MARIST
NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2015
ISSUE #2
CENTER FOR
MULTICULTURAL
AFFAIRS
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
IN THIS ISSUE:
STAFF:
Iris Ruiz-Grech
Director
CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE
WORLD
ATANE OFIAJA
DID YOU KNOW?
INDIAN CULTURE WEEK
WORLD AIDS DAY
FAMOUS NATIVE AMERICANS
P.1
P.2
P.3
P.4
P.6
P.7
Mary Canto Rice
Assistant Director
Karen Tomkins-Tinch
Coordinator,
International Student Programs
Angel L. Arriaga
Counselor/Tutor
Coordinator
Siraj Bah
Counselor
Michael Strong
Office Assistant
Sunil Dennis Paul
Educational Assistant
Cara Sebest
Student Editor
Lisa Fay
Student Media Assistant
CONTACT:
Center for Multicultural Affairs
(CMA)
Cannavino Library
Suite 337
845.575.3204
multicultural@marist.edu
Visit us on Facebook at
MaristCenterforMulticulturalAffairs
www.facebook.com/maristcollegecma
CONVERSATIONS AROUND
THE WORLD
As a kickoff to International Education Week,
Marist International Programs, the Center for
Multicultural Affairs, and Student Government
joined forces to host Conversations from Around
the World. This culture-rich cocktail hour was
an environment of bountiful food and discussion
with the purpose of mingling the differing travel
perspectives of Freshmen Florence Experience
(FFE) alumni, international students, and abroad
students.
The event took place on November 19th in the Student Center. Timos Pietris,
SGA President, welcomed the students and gave an opening speech discussing the
importance of international relationships between Marist’s small community and
the rest of the world. Food was offered from various regions, including samosas
from India, and fresh Italian caprese salad. The nostalgia tugged at everyone’s
hearts as they enjoyed the typical dishes of the countries they have come to know
so well.
As the evening came to an end, everyone was full of food and new connections.
By reaching out to every region of the globe within the Marist community, it
was easy for the students to bond over their experiences. It was the perfect
environment for comparing experiences and mixing with students of all cultural
backgrounds.
By Cara Sebest
1
ATANE OFIAJA ON THE DIASPORA
OF AFRICAN MUSIC
On December 1, 2015, Atane Ofiaja gave his lecture
titled “Global Beat: Capturing The African Diaspora” as part of
the Global Studies “From the Field” Lecture series. Ofiaja is a
photographer, freelance writer and director of new media and
operations for The Peabody award-winning radio program and
online magazine Afropop Worldwide. In 2004, Atane Ofiaja
began his career in concert photography, which started with
photographing his friends who were African jazz musicians. As
a Nigerian immigrant himself, he began to notice the
underrepresentation of Africans in the music industry. Although
his friends were not famous, he knew that major stars in Africa
suffered the same fate of not being documented although they
Photo used with permission by Atane Ofiaja
were widely known throughout the continent. Ofiaja made it his personal mission to bring to life the Diaspora in America and shine light on the African
culture through both street and concert photography. He stated “these are the people I understand; these people are
me.” Ofiaja, now working at AfroPop Worldwide, strives to both create a platform and contextualize African music so
that people around the world can know of its existence. He discussed some of the problems in the music industry and
how it is hard to represent Africans in a white dominated industry. Ofiaja takes this as a reason to meet people where
they are so he can show that African culture is here and present. He said, “I let their voices be heard and I was the one
to document it.” Atane Ofiaja was both a powerful and inspiring speaker who wants to show and represent the music and famous artists of the African continent. He believes that by documenting these performers through his photography, he
can break the color boundaries in the music industry and make African music a global sensation. Ofiaja’s lecture was
genuine, showed his passion towards his work and demonstrated the importance of photography in the African
Diaspora.
By guest writer Kylie Balogh
Photos taken by Lisa Fay and Siraj Bah
2
Siraj Bah, Antane Ofiaja, and Nigerian Marist Brother Jude-Mary Umenze
EVENTS:
DID YOU KNOW?
The Center for Multicultural Affairs’ staff
members may be able to co-teach a lesson with
a faculty member or facilitate a workshop in
a class on topics related to multiculturalism,
social justice, inclusion, or diversity.
