AfterWords

The Office of Student Life and International Student Services had a successful event this past Friday on February 24, 2006. Bringing together students and staff from across campus they shared cultures and broke bread together. The time and energy that went into this event was amazing. I was not able to attend, so below is a GUEST BLOGGER, who not only peformed, but helped coordinate the event. GOOD JOB!!!
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GUEST BLOGGER: Kanchana Kularatne

It was a great Night to remember. Being an International student and being able to participate in such a colorful event is always wonderful. The cultural event was filled by many international talents. The flag procession was so colorful. I am sure many would find it amazing to know that EdCC represents students from 46 different countries and an even more diverse number of cultures.

Among the many opportunities provided by Edmonds CC, giving the International Students a chance to really feel special about themselves, their cultures and traditions is great.

I was able to be apart of organizing and performing. More than anything else, the important thing is being able to represent your country and self also being appreciated for your talents and all Edmonds CC students are given the opportunity to do so during this event.

It was overall really great! If you missed this great opportunity, please make sure to mark your calendars next year around the same time and see the wonders of the world!

Recently, Edmonds Community College students participated in a tree planting that would help prevent landslides.

GUEST BLOGGER: Mitzellah Ah-Fook, AmeriCorps volunteer

On Saturday, February 25th at 1:00 p.m., 52 individuals left Duvall’s McCormick Park muddy but strangely content and happy. They were volunteers from different corners of Western Washington, who had arrived at 10:00 a.m.; 23 of which are from Edmonds Community College and Central Washington Edmonds Campus. With boots, shovels, gloves, and elbow grease, hundreds of trees were planted along the Snohomish River to help lessen landslides and protect the salmon that swim through the river every year.

For some, it was their first time to ever plant a tree, and for others, it was their hundredth tree. A student of Dr. Thomas Murphy said, “I’m very glad I actually got out of bed and got to participate in this great event.” Although cold and muddy, it was a gratifying event, and luckily it was dry enough.

It is not always easy to gather this many volunteers to come help with outdoor activities in late winter. For some individuals, it was just a required class assignment, and for others, it’s simply for enjoyment of doing service for the community. Annavel Feliz stated, “I am excited about these community projects and I am looking forward to another upcoming project.” Many times, this type of experience is an open door for understanding the needs of community and of the natural world. It is the hard work of willing people who come “together to help undo damage and promote the health of the environment,” said Monica Nelson.

Great job for all your hard work, and thank you for coming out to support your communities.

The Black Student Association hosted a dialogue with facilitator Rajnii Eddins, who used poetry to spark conversation. Eddins is a lover of children and words. He hails from Seattle, WA, where he co-hosted the monthly Poetry Experience with his mother, Randee. He has taught a violence prevention poetry curriculum at Aki Kurose Middle School, Rainier Beach High School, as well as Brighton Elementary School. He has taught the class, Making Spoken Word Speak as a teaching artist with ArtsCorps. He has performed on the literary stage at Bumbershoot, the Moore Theatre, and Benaroya Hall. Raj was on Washington’s first poetry slam teams of color and won the 2003 Tacoma Poetry Slam. Raj has published two poetry chap books and considers art a powerful vehicle for social change. He believes that art has the capacity to transform the world or just cater to the status quo. (Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas).

Eddins began each discussion by asking the audience to send him energy and then his words and songs exploded forth. After each poem, he facilitated dialogue about the meaning of history in relation to the present. People expressed themselves and the small group of 15 began to explore other connections. Discussion ranged from the HipHop Movement to Poverty to the completion and complexity of ideology and identity.

Advertising did not go out early, but because of the small group there was an air of sharing and openness. The session ended at 1:30 p.m., but most of the audience stayed until 2:00 p.m. Thank you to those they stayed and shared more, because dialogue helps to build community.

STEPHANIE ELLIS-SMITH’s Brown Bag Lecture was canceled. Ellis-Smith had a serious illness that prevented her from lecturing. For more information about her organization and her please visit:

http://www.cdforum.org/

STEPHANIE ELLIS-SMITH BIO:
“Stephanie Ellis-Smith founded the CD Forum in 1999. Before that, she was the Visual Resources Coordinator for the Jacob Lawrence Catalogue Raisonné Project, an art history endeavor that located, catalogued, re-photographed and published the 1,100 work oeuvre of the artist. The prestigious catalogue raisonné was the first ever done for an African-American artist. Before she entered the arts, she was in the sciences where she studied at the University of Washington and UCLA. Stephanie has served on numerous boards and commissions including the Washington State Arts Commission (appointed by Governor Gary Locke). She has been a trustee for Artist Trust, City Club and NuBlack Arts West Theater. Building upon her background in science, she was a Steering Committee member for the Seattle Audubon Society’s Finding Urban Nature program and a reviewer for Science Books and Films, a publication of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science. She received a BA in English and biochemistry from UCLA in 1992 and studied immunology and genetics at the University of Washington. She was awarded the 2004 Community Service Award from the Loren Miller Bar Association, the Talented Tenth Award from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and was named one of the region’s “Top 40 Under 40” emerging leaders.”

Sexual Aggression 101: Confronting Date Rape and Other Pressing Matters
With Todd Denny

Todd Denny talked about alcohol and drug prevention skills, high risk situations, making students your front line of prevention, reducing lawsuits, increasing campus safety. He used music, theatre, and story telling to provide participants a respectful and open space to discuss dating, communication, and sexual assault.

SPONSORED by Student Programs Wellness