Alex Becker
“A distinctively dedicated and engaged student;” this is how Evergreen faculty member Lin Nelson describes her former student Alex Becker, ’11, who has just been named to the Seattle Human Rights Commission.
Alex is the community organizer for the social justice non-profit organization Real Change, and has been active in public service and social justice issues since 2005, according to Real Change News. Read the full article.
Nick Mattos, ’06, is a freelance journalist and essayist.
Nick Mattos, ’06, is a freelance journalist and essayist living in Portland, OR. He turned up recently in The Guardian as one of three panelists discussing the evolution of LGBT characters in pop culture. Here is a sample:
The Guardian: The concept of the ‘gay sidekick’ is a classic mainstream exploration of the LGBT community in American pop culture. Have gay characters moved more to the center of the plot in recent years, and where does work still need to be done?
Nick: One great effect I’ve observed in recent representation of queer people in pop culture is the presence of queer characters whose sexuality is not the crux of their identity. A great example of this was the character of Mitch Downe in the excellent 2012 film Paranorman, who was arguably the first openly gay character in a mainstream children’s animated film. He wasn’t stereotyped at all – the revelation of his sexuality was actually a humorous but sensitively handled plot twist. [He] was instead a whole, integral character, whose personality grew organically through the course of the film. In terms of work that still needs to be done, there are still very few representations of queer people that don’t fit the mold of being affluent, white, and relatively heteronormative in expression.
Read the entire interview at The Guardian.
Dever Kuni ’12 (center) with customer (left) and father and boss, Kirk Haffner ’88 ( right) – photo by South Sound Solar
Solar Installers of Washington, a trade association and solar power advocacy group, has named Dever Kuni its legislative and public policy committee chairwoman.
Kuni currently is vice president of South Sound Solar. Read the article in Bloomsberg Business Week.
Craig Danner in his Portland medical clinic.
Craig Danner ’85 is a physician’s assistant in Portland, OR. Last September, he opened Wilson Street Medical Clinic and he doesn’t take insurance. Sound exclusive? Just the opposite.
By avoiding all the administrative costs associated with medical insurance companies — pre-authorizations, billing, mandatory pricing — Craig says he can make a good living at about 1/3 the cost to his patients. Read more about how this Greener is bringing some humanity, sanity and common sense to one of the nation’s thorniest issues.
Chicago’s “Garbage Guru” credits Evergreen with preparing her for social justice work.
Elise Zelechowski studied French philosophy at Evergreen. Now she’s known as a “garbage guru.” Qu’est-ce que c’est? No, this is not a galliphobic slur; it’s the career path Elise has followed since leaving Evergreen.
In a recent interview, Elise describes how she found her calling as Executive Director of ReBuilding Exchange, a Chicago-based organization promoting the reclamation of used building materials that would otherwise wind up in landfills.
“I went to Evergreen,” she explained. “Going to school there you can’t leave without being pretty well-rounded as an environmentalist, a feminist, a social justice advocate. And then I lived in France and I was really taken by how the city of Paris functions in terms of food infrastructure, transit infrastructure, small business and recycling.”
Read the full story at occupy.com to learn how Elise has expanded her work in sustainable deconstruction and waste management to address issues of poverty, the criminal justice system, housing, and employment. You can also view Elise’s inspirational TED talk.
How did The Evergreen Mind hear about Elise? She “facebooked” us! You can share your news too. Check out all Evergreen’s social media connections including our new LinkedIn page.
Paul Stamets, ’79, scientist, author, world-renown mycology expert.
In an article in Discover Magazine (May 31, 2013), writer Kenneth Miller follows mycologist Paul Stamets ‘79 into the woods to learn more about how fungi can clean up everything from oil spills to nuclear meltdowns, read: How Mushrooms Can Save the World.
Also Check out Paul’s website Fungi Perfecti and Facebook Page as well as his highly reviewed TED talk and TEDMED talks: Paul Stamets: 6 ways mushrooms can save the world and TEDMED 2011.
Wayne Au, ’96 MiT, Ph.D
The University of Washington Bothell announced that MiT alumnus Wayne Au has been appointed to chair the University of Washington Bothell Diversity Council.
This is just the latest recognition of Wayne’s outstanding work in education. Read the full news release.
Congratulations Wayne!
Naima Lowe’s limited edition publication “Thirty-nine (39) Questions for White People.”
Evergreen faculty member Naima Lowe has a new publication that is getting some important attention. The title is “Thirty-Nine (39) Questions for White People,” and those questions can really make a person stop and think.
An artist and filmmaker, Naima recently gave an interview to Salon.com about her latest work and it’s focus on race, privilege, perspective and social context. In a preface to the interview, Salon.com offers this characterization:
Naima Lowe’s “Thirty-Nine (39) Questions for White People,” a book born from observations about her class of predominantly white students, has been generating buzz for the potentially uncomfortable questions it forces its viewers to consider. The project presents 39 simple questions — questions that are all-too-relatable for anyone who identifies as a racial minority — but flips the perspective from the minority back to the majority. Questions like “How do you know you’re white?” and “Do you notice when the last white person leaves the room?” become surprising and almost jarring, forcing white people to think more critically about the experience (and inherent privilege) of being white.
Publisher DangerDot Publishing applauds the work as “a stunning art piece and rare book that insists that readers reflect on the complexity of race, and the privilege to not have to notice it.” The first edition consists of 40 hand letter-pressed copies that sold out quickly. In response to the interest, Naima back at work on a larger run, 2nd Edition, in an alternate format.
In any social context, this is an important conversation. Brava to Naima for asking the questions.
Diversity Note: As of this fall, twenty-five percent (25% -1,085 students) of Evergreen’s student body self identify as students of color. Of that total enrollment number, about 100 students of color attend Evergreen’s Tacoma Program.
The Search for Treasure, from Tim Girvin’s Strategic Branding Blog.
For anyone working in the field of strategic communication, Tim Girvin ’75 is an inspiration. Next time you’re sitting in front of your computer, drained of creative juice, click over to Tim’s Strategic Branding Blog and be inspired.
Here is an excerpt from In the Quest for Light,Being Beauty and the Bearing of Story:
But in the quest for our work –
everything that we do,
it’s a kind of quest for light,
and bearing that light forward.
At the very best, a team of people shines in their work, in the telling of their story –
it’s an uplifting experience;
everyone rises to the wave of momentum in
the team that seeks the upscale rendering of beauty,
truth and the profundity of enhanced experience.
Each of us looks for betterment;
and many of us
look for beauty.
A moment of light –
the cracking open of discovery
is our own personal treasure finding.
Perhaps, that is the
nature of the work.
Finding treasure.
Magic.
Truth.
Wonder.
That’s where I go,
that’s where I come from.
TIM
Author, speaker, radio host Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner ’91
In Politico, November 25, 2013: “The Real Feminist Nightmare. It’s definitely not Michelle Obama,” by author and activist Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner ’91.
“When the first lady is attacked for embracing her role as “mom-in-chief”—despite her leadership in key policy areas like stemming the childhood obesity epidemic, increasing access to healthy food and aiding military families and veterans—it’s time to call foul.”
Read the full article in Politico.
Follow Kristin in The Huffington Post and on Twitter: @rowefinkbeiner