able to take the responsibility of leading folks and being that person who can provide that support no matter what the situation is.

She further shared how her leadership style is based on leading by example. “As cheesy or cliche as it sounds, being able to provide that role model and example of mentorship is integral to being a good leader.” Alison’s definition of a great leader is someone who inspires others through their actions, work, and words. “I think it’s important for people to see other people in leadership roles that look like them and share similar experiences that others can be inspired by.”

Identity Culture and Leadership Development

Alison shared that her identity as a first-generation Korean American, female, and lesbian person has given her a lot of empathy towards folks from different backgrounds and enables her to be understanding of people who are different and aware that people come from different lived experiences. “I am more conscious of people and more intentional with the language that I use when talking to people. I try to make a lot of things more inclusive in ways for everyone to partake. For example, just because I am part of the LGBTQ community I don’t want to leave out allies, just because I am conscious of my Asian American identity I don’t want to leave out other BIPOC folks because I know that to uplift everyone we have to be inclusive and the core of leadership should be bringing everyone together.”

Alison additionally discussed that she thinks great leaders can be misunderstood at times and it sometimes takes questioning why a leader would do something important to understand them better. “When I think about leaders in some social justice movements, there’s sometimes controversy if it is right or wrong, and sometimes for change to happen the envelope has to be pushed.”

Celebrating LGBTQ+ Success at WSU

Alison expressed that Lavender Graduation was one of her most meaningful moments at Ģ������Ƶ State thus far. In the spring of 2023, Alison led the coordination of Ģ������Ƶ State’s first lavender graduation ceremony. This ceremony acknowledged the work and varying successes from leadership to academics amongst graduating seniors who are members of the LGBTQ+ community. “It was a very special moment for the graduating seniors and a lot of the community members came to show their support for folks in the LGBTQ+ community.” Alison looks forward to continuing that program in a bigger space on campus as the support for the event was so big that the room was full and it will be good to welcome more people next time.

She continued to share that some of her biggest accomplishments since coming to Ģ������Ƶ State have been getting her master’s, which has helped her to better understand the students and pulse points at Ģ������Ƶ State regarding both LGBTQ+ and Title IX matters. “Understanding some of the systemic pieces has been helpful along with getting to know other people at Ģ������Ƶ State who are passionate about supporting the LGBTQ+ community for the better.”

Advice to Future Leaders

When asked what advice she would give to future leaders at Ģ������Ƶ State Alison said she feels leaders should “have an open mind and heart. Be open to new experiences and if something scares them, they should take the leap and be open to being a leader because with that experience comes personal growth and making connections with their identities in ways they wouldn’t have if they didn’t do something that scared them.” She further emphasized to take every opportunity if they have the means to and students should “get involved and do the things!”

She feels it’s important for students to understand that learning never stops and it is important to learn and grow and try to educate yourself on different subjects as much as possible. “Things change, times change and it is important to grow a little every day.”

LGBTQ+ Resource Center

The mission of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center at Ģ������Ƶ State is that it is a safe space dedicated to advocating for the needs of LGBTQ+ students and their allies. The aim is to create an open and inclusive environment that affirms all sexual orientations, forms of gender expressions, and gender identity through means of advocacy and education. “What I envision is a lot of community engagement and ways that students can access resources in the Ģ������Ƶ community as well.” Alison discussed the importance of her role in this center being someone who can listen to students and hear what they need to feel included and safe while having a good time and being comfortable with their Identity while they are here. “It is important for students to learn who they are and develop as people in this college environment. I know identity is a big piece of that especially LGBTQ+ folks who may not have the easiest time acclimating to a new place.”

Alison feels it is important for the center to collaborate with other departments and groups such as LGBTQ+ Alliance, Drag Club, and other organizations to bring the community together and work together to bring awareness to resources and healthcare needs as laws that affect LGBTQ+ identifying people are changing on a larger scale in our country. “I think there are a lot of working pieces and great allies on campus and I envision us working together to continue to educate ourselves and participate in training that makes us aware of what our students need.”

Alison shared that a lot is being done to establish more gender-inclusive spaces such as restrooms and housing on campus, “It is not perfect yet but I would love to get more information out there to staff and administrators to get that information out to students to know where they are and make things accessible.

Click here to learn more about the LGBTQ+ Resource Center and the ongoing work being done at Ģ������Ƶ State.

The post Bringing Awareness to Student’s Needs | A Deep Dive with Alison Park, Assistant Director appeared first on Campus Life.

Following our Leadership is Making Change post, which was written in response to the many stories of racial inequality that plague our country, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development at Ģ������Ƶ made a vow to provide support for and education about marginalized cultures and identities. ��are defined as “groups and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion (social, political and economic) because of unequal power relationships across economic, political, social and cultural dimensions.”����The Making Change series features monthly posts that share historical backgrounds, educational resources (to read, watch, and listen), and activism opportunities centered around a specific culture, identity, or community.

Our goal with our April Post is to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month, A rather broad term, Asian/Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island). This year’s celebration is particularly important for recognizing the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States while condeming the rise in racism and hateful actions towards the Asian American community due to the misguided and hateful rhetoric during the Covid 19 pandemic. We recognize the painful impact it is having on our Asian and Asian American community and commit to continue to protect and uplift this community at Ģ������Ƶ State

We strive everyday to educate our students to be impactful campus and community leaders. Leadership begins with education. This resource list is not exhaustive, but will provide the opportunity to begin the journey of educating yourself and those around you.

Start Here

To Watch

Youtube
In honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, we wanted to close out this time with a discussion on what it means to grow up Asian American. We speak with several women who share their experiences and wisdom gained from it.

Netflix
The complicated life of a modern-day first generation Indian American teenage girl, inspired by Mindy Kaling’s own childhood.

Netflix
While running a convenience store in Toronto, members of a Korean-Canadian family deal with customers, each other and the evolving world around them.

Netflix
On Oʻahu for the summer, two siblings from Brooklyn connect with their Hawaiian heritage — and their family — on a daring quest for long-lost treasure.

TEDx
When journalist Assia Boundaoui investigates rumors of surveillance in her Arab-American neighborhood in Chicago, she uncovers one of the largest FBI terrorism probes conducted before 9/11 and reveals its enduring impact on the community.

Hulu
ABC’s comedy, based on Chef Eddie Huang’s memoir, focuses on the son of Chinese immigrants trying to fit in after his family moves to Orlando.

YouTube
“Chinese are not the same as Japanese, are not the same as Koreans, Filipinos, or Thai, or Indians…” We talked with people from a variety of Asian cultures about how they think the world sees them. How does the world see YOU? Do you feel defined by your skin color, gender, or maybe even your religion?

YouTube
Asian-American actor, David Huynh, is working to bring awareness to the lack of Asian representation and visibility in film and theater.

Netflix
During the 1980’s, the Korean government created a special summer camp for “gyopo” or foreign born teenagers where they could spend their summer in Seoul to learn about their motherland. While the intentions of the program were honorable, the activities of the teens were not. The program was eventually cancelled after a few years because the government simply could not control the youth. Seoul Searching is a teen comedy and coming of age film, based on a true story about one of the summer camps that took place in 1986.

YouTube
The story follows New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting Nick’s family, Rachel is unprepared to learn that Nick has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. Not only is he the scion of one of the country’s wealthiest families, but also one of its most sought-after bachelors. Being on Nick’s arm puts a target on Rachel’s back, with jealous socialites and, worse, Nick’s own disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh) taking aim. It soon becomes clear that the only thing crazier than love is family, in this funny and romantic story sure to ring true for audiences everywhere.

