Puerto Rico: Discovery and Now

By SERIAH SARGENTON Distribution Manager

Saint Rose students and the general public were invited to come learn the history of Puerto Rico and the current situation many Puerto Ricans are going through since being hit by recent hurricanes. An event called Descubrimiento: The Discovery of Puerto Rico, was hosted by the Saint Rose latin dance team, Sabor Latino.

The event was hosted by Jordan Gwynn, and Sabor Latino founding member, Gladyss Cuevas. There were performances by the The Figgy Family, Swing Phi Swing, The Alana Steppers, and Sabor Latino.

The club raised about $300 and 35% of the proceeds are going to be sent to the Ricky Martin Foundation. The Foundation is partnered with Music for Relief to help reach Ricky Martin’s goal to reach $6 million dollars to help provide food, water, clothing, and electricity to millions of Puerto Ricans who are suffering from the aftermath of hurricanes.

Following a performance of Preciosa by Mark Anthony, Sabor Latino members, Darniel Figueroa and Daniel Figueroa said that the song means a lot to them because it tells Puerto Rico’s story and it means a lot to the club as to why they are there.

“It’s not only a Puerto Rican event. It’s not only a Puerto Rican theme. We’re very diverse. You can be Puerto Rican and still have so many different backgrounds,” said Daniel Figueroa. In their eyes, the song talks about the struggles the people went through to get

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fect the students’ likeliness to participate.

“Other than the day of the event there is nothing else that I would change as the last couple of years I have had good experience” said Coleman.

The event was cancelled in the first place because of crowd rowdiness, as well as the athletics department feeling that the event did not properly showcase the basketball teams.

“We were told athletics was not planning it because its focus was more so on clubs” said VanDunk, of the event.

The issues were resolved when multiple groups and clubs met together to determine how to create a new and improved Midknight Madness.

“This event isn’t just about the basketball team,” said Coleman. “It’s about showing school pride and having a good time with your friends.”

Regardless of changes to the event students alike can agree on what Midknight Madness represents as a tradition, as well as why it is so important to continue.

Saint Rose student Cole Ives has attended Midknight Madness for two years in a row and enjoys how it brings all the students together and gets them excited for the start of the basketball season.

“ I enjoy being able to go out with my friends, all of us wearing St. Rose [sic] apparel and just having fun as a whole school” said Ives.

Performances at the event will include the Alana Step Team, Sabor Latino, and the Golden Nights, and the Cheerleading team

“It is an essential time in which students come together,” said VanDunk. “A time in which we showcase basketball and student clubs.”

Basketball players and SA members alike - many Saint Rose students want Midknight Madness to be an entertaining, safe, and enjoyable experience for students.

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paid off.. D'Annibale likewise is proud of them and the work that she herself had to put into this unique show.

“While I do work with Shakespeare quite often with students, I've never really been able to take time to pick apart the stories the way Bard has forced me to,” she said, “We only get snapshots of the whole story, it really is so important to make sure that I was really understanding what was being said and why it was being said. The scenes needed to stand strong independent of their full source, and reading into each scene like this has been a lot of fun.”

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campus. While Fragale knows that simulating homelessness is not the same as being homeless, she believes that it will bring awareness to the growing issue of homelessness which occurs right outside the Saint Rose campus.

“This event is not about acting as if a few hours outside is just like being homeless, nor is it supporting the stereotype that the homeless live in boxes,” said Fragale. “It is about getting a tiny idea of what it is like to have no place to go when it’s cold outside, and using cardboard boxes to create a public message about homelessness.”

The goal of the event is to raise awareness for people who don’t have shelter, not to make light of their situation.

“We don’t force people to stay overnight, because often we find that even after being outside for just an hour, you understand that this is not a life you’d want to live,” said Director of the Campus Ministry, Joan Horgan.

Horgan and Fragale’s goal in hosting this event is to teach people both the big and small things that they can all do to help and be in solidarity with the 3,000 plus homeless people in the Albany area. Multiple speakers from several shelters

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Opinion Editor Taylor Farnsworth ‘18 farnswortht844@strose.edu come and speak to the students and staff involved and educate them on homelessness in America and offer surprising and often saddening facts about people who live their lives without shelter.

When individuals arrive, they are given a handful of money in the form of pennies and nickels to pay for food and drinks at the sleep-out. After that, they learn that their home for the night will be a cardboard box, and they go on to build their homes with tape. They are given the option at any point in the night to go inside the sanctuary to warm up, although some choose to stay outside for the entire event. For people who need to warm up indoors, there are movies and documentaries running about people who live like this every day in the main room of the sanctuary. Participants are allowed to decorate their boxes. Both Horgan and Fragale said that most people write and paint facts and statistics about the homeless on their boxes for passersby to see.

Sarah and Kayla Franzken, twin sisters who are very involved in student affairs and spiritual life at the college, attended the event last year and said that it is a beneficial and educational event that got them thinking.

