GWEM July2021 GLOBAL WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT MOVEMENT The PLUS Dreamer Editon Best Failures with Dr. Huber EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH: INDIA WALTON - MAKING HISTORY IN Ally-ship with BUFFALO Dr. Karen King Change Now Confrence 2021 Ajura Clothing
GWEM DREAMERS EDITION CONTENTS 18 MADAM MAYOR: 05 EDITOR'S NOTE INDIA WALTON'S HISTORIC FEAT Editor in Chief Amanda Hart introduces the dreamer issue. 07 GWEMS BOOK CLUB Powerful stories from women and women authors 09 AJURA STYLES Dreamer Ajura Styles Ltd. Shares with us some of her insight on why creating Eco- friendly designs are empowering 14 MOVING THE NEEDLE GWEM Interviews Dreamer Hilary Vanderbark as she explores her career and education 18 EXCLUSIVE! 09 23 INDIA WALTON'S HISTORIC AJURA CLOTHING HE FOR SHE ALLIANCE FEAT: HOW MS. WALTON IS GWEM interviews Ajura President of StonyBrook University MAKING HISTORY IN BUFFALO Clothing from Uganda Dr. Maurie McInnis has an SET TO BE RELEASED 7/20 who shares with us interview with GWEM discussing their passion for her role in bringing the HE for She creating a sustainable Alliance to her university, clothing brand set to be released 7/20
GWEM DREAMERS EDITION CONTENTS GWEM MUSTS 26 HISTORY SPOT learn about We'Wha a famous woman in history 27 RE-IMAGINING WHITE WOMAN ALLYSHIP Dr. Karen King discusses allyship within the current social climate 27 DR. KAREN KING 30 41 EXPLORING OUR BEST FAILURES DESIGNING SUSTAINABLE LATRINES FOR RARANYA, TANZANIA Dr. Mara Huber Associate Dean of the Experiential Learning Network talks about Ashley Perez talks writes how to explore our best failures about her sustainablity project and what it is like being a female engineering major.
DREAMER E D I T I O N GWEM
editor's note Dreamers hold a special place in my heart. When I was growing up, I was always called out for my \" head being in the clouds.\" I wish I could refute this claim, but the truth is that my hopes have always aspired upward. Concerning Women's Empowerment, dreams are essential. They empower us from within to be courageous, make important decisions and trudge forward even when it is tough to do so. Dreams challenge our current perspective and allow us to think outside of the box. In order to solve the complex social problems related to Women's initiatives, we have to allow ourselves to dream of new solutions. When we dream, we allow ourselves to imagine a future we would like to be in, an uncharted territory. Dreaming encompasses our fullest potential wrapped in a desire for change. This issue explores women that look upward instead of trudging along with the path they were given. These women believe in taking control of their destiny. Every path we walk is a choice, and it is up to us on how we move forward. Cheers, Amanda Hart EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
GWEM'S BOOK CLUB BOOKS WITH BIG DREAMS! Hidden Figures Modern HERstory Lila Grey, Let Go of the Day Margot Lee Blair Imani Shetterly Autumn Radle Why Women The Beauty Myth will Save the Planet Available on Amazon
GWEM Vol. 1 Issue 2 Credits July 2021 Editorial Amanda Hart Editor In Chief Digital Design/ Media Photography Press Relations Bryan Hart ELN Intern- Assistant Editor Hannah Baker ELN Mentor - Dr. Mara Huber Advertising/ Website Manager Bryan Hart [email protected] Subscriptions Visit www.gwemag.com or contact Amanda Hart [email protected] All materials contained within this periodical are protected by United States copyright law and–except where expressly stated–may not be modified, reproduced, republished, broadcast or redistributed without the prior written permission of GWEM Magazine editor in Cheif or by participating authors in the case of third-party materials, the original copyright holder. However, you may download material from the website for your personal, noncommercial use only. © 2021 The Global Women's Empowerment Movement aka GWEM www.gwemag.com [email protected] Published monthly by Buffalo Custom Art All Rights Reserved. GLOBAL WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT MOVEMENT
AJURA Styles SUSTAINABLE FASHION IN UGANDA
\"WE MAKE PATTERNS FROM LEAVES AND FLOWERS WE COLLECT FROM NATURE.\" There are few people as charismatic as EPA hazardous waste K181. Examples of this Sharon. Her passion for making eco- are commonly found in food, drug, and friendly clothing is just as infectious. cosmetic colorants (FD&C). According to With beautiful designs and colors, you TrustedClothes.com, nearly 10-15% of dyes would think they would have to be are released into the environment, causing made with chemical dyes. water pollution. This situation puts Ajura Styles in the correct position to combat However, Ajura Styles has shown us pollution in their area and empower other that using non-toxic dyes is not only women. doable but better for the environment. GWEM interviewed Ms. Sharon Anena, Ajura Styles is listed on UB's ELN Network. who shared with us how making Eco- On their profile page, Ajura Styles states, \" friendly clothing has empowered her We also offer training to support young . women and girls in the area of Eco-friendly Why is sustainable fashion something fashion as well as training with garment we must aspire to? According to the cutting and construction. These skills Environmental Protection Agency's support women's independence and report \"Waste from the Production Of success.\" Dyes and Pigments Listed as Hazardous,\" clothing and cosmetic Sharon has proved through her dyes are being listed as determination and empowerment that we should make responsible decisions when buying clothing. Check out the following interview on the next page.
