TED Talk Alert: Amazing Male Feminism

Check it out here: http://www.upworthy.com/a-ted-talk-that-might-turn-every-man-who-watches-it-into-a-feminist-its-pretty-fantastic-7

Jackson Katz, Phd, is an anti-sexist activist and expert on violence, media and masculinities. An author, filmmaker, educator and social theorist, Katz has worked in gender violence prevention work with diverse groups of men and boys in sports culture and the military, and has pioneered work in critical media literacy.Katz is the creator and co-founder of the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program, which advocates the ‘bystander approach’ to sexual and domestic violence prevention. You’ve also seen him in the award winning documentary “MissRepresentation.”

To learn more about TEDxFiDiWomen, whether to attend, volunteer, speak or sponsor, please click on the following link! http://tedxfidiwomen.herokuapp.com/

To learn more about Jackson Katz, please visit http://www.jacksonkatz.com

Sister, Sister: Inspiration from One Feminist to Another

Every now and then, I fall into a void of zero inspiration and zero motivation to write. And then I read Geek It Out. Started by one of my dearest friends Alicen, a sophomore at Scripps College, Geek It Out is a blog for feminism, self-reflection, and adventure. While she doesn’t focus, as Fellow Voices does, specifically on writing and reading she is quite the eloquent observer. She has the ability to articulate everyday injustices or discomforts and open up the conversation in hope of solutions.

Well, now, doesn’t this just seem like propaganda? Perhaps. But Alicen’s blog is an inspiration for me, and that’s something that every writer needs. If I want to write a good lab report, I often look at science articles and old lab reports so that I can model my formatting, my phrasing, my style after them. If I want to write a decent blog post, I look at Alicen. We have been sharing writing, both academic and online, together for years, and having that second opinion, that second reader, that second writer for perspective is refreshing, encouraging, and comforting.

Whether or not you consider yourself to be a feminist—although Barnard has a funny way of producing feminists—or even a writer—Barnard makes a lot of writers too—I encourage you to find your inspiration in Alicen, in Fellow Voices, or in your own favorite writer. A friend, a family member, a  fellow. Sharing writing is all part of the process, and that’s what the Writing Fellows have always been here to do: share writing and share the process.

Because Everyone’s Gotta Learn

Recently I read an essay in the Harvard Crimson in which the author criticized a request by a professor that she change the way she speaks in class if she wanted to be taken seriously. By asking her to change her speech– to speak up, reduce her tendency to raise her tone at the end of sentences, and use less filler words such as “like” and “you know”– the author felt her professor was asking her to “masculinize” her speech.

Plenty of men have many of damaging speech tendency that the author describes as “feminine” speech traits. Gendering speech has its place but speaking clearly, concisely, and powerfully is not the characteristic of any specific gender. Concise and clear transmission of thoughts through speech is logical, not masculine or feminine. It is a rarely a trait people are raised with and it must be learned by all.

It takes time and self awareness. Taylor Mali says it best.

To read the complete Harvard Crimson article visit the Crimson web page at http://www.thecrimson.com/column/the-red-line/article/2013/4/23/harvard-lean-in/

“Why merge?” My Barnard Experience

After reading Lanbo Zhang’s provocative op-ed “Why not merge?” I felt it was important to voice one perspective of a Barnard student, since he was lacking that element.

On Monday, Barnard President Debora Spar announced the intention to demolish and rebuild Lehman Hall, so as to build sufficient space after some period of time in excess of 20 or 30 years.

Lehman Library, formally known as Lehman Social Sciences Library, is located in SIPA. Wollman Library, more commonly called Barnard Library, is located in Lehman Hall, right in front of Lehman lawn. I can see how that may be confusing to some, but it’s something I learned right away as a first-year.

Now, as a senior, I study in Wollman more often. The space is humble and quiet, and I actually enjoy studying there. The atmosphere is not tinged with the same stress I feel whenever I study in Butler. Wollman is, for me, a peaceful alternative; an underrated getaway during my studies.

Barnard’s finances have been in shambles for a while. This is undeniable and yet, surprising, given the fact that most Barnard students enjoy their time here. Barnard continually impresses me with its will to survive, and there’s no doubt in my mind my alma mater will pull through.

