you might remember your own graduation review. Precis were read. Observations were made. More than a few tears were shed. And then on May 1, we gathered as a group to share in a commencement that would also bring on more than a little nostalgia: for two(ish) minutes each, graduates were acknowledged in a manner of their own choosing. Pets appeared on camera. Songs were sung. Years of hard work were recounted in top ten lists. Emotional memories were recounted by parents, and friends, and siblings. The weird admixture of joy and anxiety and pride and effervescent excitement that marks in-person Johnston commencement was every bit as palpable in its digital form.
Photo by Coco McKown
Hi Everyone, We are happy to share with you the many activities of the Johnston Center over the past six months. In this issue of the Coz, you’ll get a student’s perspective of this year’s Kathryn Green lecture series, which brought alumni experiences to the community. We’ll feature some programs that support current students, made possible by your gifts to the Center. And we’ll try to give you a snapshot of what we’ve been up to in this almost entirely virtual year by sharing some of our curriculum, exciting student achievements, and updates from you on life updates. There’s more, too! I want to thank M. G. Maloney, Johnston’s Assistant
Director, who coordinates production of the Coz, the student Interns who design and work year-round to make this possible, and all of those who contributed to this volume of our alumni newsletter.
other hand, we also have lost community members since last I wrote you; reflections on these losses are collected in the “In Memorium” section of this issue of the Coz. As I was drafting this letter, we also learned of the passing of Samantha Berkman (‘12), a young alum who was making her way in the world as a comedian in Chicago. To all the members of the Johnston community impacted by the passing of your peers and friends, my condolences. Thank you for continuing to be engaged with the community, especially as readers of the Coz McNooz. Tim Seiber
As we wish these students well in their next steps, we also look toward the future in another way. Johnston is already beginning the process of welcoming next year’s first year class. We’ll continue to recruit new students to what will be a fully in-person Fall 2021 semester and welcome them onto campus near the end of August. We’ll welcome you, as well, when we return to offering Vintage Johnston, our annual wine dinner and auction, on October 9. Proceeds from this event support the Student Project Fund.
This document reflects the capacities of Johnston students, staff, faculty, and alumni to creatively adapt to new and ongoing challenges. Our seminars worked differently, as did our community meetings and advising sessions. Although there were a few students in Bekins and Holt, our classes were still virtual, community spaces depopulated of furniture, and office hours conducted through Zoom rectangles. However, we proudly used our digital framework to graduate 47 seniors one at a time, just how
There is a great deal to celebrate for us, and lots of work to nurture and begin. On the
1
Samantha “Sam” Berkman (‘12) with community at Johnny Cash Day, Photo by Clarke Henry
2
you might remember your own graduation review. Precis were read. Observations were made. More than a few tears were shed. And then on May 1, we gathered as a group to share in a commencement that would also bring on more than a little nostalgia: for two(ish) minutes each, graduates were acknowledged in a manner of their own choosing. Pets appeared on camera. Songs were sung. Years of hard work were recounted in top ten lists. Emotional memories were recounted by parents, and friends, and siblings. The weird admixture of joy and anxiety and pride and effervescent excitement that marks in-person Johnston commencement was every bit as palpable in its digital form.
Photo by Coco McKown
Hi Everyone, We are happy to share with you the many activities of the Johnston Center over the past six months. In this issue of the Coz, you’ll get a student’s perspective of this year’s Kathryn Green lecture series, which brought alumni experiences to the community. We’ll feature some programs that support current students, made possible by your gifts to the Center. And we’ll try to give you a snapshot of what we’ve been up to in this almost entirely virtual year by sharing some of our curriculum, exciting student achievements, and updates from you on life updates. There’s more, too! I want to thank M. G. Maloney, Johnston’s Assistant
Director, who coordinates production of the Coz, the student Interns who design and work year-round to make this possible, and all of those who contributed to this volume of our alumni newsletter.
other hand, we also have lost community members since last I wrote you; reflections on these losses are collected in the “In Memorium” section of this issue of the Coz. As I was drafting this letter, we also learned of the passing of Samantha Berkman (‘12), a young alum who was making her way in the world as a comedian in Chicago. To all the members of the Johnston community impacted by the passing of your peers and friends, my condolences. Thank you for continuing to be engaged with the community, especially as readers of the Coz McNooz. Tim Seiber
As we wish these students well in their next steps, we also look toward the future in another way. Johnston is already beginning the process of welcoming next year’s first year class. We’ll continue to recruit new students to what will be a fully in-person Fall 2021 semester and welcome them onto campus near the end of August. We’ll welcome you, as well, when we return to offering Vintage Johnston, our annual wine dinner and auction, on October 9. Proceeds from this event support the Student Project Fund.
This document reflects the capacities of Johnston students, staff, faculty, and alumni to creatively adapt to new and ongoing challenges. Our seminars worked differently, as did our community meetings and advising sessions. Although there were a few students in Bekins and Holt, our classes were still virtual, community spaces depopulated of furniture, and office hours conducted through Zoom rectangles. However, we proudly used our digital framework to graduate 47 seniors one at a time, just how
There is a great deal to celebrate for us, and lots of work to nurture and begin. On the
1
Samantha “Sam” Berkman (‘12) with community at Johnny Cash Day, Photo by Clarke Henry
2
DiSbAtCheS FrOm COmplEX By Maggie Ruopp (’16)
On Monday March 16, 2020, the University sent out the announcement that campus was closing and students needed to move out of their rooms by Friday March 20th at 5:00 PM. I spent the next four days in a hurricane of text messages, emails, phone calls, and emphatic conversations from a new six-foot distance. How are you getting home? Do you need to store your stuff? Let me know when you’re there safely. Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out. These refrains became so used that they started filling in automatically on my phone. Then suddenly, all the students were gone. For two weeks, I went through each space on Complex methodically—bagging trash, rearranging furniture, moving items to storage, setting things right for when community returned home. It was the first time in my years at Johnston that both Holt and Bekins were completely empty. A lot of people have asked about my experience living alone in Holt, in a dormitory building meant for over eighty people. During the pandemic, the strangeness of existing solo in a space built for a community was on my mind often. The interesting
thing is, when I think back over the last 14 months, there are plenty of moments when community came back to me. A student came back last summer from Arizona to get all of her summer clothes out of storage, which she packed away when leaving for a spring semester abroad in Salzburg. Professor Alisa Slaughter, her husband librarian Les Canterbury, and their cats stayed in Holt for a few weeks when evacuated from their home during the El Dorado Fire. Local students swung by to see me on Bekins porch to pick up printed copies of their resumes from the Johnston Office. One fall night while I sat on Bekins balcony waiting for the coyotes to descend on the quad, five students midway through a Southern California road trip pulled up, hopped out of their car and danced in front of the building while we shouted “I love yous” back and forth. On January 24, 2021, twenty-four students moved back in Bekins and Holt for the spring semester. They practiced their Dance Company choreography in an empty Night Java, ate their lunches on the lawn, did their homework on the porch.
3
The most consistent and impactful way I interacted with community during the pandemic was through the Johnston Food Pantry. Started shortly before the pandemic hit, this resource became a crucial part of how Johnston cares for its students. Last May I moved it from its home across from Day Java to the full expanse of Bekins basement kitchen, which is where it will live until August. (Then it will be moved back upstairs.) Through the Johnston Director’s Discretionary Fund and then through generous donations from our supportive Johnston College alumni, Peter Broffman (’72), Janet Hoffman (’73) and her husband, John Harland, Johnston has been able to both keep the pantry stocked and purchase groceries for students not local to Redlands or those who needed specific items the pantry didn’t have. Through the 2020 summer as students and their families waited for sufficient federal aid, students stopped by the pantry (with masks on). I gave them bags and we chatted about how things were going while they shopped around. In the fall when work-study positions were severely limited and remote work was challenging for college students to find, Johnston students texted me their grocery lists and included endless exclamation points and emojis to express their gratitude when the food showed up at their doorsteps. This past spring semester, when the pandemic persisted, the Johnston Food Pantry remained open. Food is an essential component of what allows students to thrive interpersonally and
academically and it is something that not enough of us thought about when things were “normal,” because there were myriad ways food showed up in common spaces pre-COVID. When students return in the fall, food will still be one of the central things in their lives and Johnston will continue to find sustainable and innovative ways to support students who need it because that’s what community does––it feeds us, body and soul. Editor’s Note: To learn more about the nourishing ways two more Johnston alumni and their spouses gave to support Johnston students’ well-being and professional development, check-out this article.
Photos by Aria Hurtado, March 2020
4
DiSbAtCheS FrOm COmplEX By Maggie Ruopp (’16)
On Monday March 16, 2020, the University sent out the announcement that campus was closing and students needed to move out of their rooms by Friday March 20th at 5:00 PM. I spent the next four days in a hurricane of text messages, emails, phone calls, and emphatic conversations from a new six-foot distance. How are you getting home? Do you need to store your stuff? Let me know when you’re there safely. Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out. These refrains became so used that they started filling in automatically on my phone. Then suddenly, all the students were gone. For two weeks, I went through each space on Complex methodically—bagging trash, rearranging furniture, moving items to storage, setting things right for when community returned home. It was the first time in my years at Johnston that both Holt and Bekins were completely empty. A lot of people have asked about my experience living alone in Holt, in a dormitory building meant for over eighty people. During the pandemic, the strangeness of existing solo in a space built for a community was on my mind often. The interesting
thing is, when I think back over the last 14 months, there are plenty of moments when community came back to me. A student came back last summer from Arizona to get all of her summer clothes out of storage, which she packed away when leaving for a spring semester abroad in Salzburg. Professor Alisa Slaughter, her husband librarian Les Canterbury, and their cats stayed in Holt for a few weeks when evacuated from their home during the El Dorado Fire. Local students swung by to see me on Bekins porch to pick up printed copies of their resumes from the Johnston Office. One fall night while I sat on Bekins balcony waiting for the coyotes to descend on the quad, five students midway through a Southern California road trip pulled up, hopped out of their car and danced in front of the building while we shouted “I love yous” back and forth. On January 24, 2021, twenty-four students moved back in Bekins and Holt for the spring semester. They practiced their Dance Company choreography in an empty Night Java, ate their lunches on the lawn, did their homework on the porch.
