Week #3: excerpts

"An Evening With Keith Boykin: A Celebration of Black LGBT History Month"

Harrison:  I recalled my work from junior year in which I questioned myself as a white man in the realm of 'diversity.' Was I allowed at this table of diversity if I had privilege in 3 or 4 realms? Was my sexuality enough to bump me enough to be "diverse?" This thought has continued to mold my work over the past couple of years and will probably always influence my work and everything I do. But I really connected with Boykin on this statement and how he thought it was relevant in today's society. We like to one-up each other by acting like we are worse-off, but if we are suffering, does it matter how much? 
Molly:  I think by taking a risk and doing what I wanted to do, not knowing what my future would hold (and still don't), I've learned a lot about myself and have found out I have the power to make my own decisions and don't have to listen to anyone else if I don't want to.   
Oh, and I just remembered, towards the end of his lecture he mentioned something that if you're doing something because you believe it's right, and a morally correct thing to do, it will make you feel good no matter what, and even if you're afraid that doesn't matter because the outcome will outweigh your fears. I found that to be pretty inspiring. 

Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Kuwait: 

The Transnational Trajectory of an African Literary Classic"

Bill:  It was a lecture about a book written in the former French colony Cameroon in 1952.  This book, "Une Vie de Boy" was written in French, and had some native African languages to illustrate the different levels of class that the characters occupy.  
This book was then translated into a play for an outdoor theater in Zambia by an Englishman.  The book then was changed to accommodate an audience, as well as get translated into English.  And then from there, the english play was then translated into a book written in Arabic by the Kuwaiti Department of Culture.   
   

FRENCH -- Dr. Samir Meghelli, Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of African American Studies: "Paris Is Still Burning: Rap, Race, and Riots in Postcolonial France"

Christian:  A short lecture, but worth while, a final point Dr. Meghelli made was the action of hip-hop in respect to change. Hip-hop is not the means to an end, it is merely the mediation, the representative of a culture signified. True action and change happens through policy-making for the immigrants of the Parisian ghettos, reintegration is not made through music videos, cunning lyricism does not provide sustenance. But it is through the attempt to rectify policy, distribute equality, question identity that hip-hop stirs change. "Does your picture taking feed the homeless?"

Dance at UIUC, Colwell Playhouse, KCPA

Metro: The other part of me is interested as an artist working in multiple media. I am extremely excited by what is going on with other creative art forms, especially on my campus. In addition to dance performances — and of course as many visual art galleries as I can get to — I attend many plays, engineering exhibitions, and just last week the Piano and Electronics music performance. I'm hoping to find even more creative events to attend to be inspired by and/or even start creative collaborations.

Miniature Mobile Robots Down to the Micron Scale

By: Professor Metin Sitti (Carnegie Mellon University) 

mike b.:  Before getting down to the micro/nano scale Sitti showed us some larger (but still small scale) robots that he and his colleagues had recently worked on. The first was a small, two actuator bot that contained a special synthesized material on its 'feet' allowing it to mimic the climbing ability of a gecko. In addition to being able to climb up walls, ceilings, and move laterally across them, the bot was able to carry a 100g payload in addition to its own body weight. The second robot was inspired by the Basilisk lizard and was able to move across the surface of water using static lift (repulsive surface tension). Finally the third bot was a flapping wing based flying robot, which conquered challenges of unsteady aerodynamic forces at high frequencies. 

Selina:  I just wanted to note that this was the first lecture I've attended for this course that the speaker had a laser pointer.

Annie Sprinkle, Ph.D.
EcoSexologist, Multi-media Artist, & Sex Worker Rights Activist

Seano:  This past week I attended a talk given by Annie Sprinkle, a sex educator, former pornographic actress, and ecosex pioneer. So I'm not holding you on the edge of your seat while you skim this entire post, I'll disclose now that she did in fact pull out her boobs at the end of the talk.

This may be the strangest thing I've ever blogged about...

Researching Companies

Courtney:  This week, I went to a Researching Companies workshop. I went into this workshop realizing I needed to learn how to learn more about companies other than looking at their website. At the business career fair, which I also attended, the goal was to talk t recruiters and make an impression on them so they would give you an interview for a future internship or job.

"Hi! I'm back this week in a pretty scarf. do you like it?  Great."

Gino: