The Associated Students ofMills College (ASMC) has startedusing its new logo, designed byjunior Sophanarot Sam, to improvethe group’s visibility on campus.

Along with having her designused as ASMC’s publicity logo,Sam was awarded a $125 prizefrom ASMC.

The design, which depicts theacronym “ASMC” in the Millsclass colors with a tree growing outof the “M,” was chosen out ofaround eight submissions, accord-ing to Kalisi Kupu, Public

Relations Chair for ASMC. Kupupresented the ASMC executiveboard with all of the choices andthe group ultimately chose Sam’s design.

“We liked that it incorporatedthe different class colors,” Kupusaid. “It is a good first logo for ASMC.”

Along with writing a new mis-sion and vision statement, ASMCwanted a logo to depict its commit-ment to the student body on campus.

“ASMC wanted the logo to cre-ate visibility and transparency oncampus,” Kupu said.

In creating the logo, Sam tookinto account ASMC’s vision for

the design.“They wanted something pro-

fessional,” she said. “So I thought,‘Let’s keep it simple.’”

Sam wanted a design that repre-sented ASMC’s role in the Mills community.

“The tree symbolizes the Millscommunity and it shows thatASMC helps grow it and foster it,”Sam said of her design.

ASMC plans to use the logo forits members’ t-shirts and on fliersfor events it supports.

The main idea for the logo, saidKupu, is to show the Mills community what it is that ASMCsupports, directly or with special funding.

VOLUME 96 ISSUE 19 www.thecampanil.com Tuesday | April 26, 2011

LLaauurreenn SSlliitteerrCHIEF NEWS EDITOR

In celebration of Earth Day, the community garden opened its gates on April 22 to several environmental speakers and all whowished to learn about sustainable gardening. Christina McWhorter, left, cooks for Earth Day attendees. Ron Chiarello, right, address-es a group of visitors about aquaponics, a sustainable means of growing aquatic plants.

LAUREN SLITER

ASMC selects new logo design

see Earth Week page 2

EEaarrtthh WWeeeekk eennccoouurraaggeess ssuussttaaiinnaabbiilliittyy oonn ccaammppuuss

Mills Collegerecognized over100 students fortheir exceptionalwork in writing,creating, per-formance andscholarship at theAcademic AwardsConvocation onMonday, April 25.

For a list of the winners, see page 2.

Studentsawarded

for academicexcellence

Revolutionizeyour healthregimen.See page 8

In honor of Earth Week, severalgroups on campus came together toput on events promoting environ-mentally responsible practices.

One of the many events cele-brating Earth Week was theCommunity Garden gathering onEarth Day, April 22, which hostedseveral experts on earth-friendlygardening and cooking techniques.

Christina McWhorter, theBotanical Garden and GreenhouseCoordinator, helped coordinate andfacilitate the third annual EarthDay event at Mills.

“This event is celebrating theintersection between earth-friendlygardening and healthy local food,”she said.

First to speak at the event wasRon Chiarello, a chemistry lab pro-fessor at Mills, who discussedaquaponics, a sustainable means ofgrowing aquatic plants along withwater-dwelling animals. The sys-tem does not require any outsidefertilization for the plants to grow,thus limiting the amount of inor-ganic products used in thegrowing process.

Also to speak was MichaelaDaystar, the Program Director forthe Institute for Civic Leadership.She explained the science and artbehind solar cooking.

Solar cooking is a process bywhich food is prepared using energy from the sun. In order tocapture the sun’s energy, solarcookers use a reflective screen thatbounces heat from the sun onto ablack pot, which then absorbs theheat, thus cooking the food inside.

“It creates a closed-loop sys-tem,” she said, explaining thatusing solar cooking, along withusing home-grown foods and com-posting all waste, means there areno by-products left over fromthe process.

At the event, there were severalsolar cookers busy at work prepar-ing food for the attendees. Daystarwas concerned, however, as the sunwas mostly covered by clouds that day.

“We do not have stellar solarweather today,” she said, laughing.

News22 AA pprr ii ll 22 66 ,, 22 00 11 11

Find more stories, photos, videos and live updates at www.thecampanil.com

The Campanil welcomes public commentary on subjects of interestto the campus community, as well as feedback on the paper itself.Submissions for Open Forum should be no more than 400 words.Letters to the editor should be no more than 150 words. Submissionsmay be edited for length and clarity.

All submissions must include the author’s name and contact infor-mation and may be submitted via e-mail or in typewritten form, accom-panied by a CD. No anonymous submissions will be accepted.Submissions must be received one week before publication date toappear in the next issue.

The Campanil reserves the right to upload all content published inprint, in addition to original content, on our websitewww.thecampanil.com.

The Campanil is published every other Monday. The first copy ofThe Campanil is free. Additional copies are 50 cents. Students inter-ested in joining should contact the editor in chief.

