In this 360, as in the rest of my life, I have striven to be present. I find that often, I have trouble staying in the moment when I know that there are things coming up that I will have to do that are making me stressed, or when I feel impatient waiting for the next thing to happen. For every minute that I let my mind wander, it’s a minute that I’m focused on something other than the task or conversation at hand, which, while in class or other participatory activities, is generally a negative thing. In this cluster of classes, I have struggled with my presence, because while I want to remain in the mindset where I can focus on what’s going on around me at any given moment, I also don’t want my presence to impede on anyone else’s, especially as it relates to speaking in class.

Here are some images that represent our project. The first portion is what we showed during our final presentation. 

Collaborators (AKA Book Buyin' Bitches): Hayley, Julia and Jacky 

Enjoy! 

Dear Anne, Barb and Jody,

First off, let me thank you. I meant what I said at our final class that you all were instrumental in making this process what it was. I couldn’t have taken the leap without your scaffolding and support. 

It was fortunate stroke of serendipity that led to me to this 360. As we wrap up now, I can see that the trajectory I'm on (which, appropriately, started with ESem) has completely transformed the way I think about the world. My social awareness, and the impetus I have to do something with this newfound knowledge, were fostered, and tested, during our semester together. I am constantly amazed by how lucky I am to have had such an opportunity, and to have had the faith and guidance from others necessary to bring me through it. This 360 is the riskiest thing I've ever done at Bryn Mawr, but also the best. Everything has changed now, and I can't wait to see what's coming next. 

Participation

Developing and carrying out a final project that revolved around a subject which interested us felt like a perfect way to culminate our experience and learning together this semester. As one who has depended on books for various reasons for most of my life and never had to question my own literacy, the idea of Books Behind Bars in its effort to both raise consciousness about issues surrounding literacy, privilege and social distance as well as money to buy books for incarcerated women felt particularly close to home. While it was a topic that was personal to me, I saw much potential in BBB in that it had the ability to reach across and off campus, affecting both Bryn Mawr students and the larger population of incarcerated women that we had grown close to. Additionally, our consciousness-raising efforts were particularly far reaching in that our fliers were distributed across campus and thus hopefully engaged even those who were not in attendance of our final presentation. Although it may be impossible to determine how individuals reacted to our thought-provoking marketing techniques, I see the monetary success of our collection (we raised over $165!) as an indication that people not only noticed the flyers but thought about what they meant and why the issues they raised are important.

Personal Growth:

When I signed up for the 360, I did so mostly because the topic was intriguing and I had already had positive experiences in classes with Jody and Anne before.  I was drawn in by the connection to social justice connection, which I enjoy discussing in my classes because I like to have those conversations anyway, but learning about them in class stretches and/or complicates my ideas as well as gives me academic grounding in my belief.  Although it sometimes frustrates me that for my thoughts to be valued, they need to be supported by some academic theory, in the world I live and take part in, it is necessary, especially at this point in my life when I’m applying to jobs fresh out of college and I’m commonly asked in interviews about books or theorists that influence me.  These are codes and even if I choose to reject them, I need to know of their existence.

Below you'll find our workshop and attached my reflections on how it related to our work in our 360.

Final 360 Workshop
I Can’t Believe I’m Still Workshopping this Shit: Race and Privilege at Bryn Mawr (1 hour)

Goals: discuss importance to the whole community;discuss issues of race and privilege (color paper)

Voice: Educating people, privilege, school to prison pipeline - criminalization, voice/discussion, Bryn Mawr College History
Vision: The New Jim Crow, walled space, niches - as related to Perry House, where you feel at home on campus
Silence: Voices are silent on campus, silent activity/discussion, silence as a place of reflection, Delpit,

Materials: flipchart, markers, candy,index cards/pens for each team,  tape the floor for step forward statements

Standing on Walls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvwFc-6kWys

I was certain that I wanted to make a zine about privilege in institutions of higher learning as my final project since we read Delpit, probably because I was so affected by my conflicting desires to have a developed, very specific theoretical vocabulary (and use it) and then my recognition that ideas should be accessible, and that there is incredible value in speaking as simply as possible (more people will understand you!).

Group Members: Jo, Uninhibited, Sarah, Sdane, Sasha De La Cruz

Google doc we worked on together as  group to prepare:

Final 360 Workshop
I Can’t Believe I’m Still Workshopping this Shit: Race and Privilege at Bryn Mawr (1 hour)

Goals: discuss importance to the whole community;discuss issues of race and privilege (color paper)

Voice: Educating people, privilege, school to prison pipeline - criminalization, voice/discussion, Bryn Mawr College History
Vision: The New Jim Crow, walled space, niches - as related to Perry House, where you feel at home on campus
Silence: Voices are silent on campus, silent activity/discussion, silence as a place of reflection, Delpit,

Materials: flipchart, markers, candy,index cards/pens for each team,  tape the floor for step forward statements