MARIST
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER
2015
ISSUE #1
CENTER FOR
MULTICULTURAL
AFFAIRS
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
IN THIS ISSUE:
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
JAY BLOTCHER
DID YOU KNOW?
NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY
JEWISH HOLIDAYS
WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY
FAMOUS HISPANICS
FFE: CARA SEBEST
STAFF:
Iris Ruiz-Grech
Director
P.1
P.2
P.3
P . 4
P.4
P.5
P.6
P.7
Mary Canto Rice
Assistant Director
Karen Tomkins-Tinch
Coordinator,
International Student Programs
Angel L. Arriaga
Counselor/Tutor
Coordinator
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
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
Luisa Moreno, a women featured in the
performance by Will and Co., gave up her
privledged life to protest with Latino farm
workers across the Southwestern United
States.
During the 15th of September through
15th October we come together as a nation
to recognize all Latino and Hispanic
Americans during Hispanic Heritage
month. The United States has been made
richer with the contribution of the culture,
tradition, heritage, history, and hard
work of the Latino and Hispanic people
throughout history.
In celebration of this month, the Center
for Multicultural Affairs in conjunction
with ARCO invited Will and Company: A
Theater for Social Change to perform for
the Marist community. “Fifty Years On:
Latinos Shaping a Nation” was the title of
their live performance. The trio created a
series of vignettes accompanied by videos
that walked us through the history of Hispanics and Latinos and demonstrated
some of the social justice issues many Hispanics and Latinos faced in the past
and still today.
The performance was informational and highlighted the laws of segregation
including marriage restrictions and other limitations based on the darkness of
one’s complexion. After the demonstration, the actors accepted questions about
their own personal battles with segregation offering a touching glimpse into the
lives of those who have turned their struggles into a positive lesson for future
generations.
Sources:
http://www.hispanicheritagemonth.org
http://www.crs.org/stories/hispanic-heritage-month-history-united-states
http://www.smith.edu/news/gatenew/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/hispanicheritagemonth.jpg
By Cara Sebest
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DISCOVERING MY MULTI-ETHNIC
LIFE
Jay Blotcher, a Jewish, Puerto Rican, and gay rights activist, shared his incredibly moving story on
October 1st in Marist’s Student Center. This event was sponsored by the Center of Multicultural Affairs and
the Diversity Council’s LGBTQ subcommittee. His 27-year story was a truly inspirational quest of courage
and character, offering a touching nod to the Hispanic Heritage Month festivities.
Jay Blotcher grew up as the adopted son of Sunny and Molly Blotcher
in Boston, Massachusetts. He was raised Jewish and lived a significant portion
of his life completely unaware of his true Hispanic roots and birth parents. He
struggled with his identity as a result. He was a victim of ridicule over his Hispanic exterior, Jewish interior, and homosexuality. This was until he received a
letter from his birth mother many years later. He learned that he was a product
of a one night stand between his mother and baseball star, Arnie Portocarrero.
He now knew of his Puerto Rican heritage, and through his mother, had another
family and culture to explore.
Blotcher took the brave step of choosing to not only come out, but
also actively fight for the equal treatment of gay people everywhere. He
is responsible for many protests and campaigns against the medical field
for the lowering of costs for AIDS treatments. He was featured in several
news columns and radio shows to voice his concerns about these important
issues.
Currently, Jay Blotcher is happily married to his husband,
Brooke Garrett. He is now a marriage equality spokesperson while still
championing for gay rights and AIDS activism. He travels to share his
journey from identity crisis to a proud acceptance of himself in order
to inspire and preach positivity.
Photo taken by Lisa Fay
Sources: http://www.hivplusmag.com/sites/hivplusmag.com/
files/2014/09/Jay-Blotcher-ACTUPNY-1X633.jpg
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By Cara Sebest
EVENTS:
DID YOU KNOW?
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:
• There are over 300 international
students studying here at Marist during the
Fall 2015 semester
• These students come from 49
different countries and US territories
• The country with the largest group of
students studying at Marist is India
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September 7
September 14-15
September 16
September 23
September 24
September 26-28
September 28
October 1
October 2
October 12
October 23
October 26
October 30
October 31
- Labor Day (United States)
- Rosh Hashana (Israel)
- Independence Day (Mexico)
- Yom Kippur (Israel)
- Heritage Day (South Africa)
- Harvest Moon Festival (S. Korea)
- Queen’s Birthday (W. Australia)
- National Day (Hong Kong)
- Mehatma Gandhi’s Birthday (India)
- Cultural Diversity Day (Argentina)
- Chulalongkorn Day (Thailand)
- Labor Day (New Zealand)
- All Hallow’s Eve (Sweden)
- Halloween (United States)
• The next largest groups of students are
from China, Nigeria, and the United
Kingdom
• There are also 4 foreign exchange
students and about 25 self identified ex-patriot students
• All international students participate in
a week long orientation organized by Karen
Tomkins-Tinch, the Coordinator of
International Student Programs
• The orientation’s purpose is not only to
educate incoming international students with
the information they need to prepare them
for the year, but also to make the transition
from home life to college life as easy as
possible.