“It was an eye-opening event, all though it was very sad,” said Kayla, a communications major. ”It opened our eyes to see that not everyone is as fortunate as we are. We are fortunate enough to go to college, to eat, to sleep in a comfortable bed. Not everyone is as privileged as we are.”

The sisters attended with Fragale and decorated their boxes with a quote that read, “Who are we as human beings if we ignore the suffering of others?” and they stayed outside longer than anyone else at the event, past midnight.

“Once I felt the cold, I was about to complain, and then I stopped myself. I did this because I realized people deal with these kinds of cold temperatures every day, and here I am, outside for a moment, in a warm jacket,” said Sarah. “I know life is such a blessing, and I am grateful for it. But sometimes I forget how grateful I should be. It is nice to be reminded.” to where they are and why it makes Puerto Ricans who they are.

“The blood that runs through his veins is Puerto Rican and he wanted to make an impact, just like we do this performance,” said Daniel Figueroa.

The audience learned Puerto Rican history in the form of jeopardy. Hosts Cuevas and Gwynn asked several questions such as the year the island was discovered and who sings the song Agünile. Randomly picking members of the audience, they had about 30 seconds to answer correctly or they couldn't win gifts such as a Starbucks gift card.

This definitely helped Tyler Warren, a junior at Saint Rose gain a better understanding of Hispanic culture and learn how proud they are to represent their culture. Warren doesn't attend many events at Saint Rose, but he simply couldn't pass up the opportunity to attend an event that was for a big cause. Though he has never been personally affected by a hurricane, he has many Puerto Rican friends that have family who were affected that he wants to support.

Later this month, the Theatre will be putting on The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of A Christmas Carol (Nov. 16 at 8:00 p.m. and Nov. 19 & 20 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.).

Though casting for Farndale is already finished, D’Annibale emphasizes that there are always opportunities to get involved in the Saint Rose Theatre. There will be performance opportunities in the spring, and the department is always looking for help with behind-the-scenes work. Connect with the Saint Rose Theatre on social media for news and updates.

“You can see how the hurricane not only affected students and campus life, but people in the community. The people in the community wanted to come together and join Saint Rose to create an impact and support Puerto Rico during this time,” Warren said.

The night was heartfelt for many, not only for The Figgy Family, but for one of the Alana Steppers who currently is awaiting to hear from some of her family back home in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico.

Dana Stewart, a performer at Descubrimiento, also donated some money because she has family in Puerto Rico who were affected by hurricane damage. Stewart said she is proud that Sabor Latino asked them to be a part of this because it gave her a chance to help out in some way.

“This group is generally amazing, they’re expressing their Latino background and helping them,” said Stewart.

Stewart hopes to hear from her family that is further down in Yabucoa. For right now, she just prays that they are okay. As for the family she has heard from, she wants to do everything she can to help them, which is why she choose to be at Descubrimiento.

Descubrimiento not only worked to save lives in Puerto Rico but brought many people together right in our own community. It was an event where people could share stories, dance the night away, eat food, and watch live performances all while knowing that what they were doing was for a good cause.

“Boricua pride, that’s it,” said Daniel Figueroa.

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Brown

By BRIANA SPINA Staff Writer

Student Association General Business Meeting Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017 Standish A&B, Events and Athletics Center.

Members of The Student Art League (SAL) spoke at the meeting about becoming an official SA club. SAL has been in operation for a few years at Picotte Hall. Thanks to the large influx of art majors as well as support from the Pine Hills community, SAL has had the opportunity to grow in the downtown area. Their goal now is to become more of a presence on campus.

In the past, SAL has hosted several events such as Arts Giving, workshops, Art Prom, food drives, painting, “zine” making, and various other fundraisers.

Arts Giving is a potluck dinner, and Arts Prom is a dance with food and raffles. These events are open to everyone, not just members of SAL or art majors.

This is a major point that the club wants to emphasize: stu- dents do not have to be academically involved in an art program in order to be a member of SAL. They encourage faculty members as well to get involved with SAL events to bring people together through art.

SAL wants to gain notoriety and the budget of an SA club in order to have larger events and connect more to the community.

“We can bring more of a creative experience so it is more collaborative,” said John Desousa, a member of SAL.

Meetings are currently held in Room 7 in the basement of Brubacher Hall on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m., which will be changing soon to be in a more accessible space at two different meeting times.

SA will not have a meeting this week due to Advisement Day. The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

Living the Dream at Fantasy Fest

After an audience choice vote at Fantast Fest, Mark Manning was chosen to open Rose Rock, the annual spring end of the year concert on the quad.

Photos by Kate Pierce

Alumni of the Communications department who have studied a particular concentration will share their experiences, techniques, and advice on networking, as well as how it has impacted their careers.

The Alumni Student Networking Event is being held from