Sustainability Week begins at the College on April 4, 2016. Here are five compelling reasons to participate, courtesy of the College’s Office of Sustainability.
1) Share Your Story CofC Exhibition
April 4–21, 2016, Addlestone Library
Sustaining us starts with knowing us. This February the Office of Sustainability collected over 50 stories of experiences at the College of Charleston from students, faculty and staff. This exhibition features 10 of these campus stories, which visitors can listen with their own headphones or with a smartphone. Topics include becoming a member of a new community, overcoming stereotypes to accept yourself, finding your passion, being in an interracial relationship and stepping up to help a friend.
2) Keynote Presentation: Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, “Sustainin We Story: Collective Consciousness in the Gullah/Geechee Community”
Monday, April 4, 2016, 4 p.m., Stern Center Ballroom
Join us for our keynote presentation for Sustainability Week featuring a performance by Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation.
Currently chair of the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor General Management Plan, Queen Quet has presented on human rights and injustice suffered by marginalized populations all over the world, including as the first Gullah/Geechee representative to address the United Nations. Queen Quet will be discussing the importance of storytelling as cultural preservation.
3) Greenbag Lunch Series: Institutional Racism
Wednesday, April 6, 2016, 12–1 p.m., Stern Center Ballroom
Join us for our final Greenbag Lunch Series of the semester featuring a panel discussion around institutional racism. We will discuss the concept of institutional racism, its effects on individuals and society, as well as what this means for creating a sustainable community.
Panelists include:
- A.D. Carson, Founder of See the Stripes Campaign
- Mari Crabtree, Ph.D, Associate Professor, African American Studies Program
- Princess Hollis, Member Leader, Southerners on New Ground
- (Ansley) Pope, Senior Intern, Bonner Leader Program
Moderated by: Marla Robertson, Gender & Sexuality Equity Center and Transformative Teaching Collective
4) Words Unspoken
Thursday, April 7, 2016, 6 p.m., Towell Library
How can we sustain a community if we don’t understand the needs and desires of the people? We need to create the space to hear about the pain, suffering, joys and excitement that Charleston is experiencing. Take the time to listen to stories of students, staff and outside community members of the College of Charleston. Each performer will share a different perspective that our community is facing through the art of spoken word. Performers include College of Charleston students Anjali Naik (Diaspoura), Derek Berry, Savannah Leigh, Arthur “Some Call me Arti P” Phillips and (Ansley) Pope; the College’s executive chef, Tonya Mitchell; Charleston spoken word artist Marcus Amaker; and spoken word artist and Ph.D. candidate at Clemson University, A.D. Carson.
5) Campus Garden Workday
Friday, April 8, 2016, 3–5 p.m. in Warren Place Lot
Each year the Office of Sustainability hosts a garden workday on campus. Come out and get your hands dirty with the College’s Grounds Crew and Office of Sustainability Garden Apprenticeship Program. Attendees will build community by helping to paint a mural, build a vertical garden and compost. All tools and supplies will be provided.
