Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Fearless Friday: Chentese Stewart-Gartner, Christina L. Bassler

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This week, SURGE is proud to showcase the wonderful work of Chentese Stewart-Garner!

Chentese is a sociology major with a minor in education. She’s a sophomore and originally hails from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Currently, Chentese is the program coordinator for the Black Student Union, serves as the public relations liaison for the African Student Association, is a Diversity Peer Educator on campus, and works hard as a Career Outreach Assistant for the Center for Career Development. [excerpt]

Alone In A Sea Of Crosses, Jhanvi C. Ramaiya

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I grew up in a country where I was part of a religion practiced by few, while always surrounded by people who were like me. We had constant gatherings filled with music and food. There were bright, colorful, weddings that spanned four or five days. There were mendhi parties to help the bride get hennaed with her friends, the sangeet to bond the two families with song, the wedding itself, followed by a second ceremony at night, and finally a reception. All of this was interspersed with large meals, a time to breathe and laugh. [excerpt]

Attempting To Reason In The Holiday Season, Anonymous

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Every year on the fourth Thursday of November, I sit down with my extended family to heaping dishes of mashed potatoes, sleekly polished bowls of green bean casserole, overflowing gravy boats, and, of course, a crackling turkey fresh from the oven. Without a doubt, my relatives and I have a lot for which to be thankful. [excerpt]

I Will Not Wear A Muzzle, Tiarra L. Riggins

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Students are sent abroad to “become sensitive leaders in our changing world,” states the Gettysburg College Center for Global Education’s mission statement. We are asked to “foster global thinking and to instill a compassionate respect for others and our world.” Many students use this time to explore their true selves with hopes of not having to think too deeply about the life that they’ve left behind. [excerpt]

Drowning In White Whine, Melissa J. Lauro

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“What are some examples of white privilege?” my professor asked.

I felt an audible tension in the class as this was asked. This is a tricky subject, especially when you’re talking to a class full of mostly white, privileged people (myself included). [excerpt]

Fearless Friday: Fergan Imbert, Christina L. Bassler

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This week, SURGE is showcasing the fabulous Fergan Imbert ‘16 for Fearless Friday!

Fergan is a senior at Gettysburg studying Biology with a pre-med concentration.

Fergan and his bright smile can be found all over campus. He’s currently the residence coordinator for Patrick Hall and the new senior admissions intern for the admissions office. He also works in the campus bookstore, is part of the senior class gift committee, and shows off his dance skills through B.O.M.B. squad. [excerpt]

Own Your Experience, Stephen Lin

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This is a computer-generated message from the Campus Navigation Portal (CNAV), which can be accessed via the URL: Campus Navigation Portal (CNAV). It was sent to you to inform you of a significant event.

I received this email when I was a young, nervous First Year student. I took advantage of the clean slate I got from attending a new school and was scrolling through the Digest in search of a new identity. Maybe I could be one of those quirky unicycle riding, juggling, circus kids—it was all up in the air. I wasn’t going to let the past …

To Id Or Not To Id, Emma E. Korowotny

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“And now can I have the last four digits of your Social? Then we’ll both know each other.”

A cloud of anger swept over me. I glanced up from my computer, blinked, and then elected to continue with my work. I gave the man his money and receipt and sent him on his merry way. He transformed into a veritable ray of sunshine for the other tellers, calling, “have a nice day!” as he left. [excerpt]

Fearless Friday: Jasmine Santana, Christina L. Bassler

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In this week’s Fearless Friday piece, SURGE would like to spotlight Jasmine Santana ’16!

Jasmine is a currently a senior IDS major who focuses on socio-linguistics. In other words, she critically analyzes the use of language through various perspectives, such as from the point of view of Africana Studies or Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. A Latina woman from Washington Heights in NYC, Jasmine definitely felt a change in her surroundings once coming to Gettysburg. However, the presence of white-culture did not deter Jasmine from becoming the Fearless Leader we see today. [excerpt]

Fearless Friday: Beau Charles, Christina L. Bassler

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In this week’s Fearless Friday, SURGE would like to feature the wonderful Beau Charles ’17!