Below are photos from Jennifer
McMillan’s Writing for College course, which
has Cultural Diversity as its theme. Professor
McMillan collaborated with the CMA on a
lesson that highlighted the significance of the
Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos.
On Friday, October 30, her students did a
presentation on Mexico and spoke about
various elements that are central to the
Mexican culture such as clothing, music, food,
holidays and other traditions. In preparation
for this class lecture, Professor McMillan
created mini sugar skulls ahead of time.
After the presentation and class discussion, her
students were given the opportunity to decorate
the skulls as many Mexicans do in their
observance of this holiday. The CMA also
provided some traditional Mexican snacks
prepared by Sodexo to give the students a taste
of what Mexican families might eat as well.
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:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
November 1
November 3
November 4
November 10
November 11
November 11
November 19
November 26
December 5-7
December 6
December 6
December 23
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 26
December 31
-All Saint’s Day
-Japanese Culture Day (Japan)
-Unity Day (Russia)
-Deepavali (Singapore)
-Diwali (India)
-Armistice Day (France)
-Puerto Rico Discovery Day (Puerto Rico)
-Thanksgiving (United States)
-King’s Birthday Holiday (Thailand)
-Hanukkah (Israel)
-Constitution Day (Spain)
-Emperor’s Birthday (Japan)
-Christmas Eve
-Christmas Day
-Boxing Day (Australia)
-St. Stephen’s Day (Ireland)
-New Year’s Eve
COMING UP NEXT:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Photos taken by Mary Rice
January 1
January 6
January 7
January 14
January 15
January 18
January 24
February 2
February 8
February 9
February 14
February 15
- New Year’s Day
- Epiphany
- Orthodox Christmas Day (Russia)
- Orthodox New Year
- Makar Sankranti (India and Nepal)
- Martin Luther King Day (United States)
- Tu B’Shevat (Israel)
- Groundhog day (United States)
- Chinese New Year (China)
- Mardi Gras (United States)
- Valentine’s Day
- President’s Day (United States)
3
INDIAN CULTURE WEEK
On November 9th through the 13th the Marist community came together with the vision and hard work of our
Indian graduate and undergraduate students to celebrate the holiday of Diwali. The event was sponsored and hosted by
the Center for Multicultural Affairs, the School of Communication, the School of Math and Computer Science, the Office
of Academic Technology, the School of Liberal Arts, and Fashion Design seniors. During a weeklong celebration of
Indian culture, students and faculty came to the Lowell Thomas Lobby to partake in events typical to India, such as
Rangoli Sand Art Design, Henna Tattoos, Turban Tying, and Bindi and Talak Application. Each day highlighted a
different event and offered some insight into Diwali, what could be considered “India’s Christmas.”
Diwali is considered one of the biggest festivals of India. It is celebrated with much enthusiasm, faith, and
hospitality. The festival is celebrated for five continuous days with the third day being celebrated as the main event. This
is referred to as the “Festival of Lights.” Bright lights of all colors are used to decorate all surfaces, and the night’s
celebrations are usually concluded with a display of fireworks. People will also light candles in their homes and seek
blessings from the Goddess of Wealth. Gifts and food are also exchanged among friends, family, and neighbors.
In the past, Marist had held events to observe Diwali, but never to the magnitude of this year’s celebration. With
the help of the many sponsors and departments involved, Diwali was able to grow from a small service to a
spectacle of music, dancing, food, and clothing. Held in the Cabaret on Friday, November 13th, the Closing Reception
brought the week’s events to a festive conclusion. The evening included an informative PowerPoint presentation, an
opening prayer led by Brother Michael Flanigan, concluding prayer song, fashion show, typical dance and song
performances, closing remarks, and dinner.
The fashion show included a mix of men’s and women’s typical styles and current clothing trends in India. Students and faculty modeled these looks and offered a brief description of the clothing’s purpose and physical description.
The crowd’s enthusiasm was contagious and it was not long before the entire room was full of people erupting with applause. This only grew stronger as the fashion show concluded and the dance performance commenced. Several students
performed a typical dance to a medley of traditional Indian songs and current American ones.
