11.10.08
Posted in Around campus, Audio, Events, Follow-up, Front page, Guests at 11:10 am by Eric
Normally, I would only post a short clip of something like this, but I thought the whole program was stellar.
Click below to hear her read from Clown Girl, talk about her writing process, reveal her personal experiences as a clown, and detail the sacrifices one must make in art to reach the intended audience.
Thanks againg to Monica for making time to visit the college and share her insight.
Next quarter, Oregon poet Clemens Starck will be joining us for readings and a workshop. More details as they come available.
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10.22.08
Posted in Around campus, Events, Follow-up, Front page, Guests, news at 6:00 am by Eric
Free Trade, Human Rights and Immigration
Most recent talk about immigration is cast in which resources might be drained from the U.S. as a result, but it is rarer to hear the stories of what motivates immigrants to seek out a place in this country.
On Wednesday, Oct. 8, about 60 participants in the Free Trade, Human Rights and Immigration forum got to hear first-hand about the conditions many present-day undocumented workers flee in hopes of finding a better life, and the realities that immigrants face once they set foot on American soil. The forum was part of Chemeketa’s series of Pizza and Politics events.
Bishop Medardo E. Gómez-Soto, a bishop of the Resurrection Lutheran Church of the Salvadoran Synod, spoke of his experiences as a young pastor in his native El Salvador and how it led him dedicate his life to human rights work.
“I observed many injustices and a lot of suffering, a poverty not lived in the United States,” said Gomez-Soto through an interpreter. “I began to wonder if God existed. If he was blind and deaf, or simply made exceptions for some people and not others.”
Gomez-Soto said the poverty wracking El Salvador seemed to be at its worst during a 12-year civil war fought between the government and guerilla groups. But he observed something else amidst the deterioration and decay that plagued his country. Hope.
“It made me realize I had to be the one to show them God existed. If we don’t oppose injustices, evil will reign forever. We have to act,” said Gomez-Soto.
When a truce was signed in 1992, many expected to see a balancing of the scales.
“We thought we’d be able to work together to create justice, but things have gotten worse,” said Gomez-Soto.
About one-third of native El Salvadorans now live outside the country having sought new lives in the U.S., Canada and Europe. United Nations officials cite an 80 percent unemployment rate within the country. Worst of all, said Gomez-Soto, people are losing hope.
He encouraged those in attendance to organize to fight injustice.
“A disorganized people can be played with and not respected. Only the people can save the people,” he said.
Gomez-Soto shared the stage with Carrie Tracy, an attorney and director of the Immigration Project for the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations. Tracy spoke briefly and introduced the audience to a board game that highlighted the struggle immigrants face even if they apply for legal immigration. Players assume the lives of actual immigrants and must roll their way to citizenship. Only two of the six players end up on a path to citizenship, the rest take a spot on the “undocumented limbo loop.” After 15 minutes of play, no one in the room achieved U.S. citizenship.
“We want to see laws for immigration changed or a change to the way they’re enforced,” said Tracy.
For more information on the Northwest Federation of Community Organizers, visit nwfco.org.
(Photo by The Chemeketa Courier’s Michael Yu)
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04.22.08
Posted in Around campus, Events, Follow-up, Guests at 6:58 am by Eric
“You had some poetry happen to you today, you just didn’t write it down.”
Fortunately, Lawson Inada does write it down and he stopped by Chemeketa on Friday to share it with us. Listen to him explain the inspiration behind and read “Kicking the Habit.”
At the very least, I’ll never look at highway exit signs the same way again.
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