To Listen

From the Los Angeles Times, “Asian Enough” is a podcast about being Asian American — the joys, the complications and everything in between. In each episode, hosts Jen Yamato, Johana Bhuiyan, Tracy Brown and Suhauna Hussain of the Times invite special guests to share personal stories and unpack identity on their own terms. They explore the vast diaspora across cultures, backgrounds and generations, and try to expand the ways in which being Asian American is defined.

Welcome to Feeling Asian! A podcast where two Asians talk about their feelings. After a lifetime of holding in their emotions (shoutout to Korean moms!), comedians Youngmi Mayer and Brian Park are ready to let them all out. Each week, Youngmi and Brian dive into topics that range from sex/dating to umm…not sex/dating stuff, and invite their interesting friends along the way. Who knew catharsis could look so Asian?

Join the hosts of Add to Cart, comedian-writer-director Kulap Vilaysack and veteran journalist SuChin Pak, in a subversive take on consumerism. Each week, they have honest, revealing (sometimes TMI) conversations about all the big and little things they’re adding to, or removing from, their carts. They decide what’s worth the monetary/emotional investment, and what’s not. From beauty products and health trends, to celebrities and philosophies they’re passionate about, our hosts dig into anything we buy into and what it says about who we are.

Southern Fried Asian is a new podcast from The Nerds of Color hosted by Keith Chow. Typically, stories about Asian Americans are centered on the experiences of those who grew up on the coasts — New York, Southern California, the Bay Area — where communities of different Asian American subgroups have lived for many years. On this podcast, though, we’re gonna look at a region of the country that isn’t typically associated with these stories and unpack what it means to be Asian American in the American South.

A podcast about stories in the Filipino diaspora hosted by Paola Mardo. Each episode moves beyond typical immigrant narratives to share thoughtful tales of love, loss, history, and humor through audio documentaries and creative approaches to storytelling with sound. Visit LongDistanceRadio.com to learn more.

Introducing the newest addition to Dear Asian Youth! Hosted by Alina Rahim, Genesis Magpayo, and Naina Giri, Dear Asian Girl is a podcast focused on uplifting, highlighting, and supporting Asian girls everywhere. With the lack of representation amongst Asian girls in social media, it’s important that we as Asian girls support one another and bring awareness in order to be at the forefront of this change. For Asian Girls, by Asian Girls.

To Read

We encourage you to utilize your local library or��. Books can also be requested through the Ģ������Ƶ State Library when classes are back in session. Students may be eligible to access some of the titles below with a�����ǰ���.

Not Quite Not White
by Sharmila Sen
At the age of 12, Sharmila Sen emigrated from India to the U.S. The year was 1982, and everywhere she turned, she was asked to self-report her race – on INS forms, at the doctor’s office, in middle school. After her teen years trying to assimilate, she is forced to reckon with the hard questions: What does it mean to be white, why does whiteness retain the magic cloak of invisibility while other colors are made hypervisible, and how much does whiteness figure into Americanness?

Heart and Seoul
by Jen Frederick
As a Korean adoptee, Hara Wilson doesn’t need anyone telling her she looks different from her white parents. She knows. Every time Hara looks in the mirror, she’s reminded that she doesn’t look like anyone else in her family. Hara goes to Korea looking for answers, but what she gets instead is love—a forbidden love that will either welcome Hara home…or destroy her chance of finding one.

Dear Girls
by Sara Farizan
Ali Wong’s heartfelt and hilarious letters to her daughters (the two she put to work while they were still in utero) cover everything they need to know in life, like the unpleasant details of dating, how to be a working mom in a male-dominated profession, and how she trapped their dad.

The Marvelous Mirza Girls
by��Sheba Karim

To cure her post-senior year slump, made worse by the loss of her aunt Sonia, Noreen decides to follow her mom on a gap year trip to New Delhi, hoping India can lessen her grief and bring her voice back.In the world’s most polluted city, Noreen soon meets kind, handsome Kabir, who introduces her to the wonders of this magical, complicated place. With the help of Kabir—plus Bollywood celebrities, fourteenth-century ruins, karaoke parties, and Sufi saints—Noreen discovers new meanings for home.But when a family scandal erupts, Noreen and Kabir must face complex questions in their own relationship: What does it mean to truly stand by someone—and what are the boundaries of love?

Every Day Is a Gift: A Memoir
by��Tammy Duckworth
The biracial daughter of an American father and a Thai-Chinese mother, Duckworth faced discrimination, poverty, and the horrors of war—all before the age of 16. As a child, she dodged bullets as her family fled war-torn Phnom Penh. As a teenager, she sold roses by the side of the road to save her family from hunger and homelessness in Hawaii. Through these experiences, she developed a fierce resilience that would prove invaluable in the years to come. Duckworth joined the Army, becoming one of a handful of female helicopter pilots at the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She served eight months in Iraq before an insurgent’s RPG shot down her helicopter, an attack that took her legs—and nearly took her life. She then spent thirteen months recovering at Walter Reed, learning to walk again on prosthetic legs and planning her return to the cockpit. But Duckworth found a new mission after meeting her state’s senators, Barack Obama and Dick Durbin. After winning two terms as a U.S. Representative, she won election to the U.S. Senate in 2016. And she and her husband Bryan fulfilled another dream when she gave birth to two daughters, becoming the first sitting senator to give birth. From childhood to motherhood and beyond, Every Day Is a Gift is the remarkable story of one of America’s most dedicated public servants.

Crying in H Mart: A Memoir
by Michelle Zauner
In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food.As she grew up, moving to the East Coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, and performing gigs with her fledgling band–and meeting the man who would become her husband–her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live. It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.

To Act, Support, & Learn More

Campus Resources

Counseling Services
Office of Multicultural Affairs
Student Involvement and Leadership Development��
Student Affairs

Resource list compiled by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director, Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development

The post Making Change: Asian and Pacific Island Heritage appeared first on Campus Life.

Following our Leadership is Making Change post, which was written in response to the many stories of racial inequality that plague our country, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development at Ģ������Ƶ made a vow to provide support for and education about marginalized cultures and identities. ��are defined as “groups and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion (social, political and economic) because of unequal power relationships across economic, political, social and cultural dimensions.”����The Making Change series features monthly posts that share historical backgrounds, educational resources (to read, watch, and listen), and activism opportunities centered around a specific culture, identity, or community.

Our goal with our April Post is to Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month. Arab Americans have roots in 22 countries located in the Middle East and North African regions: Algeria, Bahrain, the Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. And within all those countries, there are various languages, religions, traditions that are now part of our American story. This month we celebrate the variety of contributions of Arab Americans that are times misrepresented and made invisible.

We strive everyday to educate our students to be impactful campus and community leaders. Leadership begins with education. This resource list is not exhaustive, but will provide the opportunity to begin the journey of educating yourself and those around you.

Start Here

To Watch

Youtube
‘We’re more than just hummus and pita’ — We’re kicking off Arab American Heritage Month by breaking down what it means to be Arab.

Youtube
Jerry Stinnett talks about why Arab-American invisibility is an important issue and how universities can provide better resources for this growing group of individuals. While Jeremiah has many interest areas, his primary focus is advocating against the erasure of Arab-American identity and creating opportunity for deeper identity development.

Hulu
The series follows first-generation, Egyptian-American Ramy Hassan (Youssef) who is on a spiritual journey in his politically-divided New Jersey neighborhood. RAMY brings a new perspective to the screen as it explores the challenges of what it’s like to be caught between a religious community who believes life is a moral test, and a millennial generation that doubts an afterlife even exists. In the second season, Ramy delves further into his spiritual journey, finding a new Muslim community and embracing a deeper commitment to his faith.

Amazon
A drama centered on the trials and tribulations of a proud Palestinian Christian immigrant single mother and her teenage son in small town Indiana.

Amazon Prime
When journalist Assia Boundaoui investigates rumors of surveillance in her Arab-American neighborhood in Chicago, she uncovers one of the largest FBI terrorism probes conducted before 9/11 and reveals its enduring impact on the community.

YouTube
This video is for all Non – Muslims who don’t have much idea about What is Ramadan ? This video tells you everything you need to know about Ramadan. It’s a simple and understandable video which will clear all your doubts about the Meaning of Ramadan and the Importance of Ramadan for Muslims.

YouTube
There has been a lot of talk in the media recently ABOUT Arabs. So, we wanted to talk WITH Arabs about how they feel people see them and how they see themselves. Tell us, how does the world see YOU? Do you feel defined by your skin color, gender, or maybe even your religion?

YouTube
What does “home” mean to a child growing up as a refugee? What kind of future are we envisioning for the millions of people fleeing war, searching for sanctuary, and longing to belong? In this deeply personal talk about the Syrian humanitarian crisis, Lina Sergie Attar, Syrian American writer from Aleppo and founder of Karan Foundation, describes the experience of living through the unimaginable loss when conflict hits home and explores innovative and meaningful ways to nurture hope.

YouTube
Arab Americans need a box, like everyone else, so we can be counted and so we can count! Amer is a Palestinian-American comedian, musician, & writer. As the child of Palestinian refugees, his special brand of comedy is fresh, enlightening, and, of course, hilarious.

To Listen

‬
Ray Hanania, Arab News US Special Correspondent, hosts “The Ray Hanania Radio Show” live on the US Arab Radio Network sponsored by Arab News, the Middle East’s leading English language daily. Guests include newsmakers from the White House, State Department, and Congress to Arab American thought leaders addressing breaking news stories.

Episode 44: Sahar Mustafah. Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month with Sahar Mustafah, who discusses her recent novel The Beauty of Your Face. This conversation took place April 8th, 2020 and was recorded live via Zoom. Mustafah also put together a list of some of her favorite and most influential books by Arab American writers.

In this episode, Brynn gets to talk to the playwright herself, Alyssa Haddad, about her play, Off-White, or The Arab House Party Play. We learn about the culture of early 2000s teens, the rise and fall of Myspace and AIM, and the racism that Arab-Americans faced after the events of 9/11, and we get a special treat from Breaking and Entering Theater Collective– an audio clip from their recent production of the play! If you like Y2K nostalgia, heartbreakingly authentic accounts of teenager-dom, and effective discussions of racism in America, this one’s for you!

Each week, Ahmed Ali Akbar covers everything that American Muslims are talking about right now — misrepresentation in the media, equality in the mosque, Asahd memes, and much more.

Let’s Find Our Place in the Quilt with Dr. James Zogby. Senator Turner has a historical heart-to-heart with Dr. James Zogby, founder and president of the Arab American Institute, which centers on the fact that justice is not a destination but a journey. Join them as they recount movements started and continued by our greats, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Reverend Jesse Jackson, Barbara Jordan, Shirley Chisolm, and Senator Bernie Sanders. (Be sure to listen until the end where Dr. Zogby drops some inspiration perfect for April’s Arab American Heritage Month!) #HelloSomebody

Dina sits down on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon with her friend Najiyah to kick off Arab-American Heritage Month celebrated annually in April. In this special episode called Ana kifaya, which means, “I am Enough” in Arabic; Dina and Najiyah swap stories about their adolescence, reminisce about their travels together to Morocco and Egypt, talk about the ways they navigated the workplace in their early 20s, and muse about life’s many transitions. The episode comes to you from Najiyah’s backyard with their dogs in the background. You’ll feel like you’ve just pulled up a chair to a conversation with two good girlfriends.

To Read

We encourage you to utilize your local library or��. Books can also be requested through the Ģ������Ƶ State Library when classes are back in session. Students may be eligible to access some of the titles below with a�����ǰ���.

Love is an Ex-Country
by Randa Jarrar
Randa Jarrar is a fearless voice of dissent who has been called “politically incorrect” (Michelle Goldberg,��The New York Times). As an American raised for a time in Egypt, and finding herself captivated by the story of a celebrated Egyptian belly dancer’s journey across the United States in the 1940s, she sets off from her home in California to her parents’ in Connecticut. Queer. Muslim. Arab American. A proudly Fat woman. Randa Jarrar is all of these things. In this “exuberant, defiant and introspective” memoir of a cross-country road trip, she explores how to claim joy in an unraveling and hostile America (The New York Times Book Review).

You Exist Too Much: A Novel
by Zaina Arafat
A “provocative and seductive debut” of desire and doubleness that follows the life of a young Palestinian American woman caught between cultural, religious, and sexual identities as she endeavors to lead an authentic life (O, The Oprah Magazine) Told in vignettes that flash between the U.S. and the Middle East—from New York to Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine—Zaina Arafat’s debut novel traces her protagonist’s progress from blushing teen to sought–after DJ and aspiring writer. In Brooklyn, she moves into an apartment with her first serious girlfriend and tries to content herself with their comfortable relationship. But soon her longings, so closely hidden during her teenage years, explode out into reckless romantic encounters and obsessions with other people. Her desire to thwart her own destructive impulses will eventually lead her to The Ledge, an unconventional treatment center that identifies her affliction as “love addiction.” In this strange, enclosed society she will start to consider the unnerving similarities between her own internal traumas and divisions and those of the places that have formed her.

Here to Stay
by Sara Farizan
What happens when a kid who’s flown under the radar for most of high school gets pulled off the bench to make the winning basket in a varsity playoff game? If his name is Bijan Majidi, life is suddenly high fives in the hallways and invitations to exclusive parties—along with an anonymous photo sent by a school cyberbully that makes Bijan look like a terrorist. The administration says they’ll find and punish the culprit. Bijan wants to pretend it never happened. He’s not ashamed of his Middle Eastern heritage; he just doesn’t want to be a poster child for Islamophobia. Lots of classmates rally around Bijan. Others make it clear they don’t want him or��anybody��who looks like him at their school. But it’s not always easy to tell your enemies from your friends. Here to Stay��is a painfully honest, funny, authentic story about growing up, speaking out, and fighting prejudice.

The Bad Muslim Discount: A Novel
by��Syed M. Masood It is 1995, and Anvar Faris is a restless, rebellious, and sharp-tongued boy doing his best to grow up in Karachi, Pakistan. As fundamentalism takes root within the social order and the zealots next door attempt to make Islam great again, his family decides, not quite unanimously, to start life over in California. Ironically, Anvar’s deeply devout mother and his model-Muslim brother adjust easily to life in America, while his fun-loving father can’t find anyone he relates to. For his part, Anvar fully commits to being a bad Muslim. At the same time, thousands of miles away, Safwa, a young girl living in war-torn Baghdad with her grief-stricken, conservative father will find a very different and far more dangerous path to America. When Anvar and Safwa’s worlds collide as two remarkable, strong-willed adults, their contradictory, intertwined fates will rock their community, and families, to their core.The Bad Muslim Discount is an irreverent, poignant, and often hysterically funny debut novel by an amazing new voice. With deep insight, warmth, and an irreverent sense of humor, Syed M. Masood examines universal questions of identity, faith (or lack thereof), and belonging through the lens of Muslim Americans.

Above Us the Milky Way
by��Fowzia Karimi
Debut novel about a young family forced to flee their war-ravaged homeland, forced to leave behind everything & everyone beloved & familiar. Old family photographs & lush watercolor paintings based on medieval illuminated manuscripts interweave with remembrances, ghost stories/stories of the war dead, & fairy tales to conjure a story of war, of emigration & immigration, the remarkable human capacity to experience love & wonder amidst destruction & loss, & how to create beauty out of horror.

