With November being Native Heritage Month, Natives at Penn invites you to reflect upon the past and present culture and contributions of Indigenous People. Each day of the month, there will be information linked on our interactive calendar for you to engage with.
Calendar link HERE Follow Natives at Penn on their Instagram @nativesatpenn
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Who is Sakshi?
To check out all the amazing events from Penn First that are happening this week, click HERE
Stole and Cord Grab and GoRESERVE YOUR STOLE/CORD HERE: http://bit.ly/GICgrads2021 IN-PERSON PICK UP DATES/TIMES:
Cap Decoration DIY Craft BagsWe have 30 paint kits to give away and then regular DIY arts and craft bags! First come, first served. In-person pick up during the dates/times listed above ^ Free Grad Photoshoot
Join the United Minorities Council (UMC) for an evening with three UMC alumni for this year’s virtual Celebration of Cultures! This virtual alumni panel will focus on navigating different industries as people of color. The panel will be moderated by current UMC board members Brooke Price and Melissa Ogle, joined by alumnus Iman Martin, Jennifer Kwon Chou, and Mariama Perry. The panel will have closing remarks by Charles (Chaz) Howard. This event is open to the public, especially for all UMC members (current and previous). Event details:Wednesday, April 28th, 2021 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. EST Zoom registration required: http://bit.ly/UMCpanel Student Moderators:
Alumni Biographies
Who is Sophia? I am a grad student at Penn GSE studying International Educational Development. I love learning and helping others learn. I have a particular interest in understanding how children learn best and facilitating that through play and family involvement. I have always had a love for creating art, so I've found myself bringing that into every role. How did you get into decorating grad caps and why do you enjoy it? I have always been the "artistic" person in school, and people always wanted me to help in that way for group projects. It was always the most fun part for me. My older sister was one of those people. I'd say 95% of my older sister's projects throughout our school career include drawings done by me. Anyway, a few months before she graduated from college, we started talking about how I would decorate her cap -- it was just a given. I realized that there was a market for that. People want their caps to stand out and be a part of their graduation photos, but they don't have the ability to make their ideas come to life. So, while I was still at Penn in undergrad, I started reaching out to graduating seniors through group messages and in person about paying me to paint their caps for them. It was a hit! When I shared photos of finished caps on social media, I gained more interest, and one post was somehow found and shared by actress, Alexa PenaVega. Suddenly, students around the country were asking me to do their graduation caps too. So, I created listings for them on Etsy and started shipping graduation cap toppers. I genuinely enjoy bringing someone else's idea to life because it's challenging and gives me a goal. And when I exceed their expectations, it is the best! Staying true to my heart for education, I used the proceeds to pay for a year of schooling for college students in Nigeria (where my family is from). To date, I have been able to do that for 8 students. What part of the art process makes you the happiest? I like getting requests that are new. It can get repetitive because so many people pick the same quotes that they want on their cap! There was one cap I painted that I learned a new font in order to suit the theme of the artwork. So, planning something new is exciting, and seeing the finished product is the most satisfying part. Why is art so important? I love this question! Beautiful things get me through life. To put it simply, life isn't always beautiful. Every day isn't celebratory. So, having something that makes you remember the beautiful moments or makes you look forward to them, gives me hope and helps me to endure when today isn't so great. Graduation caps allow me to do that for other people. Then, the scholarships help me to give hope in another significant way. When I work on weddings, which are my favorites, I get to take that up a notch. To every person, their name is "the sweetest, most important sound in any language" (Dale Carnegie). I love reminding guests that they were thought of, cared for, and welcomed. Couples get to create a beautiful day of celebration that they and their guests will look forward to the moment they get the invitation in the mail. Hopefully, all the pieces I create help to give them beautiful memories they can dig up when they need them in the future. That's what gives the art meaning. ⭐ Check-out and support Sophia's work at the following links ⭐
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophscriptco/ Website: sophscriptco.com Teji Wang, is the amazing person behind GIC's weekly FruiTea gathering. Read below to find out more about Teji and what FruiTea means to her!