Tara NelsonEditor in Chief

eic@thecampanil.com

Managing Editor Nicole Vermeer

Sports & Health Editor Bonnie Horgos

Opinions Editor Lauren Soldano

Features Editor Stephanie Scerra

Online Editor Melodie Miu

CAMPANILTHEChief News Editor Lauren Sliter

Ad & PR Manager Tymeesa Rutledge5000 MacArthur Blvd.Oakland, CA 94613510.430.2246 phone

510.430.3176 fax

Photo Editor Anna Corson

Staff Writer Loren Sanchez

Multimedia Staff Bianca Butler

Design Editor Joann Pak

Asst. News Editor Diana Arbas

Calendar Editor Priscilla Wilson

Webmaster Yun Miao

LLaauurreenn SSlliitteerrCHIEF NEWS EDITOR

Earth Daycelebrated

at Millscommunity

garden

Academic Award winners, 2011Eugene Trefethen AwardCheryl SundheimKaren Koshak PrizeAnita LopezPhi Beta Kappa SocietyMadeleine AndersonChristie FrakesRachel GirouardKiya KomaikoAliza RoodRobin RothCheryl SundheimMargaret CookTova OsborneJennifer PeartMargaret PixleyFulbright AwardJulia ChandlerMary Laughlin BeardmoreAwardMeri PageEleanor Crum Prize inCeramicsKristin PalmbladGrace “Ty” Searing Dhaemers Art HistoryAwardKathryn HumphreyRalph DuCasse EndowedScholarshipKellesimone WaitsHerringer Prize forExcellence - Art HistoryJennifer BenitezEllen NewtonJennifer NicholsonPatrisia SpezzaferroHerringer Prize forExcellence - Art StudioAnna Basalaev-BinderAarika MartinJennifer PeartAlysson RaymondWellhausen Family AwardChristine SheaCaryl Parker Haskins PrizeVirginia FungRasheedah GodfreyErin GutillaStephanie SummersVera Long PrizeDani Extrum-FernandezBruce McCollum PrizeDani Extrum-FernandezRosalind Keep Book ArtAwardWeyam GhadbianThe Alie Ogbum JacksonBarry PrizeSeham AfaghaniScheffler Junior ScholarAwardAmanda HumphreyDance DepartmentInnovator AwardJudene SmallE.L. Wiegand FoundationAward - DepartmentalExcellenceKristine AndersonE.L. Wiegand FoundationAward - OutstandingLeadership andDepartmental ExcellenceJochelle Perena

E.L. Wiegand FoundationAward - OutstandingLeadershipNzinga WoodsDance Department MeritAward - PerformanceAlana Giannotta-OrtizDance Department MeritAward - Performance andChoreographyMagee PageDance Department MeritAward - ScholarshipKate McGinityOmicron Delta EpsilonChiara CoombsCiera CummingsAida Diaz NunezRebecca FergusonMaritess MagtanongDaisy MedinaLillian MillerTova OsborneLakshmi PotiAshley RamirezRobin RothMarjan SoleimaniehKatherine WhitingAnne WittigMarion Ross MeritScholarshipJaia OrientJane Bowyer Award forExcellence inUndergraduate TeacherEducationBrennan MillerJoan Henry EndowedScholarshipElizabeth Mulcahy-MorganAmanda Davis Thesis inFiction PrizeJennifer MassoniAmanda Davis Thesis inFiction Honorable MentionKellie Parkinson LandrumArdella Mills Prize forLiterary Composition:Graduate FictionMia DeBonoArdella Mills Prize forLiterary Composition:FictionTara NelsonArdella Mills Prize forLiterary Composition:Honorable Mention FictionAshley ShafferArdella Mills Prize forLiterary Composition:Creative NonfictionVeronica PhilipsbornArdella Mills Prize forLiterary Composition:Honorable Mention CreativeNonfictionJules ShendelmanArdella Mills Prize forLiterary Composition:Graduate CreativeNonfictionShareena ClarkArdella Mills Prize forLiterary Composition:Graduate Honorable

Mention Creative NonfictionShay BelisleArdella Mills Prize forLiterary Composition:Critical EssayKristen SkjonsbyArdella Mills Prize forLiterary Composition:Graduate Critical EssayJennifer MassoniEnglish 001 Essay PrizeLora Chau DavisEnglish 001 Essay PrizeHonorable MentionMarita FodorJournalism PrizeLauren SoldanoJournalism Prize HonorableMentionBonnie HorgosMary Merritt Henry PrizeJackqueline FrostMary Merritt Henry Prize -GraduateAichlee BushnellMary Merritt Henry Prize -Graduate HonorableMentionLyall HarrisMarion Hood BoessHaworth Prize - GraduateYoung Adults PrizeLearkana ChongMarion Hood BoessHaworth Prize - GraduateHonorable MentionShareena ClarkOutstanding ScholarWeyam GhadbianSpirit of Dolores HuertaPrizeGloria HuertaReaching Beyond AwardShunkila Black CalfGermaine Thompson PrizeMargaret CookSusan LuneburgNora ThomasLawrence Shrader PrizeSahar MomandPi Sigma AlphaNicole BeckermanHadley ClarkeKatrina CorbosieroRachel GreggCourtney LewisJaia OrientKit TurnerAnne Hummel Sherrill MeritScholarshipBreana MontgomeryJessica WalkerReynold M. Wik PrizeConnie PaynePhi Alpha ThetaDeborah BarraganZoe ByrneVictoria GarciaAshley HeineJenny HoangAlyssa House-ThomasRachel JacklerKatherine JohnsonBrianna MarronAngela Moffett