Moreover, the independent-undergraduate-school-alongside-Columbia-existence is one that is inherently unique. Meaningless rhetoric and labels aside, in 20 or 30 years Barnard will still offer its students a college experience that is substantially and noticeably different from one at Columbia College. It does right now.

Irrespective of mission statements or the almost-merger that took place 30 years ago, Barnard is a small liberal arts college in New York which resides next to Columbia, the big research university that shades us under its many branches. I can’t pretend to know the Columbia College experience, but I can share my Barnard one.

While different degree and major requirements exist, the classes that fulfill those requirements can be the same, or they can be different. As a pre-med student, I’ve had the option to take the requirements at either Columbia or Barnard. While the course material is not substantively different, I’ve felt more of a support system in the science classes I’ve taken at Barnard versus Columbia.

The overwhelming pressure and competition I feel as a pre-med student in Barnard Biology or Chemistry was muted by the fact that I knew most of the women in my class; there was a communal sense of wanting to achieve and also wanting to help others do the same.  Perhaps if I knew more students in my Columbia Physics or Calculus classes, I would have felt the same way.

I understand the difference between the Columbia Core Curriculum and Barnard’s Nine Ways of Knowing. I see the benefits of both; requiring students to take the same classes allows for all students to share the same basic knowledge and a sense of unity, while allowing flexibility in requirements creates a program that caters to the individual student’s academic interests.

And still, it is entirely possible that two students, one registered at Columbia, another registered at Barnard, can graduate with similar degrees, having taken many of the same courses. All I know is that comparing my GER classes with those of my fellow Barnard ‘13ers always creates good discussion. Actively engaging in my education, questioning the merits of that education, and analyzing the different ‘ways of knowing’ is a process that every Barnard student goes through at some point during her time here.

Having used the advising, health, career, and other support services at Barnard, but none at Columbia, I can’t make comparisons or denote tangible differences, but I can again share my experiences. When I go to Health Services, Fabiola, the Receptionist and Administrative Assistant, greets me by name, and we catch up as I sign up for an appointment. I wave to Won Kang, the Senior Associate Director of the Career Development program, whenever I see him on campus – he always has a smile on his face.  My first-year advisor went to the same high school as I did; my current advisor signs off on his emails with “Cheers,” and always says hello to me when I pass him in the halls. These small familiarities define Barnard, and have certainly impacted my experience: that makes all the difference.

The social life during my time here has been an interesting one as I have close friends on both sides of Broadway. It’s always funny when students across the street assume I am a Columbia student until I inform them otherwise – Barnard students somehow always know. My social life is made up of openness and honesty: intellectual friction of the highest quality combined with the camaraderie and casual conversation that creates friendships.

My outlook on life is constantly being called into question by my friends, seriously or for fun, whether we’re at the Heights talking about relationships or in Sulzberger lounge discussing the implication of marriage. This process of questioning how I think and why is a central part of my experience at Barnard, where professors, faculty, and guest speakers are probing our outlooks all the time.

Women-only dorms could be seen as significant, and for some students, it makes all the difference for their experience here. For others like me, it doesn’t matter much, but I do view it as a pillar of the Barnard experience simply because it is important to some of my friends. Barnard and Columbia share the same haunts, but the dynamic within a Barnard seminar versus a Columbia seminar is radically different because of the approach to teaching; everyone at both colleges should take a class across the street at some point in their college careers.

The biggest difference between Barnard and Columbia is Barnard students having to constantly justify our existence as students and as an institution. The constant questioning of our value and worth is reminiscent of the female experience, and comes as a result of the separate history of the two schools.

There is no ignorance in asking why I chose Barnard; however, there is ignorance in failing to try to understand my reasons. There is ignorance in making me validate my choices when they have no effect on anyone else. And as a Latina, I’m no stranger to the ignorance which will manifest itself different ways for the rest of my life, but Barnard has helped me prepare to combat it.

Barnard’s dire finances and Columbia’s desire to expand are two issues that make a merger mutually beneficial. But before that happens, Barnard needs to seriously consider what they would be losing aside from the administrative overlap that currently exists. The decision to attend Barnard was a personal choice that more and more women are making every application cycle.