3
The most consistent and impactful way I interacted with community during the pandemic was through the Johnston Food Pantry. Started shortly before the pandemic hit, this resource became a crucial part of how Johnston cares for its students. Last May I moved it from its home across from Day Java to the full expanse of Bekins basement kitchen, which is where it will live until August. (Then it will be moved back upstairs.) Through the Johnston Director’s Discretionary Fund and then through generous donations from our supportive Johnston College alumni, Peter Broffman (’72), Janet Hoffman (’73) and her husband, John Harland, Johnston has been able to both keep the pantry stocked and purchase groceries for students not local to Redlands or those who needed specific items the pantry didn’t have. Through the 2020 summer as students and their families waited for sufficient federal aid, students stopped by the pantry (with masks on). I gave them bags and we chatted about how things were going while they shopped around. In the fall when work-study positions were severely limited and remote work was challenging for college students to find, Johnston students texted me their grocery lists and included endless exclamation points and emojis to express their gratitude when the food showed up at their doorsteps. This past spring semester, when the pandemic persisted, the Johnston Food Pantry remained open. Food is an essential component of what allows students to thrive interpersonally and
academically and it is something that not enough of us thought about when things were “normal,” because there were myriad ways food showed up in common spaces pre-COVID. When students return in the fall, food will still be one of the central things in their lives and Johnston will continue to find sustainable and innovative ways to support students who need it because that’s what community does––it feeds us, body and soul. Editor’s Note: To learn more about the nourishing ways two more Johnston alumni and their spouses gave to support Johnston students’ well-being and professional development, check-out this article.
Photos by Aria Hurtado, March 2020
4
EmPoWerinG cLimAtE AcTiOn Diversity AND Power of Discussion By Jacinta Navas-Galdamez (‘22)
First things first, we need to have some truths made clear: 1. The climate crisis is real and onset by humanity. 2. Underprivileged communities (especially BIPOC communities) are affected disproportionately.
3. There’s still time to correct the path that we’re on. In Empowering Climate Action in the United States (Changemakers Books, 2021) by Johnston College alumnus Tom Bowman (‘78) and Deb Morrison, these topics are highlighted and addressed more than anything else. The book itself is part of the Resetting Our Future series with the intention to change the ways which people think of climate action. Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) came up with the National Strategic Planning Framework for the United
States that emphasizes the importance of inclusive conversations. One of the main points that is discussed in the Strategic Planning Framework is the necessity to include individuals from all walks of life in the conversations revolving around change. From the inner-city to the rural communities, BIPOC communities, and high-to-low income–these are the voices that are needed in order to bring long-lasting
5
change. Rather than forcing the conversation from these groups, the plan is to leave a seat for them at the table. The second point that would be criminal not to talk about is the emphasis on the locality of the conversations. Rather than work solely from the national level, start from the neighborhoods to enact change. Level the playing field in order to invite these diverse voices to the importance that they have. The struggle of the past, and continuing to nowadays, is the lack of organization throughout the nation. Disorganization plagues grassroots campaigns to a cycle of stagnation, requiring more organization on a national level. What also plagued the past was the lack of integration of younger groups. Teenagers, as proven in the past, are forces behind movements and communication powerhouses that need to be integrated into successful movements. The fact that the current educational system lacks an emphasis in climate reform (and climate justice)
shows more of how our system needs to change on a fundamental level. Empowering Climate Action in the United States addresses concerns that were brought to light during the COVID-19 pandemic. Racial injustices, diversions from government officials, and the growing necessity for change are all emphasized with the urgency of a fire alarm in a burning building. Tom Bowman and Deb Morrison gathered together the ideas and plans that make up the National Strategic Planning Framework for the United States in a way that makes it intriguing and enjoyable to read. True to the hopes and necessities mentioned within the work, climate education and reformation can begin to take place. Imagine the conversations that can begin at the community level while ACE works from the governmental level to help bring about change. Editor’s note: To purchase Bowman and Morrison’s book, support your local independent bookstore or check it out via inter-library loan it at your local public/ academic library
6
EmPoWerinG cLimAtE AcTiOn Diversity AND Power of Discussion By Jacinta Navas-Galdamez (‘22)
First things first, we need to have some truths made clear: 1. The climate crisis is real and onset by humanity. 2. Underprivileged communities (especially BIPOC communities) are affected disproportionately.
3. There’s still time to correct the path that we’re on. In Empowering Climate Action in the United States (Changemakers Books, 2021) by Johnston College alumnus Tom Bowman (‘78) and Deb Morrison, these topics are highlighted and addressed more than anything else. The book itself is part of the Resetting Our Future series with the intention to change the ways which people think of climate action. Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) came up with the National Strategic Planning Framework for the United
States that emphasizes the importance of inclusive conversations. One of the main points that is discussed in the Strategic Planning Framework is the necessity to include individuals from all walks of life in the conversations revolving around change. From the inner-city to the rural communities, BIPOC communities, and high-to-low income–these are the voices that are needed in order to bring long-lasting
5
change. Rather than forcing the conversation from these groups, the plan is to leave a seat for them at the table. The second point that would be criminal not to talk about is the emphasis on the locality of the conversations. Rather than work solely from the national level, start from the neighborhoods to enact change. Level the playing field in order to invite these diverse voices to the importance that they have. The struggle of the past, and continuing to nowadays, is the lack of organization throughout the nation. Disorganization plagues grassroots campaigns to a cycle of stagnation, requiring more organization on a national level. What also plagued the past was the lack of integration of younger groups. Teenagers, as proven in the past, are forces behind movements and communication powerhouses that need to be integrated into successful movements. The fact that the current educational system lacks an emphasis in climate reform (and climate justice)
shows more of how our system needs to change on a fundamental level. Empowering Climate Action in the United States addresses concerns that were brought to light during the COVID-19 pandemic. Racial injustices, diversions from government officials, and the growing necessity for change are all emphasized with the urgency of a fire alarm in a burning building. Tom Bowman and Deb Morrison gathered together the ideas and plans that make up the National Strategic Planning Framework for the United States in a way that makes it intriguing and enjoyable to read. True to the hopes and necessities mentioned within the work, climate education and reformation can begin to take place. Imagine the conversations that can begin at the community level while ACE works from the governmental level to help bring about change. Editor’s note: To purchase Bowman and Morrison’s book, support your local independent bookstore or check it out via inter-library loan it at your local public/ academic library
6
UnsolICiteD GRatiTuDE FoR JOhNStOn By Nathan Erickson (‘94)
I grew up in a small, conservative town in Minnesota. My life pretty much revolved around hunting, fishing, and sports. It was a great childhood in many ways. High school and its attendant studies were pretty much just things I had to do in order to get to play sports and hang out with friends (though I was intermittently inspired by a great teacher, class, or book). But during my junior, and, especially, senior year of high school, a switch flipped on in my brain, and I suddenly wanted to know everything about art, philosophy, politics. Music was, I think, the big catalyst for this change. My love for all sorts of Western popular music (punk, new wave, post-punk, pop, country, blues, soul, classic rock, folk) led me to all the cultural ideas that informed the aesthetics and ethos of the bands and musicians I so identified with. So, by the time I graduated high school and arrived at Johnston, I was intellectually ravenous and very inspired to learn about all the “big ideas” of culture. And I think the best thing I can say (out of many great things I could say) about Johnston is that The Center totally met me where I was at in terms of inspiration, passion, and idealism; it provided a community that was ideal for “higher education” learning. I remember great classes with David Tharp, Nancy Carrick, Bob Fisher, Barbara Thomason, Robert Hudspeth, Kevin O’Neill and Bill McDonald. (I am probably forgetting some names; it’s been so long!) I do remember, vividly, though, some of the very first classes I had at Johnston were philosophy
courses with Kevin O’Neill. They are kind of hard to describe unless you were there. They were totally bonkers and wonderful. Being in one of Kevin’s classes was like having front row seats at an intimate, brilliant, performance art event, starring Kevin. But Kevin’s classes were not merely entertainment; Kevin always was finding creative, exciting, vital ways to engage students in the subjects at hand. I don’t think I would have been able to make much use of the Kantian theory of the sublime, or Hegel’s great man theory, or Foucault’s idea of surveillance states, or Kierkegaard’s idea of the leap of faith, without Kevin’s great ability to take complex, rarefied philosophical ideas, and bring them into visceral relation with my life and my fellow-students’ lives and contemporaneous culture. The other huge influence on me was the literature classes I took with Bill McDonald. One of the best things about reading novels and lit theory with Bill was just the vast, wide-ranging store of knowledge that he somehow had packed into his brain. I remember being in a Bill class one afternoon. We were discussing Joseph Conrad’s Nostromo and Simón Bolívar was mentioned in passing by one of the novel’s characters. It became clear to Bill that nobody in class even knew who Simón Bolívar was... So, disappointed but undaunted, Bill took it upon himself to give about a fifteen minute tour-de-force lecture on the history of South America, covering the colonial Spanish Empire, Bolivar’s fights for independence, the creation of Gran Columbia, and a concise biography of Bolivar’s life and legacy. After which we students picked our jaws up off the floor and went back to discussing the novel at hand.
7 7
One of the Bill classes that stands out was a class on Thomas Mann. (I almost feel guilty in recounting the set-up/situation in which this class took place as I know that not many folks are afforded such an ideal situation in their college experience.) There were about a half-dozen students in this class. The class was held in Bill’s lovely home filled with walls of bookshelves and great art. Each class started with bagels and strong coffee; then we got down to the business at hand, discussing Thomas Mann’s novels. I believe we read Doctor Faustus, The Magic Mountain, Buddenbrooks, Death In Venice. Some days we just listened to selections from Bill’s huge collection of classical music LP’s to help us understand the musical theory informing Doctor Faustus. It felt more like I was at a Parisian “salon” than a college class in the foothills of Redlands. I recall one day listening to Bill and my fellow students discussing and debating some of the ideas in The Magic Mountain and having the unsettling realization that I was, very likely, the least intelligent and least well-read person in the room. I recall this being kind of disappointing for a moment, until, to my credit, I realized, that this was, in fact, a fortunate situation to find one’s self in.
upwards of eight hours per day just to keep up (this was in addition to going to class, writing papers, extracurricular activities, and, when I could, sleeping). But I always wanted to do the reading because it was fun and the ideas were exciting; and, furthermore, Johnston classes were like a “pact” with your equally-committed fellow-students and professors to do the work you aspired to in the contract. I distinctly recall being very aware and appreciative of what an extraordinary place Johnston was while I was there. But thirty years of hindsight has only made me more appreciative of how lucky I was to have been a Johnston student. Because, to this day, things I learned from professors and fellow students at Johnston remain a huge part of the way I interpret, understand, and move through the world. My life has been/is made much richer by things I learned while at Johnston. I now savor the few days per year when I can sit down and read for eight hours! What an amazing opportunity it was to be able to do that for four years and with all the support of the Johnston community. I believe the Johnston educational model is the best model for higher education that exists and I am so grateful for my time at Johnston.
And this brings up one of the best things about Johnston, which was that many of my best teachers at Johnston, were, in fact, my fellow students. There were just so many radically free-thinking, super-smart students at Johnston who were truly dedicated to intellectual pursuits and the Johnston ethos of self-directed education. Interrogations of “The Big Ideas” of culture didn’t end in the classroom, but were carried over into late-night discussions in the dark, incensed hallways of Holt/Bekins, or over beers at The Flamingo, or over a lunch-hour at Cuca’s Burritos. (Man, I miss Cuca’s burritos.) While at Johnston, I remember sometimes sitting down to make my to-do list and the accounting making me realize that I needed to be reading
Nathan Erickson with his daughter Josephine Ray in 2021, photo courtesy of author
8
UnsolICiteD GRatiTuDE FoR JOhNStOn By Nathan Erickson (‘94)
I grew up in a small, conservative town in Minnesota. My life pretty much revolved around hunting, fishing, and sports. It was a great childhood in many ways. High school and its attendant studies were pretty much just things I had to do in order to get to play sports and hang out with friends (though I was intermittently inspired by a great teacher, class, or book). But during my junior, and, especially, senior year of high school, a switch flipped on in my brain, and I suddenly wanted to know everything about art, philosophy, politics. Music was, I think, the big catalyst for this change. My love for all sorts of Western popular music (punk, new wave, post-punk, pop, country, blues, soul, classic rock, folk) led me to all the cultural ideas that informed the aesthetics and ethos of the bands and musicians I so identified with. So, by the time I graduated high school and arrived at Johnston, I was intellectually ravenous and very inspired to learn about all the “big ideas” of culture. And I think the best thing I can say (out of many great things I could say) about Johnston is that The Center totally met me where I was at in terms of inspiration, passion, and idealism; it provided a community that was ideal for “higher education” learning. I remember great classes with David Tharp, Nancy Carrick, Bob Fisher, Barbara Thomason, Robert Hudspeth, Kevin O’Neill and Bill McDonald. (I am probably forgetting some names; it’s been so long!) I do remember, vividly, though, some of the very first classes I had at Johnston were philosophy
courses with Kevin O’Neill. They are kind of hard to describe unless you were there. They were totally bonkers and wonderful. Being in one of Kevin’s classes was like having front row seats at an intimate, brilliant, performance art event, starring Kevin. But Kevin’s classes were not merely entertainment; Kevin always was finding creative, exciting, vital ways to engage students in the subjects at hand. I don’t think I would have been able to make much use of the Kantian theory of the sublime, or Hegel’s great man theory, or Foucault’s idea of surveillance states, or Kierkegaard’s idea of the leap of faith, without Kevin’s great ability to take complex, rarefied philosophical ideas, and bring them into visceral relation with my life and my fellow-students’ lives and contemporaneous culture. The other huge influence on me was the literature classes I took with Bill McDonald. One of the best things about reading novels and lit theory with Bill was just the vast, wide-ranging store of knowledge that he somehow had packed into his brain. I remember being in a Bill class one afternoon. We were discussing Joseph Conrad’s Nostromo and Simón Bolívar was mentioned in passing by one of the novel’s characters. It became clear to Bill that nobody in class even knew who Simón Bolívar was... So, disappointed but undaunted, Bill took it upon himself to give about a fifteen minute tour-de-force lecture on the history of South America, covering the colonial Spanish Empire, Bolivar’s fights for independence, the creation of Gran Columbia, and a concise biography of Bolivar’s life and legacy. After which we students picked our jaws up off the floor and went back to discussing the novel at hand.
7 7
One of the Bill classes that stands out was a class on Thomas Mann. (I almost feel guilty in recounting the set-up/situation in which this class took place as I know that not many folks are afforded such an ideal situation in their college experience.) There were about a half-dozen students in this class. The class was held in Bill’s lovely home filled with walls of bookshelves and great art. Each class started with bagels and strong coffee; then we got down to the business at hand, discussing Thomas Mann’s novels. I believe we read Doctor Faustus, The Magic Mountain, Buddenbrooks, Death In Venice. Some days we just listened to selections from Bill’s huge collection of classical music LP’s to help us understand the musical theory informing Doctor Faustus. It felt more like I was at a Parisian “salon” than a college class in the foothills of Redlands. I recall one day listening to Bill and my fellow students discussing and debating some of the ideas in The Magic Mountain and having the unsettling realization that I was, very likely, the least intelligent and least well-read person in the room. I recall this being kind of disappointing for a moment, until, to my credit, I realized, that this was, in fact, a fortunate situation to find one’s self in.
upwards of eight hours per day just to keep up (this was in addition to going to class, writing papers, extracurricular activities, and, when I could, sleeping). But I always wanted to do the reading because it was fun and the ideas were exciting; and, furthermore, Johnston classes were like a “pact” with your equally-committed fellow-students and professors to do the work you aspired to in the contract. I distinctly recall being very aware and appreciative of what an extraordinary place Johnston was while I was there. But thirty years of hindsight has only made me more appreciative of how lucky I was to have been a Johnston student. Because, to this day, things I learned from professors and fellow students at Johnston remain a huge part of the way I interpret, understand, and move through the world. My life has been/is made much richer by things I learned while at Johnston. I now savor the few days per year when I can sit down and read for eight hours! What an amazing opportunity it was to be able to do that for four years and with all the support of the Johnston community. I believe the Johnston educational model is the best model for higher education that exists and I am so grateful for my time at Johnston.
And this brings up one of the best things about Johnston, which was that many of my best teachers at Johnston, were, in fact, my fellow students. There were just so many radically free-thinking, super-smart students at Johnston who were truly dedicated to intellectual pursuits and the Johnston ethos of self-directed education. Interrogations of “The Big Ideas” of culture didn’t end in the classroom, but were carried over into late-night discussions in the dark, incensed hallways of Holt/Bekins, or over beers at The Flamingo, or over a lunch-hour at Cuca’s Burritos. (Man, I miss Cuca’s burritos.) While at Johnston, I remember sometimes sitting down to make my to-do list and the accounting making me realize that I needed to be reading
Nathan Erickson with his daughter Josephine Ray in 2021, photo courtesy of author
8
ThE VirTuaL
joHnStOn ClAsSRoOm
UnEasY LieS tHe HeaD tHaT WeaRs a CRowN*
RiOt GrRrl/GhOuL, YoU’rE tHe QUeEn oF My wOrLD* By M. G. Maloney (’03)
By Nancy Carrick, Professor of English
In “The Crown” this spring we read Shakespeare’s history
on Shakespeare in this way, with other passionate people”
plays, exploring the stories he told of English kings that made
and “It was so cool to feel myself growing and growing asthe
him a household name early in his career. The class attracted
semester went on. I think our particular class played a big role in
students with a strong affinity for all things Shakespeare,
this, we had a very conversational class that was always happy
many having taken previous courses on his works, and many
to jump into discussion and ready to entertain any thought or
having taken previous courses with one another. This made
theory.”
the discussions long and lively, the topics far ranging, and the
learning effervescent.
took this course, I fancied myself someonewho knew quite a lot
about Shakespeare, but the kind of discussions we had about
Throughout the course, students read the plays intent-
Some discovered they want to read more: “Before I
ly, spending time exploring the scenes that called to them,
Renaissance art tropes and historical sources and lineages
evolving a syllabus dictated by their interests. The class often
revealed tome that I have much to learn.” They worked hard.
lingered on especially gripping scenes, taking the time to read
And how did the first-year student who stumbled into the class
dialogue aloud, analyzing the text’s language and the craft
without much Shakespeare fare? “Richard II has to be my favour-
of the story telling, and the ways in which the history plays
ite out of the whole series, and to start out reading it just got me
allowed Shakespeare to comment on contemporary politics.
hooked and wanting more. I’d never in a million years thought
Students brought the course to conclusion by presenting
I would be interested in England and its former Kings, but here
their semester projects, which generated conversations that
we are today.”
integrated their newest thinking into our collective commen-
tary. Some performed a monologue or scene and used the
loved this class: “I loved coming to class (and miss it already!)
detailed analyses that underlay their performances to expand
to have wonderful discussions, I loved building the communi-
our understanding of characters and their roles throughout
ty that we did, I read and reread and reread the plays as many
the plays;others led discussions throughout their writing pro-
times as it took for me to make sense of it all, and I’m especially
cess as they explored storytelling techniques, such as the way
proud of the conversations I was able to facilitate during class. It
prophesies and curses and dreams not only reveal emotion
was such fun to be able to learn alongside my classmates.”
but alert the audience to what’s to come, or how Shakespeare
presented the emerging political factions or how, slowly,
the course itself requested by two of the students, the discus-
without the characters or the audience quite noticing, he
sions and projects developed together, a lively chat running
revealed Richard III as a tyrant. One pair designed a costume
throughout where students posted articles, links to videos
for Queen Margaret as commentary on her character and role,
providing “visual perspective,” a cartoon that had us laughing at
grounding it in their historical research, and another looked at
one of the play’s images. We made this class together. Reading
Shakespeare’s primary historical source, Holinshed’s Chron-
along with the students, discovering the plays anew with them,
icles, discovering how the playwright took historical details
was a special pleasure, providing some of the happiest hours of
and wove them into a narrative turning “facts” into “truths.”
