Volume 28 • Number 2 • Spring 2019 quepasa.osu.edu

CORRECTION: Volume 27 • Number 2 • Spring 2019

Making Space for Latinx Scholarship and Community Quiénes somos Esquina de los Editores Reyna Esquivel-King, Editor Luiza Corrêa, Art Director Latinx Community and Identity Yolanda Zepeda, Managing Director Reyna Esquivel-King, Editor

Contributors This year continues to get harder, especially for people of color. Violence Adrián Rodríguez against us is escalating, leaving us feeling alone and vulnerable. However, we must Ana Medina Fetterman remember we are part of a larger, stronger Ally Langley group that has faced many obstacles Angela Acosta and overcome them through the power Antonio Duran of community. As members of the Latinx population, we must uplift and celebrate Arin Perkins our many cultures and differences and Ayanna Williams remember that we are one. This issue Ben Cuevas highlights the wonderful diversity in our community and what makes us special. Carlos Berríos Polanco Evelin Nuñez-Rodríguez We start off this issue with a collection of Frederick Aldama creative works that discuss identity in the Spanish-speaking population. We continue George Thomas with the second part of Luz Por Las Nubes Lauren Lopez by Rolando Rubaclava about connecting Maria Fredericks with his family in Mexico. Writers discuss the issue of Spanish fluency, self- Reyna Esquivel-King identification, and the variety of definitions of what it means to be Hispanic. This is the heart of the Hispanic Identity Project by Ana Medina Fetterman. In Rolando Rubalcava Finding my Home in Puerto Rico, Victor Tenorio writes about visiting Puerto Victor Tenorio Rico for the first time! Then, we show how several organizations at Ohio State Yolanda Zepeda University are engaging with the larger Hispanic community. For example, Sol-Coñ showcases comic writers who are people of color and it is a space where they can come together and converse about the pros and cons of being a person of color in the comic book industry. BuckAlly and the SPPO

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion committee also provide events and information for the Spanish-speaking community in Columbus. publishes ¿Qué Pasa, Ohio State? each autumn and spring semester. ¿Qué We highlight the issues queer people of color face with Exploring Experiences Pasa, Ohio State? is proud to celebrate of Queer People of Color by Antonio Duran. Our centerfold continues to the achievements of Latinx in a variety discuss this theme with Knit PrEp by artist Ben Cuevas. Ben Cuevas is a Los of disciplines: art, politics, science, Angeles-based interdisciplinary artist, who’s perhaps best known for the complete human skeleton he knit while in residence at the Wassaic Project in technology, literature, and more. Although 2010. He works in textiles, sculpture, installation, photography, video, sound, not every discipline will be featured in and performance. His practice underscores queer/feminist ideologies, with a each issue, each thematically organized focus on the condition of embodiment. As a genderqueer, male-bodied, HIV issue will highlight the diversity of fields Positive, Latinx artist, his identity directly influences his work, which is often in which Latinx excel. autobiographical. The centerfold is followed by an article about Ben Cuevas and his art.

The Ohio State University is not The next few articles explore the idea of healing. The Soothing Power responsible for the content and views of of Culture by Evelin Nunez-Rodriguez is a poem about health and home this publication. The publication does not remedies, discussing the cultural significance of using Vicks! Los Podres necessarily reflect the views and opinions Curativos del Arte by Arin Perkins, who is also the artist featured on our front of the staff. cover, talks about exactly what the title is: the healing power of art. The last articles showcase the professional organizations at Ohio State and Note: We use the term “Latinx” to the work that has been done to help the Latinx community. Carlos Berríos represent all Latino identities. Photos for discusses how Dr. Michael Chema, a former OSU student, developed a each piece are provided by the author or scholarship for Puerto Rican graduating high school students. Adrian interviewee unless otherwise noted. Rodriguez talks about Stone Lab and their experiences on the island campus. Lauren Lopez writes about the experiences of the Hispanic Leadership On the Cover: Institute’s (USHLI) Annual Conference. Institute of Teaching and Learning by Reyna Esquivel-King discusses her trip to this conference, which is the largest "All Lives Matter" gathering of underrepresented minority Ph.D. scholars in the country. The by Arin Perkins final articles highlight Latinx leaders across the OSU community. [email protected] Despite the anger and hatred that we see in the media, we must come arins_art (instagram) together and be stronger than the negativity. It is important to stand up and support each other!

Contenido

4 Spanish Fluency 19 The Soothing Power of Culture Angela Acosta Evelin Nuñez-Rodríguez

5-6 Luz Por Las Nubes II 20 Los Poderes Curativos del Arte Rolando Rubalcava Arin Perkin

7 Resurgimiento 21 Finding my Home in Puerto Rico Maria Fredericks Victor Tenorio

8-9 Hispanic Identity Project 22 Giving Back: From Student to Ana Medina Fetterman Scholarship Sponsor Carlos Berríos Polanco

10-11 SPPO Engaged with Latinx Community 23 My Stone Lab Research Experience Reyna Esquivel-King Adrián Rodríguez

12 Putting the Heart in SÓL-CON 24 SACNAS Welcomes You George Thomas

25 ODI Team Attends USHLI 13 Tales from La Vida Lauren Lopez Dr. Fredrick Aldama

26 Institute of Teaching and Learning 14 BuckAlly Reyna Esquivel-King Yolanda Zepeda

27 Alpha Psi Lambda Celebrates 15 Exploring Experiences of Queer Founder’s Week People of Color Ayanna Williams Antonio Duran

28-29 Spotlight 16-17 Knit PrEp Ben Cuevas 30 Congratulations to Dr. Juan Alfonzo

18 “I leave my Body in every Stitch” Yolanda Zepeda 31 Graduates {Spanish Fluency} La fluidez en Español

Angela Acosta Graduate Student, Spanish and Portuguese

It started with a conglomeration of comments: “I thought you grew up in Mexico.” “I thought you were 100% Latina.” “Are you Hispanic?” “You didn’t learn Spanish at home?”

When you ask me about my Spanish, You want to know about my family, The people who swore their allegiance to this country By giving up the languages of their ancestors, The children who felt shame instead of pride And never inherited the words that were theirs all along.

When you ask me about my Spanish accent Because I am from Florida, but not Cuban, Because I am fluent, but not a native speaker, You want an easy, cookie-cutter answer. But that is not my story. This is my story. The way I speak doesn’t come from those who raised me, But those who raised me up. It comes from Spanish classrooms, From Boricuas, Cubans, Spaniards, Venezuelans, From three years of Spanish speaking competitions, From the poetry of Vicente Aleixandre and Pablo Neruda, And from Spanish lunch tables in Massachusetts.

The way I speak is unique to me: Air breathed into my lungs with the memory of my ancestors, Tongue pronouncing my last name in Spanish, Words loud and clear in my Spanish classroom, The voice that was inside me all along.

photo credit | elainejoyroach.com | belonging

4 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 5 Luz Por Las Nubes II Rolando Rubalcava, Graduate Student, English Department

After a few days, my mom and I went to Jalisco, where both I had no idea what to expect. I also had no idea just how my mom and dad grew up. While Aguas (look at that- I'm much I didn't know about teaching. We drove to the school even picking up slang here) is more metropolitan, the city that morning, right when the sun came up. It was freezing we were traveling to was much more rural. We went to visit outside, and there were caws from real roosters at this my aunt Rosalba in Mechoacanejo, a small city just outside hour. On the drive, I saw what the city really looked like; of Guadalajara. The drive there took almost half a day. not as something wondrous or nostalgic, but for what it When we got there, I met my aunt's husband, Zacharias. was- a rural city, with a small population, where houses are I've never heard anything about him back home, so this made with whatever materials are available and parcels was like meeting a stranger in every sense of the word. of land sit there, hoping to be developed. We arrived at We really connected after telling him I was a teacher at a the school, where I experienced my first sense of teacher- community college. He works as the principle at his local shock. The school was tiny, with about six classrooms, an elementary school. We shared stories about teaching and administrative office, and a field for outdoor activities. The the books we love to reference and lecture about in class. entire student body was about sixty students. My initial After a few of these stories, like that time one of my students thought was that some of the children from this town passed my class after struggling to turn in assignments stopped showing to work on the family farm, which was my while raising a family and working at his dad's construction dad's experience. "Nope", my uncle said. "This is everyone. company, he asked me to visit his school and meet with his I even made it my mission to get all of the kids from this students. It sounded like a great idea, meeting students area to school. As far as I know, this is all of the kids. They from another country, observing a whole new curriculum. are all enrolled all coming to school and doing work". I've