where do you find your inspiration for your 19 clothing? I find inspiration from nature and the people around me. I love to create new things and this happens when i think of something new while i am walking on the road or when I hear conversations from the people around me. How does making clothing empower you personally? Over the times i have made clothes, i have increasingly grown, in my idea generations and also gained financial independence because of what I've created, I have also been in a position to support young mothers who have supported me to grow my brand and this gives me the sense of empowerment because then the fulfillment of helping others grow comes in Tell me about the process, how long in average do you spend a week working in your designs? We buy plain fabric from the market. we look at the capabilities of it holding the pigment from the leaves, flowers and grass that we will use to create patterns. We then wash the clothes and cut them in sizes that will fit our steaming pan, please the leaves on them in the pattern we want, roll them up, tie them and then steam them overnight. We take approximately 20 hours sometimes, even more, depending on how huge the production of a particular batch takes How do your clothes help the environment? We make patterns from leaves and flowers we collect from nature. This process doesn't involve dumping toxic wastes as the leaves we use to steam are OK and can be thrown back into the soil to make manure and make soils.
19 Sharon Anena is the Administrative Director at the Global Youth Conference (GYCO) Academy and Owner of Ajura Styles Ltd.
GWEM Intern Hannah Baker Shares some of her artwork.
WRITTEN BY AMANDA HART MOVING THE NEEDLE Interview with Hilary Vanderbark Hilary Vanderbark is smiling as she talks about her educational Hilary received her Masters’ Degree in 2017 and is now background. As a Ph.D. candidate in the Global Gender and working on her dissertation, which she states “ will be finished Sexuality Studies Department and a graduate assistant at the soon.” She finds her work rewarding as she can blend academia University at Buffalos’ Gender Institute, Hilary exudes with the advocacy work she is interested in. Hilary is currently enthusiasm as she talks with GWEM Editor in Chief Amanda researching how the government responds to sexual violence Hart about her journey. and how social activism moves the needle on what the state Coming from a conservative household in rural Washington, does. Hilary states, “ Where do we leverage our social powers Hilary was home-schooled. She started college early at the age as survivors and victims with advocates? Government work is of sixteen. At this point in her life, Hilary found that just mere slow. There will always be a lag between activist demand and exposure to cultural diversity made her reexamine her the government’s ability to respond. In 2019 Hilary participated worldview and question the beliefs she had grown up with and in a fellowship at New York States’ office for Sexual Violence internalized. She majored initially as an international relation Protection as a consultant. She loved doing policy consulting. “ major so she could pursue global advocacy work. However, this You get to use your academic skills for analysis with the hopes was refocused as she pursued graduate studies when she that it leads to something.” recounted her own experience with sexual violence. She admits . she never really registered what had happened to her until having a conversation with a friend. The experience had shifted her whole worldview. Through her own experiences, Hilary became an advocate and became an educator in womens’ research and womens’ initiatives.