Breana MontgomeryAnna MorenoAllison MorrisEllen NewtonLauren OvermierConnie PayneErin PooleHazel RogersJessica StewartDesirae TongcoLindsay TracyJessica WalkerMelanie WestonInstitute of CivicLeadership GraduateMikal HemingwayAmelia LopezRebecca FreemanRachel ReyesAna ReidyLaura LeMoonAshley HeineBrianna MarronSahar MomandEmily SchifferAlex FineLindsay GoodwinLenore Blum AwardAlison MirinHelen Pillans AwardKatherine FeeneyLennox-McEntyre AwardSimon FishelDonna Petersen Vocal PrizeDorothy BerryElizabeth Mills CrothersAwardAlex ChristieEvan AdamsRobert SeabackFlora Boyd PianoPerformance PrizeLona KozikFrog Peak CollectiveExperimental Music AwardPeter WongMichael WalkerMaurthea Friedberger CupDorothy BerryMargaret Lyon MusicStudent PrizeDrew CeccatoChristina StanleyFarley MillerErnesto Carcamo-CavazosMusic DepartmentCommunity Spirit AwardJason HarrisPaul Merritt henry PrizeDaniel SteffeyGabriela Mistral PrizeJessica VazquezSociology Student of theYearChristina MorrowKerri ThorpAnthropology Student ofthe YearMargaret PixleyZimmer PrizeAlisa PlathEssay PrizeVeronica Beaty

Events & Information 33AA pp rr .. 22 66 ,, 22 00 11 11

Find more stories, photos, videos and live updates at www.thecampanil.com.

APRIL 26-MAY 2

For more events, check out

www.thecampanil.comIf you have events for the calendar,

e-mail Priscilla Y. Wilson atwilson@thecampanil.com

AApprriill 2266 TTuueessddaayy

MMaayy 22 MMoonnddaayy

MMaayy 11 SSuunnddaayy

AApprriill 3300 SSaattuurrddaayy

AApprriill 2299 FFrriiddaayy

AApprriill 2288 TThhuurrssddaayy

AApprriill 2277 WWeeddnneessddaayy

Surviving Finals WorkshopWhat: Exam Anxiety? Need Strategies? Get some support!Come to surviving Finals week workshop.Where: Mills College, Cowell 110When: 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.Cost: Free

Spring 2011 Faculty Lunchtime SeminarWhat: All faculty, students, and staff are welcome. SonyaDelwaide-Nichols will present “Sneak Preview of Oakland balletwork”Where: Mills College, Haas Pavilion When: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.Cost: Free

Dark Dark DarkWhat: This American chamber folk band from Minnesota will per-form music their latest album. Honest and beautiful musicWhere: The New Parish, 579 18th street OaklandWhen: 8:00 p.m.Cost: $10 - $13 Check out http://www.thenewparish.com/

Breathe new life into your style!What: Macy’s Is teaming up with Lloyd Boston, Jones New York’sstyle guru, for a Spring Fashion extravaganza! Where: Macy’s : 1300 Stoneridge Drive PleasantonWhen:Cost: Free

Attention Graduate students!What: The office of student activities is sponsoring this end ofthe semester event. There will be music, food, and alcoholic bev-erages, dessert, and fun. Where: Mills College, Art Museum back lawnWhen: 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.Cost: Free

Re-Use DepotWhat: Come get free clothes and knick knacks for free. If youhave things to give away, you can also donate it to the center aswell. Where: The reuse depot is located in Reinhardt Hall. Theentrance is located near the parking lot on the left of the dirt roadthat winds around Ege Hall. When: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Awakening the Eco-Soul What: Raphael and Kutira are internationally known. You canspend an evening taking a Shamanic journey of self-awareness.Where: Open Secret Bookstore 923 “C” street San RafaelWhen: 5:00 p.m.Cost: $10

Lucinda Child’s DanceWhat: a revival of a 1979 collection of dance and art Where: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts 701 Mission StreetWhen: 8 p.m.Cost: $35check out http://www.sfperformances.org/ for ticketinformation

Norway Day Festival 2011What: Showcasing Norwegian culture, food and music. Nearly5,000 people attend the weekend event. Where: Fort Mason Center Buchanan Street and Marina Blvd.S.FWhen:10:00 a.m.Cost: $12

Raw Cooking Class: Asian FusionWhat: You’ll learn how to “How to roll picture-perfect vegetariansushi and spring rolls and much more!Where: Café Gratitude 1730 Shattuck Street BerkeleyWhen: 9:30 a.m.Cost: $40

How Weird Street FaireWhat: Nine city blocks filled with art and performances, vendorsfrom around the world, tasty food and drinks, and all the colorfulweirdness that San Francisco is famous or. Where: Howard and 2nd Street San FranciscoWhen: 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Cost: $10

Noodle Fest 2011What: A cultural and culinary celebration for you to come out andsample delicious noodle and pasta dishes form over thirty restau-rants from Chinatown and North Beach! Where: North Beach, Columbus Street and Stockton Street SanFranciscoWhen: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Free 3-session climate Action WorkshopWhat: At this workshop you will learn to reduce your ecologicalfootprint and facilitate community buildingWhere: Ecology Center 2530 San Pablo Ave. BerkeleyWhen: 7:00 p.m.Cost: Free

KPFA Radio presents: Chris HedgesWhat: He is a Pulizter Prize-winner, author, and former writer forNew York Times. Come hear what he has to say!Where: First Congregational Church 2345 Channing WayBerkeleyWhen: 7:30 p.m.Cost: $12

EDITOR’S PICK: This week’s pick is Surviving Finals Worksop. Sometimes a little aid andadvice is all you need to get through finals successfully and still have your san-ity. Take advantage of this opportunity today at 5 p.m

If you happened to see one ofyour fellow students traipsingaround campus late last Fridaynight wearing next to nothing, itwas probably because they were ontheir way to Fetish Ball — one ofthe most well-attended dancesthrown on Mills’ campus. Thisyear’s theme was “MidnightCarnival,” and the event camecomplete with a popcorn conces-sion stand, a sea of balloon animalsand live performances by Oaklandvariety troupe “Vespertine Circus.”