I can readily say that attending Barnard has made me a socially conscious, well-balanced, confident woman ready to graduate and take on the world – I would not be the same person I am today had I attended a different school. The experiences I’ve had here are not exclusive to Barnard, but they’re every reason I’ve enjoyed my time here and they’re what make Barnard special to me. I hope everyone at Barnard and Columbia feels this way about their college experience.

 

In Search of the Illusive Summer Internship

Summer is, ideally, a time when stress is replaced by sunshine and homework is replaced by swimming, visiting friends, barbeques, and fireworks. Unfortunately that doesn’t mean that the time leading up to it is the same way.

I have found the pre-summer period thus far to be a relatively dizzying cocktail of internship applications, grant proposals, and job interviews. Deciding what you want to do during the summer months can be challenging, but the real difficulty lies in getting what you want.

Creating a professional-looking resume and cover letter are important parts of applying to any job or internship. The Barnard Career Development has open office hours during which you can have a trained peer advisor look over your resume or cover letter before you send it out. If you’re new to the job search or particularly grammar-challenged like myself, having someone trained in the art of job acquisition look over your work is a good idea. On the Career Development website you can also find tips sheets and sample resumes and cover letters if your too cozy at home and don’t feel like going all the way to Elliot to go to office hours for advice (however if you live in Elliot you really have no excuse. You can go in your pajamas).

It can feel a little awkward to sell yourself in a letter, but YOU GOTTA DO IT if you’re serious about getting the job/internship/grant. A great first step is to do a little googling (yes, it’s a word) of the organization you are applying too, then brainstorm a list of reasons why are you are interested in the position and why are you are a strong candidate. If you’re having trouble, ask a friend who knows you well to help identify your strongest qualities and how they might relate to the work the organization is doing.

If all goes well, the next hurdle to tackle is the job interview (if you haven’t heard back from the organization weeks after sending in your application don’t be shy about following up! Email them to make sure they received your application. Its better to know you’ve been rejected and to redirect your search, then to lose time waiting on organization that rejected you but never let you know– unfortunately that is common practice. This way you cut your losses. Remember rejections are part of the lifecycle of applications, if you never got rejections there would be no need for applications.)

Now back to the interview. No more proof reading, no more editing­– it’s just you and the organization you applied to.

First, practice is key. Ask friends to ask you sample questions. Why do you think you would be a good fit for this position? What interests you about the position/organization you applied to? What do you hope to do with the knowledge you would gain in this position? You never know exactly what an interviewer is going to ask you but thinking through why you are where you are, where you want to go, and how this relates to the job/internship/grant is necessary if you want to be able to discuss your interest in the position. You can then draw on this foundation of reasoning to answer almost any question you might be asked. Remember that all the rules of good public speaking also apply to an interview. Make eye contact. Don’t fiddle with your hair or your clothing. Speak clearly and concisely, eliminating unneeded filler works such as “like,” “um,” or “ya know.” They’ll sneak up on you so if you practice with friends ask them to help you by pointing out where you use filler words.

Second, take your time. Do not be afraid to pause and think if an interviewer asks you a challenging question. It is better to take your time to formulate a coherent answer than to immediately answer with a sub-par response. Interviewers ask challenging questions because they want to know how you think– it’s expected that thinking through a thoughtful answer might take sometime.

Third, ask questions. Get to know your interviewer, and show that you are a creative thinker. Questions should display your knowledge of the organization or the organization’s area of focus. For a good list of questions to ask an interviewer, and more general interview tips check out Barnard Career Development’s sections on interviews.

If all of this doesn’t feel like enough, sign up for a one-on-one session with a Speaking Fellow! Helping students prepare for interviews is part of what we do, so take advantage of the resources around you.  In the final stages of your summer job, internship, or grant search, do your reading, dress to impress, and relax. Be yourself, because in the end they are hiring you and what you have to offer– out of all the people in the world you are the only expert on that.

