Saturday Night Spotlight (Non-IA Event)

On Saturday, March 30th, my student organization, Romophos, put on a philanthropy event entitled Saturday Night Spotlight to raise funds for Community Refugee and Immigration Services. This event was a talent showcase to not only shine a light on what diverse talents exists within the Ohio State student body but also what amazing work CRIS does in the Columbus community. Saturday Night Spotlight hosted a variety of student organizations here at Ohio State including Zuvaa Afro-Carribean Dancers, Fishbowl Improv, 3D Urban Dance Team, Meshuga-Notes, 8th Floor Improv, and the Jump Rope club. Each of these groups was unique and made up of a diverse group of students. It was inspiring to see how individuals from different backgrounds could come together and put on such an entertaining show.

Although I enjoyed watching all the groups perform, I really enjoyed watching the Zuvaa Afro-Carribean Dancers. This diverse group of students is named after the Swahili word for “sunshine” because they spread happiness by celebrating their heritage through dancing. Each student in this group had heritage belonging to some region of the Afro-Carribean world and they were truly a joy to watch. They seemed so happy to be doing what they loved and it was eye-opening for the audience as we got a small glimpse into their unique culture.

The funds raised through this event will be going toward a specific CRIS program entitled “Keys for Rooting Change”, which will be a summer program for refugee/immigrated children. This program will include music lessons (keys), planting a garden (roots), and conversations about mental and physical health as well as allowing them to find their voices through poetry, art, and more (change). This program is highly important to these children, especially during the summer when their mentors are away and school is not in session. During the summer, refugee children can become depressed or find themselves in unsafe situations due to feelings of isolation and a lack of guidance. This is especially true in today’s political climate, where these children are surrounded by media telling them that they do not belong here, their countries are bad places, and walls should be keeping them out. I cannot fathom how isolating that must feel and to know my organization is helping combat that fills me with relief.

Serving as the president of Romophos throughout this past year, I felt it was my chance to truly make an impact here in the Columbus community. After presenting our funds to CRIS, we learned that two other organizations in Columbus are matching our donation. This goes to show that taking initiative for an important cause can encourage others around you to do the same thing. Being able to support, both financially and physically, an organization like CRIS has been extremely fulfilling and I hope to take on more impactful opportunities like this in the future.

 

Current Events Conversation (Academic Event)

On Monday, March 4th I attended a current events conversation hosted by IA Leadership Council member Sam Stelnicki. This event took place from 8-9 p.m. in Smith-Steeb’s glass classroom. During this conversation, we discussed a wide range of international news from the past several weeks as well as watched videos either of or discussing several of these events. The first news topic we dove into was the India/Pakistan Kashmir conflict. This conflict has been going on since 1947, as India and Pakistan fight over who owns the territory of Kashmir. Kashmir, however, mostly wants to have independence as they currently a nation, but not a political state or country. This conflict is currently in the news again because of the recent Pakistani suicide attack that killed 40 Indian soldiers. This occurred on February 14th, 2019 and since then India retaliated with an air strike, causing Pakistan to shoot down Indian military planes. There is now fear that another period of violent conflict and warfare may break out between the two nations. As a group, we discussed how this is a serious global subject as both nations have nuclear weapons and whether or not there should be U.S. involvement.

Another topic we discussed was the election of a new Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari. We discussed how only how 1/3 of the population voted in the election because it was delayed and citizens must travel to their home towns in order to vote. The new president also only won by a 56% majority, which means approximately only 1/6 of the Nigerian population voted in favor of his presidency. There is also a concern of voter fraud or ballot tampering because this president won the majority in areas he was not predicted to and vice versa. However, Buhari was predicted to win the election regardless, so this dispute may not result in any drastic changes, such as another election.

Several other topics we discussed and watch videos on included Brexit, the U.S. and North Korea meeting in Vietnam, and the ongoing humanitarian and political crisis in Venezuela. I found all of these international topics and the discussions that followed quite interesting and engaging. When I first joined International Affairs, I hoped to grow as a more well-rounded, educated individual with better global knowledge. Events such as these help me achieve this goal as its directly applicable to the current world around me. It is also helpful that the information is presented in a casual way that is easy to understand and requires no previous knowledge. As someone who does not study topics like these academically, it can be discouraging when others seem to have a more comprehensive knowledge of current events and create an atmosphere that is not conducive to learning. I still find the value in keeping up with current, global events outside the classroom no matter what your interests are and no matter whether you have previous knowledge or not. Being an educated citizen allows you to make better decisions when voting for government officials or policies, which in turn can have an impact on the bigger picture.