And finally, the student who expressed so well why I
comments like “I really enjoyed being able to work in depth
Wolfe (Bratmobile) at the student-organized “Fem Fest” in 2018.
a band, produce a show, and distribute their homemade zines
Aria Hurtado (’21) who started promoting her I.E. band Hoity-Toity
across campus. But alas, “zoom school,” as the students called it,
to her Johnston peers before she even arrived on campus fresh-
carried on through spring 2021. The students in Riot Grrrl: Music &
man year, shared humorous stories such as asking her parents for a
Zines made the best of it, sharing “artist spotlight” presentations,
Guitar Hero guitar and receiving a real guitar instead. Thanks, Aria’s
making their own zines, experiencing a snail mail zine exchange,
Mom!
and for the final, interviewing a woman, femme, or nonbinary
person who embodied the “riot grrrl” spirit as defined by each
Early in the semester, my teaching assistant Syd Kilroy (’21) did
student.
some independent research and found an emerging term, “riot
ghoul,” for nonbinary musicians/fans of Riot Grrrl. Even though the
The semester’s playlists were built up from influences
on Riot Grrrl music from Big Mama Thornton, Billie Holliday, The
But this class was not just about “girls” in the binary sense.
term “grrrl” emerged in the 1990s and was intended to be a gender
Supremes, Janis Joplin, Yoko Ono, David
inclusive queering of the word “girl,” Syd
Bowie, Alice Bag, Patti Smith, Poly Sty-
spoke up and gave voice to what they
rene (a class favorite), and The Go-Gos.
and others were thinking/feeling. Riot
There are too many more musicians
Grrrl music made space for expressing
to list but rest assured, punk bands,
one’s feelings, voicing what is too often
glitter-glam, and the Seattle sound were
not talked about, and building commu-
all covered. I found that distinguishing
nity, by supporting one another’s art. In
the rhetoric of punk rock from Riot Grrrl
this way, Riot Grrrl reminds me of old-
was needed to lay the groundwork in
school Johnston pedagogy, integrating
our discussions. Rebeckah J. Buchanan’s
emotions into learning.
work, Writing a Riot: Riot Grrrl Zines and
Feminist Rhetorics (Peter Lang, 2018)
actual Riot Grrrl in the early ‘90s, my
While I was too young to be an
provided a foundation in breaking down the elements of punk
herstory with zines and making random pen-pal connections
and then clearly identifying Riot Grrrl as a movement in response
originated during that time. Being able to dive into Riot Grrrl as an
to it through zines, pen-pal letters, bands, performance art, and
academic subject thanks to: the encouragement of Tim Seiber; the
political activism.
revival of Riot Grrrl/Ghoul music re: Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney
Librarian Stacy Russo’s We Were Going to Change the World:
reunited (check-out Cosmic Cactus); the sheer existence of archi-
Interviews with Women from the 1970s and 1980s Southern Califor-
val collections such as the Fales Library & Special Collections at
nia Punk Rock Scene (Santa Monica Press, 2017) was the first class
New York University, the June Mazer Lesbian Archives, Queer Zine
reading. Students were stoked to learn about the SoCal scene and
Archive Project; the inspiring students (Ally, Elise, Emma, Jacinta,
pumped when Stacy visited our class later in the semester. She
Jordi, Jordan, Isabel, Kayla, Kaylee, Kate, Lily, Mariah/babyghost,
my spring semester.
offered practical advice on how to conduct oral history interviews
Megan, Simon, Sophia, and Syd), produced an invigorating teach-
in a non-oppressive way. Other class visitors included Daria P. (’21)
ing experience I will hold in my heart-brain 4-ever. <3 * <3 * <3 *
*Citation for the title: 2 Henry IV 3.1.31
an international student who schooled us on Pussy Riot, growing
* Reference to “Rebel Girl” by Bikini Kill
This was, for me, a quintessential Johnston experience,
But always it was about the students together in conversation that energized us all and that animated the self-evaluations,
When planning this course, I hoped students would create
9
up in Russia, and being on the same bill as Alice Bag and Allison Watch-out Redlands, the Riot Grrrls/Ghouls will be back in the fall and are ready to organize!
10
ThE VirTuaL
joHnStOn ClAsSRoOm
UnEasY LieS tHe HeaD tHaT WeaRs a CRowN*
RiOt GrRrl/GhOuL, YoU’rE tHe QUeEn oF My wOrLD* By M. G. Maloney (’03)
By Nancy Carrick, Professor of English
In “The Crown” this spring we read Shakespeare’s history
on Shakespeare in this way, with other passionate people”
plays, exploring the stories he told of English kings that made
and “It was so cool to feel myself growing and growing asthe
him a household name early in his career. The class attracted
semester went on. I think our particular class played a big role in
students with a strong affinity for all things Shakespeare,
this, we had a very conversational class that was always happy
many having taken previous courses on his works, and many
to jump into discussion and ready to entertain any thought or
having taken previous courses with one another. This made
theory.”
the discussions long and lively, the topics far ranging, and the
learning effervescent.
took this course, I fancied myself someonewho knew quite a lot
about Shakespeare, but the kind of discussions we had about
Throughout the course, students read the plays intent-
Some discovered they want to read more: “Before I
ly, spending time exploring the scenes that called to them,
Renaissance art tropes and historical sources and lineages
evolving a syllabus dictated by their interests. The class often
revealed tome that I have much to learn.” They worked hard.
lingered on especially gripping scenes, taking the time to read
And how did the first-year student who stumbled into the class
dialogue aloud, analyzing the text’s language and the craft
without much Shakespeare fare? “Richard II has to be my favour-
of the story telling, and the ways in which the history plays
ite out of the whole series, and to start out reading it just got me
allowed Shakespeare to comment on contemporary politics.
hooked and wanting more. I’d never in a million years thought
Students brought the course to conclusion by presenting
I would be interested in England and its former Kings, but here
their semester projects, which generated conversations that
we are today.”
integrated their newest thinking into our collective commen-
tary. Some performed a monologue or scene and used the
loved this class: “I loved coming to class (and miss it already!)
detailed analyses that underlay their performances to expand
to have wonderful discussions, I loved building the communi-
our understanding of characters and their roles throughout
ty that we did, I read and reread and reread the plays as many
the plays;others led discussions throughout their writing pro-
times as it took for me to make sense of it all, and I’m especially
cess as they explored storytelling techniques, such as the way
proud of the conversations I was able to facilitate during class. It
prophesies and curses and dreams not only reveal emotion
was such fun to be able to learn alongside my classmates.”
but alert the audience to what’s to come, or how Shakespeare
presented the emerging political factions or how, slowly,
the course itself requested by two of the students, the discus-
without the characters or the audience quite noticing, he
sions and projects developed together, a lively chat running
revealed Richard III as a tyrant. One pair designed a costume
throughout where students posted articles, links to videos
for Queen Margaret as commentary on her character and role,
providing “visual perspective,” a cartoon that had us laughing at
grounding it in their historical research, and another looked at
one of the play’s images. We made this class together. Reading
Shakespeare’s primary historical source, Holinshed’s Chron-
along with the students, discovering the plays anew with them,
icles, discovering how the playwright took historical details
was a special pleasure, providing some of the happiest hours of
and wove them into a narrative turning “facts” into “truths.”
And finally, the student who expressed so well why I
comments like “I really enjoyed being able to work in depth
Wolfe (Bratmobile) at the student-organized “Fem Fest” in 2018.
a band, produce a show, and distribute their homemade zines
Aria Hurtado (’21) who started promoting her I.E. band Hoity-Toity
across campus. But alas, “zoom school,” as the students called it,
to her Johnston peers before she even arrived on campus fresh-
carried on through spring 2021. The students in Riot Grrrl: Music &
man year, shared humorous stories such as asking her parents for a
Zines made the best of it, sharing “artist spotlight” presentations,
Guitar Hero guitar and receiving a real guitar instead. Thanks, Aria’s
making their own zines, experiencing a snail mail zine exchange,
Mom!
and for the final, interviewing a woman, femme, or nonbinary
person who embodied the “riot grrrl” spirit as defined by each
Early in the semester, my teaching assistant Syd Kilroy (’21) did
student.
some independent research and found an emerging term, “riot
ghoul,” for nonbinary musicians/fans of Riot Grrrl. Even though the
The semester’s playlists were built up from influences
on Riot Grrrl music from Big Mama Thornton, Billie Holliday, The
But this class was not just about “girls” in the binary sense.
term “grrrl” emerged in the 1990s and was intended to be a gender
Supremes, Janis Joplin, Yoko Ono, David
inclusive queering of the word “girl,” Syd
Bowie, Alice Bag, Patti Smith, Poly Sty-
spoke up and gave voice to what they
rene (a class favorite), and The Go-Gos.
and others were thinking/feeling. Riot
There are too many more musicians
Grrrl music made space for expressing
to list but rest assured, punk bands,
one’s feelings, voicing what is too often
glitter-glam, and the Seattle sound were
not talked about, and building commu-
all covered. I found that distinguishing
nity, by supporting one another’s art. In
the rhetoric of punk rock from Riot Grrrl
this way, Riot Grrrl reminds me of old-
was needed to lay the groundwork in
school Johnston pedagogy, integrating
our discussions. Rebeckah J. Buchanan’s
emotions into learning.