Who is Teji? Teji Wang (she/her/hers), Coordinator of FruiTea, is a junior in Nursing with a minor in Nutrition. She is an international student from China who lived in Kuwait (a petite country in the Middle East) for most of her life, and although Arabic is not included in her language skill set, she relishes in Middle Eastern dishes and reminisces eating falafel sandwiches for the equivalent of 33 cents each. Outside of taking and preparing for nursing and Japanese courses, Teji will most likely be taking a walk with friends, enjoying food, and marathoning through anime series. She is also a person of faith and is always open to praying with/for you! What is FruiTea and what does it mean to you? FruiTea is a brave space for FGLI and FGLI-adjacent individuals to share personal perspectives and stories to encourage the exploration of our converging and diverging identities. Through FruiTea, I am given the privilege of getting to know each member of our diverse community through our responses to the weekly ice breaker, and after every gathering, I am refreshed by a growing appreciation of the diversity of the human experience. What have been some of your favorite moments from FruiTea? Along with ensuring members of the community feel safe whilst expressing various thoughts and emotions, FruiTea is built as a space where collective and communal support is emphasized during times of grief and suffering. To me, one of the most memorable FruiTea gatherings is the one held in March after the horrific event in Atlanta that originated from anti-Asian racism, where the narratives of our hurting AAPI members were shared, listened to, and acknowledged with heavy hearts yearning for healing and change. Why should students join FruiTea? From drawings of pineapple glass buildings to pictures of home-made pastries to narrations of memorable traditions and reflective poems, FruiTea is a space where qualitea time is facilitated for fruitful conversations. Join the FruiTea brave space on Tuesdays 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm through http://bit.ly/FruiTea, and we anticipate hearing your story and sharing ours! TITLE: Summer Private Equity Associate
DESCRIPTION: Opportunity to join a global private equity firm with $50bn in assets under management and a 35+ year track record as a summer associate in their technology investing practice. The firms culture unites a diverse team of 250+ individuals in 14 offices around the world while maintaining a flat structure that encourages open communication and collaboration across sectors, geographies and functions. Currently, the firm owns over 30 companies around the world and is investing out of a $13bn fund. A summer associate can expect to be actively involved in every stage of the investment process. This will include the initial review of opportunities, due diligence and development of the value creation thesis, deal structuring and portfolio monitoring duties once an investment has been made. Strong candidates will display an entrepreneurial mindset, intellectual curiosity and strong charismatic presence; high level of motivation, integrity, energy and enthusiasm QUALIFICATIONS: Students between sophomore and junior year LOCATION: Menlo Park, California COMPENSATION: competitive DURATION: 8 weeks CONTACT: Please send resume/interest to Leanne Huebner, [email protected] with the Subject Line: Private Equity Summer Intern Opportunity asap. Say hello to the newest members of the GIC family, Stephanie Tan and Tristan Farjado!
