Volunteering at the AIDS Memorial Quilt Conference

The AIDS Memorial Quilt Conference was held at The Ohio Union, which I attended as a volunteer on April 12. My position was as a quilt monitor in one room on the third floor. My assigned spot consisted of being near the quilt and checking that viewers did not enter the room with food or drinks, as well as not to disturb the quilt hanging up. This event was hosted by the Students for Diversity in Education through Service (SDES). It is an event to honor those who passed after living with aids.The Lantern mentions that this was the first time the AIDS Memorial Quilt Conference was held for two decades (Pafford, 2019). Also included in The Lantern article on this event was a statement made by Hannah Messer who said, “We’re going to have five quilt panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt, some speakers to talk about their experiences with HIV/AIDS, free condoms, a documentary showing and archive material from the 1980s epidemic” (Pafford, 2019). AIDS is a disease that affects people globally and about 36.9 million people were reported to be living with HIV/AIDS in 2017 (“Global Statistics”, 2018). This is most definitely an International Affair as it is an increasing public health challenge. There are efforts being made, globally to stop new HIV infections and that those with HIV have access to treatments (“Global Statistics”, 2018).

The people who organized the event were extremely nice and informative. I did not experience the event to its whole extent because I was volunteering for a shorter amount of time and stayed in one room. Personally, it was touching to look at the quilt panels and notice how much love and work went into creating something beautiful to honor their loved one. I did not know such an event existed, but I think bringing awareness to AIDS and giving respect to those who have passed and had AIDS is important. It was a respectful and beautiful event that was put together.

I am taking Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, which we have lightly touched on the topic of AIDS. We looked at statistics and data over the years and how the prevalence differs in ethnic groups and regions.

There are actually quite a few questions that I have after attending the event because those who organized the event were busy and I was there for a shorter period of time. I would ask about the stories of the people on the quilts, if they knew any and how they came to receive them for the conference. I was also wondering how much time was given to make this happen, and how they started to organize it. I wish I was able to attend some of the presentations and speakers to gain more insight into the condition.

Arab Night at the Ohio Union

On the night of March third I made my way to the Ohio Union and into the Performance Hall for Arab Night. I arrived early and it was not quite busy yet, but over thirty minutes the whole room completely filled with people. The seats were facing a stage and there was an aisle with a balloon archway at the beginning. I actually went to the event alone and around me there was so much love. Families were hugging, children were running around with balloons, and there was so much laughter and joy. As the students involved in the Arab Student Union, who put together the event, came on to stage they started by acknowledging the Arab population at Ohio State. Students who identify as Arab make up five percent of undergraduates. These students are not able to be recognized by Ohio State, which does not have a Middle Eastern and Northern African ethnic category. The Lantern wrote, “Although Undergraduate Student Government has passed a resolution that would include this category for Arabs, no such change has been made, Jallaq said,” in an article about Arab Night. This was followed by the hashtag, “#weExist” to gain attention from Ohio State.

This night was a celebration of the Arab community and to remember the Syrian crisis. There was a flag walk, dabke performances, Arabic music, and poetry. The flag walk consisted of representation of Arab countries by holding the flag of that country and playing music, while people celebrated each one. The countries were individually celebrated, but came together on the stage to show the love of the Arab community and support of all the various cultures. I have seen videos of dabke, but have never witnessed it in person, which is a new experience. The dabke changed a little with each countries adaptation. The dancers had so much passion and energy. Several performers came on stage to sing and play Arabic music, each different and very beautiful. The poetry explained Arab experiences that portrayed love, confusion, anger, pain, and much more.

I gained very much from this night. I did not know much about Arab cultures and it was a great experience. I was able to hear their side of being students at Ohio State and how they are not recognized. The room did not lack support or love. I am glad that I decided to attend Arab night and was able to watch and witness this celebration of culture. It is important that everyone loves and respects all cultures.

After attending and having time to reflect on the night I wish I would’ve brought or was able to bring my friends with me. I do not know what it is like to not be recognized or not be able to choose my identification at university. I also do not know what it is like to be an Arab person and the experiences. Arab Night gave me a bit of insight. I thank the Arab Student Union for a beautiful performance of the Arab culture, people, and countries.

