The recently-founded Reproduction Justice Aliance is organizing a 5K trail run or walk here at Amherst to raise funds for the “Prison Birth Project.” The PBP, based in Holyoke, supports and educates formerly incarcerated mothers and “trans*” parents about reproductive justice and community organizing regarding the intersections between parenting and the criminal justice system. Sam O’ Brien ’18 and Kamini Ramlakhan ’17, two staff members at the Women’s and Gender Center, founded the RJA in the wake of the new presidential administration.
The 89th Academy Awards will go down in history for one very obvious reason, the massive blunder that was the final and most important award announcement of the night. For those that live under a rock, here’s a quick recap: While announcing the “Best Picture” winner, Warren Beatty took a pause when reading the card. However, his hesitance seemed like a cheesy effort to build suspense, causing his “Bonnie and Clyde” co-star, Faye Dunaway, to take the card and name “La La Land” as the winner.
Last Friday’s traditional, bi-weekly “Coffee Haus,” which almost always takes place in Marsh Ballroom, had a special twist. The members of Marsh Arts House decided to hold an auction in order to raise funds to donate to the American Civil Liberties Union. The house members organized and each volunteered what they could auction off.
Last Friday in Buckley Recital Hall, Tomal Hossain ’17 presented his original composition, “Kundalini Rising.” Comprising of voices and electronics, Hossain’s work involved seven movements of musical material that correspond with the ethical and psychological associations espoused by each of the seven chakras. Hossain talked about the process of creating this piece and how he combined his music background with the material he’s learned while at Amherst.
Q: How would you describe your thesis and the process of creating it?
Days away from opening night, I sat down with the directors, the producer and the stage manager of this year’s Amherst Musical, Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” This musical thriller will be performed this weekend in the Powerhouse. Producer Frank Tavares ’18, director A. Scott Parry, musical director Mark Swanson and stage manager Sophina Flores ’20 discussed the meaning of “Sweeney Todd” and the impact the revival of Amherst musicals has had on student life.
Jonathan Jackson ’17 and Hoang Thu An ’18 participated in Visiting Professor Amanda Herman’s Five College advanced art seminar course: “Make it Public: Art and Social Practice” about socially engaged art. The course has students from all five colleges who were chosen by the art departments at their schools for their exemplary work. For the course, each student proposed and implemented an original social practice art project that explore themes of identity, gender, race, mental health, human perceptions, feelings and more.
Lauren Carter ’17 is a math and theatre and dance major whose senior thesis will be an adaptation of Charles Mee’s “Big Love.” Her acting thesis will be directed by visiting theatre and dance professor Yagil Eliraz. The show will premiere in February with rehearsals beginning during interterm. I had the chance to talk with Carter about her hopes for her thesis before auditions are held later this week.