4 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 5 never been on a campus with less than several I stood outside of myself and looked at what they hundred students. This includes all of the schools finished- for having a teacher who barely knows what I attended, going back to elementary school. The he's doing, and students writing sentences, working school had plenty of resources, and there was no lack in pairs, and getting writing done, I was impressed by of effort or workload instructors gave to their students. these kids. They got good work done. Teaching in the There was nothing ostensibly flawed or lacking at this country I'm from, if I saw this, I'd call it a good day. Their school; it was a small school in a small city with a small class time was done, and my uncle and I left home. student body. I had to shake off this shock, but once I've never felt so exhausted after teaching than on this I did, it was really easy to appreciate how much my day. For as long as I have been a teacher, my only goal uncle put into this school. I observed a classroom and for my students is that they take something, anything, saw students working, turning in homework. And, just whatever it is, into their next class. Here, I was not in a like students here, some were a bit disruptive, or a few position to dictate what they should or shouldn't take. were on their phones, and one student really liked Instead, I told them how great they did and looked being the focus of attention. Yeah- they were just like forward to seeing their academic success. I tell that us. Then…something weird happened. to my students every semester; here, my wonder was as genuine as it was sympathetic. My uncle and I left My uncle asked me to teach a class. There was a class home, but I wasn't as interested in chatting. A new facet that was learning English, and he asked if I could go in teaching opened up for me. I can still see their faces, over their next lesson on writing in English. Working glowing with an interest in learning, while I stood up as a professor at a community college, I've had a large there, with a pull coming from my back, begging me to range of students, including international and refugee retreat. I did not retreat. I stood there and taught, and students, working adults, students coming back to they appreciated it. school after years of stepping foot in a classroom, and students older than me. This, however, was like teaching in another galaxy. I had no lesson plan, I had no clue where they were with their writing skills, and my Spanish is terrible. How in God's name am I going to do this?! When I entered the class, every pair of eyes was looking at me, waiting for me to impress them. I was asked to teach, as if I had some kind of valuable insight on the English language. A small phrase streamed through my head: Don't Freak Out.

(dontfreakoutdontfreakoutdntfrkoutdntfrkkouuuuuut)

https://seekinginfinitejest.com One of the students showed me their textbook and This Blog Post is dedicated to my Grandmother, Juana Pedroza Ibarra. I had what they were studying. We started on sentence a chance to meet her while I was in Mechoacanejo. She passed away the structure by going over basics; what's a verb; what's a day after we came back from Mexico at the age of 84. She raised my dad, along with another fourteen siblings. Getting to know her back story was noun; how do they make a sentence. While sentences almost Faulknerian, learning about the history of my family's matriarchy. in Spanish don't follow traditional English structure Unfortunately, the dementia made it impossible to know who I was. Seeing her, regardless of her knowing who I was, made me make sure I never forget (Subject-Verb-Object; in Spanish, it's more like Verb- my time here. A bit over a month later, I got a tattoo inspired by a phrase Subject-Object), we sat down and discussed what's my dad told me years ago when I got my first job: No matter how tall a important to know when writing in English. We did tree grows, it never forgets its roots. This tree is still growing, with its roots etched on my arm. I'll never forget where I came from. This tree will make sentence trees, translation exercises, and some work sure of it. from the text identifying parts of speech. When we talked about sentences, I asked them to write a small paragraph about what they enjoy doing the most on the weekends, then worked with in pairs, and took turns translating words, then turning them into sentences in English. They all got about two sentences done, but frankly classes I teach in the States aren't even this productive some days. The class section was done before we had a chance to work in groups.

6 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 7 my landscape flattened overnight, the summits of the andean sierra transformed into snowy sea-level flatlands. the cinder-block homes and garden orchids that colored my surroundings shape-shifted into suburban uniformity and evergreen trees. i woke up to four white walls, a cold -shouldered ambiance, and finally the face of my sweet mother that felt oceans apart.

la primera vez que mis ojos llegaron a profundizar la realidad de la diferencia también fue mi primer dia en los EEUU.

i couldn’t run away from the imposed Difference. though my gaze quickly got accustomed to the patterns of my physical environment and the feeling of the brisk- winter-blazing-summer on my skin, my life was ever-more marked by otherness. i was the only perfectly gelled back french braid among straight hairs and soft ponytails. the abuelita-knitted sweater among mass-produced t-shirts and jeans. a foreigner in a sea of strange sameness.

realmente llegué a entender que la diferencia que sentía no estaba adentro de mi entorno, sino también dentro de mí misma.

as i owned this othered-body, those around me had two choices: either they embraced me as i was, or rejected that which inconvenienced them and submerged me in the sea of sameness. so, i felt the cold, white waters of the West surround me, turning me out from the outside-in. the waves washed away my name and my warm andean nature, crashed into my mother tongue, and left me ashore like a lost soul. mi mundo cambió.

it began with my name. as i looked into the eyes of my kindergarten teacher for the first time, all i could make out of her words to me were “maria” with a soft r. my nametag said maria, my classmates called me this name, and suddenly i began to understand that i was not camila here. the sweet and tender name given to me by a maria cristina, uttered by maria belens and maria paulas, an essential marker of my latinidad, was stripped from me in the blink of an eye. Resurgimiento National Spanglish Creative Writing Winner y qué pasa cuando pierdes tu nombre? pues, te conviertes en una persona desconocida. Maria Camila Fredericks, my beautiful language left with camila. within the span of three months, this unfamiliar Undergraduate, Environmental ontology buried her very essence in favor of adding yet another layer of westernization Policy and Decision Making to her body. whether consciously or unconsciously, my defense mechanism became to accept these terms and conditions pushed onto me. that is to say, in trying to locate the person that was newly assigned to me, erasing every part of the obsolete me became crucial. soon, i was introducing myself as maria with a soft r, flinching when my mom spoke to me in spanish, and resisting the features that highlighted my othered-body. mi cultura, y el lenguaje atado a ella, se convirtieron en una fuente de vergüenza y tristeza.

losing my language, name, and culture to the necessity of seeking opportunity elsewhere was no coincidence. i understand this process to be another iteration of a violence that has displaced and stolen from people for hundreds of years. colonization, and its compulsory condition of supremacism, effectively found its way to my everyday, pushing me to renounce my personhood by virtue of upholding a majority. la primera vez que mi cuerpo llegó a profundizar la realidad de la colonización, también fue el primer día que me empecé a descolonizar.

hablar el español ecuatoriano no es simplemente una herramienta; es mi manera de levantar mis raíces del suelo y recuperar mi propia historia. al arrastrar las erres, disminuir cada palabra, y utilizar el lleísmo, otros pueden sentir el mestizaje de mi tierra y oír los cuentos de mis bisabuelos. de mi boca salen los sonidos que me parieron, la riqueza que forma montañas y ríos inmensos y la identidad que se niega a ser reprimida. compartir mi lengua materna resucita a la niña de trenzas hechas por su mami y de saquitos tejidos por su abuelita. despierta a la camila, que siempre ha estado dentro de mí, esperando el gran resurgimiento de esas aguas frías que una vez la hundieron.

el español es el camino hacia mi liberación. es mi fuente de vida.

6 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 7 THE HISPANIC | LATINO IDENTITY PROJECT

Ana Medina Fetterman Alum, Psychology and Italian

8 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 9 he Hispanic/Latino Identity personality were very influenced by 24 students from The Ohio State Project captures the growing up in a multicultural family, University from a variety of experiences of 24 Hispanic but I sometimes felt that I wasn’t backgrounds (The only requirement and/or Latino students Hispanic enough or could not to participate was that students had Tfrom The Ohio State University. As completely identify with individuals to consider themselves to be at a Spanish-American living in the who grew up entirely in a Hispanic least 50% Hispanic and /or Latino). United States, I was compelled to country. Moreover, being a white Some students had moved to the explore the experiences of other Hispanic, I was not exposed to some United States when they were individuals whose identities have of the issues and discrimination younger, some individuals grew been shaped by two—but often that Hispanics of more Amerindian up entirely in the United States conflicting identities—and theirdescent sometimes face in this with two Hispanic parents, and quest in the formation of their own country; it was not uncommon for other individuals were ethnically- sense of self and belonging in me to hear generalized comments mixed. The overall response I multiple communities. about Hispanics without the received was very positive and it commenter realizing there was a was fascinating to hear everyone’s My conceptualization of the project Hispanic in the room. Throughout stories and perspectives. For began with my own experience as the years, in forming my own sense example, I spoke to a student who a Hispanic American woman who of identity, I was often confronted was conceived through the help grew up in Ohio. Although I lived with the question—what makes of an egg donation from a Puerto with my single, American mother someone Hispanic and is there one Rican woman, but whose parents growing up, I regularly visited my singular answer to this question? Is were of Italian and Jewish descent. Spanish-Peruvian family in Spain. there a spectrum to being Hispanic? She spoke to me about trying to be I identify with being both Hispanic an ally in the current sociopolitical and American, but I grew up in a I wanted to speak to other stage given her own privileges. I small community where having individuals who were confronted also spoke to individuals who were two cultural backgrounds was a with the same question or, maybe, black and Hispanic, whether their relatively unique situation. It was not who even knew the answer. Is it African roots were from different uncommon for me to hear remarks speaking Spanish (or Portuguese, sides of their family or from their about why I should or should not, be etc.)? Is it rooted in our biology Latin American background. I able to consider myself Hispanic. or better defined by our cultural wanted to know about these Sometimes, it was because of the experiences? How does the way student’s experiences and how way I look (I am white), sometimes it other’s perceive us impact our own being Hispanic/Latino has shaped was because my friends had never identity, acceptance in different their own perspectives. I wanted to heard me speak Spanish, but, more communities, discrimination we know whether two individuals from often than not, it was because may or may not face, and our overall objectively similar backgrounds people had very generalized ideas experience of being Hispanic and/ could identify in different ways. about the Hispanic community. or Latino in the United States? The Ultimately, I hoped to celebrate There are nearly 21 countries that ultimate goal of my project was to the diversity of the Hispanic and fall under the Hispanic label and put into question the idea of what it Latino communities and highlight about 22 under the Latino label. means to be Hispanic and/or Latino experiences that bring us together. While these terms are often used in the United States and to broaden You can see the full project here: synonymously, some countries the viewer’s notion of the diversity anamedinaphotography.com/hip like Spain--located in Europe--or of these communities. I wanted to Special thanks to Victoria Sevich Suriname, whose official language showcase not just the diversity that for help with interviews and to is Dutch despite its location in occurs in the “melting pot” that is Olivia Nikol and Laura Bentley for Latin America, only fall under one the United States, but is common their assistance with makeup. term. Moreover, countries in Latin among Hispanics and Latinos all America have a strong history, not over the world. Moreover, I also only of colonization and slavery, but wanted to highlight the unique also of immigration, that contribute comradery that occurs among to its racial and ethnic diversity. Hispanics/Latinos and learn more about how we choose to identify. It was difficult sometimes to parse Do others identify more with the out the mixed messages I was word Hispanic or Latino, or with receiving and the lack of complete their specific country of ancestry? belonging that I sometimes felt from any community. That is to say, During the spring of my senior year, my worldview, perspective, and I interviewed and photographed