Fetish Ball is thrown everyspring by Mills club MouthingOff!, otherwise known as A QueerAlliance of Mills College, a clubgeared towards providing a safespace for LGBTQ-identified stu-dents to come and educate them-selves and each other on queerissues and identity.

Despite having a seeminglysizeable LGBTQ population atMills, Mouthing Off! has only afew members — around seven to10 — who regularly attend meet-ings. And since last year, when Queer Melanin disbanded, it is the only Mills club specifically oriented towards queer and trans students.

“Like any club, there’s morepeople in the fall and it kind ofdwindles in the spring,” said clubpresident Amanda JordanChristenson. “Technically we prob-ably have over 40 members — ifyou’re going by the e-mail listserve— but not very many people come regularly.”

Christenson, a junior and publicpolicy major, is now serving hersecond year as president. Beforeshe became involved withMouthing Off!, she was president

of her high school Gay StraightAlliance (GSA) for two years.Currently, she is interning withGSA Networks, a statewide organ-ization that, among many otherthings, focuses on training, leader-ship and activism in queer youth.

You would probably recognizeChristenson — her short brownhair, wire-rimmed glasses andhooded sweatshirt — if you fre-quent the campus library. She hailsfrom St. Paul, Minnesota, as doesMouthing Off! treasurer (and hergirlfriend) Veronica Beaty.

In addition to president andtreasurer, Mouthing Off! currentlyhas a vice president and publicitychair. In the past, they have alsohad an Activism Chair, but that seathas remained vacant during thepast two years, which makes a por-tion of the club’s mission statement— “activism on and off campus”— somewhat difficult to keep.

The activism chair position wascreated three years ago and filledby senior Juliet Weintraub for onlythe first year.

“They created the position forme because we were re-birthingMouthing Off! and I wanted tomake sure that activism was part ofour mission,” said Weintraub, aWomen’s Studies major. However,after one year, she decided to leavethe club, and there has not been anactivism chair since.

“I got burnt out on the club. Allof the club’s energy went into put-ting on Drag Dance and FetishBall, and I hadn’t joined MouthingOff! to plan school dances. I hadjoined Mouthing Off! to find com-munity and be around otheractivists,” she said.

Cayden Coronado, the VicePresident of Mouthing Off!, saidthe club would like to do moreactivism, but there is only so muchthe club can do with the amount ofmembers that attend.

“The sad fact is right nowMouthing Off! barely has enoughmembers to carry on into next yearand, if we can’t get more people tocome to the meetings, the clubmight fold within the next fewyears,” Coronado said.

Issues with recruiting and sus-taining interest over long periods oftime is not the only difficulty theclub faces. Not all LGBTQ stu-dents are interested in or affectedby the same issues, and often,members have radically differentpolitical viewpoints.

“We just get this total schismwhere we have some members whoare really hardcore, on the frontlines of queer and trans activism onthis campus and in the broaderworld; then some students whoprobably don’t even know half thewords they’re using. And then theyboth end up leaving before the endof the year because the activistsdon’t think we’re doing enoughactivism and the other students arescared off or whatever,” Beaty saidwith exasperation.

This year, Mouthing Off!donated $200 to financially-floun-dering Lyon Martin, a SanFrancisco health clinic gearedspecifically towards providingservices for women and transgen-der individuals. The last big activist“shebang” had happened back dur-ing the No On Prop 8 campaign.Proposition 8, or the “marriageequity” issue, is a main example ofan divisive issue within LGBTQcommunities. Some LGBTQ indi-viduals (as well as straight allies)believe that “fighting for marriage”reinforces the problematic notionsthat 1) only those with a certainmarital status deserve societal ben-efits, and 2) marriage is the ulti-mate way of having a legitimate relationship.

“(No On 8) is such a moderategay agenda item,” Beaty said.

“We’ve passed out HRC stickers inthe past, which to some people isgoing to be totally radical, causelike ‘Oh my God, gays haverights!’ and to some people is goingto be totally offensive.”

The Human Rights Campaign(HRC) has a long history of notbeing inclusive to trans people, andits main campaigns — such asachieving marriage rights and get-ting gays officially allowed in themilitary — are viewed by manyradical queer activists as assimila-tionist projects. Campaigns such asthis one are said to be “denying theintrinsic links between queer strug-gle and challenging power,” as saidby the mission statement of GayShame, one Bay Area group whichhas long criticized the HRC.

“We’ve had really embittereddebates, for example, about push-ing for marriage equality — andthis is like a routine thing,” Beatysaid. “I’d say every couple ofweeks it’s just kind of like ‘well,marriage equality,’ or we’ll sitdown and be like, ‘well, two girlsare trying to go to prom togethersomewhere. Maybe we shouldlike, write letters of support. Andthen there’s gonna be a factionthat’s like ‘F*** proms, that’sbulls***. You don’t need to buy a dress.’”

Publicity chair JulesShendelman, a senior and a QueerStudies major, feels a possible wayto move Mouthing Off! towardsbecoming an activism-focusedgroup might be to abandon respon-sibility for throwing Fetish Balland Drag Dance, the other party theclub throws annually, altogether.

“They’re a tradition and they’rea fun tradition — there’s no reasonthat should have to end — but thefact that is all on Mouthing Off!means that social events and cam-pus activism kind of get pushedaside for these larger commercial

events,” Shendelman explained.“In some ways the way that

Mouthing Off! has been pigeon-holed mirrors the larger social phe-nomenon of white gays — not nec-essarily queer groups — beingmore corporate and doing lessactivism,” Shendelman said. “It’skind of unfortunate to see thatduplicated in one of the sole long-term functioning groups for queerson campus.”