Romophos/CRIS Collaboration Mural (service event)

Over the Marin Luther King Jr. weekend, January 5-7th, I organized and volunteered at a collaboration between my sophomore honorary, Romophos, and Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS). CRIS is an extremely multi-faceted organization that works with the refugee and immigration populations in Columbus. Several of their responsibilities include relocating families into affordable housing with state financial support as well as providing mentoring services for the children of these families. Together, we helped to paint a mural at Columbus Global schools to bring a bit of light to an otherwise blank space. The mural was painted in a room that will operate as a relaxation gym and art therapy space. The three-walled artwork depicted a variety of kid-friendly landscapes and environments that can be found all over the world. This space was previously unused, but with our cleaning and painting help, will now house ping pong tables, art sessions, yoga classes, and more. Romophos signed up for various 3-hour shifts throughout the weekend and I participated in two of these shifts. Working alongside my fellow Romophos members allowed us to bond outside of our meetings and it was nice to discuss some of the topics CRIS deals with. We all are passionate both in and outside of the classroom and this service opportunity allowed us to become directly engaged with internationally relevant issues within our local community.

Each year, Romophos selects one charity to support through a signature event of their choosing. Therefore. Romophos and CRIS will be working together again on March 30th, as we have organized an event entitled “Saturday Night Spotlight” here at Ohio State.  This year’s event serves as a talent show not only to showcase the diversity of talents here at OSU but also shine a light on the efforts and mission of CRIS. As president of Romophos, I am extremely proud of the work myself and my peers have put into this project and I am excited to raise money for such an influential organization. We are hopeful that the Ohio State community can come together to provide a small yet crucial portion of CRIS’s funding in order to continue helping families who need it most.

Taking part in this project was very fulfilling as the time and effort spent on it is for a great cause. The students that attend Columbus Global come from all over the world and now are apart of the Columbus community. The mural can now help their new surroundings feel welcoming and warm when they may be feeling overwhelmed at school. Many of these children may be going through a  difficult time, especially with various language barriers between them, their teachers, and their peers, so it is essential that support is provided to them, even if in the smallest of acts. As an International Affairs scholar, I am happy to have opportunities where I can help the Columbus community be a more welcoming and friendly place for the immigrants/refugees that come to call it home.

Gigs For Guatemala (Non-IA Event)

On Thursday, November 29th, I attended Advocates for Women of the World’s Gigs for Guatemala event. This event was a student talent showcase that focused on women’s issues and raised money for an organization called Champions In Action. This organization works directly in some of the most dangerous districts of Guatemala City to provide mentorship to young girls who are often surrounded by violence, sexual assault, and limited opportunities. They achieve this through a soccer program which provides hope and happiness to these young individuals and largely impacts their life in a positive way. In between each student performance, we got to hear what some of these girls live through and what they hope to achieve in the future. Many girls lived with extended family as well as their parents and siblings in small apartments. Many said they regularly heard gunshots, witnessed gang violence, had friends involved with gangs or drugs, and some were survivors of sexual assault. One of the soccer teams AWOW chose to support is a group of girls who live across the street from the city’s largest garbage dump and many have parents who work there or rummage there for items to sell. I really enjoyed this event as it was not only entertaining, but for an amazing cause. Girls education is so important for bettering our world and providing them with the opportunities they will receive through Champions in Action is a perfect way to make an impact.

The performances at this event were quite diverse and it was interesting to see a sample of just how many talented student organization this university has. There were several A Capella groups including Women’s Glee Club, The Scarlet and Grace Notes, and the Sound of Science. I really enjoyed the piece performed by the Women’s Glee Club as they sang Andrea Ramsey’s “Truth”, a women’s empowerment song about respecting/supporting one another’s roots and future goals. We also got to see performances by several of Ohio State’s dance clubs including the Solo Salseras, the OSU Dance Team, and Innayat. Innayat was a group of two students performing a traditional Indian dance that told the story of a young girl surviving abuse with the help of a goddess who protects and empowers her. It was interesting to see so many different cultures and ideas shared just through dancing. There was also a number of comedy groups in attendance to help lighten the mood such as Fishbowl Improv, 8th Floor Improv, and Backburner Sketch Comedy. Backburner Sketch Comedy did a great scene which provided many laughs but also many facts about PAP smears, toxic shock syndrome, and other women’s health topics. One other notable performer was Sabsie Ali, a spoken word poet who did two pieces, one of which was entitled “Dear MisterOgyny” and discussed global feminist topics and listed rape statistics (Youtube performance). This performance was the one that stuck with me the most as its an art form I do not often experience and had such a powerful delivery and message. Overall, this event was a great experience that supported an outstanding cause. I look forward to experiencing events like this in the future.