 

What to Do with Feedback

The number one critique I receive from professors on essays or response papers most commonly involves words such as unfocused or unclear. I know I’m not alone in this. Regardless of how you process, finding focus is the most tedious part of the writing process, and consequently, it comes along with the greatest margin for nonfocus. Though it is easy to put such comments down because, well, you already know that focus and clarity are the goals, your professor likely had a good reason—beyond that of reminding you of your own standards—for indicating that something may have been off. But what? What do you do when you’re positive you have found focus, but your feedback indicates that perhaps your focus wasn’t clear enough? You ask yourself, does my professor mean I didn’t find focus as I originally thought I did, or does this mean the way in which I expressed my focused idea wasn’t clear enough? What do professors mean by such words anyways? Are clear and focused synonymous?

If you continue to pose questions like those above, you will likely give yourself a headache. However, you can avoid dizzying yourself in this attempt to literally translate the words unclear and unfocused. While the most logical solution is to have a conversation with your professor, if this isn’t an option—or if, after meeting with your professor, you still can’t seem to figure out what he or she meant by unclear or unfocused—you do have one last resource: yourself.

I have found that the most helpful first step in interpreting feedback is to re-familiarize myself with my paper. In doing so, I put my professor’s feedback aside. As Stanley Fish writes in his essay, “Is There a Text in this Class,” words only have meaning if they are “embedded in a context,” and without this context—in this case, that of your paper—words have “an infinite plurality of meanings.” In short, if you try to extract meaning from your professor’s words without first refreshing yourself on the content of your paper, you may land on a variety of definitions of unclear and unfocused that your professor could have technically intended. So the key in figuring out what, exactly, your professor may have meant by these words is to re-walk yourself through your paper, keeping focus and clarity at the back of your head as you read. Did the distinct ideas in every paragraph clearly support a focused thesis? Was the context of your argument clear? Were the purposes of each quote or each paragraph clear? Did the words in each sentence logically fit together in a way that was clear?

As easy as it may be to dismiss the words unclear and unfocused as ambiguous, I fully believe that the exercise I proposed above is valuable—and in some ways, even more valuable than interpreting more explicit feedback that excludes these words. Though we all know (again) that clarity and focus are the goals, this practice of interpreting focus and clarity in terms of your own argument will force you to catalog several definitions of focus and clarity that you can then consult as you write in the future. Because it’s your writing process, the only way to improve is to understand your writing on your own terms.

You may now be asking, then what’s the point of feedback? On the most basic level, the words that professors use in feedback are signs that something was or was not smooth in the progression of your argument. Generally, all professors can do as they provide you with feedback is speak to their own reading experiences with your work. If your professor is lost in a sentence, he or she may very well indicate so by using the words unclear or unfocused without necessarily understanding why. Ultimately, he or she will never be able to correct your own clear and focused argument because, well, it’s your argument. So here’s my final suggestion: don’t dwell on feedback, but don’t ignore it either. Perceive your professor’s comments as signals for you to return to your own writing. If your professor sensed that something was off, but he or she wasn’t explicit, sit down with your paper again. Figure out what you were saying and think about how you said it. You understand your process best, and so you are your best reader.

Human Interaction

A couple of weeks ago I went to the bank with my mother to deposit money. The bank was empty, but I headed straight to the ATM – that is, until my mom stopped and told me to go to a teller. “But then I’d have to fill out a slip and I don’t remember my bank account number and I’d have to go all the way inside…” the excuses flowed out easily, but I questioned myself. Why didn’t I just go to the teller? I put on my ‘adult’ hat and walked inside. It was fast, easy, and pleasant.

Why didn’t I want to talk to the teller? What makes the ATM more ‘convenient’ if going to a teller takes the same amount of time? The only difference is human interaction. Why is interacting with strangers such a deterrent?

The exponential increase in technology says a lot about society. We’re moving away from small, interpersonal interactions in the name of ‘convenience.’ Virtually everything can be done with minimal contact nowadays; food is ordered online, shipping labels can be printed out, machines eliminate the need for MTA workers and bank tellers. Granted, this technology is very useful and saves a lot of people a lot of time – and as a native New Yorker, I appreciate saved time.