work, Writing a Riot: Riot Grrrl Zines and
Feminist Rhetorics (Peter Lang, 2018)
actual Riot Grrrl in the early ‘90s, my
While I was too young to be an
provided a foundation in breaking down the elements of punk
herstory with zines and making random pen-pal connections
and then clearly identifying Riot Grrrl as a movement in response
originated during that time. Being able to dive into Riot Grrrl as an
to it through zines, pen-pal letters, bands, performance art, and
academic subject thanks to: the encouragement of Tim Seiber; the
political activism.
revival of Riot Grrrl/Ghoul music re: Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney
Librarian Stacy Russo’s We Were Going to Change the World:
reunited (check-out Cosmic Cactus); the sheer existence of archi-
Interviews with Women from the 1970s and 1980s Southern Califor-
val collections such as the Fales Library & Special Collections at
nia Punk Rock Scene (Santa Monica Press, 2017) was the first class
New York University, the June Mazer Lesbian Archives, Queer Zine
reading. Students were stoked to learn about the SoCal scene and
Archive Project; the inspiring students (Ally, Elise, Emma, Jacinta,
pumped when Stacy visited our class later in the semester. She
Jordi, Jordan, Isabel, Kayla, Kaylee, Kate, Lily, Mariah/babyghost,
my spring semester.
offered practical advice on how to conduct oral history interviews
Megan, Simon, Sophia, and Syd), produced an invigorating teach-
in a non-oppressive way. Other class visitors included Daria P. (’21)
ing experience I will hold in my heart-brain 4-ever. <3 * <3 * <3 *
*Citation for the title: 2 Henry IV 3.1.31
an international student who schooled us on Pussy Riot, growing
* Reference to “Rebel Girl” by Bikini Kill
This was, for me, a quintessential Johnston experience,
But always it was about the students together in conversation that energized us all and that animated the self-evaluations,
When planning this course, I hoped students would create
9
up in Russia, and being on the same bill as Alice Bag and Allison Watch-out Redlands, the Riot Grrrls/Ghouls will be back in the fall and are ready to organize!
10
ZOOmiNG IN oN KatHrYn GreEn LEcTuReS
By Anthony Castellon (‘21) The Kathryn Green Lecture Series is a focal point of the Johnston experience that brings in former faces to the new, ever-evolving community of talented individuals. It’s not some simple guest speaker talk, no. It’s an event that fills Holt lobby with memories and laughs, but also opportunity and inspiration. They’re snapshots of the past, with sneak peeks into the future. These students look toward you, our mentor Buffalo, to shed light on a path that we cannot yet see. Each lecture fills our hearts with the drive we need to continue forward, and this year was no exception. As we know, 2020 and 2021 brought forth a pandemic that sent everyone into a panic. All of us were sent home to study away in virtual classrooms, while battling the repercussions of a deadly virus. Several of us stumbled into this new year unsure of what it would hold for us. While it was a struggle, Johnston proves itself to be stronger than the barriers we faced. We successfully managed to move our community into a virtual space, and resume the traditions we hold dear. Kathryn Green Lectures were no exception, as the online platforms gave us new opportunities to invite larger audiences, and lecturers from all over. Not only that, this was the first year in which we could open the Zoom doors to you, the alumni of Johnston! These lectures offer networking and community building opportunities to our current students. With the new format, alumni are able to reconnect with their former classmates, and rebuild that community they kindled so well. And
as a whole, attendance for these lectures sky-rocketed, and showed off the faces of old and new Buffalo. Johnston sees the hurdles, shouts “DAFUQ?!”, and leaps over them with grace. Malik Coburn (‘15) offered their acronym of wisdom to us in one of these virtual lectures. They remind us to: “make Decisions; hold ourselves Accountable; Flex our hard work, Unpack our baggage; and ask Questions”. These five pillars of advice are essential in navigating both our community and life itself. During these uncertain times, Johnston decided to open the virtual gates, and facilitate our community online to welcome in our large family. We hold
11
ourselves accountable, recognizing the moments we made mistakes, and fixing them for the next time around. We flex on the rest of the university, showing the successes of our students and the strength of our community, even in the pandemic. We unpack the emotions that hold us back from the challenges of the pandemic. And we question what we can do better: Who needs more help? What issues are
coming up? Where do we go from here? Why do we continue to push forward? It’s in the nature of Johnston to press on past anything we face. The stories of those before us blaze trails for us to follow, and then create paths all our own. Thanks to you, we create room and welcome a new generation of Kathryn Green Lecturers.
12
ZOOmiNG IN oN KatHrYn GreEn LEcTuReS
By Anthony Castellon (‘21) The Kathryn Green Lecture Series is a focal point of the Johnston experience that brings in former faces to the new, ever-evolving community of talented individuals. It’s not some simple guest speaker talk, no. It’s an event that fills Holt lobby with memories and laughs, but also opportunity and inspiration. They’re snapshots of the past, with sneak peeks into the future. These students look toward you, our mentor Buffalo, to shed light on a path that we cannot yet see. Each lecture fills our hearts with the drive we need to continue forward, and this year was no exception. As we know, 2020 and 2021 brought forth a pandemic that sent everyone into a panic. All of us were sent home to study away in virtual classrooms, while battling the repercussions of a deadly virus. Several of us stumbled into this new year unsure of what it would hold for us. While it was a struggle, Johnston proves itself to be stronger than the barriers we faced. We successfully managed to move our community into a virtual space, and resume the traditions we hold dear. Kathryn Green Lectures were no exception, as the online platforms gave us new opportunities to invite larger audiences, and lecturers from all over. Not only that, this was the first year in which we could open the Zoom doors to you, the alumni of Johnston! These lectures offer networking and community building opportunities to our current students. With the new format, alumni are able to reconnect with their former classmates, and rebuild that community they kindled so well. And
as a whole, attendance for these lectures sky-rocketed, and showed off the faces of old and new Buffalo. Johnston sees the hurdles, shouts “DAFUQ?!”, and leaps over them with grace. Malik Coburn (‘15) offered their acronym of wisdom to us in one of these virtual lectures. They remind us to: “make Decisions; hold ourselves Accountable; Flex our hard work, Unpack our baggage; and ask Questions”. These five pillars of advice are essential in navigating both our community and life itself. During these uncertain times, Johnston decided to open the virtual gates, and facilitate our community online to welcome in our large family. We hold
11
ourselves accountable, recognizing the moments we made mistakes, and fixing them for the next time around. We flex on the rest of the university, showing the successes of our students and the strength of our community, even in the pandemic. We unpack the emotions that hold us back from the challenges of the pandemic. And we question what we can do better: Who needs more help? What issues are
coming up? Where do we go from here? Why do we continue to push forward? It’s in the nature of Johnston to press on past anything we face. The stories of those before us blaze trails for us to follow, and then create paths all our own. Thanks to you, we create room and welcome a new generation of Kathryn Green Lecturers.
12
#HuMbLeBraGs
Young Alums Making Some Moves into Grad Schools
ArcHiVeS aNd ORaL HiStOriEs ArE CooL! HeRe’s wHy
Ari Cohen (’15) was recently accepted at San Diego University’s Master of Arts in Education: Critical Literacy and Social Justice program as well as the University of San Diego’s Master’s in Education in TESOL, Literacy, and Culture program.
By Giana Mitchell (‘21) I am nosy in a way that is balanced with respect. I do enjoy making narratives, drama, and detective work out of mundane ephemera, and I absolutely love a good slice of life story. For this reason (amongst other, more serious reasons), I find archives and oral histories to be so magical and meaningful. Take these random items: A handwritten party invite, a well-loved sweater found in an attic, a cassette mixtape with a label worn off over time, an eye-catching advertisement for a business that no longer exists, a yellowing news clipping about who married who and when and where and who all were in attendance! As specific, personal, and perhaps uninteresting as they sound, all of these objects give clues and insights to what everyday life was like in the year of their origins. Archives give us a peek into the struggles or the victories in local history. Local heroes and community spaces become apparent as you start sifting through “junk” and see repeated names and addresses. You begin to understand motivations and organizations central to life back then and the intricate ways they influence or mirror modern times.
Addison Davidove (‘15) is working on their PhD in Cultural Studies at Claremont Graduate University. Jonathan Garcia (’16) is on his way to Stanford University, pursuing a Master of Liberal Arts degree! Caroline Kelly (’21) was accepted into the Rackham Merit Fellowship Program at the University of Michigan in pursuit of a Master of Arts in Educational Studies. Kealoha Malie Minton (’20) is heading to law school at the Strum College of Law, the University of Denver! Cole Newlin (’19) was recently accepted at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Master of Arts in an Expressive Arts Therapy Concentration: Weaving the Arts into Counseling, Psychotherapy, and Social Change.
Bekins Baby by Pici Baby (‘20) and Paige Marler (‘21)
Melissa “Mels” Olvera (’20) is also heading to Denver to attend the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver. Stelle Salsbery (’20) is currently studying at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development pursing a Master of Art in Educational Theatre for Colleges and Communities. Hannah Shimizu (’20) was accepted into med. school at the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. Dear Alums, if you have any lifelong learning or
professional news you would like to share in The Coz, please email Tim_Seiber@redlands.edu
Oral histories, for example, video/audio recordings, take us a step even deeper by allowing us access to the sensory information held by our Elders’ sights, smells, feelings, ATL the Water Spirit’s Zine for Riot Grrl: Music and Zines
13
mannerisms, and melodies. Elders have experienced very different yet resoundingly similar lives compared to our present day young folk. Especially for marginalized communities that have endured the trauma of immigration, war, cultural assimilation, and loss of language. The white washed histories erase entire existences. By remembering the details of our ancestors, they can ground us and inspire us in many ways. How did I end up where I am now? Why do I or don’t I speak certain languages? Who influenced my ancestors and how does that affect me? What were the circumstances that put me in this position? Even more pressing questions of medical history can be addressed in an old journal entry or doctor’s prescription. “Junk” can be quite telling! Archive building is hard work that can feel endless and scattered, but once an archive begins to develop it is an important source of history that is often overlooked and/or misrepresented. The most truthful and diverse representation of history is within our everyday movements, communications, and feelings. So, I say—hold on to that box of letters, photos, ticket stubs, and itineraries because you may be holding on to very important fragmented memories that are part of a collectively constructed significant moment in time!