8 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 9 from scholars and artists from around the Midwest. The celebration was open to the public. SPPO Outreach was extremely excited to bring this cultural event to the greater community of Columbus! Partners for this event included Office of Diversity and Inclusion/LASER, the Center for Latin American Studies, University Libraries, and Latina/o Studies at Ohio State.

HEALTH CARE INITIATIVESS

JUNTOS PARA EL BIENESTAR EN LA DIABETES The Juntos study is an NIH-funded project in its second year of implementation. Under the direction of Dr. Glenn Martinez, Director of the Center for Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, and Dr. Usha Menon of the University of Arizona, this multi- site study aims to improve health outcomes for Hispanic patients with diabetes while improving the Spanish language skills and cultural understanding of Nurse Practitioner students. The study is composed of multiple phases. After taking a course on chronic care management in the Hispanic population, students are linked with Hispanic patients at a local health center who have been newly diagnosed with diabetes. Over the course of six months they coach patients in diabetes management, and within this period the students travel to Honduras for a cultural immersion experience. Through this project, the Juntos team hopes to create a ENGAGING THE LATINX COMMUNITY sustainable educational intervention that will benefit the Hispanic population SPPO INITIATIVES in Central Ohio and throughout the Reyna Esquivel-King, Graduate Student, History Department country.

utreach in the Department vision and energies power our many I.M.P.A.C.T of Spanish and Portuguese areas of engagement. Interpreters for the Medical Profession emphasizes the pedagogical, through Advanced Curriculum and social, and academic value DÍA DE LOS MUERTOSS Teaching. Welcome to the IMPACT Oof partnering with diverse communities website where we cultivate community in the Columbus area and beyond. resources to address language Ohio State SPPO’s Día de los Muertos Signature events include Festival Latino barriers in health care. These are the celebration took place during the in the summer, Día de los Muertos in components of IMPACT: High School first week of November, 2018. The the fall, and our partner luncheon in the and College level coursework in community event included a screening spring. We are composed of Spanish Spanish, Academic and Professional of the filmCoco at the Gateway Film and Portuguese faculty members and mentoring, medical interpreting graduate students from diverse areas Center, calavera poetry, a procession on campus, art exhibits at Hagerty training, medical interpreter internships, of inquiry, as well as a large network national certification of collaborators and volunteers whose Hall and Thompson Library, and visits

10 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 11 SERVICE LEARNINGS

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese Spanish offers the class 5689S as an advanced Spanish language course. The context for the course is the Spanish-speaking communities of Columbus, Ohio. In class, guest speakers from the community discuss their work, life experiences, and career opportunities. Out of class, students go into the community to practice their Spanish skills with native and heritage speakers, and volunteer with community organizations that serve the Latino communities in Columbus. Students have used the course to establish connections with community partners and to gain knowledge and featuring the children and their artwork. EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVESS experience that helped prepare them At the end of the semester, each child for graduate school and future careers. receives a complete storybook at Many students have found that service SEMINARS ABROAD FOR SPANISH a school fiesta celebrating reading, learning is not only rewarding but life SPEAKERS writing, and going to college. The changing. To get involved, contact the The Summer Seminars Abroad for project is organized by Dr. Jill Welch, Committee Chair: Dr. Paloma Martinez Spanish Teachers (SSAST) have been Senior Lecturer at the OSU Dept. of Cruz at [email protected]. offered annually since 1991, moving Spanish and Portuguese. to a different site every two years as a way of presenting as many faces as possible of the Spanish-speaking OHIO HABLA PODCAST world to educators and students of Born out of the oral history project Spanish. Previous locations have about Latin@s in Ohio, Oral Narratives included Mexico (1991-92); Ecuador of Latin@s in Ohio (ONLO). It seeks (1993-94); Costa Rica (1995-96); to amplify the Latin@ experience with Spain (1997-98); Dominican Republic interviews in Spanish, English and (1999-00); Chile (2001-02); Paraguay Spanglish. (2003-04); Guatemala (2005 -06); Bolivia (2007-08); Nicaragua (2009 -10); Argentina (2011-12); Peru (2013-14); Colombia (2015-16); Cuba (2017-18) and the next one is going to be offered in Montevidéu, Uruguay (2019).

COMMUNITY INITIATIVESS

THE BILLINGUAL STORYBOOK PROJECT The project is a partnership between the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and Salem Elementary, Columbus City Schools. Spanish- speaking first and second graders enrolled in ESL at Salem provide artwork and brief bios to OSU students enrolled in Honors Spanish Composition (3403H), who then write stories in Spanish and in English

10 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 11 Putting the Heart in SÕL-CON Creators of Color and Their Colorful Creations George Thomas, Undergraduate, Department of English

I was fortunate enough to spend three days speaking of the tax code to better fund the new public education with the writers and illustrators at this year’s SÕL- system, and more. And I had never heard of it until the CON exhibition, running from Thursday Sept. 27th to day I picked up Elisa y los Mutantes and lost myself Sunday Sept. 30th. After an introduction to some of in the splash of shapes and speech. There were hints, the creators at the Thursday reception, I sat down for too, that the artists’ exposure to the United States came lunch at the campus BIBIBOP with Fernando de Peña, mostly from entertainment and mass media. Half in jest, Rodrigo Vargas, and Constanza “Coni” Yovaniniz, the the trio warned each other away from acting out too co-creators of the graphic novel much in public, lest a random citizen Elisa y los Mutantes. I spent the gun them down in the street like John next hour and a half furiously Wayne in some old wild west flick. scribbling notes as the three At lunch, the conversation revolved talked back and forth about their around their exposure to America’s work, its context in Chilean, and popular media. “The U.S. creates for the international history, as well as U.S.. It’s an international market, but it their own views on the place of international creators in a market produces for itself,” said Fernando. “The so dominated by the United world has a microscope pointed at the States, and especially by white U.S.. The [Chilean] mass media is the Americans. U.S. mass media. U.S. films are Chilean films… Something like 70% of our films are US films.” We chatted on the way to the restaurant about how the event I asked if this extended to the comic was treating them, talked about industry in Chile as well. It turned out the new rentable scooters that the problem was even worse. scattered around Columbus “There’s no scene for it in Chile… it’s a (Coni and Rodrigo managed to hobby. Nobody gets paid for it. We had ride ten uninterrupted feet while sharing one, a task I have yet to a comic book industry, but it died.” He succeed at myself), took pictures paused. “No, not died. It was killed. And with the iconic statue of Brutus you don’t know that unless you read a Buckeye in the Ohio Union, and fucking history book.” jaywalked like proper campus residents. The lack of education about international history, Before the interview had even begun, there were brought to light in my own ignorance about the Chilean moments that spoke volumes to me about just how student protests, turned out to be a widespread wide a divide we were trying to bridge. The entire basis problem. Rodrigo mentioned an episode of the popular of Elisa y los Mutantes was a series of protests in Chile TV show Breaking Bad as an example. “The Chilean in 2011-13, known as the Chilean Winter. The massive character has a flashback at a Chilean university that social uprising was a defining moment in the lives of didn’t exist at the time.” He laughed. “Use Google!” many Chileans, my new friends included. It spelled the end of for-profit universities in the country, an overhaul Fernando brought up the problem of representation

12 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 13 in U.S. mass media, especially given its weight in the global entertainment industry. Most people’s only exposure to other cultures came in the form of entertainment like films and comics. “If Latinos aren’t in the U.S. mass media, they’re just another gringo, you know? If you don’t cross the border, you don’t see it.” He pointed to his own experience trying to get Elisa y los Mutantes published. “They asked me to make the female character more blond, make her whiter, give her bigger… you know… but she was based on Rodrigo’s girlfriend.”