Mouthing Off! hopes to recruitnew members in the fall, and willbe undergoing some slight changesin leadership as Beaty and CaydenCoronado, the vice president, willbe graduating. At the beginning ofFall semester, the group plans toco-sponsor Team Awesome’s poetAndrea Gibson, who will perform for new students during orientation.

“I think we’re going in the rightdirection because we’re starting tocreate partnerships with othergroups on campus which is reallyimportant. That’s kind of my goalfor next year: to create thosebridges between other groups oncampus and co-sponsor events and that sort of thing,” Christenson said.

Mouthing Off! also plans tohost a film series focusing on inter-sectionalities in the LGBTQ andqueer community in the fall.

“I just wish people knew howamazing it could be,” Beaty said.“We can buy all the books anybodywants, we can fly in all the bur-lesque performers — it’s just thatthere’s not enough people to makeit feel like I’m not doing it for myown amusement. That’s what Ikept saying at Fetish Ball: It seemed like a personal whim,because there just aren’t enough voices.”

Mouthing Off! meets everyTuesday night at 7 p.m. in theBender Room.

Mouthing Off! members (from left to right) Andee Sunderland, Amanda Jordan Christenson, Veronica Beaty and Cayden Coronado during a regular Tuesday meeting.

LLaauurreenn SSoollddaannooOPINIONS EDITOR

COURTESY OF ARI NELSON

Find more stories, photos, videos and live updates at www.thecampanil.com

Arts & FeaturesAA pp rr ii ll 22 66 ,, 22 00 11 1144

LGBTQ club looks to expand membership and focus

Find more stories, photos, videos and live updates at www.thecampanil.com

Arts & Features 55AA pp rr ii ll 22 66 ,, 22 00 11 11

CraftyCreationsMMiillllss ssttuuddeennttss ppaarrttiicciippaatteeiinn tthhee bbii--aannnnuuaall CCrraafftt FFaaiirr

Students, staff and other members of the Mills commu-nity came together on Tuesday, April 19 to sell homemadegoodies and gifts.

Top: Vibrantly-colored paper lanterns, made by post-bacLeigh Nelson, grace Rothwell Plaza. Each one was differ-ent, but all of them dangled elegantly from their stands.

Second Photo: Oakland Food Connection, an organizationthat provides healthy food to East Oakland residents, selltea and other items.

Third Photo: Elokin, an Oakland resident, tables for Cyclesof Change, a non-profit that aims to increase the use ofbicycles for transportation.

Bottom: Vintage-looking necklaces made by staff memberand alumna Phaedra Gauci, who graduated in 2005, hangdelicately from Gauci’s display board.

ALL PHOTOS BY NICOLE VERMEER

Photo Gallery

As theMills schoolyear draws to aclose, mine isjust beginning.The Japaneseschool yearbegins in early April. Here atSophia University in Tokyo, I’veonly recently registered for andstarted classes.

Despite popular belief, theTokyo Metropolis is still standing,and life has more or less normal-ized for its citizens. There are somesubtle differences, though.

I've actually heard from a fewpeople Japan is “different” thissemester. I can't tell the differencemyself, but those who were herebefore the earthquake in March saythat it's because electricity is beingconserved. There are some restric-tions in place as to how much elec-tricity certain household appliancescan use (like the heater/ air condi-tioner in my dorm room), and a lotof unnecessary things are simplyturned off (like a lot of lightsaround the city and the hand dryersat school).

I've also heard that Hanami(cherry blossom) Season is reallysubdued this year. There are usual-ly huge parties in the streets withloads of food and festivities, butthis year that hasn't happened. Thenation is in mourning, and partiesin the streets would be seen as dis-respectful. I've still enjoyed the

season, though.I live in a dorm building in

Warabi, a suburb of Saitama, justnorth of Tokyo.

I wake up around 6:30 (read:my alarm goes off at 6:30), and Itry to get out the door by 7:45. Myboyfriend and I walk about 15 min-utes to the station, and we com-mute about 1 hour to YotsuyaStation in Tokyo (with a transfer atAkihabara). From there, SophiaUniversity is basically across thestreet, but my first class of the dayis on the far end of the campus.

Once classes are over we usual-ly head home or find something todo around town.

Back at the dorm, I work on myhomework, and then my boyfriendand I usually get dinner together.My favorite restaurant at themoment is Yoshinoya in Warabi.It's a little “Japanese fast food”chain near the station where I canget a full sized beef bowl (withmiso soup and complimentary tea)for 500 yen—which is about 6 USdollars. That's actually the mostexpensive thing there. It's great. Itry to get to sleep by 11, but that'snot always possible.

The people here have been sonice and polite. It might bebecause Sophia University has along history of international stu-dents learning alongside Japanesestudents, and the Faculty of LiberalArts (FLA; the department I'm in,where all the classes are in English)

is considered a full-fledged part ofthe community. As one professorput it, there's no “Gaijin ghetto”(“gaijin” means foreigner).

In most international programs,there's one little area where the for-eign students live, eat, sleep andtake classes. They're separatedfrom the larger student body, andthe classes they take may as well bein their home country.

Here at Sophia, though, it's allmingled. You have Japanesenatives and foreigners in the sameclassroom. I'm actually a fullyenrolled Sophia student with accessto the same classes and resourcesas degree-seeking students.Students come to Sophia for theinternational atmosphere.