14 12
#HuMbLeBraGs
Young Alums Making Some Moves into Grad Schools
ArcHiVeS aNd ORaL HiStOriEs ArE CooL! HeRe’s wHy
Ari Cohen (’15) was recently accepted at San Diego University’s Master of Arts in Education: Critical Literacy and Social Justice program as well as the University of San Diego’s Master’s in Education in TESOL, Literacy, and Culture program.
By Giana Mitchell (‘21) I am nosy in a way that is balanced with respect. I do enjoy making narratives, drama, and detective work out of mundane ephemera, and I absolutely love a good slice of life story. For this reason (amongst other, more serious reasons), I find archives and oral histories to be so magical and meaningful. Take these random items: A handwritten party invite, a well-loved sweater found in an attic, a cassette mixtape with a label worn off over time, an eye-catching advertisement for a business that no longer exists, a yellowing news clipping about who married who and when and where and who all were in attendance! As specific, personal, and perhaps uninteresting as they sound, all of these objects give clues and insights to what everyday life was like in the year of their origins. Archives give us a peek into the struggles or the victories in local history. Local heroes and community spaces become apparent as you start sifting through “junk” and see repeated names and addresses. You begin to understand motivations and organizations central to life back then and the intricate ways they influence or mirror modern times.
Addison Davidove (‘15) is working on their PhD in Cultural Studies at Claremont Graduate University. Jonathan Garcia (’16) is on his way to Stanford University, pursuing a Master of Liberal Arts degree! Caroline Kelly (’21) was accepted into the Rackham Merit Fellowship Program at the University of Michigan in pursuit of a Master of Arts in Educational Studies. Kealoha Malie Minton (’20) is heading to law school at the Strum College of Law, the University of Denver! Cole Newlin (’19) was recently accepted at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Master of Arts in an Expressive Arts Therapy Concentration: Weaving the Arts into Counseling, Psychotherapy, and Social Change.
Bekins Baby by Pici Baby (‘20) and Paige Marler (‘21)
Melissa “Mels” Olvera (’20) is also heading to Denver to attend the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver. Stelle Salsbery (’20) is currently studying at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development pursing a Master of Art in Educational Theatre for Colleges and Communities. Hannah Shimizu (’20) was accepted into med. school at the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. Dear Alums, if you have any lifelong learning or
professional news you would like to share in The Coz, please email Tim_Seiber@redlands.edu
Oral histories, for example, video/audio recordings, take us a step even deeper by allowing us access to the sensory information held by our Elders’ sights, smells, feelings, ATL the Water Spirit’s Zine for Riot Grrl: Music and Zines
13
mannerisms, and melodies. Elders have experienced very different yet resoundingly similar lives compared to our present day young folk. Especially for marginalized communities that have endured the trauma of immigration, war, cultural assimilation, and loss of language. The white washed histories erase entire existences. By remembering the details of our ancestors, they can ground us and inspire us in many ways. How did I end up where I am now? Why do I or don’t I speak certain languages? Who influenced my ancestors and how does that affect me? What were the circumstances that put me in this position? Even more pressing questions of medical history can be addressed in an old journal entry or doctor’s prescription. “Junk” can be quite telling! Archive building is hard work that can feel endless and scattered, but once an archive begins to develop it is an important source of history that is often overlooked and/or misrepresented. The most truthful and diverse representation of history is within our everyday movements, communications, and feelings. So, I say—hold on to that box of letters, photos, ticket stubs, and itineraries because you may be holding on to very important fragmented memories that are part of a collectively constructed significant moment in time!
14 12
IN MemOriAm Art by Pascal Landa (‘77), Johnston College faculty (left-right): Barney Childs, Bill McDonald, Kevin O’Neill, Barbara Coulibaly, Glenn Whitlock
Cari Ramirez Tossos (’97) By Mara Winick, Professor of Business Administration
Cari (known as “Ursula” Tomlinson while in Johnston) passed on December 11, 2020, at Redlands Community Hospital. Cari was the founder of the reincarnated Johnston Coffee Shop (the Holt basement shop, “Java the Hut”) and a quintessential Johnston alum. Johnston was founded on principles of social entrepreneurship—solving complex problems through unmatched drive and creativity, intellectual independence, and having the courage to take risks in making our communities better. Cari was all that, until the end.
Johnston College faculty by Pascal Landa (‘77) Pascal attended JC 1974-1977 and graduated with a Johnston degree in Media Communication and Computer Science. As a student, Pascal worked with professor Frank Blume on the Johnston College NIMH study which focused on measuring the success factors for college students. In correspondence with M. G., Pascal wrote, “I really hope you have it, it is an incredible justification of the Johnston College Contractual Education. The fundamentals of the Johnston Education were essential in my career as a pioneer of the computer revolution and now retired I fully appreciate the incredible learning experience of those years. I keep informing educators on the principles and benefits of our form of contractual education.” Yes, we do have it, Pascal! Thanks to aspiring librarian Lucas Poppel (‘18) who assisted in rescuing the files from Bekins Basement, the Johnston Community Archive in Holt holds a copy of the study. Poppel wrote an accession record for the additional files and photographs related to the NIMH study during the Archiving the Experiment: Johnston Studies and Artifacts seminar in 2017. Thank you for contacting us, spreading the word about Johnston, and sharing your art, Pascal! --> Alums: If you have digital or physical Johnston College/Center archives you would like to share with our Community archive, please contact director Tim Seiber.
15
Cari and I communicated two weeks before she passed, about Azulado: Educación Creativa, the school she was building in Rosarito, Baja California, México for children with different learning needs. She worked tirelessly to establish a board, design curriculum, gain nonprofit status, secure and
finish the physical space. She simply would not allow any barrier to discourage what seemed an uphill, if not impossible set of complex tasks. Cari was this way in college. The same focus, determination and loyalty fueled her vision of Java the Hutt, her study abroad in Germany and lasting relationships with friends. She was among the best elementary school teachers for connecting with our Spanish-speaking community. And as one of the most effective literacy teachers in the region, she fought an uphill and unpopular battle to have teachers properly trained. Cari worked every day to build a better path, with humility and a heartfelt laugh. She loved her family, and her students. And we all loved her.
Cari and her familia, Photo is courtesy of LaDean Gregg
16
IN MemOriAm Art by Pascal Landa (‘77), Johnston College faculty (left-right): Barney Childs, Bill McDonald, Kevin O’Neill, Barbara Coulibaly, Glenn Whitlock
Cari Ramirez Tossos (’97) By Mara Winick, Professor of Business Administration
Cari (known as “Ursula” Tomlinson while in Johnston) passed on December 11, 2020, at Redlands Community Hospital. Cari was the founder of the reincarnated Johnston Coffee Shop (the Holt basement shop, “Java the Hut”) and a quintessential Johnston alum. Johnston was founded on principles of social entrepreneurship—solving complex problems through unmatched drive and creativity, intellectual independence, and having the courage to take risks in making our communities better. Cari was all that, until the end.
Johnston College faculty by Pascal Landa (‘77) Pascal attended JC 1974-1977 and graduated with a Johnston degree in Media Communication and Computer Science. As a student, Pascal worked with professor Frank Blume on the Johnston College NIMH study which focused on measuring the success factors for college students. In correspondence with M. G., Pascal wrote, “I really hope you have it, it is an incredible justification of the Johnston College Contractual Education. The fundamentals of the Johnston Education were essential in my career as a pioneer of the computer revolution and now retired I fully appreciate the incredible learning experience of those years. I keep informing educators on the principles and benefits of our form of contractual education.” Yes, we do have it, Pascal! Thanks to aspiring librarian Lucas Poppel (‘18) who assisted in rescuing the files from Bekins Basement, the Johnston Community Archive in Holt holds a copy of the study. Poppel wrote an accession record for the additional files and photographs related to the NIMH study during the Archiving the Experiment: Johnston Studies and Artifacts seminar in 2017. Thank you for contacting us, spreading the word about Johnston, and sharing your art, Pascal! --> Alums: If you have digital or physical Johnston College/Center archives you would like to share with our Community archive, please contact director Tim Seiber.
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Cari and I communicated two weeks before she passed, about Azulado: Educación Creativa, the school she was building in Rosarito, Baja California, México for children with different learning needs. She worked tirelessly to establish a board, design curriculum, gain nonprofit status, secure and
finish the physical space. She simply would not allow any barrier to discourage what seemed an uphill, if not impossible set of complex tasks. Cari was this way in college. The same focus, determination and loyalty fueled her vision of Java the Hutt, her study abroad in Germany and lasting relationships with friends. She was among the best elementary school teachers for connecting with our Spanish-speaking community. And as one of the most effective literacy teachers in the region, she fought an uphill and unpopular battle to have teachers properly trained. Cari worked every day to build a better path, with humility and a heartfelt laugh. She loved her family, and her students. And we all loved her.
Cari and her familia, Photo is courtesy of LaDean Gregg
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IN MemOriAm Fran Grooves Our Hearts By Marjorie Singer (’93) June 27, 2021 would have been Fran Culp’s 51st birthday. It will now mark six months since she made the powerful decision to end her life with the medication she obtained from her doctors. Fran invoked the Death with Dignity Act, a California law that was passed in 2016, allowing certain terminally ill adults to request a prescription for an aid-in-dying cocktail of medications. Fran was on the cutting-edge. She stayed informed about this option from the beginning, fought for it, took all of the challenging steps necessary to obtain it, and ultimately made the final decision to exercise it.
or snarky opinion. Being the Johnston hippy that I was, it is surprising that she embraced me as a friend in the first place. Fran graduated from Johnston with an emphasis on Health Advocacy with her advisor, the famous, Yash Owada, who she stayed in touch with throughout her post Johnston years.