Beau Charles is currently a junior at Gettysburg and is majoring in English while minoring in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Africana Studies. They’re originally from nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania. [excerpt]

Message From The President (Of Bsu), Ja'nai Harris

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Last night as a couple of my friends scrambled to find a classroom to do work in, they came across a poster that has been plastered all around campus for weeks now. This poster, however, was different. This poster was vandalized. The face of this year’s 10th Annual Derrick K. Gondwe Memorial Lecture, Opal Tometi, had been ripped off and the word “Black” was crossed out and replaced with the word “All.” This changed the quote from “Black Lives Matter” to “All Lives Matter.” [excerpt]

Anchored In El Sueno Americano, Anette Aguilera-Gonzalez

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“Give me your tired, give me your poor.” With these words carved into the Statue of Liberty, we should never forget that the United States of America is the home of those fleeing oppression, of those who are brave, and of those who are willing to give their best. [excerpt]

On A Particularly Patriotic Day, Laila M. Mufty

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I stare at myself in disgust before turning away and beginning to apply skin creams and makeup that promise a lighter complexion. I straighten my naturally thick, curly hair, methodically going over the same strand multiple times while wishing for straight hair like the other perfect blond girls in my grade. I put on a modest all black ensemble in an effort to avoid unwanted attention and pull on a large jacket with a hood to hide my face. [excerpt]

On Rage, Jerome D. Clarke

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“Honestly [Flight] was written out of rage. I wrote it immediately after Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, in a matter of months. It was in the aftermath of 9/11. I was upset with the way people were acting, People on the Left and the Right, Muslims and Christians were justifying violence towards the other side. And everyone believed they were correct. I was thinking ‘What if Everybody is wrong?’” — Sherman Alexie in The Gettysburgian. [excerpt]

Fearless Friday: Kaiden Krueger, Christina L. Bassler

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In this week’s Fearless Friday, we would like to spotlight Kaiden Krueger ’16!

Gettysburg College has been Kaiden’s home for the last few years. Kaiden, now a senior, knew from the start that his time at college would be transformative. He decided he was officially going to come out as a man and live the life he knew was right for him. [excerpt]

The Scars Of Stigma, Andrew C. Nosti

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“I do”: two words that conclude the plot lines to hundreds of romantic movies. Two words that Hollywood has imprinted in our minds as the culmination of true love – words that children across the world dream about. [excerpt]

Fearless Friday: Class Of 2015, Chrisitina L. Bassler

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We recognize all of the Gettysburg College graduates who will use what they learned and experienced over the past four years to fearlessly promote change, seek justice, and challenge inequality after leaving Gettysburg College. The following list contains the names of members of the class of 2015 who have been recognized by other members of the campus community as leaders for change, and we are proud to claim these fearless and inspirational students as our own. We know, however, that we do not have everyone who deserves to be recognized listed below, so feel free to continue nominating your friends, …

Fealess Friday: Kelsey Chapman, Christina L. Bassler

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Kelsey Chapman ’15 fearlessly advocates for human rights, peace, and justice, focusing on the Middle East. An economics major and Middle East and Islamic Studies (MEIS) minor, Kelsey is the house leader for the MEIS House, an Arabic PLA, and the founder of Gettysburg’s chapter of J Street U. [excerpt]

Object To Your Affection, Melissa J. Lauro

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Recently a guy in one of my classes defended objectification of women on the grounds that if he cares for a girl, he will treat her like he treats his most treasured objects; he used his coat as an example. He said that he loved his coat, he wouldn’t let it touch the ground, and he took great care of it; he would do the same for any girl he cared about, for “his girl.” [excerpt]

A Meal For The Man On The Redline, Stephen Lin

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These words will bite,

Acid bubbling

At the pit of your bowels

Vowels volatile won’t

Be easy to swallow. [excerpt]

Fearless Friday: Erin Duran, Christina L. Bassler

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As we conclude PRIDE Week, we honor Erin Duran, the fearless director of LGBTQA Advocacy and Education. In Erin’s three years at Gettysburg, he has established institutional support for the LGBTQA community and has worked to make the campus more inclusive and accepting of all students. [excerpt]

When You Can't Quite Place Me, Ali Lauro

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I’m relatively used to being asked the question “what are you?”

