Harley Khaang is a UMBC returning women student and an intern at the Women’s Center. She is currently a junior and an INDS student, focusing on earning her degree in Communications Strategy.

My first day of school was Groundhog Day. I hadn’t stepped foot on a campus in decades, but there I was sitting in my remedial math class at 7 am (it was an 8 am class), shaking. Sure, it was February 2nd and brutally cold, as it should be, but as much as the blustery wind was affecting me, I was shaking mostly from fear and the overwhelming feeling that I had possibly gotten myself in over my head. It was a moment … I had a moment.

I got through the day, then I got through the semester. And despite the fear and the doubt, I managed to complete 4 more, graduate with an Associates in Arts and Sciences, and transfer to UMBC. During the 5 semesters at CCBC I noticed something interesting emerge: As education became more important to me and I was getting ready to transfer to UMBC as an undergrad, I began to notice resentment coming from several friends and family members. Just a short time before these people were supportive of my decision to go back to school, yet now they looked at me with contempt. Growing up I was taught that getting an education was the best thing you can do for yourself. So why was I losing support from friends and family? I was hurt, but what’s more, I was confused. Was I supposed to apologize for getting a degree, or stand up for myself and tell them to bug  off?  I didn’t know what to do. Why couldn’t I just earn my degree in peace? Why couldn’t they just understand and give me their support like they had been doing? I felt torn, truly torn.

As I was nearing graduation in 2017, I was also dealing with big changes in my life: I moved, dealt with health issues, and was accepted to UMBC. As if that wasn’t enough, I was dealing with never ending issues with phone companies, cable companies, my apartment management, to name a few. I had almost always avoided confrontations throughout my life. I let a lot of people walk over me because I didn’t want to face them and “start trouble”. I lost a lot of money because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of haggling with companies who had over charged me. I let a lot of things slide that I should never have let side, all because I didn’t want to be confrontational. Now, I was forced to take a crash course in Standing Up for Myself 101.

As I began to find my bearings I realized that maybe there was a reason for all the “confronting.” I realized that I wasn’t being confrontational, I was demanding what was wrong be made right. For the first time in my life I was standing up for myself. I was being my own advocate; I was finding my voice. Then I came across a brilliant article, and that tiny impetus to apologize for coming back to school disappeared quicker than I could say “poof”.

I received a newsletter from brainpickings with the tagline “Adrienne Rich on Why an Education Is Something You Claim, Not Something You Get.” My heart skipped a beat. In the piece, written by Maria Popova, I read that Adrienne Rich “delivered a convocation speech to a group of women at Douglass College titled Claiming an Education”. In that speech, Rich states: “One of the dictionary definitions of the verb ‘to claim’ is: to take as the rightful owner; to assert in the face of possible contradiction. ‘To receive’ is to come into possession of: to act as receptacle or container for; to accept as authoritative or true. The difference is between acting and being acted-upon, and for women it can literally mean the difference between life and death.”

I was at CCBC for 5 semesters before graduating. Out of the 5, I worked full time for 4 while attending school full time. It was exhausting to say the least. There were many things I had to “put on the back burner,” there were things I had to learn to live without, there were compromises I had to make, and there was not a single part of my life where a corner or two were not cut. I realize now, women like myself who go back to school later in life, often make our choices based on pacifying everyone around us. That act of keeping everyone happy can often keep us from achieving our education goals. I look back at those times I felt the need to apologize for “neglecting” my duties to my family by going, yet again, for another degree, and know that coming back to school was not an easy choice to make, but one I would make over again. The women I have met at UMBC, and especially at the Women’s Center, know exactly what I am talking about. We have had many passing discussions regarding this issue.  

Returning women students (undergraduate students 25 years and older) have a full plate and then some. In trying to balance work and family life, most of us have put ourselves last, minimizing our needs. Many of us who are returning women students are constantly on the go, working to find time for everything on our list of things to accomplish, all the while fighting money issues and guilt that we are not accomplishing enough. Many of us feel we are doing this alone, but that isn’t true. There is camaraderie to be shared with the Returning Women Students here at the Women’s Center. There is sisterhood among us who understand and feel the pain so common, and at times, deeply rooted in our psyche.

We have been there. We know; we understand. We got your back.

Since that cold Groundhog Day in 2015, I have realized, that for many of us returning women students, the recurring theme is self advocacy. We have a duty to ourselves to claim what is rightfully ours, in this case, our education. What I have come to realize in the past 3 years, and with the help of the recent discovery of Adrienne Rich’s amazing speech, is that self care = self advocacy. We have to be our own heroes because, most times, we will not be given what we want or deserve, even if we’ve earned the right to it. No one will give you what’s rightfully yours, you need to claim it. And at times, the process of claiming it means demanding it. I claim my education. I claim myself and my well being above all. I claim me. I hope you will claim yourself.  