Coni spoke up at this point, taking the topic of international representation even further. “It’s important that we’re starting to mix the U.S. Latinx comic community with the Chilean. They talk about the Latinx experience, but it’s in a U.S. context. There are a lot of different views, and it’s important to have them together, but do they know what’s happening down there?”

The answer, clearly, is that we do not. There’s still an enormous amount of work to be done in bridging the gap between the U.S. and Chile, and between every country. The dream of a truly international community, with all nations given their due representation, is a daunting challenge to be fulfilled, but one that we might just be up to with the help of emerging communication technologies and events like SÕL- CON. The trio put themselves in debt for their first trip to the U.S. in 2014, but every year there’s a little more money for their travel and a Tales from La Vida little more interest in their work. Anthology, edited by Frederick Luis Aldama

Artists and consumers alike stand to gain a great deal from these international exchanges, be they Dr. Aldama presents a collection of works from professional or personal. There are more than 80 Latinx comics creators. The anthology new ideas to share, new stories was released in conjunction with an exhibition to tell, and new perspectives to at Ohio State’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & shape our world with. And I found Museum featuring autobiographic short stories that a final quote in my notes that gave demonstrate the complexities of Latinx identity and me a little hope for the success of life. The exhibition ran November 2018 to March 2019. events like SÕL-CON, written in an TOUR THE unfamiliar hand and signed with EXHIBIT a little doodle of Brutus Buckeye himself.

SÕL-CON is sponsored by Office of Diversity and Inclusion. It was lauched in 2015 by Frederick Aldama. 12 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 13 Buck-I-Dream Ally Training Promotes Support for Dreamers Yolanda Zepeda, Assistant Vice Provost, Office of Diversity and Inclusion

growing communi- DACA and undocumented students found at guides.osu.edu/DACA. ty of allies has com- at Ohio State have expressed a Training sessions to date have mitted to supporting sense of vulnerability and isolation been facilitated by Professor Anna DACA and immigrant because they do not know who Babel and doctoral student Stacey Astudents at Ohio State. Recogniz- they can trust. The ally trainings Alex, both members of the Depart- ing the ambiguity and confusion aim to create a visible community ment of Spanish and Portuguese. around immigration issues, and of support. At present, 118 individ- In order to respond to the grow- the impact that the shifting land- uals across campus have self-iden- ing demand for trainings, the ally tified as DACA-friendly, have com- scape has on the needs of un- group is calling for volunteers who pleted a three-hour training on how documented students, a group of may be interested in supporting to be an ally, and have committed allies has come together to create the training program. Participants to act as resource for DACA and a more welcoming environment. interested in planning sessions undocumented students. All units for their units or facilitating/co-fa- The Buck-I-Dream training pro- are encouraged to participate. gram was launched a year ago cilitating training sessions should In addition to the training, a list re- contact [email protected]. to help members of the campus sources and information around community gain information on DACA is available on the Univer- Ohio State has a DACA Liaison how to support DACA and un- sity Libraries Research Guides who serves as a one-stop resource documented students. The three- site. Upcoming training dates for questions regarding application hour training promotes under- are listed on the website. The questions and financial aid ques- standing about the financial and site also includes a complete tions and any other issues DACA legal realities that students face, list of everyone who has signed students experience while at Ohio and fosters sensitivity regarding an ally contract. This resource State. Dr. Todd Suddeth can be the social and emotional stress- can help students seeking assis- reached at [email protected]. ors associated with their status. tance The Research Guide can be

DACA Resources for students and allies

Contribute to the DACA Support Fund!

• Visit giveto.osu.edu • Select Fund # 314540

This fund supports financial aid and programming for students under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program or students who otherwise meet DACA eligibility requirements.

14 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 15 "Sometimes it feels like I’m an outsider in a niche group… It feels like I’m not accepted anywhere. With people of color, I’m gay. With gay people, I’m a person of color. I’m always different even when I’m around people who I’m supposed to be like. It’s hard to find your people." - David Watson (pseudonym)

As I sat across from me. Keeping this in mind, OSU’s communities of color. Therefore, an undergraduate status as a PWI can make students these communities must question student that I was feel isolated and as though they whose needs they are centering. interviewing for do not belong. Moreover, when When queer student organizations, a study on queer an individual identifies as queer in for example, do not intentionally students of color, addition to being a person of color, think about the role that race I could hear the these sentiments are most likely plays in how some experience

raw vulnerability in amplified due to heteronormative their sexuality, these groups can his voice. In this moment, beliefs that typically permeates overlook and marginalize queer David (a pseudonym) described societal discourses. In my own students of color. The same goes an experience that many queer research on queer students of for spaces that center on racial people of color face during color at PWIs, participants have equity. college. Identifying as a member of described this phenomenon as multiple oppressed groups, queer being “a rainbow bead in a sea of However, it is imperative to collegians of color frequently have white.” In fact, in a recent study, highlight that barriers do not define a difficult time finding communities Nicole (a pseudonym) took the queer people of color. In looking that embrace all of their identities, following picture to depict how it felt at LGBTQ history, it is oftentimes especially at predominantly white to be a QPOC at her institution.What queer and transgender people of campuses (see Duran, 2018). Yet, these beads showcase is that queer color (namely trans women of color) when queer people of color (QPOC) people of color are minoritized by who have fought for liberation forge bonds, these spaces can be nature of their race and sexuality. against a racist and heterosexist empowering in beautiful ways. To Yet, Nicole also mentioned that society. The resilience that queer show the multifaceted realities of this image functions in multiple students of color practice on being a queer individual of color in ways. While it did describe her campuses is notable. Furthermore, college, this article discusses some overall view on campus, it similarly queer people of color frequently of the barriers that these collegians communicated how she felt in create bonds with others who encounter while also illuminating queer spaces. Narratives from embrace their identities, generating their resilience at predominantly queer students of color indicate counterspaces on campus that Graduate Student, Higher Education and Student Affairs Student Student,Graduate and Education Higher white institutions (PWIs). that these collegians can face value students’ individuality. Thus, oppressive environments in their colleges must address the barriers As a queer Latino man myself, I own marginalized communities. that queer students of color regularly walk through campus In other words, these individuals encounter, while also continuing and go an entire day without encounter racism in queer spaces to tap into their resilience and

Exploring the Experience of Queer People of Color on Campus on Color of People Queer of Experience the Exploring seeing someone who looks like and may confront homophobia in worldmaking. Antonio Duran, Antonio

14 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 15 Knit Multimedia artist Ben Cuevas created Knit PreEP, a sculptural work commissioned for the Visual AIDS trading cards series. is It a project intendedawareness to raise around HIV/AIDS advocacy and promote safe practices. PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. An antiretroviral, theto blue prevent pill is taken HIV daily infection.

16 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 17 16

quepasa.osu.edu PrEP The Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies recently invited Cuevas to campus. The artist discussed influences of feminist and queer theory in his works, and described the process of knitting through which he leaves "vestiges of his body," a racialized queer body of color, in the works that he creates.

Spring ’19 Spring 17 image credit | bencuevas.com

have a body, to inhabit a body, sat, nude, and knitted a flesh-colored “I leave to be a body incarnated in, and body suit. interacting with this world. “ Notions of care and healing are also evident throughout Cuevas’ my body Cuevas learned to knit as a hobby, but works. His installation, “Hospital he soon recognized the possibilities Room” displayed knitted sculptures that the meditative practice offered representing the seven chakras, or in every for creative expression. Gendered energy centers in our bodies. The notions associated with the craft and work contrasts soft, yarn bodies the intimacy required to create knitted against hard steel and glass surfaces stitch” garments, the sculptural possibilities, of the antiseptic hospital space. The and the intricacies of stitching all “Waiting Room” includes distorted provided rich inspiration for fine art. Yolanda Zepeda audio recordings from several medical Cuevas creates anatomically-accurate Assistant Vice Provost waiting rooms where Cuevas sat knitted sculptures that reference knitting hearts. The hearts were then Office of Diversity and Inclusion discourse on the body. For example, suspended in bell jars in the installation. “Masculine/feminine” is a two-person, en Cuevas is a fascinating, “Medicine Cabinets” features knitted multi-media artist whose works knitted bodysuit that masterfully sculptures of the five most popular explore and challenge traditional intertwines gendered ideas while psychoactive pharmaceuticals. They B upending traditional, gendered notions of body, sexuality and gender. were presented inside of medicine Based in Los Angeles, Cuevas’ art expectations. The “feminine” side cabinets/display cases with wallpaper of the bodysuit is contoured for a forms span fiber arts, performance, backgrounds that were fashioned female body, and the “masculine” and multi-media installations that from the pattern of each drug’s side is contoured for a male body. incorporate photography, video chemical structure. Both sides feature piecemeal designs and sound. His art is influenced by and stitches that reference male and These are only a few examples feminist, queer theory and notions female anatomy. The artist explained of Ben Cuevas’s fascinating art. of identity, specifically his identity as in a recent lecture at Ohio State, Many of his works can be viewed queer, male-bodied, Latinx, and HIV- “As persons we are all a patchwork online at bencuevas.com or his blog positive: of feminine aspects and masculine bencuevas.wordpress.com. For the aspects.” Similar themes questioning knitters out there, visit the Official Ben “I see my work as a reflection gendered expectations are echoed in Cuevas Store where you can support of the condition of embodiment: the performance piece, “Man’s Body, his work and get a pattern to knit your exploring the intersections of the Woman’s Work,” a 40-hour, weeklong very own Mini Skulls. mind and body, what it means to performance during which Cuevas

18 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 19 The Soothing Power of Culture Evelin Nuñez-Rodríguez, undergraduate, English

Why in my nose? What about the warning label? Will it work? My doubts never phased Má. Used for heart break, bruised knees, or crippling cough, the prescription of the past is what works the best.