It’s a strange question because it can mean so many different things. I’m a human? I identify as a female. I’m a college student. I’m an American. But I never say those things, because what they’re really asking is this: what race are you? [excerpt]

But, Why Not?, Anonymous

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I am the lucky one.

That’s how I’ve felt growing up in backwater Pennsyltucky, yet somehow managing to be openly queer. I came out to my friends and family as bi/pan-sexual in the 8th grade. None of my coming-out experiences resulted in horror stories. At that point most people had already guessed and accepted the fact that I was most definitely a queer kid. Even the most conservatively religious members of my friend group seemed perfectly okay with the fact that my sexuality didn’t fit with their ideas of morality. I was who I was, and to all outward appearances …

Selma Is America, Rashida Aluko-Roberts

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During my recent trip to Selma, Alabama, I was overwhelmed by the tangible evidence that blatant racism and segregation still exists. In a town where many had made great sacrifices to combat America’s racial injustices, it was disheartening to see how very little change had come to the town MLK described as the “most segregated” in America. [excerpt]

Respiration: Breathing Between The Stacks, Jerome D. Clarke

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How rare are we, who brandish Black and Male identity, in Academia?

In the past two weeks, I have been reminded of my Black maleness in a multitude of ways. I sat alone, subordinate in number, in a dialogue about Internalized Oppression at Diaspora House. Strong women of color discuss this issue while I work to stay respectful and non-oppressive in this space. I sat alone, subordinate in number, in each of my classes, where I am often the only one of my race and class. My race-gender circumstance is a matter of fact to me. How does this Black …

In The Absence Of Peace, Emma R. Okell

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Today, the Monday after the attack, all of the flags were at half mast. Everything continued as normal, as if nothing had happened. Yet there was an intensity in the air. I didn’t notice the increased police, but it was easy to feel the increased security. [excerpt]

Fearless Friday: Jennifer Mccary, Christina L. Bassler

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As we conclude Diversity Peer Educators Week, we honor Jennifer McCary, the fearless advisor. In addition to her roles with DPE, she is the Assistant Dean of College Life and Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities as well as the Director of the Women’s Center. The Diversity Peer Educators, or DPEs, are a group of students dedicated to facilitating conversations among the student body about various issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. [excerpt]

The Cross In My Closet, Ann M. Sasala

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All this changed when I turned fourteen. Suddenly the quiet peace was shattered by my raucous, rebellious response to the “Adam and Eve Not Ann and Eve“ chanted by my neighbors, teachers, and family. The solace I once felt during prayer became a black hole of hate; instead of listening for words of kindness, instead of finding serenity, I spit in the faces of my family, friends, and religion. Hoping to purge my body of its new found, fiery anger, I turned to a priest who told me there could be no salvation: “man shall not lie with man…it is …

Fearless Friday: Justina Molokwu, Christina L. Bassler

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Justina Molokwu ’17 has been fearlessly involved on campus in her first two years at Gettysburg contributing to the College’s goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion. A Psychology and Organization and Management Studies double major and a writing minor, the list of Molokwu’s extracurricular involvement is impressive: Diaspora House house leader, Diversity Peer Educator, Vice President of GASA, and Career Development Liaison for BSU. In addition, she works at the Den, with Residence Life, for the Psychology Department, with the Women’s Center, and is a member of the Gettysburg Cheerleading squad. [excerpt]

Border X-Ing, Alicia A. Castro

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The sun out-stretched its bright arms in an embrace with the mesquite trees that beckoned upwards. The wind greeted the clothes drying upon delicate wire while my mother meticulously placed white towels in the light and the jeans under the shade of the Arizona Ash. The washboard sits upright in the bucket full of suds and other assorted laundry. Inside the shed there is both a working dryer and washer only a few years old, but she has chosen to do this chore outside. Here she can close her eyes and be back in Mexico with the dry heat and …