Recently, she assisted Dr. Kari Winter, a professor in When GWEM asked Hilary what empowerment the Department of Global Gender and Sexuality means to her, she told us that it means having the studies, with the Kamala Harris Celebration. The autonomy/ability to self-determine, such as having celebration was part two of a solidarity project that access to contraception, representation, and was happening while the Muslim ban was ongoing. support for women to run in political campaigns. President Trump issued a Muslim ban—an executive “Empowerment though can be problematic when it order banning travel from several primarily Muslim is individualized.” She states. countries during his administration. His executive order not only furthered xenophobia and GWEM has been slated to be a feminist magazine. Islamophobia in the U.S but also incited outrage. The We asked Hilary why people are nervous about the first solidarity series featured refugee poets and word “ Feminism.” What is the big deal? Is feminism speakers and was more resistance-based. Part two evolving from the 1960’s version of the meaning? of this series celebrates how women have finally “ Yes, and No,” Hilary replies. “ When we think turned another corner in history with the election of about feminism now, we talk more about Vice President Kamala Harris.GWEM asked Hilary intersectionality. The most privileged people get why Vice President Harris should be celebrated, and the most attention in mainstream feminism, and the answer was clear. “ Women’s representation they mess up or miss the mark sometimes, which matters. Not because women inherently make better leads to miscommunication about what feminism policy decisions, but when we have more women in is. Feminism is not just one agenda. There are over power, you tend to see more family-oriented twenty different versions of feminism. People’s policies, intersectional policies. Although I have a perceptions have changed, and your tilt in the healthy skepticism toward most politicians, Vice world will affect how you view feminism. I am not President Harris broke barriers that women even too fond of the strategy of downplaying what more privileged could not break, like Former feminism is. It is about making sure we dismantle Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and Senator the systems that made us unequal.” Elizabeth Warren. If you can make Brett Kavanaugh cry, you have my vote.”, she said with a smile. 15
As the interview ends, Hilary tells us that her most 16 significant accomplishment is printing the body draft to her dissertation. As a first-generation college student and the first person in her family to hold a Ph.D., she admits, “ I have had many privileges to get to this point, but privilege does not negate hard work. Just because it is scary and difficult does not mean you cannot do it.” Some of us know exactly where we want to be in life and have the resources in the palm of our hand, and some of us coast through, and things gradually work themselves out. Many more can only make the best out of what cards they have been given; some never even get a full deck of cards. It is society's job to make sure people are dealt better cards. People like Hilary and those who entrench themselves in advocacy work are up to a tremendous and daunting task. Society needs to make sure the needle keeps moving. Whatever direction Hilary decides to take her hard work, we can be sure she will be moving the needle within the industry she chooses, whether it be policy work or as an advocate.
\"The content of a book holds the power of education and it is with this power that we can shape our future and change lives\" – MALALA YOUSAFZAI 24
MADAM MAYOR EAST SIDE HERO
EAST SIDE HERO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVIOR NEIGHBORHOOD HERO & WOMEN'S RIGHTS ADVOCATE. Ms. India Walton is poised to become the next mayor of Buffalo, New York. While the original campaign wasn't taken seriously by the long-time sitting Mayor. Bryon Brown, the city's politicians are shaking in their boots. Ms. Walton, 39, an East Side native, knows what it's like to throw down. From every angle: politicians, news stations, and residents are looking for a reason to count her and the people she represents out of the picture. Walton, a domestic violence survivor, and equal rights champion is set to be interviewed this month by GWEM Magazine. Updates will be made on July 20th, 2021. Ms. Walton's campaign staff told us she would be honored to be on the cover of our magazine and we are looking forward to telling her story of survival, empowerment, and optimism
INDIA WALTON SET TO BE RELEASED JULY 20TH
DR. MAURIE MCINNIS INTERVIEW WITH AMANDA HART Set to be released July 20th. Dr. Maurie McInnis, President of Stony Brook University, set up an interview with GWEM Staff to discuss her involvement with the He For She Alliance, her university reaching 50/50 gender parody within Stony Brook's staff and the WISE program.
HISTORY SPOT We'wha mastered the skills of the Zuni women - grinding and making cornmeal, making WE'WHA ceremonial pottery, cooking, and more. Some members of We'wha's tribe moved into As the most famous Zuni Native the abandoned Zuni lands of Nutria and American from New Mexico, Pescado. There, We'wha held the occupation of We'wha served as a cultural a farmer, a role which is considered a male ambassador for Native Americans occupation. and was a contact point and educator for many European- George Wharton James, an expert on Native American teachers, soldiers, American weaving styles wrote, \"She was an missionaries, and settlers. We'wha expert weaver, and her pole of soft stuff was was first to be included in religious laden with the work of her loom-blankets and ceremonies typically reserved for dresses exquisitely woven, and with a delicate Zuni boys at twelve. perception of colour-values that delighted the eye of the connoisseur\" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We%27wha
PERSPECTIVE RE-IMAGING WHITE WOMAN ALLY-SHIP KAREN KING PH.D. What does it mean to be a white ally at this moment? Patriarchy and White Privilege What role do those of who benefit from white privilege play in disrupting structural white privilege and racism? In the fall of 2020 I began doing some exploratory research on white woman ally-ship. I specially chose Words and phrases that I thought I would never see white women as I wanted to identify the ways white in print or hear spoken outside of academic circles women navigate patriarchy within their white privilege. have become omnipresent. Allyship, white privilege, A driving question for me is how do we tease out the antiracist, systemic racism and white supremacy similarities and differences in the way’s white women, have become part of the mainstream cultural Black women and Women of Color’s experience lexicon. Popular mainstream media, the business patriarchy within white privilege and structural racism. world; Fortune 500 Corporation CEO’s, small Is the shared experience of patriarchy the space where businesses owners and everyone in between are these linkages can be understood? embracing Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and scurrying to incorporate some form into their I assembled two cohorts of white women who wanted company’s brand identity. Is this a sign that white to deepen their understanding/knowledge about the people are pivoting from the comfortable space of role white privilege plays in our lives and in our acknowledging our white privilege to a space where understanding of the ways structural racism operates in we can no longer expect entitled comfort, but our professional and personal spaces. I wanted to rather, be willing to not only engage in access to what extent the women were willing to uncomfortable conversation about systemic racism challenge longstanding systems of privilege that they and white privilege but also be willing to engage in were currently benefiting from. I also wanted to explore action that challenges and dismantles these systems how they thought they could utilize their positional of white supremacy? power and privilege to challenge these existing systems.