In Japan, the Hanami seasonsignifies a beginning. The cherryblossoms are the first sign ofspring, and that’s why so manythings begin in early April: schoolyears, new jobs, fiscal years, etc.Hanami Matsuri marks a begin-ning; it’s a season of new life andbright new prospects.

So I guess it’s significant that Iarrived in Japan during this time.The fact that the celebrations havebeen quieted subtly marks thechange in the atmosphere follow-ing national tragedy.

Although the blossoms havemostly faded by now, my adven-tures here are just beginning. Withonly one semester in this amazingplace, I intend to enjoy everything.

Last week Match.com vowedto screen new members throughsex offender registries. Manystates are considering creatingonline dating safety laws, andsome states already have such laws.

Several staff members play thegame of cyberspace matchmaking,and the question of whether or notto open up to OKCupid’s arrow

has certainly crossed all of our minds.

Our staff agrees that the basicrule to follow when meeting upwith a stranger from the internet ingeneral definitely applies toonline-inspired first dates: alwaysstart off by meeting in a publicplace. Coffee shops are always asafe bet.

Using the same precautions

you use with most people in reallife (now referred to of course as“IRL” or “analog”) will serve youwell—don’t give out your socialsecurity number, bank card pin,leave your drink unattended—andas always, be sure to report anysuspicious packages. But serious-ly—just be careful.

It’s always good to let at leastone friend know where you’re

going—sure, in case of worst“scary internet person kidnapping”types scenarios, but also in casethose scientific tools used by dat-ing sites (you know—questionsand personality percentages) wereoff your date is not going as per-fectly as you imagined.

Yes, the “oh man, my friendjust called and I have to run” act isa cheap trick, but it works as a

backup plan. Overall, our staff are firm

believers in the possibilities ofinternet dating—some of us evenmet our significant others out therein the vast galaxy of cyberspace.

So what are you waiting for?Fill out those About Me andLooking For boxes and maybesoon your virtual dream date will appear.

Opinions & Editorial66

Find more stories, photos, videos and live updates at www.thecampanil.com

SSTTAAFFFFSSTTAAFFFF EEDDIITTOORRIIAALLEEDDIITTOORRIIAALL

Letter from abroad

New beginnings in Tokyo during Hanami Matsuri season

When Iwas a littlegirl, I wouldspread theS u n d a ypaper’s per-sonal sectionout beneath me, my knobby elbowscreasing the inky paper as I leaneddown onto it, eyes scanning thepage for something unusual. Then,with markers at the ready, I wouldunleash my inner Yente on theSWFs and DWMs.

People I thought were well suit-ed for one another were circled inthe same color and connected witha line— the same way kindergartenhad taught me to identify pairs.

I should have realized that now,as an adult, online dating sitesmight become a preoccupation forme. Now, search algorithms seekcompatibility the way my markerssought similarities.

Personality tests tease that theyhold the secret to romantic happi-ness—a plethora of categories andquestions designed to determinethe most compatible partner. Self-summaries, astrological signs, pic-tures and trivial data about a possi-ble significant other are in a virtualRolodex, right at your fingertips.

I can lose hours reading pro-files: paragraphs sharing hobbies,achievements, and self-deprecatingdescriptions followed by lists offavorite bands, books, and movies;the “message me if” section at thebottom like a shrug exposing just alittle uncertainty.

Profile photos are like a digitalscrapbook: exotic trips, outdoorsyadventures, cuddling with cat, lastyear’s Halloween costume. Bodyshots beckon and European back-grounds wow.

I wanted to believe the percent-ages and personality tests, especial-ly since West Coast relocation andthe amazing, but mostly femalestudent population of MillsCollege, had rendered my oncesavvy dating skills a little rusty.

So it’s no wonder that onenight, a few glasses of Chuck ShawCabernet, the recent wedding pho-tos of my high school crush and theridiculously late hour collided; the

result: a newly created Ok Cupidprofile.I didn’t waste any time;during the next month I met threeor four men:

My 99% match got into a tiffwith the server when his mediumwell steak came out well done (itwas his third course and near clos-ing time) as I, a veteran waitress,tried to melt into the seat.

The classical musician asked tosmell my neck as I began my firstcocktail, staring lustily at my skinlike he hadn’t seen any up closerecently besides his own.

A fellow East Coast transplantand I watched a riveting socio-political documentary, but commu-nity college woes, his song-a-weekmusic project, and my non-com-mittal interest let him fade quietlyinto oblivion.

There were a couple creepers—the men that made my gut screwup, small and unsure, before thefirst date could even happen: theinsistent and slightly argumenta-tive man that had initially contact-ed me via OkCupid’s instant mes-senger barraged me with fifteenverbally abusive texts when I askedto reschedule, 9 hours before wewere supposed to meet.

Another guy, unsolicited, com-mented on elements of my profilehe believed were character flawswith barbs designed for highschool hallways.

After that I got punchy. I modi-fied my profile to honestly reflectmy skepticism about dating; Iwarned readers of mood-dependentresponses and a waffling interest inactually meeting—but I won’tknow how that method would haveturned out because I disabled myaccount.

I climbed out of my self-madewhirlpool when I received a zeroon an assignment that I was per-fectly capable of doing correctly-had I been paying attention; I feltshame that I wasn’t being the stu-dent I knew I could be.

In all fairness, OkCupid livedup to its purpose: it took me todances and gave me a shove outonto the floor—whether I steppedon someone’s toes or snorted outthe punch was up to me.