Current Events Convo in Smith-Steeb

January 17th, I was present at The Current Events Convo – What You Missed In the News. This event was located in the Smith-Steeb dorm and led by Sam Stelnicki. Sam compiled current global news into a powerpoint and went into details of each news story, answering any questions the group had along the way. Sam covered several topics, including Yellow Jacket Protests in France, COP24, Brexit, and The Indonesian Tsunami, along with others.
These current events are international and include the governments, politics, and economics of different countries. I will briefly summarize a few of the events that were discussed:
In France, Yellow Jacket activists are protesting the planned tax increase on gas (and rising cost of living in general). The France government hopes this will bring people to buy more efficient vehicles.
The Katowice Climate Change Conference was held to set guidelines for the Paris Agreement, but there was the avoided topic on how countries will set their targets for decreasing emissions. In 2020, countries have to show how they lowered their emissions, or serious ramification.
The Brexit deal is a simpler word that stands for the UK leaving the EU. The manner that the UK leaves the EU is crucial, since the EU includes the trade between countries. This needs to be handled with care because if there is not a deal, then businesses would be hampered, there would be new checks on cargo and people would have no guarantee of citizens’ rights of residence. A big issue is the North Ireland backstop, or physical border checks between countries, which makes travel hard. Currently, the UK is planned to leave the EU, unless there is a change in law (which most likely will not happen).
A disastrous tsunami hit Indonesia, which has killed hundreds of people and injured thousands. The destruction was widespread and there is a chance of more tsunamis and disease outbreak.
I gained knowledge, more for myself than anything. I find it confusing, yet important to learn and stay updated on current events. Most of the events explained by Sam were ones that I was either unsure of or had not heard of. To be shown a simpler description of the event was a good foundation for me. I then was able to read news articles on the events and gain a deeper understanding for what other countries and people were and are going through.
The class I took for a study abroad trip last year to Prague included discussing current and past events. We learned all about the history of Czech Republic and the current events that were happening there. This is my favorite experience and memory from my time in college thus far. I truly enjoyed learning all about this country, it’s cities, people, culture, government, art, and more. With all the knowledge, I was then able to apply it once we travelled there. It was the best learning experience.
After reading more on the events, I would have liked to have contributed more to the discussion. When I was there at the convo I wasn’t quite sure what to ask because there is so much that goes into these events that we couldn’t have completely gone through.

Wildlights Stuff a Truck Food Drive

On November 16, I hopped on a bus with other scholars and headed to the Columbus zoo. This day the zoo allowed it’s visitors to gain entry into the zoo with five canned food items for their annual Wildlights Stuff the Truck Food Drive. As International Affairs Scholars  we normally focus our discussions around international topics, but also give back to our community. The non-perishable foods we donated that night went to feed the hungry in Ohio.

Professionally, I did not learn much from this trip. It could be said academically I learned a modest amount when I researched how much is contributed during this drive. On The Delaware Gazette website it stated, “Last year, guests donated 80,704 pounds of nonperishable food during the Stuff the Truck event.” That’s over 40 tons of food! On the other hand, personally, it made me consider how many people are in need. It is somewhat easy to overlook the fact that the food is going to people who struggle or are hungry, not only in Ohio, but everywhere. I know for me it was exciting and easy to buy five non-perishable food items and get into the zoo, but for many people it is hard to keep their loved ones and themselves fed.

I am not able to relate this topic to coursework thus far during my time at Ohio State. Around campus there are a few drives that will go on for a while to collect items, like food, clothes, presents, hygiene products, money etc for those in need. With friends and family the topic will come up about how people in our community are struggling, even though we may not see it. It may not be talked about in my coursework, but I believe it is important to discuss and be aware of.

After attending this event, I am curious about the drive itself and how many people it will be helping. I bought five food items and got entrance into the zoo, but that night my friends and I just looked at the lights and the animals. I’m not positive if the zoo had any handouts or an article about this (I couldn’t find any), but I would have liked to know more about when the drive began, how many people it helps, and all that goes into making it work. I think it is amazing that the zoo does this for the community.

Since it has been a couple weeks from the night I went to the zoo I have had time to think about the night. I want to become more involved in my community and helping those that are less fortunate. Next semester I am working with a Semester of Service nonprofit and am excited to begin doing just that. That night was wonderful, spent with loving friends, staring in amazement at all the beautiful lights and animals. I am happy that I was able to contribute at least a little to my community.

Mohamed’s Story and Creation of Epimonia

On October 16th around 7 pm I attended the Epimonia Event in Stillman Hall. The speaker, Mohamed Malim, is the founder of Epimonia and shared his story that evening. Epimonia is a fashion company that is committed to helping refugees, specifically those in America. The company hires refugees to work in the Dream Factory where they create The Embracelet. This bracelet is manufactured from life jackets that were actually worn by refugees and sold to the public. Half of the profits go to organizations that are helping refugees.