I identified white women who would be How do we move beyond the fear and available to meet virtually for approximately 90 discomfort of doing and saying the wrong minutes over several months. All of the thing; as it is an inevitability and a product participants expressed a desire to be willing to of our white privilege that we will? take a deeper dive into complex issues including white privilege and racism, and the White allies must cede our entrenched role white woman can play in challenging white privilege and entitled comfort. We these systems. must have the will to engage in uncomfortable conversation about I also asked them to explore what structural racism and white privilege with circumstances/variables are needed in order fellow white people. We need to hold for meaningful social change to happen. Most each other to a higher standard of importantly, I was looking for women who humanity that must include engaging in were motivated to challenge themselves and actions that challenge and dismantles be willing to have difficult conversations about these systems. these topics. One of the key themes that emerged from both cohorts was the strong desire to act on challenging structural white privilege and racism, coupled with the fear of saying and doing the wrong thing; e.g. revealing their individual acts of racism including their complicity in its perpetuation. Karen King Ph.D. is the Commissioner of Public Advocacy for Erie County and the Executive Director of the Erie County Commission the Status of Women. Dr. King has served as an adjunct graduate faculty member at Buffalo State College and in the Graduate School of Education at the University at Buffalo. Additionally, she has developed and taught courses and conducted numerous workshops on popular media culture, social justice advocacy and anti-racist feminist theory. page | 28
YPOHLUAERRCEAED
EXPLORING OUR BEST FAILURES DR. MARA HUBER
PERSONAL GROWTH Exploring our Best Failures by Dr. Mara Huber Associate Dean of the Experiential Learning Network at the University at Buffalo To be clear, not all failures are best In a 2013 blog post, I mused that just The promise of leveraging failures. Most are uninteresting- once I would like to go to a conference simply not getting what we want, or that focused on best failures rather than failures is especially exciting for thought we wanted. But some failures best practices. I was tired of pretending are more complex and meaningful. that we had it all figured out, holding up women as we continue to deal They involve acting on a core examples of excellence and superiority intention, the essence of what we while attendees took notes, hoping to with constraints and obstacles believe or are trying to offer, and replicate results. I knew then, and still then hitting a proverbial wall- running know, that focusing on successes can that prevent collective growth into someone or something we didn’t only get us so far. By the time we claim expect, or failed to see coming. Best success, we have forgotten about the and deplete our resources. failures are painful in a special way. challenges, and have smoothed out the They leave us reeling. Their impact edges of our narratives. Yet, if we were Although stuckness looks stays with us, altering how we see able to explore our most powerful and interact with the world. Best failures, we could reap the many different in varying contexts and failures matter. They are inherently benefits, identifying errors and false powerful and beckon us to examine assumptions that can release us from environments, it manifests in them more closely. stagnation and stuckness, and lead us to a state of growth and expansion. common feelings of isolation, frustration and a yearning to grow and move. When we feel stuck with no viable options, a sense of failure kicks in and we are unable to see and access the choices and opportunities that swirl around us. PAGE 31
So why are there no best failures conferences or symposia? PERSONAL GROWTH Because failure is closely associated with feelings of shame and embarrassment, and getting too close can result in negative ·Alternate Paths. emotions and discomfort. But what if we could get some emotional distance and create space for holding up our best Now, hold up that same best failure and allow yourself to failures as opportunities for growth, learning, and innovation, and building community and support aroundexploration. Not revisit your own behaviors leading up to the unwanted just any failures, mind you; only the truly powerful ones, the failures that can lead to new opportunities and expansion, the outcome. If you were to go back in time, knowing what you type of growth we all need and crave. If you find yourself drawn to this notion of best failures, and are ready to dive into know now, how might you have done things differently and your own personal experiences, I offer the following process for your engagement. I suggest that you do this together with why? Without getting emotional, revisit the chain of events a friend or mentor, someone who can challenge and guide you, and perhaps share in the discovery and exploration. going back as far as you can, noting the various details and ·Identify Best Failures nuances to be modified, edited, or slightly tweaked, with Remember that best failures are not about simple rejection or not getting what you want. They are symbolic stories, each change leading to a different result or response. representing grand attempts to engage your mission or core contributions, going for it, throwing your heart and soul into Acknowledge these variations as choices, and note your something of importance, only to hit a wall. Best failures leave you reeling, profoundly disappointed, and in some way power in determining