In a layer of Eucalyptuoil and Menthol, Má packs a prayer and a promise. Con fe, siempre.

image credit | thesupermomlife.com | remembering my childhood with vicks vaporub

When I was younger I hated being sick. I was scared to tell my mother about my symptoms because I knew what was coming. My mother would give me medicine and take me to the doctor when I needed it. She would be on me like clockwork and make sure I drank every drop. But for good measure she would always rub Vicks on me. It was a routine that I did not learn but knew. I would sit in front of her and let her baptize me. Now, I carry a small jar with me in my bookbag. It is a cure-all for everything. My love for Vicks grew when I left home and came to college. I remember the first time I was sick here at OSU. I was on the phone with my mother her advice before I even told her my symptoms was. “Ponte Vicks.” Desperate for relief from the nasty cold and homesickness, I listened. Looking back, I was being cured with the best medicine my mother could provide, faith and Vicks.

Evelin is a Young Scholar who will graduate in May with Research Distinction. She looks forward to starting a master’s degree program in Higher Education Student Affairs this fall.

18 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 19 LOS PODERES CURATIVOS DEL ARTE

Arin Janae Perkins, Sociology Department

el racismo y las injusticias, enfrentar las injusticias también. La es a través del arte. El arte experiencia del racismo no tiene ilumina un problema que límites, y es necesario entablar muchos ignoran, ya que es un conversaciones de todo tipo— modo creativo de transmitir incluso a través del arte—para sentimientos e ideas a otros. mejorar las vidas de todas de las Es obvio que el mundo tiene comunidades de minoria. aspectos malos y buenos. En Aunque pinto las injusticias de los mi caso, con mis creaciones, afroamericanos, yo pinto la belleza yo muestro las situaciones también. En la cultura popular, malas para comentar y muchas personas con piel negra reflejar sobre ellas. Porno son representada, así que ejemplo, pinté un cuadro que pinto para mostrar que nosotros Trevon Martin. Sandra Bland. refleja las muertes de personas somos bellos y somos más que Todos son Philando Castile. negras por la policía. En esta nuestros problemas y estereotipos. víctimas del poder del racismo fatal pintura hay un hombre negro con El arte es una buena manera para que está infiltrando la sociedad de agujeros de balas y él está rodeado expresarse, yo lo uso para soltar los Estados Unidos. Arin Perkins de las “razones” por su muerte. Si mis frustraciones de vivir como puede ser el próximo nombre en una persona habla de la opresión, una negra en los Estados Unidos. esta lista porque nací con la piel podemos confrontarla. Creo arte Además, el proceso de creación negra y por eso no puedo callarme. con un propósito y mensaje, y calma mi ansiedad y funciona como El silencio en este tema significa la recalco temas importantes como un escape del estrés y el colegio. muerte de muchas personas, más los problemas sociales. Además, Al principio pinté porque disfrutaba aún, no tiene sentido o un lugar este tipo de problema racial no sólo dibujar, sin embargo, ahora pinto para mí y otros. A veces, me piden en nuestra sociedad moderna. afectan a los afroamericanos, la que pinte algo para ellos, es decir, Una manera para luchar contra comunidad latina entera tiene que yo vendo mis pinturas. Me hace feliz cuando otros quieren mis obras. Pongo mucho tiempo y tengo mucho orgullo en cada obra y cuando las personas lo aprecian me siento alegre. Un ejemplo de eso es cuando mis pinturas estan en una galería en Columbus. Espero que en el futuro pueda asistir a más galerías y mostrar mi arte al mundo. Pero no quiero que el arte sea mi primer modo de vivir. Hay una frase que dice: una persona debe tener un pasatiempo que le mantenga creativo, uno donde gana dinero y le mantenga en forma. Para mí, el arte hace dos de estas tres cosas.

20 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 21 photo credit | georgeoze.com Finding My Home in Puerto Rico Victor Tenorio, Undergraduate, Health Sciences Program

This past winter break I was able island had to offer. My group stayed amazing views of the ocean. El to experience something I never in a hotel located in Old San Juan. Yunque was simply breathtaking, thought would be possible. I went This part of the island was so great everything was such a vibrant on a week-long trip to the beautiful for experiencing the traditional green. There was so much life in island of Puerto Rico with a group of foods in my culture. On the first the forest even after Hurricane amazing people. Both of my parents night, I went to a small restaurant Maria. It offered multiple waterfalls are Puerto Rican, but neither where I ordered arroz blanco y and selfie opportunities. has been to the island that their habichuelas con chuletas. I instantly parents were born on. Because of felt like I was back at home eating Overall the course of the week, I this, I felt incredibly grateful to be my mom’s cooking. Experiencing was able to explore and experience experiencing some of what the traditional foods in Puerto Rico was so much that I fell in love with Puerto one of the highlights of my trip. Rico. I understood why my tías travel It made me feel connected to my back to the island so frequently. culture and family. There are no words for how it feels to be in a place that encompasses I was able to learn more about the everything you were taught and history of Old San Juan through a experienced since you were born. walking food tour. This provided This experience has helped me me with a deeper understanding become more comfortable with my of how life was like in the past. “boricua-ness.” Now, I cannot wait Also, it offered an excuse to eat to travel to Puerto Rico with my more of the amazing foods. parents and siblings. I am certain they will fall in love with Puerto I was able to tour historical sites, Rico, as well. such as El Morro and El Yunque Victor Tenorio is a Young Scholar in his second rainforest. Before my trip, my year. He traveled to Puerto Rico with “Se Abuela tried to explain to me Levanta,” the MUNDO Puerto Rico Experience what both of these sites were 2018. MUNDO is a Residence Life initiative and student organization for students who want to like, but nothing she said could learn about and become involved with social prepare me for how beautiful change at the local, national and global level using service, learning, and leadership. Tenorio these places were. El Morro was is on the executive board for MUNDO, serving so rich in history and offered as the Action Team Leader. Learn more about MUNDO at http://involvedliving.osu.edu/mundo

20 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 21 achieve their dreams. Dr. Michael Chema founded the Dr. Marjorie Josephine Cram Chema Memorial Scholarship in hopes of creating new opportunities for graduating Puerto Rican high schoolers to attend The Ohio State University.

The scholarship was first awarded for the 2016- 2017 academic year. Maria Barreras, studying Biology, and Luis Cardona, studying Finance, were the first two recipients. Laura Tavera, who Dr. Chema affectionately calls Laurita, is studying Animal Sciences and was the recipient for 2017-2018. This year, Michelle Ouviña, studying Biology, received the scholarship. All four students are incredibly grateful to both Dr. Chema and Dr. Cram for the opportunity they have been given and hope to give similar opportunities to other students in the future.

From his adopted home of Puerto Rico, Dr. Chema cheers on his honorees in their endeavors. Marji watches over all of them, happy that they are reaching for their dreams.

This story highlights the necessity for Ohio State graduates to give back to their communities, to help those who might not have otherwise had the ability to attend. Through those opportunities, they create even more Dr. Michael Chema and Dr. Marjorie Cram’s love story is like a fairy tale. They met on a opportunities for a better, brighter future. plane to Columbus when they were assigned seats next to one another. When he boarded, ¿Qué Pasa? reached out to Dr. Michael Chema to Dr. Chema found someone else was sitting in get his perspective on the Dr. Marjorie Josephine the seat assigned to him, but rather than move, Cram Chema Memorial Scholarship and the he insisted on keeping the seat. The following impact it has on the students it helps: decades were a love story for the ages. Marji, as Dr. Chema affectionally called her, was amazing "In the fall of 1969, Marjorie and I met on a flight to him. “She was a marvel,” he says, “a lover of to Columbus, both campus bound, dated and horses and horse riding, a master gardener and subsequently, in 1971, graduated with our BS Degrees a girlfriend who married me with a Cracker Jack from Ohio State and married. As we planned our financial future, both of us were determined and eager arlos Berríos Polanco, Undergraduate, English Undergraduate, Polanco, Berríos arlos engagement ring.”