Sources: http://www.victorycorps.com/media/catalog/
product/cache/1/small_image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/4/4/444_1.jpg
COMING UP NEXT:
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DATE
November 1
November 3
November 4
November 10
November 11
November 19
November 20
November 26
December 8
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 31
HOLIDAY
- All Saint’s Day (France)
- Culture Day (Japan)
- Unity Day (Russia)
- Deepavali (Sinapore)
- Diwali (India)
- Puerto Rico Discovery Day
- Black Consciousness Day (Brazil)
- Thanksgiving (United States)
- Immaculate Conception (Italy)
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
- St. Stephen’s Day (Ireland)
- New Year’s Eve
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NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY
October 11, 1988 National Coming Out Day was founded to mark
the anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and
Gay Rights. Half a million people participated, and the momentum that
followed was revolutionary. 100 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
activists gathered just outside of Washington D.C. to recognize their
community. National Coming Out Day was born to commemorate the
anniversary of this event. The idea was that of Robert Eichsberg and
Jean O’Leary. Now, every October 11th, National Coming Out Day
promotes a safe world for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people
everywhere.
In observance of LGBT History Month, the CMA, the Marist
Lesbian Gay Straight Alliance and Social Work Associarion held a
screening of “The Normal Heart.” The film reflected upon the early
years of the AIDS epidemic and rise of activisim within the gay
community. The story was told through the eyes of Ned Weeks, an
openly gay writer and founder of a prominent HIV advocacy group.
Sources:
http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/the-history-of-coming-out
http://lgbtq.gmu.edu/programs-services/national-coming-out-day/
By Cara Sebest
JEWISH HOLIDAYS
Yom Kippur could be considered one of the most
important holidays of the Jewish year. The word itself
means “Day of Atonement,” and it is a holiday set aside
for repenting sins from the past year. The day is
considered a complete Sabbath, which means no work
can be performed. There is a complete 25-hour fast
beginning before sunset on the evening before and
ending after sunset on the evening of. This year, Yom
Kippur was celebrated on September 22nd to September
23rd.
Sources: http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday4.htm
http://speechforteachersday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/
yom-kippur-cli-747990.jpg
Rosh Hashanah is commonly referred to as the Jewish New
Year. It can be literally translated to “first of the year,” and
can be considered the holiest day of the Jewish year. Jewish
practitioners take this time to plan a better life, make
resolutions, and reflect upon the mistakes of the past year. One
of the most important traditions of the holiday is the sounding
of the shofar. A shofar is a ram’s horn, and it is blown like a
trumpet in the synagogue. It is suggested that the sound of the
horn is a call to repentance. No work is permitted on Rosh
Hashanah, and most of the day is spent in synagogue for an
expanded liturgy.
Sources: http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday2.htm
http://s1.card-images.com/images/products/83xp_Z.jpg
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By Cara Sebest
WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY
Lizzie in La Piedra del Peñol, Guatapé, Colombia
Lizzie teaching a lesson to a group of students
Photos provided by Lizzie Grisafi
World Teachers’ Day has been held every October
5th since 1994. This holiday celebrates teachers worldwide and
commends them for their involvement in the education of all
levels. This day represents the global awareness, knowledge, and
education that teachers instill into societies everywhere across the
globe.
Lizzie Grisafi, is a Marist alumna, former CMA student
assistant, and proud English teacher in Colombia. Lizzie studied
abroad in Costa Rica her senior year only to find herself giving
back with the gift of education. Her love for the climate, people,
food, music, and culture led her to stay past the program end date
and return to Marist just in time for her last semester. As soon as
she was back on campus, she sought out job opportunities abroad
throughout Latin America. The National Training Service (SENA)
in Colombia seemed like the perfect fit. Lizzie knew nothing about
Colombia and wanted to learn about a new country and culture,
while improving her Spanish and making a difference through her
job.