possible outcomes, even without changed by the experience. Because so few failures are best failures, you will need some time to sort through your collection altering the actions of others. Reflect on this idea of power. and identify those worthy of further exploration. Imagine yourself sorting through your closet, briefly examining each Synthesize what you have learned or discovered, and garment, deciding which to keep and which to discard. As you bring potential candidates into consideration, ask yourself practice giving it voice- actually talking about it or whether it is a symbolic and important failure with lessons to reveal. If not, acknowledge its lack of significance, and decide describing it to someone you respect or care about. Feel simply to let it go. your space expand. Imagine If. Once you have identified a best failure to work with, allow ·Apply Your Insights. yourself to indulge in the exercise of rewriting history. How Now apply these lessons to where you are now and do you wish others had behaved differently, what ending consider how you might use them within your current or would you have preferred? Acknowledge that this is the evolving context. Think of these insights as gifts that you fantasy portion of your work; the place where most of us are giving yourself, not from a place of blame or humiliation, like to go, and stay. Take a moment to appreciate how it but instead from a higher state of empowerment and feels to go there, wishing and rewriting, yearning for growth- the version of you that lies ahead. What someone to have done something differently. Now reflect opportunities can you identify for putting these lessons and on what you have learned or gained from this activity, and ideas into practice? How will you recognize their impact? whether it is worthwhile to continue to focus on what could Take some time to imagine what it will feel like when you are have been. Once you conclude that it is neither a good honoring, or have honored these gifts. How might you investment nor a path forward, note that it is clearly time to expect others to respond? What do you need to nurture or move on. protect this best version of yourself? Feel this commitment take root.
1 Identify Congratulations for your courage and Best commitment for doing this important Failures work. Because of what you have learned and have to share, I am pleased 2Imagine If. to invite you to serve as a keynote presenter at our very own Best Failures 3 Alternate Symposium. Paths Now don’t get nervous, the audience 4Apply Your will be filled with other women who are Insights committed to this collective work. As you reflect on what you will share with fellow participants, allow yourself to put your insights into practice, making the most of the decisions you have as you live your life and do your work. Note how your choices affect you and others around you, and your ability to see and actualize opportunities for movement and growth. How has your story changed and how will it continue to evolve? Know that as we live boldly, we will have an unending array of best failures to share. These will be the stories of our growth and expansion, the pathway to actualizing our collective potential. I look forward to hearing your story.
Intern Hannah Baker shares one of her paintings
Change Now 2021 CONFERANCE
The Change Now GWEM Magazine was happy to be granted press access Conference to this summit and was honored to have had the opportunity from afar to wade through the press room TAKEAWAYS and listen to the many different speakers, all from different backgrounds Admittedly, the SDGs are daunting. With The Change Now conference was informative and seventeen topics ranging from Climate Change to upbeat with other 500 speakers, organizations, and Women’s Equality, no stone can afford to be left networking opportunities. Stonybrook was one of many unturned. Thousands of new initiatives have organizations from a worldwide petri dish of SDG emerged from the grounds of countries globally in hopefuls looking to embrace a better tomorrow. Every support of the UN’s Sustainable Development speaker and organization highlighted their sustainable Goals. It is no surprise that conferences such as initiative; for instance, ELLE Magazine, a leader in the the Change for Now Summit are detrimental in fashion industry, participated in the Women of Change playing their part in disseminating the information. Campaign and the Change Now conference. Seeing I commend the organizations that appeared at the industries that are very well-known making Change For Now Conference of 2021, as they also appearances at conferences such as this gives me hope have the unique challenge of navigating a global that industry is changing, or at the very least trying to. pandemic. With a virtual conference such as this, Leading by example is a hard road to take, and more people can mobilize their efforts and connect participants are brave foot soldiers on the path to their work in a loosely collaborated way which helping the UN’s sustainable development goals be offers a unique way to rise above the technological reached by 2030. Buzzwords such as circularity, nuances and create opportunities for the upcycling and more rang as I watched top fashion participating organizations and patrons. leaders talk about focusing their brands on repair and care instead of luxury. By reducing packaging, waste, and materials, fashion industries can save money and help the environment without making tremendous sacrifices. There was a focus on women in science and engineering, fair hiring practices, and sustainability projects in other sections of the conference. With so many worthy of recognition, we decided to mainly focus on the Women for Change Summit at the Change Now Conference.
