MARIST
February 2016 March 2016
ISSUE #12
CENTER FOR
MULTICULTURAL
AFFAIRS
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
IN THIS ISSUE:
STAFF:
Iris Ruiz-Grech
Director
ADVOCACY DAY
CHINESE NEW YEAR
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
IMPORTANT WOMEN
INDIAN STUDENTS IN
THE COMMUNITY
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
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Mary Canto Rice
Assistant Director
Karen Tomkins-Tinch
Coordinator,
International Student Programs
Angel L. Arriaga
Counselor/Tutor
Coordinator
ADVOCACY DAY
Siraj Bah
Counselor
TBA
Educational Assistant
Cara Sebest
Student Editor
Cailin Byrne
Student Media Assistant
CONTACT:
Center for Multicultural Affairs
(CMA)
Cannavino Library
Suite 337
845.575.3204
multicultural@marist.edu
Visit us on Facebook at
Marist Center for Multicultural Affairs
www.facebook.com/maristcollegecma
Students and Administrators from the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education
Opportunity Program (HEOP) and the Liberty Partnership Program (LPP) traveled
to Albany, NY on Tuesday, February 2, 2016. On this day, thousands of New York
State students met with their legislators to advocate for continued funding of the
Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), HEOP, LPP, STEP, C-STEP and similar programs.
According to the New York State Aid Alliance group, over 370,000 NYS residents
count on TAP and these state aid programs to help with their college education. The
group above was also joined by administrators from Student Financial Services in their
meetings with State Senator Sue Serino and Assemblywoman Didi Barrett.
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CHINESE NEW YEAR
February 8th marked the 2016 Chinese New Year. Of all of
the traditional festivals in China, the Chinese New Year is the most
significant. Also referred to as the Spring Festival, it is an important
celebration to spend with family. The purpose of the holiday is to
acknowledge a year of hard work, have a good rest, and to wish for a
lucky and prosperous coming year. It is widely believed that starting
the year positively will lead to good fortune and vocational success.
The date of the Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese lunar
calendar. This lunar calendar, in correlation with the Chinese 12-year
animal zodiac, determined that 2016 is the year of the monkey. Though
Monkey years are believed to be the unluckiest of the zodiac, they
make up for it with their practicality, wittiness, and sense of adventure.
On February 5th the Marist Asian Alliance club in collaboration
with the Center for Multicultural Affairs celebrated the 2016 Chinese
New Year in the student center. It was a party rich with traditional
cultural elements such as regional foods, a typical lion dance, and
various short presentations discussing how the holiday is acknowledged
in different countries. The night began with a few words from Asian Alliance President, Matt Yuen. He
welcomed guests and introduced each of the various speakers that night. Janpreet Singh, an international
student recited a short, poem about the importance of cultural togetherness during this special holiday.
The highlight of the night was the traditional lion dance and the story it told. Each New Years Eve, a
lion descends from the mountains into a village full of citizens represented by the audience. The audience,
as the villagers, offers the lion symbolic gifts of luck such as oranges and lettuce, which the lion accepts.
The lion messily devours the foods and finally returns to his hilltop home. Don’t worry if you got hit by
the greens, it means good luck!
Wishing a happy, healthy, and lucky New Year from the CMA to you!
By Cara Sebest
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EVENTS:
STUDENT
SPOTLIGHT
Goodman Lepota is
a sophomore and an
international student from
South Africa who had
the opportunity to attend
the African Leadership
Academy Reception at the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
on January 7th.
Lepota
was invited to the event
because he is a graduate
of the African Leadership
Academy (ALA). The ALA is a high school located on the
outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa and is dedicated to
inspiring leadership potential and entrepreneurial spirit. At the
event, Lepota moderated a panel discussion with a number of
important political figures, including Madeleine Albright, the
former U.S. Secretary of State, and Donald Gips, the former
U.S. Ambassador to South Africa. The panel discussed the
options for getting young people more involved in public
service, politics, and voting. The panel felt that the Millennial
generation is not as interested in politics as they could be and
they have the power to make or break election.
As a business major with a minor in political science,
Lepota feels blessed to have been given the opportunity to
work with his passion for politics in conjunction with his
home in South Africa.