Scrolling for love: the life andtimes of my OKCupid profile

The joys of internet dating—and the basic precautions, of course

OPENFORUM

Emma Casper is a non-traditional junior at Mills College majoring inPsychology with a minor in Child Development. A good book and a happydog bring her supreme contentment.

AA pprr .. 22 66 ,, 22 00 11 11

Hav

Hav e

som

ee

som

e thi

ng t

thin

g t o

so s a

yay??

e-m

ail s

olda

no@

thec

ampa

nil.c

om

....

.... T

HEN

STH

EN S

AA YYIT

!IT

!

Christina Macias is a junior and the former Assistant Design Editor for The Campanil. She is a double majorin English with an emphasis on Creative Writing and Business Economics and plans to write for the Campanilthroughout the duration of her study abroad experience.

WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY KATIE SUNSHINE

You can probably find Angelica Addisonat the Tea Shop everyday around dinnertimedoing her homework or having a friendlychat with a passerby.

She’s very active in the Mills andOakland community.

She’s a member of the Black Women'sCollective, the Psychology Club, theNational Society of Collegiate Scholars, anddoes community work with the college prepprogram, College Track in Oakland.Addison is a junior majoring in psychologyand like any other Mills woman, Addison ismotivated, talented, intelligent, and proud.But Addison is a little different. She says

so herself.“I was diagnosed with Autism when I

was an infant, and I was first made aware ofit when I was 14 or 15 years old,” Addison said.

Addison has a high-functioning form ofautism known as Asperger's syndrome.People with Asperger's are described as hav-ing difficulty in social interactions and repet-itive patterns of behavior and interests.

“It was more obvious when I wasyounger. I had problems with social interac-tions, I jumped around a lot, and I had learn-ing difficulties,” Addison said.

Addison often repeats herself, likes totwirl her pencil and has a habit of fidgetingwith surrounding school supplies; habitsAddison said exemplifies her autism.

According to the National Institute ofNeurological Disorders and Stroke, the mosttell-tale sign of Autism is impaired socialinteraction. Addison added that learning andlove issues are also a daily challenge forsomeone who is autistic.

Currently, statistics show that Autismaffects 1 in 110 children, Autism costs thenation over $35 billion per year, and itreceives less than 5% of the federal fundingallotted for research on childhood diseases.

Addison said that the lack of funding is aproblem and that not enough attention is

given to autism. April is National AutismAwareness Month and Addison said that it’sa special time to educate the larger commu-nity about the autistic community.ButAddison also said there seems to be a lack of

on-campus community for autistic students.“I don't know anyone here at Mills who’s

autistic. I’m sure there are some, but Ihaven’t met any,” she said.

Every Wednesday, Addison works with

Jess Miller, Director of Services for Students with Disabilities.

“There are four other people, a part fromAngelica, in the Mills community who arediagnosed with Asperger's, and I offer anystudent that can benefit from it to check inweekly. It’s not just an academic situation it’salso social issues, so I can be that person tobounce off that experience,” Miller said.

Miller aids Addison’s college experiencein many ways-school work management,andworks with her on engaging socially withfaculty and students.

Addison was in English professor BulaMadison's Introduction to Literary Studiesfall 2009. Madison said Addison was astrong student, always eager to talk.

"It was wonderful having her as a student in the classroom," Madison said. "She pres-ents herself well and communicated with me

at the beginning of the semester to tell mewhat her needs were."

Madison said that Addison's willingnessto speak about her autism was telling of her maturity.

"I know not everyone is comfortablecoming forward with their needs, but it'sreally helpful when they do," Bula said.

But Addison wasn't always accepting ofher autism; she said it took a long time.

“I had so many learning issues. Socially,I was unsuccessful, love is hard, and pity par-ties for the way you look,” she said.

But today, Addison now 22, embraces herlife with autism and it has inspired her tospeak up and educate people about the com-munity of autism.

“I’m definitely in a better, moreimproved state. I don’t look down. I’m aproud spokesperson. I want to change thestigmas,” she said. “I want to do communityoutreach, talk to people, create understand-ing. Have a voice in this community.Especially here at Mills.”

On her right wrist, Addison wears sever-al bracelets, but there’s one special one thather friend gave her a year ago that has acharm from the national ribbon for Autism awareness.

“I wear it everyday,” Addison said.

Find more stories, photos, videos and live updates at www.thecampanil.com

Sports & Health AA pp rr .. 22 66 ,, 22 00 11 11 77

Studying with autismPPrriisscciillllaa WWiillssoonn

CALENDAR EDITOR

ALL PHOTOS BY PRISCILLA WILSON

According to Jess Miller, director of Services for Students with Disabilities,Angelica Addison is one of five Mills students with diagnosed Asperger's.

“I don't know any-one here at Mills

who’s autistic. I’msure there are some,

but I haven’t metany.”

—AngelicaAddison

Angelica Addison has Asperger's, a high-functioning form of Autism. The MillsCollege junior psychology major can regularly be found studying at the Tea Shop.

“It’s not just an aca-demic situation it’s

also social issues, so Ican be that person to

bounce off that experience.” —Jess Miller,

Director of Servicesfor Students with

Disabilities.

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

SSppoorrttss && HHeeaalltthh

Forget about the cayenne pep-per diet, swallowing tapewormsand eating nothing but cabbagesoup and take a look at Mills alumPilar Gerasimo’s ideas for ofhealthy living.