However, social skills are slowly deteriorating. Kids in younger generations are growing up with cell phones in their hands and the virtual world at their fingertips. It’s no wonder my brother asks me to order food on the phone for him (and make the rest of his phone calls); my friends play on their phones while we’re eating dinner together; my sisters email and snapchat me instead of calling.

There are pros: easy, fast, simple communication with a vast expanse of people. We have bigger networks now, bigger than our grandparents could ever imagine. However, there are cons as well: some would argue we have access to too much information; and as court cases involving social networking increase, the line between public and private life is being blurred. Additionally, there’s an expectation that people are now supposed to be readily available via email, text or call.

Text messages. Awkward, awkward text messages. Interpreting them are a pain – is that “haha” sarcastic? If I don’t include a smiley face, does this sound mean? Text messages lack body language and nonverbal communication, so we try to include mood indicators through language. That’s a recipe for disaster more often than not. By using “texting” language, we run the risk of losing the genuine message we’re trying to convey.

Additionally, by trying to ‘speak through writing’ we also lose objectivity. Simply put, people don’t take text messages at face value anymore. The reader seeks meaning in each message, and the writer isn’t there to clarify. The abbreviated language used in texting further muddles the intended message.

There’s a difference between physically conveying what you’re saying via body language and tone versus reading a sentence. We don’t convey our thoughts via a written medium the same way we would convey them via a spoken medium; meshing the two together is not working. Simplified written language can’t convey the subtle nuances of spoken language properly.

Convenience has simplified written language and social interaction. We need to be aware of this in our day to day interactions. Humans are such a wary species, especially in New York, but we need to take efforts to interact with each other if we don’t want technology to consume us. We need to make that phone call instead of text. We need to do our banking at the teller.

Weeding and Writing: There’s No Such Thing as Focus Pocus

I blame focus for what is admittedly stage one and a half of my writing process: panic. Completing the assigned readings and taking notes are always my stage one, but before I begin to draft in stage two, I often put down the assignment out of a fear of focus. The word focus just seems like a reminder of everything I can’t write about, and herein lies my logic for just not writing at all. Usually I have some sense of a topic at this point, but given the need to find a narrow argument, I often spend hours or days sitting on a topic—not actually doing anything—out of fear that if I write before I devise a focus, I may end up hitting a wall and/or completely wasting my time. I do the same thing with promptless essay assignments: I convince myself that I need a specific question to answer in each paper before I begin to write. What if I were to completely miss the point of the assignment? In short, I sit around totally flustered, convincing myself that I can’t do anything until the focus pocus kicks in.

We have all been there—so overwhelmed to the point at which the pressure to turn in a finished product on time weighs down any ability to think clearly. While yes, focus is and will always be the goal of a paper, there is, in fact, no such thing as focus pocus; our brains don’t just extract focused ideas out of vacuums. We need to illustrate some sort of situation from within which we can find a focus. I do this by abandoning focus. I temporarily put it aside, and swim nonfocus for a bit. The perk of doing so is that once I’m swimming—in reading or in drafting—I can’t sink. I can only sink if I dive, headfirst, into a final draft without getting wet first. Once in the pool, the information is much more likely to sink in me.

Sure, it helps to have a specific direction when you begin to write, but sometimes the most compelling, focused papers end up being the ones that began having twelve theses. Such a paper is often a sign that the brain juices are flowing: perhaps even a sign of excitement.

While I enjoy this stage, given deadlines, there comes a point at which I have to begin “weeding” – the process by which I make connections within my own writing, cut out what no longer seems relevant, and then keep digging within what I already have. I always begin writing weeding with what we Fellows consider a “self-fellowing” process: I notice what seems to work and what doesn’t, and I ask myself questions: What are the patterns? What are the different facets of my topic? What’s confusing? What does the author seem to be saying? I usually do this when I’m as far away from my own writing adrenaline as possible. It’s important not to be in your head at this stage so that you can be your own fresh reader. This makes it much easier to categorize ideas without feeling the urge to run away with them.