TAKE- FASHION IS CHANGING AWAYS Brands such as Elle Magazine and leaders in high end fashion are opting for more sustainable practices such as eliminating waste, recycling materials and using more efficicent shipping practices. OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN ARE EMERGING WITHIN BIG CORPORATIONS. Industry giants such as PepCo made an appearance at the Women for Change Summit. Industry is looking to become more diverse and inclusive by streamlinging roles for women. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE FOCUSING ON STEM With Programs such as Codely , education targeted at Women who want to learn how to Code and make websites, or Stony Brook University's WISE program, it has never been a better time to participate in male dominated professions. SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES ARE A BOOMING INDUSTRY With the topic of the UN sustainable development goals on nearly every industy's mind, new opportunities have emerged for collaboration, work and partnership.
Page 33 Sassy Teen Magazine GWEM Magazine is currently looking for guest writers, educators, students working on sustainability projects, change-makers and leaders within the gender equality movement to participate in our December release of 2021. We are currently accepting project proposals from University at Buffalo students to help promote and disseminate our initiative. Please contact the ELN Network for more information on how to participate. With our evolving subscriber base and booming social media, we are proud to say that we have never had more support from the community and our readers. We want to share your story!
Page 36 We are, creating a feminist brand that promotes women's sustainability issues and projects, student collaboration with NGOs, and global community initiatives that are partcipating in the UN's sustainable development goals. Contact us today to be a part of an amazing and unique opportunity! [email protected]
Resources National Suicide Domestic Violence Prevention Hotline Hotline Call 1.800.799.SAFE 800-273-8255 (7233) Center for Women Veterans www.va.gov/womenvet/ U.S. Commission National on Civil Rights Clearinghouse for the Defense of www.usccr.gov Battered Women 1-800-903-0111, ext. 3
DesigfonirngRaSruasntyaain, aTbalnezaLnatiarines Guest Writer My mom was always working to pay the bills and ASHLEY PEREZ give us the life she dreamed of and my sister was constantly studying to be the first person in our University at Buffalo, The State family to earn a bachelor’s degree. I observed the University of New York at Buffalo way my mother would strategically plan and budget Environmental Engineering ||2022|| and the way my sister studied (and restudied) problems until she understood them completely- A common question or response you get when you skills I would later use to solve complex engineering tell people you’re an engineering student is “Wow that problems. must be so hard”, or “That’s impressive, you’re going to make good money”, “Isn’t that a field for guys?”- Engineering for me is a way of thinking and of seeing there’s a list of other disheartening or overused the world, it’s bringing together technological reactions to being a black-latina woman in innovation and humanity. Environmental engineering engineering. I like to tell people, I always knew I would is solving problems for the people, for the planet, to become an engineer, long before I knew what it was live harmoniously. I was introduced to the field of or even how to spell ‘engineering’- from a young age humanitarian engineering as a freshman in university I’d look at problems and try to figure out the best way very briefly as an in between on presentations of to solve them. I never backed down from complex or robotics and nanotechnology but, I was stuck on this challenging projects and in middle/high school I often field of community-driven projects to help understood topics better once we did the more marginalized regions. complicated problems. I attribute my determination and work ethic for problem solving to the way I grew page 38 up; I was raised by a single mother and my older sister in a predominately white suburban neighborhood.