Undergraduate Research Fair (Academic Event)

On November 1st, 2018 I attended the Undergraduate Research Fair from 3-4 p.m. that took place in the Ohio Union.  I was excited to attend this event as both a STEM major and a STEP student. Research has always been of interest to me and seeing what other students have been able to explore and accomplish with their time here at Ohio State was quite inspiring. I listened to several short presentations and took a look at over a dozen posters that discussed the research each student had conducted. Although I knew that Ohio State’s undergraduate research program was very broad, I was still surprised at just how diverse the research topics were from one another. There were a large portion of students that were involved in STEM naturally, but many other fields were represented as well, including an abundance belonging to the social or political sciences. One student I talked to was majoring in biochemistry and conducted research at the Wexner Center on effective ways to combat cancer cell growth. Another one of the students I talked to was majoring sociology and conducted research on the relationship between socioeconomic status and political ideology. I find it highly important that research be supported not only in a traditional laboratory, but in a variety of fields as there is always new connections and ideas to explore with our ever-growing world.

This event really opened my mind to the opportunities available to me at this university. As a major in Evolution and Ecology, I am extremely interested in conducting some sort of research during my undergraduate to not only build my resume and own skills, but to prepare me for a possible career in field research. I currently volunteer at Hovick Lab, located within the EEOB department here at Ohio State under a graduate student researching the spread of invasive wildflower species. This has given me great foundational experience as I deal with plant and soil samples, conducting microscopic measuring and DNA sampling.

However, my long-term goal is to work on conversation projects, most likely in animal habitat/species preservation. I am highly interested in doing this on a global scale, which is why I am an International Affairs Scholar. I hope to eventually work for an organization such as Greenpeace, the Jane Goodall Foundation, or National Geographic, which are comprised of scientists and environmentalists from all around the world. International climate change is a serious issue that can have fatal effects on everyone across the globe, human or not. I would love to see the IA program talk more about a broader scope of issues, including environmental, from both a political and social viewpoint. Getting involved with the Undergraduate Research department would allow me to channel these passions into rewarding, experimental experience.  I am hoping to achieve this through STEP as well, whose financial assistance will allow me to create my own research projects or travel elsewhere to take part in projects taking place at other universities, laboratories, or out in the field.

CRIS Tree of Hope Project (service event)

I participated in the CRIS Tree of Hope Project that took place on September 25th in Smith-Steeb Hall. This event was a great bonding experience for International Affairs scholars as well as an amazing service opportunity. Our task was to create handmade cards for children that attend Columbus Global Academy to help them feel accepted and excited about attending school here in the United States. These cards will be placed on a large tree mural (hence the name “tree of hope”) in the main hallway of the school. Students will receive a card when they first arrive at Columbus Global as well as whenever they need a reminder to keep their head held high. Completing this project was a lot of fun as each of us were able to tap into our creative sides for an amazing cause.

The members of International Affairs and CRIS often work collaborate on projects because of their similar missions, and this event was no different. We all hope to be more globally aware and help others be welcoming of those who come from other places and cultures. The students of Columbus Global Academy have come here from all over the world for a variety of reasons and CRIS helps them get situated and get a fresh start. This directly correlates to international affairs from a service engagement standpoint as well as a political one. As IA scholars, it is our duty to be aware of global issues happening around us and CRIS is always a reminder of what may be happening in different countries. Whether its political unrest, prejudice, economic crises, or more, Columbus has become somewhat of a safe haven for so many.

Although each student’s card said a different phrase, each conveyed a message of welcome. My cards included things like “you are so important” or “thank you for being you” while others said things such as “welcome home, we’re so glad you’re here” and “i am so proud of how far you’ve come”. It is our hope that these anonymous messages help these children when things may seem scary or hopeless. They have just as much right to be here as we do, and that even if things get tough, there are people here that are proud of them. Diversity has been an important pillar in the Columbus community for decades and this is just one way International Affairs helps support that tradition. With current political situations, organizations need students like us more than ever and it feels great to be apart of something larger than myself.

 

 

Sandhya and I with our CRIS Tree of Hope cards

 

About Me

 

My name is Kasey Krok, and I am a second-year student at The Ohio State University, working towards a bachelors degree of science as a major of Evolution and Ecology. I am an International Affairs scholar, President of Romophos Sophomore Class Honorary, and a member of Evolution & Ecology club and Students for a Sustainable Campus. I have always had a love for learning, and am eager to dive deeper into my studies here. In the future, I hope to have a career working in conservation and sustainability education.