For more information and further reading: 

Self-Advocacy: A Women’s Catch-22

Adrienne Rich On Why An Education Is Something You Claim, Not Something You Get

Stepping Up to the Plate

Time, money, leisure and guilt – the gendered challenges of higher education for mature-age students

More on the Returning Women Students Program in the Women’s Center to include our scholarship program (deadline is March 30th!!) 

Aubergine sounds so much better than eggplant. It takes a simple word, a simple food, and turns it into something extraordinary, something worth lingering on and savoring.

“Aubergine” at Everyman Theatre does the same thing: it takes a simple concept — the memories we associate with food — and turns it into a deeply personal and universal narrative, even if the foods mentioned in the play are not.

Julia Cho wrote “Aubergine” in 2016, using her own life as inspiration for the premise. A young chef, named Ray (Tony Nam), struggles to cope with the impending death of his father (Glenn Kubota) and grapples with the memories this loss awakens in him, as well as in those around him.

He finds comfort in the hospice nurse, Lucien (Jefferson A. Russell), who visits their home every day to take care of Ray’s father. He provides a sort of constancy that Ray needs, and his gifted eggplant motivates Ray to turn back to his cooking and find peace.

Ray also turns to his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Cornelia (Eunice Bae), to help him communicate in Korean with his uncle (Song Kim). His uncle travels to America from Korea to be with them in his final days and recalls the day his brother left for America.

Their mother had prepared a modest soup in an effort to stop her son from leaving. It was so powerful, he almost stayed. She saw that he needed to leave, however, and at her insistence, he left.

Each character — including Diane (Megan Anderson), who delivers the opening monologue and then reappears at the end of the play — has a memory intertwining them with someone else over a bowl of ramen or a pastrami sandwich.

These experiences shape them, and when they step forward into the light to share them with the audience, we are meant to recall experiences of our own that have shaped us, too.

The play itself is cut up into memories, switching back and forth between the past and the present until it catches up with itself at the very end, jumping to an idyllic future.

What results is a scrapbook of moments from each character that come together to form several lifetimes from all across the world. Lucien’s story is particularly poignant; he offers only small details of his life, but the little he says speaks volumes. Russell gives him an almost silent vulnerability, affording his spoken words more weight.

In his Everyman Theatre debut, Misha Kachman, also the Artistic Associate of the Olney Center Theater, where “Aubergine” first performed, creates a dynamic three-part set that splits the narrative into three distinct locations: the hospital, the home and the kitchen.

This design takes on even greater significance when Ray buries his father in Korea, represented within the “home” sector. His life has finally come full circle.

“Aubergine” effortlessly combines the power of food, family and memory into a savory two-hour experience. As a part of the 2018 Women’s Voices Theater Festival, the play showcases a diverse cast and an excellent playwright and will leave you wanting more.

“Aubergine” is running through April 15 at the Everyman Theatre. Along with standard student ticket pricing, Everyman is offering a 20 percent discount on tickets with the code FOODIE18.

Excessive discussion of violence in Chicago does nothing to help the people of Chicago. If anything, it serves to justify violence towards Chicago residents of color. NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch brought Chicago back into mainstream political discussion with her comments made during a speech at the Conservative Political Action Committee. Angered at the media’s alleged bias towards gun rights advocates, Loesch, in a lateral move, suggested that the media should be focusing on violence in Chicago instead.

She intended to illustrate how the media often sensationalizes violence in order to further political agendas. Her portrait of this phenomena is an accurate one, but in an ironic twist of fate, she represents this trend as it relates to the violence in Chicago. She presents the issue without any context and does not offer a clear solution leaving listeners to come to their own conclusions.

This is where the concept of a dog whistle, a coded message targeted towards a specific political demographic, comes in. The trailer for a remake of 1974 film Death Wish that was set in Chicago makes use a similar dog whistle used by Loesch but is much more explicit about a solution. It features a main character taking the law into his own hands and becoming a vigilante hunting down criminals after his wife is killed in a botched robbery. Since Chicago has a relatively high violent crime rate, there is an abundance of criminals for him to eliminate.

These dog whistles are often used in other high crime cities with large black populations. The communities are portrayed as being lawless, crime-infested wastelands, irrespective of how crime is actually trending. This narrative poses a dual threat to Black people living in inner city Chicago as it could prompt vigilantism by disgruntled white citizens or serve as justification for increased police militarization and racial profiling. This is how the narrative has been used historically.

With respect to the former, the narrative implicitly provides white people with a license to retaliate against any perceived threat to their safety if the government refuses to respond in a way that they approve of. In a profile of George Zimmerman, the BBC notes that Zimmerman formed a neighborhood watch in response to a spate of robberies that affected his community. Those that defended Zimmerman in the aftermath painted him as being an innocent victim just trying to do his job, even though he was acting outside the bounds of the law.