Thankfully, I was able to speak to my professors more about the work and research being done on campus for these global projects and how my life would play out if I chose to go with the NGO or humanitarian engineering path. This is when I found that passion, I had for engineering at such a young age again, solving problems- something I’m trained to do and use that expertise to help people. The great thing about this field is you’re not just giving people access to clean water, or adequate housing, or improved latrine systems- you’re keeping kids in school, you’re reducing the spread of disease, you’re empowering people- in particular to Designing Sustainable Latrines project, we’re empowering women to focus on their lives. The Designing Sustainable Latrines project is a group of engineering students at the University at Buffalo who are working on designing improved toilet systems for Raranya, Tanzania. We are working under the guise of Hope Revival Children’s Organization (HRCO) director, Stephen Marwa and our university Experiential Learning Network director, Mara Huber. The project team was formed September 2020 with a goal of designing a new latrine system for the HRCO learning center by April 2021. In taking on this project, we knew we had three points of contact with expertise on this sanitation problem: Mr. Marwa, who provided key insight and details into the community and how we should consider certain cultural competencies throughout our design project, Mara Huber, who works with the HRCO and has spent over a decade visiting and collaborating with Tanzania to address various community problems, and our last resource- Curt Andino, the director of Friendly Water for the World, who has worked on design and implementation of different types of latrines in Kenya. Through the combined effort and knowledge of these three people our group was able to work on our own design for a latrine that addressed various community problems. Our group understood that within a short time frame and high stakes the final design we produced would inevitably be improved upon after implementation in Raranya. We decided to do the project in three steps: research, design aspects, design sketches & modeling.
Devoting a large portion of our time (roughly 5 Based on this local research we studied the major months) on research, we knew we’d ultimately aspects of sustainable latrines- compost, structural sacrifice some time for design but chose to design, latrines from a system point of view (what research as much as we could to grasp the full was going in and what was coming out), and the scope of the project. A sustainable development geographical region. These four categories allowed goal (SDG) as defined by the UN is clean water us to find out key information that we would later and sanitation, there is a lack of access to clean use to design the system. We knew we wanted to water and adequate sanitation methods on a compost the fecal matter and repurpose the urine as global scale. In Raranya, the current latrine much as possible because the region is known for the system is pit latrines which is essentially holes agricultural industry so, by providing compost that (pits) in the ground where people would squat could be used as fertilizer this would help the above and relieve themselves. The problems agriculture and ultimately help the economy. By with this system are on the basis of public analyzing the structural design and understand the health and availability. This method leads to latrines from a system engineering point of view we disease spread such as cholera, diarrhea, were able to quantify the materials needed and typhoid, and many others; during a global implement as much local labor and resources pandemic it is necessary to reduce the amount possible in the build. of bacterial and viral infections/spread, especially where access to medicine is not As previously mentioned, the goal of this project was widely available. From an availability to empower community members so using local and standpoint, it is not feasible to constantly dig up renewable resources would allow them to build or holes and leave fields of open defecation holes. troubleshoot any future latrines without reliance on Schools are forced to shut down because they outside help. Our group worked on this project from would need many pits to meet the demand of Buffalo, NY which is roughly 8,000 miles away from hundreds of student/faculty members. The Tanzania, where our design would be implemented, repercussions of schools shutting down leads to we spent a vast amount of time trying to understand a lack of education which doesn’t help the local the geographical and geological composition of the economy so there is this feedback loop keeping area from topographical mapping to conversations people in poverty. with those who have experience with the region. PROJECTS www.gwemag.com
Upon reviewing our research, we moved onto Having this connection to a the design portion of the project. Designing community and knowing the positive involved a lot of troubleshooting and impact that our designs will have on communication with Mr. Marwa to ensure that the community is what makes all the the community would accept and find our math and research worthwhile. I hope designs useful. The designs were based off of one day that I or my project team gets existing latrine structures, Ecosan, that are the chance to go to Tanzania and see more commonly used in India. We were able to the final product, fully constructed and modify the sketches to allow for use of in use. interlocking bricks that are produced in the community via a brick making machine. This This being a global project addressing machine provides a local and renewable source a sustainable development goal, it of material, local employment, and increased definitely applied pressure and huge education around engineering/construction implications but, as a group we were practices. Not only were we able to modify the able to engineer our way through this structure for the bricks, but the design also project to help pave the way for future includes composting tanks that require students. collection once a year. After finalizing the designs, Mr. Marwa and the HRCO can begin construction and expect to have a usable latrine within a couple of months.
