We Are Salem - February 10, 2021

Story Highlight:

highlight

February Speakers for “At the Intersections: A conversation with womxn on gender and race”

The Activities, Leadership, and Intercultural (ALI) office at Salem College is pleased to present the first two speakers for the Spring 2021 “At the Intersections: A conversation with womxn on gender and race” in February.

Leading our series off this semester is recent Salem graduate, Camille Woods. In her time at Salem, Camille was a campus leader involved in many organizations. Perhaps her most notable contributions were her leadership in Salem’s Fun, Fit February program, her work as a member of the Salem Ghost Ryders, and her engagement as an Orientation Leader. She was also involved in Black Americans Demonstrating Unity (BADU). Camille will be sharing her story with Salem on February 17 at 7 p.m.

Our second speaker is Jennifer King, whose career is marked by many firsts. In 2019, King worked the football season at Dartmouth College where she worked with the wide receivers and assisted with offensive quality control for the 2019 Ivy League Champions. While at Dartmouth, King became the first black female to coach in a NCAA Division I game. Recently, King again distinguished herself following the 2020 professional football season, when she was promoted to Assistant Running Backs coach for the Washington Football Team making her the first black female position coach in NFL history. Jennifer will be sharing her story with Salem on February 24 at 7 p.m.

The ALI office is centering on Black women for the “At the Intersections” speakers this February in celebration of Black History Month and are pleased that our first two speakers both represent history in the making.

Links to join the events will be sent as part of students’ weekly Virtually Salem emails. We look forward to seeing you there.

Celeste Banaag
Multicultural Leadership Graduate Assistant

Alex Prusator
Student Center Leadership Graduate Assistant

Alan Mueller
Assistant Dean of Students for Student Activities, Leadership, and Intercultural Education

Story Image Width:

three-quarters

Image Align:

center

Story Highlight:

invert

“Incunabula” Publishes Winter 2021 Competition Chapbook

“Incunabula,” Salem’s student run literary and arts magazine released its “Winter 2021 Competition Chapbook.” The “Chapbook” consists of creative works (art, prose, and poetry) submitted by Salem students. The “Incunabula” staff reviewed the submissions and awarded the prizes as well as proofread and edited the magazine.

We hope you will take a moment to read the magazine here (or download the print resolution version here). The work is impressive. As the editors stated in the “Chapbook”: “Thank you to everyone who submitted work. We would not be able to exist without brave souls willing to share their work with the world. We hope you all continue to do so and even inspire others to share their work, too.”

“We Are Salem” Poem Contest Winner

“We Are Salem” received three submissions for the poem contest. Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Rebecca Davis reviewed the poems and stated: “I really enjoyed reading the submissions. All three poems are strong and compelling. After much consideration, I have selected “Red String,” by Hiley Davis, Class of 2024, as the winner”. Congratulations Hiley! Her poem can be read below. Read the other two submissions: “Beast,” by Nikkola Brown, Class of 2024 and “Breathing,” by Alyson Gammons, Class of 2024.

Red String

By Hiley Davis

When I was five, I found

a red string tied around

my pinky.

It looked like a bow

and it flowed from my finger

before stopping

and dangling

into nothingness.

And as I made my way

through my early years,

everyone found someone to tie

their strings together with.

Everyone except me.

But then I was ten

and I found a boy in my class

who didn’t have someone

he was tied together with.

He was there, and then he was gone

and I had three strings coming from

my pinky.

But my red string was still untied.

He came back one day

and it was like he never went away.

We laughed

and we cried

and we fought

and we lied.

We were together for years,

friends through all the obstacles

life threw at us.

I used his shoulder to cry

and his smile to spark joy.

But perhaps I cried too much.

Perhaps I was not enough

for him.

Perhaps the string that held us together…

perhaps it started to stretch too far.

It felt as if I barely realized our

strings had come

together

when he began cutting them apart.

I cried but

he would not listen.

He chopped at our string,

tufts of red

falling to the ground.

And he turned away

with a smile

saying

“We can still be friends

just not as close.”

But how can we still be friends

if you won’t even

look at me?

I have other strings, too,

and I’ve grown closer to them

and I am happy.

But my red string on my pinky,

frayed and worn and faded,

still remains untied

in case he ever decides to

come back.

Story Image Width:

four-fifths

Image Align:

center

Story Highlight:

highlight

Chair Library: Student’s Sketches Spring 2021

During this time of isolation students in Dr. Otero’s Visual Representation class are enjoying virtual visits to the Chair Library. In fact, anyone can visit just by following this link.

Right from the start of the semester, students were introduced to the chairs and immediately began to sketch. Their explorations range from pencil and ink drawings, digital media, and studies with watercolor.

Check out their drawings here, and please leave comments, students love to hear your thoughts and any feedback you may be able to offer.

Rosa D. Otero
Art, Art History, and Design Department Chair

This Week on Your Salem Campus

may dell on campus in winter with green grass