The American militia movement, based in part on antagonism towards government regulation of guns, has close ties to racist organizations. Timothy McVeigh, known most infamously for the Oklahoma City Bombing, carried out the bombing in response to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ crackdown on the militia movement.

He had in his possession the Turner Diaries: a racist tract detailing a genocidal campaign led by white people to rid the world of non-whites that functioned as the blueprint for white supremacist terrorist activity for years to come. This fictional campaign was spurred by the passage of a law restricting gun ownership.

In an interview by Quartz, an Eastern Kentucky professor explains that as crime began to spike during the crack epidemic, police militarization began to accelerate. Now, police militarization is spiraling out of control even as crime rates decrease.

For example, in 1989 the New York media sensationalized a murder case in Central Park involving five Black and Latino men. The men were exonerated later, as it was proven that they were not guilty of the crime. However, the case was already being used by Mayor Giuliani to begin passing anti-crime legislation giving police greater authority to stop and frisk and crack down on minor offenses.

How the media chooses to respond and portray crime has serious material consequences for communities of color. If they are not more careful in the future, they run the risk of perpetuating harmful and violent narratives that are potentially deadly.

“Black Panther” is a smash hit, having broken numerous records and risen to the spot of the ninth-highest-grossing movie of all time domestically. The latest entry in Marvel Studios’ cinematic universe features its first African-American lead, but the film’s takeaways run far beyond its positive representations of black protagonists. On UMBC’s campus, showing movies that present such important messages should be a priority.

“Black Panther” has been applauded for its diverse cast. The film’s black characters are the most prominent positive figures, with T’Challa, guardian-king of Wakanda, standing at the helm. “He was the first … representation of an African hero that’s on a wide-scale feature,” says Isaac Kagnew, a freshman majoring in information systems. “I don’t know, it feels official.”

Many black students feel the same way. Superheroes have always had a special cultural significance, representing paragons of humanity. Seeing a black man embody that ideal is affirming for many. Charra Wudtee, a senior studying economics, agrees with this. She delves deeper into what she found meaningful in the movie: “It kind of represents Africa in a way, and there are these dilemmas of black characters having to think about … ‘Well how much do I give for the black community?’”

Along with its positive, thoughtful depictions of black characters, the highly capable women in “Black Panther” play integral parts in the story, bolstering the progressive messages it communicates.

Wudtee appreciates this facet of the film’s diversity as well. “There’s a smart black scientist woman and very strong female leads,” she says. “So, for me as a black woman, that’s something I relate with.” In addition to its inspiring diversity, “Black Panther” has garnered critical acclaim for telling a nuanced story, pitting the titular hero against a villain with sympathetic motives.

Jessica Christian, a freshman majoring in physics and mathematics, was especially impressed by the way the film’s antagonist was handled. “The thing about Killmonger’s perspective is that he’s right,” she says. “But… they make him despicable. He has no respect for human life, but that’s the only reason you don’t root for him.”

Killmonger’s moral complexity cuts against the grain in a genre dominated by clear-cut good guys and bad guys. The change is a welcome one. Conflicts without easy answers and characters painted in shades of gray are important, especially with the contentious political and ideological differences that divide the United States today.

Regarding the message, Sierra Reid, a senior majoring in business technology and administration, believes the film has a lot to offer students on UMBC’s campus. “Just taking the time in general… no matter what political side you are — right or left — to kind of sit back and try to understand the other side and where they’re coming from and why,” she says.

“Black Panther” offers a thoughtful take on the superhero genre, packing social takeaways and sheer entertainment value in a one-two punch. In the process, it shows that one need not be sacrificed for the other.

The Student Events Board should take heed. Films shown on campus, as part of Weekly Movies or otherwise, can make for eye-opening events without becoming preachy. With movies like “Black Panther,” SEB should look to gather people for a couple of hours to watch something that inspires them to talk for dozens more.

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) seeks an experienced Art Packer to assure the safe shipment, handling, packing, storage and installation of artwork both within and outside of the museum.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

UMBC graduate programs are among the best nationwide, according to the 2019 U.S. News Best Graduate Schools rankings, released today. The rankings recognize a dozen UMBC graduate programs including nine top-100 programs from a broad range of fields, with all three UMBC colleges represented. They are based on a survey of more than 20,500 academics and professionals, plus data on over 2,000 programs, indicating the quality of each school’s faculty, research, and students.

Graduate programs in UMBC’s College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS) appear on five separate lists across a broad range of scientific fields: biology, chemistry, math, physics, and statistics.

