![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sabrinamariGorgeous class tonight.
I brought in a guest speaker from a good-sized CBO (community-based organization) in Newark. I used to work with her: she's a writer, a health advocate and a fellow agent of transformation and change. We are natural allies.
Now she works for an org that could use some sharp grad students looking to make a difference while they collect data for a dissertation. Guess what I've got?
Sweet.
She also brought two high school juniors who work at the org, both sweet kids, one Latino, one African American. They each spoke about their experiences working there, and watching them talk to my grad students and experience teaching them while learning in the process was like sweet sweet crack to my soul.
I can do so much here.
I can help grow something spectacular, something beautiful.
Of course, I brought sandwiches and chips and water to help ease the class and facilitate relaxed connections amongst the mixed crew. It seemed to work. Food almost always does the trick. "You got to bring los chips, " one of my resourceful women used to say.
I think it really helped at my dissertation defense. My committee was super-surprised when they showed up to bagels, cream cheese, coffee and a packed audience, pre-coached and ready with the best possible questions. It was a cross between an exam and a party. Within minutes, everyone was contentedly drunk on carbohydrates and sweet coffee. Taping didn't hurt, either. Love the public defense.
Happy.
I brought in a guest speaker from a good-sized CBO (community-based organization) in Newark. I used to work with her: she's a writer, a health advocate and a fellow agent of transformation and change. We are natural allies.
Now she works for an org that could use some sharp grad students looking to make a difference while they collect data for a dissertation. Guess what I've got?
Sweet.
She also brought two high school juniors who work at the org, both sweet kids, one Latino, one African American. They each spoke about their experiences working there, and watching them talk to my grad students and experience teaching them while learning in the process was like sweet sweet crack to my soul.
I can do so much here.
I can help grow something spectacular, something beautiful.
Of course, I brought sandwiches and chips and water to help ease the class and facilitate relaxed connections amongst the mixed crew. It seemed to work. Food almost always does the trick. "You got to bring los chips, " one of my resourceful women used to say.
I think it really helped at my dissertation defense. My committee was super-surprised when they showed up to bagels, cream cheese, coffee and a packed audience, pre-coached and ready with the best possible questions. It was a cross between an exam and a party. Within minutes, everyone was contentedly drunk on carbohydrates and sweet coffee. Taping didn't hurt, either. Love the public defense.
Happy.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-04-12 11:21 am (UTC)I will also remember the bagels and cream cheese when (and if!) I go for my own dissertation defense!
Love you!
no subject
Date: 2012-04-15 03:39 pm (UTC)Los chips always helps.