The Beauty of Your Face
by Sahar Mustafah
A uniquely American story told in powerful, evocative prose,��The Beauty of Your Face��navigates a country growing ever more divided. Afaf Rahman, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, is the principal of Nurrideen School for Girls, a Muslim school in the Chicago suburbs. One morning, a shooter―radicalized by the online alt-right―attacks the school. As Afaf listens to his terrifying progress, we are swept back through her memories: the bigotry she faced as a child, her mother’s dreams of returning to Palestine, and the devastating disappearance of her older sister that tore her family apart. Still, there is the sweetness of the music from her father’s oud, and the hope and community Afaf finally finds in Islam. The Beauty of Your Face is a profound and poignant exploration of one woman’s life in a nation at odds with its ideals, an emotionally rich novel that encourages us to reflect on our shared humanity. If others take the time to really see us, to look into our face, they will find something indelibly familiar, something achingly beautiful gazing back.

To Act, Support, & Learn More

Campus Resources

Counseling Services
Office of Multicultural Affairs
Student Involvement and Leadership Development��
Student Affairs

Resource list compiled by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director, Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development

The post Making Change: Arab American Heritage appeared first on Campus Life.

Following our Leadership is Making Change post, which was written in response to the many stories of racial inequality that plague our country, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development at Ģ������Ƶ made a vow to provide support for and education about marginalized cultures and identities. ��are defined as “groups and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion (social, political and economic) because of unequal power relationships across economic, political, social and cultural dimensions.”����The Making Change series features monthly posts that share historical backgrounds, educational resources (to read, watch, and listen), and activism opportunities centered around a specific culture, identity, or community.

Our goal with our March post is to Celebrate Women’s History Month. In honor of this month we celebrate the contributions of remarkable women in history and present day. ��Too often, women were unsung heroes of our history and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. This month we are proud to celebrate the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built our world, acknowledging these successes to be as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.

We strive everyday to educate our students to be impactful campus and community leaders. Leadership begins with education. This resource list is not exhaustive, but will provide the opportunity to begin the journey of educating yourself and those around you.

Start Here

To Watch

Netflix
Inspired by the true story of Black hair care pioneer Madam CJ Walker, this show details how the businesswoman (played by Octavia Spencer) went on to become America’s first Black self-made female millionaire.

Netflix
Inspired by the real-life Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, a women’s professional wrestling group that was founded in the 1980s, this show follows a motley crew of young women (aspiring actresses, stuntwomen, models and more) who come together for an unexpected project.

Amazon Prime
The true story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her struggles for equal rights, and the early cases of a historic career that lead to her nomination and confirmation as U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice.

Bogolo Joy Kenewendo, TEDTalk
Today, more than ever before, we have more publicly active women participants in leadership. The women leaders of today stand tall on the shoulders of women past. But where are these women in our history books, in our stories? What if we are currently living in a Woman Era, a period of women leadership? What do we need to do to ensure that those presently making history in this Woman Era won’t be erased? We travel with her through history as 32 year old Bogolo Kenewendo, former Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry in Botswana, reflects on incredible women who have laid the foundation for today’s Woman Era and challenges us to ensure that the Woman Era stands the test of time.

Emily Krichbaum, TEDTalk
Currently, less than 10% of American history curriculum focuses on women. And, of that 10%, 60% highlights American women as the helpmate and domestic partner. How are these selected historical examples shaping the attitudes of young boys and self-esteem of young girls? What would happen if we included more and more diverse stories of American women in American history–and young girls begin to see themselves in the curriculum they study?

HBOMax
This deeply probing and unsettling British series fictionalizes the story of writer/star Michaela Coel’s own sexual assault, and chronicles the lead character’s struggle not just to piece together memories of the assault, but her journey towards overcoming the trauma.

Starz
Set in the Eastside neighbourhood of LA, this show follows two Mexican-American sisters who inherit a failing bar from their late mother. In dealing with gender identity, sexuality, gentrification and grief, Vida adds multiple layers to this complex sibling drama

HBO
This new HBO series is a spin-off of Skate Kitchen, a 2018 film about a group of female skateboarders in New York City. The story is inspired by a real-life group of teenage skaters, some of whom starred in both the film and the series.

Hulu
Saturday Night Live’s Aidy Bryant plays the lead in this series about a plus-size woman working at a magazine in Portland, Oregon and her journey of personal and professional empowerment.

To Listen

Thinking back to our history classes growing up, we had one question: Where the ladies at? Enter, Encyclopedia Womannica. In just 5 minutes a day, learn about different incredible women from throughout history. In Wonder Media Network’s brand new podcast, we’re telling the stories of women you may or may not know — but definitely should.

The History Chicks
The History Chicks have been telling the stories of great women throughout history since 2011. As they say in the introduction, this is not your boring old history lesson. Two women. Half the population. Several thousand years of history. About an hour.

Hosted by actress Jessica Williams and comedian Phoebe Robinson, the podcast aired between April and November 2018. Over their 49 episodes (and 20 bonus episodes), the “2 Dope Queens” podcast employed a largely female staff. The two discuss hair and politics, women, anger and motherhood. Michelle Obama even stops by.

This series features women who you haven’t heard about, but definitely should pay attention to. As the title suggests, That’s What She Did is about women who can be judged not just by their words, but by their awesome actions. Learn about someone new and then share the stories with your friends.

Every week Bethany and Kathleen get together to chat about their lives and what’s weird in the world, and they’re inviting you to join them! Pull up a chair. Pour yourself something warm or bubbly. There’s room at the Tastebud Table for everyone.

The Bechdel Cast is a weekly podcast about the representation of women in film. The Bechdel Cast is hosted by Los Angeles-based comedians Caitlin Durante and Jamie Loftus.

To Read

We encourage you to utilize your local library or��. Books can also be requested through the Ģ������Ƶ State Library when classes are back in session. Students may be eligible to access some of the titles below with a�����ǰ���.

Becoming
by Michelle Obama
In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.

The Secret History of Wonder Woman
by Jill Lepore
In this book about the popular superhero character, we learn the parallels between Wonder Woman and the fight for women’s rights. Lepore argues that Wonder Woman is a kind of missing link in our rights’ history, and details the creator of the comic book hit and his own relationship with powerful women. If you like superheroes and educating yourself on women’s rights, this is a must-have on your bookshelf.

We Should All Be Feminists
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
In this personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from the much-admired TEDx talk of the same name—Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing extensively on her own experiences and her deep understanding of the often masked realities of sexual politics, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman now—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists

Moment of Lift
by��Melinda Gates How can we summon a moment of lift for human beings―and especially for women? Because when you lift up women, you lift up humanity. For the last twenty years, Melinda Gates has been on a mission to find solutions for people with the most urgent needs, wherever they live. Throughout this journey, one thing has become increasingly clear to her: If you want to lift society up, you need to stop keeping women down. In this moving and compelling book, Melinda shares lessons she’s learned from the inspiring people she’s met during her work and travels around the world. As she writes in the introduction, “That is why I had to write this book―to share the stories of people who have given focus and urgency to my life. I want all of us to see ways we can lift women up where we live.”

Prayers for the Stolen
by��Jennifer Clement
Ladydi Garcia Martínez is fierce, funny, and smart. She was born into a world where being a girl is a dangerous thing. Here in the shadow of the drug war, bodies turn up on the outskirts of the village. School is held sporadically, when a volunteer can be coerced away from the big city for a semester. In Guerrero the drug lords are kings, and mothers disguise their daughters as sons; when that fails, they “make them ugly”—cropping their hair, blackening their teeth—anything to protect them from the grasp of the cartels. Despite it all, Ladydi tells a story of friendship, family, hope, and determination.