“Our graduate programs use cutting-edge research led by outstanding faculty to train the next generation of leaders in science and education,” said CNMS Dean Bill LaCourse. “These rankings are a reflection of our commitment to student success through rigor, passion, and inclusive excellence.”

UMBC’s College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) appears on six lists, representing computer science plus five different engineering fields: chemical, computer, electrical, mechanical, and environmental.

“The successes of the academic programs and people from our college are directly connected to the strengths we bring together in computing, information systems and engineering,” says COEIT Dean Keith J. Bowman. “Our education and research programs benefit from being part of a university that fosters leadership, innovation and collaboration across a campus that values excellence that is also inclusive.”

Dean Bowman came to UMBC in August 2017 with strong commitments to advancing research that benefits society and elevating student success, as two core aspects of maintaining high-caliber graduate programs.

UMBC’s School of Public Policy was also included among the best in the country in this year’s U.S. News graduate rankings. “The UMBC School of Public Policy has a distinguished track record of preparing students for careers in every sector of public life,” says Scott Casper, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS). “Its faculty are not just outstanding teachers, but also nationally recognized researchers in fields ranging from health and education policy to public management, law, and regulatory economics.”

The UMBC School of Public Policy welcomed Susan Sterett as its new director this past fall. She shares, “We are so excited to be building on our excellent history as we participate in important interdisciplinary initiatives, particularly in the area of health policy. Our faculty and graduate students are partnering with communities to improve our schools, serve the city of Baltimore, and spread understanding concerning cities and the economics of public policy.”

U.S. News also recognized UMBC’s psychology and fine arts graduate programs, both in CAHSS, as leaders in their fields in rankings released last year.

Today’s announcement is just the latest in a long line of U.S. News accolades for UMBC. The 2017-18. U.S. News & World Report college guide ranked UMBC the #7 Most Innovative university in the nation, #13 top national university for Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching, and one of the nation’s top universities overall on its latest Best National Universities list.

Also earlier this year, Times Higher Education recognized UMBC as one of the world’s top universities for the sixth consecutive time. The Center for World Universities honored UMBC as one of the best universities worldwide, in the top two percent of higher education institutions. Highlighting the university’s combination of outstanding academics and affordability, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance named UMBC a Best Value College for the eighth year in a row.

Banner image: Ph.D. recipient at UMBC graduate commencement, winter 2017. All photos by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

Johns Hopkins University, the famed medical school and Baltimore icon, is taking big steps towards addressing the safety of their students by pushing for a bill that would allow them to establish their own police force on campus.

Baltimore public universities like Coppin and Morgan State already have their own campus police forces, but private institutions like Johns Hopkins are not lawfully able to have one. This could all change if this bill is passed. The bill would give all higher education private institutions in Baltimore the authority to establish private campus police forces.

Senator Joan Conway, a Democrat from Baltimore, and former Baltimore police commander Melissa Hyatt, who is now serving as the Johns Hopkins University’s vice president of security, have both publicly voiced their support for the bill. They are helping it gain more momentum in the Senate, where it is currently being discussed.

The passing of this bill would, in theory, allow students to feel safer and more secure on their campus, which is something every student expects to receive in return for the thousands of dollars they pay in tuition. In addition, given the current political environment regarding gun violence at schools, it is important to make sure all students feel that their schools are ‘safe spaces’ especially when they are located in the heart of a major American city.

Although the crimes committed in Baltimore City as a whole center more around homicides, the Johns Hopkins crime log lists theft and assault as the main offenses committed on campus.

However, would establishing a campus police force result in a truly significant change? “[Here at UMBC], I do not ever see [the UMBC police] on campus itself, just in their cars parked on the roads sometimes. They do not really seem to have a presence,” says Jessica Fattouche, a freshman biology major.

Coppin State University in northwestern Baltimore has had 28 thefts, 10 assaults, and 10 drug violations reported on campus in 2017 even with police presence.

Crime at UMBC has not necessarily disappeared with police presence either. In 2016, three rapes and 194 on-campus liquor law referrals were reported. Would the numbers have been higher if there had not been a police force patrolling the campus?  “I think [the UMBC police] is way better than a lot of schools, but without them, I think crime would be about the same,” says Ian Kibria, a freshman political science major.

When comparing the crime logs of UMBC and Coppin State to Johns Hopkins’, the offenses and rates of crime are pretty much the same throughout the years. So does Johns Hopkins really need a police force if the crime statistics are the same as universities who do have on-campus police? However, having this bill passed and establishing a Johns Hopkins police force would be a step in the right direction to establishing a sense of security that these Baltimore-residing students are expecting and paying for.

How effective the force will be in eliminating crimes on-campus remains unclear and can only be determined by the university itself. But, even with these sentiments, there are still many fingers crossed that Johns Hopkins University will join the ranks of higher education institutions with on-campus police forces.