Stephanie Tan (she/her/hers), Student Worker, is a First-Generation Lower-Income (FGLI) senior at the University of Pennsylvania studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Stephanie is passionate about giving back to the communities that have helped her shape her identity and who she is today. Stephanie has worked with FGLI organizations to help students navigate through college and their careers by hosting workshops and organizing mentorship programs. In her free time, Stephanie loves to travel, bake sweets, and work on her new interest– sewing! Tristan Fajardo (he/him), Undergraduate Work-Study, is a freshman in the college originally from Vancouver, BC in Canada. Being a First-Generation Lower-Income (FGLI) student himself, he understands the struggles that many students face at an institution such as Penn. Tristan is passionate about Indigenous Rights. At the GIC, he works with Natives at Penn as well as helps with FGLI initiatives. When not working at the GIC, you can find Tristan out on a run in Philadelphia, playing violin or studying and completing his endless pile of school work. It’s been two weeks since eight people were killed in Atlanta, six of whom were Asian women. It’s been two weeks since the murderer had a “bad day.” It’s been two weeks of aches, despondency, and rage. Yet, these emotions aren’t new for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. We know the bitter truth. I’ve recently been reintroduced to a Korean word, Han that cannot be precisely defined. Han is a sentiment that is novel to Korean individuals who have been subject to colonization and imperialism time and again. Dr. Kiona defines Han as, “a feeling of unresolved resentment against injustices suffered, a sense of helplessness because of the overwhelming odds against one, a feeling of acute pain in one’s guts and bowels, making the whole body writhe and squirm, and an obstinate urge to take revenge and to right the wrong-all these combined.” Perhaps it’s because I’m Korean-American but I feel so seen and validated by this word -- it so consummately but delicately describes the turbulent feelings flowing inside me. On top of the anger I’m also just so, so tired. I’m tired of being dehumanized and reduced to a stereotype. I’m tired of being the punchline and the scapegoat. I’m tired of people celebrating Asian heritage and culture but not discussing the violence and discrimination in the AAPI community. I’m tired of the divisiveness I see between marginalized communities as a result of white supremacy. I’m tired of having to ask friends to step-up and take care of me and my community. I’m tired of the “buts” and debates that ensue when I have conversations with family and community members about racism, sexism, and anti-blackness in the AAPI community. I’m also ashamed that I’m not louder, that I always feel the weight of internalized oppression, that I still hesitate to speak my reality more loudly. These feelings weighed heavy on me on my way to the Philly Rally for Solidarity, organized by Philly4Solidarity last week on Thursday, March 25th in Chinatown. Having been in a mood all week, I was looking forward to the rally but I was also nervous because I worried, what if only 10 people show up? What if something happens while we’re all there together? What if…? The best way I can describe the rally is that it was healing. I got to the rally right at 3 pm and was immediately welcomed by some of the wonderful grassroots organizers, who invited me to help out with little tasks like passing out cardboard and markers to make signs. The buzzing energy of collectivity and unity was palpable. From the five of us tearing up cardboard so that everyone could create a sign to when all of us - white, Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian - shared a collective space of grief and strength as we marched together to City Hall. I left the rally with new friends, new allies, and a touch bit lighter. I want to thank the organizers who made this space happen. I also want to plainly and clearly say that just because there’s been a rally, the fight isn’t over. All of us, as a collective, must continue to do the work and keep pushing for everyone’s liberation. I read Adrienne Maree Brown’s book Emergent Strategy last year and want to end with her wise words: “I think it is healing behavior, to look at something so broken and see the possibility and wholeness in it. In hope and solidarity, Amy Simmer and Stir: Food, Culture, and Storytelling Simmer and Stir: Food, Culture, and Storytelling is a virtual event of storytelling and connection where we share vivid memories of our favorite foods. A warm meal can be so much more than just calories - it is a way to come together with friends and families, to honor our ancestors, to express love and care. For students of color, culinary traditions may be especially meaningful as a taste of home. COVID-19 has presented unprecedented challenges including social isolation, and many of us are pining for all those meals with loved ones that we once took for granted. Although we can't share a meal together in-person this semester, join us virtually to honor these meals through another sacred tradition- storytelling. We are currently accepting submissions from students, faculty, and staff who would like to share a story at the event. Submissions can be:
Check out these examples below for inspiration.
The deadline for submissions is April 9, 2021. It’s ok if what you have is a draft- we will let you know if your story was selected by April 13 so storytellers will have plenty of time to finalize their pieces by the event. Storytellers who are selected will be asked to perform their story live via Zoom on the night of the event (April 22nd at 6:00 p.m. EDT). Storytellers will also get a free meal via delivery service. This event is a collaboration between the Penn Food and Wellness Collaborative, Natives at Penn, and the Pan-AsianAmerican Community House, Greenfield Intercultural Center, La Casa Latina, LGBT Center, Penn Women's Center, MAKUU, and Penn Violence Prevention.
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