Sula
by Toni Morrison
Nel and Sula’s friendship takes an ugly turn when they’re separated during young adulthood. After reconnecting years later, the once-inseparable friends quickly discover that they’ve both drastically changed. Nel, an outstanding member of her community, is a stark comparison to Sula, a woman who has rejected society’s norms to live an unconventional life. Nel and Sula’s bond is tested by the very challenges that once drew them together—family conflicts, societal expectations, and experiences of racism. While the duo remains loyal to their memories of each other, a secret from the past is revealed that could destroy all they cherish.

To Act, Support, & Learn More

Campus Resources

Counseling Services
Office of Multicultural Affairs
Student Involvement and Leadership Development��
Student Affairs

Resource list compiled by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director, Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development

The post Making Change: Women’s HER-story Month appeared first on Campus Life.

Following our Leadership is Making Change post, which was written in response to the many stories of racial inequality that plague our country, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development at Ģ������Ƶ made a vow to provide support for and education about marginalized cultures and identities.  are defined as “groups and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion (social, political and economic) because of unequal power relationships across economic, political, social and cultural dimensions.”  The Making Change series features monthly posts that share historical backgrounds, educational resources (to read, watch, and listen), and activism opportunities centered around a specific culture, identity, or community.

Our goal with our February post is to Celebrate Black History Month and honor the rich history, contributions and excellence of the Black Community. This Months post features upcoming events here at Ģ������Ƶ State Hosted by WSU’s Third World Alliance TWA. Contact twa@worcester.edu for information on how to get involved.

We strive everyday to educate our students to be impactful campus and community leaders. Leadership begins with education. This resource list is not exhaustive, but will provide the opportunity to begin the journey of educating yourself and those around you.

Start Here

To Watch

Disney+
Beyoncé called her visual album with music from The Lion King: The Gift, “a labor of love.” In 2020 the singer told her Instagram followers: “It is my passion project that I have been filming, researching and editing day and night for the past year… With this visual album, I wanted to present elements of Black history and African tradition, with a modern twist and a universal message, and what it truly means to find your self-identity and build a legacy.” 

Amazon Prime
A fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the Civil Rights Movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.

ABC News, Youtube
The nation’s first Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman recites “The Hill We Climb” at the 2021 Inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Okalani Dawkins, TEDTalk
Okalani Dawkins is a passionate Sophomore excited to create a better world through her passion for Civil Rights. In this talk, she highlights the importance of African American societies in America’s history past the Civil Rights Movement, and why we need to pay more attention to matters like those as well. 

Luvvie Ajayi, TEDTalk
Luvvie Ajayi isn’t afraid to speak her mind or to be the one dissenting voice in a crowd, and neither should you. “Your silence serves no one,” says the writer, activist and self-proclaimed professional troublemaker. In this bright, uplifting talk, Ajayi shares three questions to ask yourself if you’re teetering on the edge of speaking up or quieting down — and encourages all of us to get a little more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Netflix
Chicago, 1927. A recording session. Tensions rise between Ma Rainey (Viola Davis), her ambitious horn player (Chadwick Boseman), and the white management determined to control the legendary “Mother of the Blues.” Based on Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson’s play.

HBOMax
A 13-part documentaryseries exploring Indigenous tattooing traditions around the world. Each episode dives into a unique Indigenous culture to discover the tools and techniques, the symbols and traditions that shape their tattooing art. In this series, the art of tattoo becomes a lens for exploring some of the planet’s oldest cultures and their unique perspectives on life, identity and the natural world.

The Naked Truth, Youtube
Will Smith’s hope with this series is to illuminate the beauty that is the promise of America and to share a message of connection and shared humanity so that we will be able to better understand and celebrate our different experiences as Americans and promote progress toward the true equality promised to all persons under the 14th Amendment. As Americans, we endeavor to form a more perfect union that truly establishes justice and equality for all. I believe a deeper understanding of the 14th Amendment is a critical jumping off point.

Disney+
Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx) has almost made it. Having shirked his dream to be a professional jazz musician for a more sensible career as a high school band teacher for years, he’s more than ready when a famous singer asks him to play in her band one night. When an accidental fatal fall down a manhole boots him to the Great Before, a pre-existence cosmic space, Joe must find a way back to the world of the living in time for his big gig. It’s an ambitious film from Pixar, featuring a Black lead for the first time and delving into topics about chasing your dreams, death, and the meaning of life

To Listen

Hosted by Natasha McEachron, this podcast celebrates Black history all year. McEachron uses stories of pride, excellence and power from across the Black diaspora to motivate and inspire. Each episode features quotes, book reviews, movie reviews, career interviews, recommendations for places to visit and historical facts. Recent episodes include “Coretta Scott King,” “Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race” and “Marcus Garvey & The UNIA.”

Hosts Hana Baba and Leila Day dig into stories that are not always shared out in the open. Day and Baba provide professionally-reported stories about blackness, race and identity in America. Each episode features conversations about what it means to be Black and how to talk about blackness. Recent episodes include “Head on a Swivel,” “Connecting Black” and “From the Queen: Black is King.”

Hosted by Shereen Marisol Meraji and Gene Demby, Code Switch is one of the most popular podcasts about race and identity. Spun off from the NPR blog of the same name, Code Switch references the way people of color “subtly, reflexively change the way we express ourselves all the time,” according to Demby. 

The first podcast to be entirely created and produced inside a prison, Ear Hustle was groundbreaking when it was released in 2017, and was shortlisted for a Pulitzer Prize in 2020. A collaboration between Earlonne Woods, formerly incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, Nigel Poor, a Bay Area visual artist, and Antwan Williams, another former San Quentin resident, the podcast shares the daily realities of life inside prison, as well as the stories of life post incarceration.

Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw, a lawyer, civil rights activist, and law professor who developed the theory of “intersectionality,” Intersectionality Matters! is an incisive and deeply informative podcast that centers on the experiences of Black women. 

Hosted by Jaison Gardner and Dr. Kaila Story, Strange Fruit is a lively and thought-provoking podcast that deftly tackles topics of race, politics, pop culture, and LGBTQ+ identity. Broadcast out of Louisville, Kentucky, the podcast is proud of its local roots, yet the discussions facilitated by Gardner and Story resonate far beyond their immediate community.

To Read

We encourage you to utilize your local library or . Books can also be requested through the Ģ������Ƶ State Library when classes are back in session. Students may be eligible to access some of the titles below with a  or .

Four Hundred Souls
by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain
The story begins in 1619—a year before the Mayflower—when the White Lion disgorges “some 20-and-odd Negroes” onto the shores of Virginia, inaugurating the African presence in what would become the United States. It takes us to the present, when African Americans, descendants of those on the White Lion and a thousand other routes to this country, continue a journey defined by inhuman oppression, visionary struggles, stunning achievements, and millions of ordinary lives passing through extraordinary history.

The Dead Are Arising
by Les Payne and Tamara Payne
This historic biography that conjures a never-before-seen world of its protagonist, a work whose title is inspired by a phrase Malcolm X used when he saw his Hartford followers stir with purpose, as if the dead were truly arising, to overcome the obstacles of racism. Setting Malcolm’s life not only within the Nation of Islam but against the larger backdrop of American history, the book traces the life of one of the twentieth century’s most politically relevant figures “from street criminal to devoted moralist and revolutionary. ”This groundbreaking biography about Malcolm X was started by author Les Payne, and finished by his daughter Tamara after his death.

Have I Ever Told You Black Lives Matter
by Shani Mahiri King
Black lives matter. That message would be self-evident in a just world, but in this world and this America, all children need to hear it again and again, and not just to hear it but to feel and know it.This book affirms the message repeatedly, tenderly, with cumulative power and shared pride. Celebrating Black accomplishments in music, art, literature, journalism, politics, law, science, medicine, entertainment, and sports, Shani King summons a magnificent historical and contemporary context for honoring the fortitude of Black role models, women and men, who have achieved greatness despite the grinding political and social constraints on Black life.