Join the GWEM Women's Empowerment Forum! visit http://gwemag.com/forum/ to join today! gwem 42 JULY 2021
SUSTAINABLE FASHION Brands to watch for Patagonia - Certified B Corp, Fair Trade Tradlands-Based In California, USA Certified, organic cotton, environmental Ethics | Ethical small-batch production, natural & sustainability initiatives, gives back dead-stock materials, inclusive sizing up to 5x Pact- Fair Trade Certified, GOTS certified organic cotton, carbon-offset shipping tentree-Based In Vancouver, Canada Best For Fair trade organic cotton basics Ethics | Certified B Corp, sustainable & Eco- friendly materials, ethical manufacturing, gives Sézane -Based In Paris, France back Ethics | Fair labor standards, natural & sustainable materials, gives back, recycled Reformation-based In California, USA packaging, powered by renewable energy Ethics Made in the USA, sustainable & regenerative fabrics, carbon- & water-neutral, safe & fair working conditions, living wages PAGE 43
RHOBI Help young women find their courage and provide services for them. Young SAMWELLY girls can acclimate back into society, recover and learn new skills with In our last issue , we had an Robi's help. Ms. Samwelly 's award- interview with Rhobi Samwelly. winning documentary \" In the Name of Rhobi has shown to be a champion Your Daughter \" shines a light on within Tanzania. She tackled the FGM's atrocities and the reason they Female Genital Mutilation ( FGM ) need to be stopped. initiative and has secured safe houses for young women fleeing As FGM is a huge social issue within violence. Tanzania ( and other countries ), Rhobi's organization ( Hope for Girls & In our special Tanzania Edition Women ) needs your support. By available for free on our website, we supporting Rhobi's Initiative, you are dive deep into Rhobi's reasons for directly impacting a young woman's wanting to life. Donations are available on Hope for Girls and Women's website, as well as Global Giving. Org https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/s afe-house-training-centre-tanzania/
SPTETRIHGIOEMDA AMANDA HART
THE PERIOD STIGMA AMANDA HART as she/her, how evil can you be?\" While the topic of Transgender bathrooms is another topic, I Period Positivity or Inclusivity is making its rounds in could not help but feel that this young woman is women's empowerment circles among academics, at a precarious age. An age of coming into activists, and social media. oneself. Why are our youth still ashamed of having a period at all? Why especially is this young In our last issue, we introduced ETS ( End the woman feeling shame around other young Stigma ), a school organization at StonyBrook women? University headed by our guest writer Jasmine Kumar. The message has never been more The topic of shame and menstruation is deep and apparent. We need to make changes to our period full of history, but the gist of the conclusion is language and lead by example. simple. Our culture has not changed. Women are still secretive about \" that time of the month,\" we A few weeks ago, I was browsing YouTube and still make an effort to hide our tampons or pads, came across an 8th-grade student talking to a and we have passed these habits on to our school board about Transgender Women using the children. By hiding it from our sons, we are same bathroom as her. Her words, \"It is furthering the stigma, and by showing our embarrassing enough having to change a pad in daughters, we are hiding shows them they should the girls' bathroom without everyone hearing it but feel shame if her period is discovered. telling her she must do it in the presence of boys because of their preferred pronouns...
It is our job as women to reduce the stigma by \"The research, which was commissioned by THINX, changing the way we address period issues. Not an innovative period solutions company and only can we empower ourselves by taking on such makers of period-proof underwear, found that a a critical task, but we also pass the torch of shocking 44 percent of men admit to having knowledge and self-empowerment to our youth. made a joke about or comment on a partner's mood when she was on her period. By normalizing positive period behavior, we are Things are even worse at work, where more than proactive about the future of girls who are new to half of men studied (51 percent) believe it is menstruation and how they engage with others inappropriate for women to mention their about the topic. menstrual cycles in the workplace openly.\" The culture around Women's Menstruation needs However, this is only one solution to a significant to be changed. It starts with us! cultural problem. Education toward youth is a start, but the bigger problem lies within our Access the full article by menstrualhygieneday schools. here: According to menstrualhygieneday.org and their https://menstrualhygieneday.org/nearly-half-us- article \" Nearly half of US Women Experience women-experienced-period-shaming/ period shaming,\"
Uganda Curry Potatoes French Soupe à l’oignon Afghan Kaddu Buranee The Benefits of 1 UGANDA CURRY POTATOES Eating Ethnic Food Full of Tumeric, cinnamon, corriander , fresh parsley GWEM STAFF and lemon, this dish is not only meatless but full of healing spices and rather easy to make. Eating sustainably is essential. Not just for the environment, but for our health. Eating food rich in 2 FRENCH SOUPE A LOIGNON spices and vegetables promote a healthier heart, lowers cholesterol by skipping large amounts of fat With generally only 55 calories per serving, this dish uses meat served in meat. stock instead of meat. This particular soup is rich in potassium and low in sugar. It also exposes us to a good source of onions, a Americans have somewhat of a bland diet when it healthy vegetable that contain antioxidants and compounds that comes to spices. Many ethnic foods contain rich fight inflammation spices that are full of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, such as Tumeric, Ginger, and 3 AFGAN KADDU BURANEE Cinnamon, to name a few. Here are some dishes low in meat and loaded with healthy spices to try. Just This pumpkin dish is way off the charts delicious. give google a quick search to find some of these With accents of ginger, garlic and mint , it is sure popular recopies. not to disappoint.
Editor Amanda Hart shares one of her paintings
Search