From a communal farm inWisconsin, to Mills College, toforging and editing a new genre offitness magazine: Experience Life,Gerasimo has helped define what itreally means to be healthy.

This year marks ExperienceLife magazine’s 10th anniversary.Founded by Gerasimo in 2001, shedescribed her publication as beingan “alternative” health and fitnessmagazine. It’s headquarters are inSt. Paul Minnesota, but readers canfind the magazine throughout the country.

The now 44-year-old Editor inChief and Fulbright scholar gradu-ated with honors from Mills in1990 with a degree in ComparativeLiterature and French.

Though her studies may nothave directly led to her discoveryand passion for healthy living,Gerisamo said she uses what shelearned at Mills in all aspects of her life.

“My education I use everyday,”she said. “It gave me a whole dif-ferent way of questioning the world.”

Her energy in the classroomwas not forgotten easily by one ofGerasimo's role models, MaryJorgensen, a former French profes-sor at Mills.

“I absolutely remember her,”Jorgensen said. “I remember hercharm and intelligence. She radiated.”

Though it’s been nearly 30years since Gerasimo andJorgensen have shared a classroom,both look back fondly on the other.

“I fell in love with Frenchbecause of her,” Gerasimo said of Jorgensen.

But Gerasimo’s time at Millsalso marked a distinct change inhow she felt about food and fitness.

Growing up on a communalfarm run by her mother, Gerasimoate organically grown goodsthroughout her entire childhood. Itwasn't until she left home andheaded to college that she experi-enced the downfall of processed foods.

“I rejected everything mymother had taught me,” she said. “Istarted to be concerned about los-ing weight, even though I wasn’t overweight.”

Media stereotypes and the lackof organic food options during hercollege years sent Gerasimo insearch of a new way of thinkingabout health.

“I had to figure it out the hardway,” she said about her path backto a healthy lifestyle.

In her search to find her perfecthealth routine, Gerasimo realizedwhy it was so difficult to behealthy, even for those who weremotivated to do so.

“Most of the cookie cutter solu-tions really weren’t solutions atall,” Gerasimo said about the “getfit quick” plans found in so manyhealth and fitness magazines.

And so, the first inklings ofExperience Life magazine came tolife, with the help of Life TimeFitness Inc., the operator of 90health and fitness clubs throughoutthe United States, which publishesthe magazine.

And she wasn't, as the maga-zine currently has a circulation ofover 600,000, according to its website.

Throughout Experience Lifemagazine's existence, Gerasimohas discovered her ideal healthregime. This year, she decided toshare discoveries of how to be andstay healthy in today's society ofover-processed foods and unrealis-tic body images with her readership.

“I realized I never really satdown and wrote what my most fun-damental beliefs were abouthealth,” she said. “I had a burningdesire to put it out there and seewhat would happen.”

Her article “Being Healthy is aRevolutionary Act: RenegadePerspectives for Thriving in aMixed-Up World” discusses thechallenges people face when tryingto be healthy, particularly that oursociety has mixed-up values whenit comes to food and dieting.

Her article includes “AManifesto for Thriving in a Mixed-Up World,” Gerasimo’s list of ten“revolutionary truths” about beinghealthy, which she then turned intoan interactive webpage with 101revolutionary ways to be healthy.

The list of ten spans from hernumber one truth, “The way we areliving is crazy,” to the number fivetruth, “Being healthy is a revolu-tionary act,” to her last truth,“Solutions in the mirror may becloser than they appear.”

Through her ten truthsGerasimo advises her readers toresist societal and cultural norms ofover-processed foods and the needto have “six-pack abs and skinny jeans.”

Much of her health advise goesback to eating organic, “real,”foods and staying active, in anyway possible.

Gerasimo currently lives backat the 300 acre organic farm inWisconsin where she grew up,along with her husband, ZackJacobson, and a three-legged pit-bull, Frida, though everyone justcalls her Muppy. Her oldest sister,Louisa Gerasimo, has a housethere, too.

Louisa Gerasimo graduatedfrom Mills as well, just three yearsbefore Pilar. She was the oneresponsible for getting Pilar toMills in the first place.

“Mills impressed the socks offme,” she said, “and I talked Pilarinto visiting me.”

Lousia described the then 18-year-old Pilar as being somewhatof a “homebody.”

“She was a heavy reader as akid,” Louisa said “and she waskind of a late bloomer. She didn'treally blossom until college.”

Though both sisters live on thefamily farm, Louisa does not fol-low the same health regime as Pilar.

“She has the most disgustingbreakfast,” Louisa said aboutPilar’s daily concoction of fruitsand vegies. “She puts things in theblender that don't belong there.”

88 AA pp rr .. 22 66 ,, 22 00 11 11

Find more stories, photos, videos and live updates at www.thecampanil.com

Alum finds success publishing own magazineLLaauurreenn SSlliitteerr

CHIEF NEWS EDITOR

Gerasimo’s 10 truths about modern health1. The way we are living is crazy.

2. There are powerful social, economic and political forces undermining ourhealth.

3.The time for complicity is over.

4.The resistance is alive and well.

5.Being healthy is a revolutionary act.

6. This is not about six-pack abs and skinny jeans.

7. Inaction is not an option.

8. The best defense is a good offense.

9. Forget about quick fixes.

10. Solutions in the mirror may be closer than they appear.

COURTESY OF PILAR GERASIMO

Mills alum Pilar Gerasimo is the founder and Editor in Chief of Experience Life magazine, dedicat-ed to leading a healthy and fit lifestyle. Gerasimo majored in French and Comparative Literature.