by Alejandra Padín-Dujon There are too many problems in Erika Christakis’ Halloween email for me to name, so I will not try. Instead, I want to draw your attention to one glaring problem that has been sadly, criminally overlooked. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE OF FEELINGS. To avoid any confusion, let me qualify this statement. Under…
by Alejandra Padín-Dujon Framed by a portrait of Yale graduate Yung Wing, the first Chinese student to graduate from an American university in 1854, Timothy Dwight Master Mary Lui outlined the institutional barriers to promoting Asian American Studies. Perhaps the most significant is the mechanics of the hiring process. Yale’s social scientists, whose departments hold much…
by Alejandra Padín-Dujon During his talk “Hispanics in the Legal Profession” at La Casa two weeks ago, alum Manuel del Valle (Law ’74) proclaimed the following to a packed house: “It’s something you need to know, because it’s part of your history. A history of what? Of struggle.” The “it” in question is Gonzalo v. Westminster,…
by Alejandra Padín-Dujon When asked about his affinity for incorporating office supplies into installations, Christopher Cozier grins and says, “there’s something mischievous about […] using the arsenal of bureaucracy for critique.” He quickly adds that his brand of “mischief” differs from the doctrinal radicalism of his peers. On October 8th the acclaimed Trinidadian artist, writer, and…
by Alejandra Padin-Dujon Sprague Hall is comfortably full—occupied, not packed. The pretty, cream-colored woodwork glows in the light of soft yellow lamps. All goes quiet as the lights dim, all sound replaced by the false calm of an audience pretending to be ready. The opening remarks are trivial. They end. Keynote speaker Hilton Als is…