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot
by Mikki Kendall 
In her searing collection of essays, Mikki Kendall takes aim at the legitimacy of the modern feminist movement arguing that it has chronically failed to address the needs of all but a few women. Drawing on her own experiences with hunger, violence, and hypersexualization, along with incisive commentary on politics, pop culture, the stigma of mental health, and more, Hood Feminism delivers an irrefutable indictment of a movement in flux. An unforgettable debut, Kendall has written a ferocious clarion call to all would-be feminists to live out the true mandate of the movement in thought and in deed.

The Vanishing Half: A Novel
by Brit Bennett
Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing.The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it’s not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it’s everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters’ storylines intersect?.

Barack Obama A Promised Land
by Barack Obama
In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency – a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.

To Act, Support, & Learn More

To Participate In TWA Events

TWA at Ģ������Ƶ are hosting the Following Events to Celebrate Black history month:

Film Screening of “Whose Streets?”
Thursday February 18th 6pm (This Event will be Virtual)
This film is a story told by activists and leaders who live and breath the movement for justice, it is an unflinching look at the Ferguson uprising and a powerful battle cry from a generation fighting, not for thier civil rights but the right to live. To register please email ajohnson25@worcester.edu.

BIPOC and ALANA Career Panel
Tuesday February 23rd 2:30pm (This Event will be Virtual)
Interested in transitioning from college to a career or the next step in your future? Come hear from our panelists about their careers and transitions. Panel will represent diverse fields and professions. To register please email aphillips4@worcester.edu. Cosponsored with TWA, OMA, & Career Services.

‘Ain’t I Woman?’ ‘Ain’t I Man?’- An Evening of Black Poetry and Film
Friday February 26th 6pm (This Event will be Virtual)
It will feature poetry highlighting Black History, BlackLove, the Black Struggle, and the African Diaspora. TWA (the student organization,  will also premiere a short film of interviews featuring WSU students on, ‘Why is Black Lives Matter important to you?’ There will also be an open mic portion during the event. To register please email ajohnson25@worcester.edu.

28 Days of Black Greatness
In celebration of Black History Month, TWA will work with WSU Marketing Team to highlight Black Community leaders past and present that have impacted the community. We will use Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook mediums for a burst of Black facts.

Twitter: @Ģ������ƵState

Facebook: facebook.com/WooStateTWA

Instagram: @WooStateTWA

Black History Month E-Newsletter Special- WSU ALANA Alumni Highlight
In celebration of Black History Month, TWA will work with WSU Marketing Team & Alumni Office to highlight our Black WSU-TWA leaders. We will create an e-newsletter for the month of February and then a paper version for April. To view visit alumni.worcester.edu

Photos sent by TWA featuring Ģ������Ƶ State TWA Members

Campus Resources

Counseling Services
Office of Multicultural Affairs
Student Involvement and Leadership Development 
Student Affairs

Resource list compiled by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director, Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development

The post Making Change: Black History Month appeared first on Campus Life.

How do you think you’ve changed as a leader throughout your time at WSU, and what aspects of your experience most influenced this change?
I believe as a leader I am always growing no matter where I am, but since coming to WSU my different leadership roles have helped me become a more mature leader.�� Working on different projects as a leader allowed me to be open and willing to learn and hear from others. To me, being a leader is all about building a relationship where you can understand your teammate and they can understand you; we all have different personalities and different skill sets that make us who we are. As a leader I learnt to always be open to learning from others while trying new ways to become a better leader.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned when it comes to��leadership?��
The biggest lesson I have learned as a leader is that leaders are followers. For me to be able to lead and lead effectively I must first be open and willing to follow and learn for others,�� because that is the only way I can grow as a leader.�� My grandma is a very good baker and decorator so she does a lot of wedding catering and decorations, but when she is hired to decorate and someone else is hired to cater she listens to the other person and learn from them instated of saying “I can do this” or “I can do it better,” she is always open minded to trying out the other persons way of doing things . So I learned from her how to be a better follower so I can be a better leader.

We really want to highlight the intersection of identity, culture, and leadership development. Can you share how your identity has shaped your leadership style throughout the years?
As a Black woman, not many opportunities are handed to me and I don’t always get to be seated�� at the decision making table, so I always have to work twice as hard then my white counterpart to be afforded an opportunity. So as a leader I am constantly�� working hard to make sure I am leading the right way and by example so that other Black girls out there can see me as their representation and know what they can�� be and do what they set their mind to do regardless of societal barriers.�� As a leader, I want other Black girls to see me advocating and know that they can also use their voice for change.�� As a leader I am constantly looking for a new way to highlight who I am and my identity to give others�� the power to be themselves and strive for more with confidence.

What would you say has been your best experience here at WSU?
My best experience at Ģ������Ƶ State was hosting the Multicultural Fashion Show for Third World Alliance, and putting together a photo shoot called “A Different Shade of Black.” The portraits�� from the shoot showed�� Black hair, Black identity and Black fashion.�� These were my best experiences because these tasks allowed us to showcase the beauty in multiculturalism and�� showcase the beauty in being different and also functioned as a way to help change�� the narrative of how Brown and Black people are seen in our communities.

What was your most meaningful experience while at WSU?
My most meaningful experience at WSU has been finding a major that speaks to me and my abilities and one that fits the person I am�� perfectly. The experiences I have had in my class learning and doing what I enjoy the most has been the most meaningful.

What has been your biggest accomplishment since beginning your journey at WSU?
My biggest accomplishment is getting to serve my fellow students and advocating for them any way I can. Using my voice to advocate for things students are facing and see change happen is one of my greatest accomplishments.

What advice would you give to students who are just beginning to explore the type of leader, or the type of person, they hope to become?
I will say to those people or to that person to believe in themselves,�� it is first step in believing you can do and be whatever you set your�� mind to, then go on to love and appreciate yourself because that builds up your confidence. And above all don’t be afraid to be yourself while learning from other�� and listening to others.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your leadership journey?
After undergrad I plan to go to law school; I hope to serve the youth in our communities that have been under served by the justice system. I believe that our justice system is broken and a lot of young Black youth has been victims of this failed system. My goal is to become a defense attorney to help bring justice to people that have been denied justice by the system.

The post Student Spotlight | Anna Johnson appeared first on Campus Life.

Club Name: Chabad on Campus at Ģ������Ƶ
Mission: Chabad on Campus at Ģ������Ƶ belongs to the international Chabad on Campus program that supports the vibrancy and growth of Jewish student life on campus. Chabad on Campus at Ģ������Ƶ, affiliated with Chabad Lubavitch of Central Massachusetts, exists to serve and support the University’s Jewish and other interested students by providing religious, cultural, social, and educational programs.
Club Meeting Time:�� Bi-weekly on Wednesdays from 3pm-4pm via Zoom.
Contact information/Social Media:��IG | Twitter | Email chabad@worcester.edu | |

Why should students get involved with your organization?
We are dedicated to serving and supporting Jewish and other interested students in any way they need. Through our Rabbi Mendel Fogelman and Rebbetzin Chana Fogelman, we are able to provide students with access to kosher food, Shabbat and holiday services, mezuzahs, and anything else they need.�� Joining WSU Chabad means joining the international Chabad on Campus family that will support you during college and after graduation no matter where you go in the world.

What types of events and/or programs do you do throughout the year?
We provide lots of fun events throughout the year on top of regular religious programs at Central Mass Chabad, located just five minutes from Ģ������Ƶ. We are excited to be able to provide both exciting virtual opportunities, as well as socially distanced events like Shabbat dinners with the best kosher food in the area.

What has been one of the biggest successes of this organization?
Our biggest success has been and continues to be being able to fulfill the legacy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe by connecting Jewish students to their heritage.