C to help students afford an Ohio State education from Marjorie's home of Puerto Rico. Consequently, this Dr. Chema always wanted to be a dentist, ever scholarship not only honors Dr Marjorie Cram Chema since he was a kid, and he chose The Ohio State but also highlights the joy created by helping other University for his undergraduate studies. Dr. high school graduates from Puerto Rico experience Cram was a microbiology student who applied the fantastic opportunities that are offered at The for the dental aptitude test off an impulse Ohio State University. I'm honored and love assisting and got in. Afterwards, they both gained their our future Buckeye Alumni from my adopted home of Doctorate of Dental Surgery Degrees from the Puerto Rico.

Giving Back: From Students to Scholarship Sponsors Scholarship to Students From Giving Back: Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. Sadly, Paying Forward! O-H Dr. Marjorie Cram died of lung cancer in 2015. The couple were always keen to help students -Dr. Michael Chema

22 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 23 My Stone Lab Experience Adrián Rodríguez, Undergraduate, Psychology

first learned about Stone the research. I can safely say that, over I Laboratory while walking through the course of my time on Gibraltar, I my residence hall. There was always made very strong friendships and a poster right by the elevator talking shared in some unforgettable and about OSU’s island campus, and novel learning experiences. what an exciting and new experience it would be. I had always loved, and Personally, I can say that I got was fascinated by, all flora and fauna. help your professors write down the very much out of my stay at Stone Initially, I put it off, but my sophomore official information of each subject in Laboratory. Academically, I learned year, I decided to give it a shot. Once their data study, which was very cool. new information about topics I I applied, and got in, then started the had only scratched the surface adventure. I made the long trip to Put- On top of this you also make long of, and I was able to take part in In-Bay Ohio, where I took several boat lasting friendships. On the island, real-world natural observation and trips to finally make it to the famed you have the opportunity to meet categorization. I also learned new island of Gibraltar. Shortly after, my people of all different backgrounds, laboratory testing methods for various classes began (I was taking evolution personalities, and interests. and ecology). They were intense, kinds experiments and was able to Essentially, you are on the island with but I learned a lot nonetheless. enjoy nature in its truest, purest from. My favorite parts about Stone Lab, only these people (and faculty) for I can also safely say that I created however, were the field trips. We the entirety of five weeks. However, relationships which have the potential would wake up early and take boat every so often, we would get others to last forever. Stone Laboratory was rides to different islands all over Lake on the island as well. For example, an incredible experience and I would Erie to find, study, and categorize every Thursday night, there were definitely recommend it to anyone animals and plants. Some included guest lectures given by leading who has similar interests or would around twenty different species of researchers of certain fields and of like the opportunity of making new birds, three species of salamanders, different areas all over Ohio. I learned and exciting memories which will last and over 15 different species of fish. new information and was able to hear a lifetime. In addition, you were also able to it from the people actually conducting 22 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 23 Ohio State SACNAS @SACNAS_OSU

Melisa Diaz is a PhD student in the School of Earth Sciences (SES) and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. She studies polar geochemistry, specifically surface processes of ice-free areas in Antarctica using stable and radiogenic isotopes. She is currently the President of the Ohio State SACNAS Chapter and the Treasurer for the SES Graduate Student Club. Originally from Massachusetts, Melisa is an avid juggler, a climber, and a lover of cats.

Miguel A. Lopez Jr. was born in Mexico City, raised in Los Angeles, and graduated high school in Newark, Ohio. He is currently the Vice- President of the Ohio State SACNAS Chapter, mentor for the Discovery PREP program, and a YALE Ciencias fellow. Miguel is starting his 3rd year in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program as a newly minted Ph.D. candidate. Miguel studies retroviruses, such as HIV, but more specifically he focuses on the integration step of the retroviral life cycle. When not in lab, Miguel enjoys spending time with his family, enjoying the latest movie release, and cycling on Columbus’ bike trails.

Gaby Torrini is a third-year undergraduate in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is double major in Astronomy &

About our officers... Astrophysics and Spanish. Her interests include science communication and education, solar physics, and planetary science. In addition, Gaby is a Morrill Scholar, the president of the undergraduate Astronomical Society, and the social media officer for SACNAS. Outside of class, Gaby enjoys listening to Crooked Media podcasts, reading Spanish language poetry, and getting hooked on the latest true crime series to hit Netflix.

"I met a diverse group of scientists from all STEM fields and different parts of the world at the 2018 SACNAS Conference. My favorite parts were the poster sessions, where I talked with other students about their research. Talks ranged from becoming a resilient student to the ethics of authorship in research papers. Overall, the conference was an extremely positive experience for me and my career." Adolfo Calero

"Good morning Bucknistas and Twitter world! Today I'm taking over the Twitter LIVE from the Magliery lab. My name is Ally Langley and I'm a 4th chemistry PhD candidate, Manipulator of proteins, Student of biochemistry, and Lover of life. No PPE required for this journey!" ... in their words! their in ...

24 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 25 ODI Team at U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute’s National Conference Lauren Lopez, Latinx Student Success Coordinator, Office of Diversity and Inclusion

On Valentine’s Day, Thursday, attending or had already completed February 14, 2019, ten students and college. Most conference participants two staff members from the Office are or will become influential Hispanic of Diversity and Inclusion traveled to leaders of their generation and will Chicago, Illinois for the U.S. Hispanic help govern our cities, schools, states Leadership Institute’s (USHLI) 37th and, indeed, a nation that will become Annual National Conference. These 25% Hispanic during their lifetime (Pew ten students were chosen specifically Research Center, 2017). based on their thoughtful leadership across the Latinx community at Ohio Throughout the conference, our group State. met each night to discuss the experience. Many of the students shared sentiments Established in 1982, the USHLI of pride and appreciation, saying how Conference has become the premier exciting it was to be in Chicago and Hispanic leadership conference in with so many Latinx individuals. Some the nation. Conference participants even saying they had never been in a attend from all over the country room of so many professionally dressed representing various levels of students and leadership who looked leadership within our community like them. and coming from diverse Latinx backgrounds. Each year over 6,500 Isabelle Castillo-Anderson, Latinx leaders convene in Chicago for four Student Success student assistant and days over a common goal of uplifting COO of the University-wide Council of the national Latinx community Latinx Organizations (UCLO), has been through leadership development and excited since she heard about Former civic engagement. Congressman Beto O’Rourke attending on January 31, 2019. After she received This year’s conference theme was the email, she immediately shared the “Defend Democracy: Aqui y Ahora.” announcement with the rest of the It was an excellent opportunity group attaching images of excitement. for students and staff to meet Isabelle, who grew up in Texas, had recruiters, national policy-makers, been excited about Beto O’Rourke and network with future employers. since his attempt at a congressional The conference brought participants run earlier that academic year. When together to develop and strengthen she came into the office later that day, their leadership skills. Participants she could not stop talking about how heard nationally prominent speakers she was going to be ordering business and workshop presenters such as cards and a new professional outfit so Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz of San she could introduce herself to him at the Juan, Puerto Rico, and Former conference. Congressman Beto O’Rourke of Texas. Over the span of the four Stories like Isabelle’s are what make days, the students attended a series trips to conferences like this so of forums, seminars, and workshops important for the students in the Latinx all focused on developing their community here at Ohio State. Last leadership skills with a focus on civic year, we were only able to take two and community engagement. students to the USHLI conference and this year we were so fortunate to take According to a survey of participants ten. The Latinx Student Success team is given by USHLI in 2018, it was looking forward to continuing this new found that 89% of participants tradition and helping our students find were between 18-34 years of age, themselves in the extraordinary leaders 63% were women, and 85% were of our nation.

24 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 25 Institute on Teaching and Mentoring Reyna Esquivel-King, PhD Candidate, Department of History

This past fall I had the privilege to attend the Institute school to negotiating your first faculty position. Faculty on Teaching and Learning, presented by the South- and staff from a variety of fields and positions head the ern Regional Education Board (SREB). The Institute sessions and are there to answer any questions the on Teaching and Mentoring “is the largest gathering participants may have. of underrepresented minority Ph.D. scholars in the country. For over 24 years, the Institute has provided The Institute took place October 25-28, 2018 at the workshops, recruitment and networking opportunities Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. The first day to enhance the professional development of the Ph.D. consisted of registration and then orientation. It was scholars with effective tools to be successful as faculty wonderful to walk in and see so many academics of in post-secondary institutions. The goal of the Institute color especially women. For once, I felt like I belonged is to provide a safe environment for doctoral scholars at a larger conference. Usually the history conferences to share insights and survival tips for success in grad- and institutes I attend are made up of mostly white uate work, build community among themselves and men. So it was great to actually fit in! Friday was faculty representatives, and enrich their research and the first day of workshops and sessions. Since this teaching strategies.” The Institute provides several semester I am finishing up my dissertation and on the workshops and other sessions geared towards all lev- job market, I decided to attend “Negotiating Your First els of graduate education, from applying to graduate Faculty Position.” Being a first generation academic, I had no idea what to expect in the job-offering stage. This session gave me valuable information on what questions to ask and what I could request from a university or college when negotiating the acceptance of a position. During the second day, I went to the “Notes from a Search Committee Chair,” which helped me understand the entire search process and how to provide a successful interview, both a web interview and in-person. I learned the proper questions to ask and how to impress the search committee. Again, very helpful for me!