I became closer to Fran when we both lived in San Francisco during the mid 1990’s. There were a bunch of Johnston ‘90s women who lived in the Mission District. This is where Fran met Waldo, her husband, who she married in 1998. He was her rock for For those of us lucky enough the next 22 years. He shared to know Fran we can attest her passion for books, films, that she really did live more and music, and he co-owned than nine lives. She proudly the music venue Rickshaw displayed a beautiful cat Stop with Fran’s close friend tattoo on her arm in from Johnston, Christopher reference to this. She was White (’92). We all spent many diagnosed with cancer when nights dancing togreat bands she was just two-and-a-half there. Fran was a wonderful years old. Her small yet fierce friend, and always showed up body fought for the next 47 for gatherings and years of her life to heal from celebrations even when it all of the chemo, radiation, took everything in her being and surgeries. Fran had a tre- Photo courtesy of Marjorie Singer (‘93) to have the physical strength mendous will to live. She gave to do so. She was loved by so so much to her family, friends, many in so many different communities. She was community, and the world. She always amazed part of a book club and movie club, and in later her doctors with her will to push through the many years enjoyed her weekly Qi Gong class. moments that seemed like the end. Fran truly lived Johnston values. She was both I met Fran when I first started Johnston in 1989. She smart and direct, and fearlessly shared her truth. was the small sassy red-head with always perfectly She was well-read and loved a debate. She was styled hair, a hip, colorful dress, and a smart and/ small yet fierce. She was passionate about sharing
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her own health experiences and making a difference. She got her Master’s in Health Advocacy at Sarah Lawrence College and worked for the San Francisco Department of Public Health for over 13 years. Fran also loved to write. Her last publication was in The Washington Post in April 2020, featured in a piece by the Post Opinions Staff, entitled “We Need Help to Make It”. Fran was quoted, “No Ventilator, Save That for Others” and described her concern in how the pandemic was changing the “death experience” in people dying alone instead of ideally surrounded by loved ones. In the end it brings a sense of peace to those of us who knew Fran, that she actually was able to end her life so courageously, on her own terms, and graciously with her husband and two friends by her side. Fran was proud that she was going to donate her body to medical science for research. This was indeed her last gift that she gave to the world. I will celebrate her amazing life now by listening to Deee-Lite’s “Groove is in the Heart” and remember dancing with her to that song so many times in the Bekins hallway, Billings House, and San Francisco.
Photo courtesy of Marjorie Singer (‘93)
Courtesy of Necia Dallas of Johnstonians in the early ‘90s
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IN MemOriAm Fran Grooves Our Hearts By Marjorie Singer (’93) June 27, 2021 would have been Fran Culp’s 51st birthday. It will now mark six months since she made the powerful decision to end her life with the medication she obtained from her doctors. Fran invoked the Death with Dignity Act, a California law that was passed in 2016, allowing certain terminally ill adults to request a prescription for an aid-in-dying cocktail of medications. Fran was on the cutting-edge. She stayed informed about this option from the beginning, fought for it, took all of the challenging steps necessary to obtain it, and ultimately made the final decision to exercise it.
or snarky opinion. Being the Johnston hippy that I was, it is surprising that she embraced me as a friend in the first place. Fran graduated from Johnston with an emphasis on Health Advocacy with her advisor, the famous, Yash Owada, who she stayed in touch with throughout her post Johnston years.
I became closer to Fran when we both lived in San Francisco during the mid 1990’s. There were a bunch of Johnston ‘90s women who lived in the Mission District. This is where Fran met Waldo, her husband, who she married in 1998. He was her rock for For those of us lucky enough the next 22 years. He shared to know Fran we can attest her passion for books, films, that she really did live more and music, and he co-owned than nine lives. She proudly the music venue Rickshaw displayed a beautiful cat Stop with Fran’s close friend tattoo on her arm in from Johnston, Christopher reference to this. She was White (’92). We all spent many diagnosed with cancer when nights dancing togreat bands she was just two-and-a-half there. Fran was a wonderful years old. Her small yet fierce friend, and always showed up body fought for the next 47 for gatherings and years of her life to heal from celebrations even when it all of the chemo, radiation, took everything in her being and surgeries. Fran had a tre- Photo courtesy of Marjorie Singer (‘93) to have the physical strength mendous will to live. She gave to do so. She was loved by so so much to her family, friends, many in so many different communities. She was community, and the world. She always amazed part of a book club and movie club, and in later her doctors with her will to push through the many years enjoyed her weekly Qi Gong class. moments that seemed like the end. Fran truly lived Johnston values. She was both I met Fran when I first started Johnston in 1989. She smart and direct, and fearlessly shared her truth. was the small sassy red-head with always perfectly She was well-read and loved a debate. She was styled hair, a hip, colorful dress, and a smart and/ small yet fierce. She was passionate about sharing
17
her own health experiences and making a difference. She got her Master’s in Health Advocacy at Sarah Lawrence College and worked for the San Francisco Department of Public Health for over 13 years. Fran also loved to write. Her last publication was in The Washington Post in April 2020, featured in a piece by the Post Opinions Staff, entitled “We Need Help to Make It”. Fran was quoted, “No Ventilator, Save That for Others” and described her concern in how the pandemic was changing the “death experience” in people dying alone instead of ideally surrounded by loved ones. In the end it brings a sense of peace to those of us who knew Fran, that she actually was able to end her life so courageously, on her own terms, and graciously with her husband and two friends by her side. Fran was proud that she was going to donate her body to medical science for research. This was indeed her last gift that she gave to the world. I will celebrate her amazing life now by listening to Deee-Lite’s “Groove is in the Heart” and remember dancing with her to that song so many times in the Bekins hallway, Billings House, and San Francisco.
Photo courtesy of Marjorie Singer (‘93)
Courtesy of Necia Dallas of Johnstonians in the early ‘90s
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#fLeX Johnston Student Honors + Awards Johnston Class of 2021 President’s Award– Ellis Hodo
Associated Students of the University of Redlands (ASUR) awards a student whose ideals embody the institution’s mission and whose contributions to the community have helped enhance the student experience, both of which have resulted in the high regard and respect of others, as well as the admiration of peers.
Holt Patio, last spring ‘20 by Aria Hurtado
Alice Bag performing at Fem Fest in 2018
Sadath Garcia (‘04) Impact Award– MacKenzie “Kenzie” Nelson This special award, named in honor of our late Johnston alum, Sadath Garcia (’04) recognizes a student whose contributions have extended beyond both the traditional classroom and the physical confines of the campus community.
Sarai and M.G. at Johnny Cash Day ‘17, Photo by Caillie Roach
Outstanding Senior Award– Sabrina Nunn
This award is given to a graduating senior who has earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, and demonstrated outstanding service, stewardship, academic achievement, and a commitment to serving and enhancing the University of Redlands community.
Mortar Board– Crawford Banks, Kerry Miller, Kolby Ratigan Academic Honor Society
Interns Jaynee and Gigi with MG during GYST ‘19
Pi Mu Epsilon– Avi Sternlieb, Hunter Laforce, Noah Delano Math Proudian Interdisciplinary Honors Scholars Kerry Miller, Kirsten Orrahood, Maya Villar Carrillo
Giana (Gigi) Mitchell is available for graphic design and art commissions! Contact her at gianamitchell2@gmail.com or via DM @g1anam
The National Society of Leadership and Success Ellis Hodo, Kristen Orrahood Omicron Delta Kappa– Sabrina James Leadership Honor Society
Malik Sol Coburn (‘15), one of this year’s Kathryn Green Lecturers
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#fLeX Johnston Student Honors + Awards Johnston Class of 2021 President’s Award– Ellis Hodo
Associated Students of the University of Redlands (ASUR) awards a student whose ideals embody the institution’s mission and whose contributions to the community have helped enhance the student experience, both of which have resulted in the high regard and respect of others, as well as the admiration of peers.
Holt Patio, last spring ‘20 by Aria Hurtado
Alice Bag performing at Fem Fest in 2018
Sadath Garcia (‘04) Impact Award– MacKenzie “Kenzie” Nelson This special award, named in honor of our late Johnston alum, Sadath Garcia (’04) recognizes a student whose contributions have extended beyond both the traditional classroom and the physical confines of the campus community.
Sarai and M.G. at Johnny Cash Day ‘17, Photo by Caillie Roach
Outstanding Senior Award– Sabrina Nunn
This award is given to a graduating senior who has earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, and demonstrated outstanding service, stewardship, academic achievement, and a commitment to serving and enhancing the University of Redlands community.