What do you think your organization brings to the students at Ģ������Ƶ State?
Our organization provides a needed opportunity for Jewish students to connect to their heritage. It can be difficult to stay connected to your Judaism on college campuses. We are here to support Jewish students and provide them the support they need to be proud of their Judaism.

How can interested students join Chabad?
Interested students can join us by reaching out to us through email or social media, or attending a meeting or an event.

The campus community can learn more about our programs and events by following us on social media or emailing us for more information. The campus community is also welcome to join our mailing list to stay updated on programming and events.

The post Club Highlight | Chabad on Campus appeared first on Campus Life.

Following our Leadership is Making Change post, which was written in response to the many stories of racial inequality that plague our country, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development at Ģ������Ƶ made a vow to provide support for and education about marginalized cultures and identities. ��are defined as “groups and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion (social, political and economic) because of unequal power relationships across economic, political, social and cultural dimensions.”����The Making Change series features monthly posts that share historical backgrounds, educational resources (to read, watch, and listen), and activism opportunities centered around a specific culture, identity, or community.

Our goal with our November post is to educate about Native American heritage. In honor of Native American Heritage Month would like to acknowledge that the land we meet on each day in the state of Massachusetts is the original homelands of the Mashpee Wampanoag, Aquinnah Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Massachusett tribal nations. ��We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory, and we honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land on which we gather.

We strive everyday to educate our students to be impactful campus and community leaders. Leadership begins with education. This resource list is not exhaustive, but will provide the opportunity to begin the journey of educating yourself and those around you.

Start Here

To Watch

Now This, YouTube
How did the month get its start? What is the history of Native Americans in the U.S.? Why is this month so important? Little Cheiis explains.

Teen Vogue, YouTube
7 Native American girls debunk the common misconceptions about their culture.

Netflix
Saul Indian Horse, an Ojibway boy, is torn from his family and committed to a residential school. At the school, Saul is denied the freedom to speak his language or embrace his heritage and is a witness to abuse by the people sworn to protect him. But Saul finds salvation in the unlikeliest of places – the rink. His incredible hockey talents lead him away from the school to bigger and better opportunities, but no matter how far Saul goes, the ghosts of his past are always close behind.

Tara Houska, TEDTalk
Still invisible and often an afterthought, indigenous peoples are uniting to protect the world’s water, lands and history — while trying to heal from genocide and ongoing inequality. Tribal attorney and Couchiching First Nation citizen Tara Houska chronicles the history of attempts by government and industry to eradicate the legitimacy of indigenous peoples’ land and culture, including the months-long standoff at Standing Rock which rallied thousands around the world. “It’s incredible what you can do when you stand together,” Houska says. “Stand with us — empathize, learn, grow, change the conversation.”

Amidooli Pacheco, TEDxABQED
Amidooli Pacheco expresses thoughts from the heart about conditions facing Indigenous people that he personally experienced.

PBS News Hour, Youtube
This year, U.S. protests over police brutality and violence against Black Americans have led to a prominent national conversation on racism. Indigenous peoples in Canada, Australia and New Zealand have leveraged the momentum both to show solidarity and to bring attention to similar issues in their own countries. Amna Nawaz reports on a global effort to identify and address racism and oppression.

Available on skindigenous.tv
A 13-part documentaryseries exploring Indigenous tattooing traditions around the world. Each episode dives into a unique Indigenous culture to discover the tools and techniques, the symbols and traditions that shape their tattooing art. In this series, the art of tattoo becomes a lens for exploring some of the planet’s oldest cultures and their unique perspectives on life, identity and the natural world.

The Naked Truth, Youtube
Sioux water protectors won a major victory over the the DAPL oil pipeline project at Standing Rock. Braving water cannons, dogs, police brutality and extreme weather, the No DAPL movement had the moral authority to capture the world’s attention. But with Trump’s oil-friendly administration about to take office, the victory is momentary and the struggle is only beginning.

Youtube
Indigenous People React To Indigenous Representation In Film And TV (Pocahontas, The Lone Ranger)

Teen Vogue, Youtube
Six Native American girls school us on the REAL history of Thanksgiving.

To Listen

Welcome to All My Relations, a podcast where we explore what it means to be a Native person in 2019. To be an Indigenous person is to be engaged in relationships—relationships to land and place, to a people, to non-human relatives, and to one another. All My Relations is a place to explore those relationships, and to think through Indigeneity in all its complexities. On each episode hosts Matika Wilbur (Tulalip and Swinomish) and Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation), delve into a different topic facing Native peoples today, bringing in guests from all over Indian Country to offer perspectives and stories. We dive deep, play some games, laugh a lot, cry sometimes, and hope that you’ll join us on this journey together.

��étis In Space hilariously deconstructs the science fiction genre through a decolonial lense. Join hosts Molly Swain & Chelsea Vowel as they, from a decolonial perspective, review a sci-fi movie or television episode featuring Indigenous Peoples, tropes & themes.

Indigenous youth are at the forefront of Lisa Charleyboy’s podcast, where she gets frank on topics about music, identity and sex. Each episode, she moderates the conversation with a different group of millennial

A 1999 murder case of a Muskogee (Creek) Nation man in Oklahoma is the entry point for an investigation into a Supreme Court battle over whether nearly half the land of Oklahoma is tribal territory. This podcast about tribal land, broken promises and murder, is on the Crooked Media platform—which also hosts political podcast Pod Save America, as well as pop culture-focused Keep It—and is hosted by Cherokee nation journalist Rebecca Nagle.

A nerd-culture podcast that prides itself on its “Indigenerdity.” The ATCG website covers everything from comics, STEM, cosplaying, art, entertainment and more. Hosts Johnnie Jae and Jackie Malstrom interview fellow Indigenerds and discuss the intersections of Indigeneity and geek culture.

��The Indigenous music hub��Revolutions per Minute hosts a podcast��dedicated to giving a voice to the music, stories, and experiences of Indigenous artists from around the world by exploring a place, idea, or tradition that inspires our songs and our people. This podcast is a blend of social and cultural discussion and Indigenous pop culture.

Native America Calling��is a live call-in program linking public radio stations, the Internet and listeners together in a thought-provoking national conversation about issues specific to Native communities. Each program engages noted guests and experts with callers throughout the United States and is designed to improve the quality of life for Native Americans. Native America Calling is heard on nearly 70 public, community and tribal radio stations in the United States and in Canada. Our program is a production of Koahnic Broadcast Corporation, a Native-operated media center in Anchorage, Alaska.

To Read

We encourage you to utilize your local library or��. Books can also be requested through the Ģ������Ƶ State Library when classes are back in session. Students may be eligible to access some of the titles below with a�����ǰ���.

Carry
by Toni Jensen
A powerful, poetic memoir about what it means to exist as an indigenous woman in America, told in snapshots of the author’s encounters with gun violence. In prose at once forensic and deeply emotional, Toni Jensen shows herself to be a brave new voice and a fearless witness to her own difficult history—as well as to the violent cultural landscape in which she finds her coordinates. With each chapter, Carry reminds us that surviving in one’s country is not the same as surviving one’s country.

Almanac of the Dead
by Leslie Marmon Silko
Almanac of the Dead��weaves ideas and lives, fate and history, passion and conquest in an attempt to re-create the moral history of the Americas, told from the point of view of the conquered, not the conquerors. In its extraordinary range of character and culture,��Almanac of the Dead��is fiction on the grand scale. The acclaimed author of��Ceremony��has undertaken a weaving of ideas and lives, fate and history, passion and conquest in an attempt to re-create the moral history of the Americas.