The most important part of this conference; however, was the networking and socializing with other graduate students of color. In my department, I am one of very few minorities, so I do not see many other students like me in my classes or at department functions. It was wonderful to talk with other student of color and air my frustrations and accomplishments as a minority in academia. The other OSU students and I gathered out in the lobby of the hotel on Friday night and had a long conversation about being a person of color in academia and all the challenges we face. It was very therapeutic and refreshing to, finally, have people understand my frustrations. I learned I was not alone and I could make it through with the wonderful support of my colleagues!

26 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 27 Alpha Psi Lambda Celebrates Founder’s Week Ayanna Williams, Undergraduate Student, Social Work

Alpha Psi Lambda National Inc.— fundraiser for the members to host the nation’s first and largest co-ed future events for other students on Latino fraternity— was founded at campus and to raise money to send The Ohio State University in 1985 at least two active members to our and is one of the longest standing annual National Conference! Latinx organizations on campus. The Gala was a very important The fraternity now has 33 Chapters event to us, as one of Alpha and 7 Affiliate Chapters in 16 states Psi Lambda’s co-founders Juan with over 3,100 members. There Casimiro, agreed to attend the Gala is much pride in being a member and serve as a keynote speaker! of Alpha Psi Lambda National Juan Casimiro is someone who we Inc., which was founded with the are very proud to call our brother, mission to promote continued as he has achieved and created personal and collective growth so much after graduating with a of our membership, success and degree in Social Work. He has unity through education, cultural helped create more than just our than 500,000 children and young awareness, and community service, fraternity, as he has also created adults throughout the world. Mr. as well as advocating for the needs the Casimiro Global Foundation, Casimiro’s visit was sponsored by and concerns of the Latinx students. a non-profit organization thatthe Office of Diversity and Inclusion Alpha Psi Lambda National Inc. was fights for the empowerment and which also hosted an open founded on February 11, 1985 and development of the youth through luncheon, giving other students a in honor of its 34th anniversary, the leadership, community service, and chance to meet with him and learn undergraduate brothers and sisters passion. Through this foundation, his secrets to success. at Ohio State hosted a formal Gala. he has provided scholarships, As you can tell, we are very proud of The Gala’s purpose was to bring internships, and leadership one of our many founders of Alpha together siblings from near and opportunities to many young adults. Psi Lambda, and we are so happy far, as well as family and friends, He is also the founder of another that we had the honor to meet with in order to celebrate the week youth empowerment program him. Thank you to everyone who that Alpha Psi Lambda National, known as Biznovator. Biznovator attended, and helped with our Gala, Inc. was officially recognized and is program that assists youth in as we could not have had such a founded. It was truly a special night, gaining the skills to launch their successful night without you! as there was music, dancing, and own business or develop social Visit us on FB at go.osu.edu/ most importantly, memories for a innovation strategies. Through both ApsiOSU lifetime. This night also served as a organizations, he has helped more

26 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 27 OSU Partners with Ohio Latino Affairs for Latino Education Reyna Esquivel-King, PhD Candidate, Ana’s interest in teaching was ignited during her summers Department of History when she worked as a Teacher Assistant at a Montessori camp. Her desire to pursue a career in education was reinforced by her deep passion for service to others. In high school, she served as president of Interact, a service Ana Sofia Alvarez-Mena club sponsored by the Rotary Club. First-year student, Special The organization encourages Education The Ohio State Office of the development of leadership skills through meaningful service Diversity and Inclusion “As I was growing up, giving back projects. Ana’s efforts included to my community fulfilled me and hosted the 2018 Ohio preparing and delivering monthly inspired me to continue making a food packages to the homeless Latino Education Summit difference.” on November 9, 2018. and fundraisers for particular causes such as providing school Ana is the recipient of the 2018 supplies for a child in Colombia. Ohio Latinx Scholarship Award, a Themed “Empowering scholarship granted by the Office Ana points to the value of personal of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) that Teachers, Building integrity and demonstrating care grew out of collaborations with the Pipelines for inclusive for others that her experiences Ohio Latino Affairs Commission. taught her, and she emphasizes Education,” the Summit Ana comes to Ohio State from her her appreciation for individual hometown of San Juan, Puerto addressed strategies for responsibility and hard work. Her Rico where served as high school perseverance was challenged diversifying the teaching class vice president and excelled Hurricane Maria disrupted her on her school’s swim team. Ana pool in Ohio and for college admissions plans, but is pursuing a degree in Special incorporating inclusive Ana persisted and has made a Education, with aspirations to successful transition to Ohio State teaching practices in work with elementary to middle where she is enjoying new friends, school children who have special teacher preparation new challenges and lots of new needs. programs. Professor accomplishments. Glenn Martinez, Director of the Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Ohio State, delivered the keynote address.

Two members of the Ohio State community were recognized at the event for their achievements supporting educational inclusion.

Ana Sophia and Lauren Lopez

28 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 29 Dr. Patricia Enciso Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning

THE PREMIO LA CUMBRE RECOGNIZES A CHAMPION FOR LATINO EDUCATION WHO

Dr. Patricia Enciso was presented the - Demonstrates a steadfast commitment to improving the 2018 Premio La Cumbre (Summit educational attainment of Ohio’s Hispanic students Award), recognizing her distinguished - Creates a compelling vision for the future of education record of research and advocacy. The award is presented annually to an and helps others understand their role in achieving it education leader whose professional - Inspires Latino students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn and scholarly works seek to remove - Plays an active and useful role in the community as well as the school barriers and create opportunities for - Has the respect and admiration of students, parents and the community Latinx empowerment in Ohio. - Is committed to promoting culturally competent practices in the classroom

Yolanda Zepeda, assistant vice provost better place because of her.” equitable relations and deeper for diversity and inclusion, presented Dr. Enciso is professor of Literature understanding, across texts, among the award. “I have long admired and for Children and Young Adults in people and within institutions. appreciated Dr. Enciso’s ongoing commitment to creating welcoming the Department of Teaching and As a fourth/fifth grade classroom and supportive spaces for Latinx Learning. She also is affiliated with teacher and co-teacher/researcher students and colleagues at Ohio the Adolescent, Post-Secondary and in language arts middle grade State,” said Zepeda. “She has led and Community Literacies; Dramatic and classrooms, she has more than 20 years contributed ongoing support to our Arts-based Research in Teaching and of experience in teaching literature in Latina/o Studies program, and has Learning; and Language, Education school settings. Her research focuses advocated for Latinx success through and Society specializations. Her on youth and teachers’ understanding her work with Faculty Senate, the research and teaching grow out of a and practices of equity, imagination Hispanic Oversight Committee, and the lifelong interest in the ways drama, the and engagement in literary reading ODI Executive Council. Ohio State is a arts and literature contribute to more and everyday storytelling.

Foulis joins Ohio Latino Affairs Commission

Dr. Elena Foulis, Department of Spanish American Literature and a Ph.D. in working on a digital oral history project and Portuguese, was appointed Comparative Literature and Cultural about Latin@s in Ohio, which is being to the Ohio Latino Affairs Board of Studies. Her research and teaching archived at the Center for Folkore Commissioners by the Governor of Ohio interests include U.S. Latina/o Studies' internet collection. this autumn. The Board is comprised of literature, and Digital Oral History. aeleven members appointed to serve Dr. Foulis currently teaches courses Dr. Foulis joins Ohio State colleague as liaisons to the community, bringing in service-learning and Spanish for Beth Guzman-Bowman on the board. forward issues, concerns and needs of Heritage Speakers at Ohio State. Her Commissioner Guzman-Bowman is constituents while helping government articles explore Latin@ voices through Secretary of the Commission, and also to access the community to share their oral history, oral history as participatory serves as Senior Outreach Coordinator thoughts and services. pedagogy in service-learning at the Ohio State University Wexner classrooms, identity and place through Medical Center. For more information linguistic landscape and ethnography Dr. Foulis has over 16 years of about the Ohio Latino Affairs as a useful tool in advanced heritage experience in higher education. She Commission visit https://ochla.ohio. language writing courses. Dr. Foulis is holds degrees in Spanish and Latin gov/ 28 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 29 Congratulations to Dr. Juan Alfonzo, AAAS Fellow

Dr. Juan Alfonzo, Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor and professor of microbiology, was elected this year as Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Fellows are selected by their academic peers for this recognition. It is considered one of the most prestigious honors given to U.S. scientists. He was selected for distinguished contributions to the field of molecular parasitology and RNA biochemistry, using cellular and biochemical approaches to elucidate mechanisms of tRNA editing and modification.

Dr. Alfonzo also serves as director of Ohio State’s Center for RNA Biology. The Center houses the single largest group of RNA experts in the country – more than 200 faculty, staff, students and postdocs representing biology, medicine, agriculture, mathematics, physics and chemistry.