Sadly, in this act of editing your own focused conversation, you will likely end up cutting a few (or many) ideas. Some writers call this “killing your darlings.” But regardless of how much you cut, every stage of the writing process is equally as valuable. It is often those random bits of information that you don’t end up using that lead you to a more focused idea rooted in a slightly different context. And because all of our ideas are connected somewhere in our brains, we can consciously file ideas away, but we can’t actually kill them (like we can weeds).

Perhaps you are already familiar with another form of weeding: verbal weeding either as you are speaking or in reflection after the fact. Have you ever mentally prepared for a conversation, and then after having the conversation, decided on everything you didn’t really need to say and everything you could have said? The key here is that you wouldn’t have been able to reflect had you not had the conversation to begin with. So weeding through your paper can only really begin once you initiate the conversation with yourself. The beauty of writing weeding above verbal weeding is that you can capture, rewind, and rewrite your own conversation at any point along the way.

My message is that they key to writing is patience. Trust the process. You already know how to weed. Don’t wait around for focus pocus.

“The Fight of Public Speaking” by Claire Bouchard

The following post was written by Claire Bouchard, Speaking Fellow (BC ’15).

What could pubic speaking and martial arts possibly have in common? One is a sport that focuses on precision and concentration in order to deliver the best and most deadly hit as efficiently as possible, and the other is a mode of communication that focuses on connection with the audience and the skill with which one can deliver their message.

How does the martial arts world connect with the realm of public speaking? They are both performances. As a member of the national United States karate team and a speaking fellow of Barnard College this performance aspect is well known to me. When you’re standing in front of the judges overseas, about to perform a kata (form) in order to represent your country, your adrenaline starts running. All eyes are on you, time slows down, and you feel the pressure to begin. You take a deep breath, relax all of your muscles, and the game begins. You work through your kata; using full moves that you make sure are defined and take your time. Public speaking is not all that different from this set-up.  You enter the spotlight, all eyes turn in your direction, the chatter of the waiting room slowly dies away, and time slows down. You take a deep breath, relax your demeanor and the game begins. You start speaking through your outline, pausing when necessary, using your ability to maneuver between silence and language and deliver your speech.

Both kata and public speaking require the one performing the action to have a strong understanding of themselves and how to present themselves. The performances allow athletes and speakers to present certain aspects of their personality, in kata your ability to focus and in public speaking your ability to connect.

Performances are always a part of our lives; they are an opportunity to present yourself in a fashion that you approve.

Speaking to be Heard: Thoughts on Becoming a Speaking Fellow

Imagine a beach, waves curling up and lapping on the sunny shore. You are walking in the sand feeling it spread beneath your feet and gurgle up between your toes. Stop for moment. Bend down and use your hands to scope up a handful of sand. Look closely at it. From far away the sand looked beige but up close all the little grains take on different colors, betraying their diverse origins.

 

This is what New York City is like. When I first arrived I was amazed by the shear magnitude of difference that could exist in one subway car. Soon, however I began to feel myself disappear in the crowds, becoming part of the beige. It’s hard to stand out in a city where the extraordinary is ordinary.

 

I found solace in knowing that not everyone has the same things to say, the same way to speak. The connections made by one’s brain are the result of a truly unique mix of experiences, beliefs, and knowledge– these are the building blocks of identity. Yet, the individuality of one’s thoughts goes unnoticed unless one has the ability to powerfully voice these unique connections. Developing strong public speaking skills has given me the ability to assert myself in crowds– to stand out not because of how I look but because of how I voice my own thoughts and opinions.

 

To be a contributing member to society it’s important to teach the unique connections our minds make, as well. A city is the sum of its parts. Its ability to grow rests on the ability of its citizens to share their knowledge and skills with others– to create a critical mass of educated individuals who then power the city. Teaching is a key component in leadership and can always be improved upon. Believe it or not, learning to teach also enhances your own ability to learn.

 

This is why joined Speaking Fellows: to hone my public speaking skills and to develop as a teacher. Rooted in an attempt to find a place in the city, Speaking Fellows has helped me find my voice in the crowd. Everyone comes to Speaking Fellows for different reasons– if you see a Speaking Fellow around campus or in a Speaking Session don’t hesitate to ask them their story.  If it resonates with you join Speaking Fellows and raise your voice as well.

 

Click here for the application.