There There
by Tommy Orange
Tommy Orange’s wondrous and shattering bestselling novel follows twelve characters from Native communities: all traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow, all connected to one another in ways they may not yet realize. Among them is Jacquie Red Feather, newly sober and trying to make it back to the family she left behind. Dene Oxendene, pulling his life together after his uncle’s death and working at the powwow to honor his memory. Fourteen-year-old Orvil, coming to perform traditional dance for the very first time. Together, this chorus of voices tells of the plight of the urban Native American—grappling with a complex and painful history, with an inheritance of beauty and spirituality, with communion and sacrifice and heroism. Hailed as an instant classic, There There is at once poignant and unflinching, utterly contemporary and truly unforgettable.

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee
by David Treuer
In��The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee, Treuer melds history with reportage and memoir. Tracing the tribes’ distinctive cultures from first contact, he explores how the depredations of each era spawned new modes of survival. The devastating seizures of land gave rise to increasingly sophisticated legal and political maneuvering that put the lie to the myth that Indians don’t know or care about property. The forced assimilation of their children at government-run boarding schools incubated a unifying Native identity. Conscription in the US military and the pull of urban life brought Indians into the mainstream and modern times, even as it steered the emerging shape of self-rule and spawned a new generation of resistance.��The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee��is the essential, intimate story of a resilient people in a transformative era.

The Heartsong of Charging Elk
by James Welch
Charging Elk, an Oglala Sioux, joins Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and journeys from the Black Hills of South Dakota to the back streets of nineteenth-century Marseille. Left behind in a Marseille hospital after a serious injury while the show travels on, he is forced to remake his life alone in a strange land. He struggles to adapt as well as he can, while holding on to the memories and traditions of life on the Plains and eventually falling in love. But none of the worlds the Indian has known can prepare him for the betrayal that follows. This is a story of the American Indian that we have seldom seen: a stranger in a strange land, often an invisible man, loving, violent, trusting, wary, protective, and defenseless against a society that excludes him but judges him by its rules. At once epic and intimate, The Heartsong of Charging Elk echoes across time, geography, and cultures.

Imaginary Borders
by Xiuhtezcatl Martinez
Pocket Change Collective is a series of small books with big ideas from today’s leading activists and artists. In this installment, Earth Guardians Youth Director and hip-hop artist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez shows us how his music feeds his environmental activism and vice versa. Martinez visualizes a future that allows us to direct our anger, fear, and passion toward creating change. Because, at the end of the day, we all have a part to play.

To Act, Support, & Learn More

Campus Resources

Counseling Services
Office of Multicultural Affairs
Student Involvement and Leadership Development��
Student Affairs

Resource list compiled by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director, Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development

The post Making Change: Native American & Indigenous Heritage appeared first on Campus Life.

“A lot of what I learned about myself happened when I was coming of age as a senior in high school. Those moments were the spark that started me investigating to learn more about justice, healing, and self accountability”.

From Chicago, Demitrius then made her way to college, completing her undergraduate work at University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire and her Master of Science in College Student Personnel at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Campus. Demitrius made her way to the east coast in her first professional role at Clark University, minutes from the Ģ������Ƶ State campus. There she served in a dual role as Resident Director and Multicultural Engagement Coordinator, acting as a liaison between residential life and multicultural affairs. A year and a half later, she brought her experience and passion to Ģ������Ƶ and her role as a Resident Hall Director.

Lessons in Leadership

Reflecting on her leadership journey, Demitrus recalls when she realized the harm that comes with the feel of needing control over what others can do. This understanding lead to a new focus on becoming an agent for change while promoting self authorship and accountability.

“I have started to let go of the very unnecessary and harmful control that, as professionals, we have learned to cultivate over students and student groups. Since I’ve gotten here, I have changed my sense of control and my sense of how I see students as being advocates for themselves, understanding their needs, and how I, as an agent of this institution, how I am able to better advocate for their needs through my sphere of influence and what I can affect.”

Demitirus recalls taking note of a previous supervisor who said it’s important to relinquish control and share the power with your students. She explains its important to take heed of what your students are asking for and what’s in your power to facilitate those requests.

“You aren’t taking over, exerting control over, or having power over. It’s having power with and empowering students to make better decisions about their wellbeing and how they own a space or idea and see it through. If you aren’t sharing information, that’s a form of power; you are disenfranchising others and not setting them up for the success they deserve.”

She defines power as knowledge, resources, (social) capital, and institutional knowledge and history. This notion of sharing power has influenced one of the things she values most as a leader: transparent and explicit communication.��

“As a leader, I believe it is important to be as transparent as I possibly can. Taking information and discussing with students, ‘What does this mean for us’ and ‘what does it mean for you’ and being real about that. Letting them discuss and come to conclusions is so important in being a leader. I feel like it empowers students to make decisions on transparent information we provide to them.”

These values give her the ability to connect with her staff of Resident Assistants. She states that her biggest accomplishment at WSU has been supporting her RA staff, specifically the students of color on her team.

“I am trying to figure how I, in my position, can be a full collaborator and partner with students rather than being a parental figure. These are young adults, who can tell you fully what they want. We just have to believe them when they do.”

Knowing Yourself as a Leader

Demitrius openly and proudly identifies�� as someone who comes from a working class/working poor background and a black and brown community. She also identifies as black, queer, disabled and, plus sized.

“How I have come to accept these identities has often gone hand in hand, as I’ve learned more as a leader; my identity has impacted my leadership style. The reason I love transparent and explicit communication is because two years ago I was diagnosed with ADHD and depression. [Through] treatment with my therapist, I now have a support system to help me recognize how my identities and disability plays into how I lead or how I interact with the people I am building working relationships with.”

She describes that ADHD can present challenges to her executive functioning, and if she is not participating in self care and coping strategies it can impact her ability to be an effective leader.��

“My functioning can be out of whack If I am not taking care of myself, getting regular sleep, engaging in coping mechanisms and adhering to activities that center focus. I like to be self aware how these things can negatively impact or harm the team.”

Demitrus emphasizes the importance of using resources provided to you to know yourself better as you go through your leadership journey. Therapy and self reflection are the core pieces of advice she offers to emerging leaders.

“Therapy [is key] because you learn to know yourself with a processing partner… to understand yourself more, how you react and ensuring you can navigate situations in a way that’s productive to your intentions. You should understand yourself. Recognize we are taking in the toxicity in our world and it plays into everyday things. If you aren’t taking advantage of therapy or Counseling Services, you need to. It’s important for how you develop as a leader, and a person who will care for others as a leader.”

Community Work and Goals

Last March, Demitrius presented at the first ever Leadership Symposium. She left an impact on her students following her workshop, where she discussed her work with Ģ������Ƶ Pride. Ģ������Ƶ Pride was an LGBTQ+ organization centered around bringing events and community to worcester.��Unfortunately, Ģ������Ƶ Pride has dissolved, but Demitrius is happy to share that the “Ģ������Ƶ Pride remix is under construction.”

Her involvement in Ģ������Ƶ Pride was largely focused on Shades, which was a sub-committee of the organization and provided a space for queer people of color. Shades is working to restructure their organization to focus more on political engagement and social action. Demitrius further discusses how recently coming out brought her to wanting to learn more about her community and lead to her action.

“We are focussing more on how politics here in Ģ������Ƶ effect queer and trans people of color within the Ģ������Ƶ community. I looked for people, communities, and found people I can connect with and people I can learn from.”��

Demitrius looks to bring this experience into her role in Residence Life. She discussed her goal to bring social consciousness and action to Ģ������Ƶ State.

“I would like to integrate more of my experience with justice, workshop facilitation, and development to collaborate more with the professionals [and students] around me, to spread the message of justice, love, and challenging authority, and ways that help you advocate for yourself. That’s what I really value and that is what I’m trying to be a bit more involved in.”

Written by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director, Office of Student Involvement & Leadership Development

The post Sharing Your Power & Knowing Yourself with Demitrius Evans appeared first on Campus Life.