By Cailin Byrne
Look for our events on posters around
campus, in your e-mail, in the Marist
Portal, or by visiting our Facebook at:
facebook.com/maristcollegecma
COMMEMORATIVE DAYS:
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February 2
February 8
February 9
February 10
February 14
February 15
February 29
March 8
March 13
March 17
March 20
March 27
-Groundhog Day
-Chinese New Year
-Mardi Gras
-Ash Wednesday
-Valentine’s Day
-Presidents’ Day
-Leap Day
-International Women’s Day
-Daylight Saving Time Begins
-St. Patrick’s Day
-Spring Equinox
-Easter Sunday
COMING UP NEXT:
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April 1
April 19
April 22
April 22
April 30
May 1
May 1
May 4
May 5
May 8
May 12
May 21
May 30
-April Fool’s Day
-Mahavir Jayanti (Important
Holiday for the Jains)
-Passover Begins
-Earth Day
-Passover Ends
-International Labor Day
-Orthodox Easter
-Yom Hashoah (Holocaust
Remembrance Day)
-Cinco de Mayo
-Mother’s Day
-Independance Day (Israel)
-Buddha Purnima (India)
-Memorial Day
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IMPORTANT WOMEN IN HISTORY
SYBIL LUDINGTON (1761-1839)
AMERICAN REVOLUTION HERO
•Native of Dutchess County, NY, and eldest child of twelve. Born
to Henry Ludington, a commander for the Dutchess County Militia
during the American Revolution.
•At the age of 16, Sybil rode for forty miles on her horse Star to
warn her father’s militiamen about the British’s plan to invade
Danbury, CT.
•While her father prepared to battle, she went to the home of each
of his men and informed them of the impending battle.
•While not as famous as Paul Revere, she covered more distance
than him and was never caught by the British
KAMALA HARRIS (1964-)
CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL
• Born to a Jamaican Stanford professor and a Tamil Indian physician
• Earned her undergraduate degree from Howard University and her
law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of
the Law
• Became the first female, African American, and South Asian
District Attorney for city of San Francisco and later Attorney
General for California
• As the District Attorney of San Francisco, the city’s felony
conviction rate rose to 67%, the highest in a decade
• Sometimes referred to as the “female Barack Obama”
• She is currently running to become California’s next U.S. Senator
MARY ROBINSON (1944-)
FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF
IRELAND
• Started her career serving as a barrister, campaigner, and a member
of the Irish Senate from 1969 to 1989
• In 1990 she became the seventh overall, and first female, President
of Ireland, the Irish Head of State
• Transformed the Irish presidency, restoring relations between
Britain and Ireland and was the first Irish President to meet Queen
Elizabeth II
• After leaving office in 1997, she became the United Nations
Commissioner for Human Rights until 2002
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INDIAN STUDENTS
IN THE COMMUNITY
Over 150 languages divide the 1.2 billion people of India, yet we stand
united through love and tolerance towards religious diversity. A Sanskrit
phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam defines the world as one big family. This
phrase appears in the Maha Upanishad, one of the texts of Hinduism. The
event was held for the Poughkeepsie Girl Scouts on Tuesday, February
16th to better acquaint the girls with the Indian culture. Corri Nicolleti,
an education technology specialist, organized the event and was also
responsible for bringing all food items, scheduling, and looking after the
girls.
It was heartening to see the major turn out of girl scouts at the
event. They were expressively curious about the food, clothes, and Indian
lifestyle. We were a team of four Indian graduate students: Dixita Sharegar,
Nikhil Hiremath, Sidharth Velluri, and myself. The event began with brief
introductions. One of the most interesting facts about India is that every
12 kilometers you will hear a different language. India is a mixed bag of
different cultures and languages. None of us four students belong to the
same culture. Dixita is from Maharasthra, Nikhil is from Bangaluru,
Sidharth is from Hyderabad and I am from New Delhi.
We talked about our differences and how we are connected with one
common language, Hindi. The introduction was followed by the display of
Indian clothes. Clothes in India are varied by the cultural traditions, region
and the climate. It was evident that the girls loved the style because they created beautiful colored patterns in the Rangoli
session. Rangoli is an Indian art form in which patterns are created with colored sand for good luck. Corri Nicolleti was kind
enough to make Mango Lassi for the girls. Lassi is a yogurt-based smoothie that originates from the Punjab region of India.