The night concluded with heartfelt closing remarks and dinner. It was the perfect opportunity for mixing,
mingling, and sharing. Every face adorned a smile and the room was full of life and camera flashes. It was a moment of
cultural harmony and community within Marist. We are looking forward for next year’s celebration.
By Cara Sebest
4
Photos taken by Lisa Fay, Sandeep Jayaprakash, and Megan Morelli
INDIAN CULTURE WEEK
5
WORLD AIDS DAY
Sources:
http://worldaidsday2015.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/International-World-Aids-Day-2015-Posters.jpg
http://www.worldaidsday.org
https://www.aids.gov/news-and-events/awareness-days/
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/statistics.html
World AIDS Day has been recognized every December
1st since 1988. It is a day dedicated to bringing awareness to
the AIDS epidemic caused by the spread of HIV infection, and
remembering those who have died from the disease. James W.
Bunn and Thomas Netter first conceived World AIDS Day in
August 1987. The two men are public information officers for
the Global Program on AIDS. They attended the World Health
Organization meeting in Geneva, Switzerland where they
proposed the idea for this day of recognition. The date of
December 1 was chosen with the belief that coverage would
be maximized with its close proximity to US elections and the
holidays.
In 2013, an estimated 47,352 people were diagnosed
with HIV infection in the United States. In that same year, an
estimated 26,688 people were diagnosed with AIDS.
1,218,400 persons aged 13 years and older are living with HIV
infection, including 156,300 who are unaware of their
infection. People can show their support for World AIDS Day
by wearing a red ribbon, the universal symbol of awareness and
support for those living with HIV, or visiting
www.worldaidsday.org for ways to get involved.
By Cara Sebest
SAVE THE DATES
6
FAMOUS NATIVE AMERICANS
Charlene Teeters: 1952Charlene Teeters is best known for her activism within the Native
American community in Spokane, Washington, where she was born.
She is also a well-known international artist concentrated in creating
pieces that reflect both personal and political views regarding
America’s dehumanization of the Indian peoples. She also expresses
how society’s social presumptions and portrayals have shaped the
Indian people in pop culture. She is currently a Professor of Art at the
Institute of American Indian Arts in New Mexico and has also served
as Dean of the College of Arts and Cultural Studies in Oklahoma.
Sources:
http://www.charleneteters.com/Charlene_Teters/About_Me.html
http://www.iaia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2015_02_26_iaia_faculty_staff_exhibition_053_a_w1.jpg
Charles Chibitty: 1921-2005
Charles Chibitty was born in the Comanche territory near Medicine
Park, Oklahoma. He grew up speaking his native language and his
last name translates to “held on good.” He attended a government
run boarding school that was used to assimilate Native American
children. He was not allowed to speak his native language and was
brought up in a militaristic style of life. He enlisted in the Army
when he heard they were setting up a native-speaking unit during
WWII. His mission was to create a coded language the Germans
could not decipher. He used his Comanche roots to help create the
language. He earned five campaign battle stars and received a
cavalry officer’s saber from his tribe.
Sources:
http://nmai.si.edu/education/codetalkers/html/chapter2.html
http://www.army.mil/article/90294/Charles_Chibitty__Comanche_Code_Talker/
http://archive.defense.gov/DODCMSShare/NewsStoryPhoto/2002-11/hrs_200211081c_hr.jpg
Graham Greene: 1952Graham Greene was born in Ohsweken on the Six Nations Reserve in
Ontario, Canada. He is of Oneida decent, which was one of the five
founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. He began acting when
he worked as an audio technician for rock bands in Newfoundland and
Labrador. He graduated from the Toronto-based Center for Indigenous
Theatre’s Native Theatre School program in 1974 and soon afterwards
began performing in professional plays in Toronto and England. He
is best known for his supporting roles in Dances With Wolves and The
Twilight Saga: New Moon. He was honored as a member of the Order
of Canada, which is given by the British monarch.
Sources:
http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/37700000/Graham-Greene-actor-native-american-actors-singers-etc-37735982-400-600.jpg
http://www.tribute.ca/people/graham-greene/5152/
7
For further information:
Contact the Marist College
Center for Multicultural Affairs
E-mail: multicultural@marist.edu
Facebook: www.facebook.com/maristcollegecma
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