Tuesday, October 27, 2020

My God... and Yours...

Vol. 5 No. 6

We are on the verge of an election which is perhaps more divisive than any other presidential election in the history of our country. We are in the midst of a pandemic that is raging across the globe. Our children are staring at screens trying to learn and our teachers and parents are struggling to maintain education in a time of crisis. Civil unrest is rocking our cities and it feels like nothing will ever be the same again.

And maybe it shouldn’t be.

As we look ahead to the future, it may sound irrational to say, but one of the things which should not be dividing us is religion. As strange as it may sound, religious beliefs should not be something that separates us, because at their core, many (if not all) of the world’s religions share the same basic tenets. Somewhere along the line, we have forgotten that. Religion is used is so many detrimental ways and belief systems are attacked and weaponized in ways that threaten to tear us apart as painfully as any other form of intolerance. And it should not be this way.

It just shouldn’t.

Lori Vail, Associate Professor of English, holds a Masters of Arts Degree from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity school, invites us to a conversation about how “God is Not One.” Perhaps, in the process, we can all be reminded of our own humanity and the humanity of those around us. We need unity now more than ever and if we can set aside some of the most powerful barriers that separate us, maybe we can move forward together to ease the ills of the world and improve the human condition for all. Our gods, our beliefs, and our spirituality can, and should, be used to heal all the world instead of adding to its division. There is strength and power if we work together and this conversation will highlight why this is not outside the realm of possibility.

I will be there not just because I’m hosting, but because I want to learn. Join me.

(password: 2020)

Note: I reserve the right to remove anyone from the WebEx room who is clearly not there in good faith. FLCC and FLCC’s Honors Studies strives to be an open, inclusive, welcoming, and judgement free space and we will not tolerate the presence of those who are counter to that.

Monday, October 19, 2020

You know what they say...

 Vol 5 No 5

Three things to talk about this week.

First, tomorrow is Laker Day and I encourage everyone to do something for yourself that might fall under the category of self-care.  In my classes, I’m inviting students to participate in a Laker Day activity if they can, and if they can’t, to engage in something they don’t always make time to do.  Bake cookies, read a book, talk a walk, go for a drive, draw a picture, call a friend, paint, draw, compose, sculpt, go to a pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin, meditate, practice yoga.  Something that doesn’t involve WebEx or homework, school or work.  Take time for you.  Celebrate who YOU are and recharge your internal batteries.  The world is demanding so much strength and resilience and persistence from us right now and I hope you are all doing that each and every day.  But we must remember to also breathe and relax.  It is so important to our ability to sustain our strength.  Time off can help you make the most of the times you have to be on task.  Here’s a few ideas…

Second, last week Vera led five students, myself, and AVP Cassy Kent in a fascinating discussion about all the things that ‘coming out’ might mean to those in the LGBTQ+ community.  We chatted from multiple perspectives and I, personally, learned some very important things about how to be a better Ally to my friends in the queer community.  Including the friends I have not yet met!  It was a great conversation and I think those who were there would agree with me.  It was the first major talk in our series this semester and that leads to the third thing.

Third, this week’s talk is on Wednesday from 5:00 – 6:00 (password 2020).  Invitations have gone out and I hope that we will see lots of faces that evening.  April is a librarian here at FLCC and, specifically, they are the Honors librarian.  There has been much made of pronoun usage of late and many who bristle at the use of ‘they’ as a singular pronoun.  Many of those who bristle are my own colleagues in the world of English education.  I myself am someone who had to train myself to stop ‘correcting’ student papers when I saw ‘they’ used in the singular.  I am happy to say that I learned, somewhere along the way, that they as a singular pronoun has been around for….well…come to the talk to find out!  You may be surprised!  I have retrained myself and broken the habit and I can’t wait to talk about that and other things at our gathering.  I bet I will learn even more things that will help in my ever-continuing quest to be a better member of the world around me.  Things are changing – and some things that never should have changed are changing BACK and it is a wonderful thing.  We may still have a long way to go, but we are making strides forward and talks like this will only help.  And so, I encourage you to join us for an hour and feel free to bring a friend.  Furry friends also welcome (so long as they are not too disruptive to our chat!).  I cannot wait for this one as I know that April not only has anecdotal and lived experience to share, but they also have that librarian’s love of great information and resources!  Oh, and it is not accident that this talk is taking place on International Pronouns Day.

International Pronouns Day

Note:  I reserve the right to remove anyone from the WebEx room who is clearly not there in good faith. FLCC and FLCC’s Honors Studies strives to be an open, inclusive, welcoming, and judgement free space and we will not tolerate the presence of those who are counter to that. 

 


Thursday, October 8, 2020

Annie Talks and Our Next Talk...

 Vol 5 No 4

Hi there!  A two part blog this week - the first part is from Annie Black, an FLCC Honors Studies student who wants to share a few words with you.  Read on for what she has to say - and who she is!  Then read about our next talk - next week!

Annie Talks!
Hello everyone!

For those of you that do not know me, allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Annie Black and I’m about a full semester away from graduating from FLCC with my Nutrition and Dietetics A.A.S. Honors has been apart of my life since beginning at FLCC. No matter how far I am from campus, Honors has been there for me.

Earlier this year I had to take a break from academics for my mental health. It has been a long year full of all kinds of change and growth. I am anxious to be back in classes this Spring 2020 semester, and to get back to some sort of normal since this pandemic began.

So what does FLCC Honors mean to me?

Honors is knowing I’m not alone, no matter how isolated the pandemic has made me feel. Honors is knowing that I still have even more support from my FLCC family. Breaks from anything can be difficult, but for me it’s school. It’s something that
Annie and I, Pre-COVID
challenges me like no other, and something that I can proudly say is earned through my hard work and dedication. Honor’s helps give me that sense of pride and adds to the challenge in all the best ways. Honors is why I know I’ll be able to get back on track with my education and continue to learn and grow. Honors teaches me that there is a place for me, and it’s the most amazing place to be. There’s going to be a lot of roads to travel down throughout my educational path. I’m going to be working for a Master’s degree. Honors program, at FLCC is preparing me for this journey, and I couldn’t ask for better help. Honors is home to me, like I hope it is for you. 

I want to wish everyone good luck on their journeys in life.

Stay healthy and safe my friends!
-Annie Black

Our Next Talk!
Second, our next talk is Wednesday, October 14 from 3:00 - 4:00.  Entitled "'Hi, I'm gay' - Coming out in 2020," this talk will be hosted by Sociology professor Vera Whisman.  Come along whether you are out, not, curious, or just want to learn more about what this even means. Click here for the meeting link - password is 2020.  Feel free to bring your friends!

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Get Comfy, Get Inspired...

Vol 15 No 3

Honors Talk Series

Get Comfy, Get Inspired. Stay Home. Stay Informed.

More information on each talk as we get closer...events can be used to earn Honors points.  trista.merrill@flcc.edu for more information

These events will be offered via WebEx.  Links to come!

TBA : 
An Evening with Brockport Honors - early to mid-November.  Stay tuned!