Mohamed gave a presentation on the company he had created along with telling his story and reasoning behind his actions. Mohamed’s family fled Somali and he was born in a refugee camp in Kenya. Life as a refugee is hard, as I and many others have not had to experience. Mohamed explained how the basic necessities for life are scarce, including medications, established school, food, and even running water. People in these camps also have to live in fear. Mohamed’s family got out of the camp in Kenya by luck, having their name drawn and they were flown to Houston, Texas. He explained how grateful and hopeful they were to come to America, but it wasn’t all they had expected. They came to a country with a different language, they did not know anyone, and were met with xenophobic people. Through all that Mohamed has been through he wished to help those who were in similar situations, fleeing war and murder and starvation. This is what led him to creating Epimonia.

This event was very informative and gave me more insight on the hardships that some people have and do face everyday. It was eye-opening to hear Mohamed’s story and for him to talk more about what refugees have to experience. I could imagine what cruelty is, but it’s never not surprising to hear about the gruesome murdering of innocent people and how humans are so terribly treated. Mohamed added to what I already knew about refugees. He made me even more aware of the horrible things that are going on in the world. In America, I believe we are censored and do not hear often of refugees, but we should.

This event was not one that I can relate to any course topics. For the IA course and during meetings we have talked about refugees, but not in the dark light that Mohamed touched on. I would like if more of my courses talked on this subject, but I suppose most my classes aren’t the “appropriate” environment to talk about this topic.

After attending this event and having some time to reflect on what I learned, there are definitely some questions I would like to ask. The top question I have is what I or we, as college students can do to help in the refugee crisis on a day to day or week to week basis. I understand we can donate money to contributions, but most of us are tight on money, so is there a way to make more of a difference here on campus? This event was one that  has stuck with me and I would like to help and volunteer my time to helping refugees in the future.

Talking Trump’s Foreign Policy with Sam S

On September 24th I attended the Current Events Conversation on President Trump’s Foreign Policy with Sam Stelnicki, which was located in the Smith-Steeb dorm. Several of us sat around a table and listened while Sam gave some basic background on United State’s foreign policy and then moved into an overview of the current President Trump’s foreign policy. There was a focus on the United States foreign policy with North Korea.

Sam began with discussing the history of foreign policy with North Korea to give everyone who attended a foundation to start the discussion. She explained that there has been a history of disagreements with North Korea and nuclear warfare. In history, North Korean leaders have signed and withdrew from treaties that state to stop all use and production of nuclear warfare. She continued with information on past presidents Bush and Obama and how  they were more lenient with the foreign policy compared to how Trump is today. Trump’s demandingness could be seen good or bad.

With this brief summary from Sam, we jumped into discussion. For the rest of our time anyone could pose a question or raise awareness to an idea. There was the idea brought up that possibly Kim Jong-un and previous leaders have a strong stance on nuclear warfare to distract North Koreans and the world from their bad economy. Someone promoted the realization that many “outsiders” do not really know the true Korea, that there supposedly are mock towns built for visitors. To look more into what fighting with North Korea could be like, we discussed that a war with them would most likely be an economic downfall and possibly cause more harm than good at this point in time. We proceeded to talk not only about Kim Jong-un, but Trump as president of the United States. Sam asked us a question that stuck with me, “If Trump was someone else or was less belligerent, would we support Trump’s decisions more?” These are a few of the things we discussed that night.

I gained information that has helped me, academically and personally, from this event. Before going to this event, I admit that I did not have much knowledge about Trump’s foreign policy. It was enriching to have knowledge added as Sam gave her presentation on foreign policy and hearing what the other scholars had to say. I believe that knowing this information is important, but I never really knew where or how to start, so this event assisted me in the process of making sense of an issue that is important today.

If I were to look at how these event topics could relate to previous coursework, I do not believe that I can relate these two. I am a health sciences major and the classes I will and have taken do not circle this realm of politics and policy. It is possible that I will be able to use this knowledge in a class in the future.

After attendance to this event there are a couple questions I could ask. The first would be to ask Sam where she got her information and to ask other scholars who knew alot, how they became so knowledgeable. Another question I could have asked is the opinions on what they thought Trump should do in relation to our foreign policy, especially when dealing with North Korea.

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.   For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]