We served spicy snacks with the Indian sweets made from cashew and milk.
It was a fun and informative event. We, as international students, enjoyed the session and loved introducing the girl
scouts to our way of life. We hope to be a part of more diversity events in the future, because it is important to recognize and
teach the importance of universal love and cultural appreciation.
By guest writer Janpreet Singh
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH
In recognition of Black History Month, several Marist clubs and
committees including the Black Student Union, Student Activities,
Appreciating Races Creating Opportunities (ARCO), and the Center for
Multicultural Affairs (CMA) hosted an array of culturally enriching events to
celebrate the influence of African American culture on the United States. The
theme of this year’s festivities was unity. This was very clearly demonstrated
through the audience participation encouraged at all events. Highlight events
of the month included the moving vocal performances of African American
History Month Celebration sponsored by the Marist Gospel Choir, the CMA,
and the Student Activities as well as the vivacious percussion of the Kofi &
Sankofa Drum and Dance Ensemble sponsored by the CMA. Other events
included “Beyond Boundaries” film series, a lecture given by James Crone
entitled “The Cross and the Lynching Tree,” and the “Who We Are Exhibit,”
highlighting the achievements and people of the African diaspora.
On February 19th in the Cabaret, the Marist Gospel and Chamber choirs,
the Solid Rock Church of God Praise Dance Team, and Marist’s new African
Dance Team put together “Music at Marist: African American History Month
Celebration”. It was an evening of song, dance, culture, and enthusiasm.
CMA counselor Siraj Bah welcomed everyone to the concert and introduced
the Marist Singers who opened with “We’re Marching onto Freedom Land,”
an inspiring piece about African American civil rights and unfaltering hope. Members of the choir gave a brief history of
each song that touched the audience and complimented each song. The Marist Chamber Singers also performed a haunting
traditional piece. The Marist African Dance Team and the Solid Rock Church of God Praise Dance Team performed a mix
of traditional choreography and religious based performances to showcase the importance of culture and hope through
faith. The night came to a close with emphasis on the theme of unity. Kyle Berkoski, a junior at Marist, stated “It was
a really fun experience. Everyone was really into the music and it was amazing to see everyone come together and just
have fun.” The entire room was instructed to stand up and join hands in song. As a community, Marist stood together in
a circle and sang, “Lean on Me.” By the end of the song everyone was singing together and smiling. The Music at Marist
celebration was incredibly enlightening and unifying for everyone involved.
On February 25th, the Kofi & Sankofa Drum and Dance Ensemble took place in the Student Center. The award-winning
group consisted of several percussionists and a dancer experienced in African drumming and performance. The group
is known for telling “stories of African American healing through music.” Kofi explained that “Sankofa” means “back
to our roots,” and is a word dedicated to finding purpose and identifying the important relationships in one’s life. These
concepts are incredibly important to recognize during the spirit of Black History Month especially with this year’s theme
of unity. Marist sophomore, Jordan Gooding, explained that she felt “truly lucky to be able to experience such a different
type of culture from my own.” The group sang traditional tunes including “Sogbadza” which is a call to ancestors and
“Atia,” a victory song. Several members from the audience got up to participate in many of the dances including Marist
Executive Vice President Geoffrey Brackett, CMA Director Iris Ruiz-Grech, CMA Counselor Siraj Bah, and several of our
international students. Many members of the audience were familiar with the songs, and those that were not were excited
to learn.
Though 2016’s Black History Month may have come to an official close, it is essential to consider the importance of
unity every day of the year. The spiritually enlightening events of this month were truly powerful experiences that captured
the essence of African American history and cultural significance. This year’s events were incredibly successful in the
sense that everyone felt connected to one another within the Marist community. The active participation throughout was
contagious and powerful. Let us now take this same enthusiasm into next February.
By Cara Sebest
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For further information:
Contact the Marist College
Center for Multicultural Affairs
E-mail: multicultural@marist.edu
Facebook: www.facebook.com/maristcollegecma
Instagram: @maristcma
Phone: (845) 575 3204
Fax: (845) 575 3195
www.marist.edu/academics/multicultural
Marist College
Center for Multicultural Affairs (CMA)
A Division of Student Academic Affairs
Cannavino Library Suite 337
Poughkeepsie, NY
12601-1387