30 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 31 Graduates Autumn 2018 Associates Degrees Clarke, Molly. Architecture Zaragoza-Rivera, Yadetsie. Biomedical Eng Arredondo, Carmen. Associate of Arts Colon, Katalina. Educational Stds Zayas-Navarrete, Alina. Social Work , Michelle. Master Business Administration Avila, Hannah. Associate of Arts Corrado Zorrilla Rodriguez, Ane. Spanish & Portuguese , Marcell. Educational Stds Brown, Alyssa. Associate of Arts Crawford Zuniga, Brenda. Genetic Counseling Cuevas Santamaria, Sergio. Master of Fine Arts Carrillo, Manuel. Associate of Science Davila-Martin, Liane. Master of Public Health Cruz, Luz. Associate of Arts Doctoral Degrees Delgado, Emilie. Social Work Fagan, Summer. Associate of Arts Adkins, Alek. Doctor of Medicine Escobar, Caty. Appl Clinical&Preclncl Rsrch Gormley, Collin. Associate of Arts Aguilar, Rebecca. Doctor Veterinary Medicine Espinales Correa, Tania. Spanish & Portuguese Martinez Guerra, Jessi. Associate of Science Angel, Stephanie. Doctor of Medicine Fernandez Puentes, Isabel. Electrical and Computer Eng Orellana, Abby. Associate of Arts Badal, Bryan. Doctor of Medicine Funk, Melissa. Educational Stds Pangalangan, Tabitha. Associate of Arts Baum, Steven. Doctor of Medicine Gilabert, Brittney. Social Work Ramirez, Joshua. Associate of Arts Bisnath, Aaron. Doctor of Pharmacy Godina, Sara. Master of Public Health Romero, Julio. Associate of Arts Carrier, Lauren. Doctor of Medicine Gomez Ramirez, Ana Maria. Appl Clinical&Preclncl Rsrch Rosario, Erika. Associate of Arts Caspary, Andrea. Doctor Veterinary Medicine Grace, Evelyn. Educational Stds Chaparro, Francisco. Doctor of Philosophy Bachelors Degrees Graiff Garcia, Ricardo. Political Science Cherniavsky, Lisbet. Doctor of Dental Surgery Granger, Sherwin. Social Work Coles, Sara. Doctor of Medicine Aguilla, Martha. Human Nutrition Guzman, Joseph. Sociology Corrado, Michelle. Doctor of Medicine Ahumada, Francisco. Bachelor of Science Hernandez, Abel. Master of Fine Arts Cuollo, Eva. Juris Doctor Alvarez, Javier. Human Dev. & Family Science Hill, Ronald. Master Business Administration Darnley, James. Doctor of Medicine Arellano, Diego. Bachelor of Arts Hodgdon, Barbara. Human Development and Family Delacruz, Nicolas. Doctor of Medicine Armola, Samantha. Communication Science Dwyer, Carolina. Doctor Veterinary Medicine Baneux, Julien. Finance Holm, Federico. Environment&Natural Resources Elizalde, Eliana. Juris Doctor Baro, Eddy. Psycology Huling, Grant. City & Regional Planning Ferguson, Alexandra. Doctor of Medicine Bedee, David. Sociology Irizarry, Arielle. English Flores, Carlos. Juris Doctor Brantingham, Luke. Electrical and Computer Engineering Johnson-Eusebio, Alejandro. Electrical and Computer Eng Francus, Andrew. Juris Doctor Cahill, Jordan. Communication Kender, Allison. Master Business Administration Freeman, Megan. Doctor Veterinary Medicine Cameron, Alexis. Microbiology Lamberti Nunes, Luana. Spanish & Portuguese Galang, Kristopher. Doctor Veterinary Medicine Cardenas, Maria. Bachelor of Arts Lara, Benito. Master of Fine Arts Galo, Jason. Doctor of Medicine Castillo, Gloria. Political Science Laurel, Mallory. Master of Fine Arts Hammons, Christina. Doctor Veterinary Medicine Chahine, Christina. Finance Leibas, Adrian. Nursing Hauff, Stacey. Juris Doctor Chavez, Francisco. Criminology and Criminal Justice Leiva Soto, Andrea. Horticulture and Crop Sc Hindiyeh, Mohammed. Doctor of Medicine Clark, Alexis. Speech and Hearing Science Lima Coelho Sampaio, Jacqueline. Portuguese Keeton, Gabriela. Doctor of Medicine Colon, Tyler. Studio Art Lopes Gemelli, Cesar. Portuguese Kunkel, Deborah. PhD, Statistics Coppler, Chelsea. English Lucas, Erica. Nursing Lee, Alexander. Doctor of Dental Surgery Costa, Manuara. Industrial and Systems Engineering Machado-Grajales, Alejandra. Social Work Leigh, Sara. Juris Doctor Costilla, Caleb. Food, Agricultural and Biological Maginnity, Paul. Landscape Architecture Engineering Lopez, Javier. Juris Doctor Martinez, Reece. Mechanical Engineering Donatini, Kevin. Logistics Management Massa, Natalie. Doctor of Dental Surgery Medina, Andres. Physics Escobar, Karen. Finance Mendoza, Matthew. Juris Doctor Medley, Alexandra. Master of Public Health Esquivel, Melina. Speech and Hearing Science Mescher, Jaclyn. Doctor of Medicine Meurer, David. Business Flowers, Richard. Sport Industry Morejon, Ruben. Doctor of Medicine Montoya, KC. Social Work Frias, Rosaura. Nursing Pabon Padin, Ruben. Doctor Veterinary Medicine Munoz Ruz, Sebastian Ignacio. Spanish & Portuguese Garcia, Angela. Bachelor of Arts Padilla Reyes, Ramon. PhD, Spanish & Portuguese Needham, Chelsie. Social Work Georgi, Mayra. Nursing Pankey, Brittnee. Juris Doctor Nunez, Erica. Nursing Hansen, Allison. International Studies Pineiro, Juan. PhD, Comparative and Veterinary Medicine Osma Potes, Juan. Master of Laws Hartman, Natalie. Nursing Pinto, April. Doctor of Medicine Osorio-Sanders, Karen. Human Resource Mgt Heinrich, Andrew. Finance Priddy, Blake. Doctor of Medicine Pereyra Duarte, Rafael. Master Business Administration Hejase, Bilal. Electrical and Computer Engineering Quinn, Kristen. Doctor of Medicine Perez, Brenda. Speech Language Pathology Hernandez, Miguel. Bachelor of Arts Rezende de Castro Moretti, Fernanda. PhD, Translational Puente Beccar, Esteli. Spanish & Portuguese Hettle, Natalie. Bachelor of Arts Plant Sciences Rangel Manrique, Emily. Spanish & Portuguese Hufnagel, Paul. Marketing Rivera, Paulo. Doctor Veterinary Medicine Rinehart, Jennifer. Appl Clinical&Preclncl Rsrch Jones, Aaron. Bachelor of Arts Rodrigues da Silva, Danielle Izilda. PhD, Translational Rinehart, Jennifer. Pharmacology Plant Sciences Judson, Mariyah. Psycology Rivera Diaz, Natalia. Nursing Romero, Christian. Juris Doctor King, Michael. Economics Rodriguez, Nicholas. Educational Stds Rosa, Kedwin. PhD, Chemistry King, Alexandria. Bachelor of Arts Ruiz Nieto, Gabriela. Education Saldaña, Michael. Juris Doctor Labardee, John. Sport Industry Santiago Vega, Kimberly. Specialist in Education Salem Goncalves, Andrei. Business Administration Lara, Bryan. Welding Engineering Shugart, Scott. Master Business Administration Santos, Christopher. Doctor of Pharmacy Leal-Lopez, Stephany. Health and Rehab Sciences Soto, Brian. Nursing Schaffer, Paige. Juris Doctor Stallard, Matthew. Nursing Scott, Jacob. Doctor of Dental Surgery Masters Degrees Swaim, Shannan. Social Work Shnitzer, Jordan. Doctor of Pharmacy Alanis Villarreal, Gerardo. Master of Laws Syrus, Heather. Social Work Shugart, Scott. Juris Doctor Alcaraz, Melissa. Sociology Thornton, Breanna. Music Sotres, Magaly. Doctor of Medicine Anders, John Paul. Kinesiology Toro-Zapata, Jorge. Biomedical Sciences Taveras, Vanessa. Doctor of Pharmacy Batista Ronconi, Thais. Master of Business Administration Utermohlen, Franz. Physics Valenciaga, Anisley. Biomedical Sciences Bedich, Joseph. Math Science Vargas Loyo, Amilcar Jose. Plant Pathology Victor, Aaron. Doctor of Medicine Bello, Jason. Mathematics Wolf, Nathan. Kinesiology Viteri Mera, Carlos. Electrical and Computer Eng Castellanos Giracca, Martin. Master of Laws Woodfint, Rachel. Animal Sciences Yanez, Ryan. Doctor Veterinary Medicine Clarke, Molly. Master of Business Administration Zapata, Martha. Environment & Natural Res Ye, Luis. Doctor of Pharmacy 30 quepasa.osu.edu Spring ’19 31 NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID ¿Qué Pasa, Ohio State? COLUMBUS, OHIO The Ohio State University PERMIT NO. 711 Hale Hall, Suite 200 154 West 12th Avenue Columbus, OH 43210-1132

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