As a double major in Environmental Science and Spanish,
teaching English was never on Lizzie’s agenda. However, her
abroad experience had proven to be so powerful that she could not
turn down the application for a six-month teaching contract. She
is currently the only foreigner in her small Colombian town. This
makes her the first native English speaker with whom her students
have worked. Lizzie has only 2 months left and is currently
weighing different career and graduate school opportunities to
pursue upon her return to the United States.
Lizzie with her class
By Cara Sebest
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OCTOBER: FAMOUS HISPANICS
Gloria Estefan: 1957Glorida Maria Milagrosa Fajardo Carcia, professionally known as
Gloria Estafan, was born in Cuba and has been a famous musician
since 1977. She is best known for her Latin and dance pop music and
for being a part of the famous music group Miami Sound Machine.
Over the years, she has won four Latin Grammy Awards, six Billboard
Latin Music Awards, and even an MTV Video Music Award.
Sources: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/hispanic/history3.htm
http://newimages.bwwstatic.com/upload10/738475/gloriaestefan.jpg
Oscar de la Renta:1932-2014
Born in the Dominican Republic, Oscar was the only son out of seven
children to a Dominican mother and a Puerto Rican father. He
attended the Academy of San Fernando in Spain to study painting. He
loved to sketch dresses for newspapers and fashion houses. He soon
caught the eye of Cristobal Balenciaga who became his mentor and
helped launch his career in the fashion capital of Paris, France. To this
day, his fashion house continues to dress film stars to royalty.
Sources: http://www.britannica.com/biography/Oscar-de-la-Renta
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Oscar-de-la-Renta
Gabriel Garcia Marquez:
1927-2014
Gabriel José de la Concordia García Márquez was known a
Colombian novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and journalist. He
was most known for his popular writing style of Magical Realism. In
Latin America, he was called Gabo, the master of Magical Realism. As
a student, he was considered studious and always caught the attention
of other students with his fanciful storytelling. His career was not a
smooth one but his efforts paid off when the French government
awarded him with the Legion of Honor as well as when he received the
Nobel Prize in 1982.
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Sources: http://www.egs.edu/library/gabriel-garcia-marquez/biography/
http://sfm.md/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/marquez-gabriel.jpg
FRESHMEN FLORENCE EXPERIENCE
I had not known that impulsively clicking a checkbox on my
college application would completely change the way I viewed the
world and myself. My name is Cara Sebest. I am a sophomore, and a
recent alumna of the Freshman Florence Experience (FFE). Truthfully, I did not know all of what the FFE program entailed before
signing up. I had been to Italy briefly on one other occasion, and was
only looking for an excuse to provide another writing sample for my
Marist
application. After coming to learn that it was an entire year abroad,
that I had made it into the program, and that I needed to decide
immediately, I purchased my ticket. This all happened within a
week’s time.
This sort of impulse was very unlike me. I was the type of
person who was too nervous to ask for the check at restaurants. I
also only considered colleges that were a maximum of three hours
away from my home state of New Jersey. But something about
Florence was very convincing. Of course there were moments of hesitation, and others of complete panic, but slowly
and surely, the Italian lifestyle became the norm. Asking for the check was nothing compared to learning the entire
public transportation system in Italian. Eventually, I made the decision to not come home for winter break, and thus
spent a full nine months in my new home.
I believe the pivotal moment in my transformation was shortly after I returned at an annual family
barbecue. I dreaded the event every year, and would spend the majority of it too shy to speak to any of the relatives
that I had not seen since last year’s party. This year, however, I found myself initiating conversation and really enjoying
myself. My newfound confidence was pointed out several times, and I felt it.
In the beginning, I called it an accident, but now I call it fate. The transition from city life to campus life was
easy. Before Italy, I never imagined that I would be actively joining clubs, finding a job at the Center for Multicultural
Affairs, or adding a second minor of Global Studies to my academic repertoire. I am more interested than ever before
in cultures of the world and even that of the United States. I have Florence to thank for this and I anxiously await the
day I can return to my second home.
A look ahead...
Indian Culture Week: November 9th-13th
In recognition of this year’s Indian Culture Week, 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, Fashion
Design seniors and Indian graduate students will host a series of events, displays, and activities highlighting various
aspects of Indian culture. These events will be located in the Lowell Thomas Lower Lobby throughout the week.
There will be demonstrations on Rangoli Sand Art Design, Henna Tattoos and Turban Tying as well as Bindi and
Tilak Application on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Friday, there will be a Closing Reception with a
Fashion Show and Indian Cuisine from 5 pm-7 pm in the Cabaret. Contact the Center for Multicultural Affairs at
extension 3204 for more information.
We hope you will join us!
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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
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