Mortar Board– Crawford Banks, Kerry Miller, Kolby Ratigan Academic Honor Society
Interns Jaynee and Gigi with MG during GYST ‘19
Pi Mu Epsilon– Avi Sternlieb, Hunter Laforce, Noah Delano Math Proudian Interdisciplinary Honors Scholars Kerry Miller, Kirsten Orrahood, Maya Villar Carrillo
Giana (Gigi) Mitchell is available for graphic design and art commissions! Contact her at gianamitchell2@gmail.com or via DM @g1anam
The National Society of Leadership and Success Ellis Hodo, Kristen Orrahood Omicron Delta Kappa– Sabrina James Leadership Honor Society
Malik Sol Coburn (‘15), one of this year’s Kathryn Green Lecturers
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CuE: SoUnD “The Center Won’t Hold” by Sleater-Kinney By M. G. Maloney (’03), Assistant Director When I was selected by a search committee of students and Johnston’s Director, Kelly Hankin, I followed in the footsteps of fellow distinguished alums, Carlos Arboleda (’97), the first to hold this position and Denise Davis (’06), my predecessor. I was alerted this assistant director position opened up via a Facebook post. Working part-time at a community college in Chicago, as a reference and archives librarian, I desperately needed a full-time job to support myself, my recently laid-off partner, and our four cats after graduating from Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science in 2012. My friend Barbara, a gifted visual artist, noticed the full circle nature of me returning to Johnston, where my story of adulthood began. To be in a circle, to be in the Center that held me as a sober transfer student who was productive as hell studying what she loved through creative writing, mixed media art, and gender studies, was an extraordinary privilege. Johnston set me up for some early opportunities in Hollywood thanks to networking with some Johnston College alumni, (shout-out David Greenwalt and Tess Taylor) and my advisor, Kathy Ogren, who supported my pursuit of a comedy writing career by taking courses at The Second City and Michael C. McCarthy’s Comedy Lab while she sponsored the independent studies. The Center held me again 11 years later, when I returned in 2014, married on a Saturday and interviewed on a Wednesday. You may recall if you read Snapshot/50, (edited by Leslie Brody, Maureen Forys, Alisa Slaughter, and yours truly) that this was during the time when I was still grieving my mother’s passing. Mary Jane McDonald Maloney was a public school teacher and fierce supporter of Johnston. She declared after my graduation what many of you, my friends/
ulty/staff/current students, will never end. I mean hell, I met my BFFs here and hung-out with now Director Tim Seiber (’04) and the Bekins Basement crew many a late-night, when couches lived in hallways and the term “fire hazard” was on a t-shirt. As for being in a Center of belonging, I believe we can co-create it together, anytime two or more of us gather, really anywhere in the world. Johnston alums live in China, Japan, South Africa, México, Turkey, Holland, Germany, Italy, France, Korea (and I apologize for missing others here). Institutional memory, this is what is off the top of my head and there’s no time left to preserve it. What holds us, or holds me together right now is our shared history—f-that, the radical herstory of the personal becoming educational, the center of the human chest, our hearts beating on (until they don’t because we grieve together, too).
MG’s Mom, Mary Jane, teaching in Humboldt Park, Chicago in the mid-1990s alumni say, “If I make enough money to ever donate, my money’s going to Johnston.” My father also passed, during the first fall of my position and the week before G.Y.S.T.: The Retreat or the “pomegranate farm year” as we now call it (shout-out Sam Corso ’15 and Adam Ghovayzi ’12 who stepped-up in my absence). Julie Townsend was the first person to give me a hug after getting off the phone with my sister and walking out of my Holt #102 office. Then I sat with Kelly and students in Holt Lobby. Maybe it was a Tuesday after community meeting, and maybe we sat in a circle. What I remember feeling is being surrounded by love in a space that has held so many emotions, yours and mine, over the decades of this place.
I think the hardest part in saying goodbye is exiting the circle of current students, who inspired me, challenged me in my work and in my personal life, as an educator. I first fell in love with teaching here—19 years ago when professor Sawa Kurotani and I co-created, co-taught a Johnston seminar on gender and ethnographic writing. While teaching professionally was the last thing I wanted to do with my life, haunted by the common expression of my classmates at Second City who said, “Those who don’t—teach.” And after witnessing the toll teaching took on my mother’s body and health, diminishing any sense of a nourishing personal life after work, I can’t debate the feeling that teaching is in my blood. My mom came alive in the classroom and I consistently felt her connection over the past seven years when teaching Johnston students in G.Y.S.T.: The Class (every semester until
But the thing with circles is they’re never-ending. A “center” can be anywhere in equal distance from the edge. I think of Barney Childs’ commencement speech in 1980, after Johnston College ended and the Johnston Center began. I hear “Will the Circle be Unbroken” by The Carter Family as required listening in James Boobar (’04) and Kathy’s Hard Travelin’ seminar back in 2002. I know my relationship with y’all, Johnston’s alumni/fac-
21
Tribute to M.G. by @jnstradio 2019), Community Study // Community Organizing (every May), and the revelatory one-shot JNST seminars students took a chance on: Archiving the Experiment: Johnston Stories and Artifacts co-created with University archivist, Michele Nielsen; The Book a directed study co-taught with Maureen Forys (’93); D.I.Y. Art Projects; Riot GRRRL: Music and Zines. There is a risk the self-less work of an educator can take on their bodies, minds, and spirits. Be aware of the teachers/staff/educators/professors holding this Center together now, my friends, and the political fight that is ahead of them, outside the classroom. How can we support them? How can we, as a group in solidarity, the Johnston alumni, rally for the long-term care of the Center in gaining back the resources we need? Thank you, Johnston, for once again changing the direction of my life. Thank you, Tim and Kelly, for lovingly walking me through this painful “position elimination” process. Thank you to the Riot Grrrls, community organizing students, and young alumni—you continue to inspire me. And thank you to my buffa-friends and undergrad professors, for witnessing this journey and always having my back. I hope to see you ALL at a Renewal in the future and maybe we can rock the center out of this place. Love, M. G. Maloney (’03) Assistant Director of the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies (2014-2021)
M.G. with student workers in May 2021
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CuE: SoUnD “The Center Won’t Hold” by Sleater-Kinney By M. G. Maloney (’03), Assistant Director When I was selected by a search committee of students and Johnston’s Director, Kelly Hankin, I followed in the footsteps of fellow distinguished alums, Carlos Arboleda (’97), the first to hold this position and Denise Davis (’06), my predecessor. I was alerted this assistant director position opened up via a Facebook post. Working part-time at a community college in Chicago, as a reference and archives librarian, I desperately needed a full-time job to support myself, my recently laid-off partner, and our four cats after graduating from Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science in 2012. My friend Barbara, a gifted visual artist, noticed the full circle nature of me returning to Johnston, where my story of adulthood began. To be in a circle, to be in the Center that held me as a sober transfer student who was productive as hell studying what she loved through creative writing, mixed media art, and gender studies, was an extraordinary privilege. Johnston set me up for some early opportunities in Hollywood thanks to networking with some Johnston College alumni, (shout-out David Greenwalt and Tess Taylor) and my advisor, Kathy Ogren, who supported my pursuit of a comedy writing career by taking courses at The Second City and Michael C. McCarthy’s Comedy Lab while she sponsored the independent studies. The Center held me again 11 years later, when I returned in 2014, married on a Saturday and interviewed on a Wednesday. You may recall if you read Snapshot/50, (edited by Leslie Brody, Maureen Forys, Alisa Slaughter, and yours truly) that this was during the time when I was still grieving my mother’s passing. Mary Jane McDonald Maloney was a public school teacher and fierce supporter of Johnston. She declared after my graduation what many of you, my friends/
ulty/staff/current students, will never end. I mean hell, I met my BFFs here and hung-out with now Director Tim Seiber (’04) and the Bekins Basement crew many a late-night, when couches lived in hallways and the term “fire hazard” was on a t-shirt. As for being in a Center of belonging, I believe we can co-create it together, anytime two or more of us gather, really anywhere in the world. Johnston alums live in China, Japan, South Africa, México, Turkey, Holland, Germany, Italy, France, Korea (and I apologize for missing others here). Institutional memory, this is what is off the top of my head and there’s no time left to preserve it. What holds us, or holds me together right now is our shared history—f-that, the radical herstory of the personal becoming educational, the center of the human chest, our hearts beating on (until they don’t because we grieve together, too).
MG’s Mom, Mary Jane, teaching in Humboldt Park, Chicago in the mid-1990s alumni say, “If I make enough money to ever donate, my money’s going to Johnston.” My father also passed, during the first fall of my position and the week before G.Y.S.T.: The Retreat or the “pomegranate farm year” as we now call it (shout-out Sam Corso ’15 and Adam Ghovayzi ’12 who stepped-up in my absence). Julie Townsend was the first person to give me a hug after getting off the phone with my sister and walking out of my Holt #102 office. Then I sat with Kelly and students in Holt Lobby. Maybe it was a Tuesday after community meeting, and maybe we sat in a circle. What I remember feeling is being surrounded by love in a space that has held so many emotions, yours and mine, over the decades of this place.
I think the hardest part in saying goodbye is exiting the circle of current students, who inspired me, challenged me in my work and in my personal life, as an educator. I first fell in love with teaching here—19 years ago when professor Sawa Kurotani and I co-created, co-taught a Johnston seminar on gender and ethnographic writing. While teaching professionally was the last thing I wanted to do with my life, haunted by the common expression of my classmates at Second City who said, “Those who don’t—teach.” And after witnessing the toll teaching took on my mother’s body and health, diminishing any sense of a nourishing personal life after work, I can’t debate the feeling that teaching is in my blood. My mom came alive in the classroom and I consistently felt her connection over the past seven years when teaching Johnston students in G.Y.S.T.: The Class (every semester until
But the thing with circles is they’re never-ending. A “center” can be anywhere in equal distance from the edge. I think of Barney Childs’ commencement speech in 1980, after Johnston College ended and the Johnston Center began. I hear “Will the Circle be Unbroken” by The Carter Family as required listening in James Boobar (’04) and Kathy’s Hard Travelin’ seminar back in 2002. I know my relationship with y’all, Johnston’s alumni/fac-
21
Tribute to M.G. by @jnstradio 2019), Community Study // Community Organizing (every May), and the revelatory one-shot JNST seminars students took a chance on: Archiving the Experiment: Johnston Stories and Artifacts co-created with University archivist, Michele Nielsen; The Book a directed study co-taught with Maureen Forys (’93); D.I.Y. Art Projects; Riot GRRRL: Music and Zines. There is a risk the self-less work of an educator can take on their bodies, minds, and spirits. Be aware of the teachers/staff/educators/professors holding this Center together now, my friends, and the political fight that is ahead of them, outside the classroom. How can we support them? How can we, as a group in solidarity, the Johnston alumni, rally for the long-term care of the Center in gaining back the resources we need? Thank you, Johnston, for once again changing the direction of my life. Thank you, Tim and Kelly, for lovingly walking me through this painful “position elimination” process. Thank you to the Riot Grrrls, community organizing students, and young alumni—you continue to inspire me. And thank you to my buffa-friends and undergrad professors, for witnessing this journey and always having my back. I hope to see you ALL at a Renewal in the future and maybe we can rock the center out of this place. Love, M. G. Maloney (’03) Assistant Director of the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies (2014-2021)
M.G. with student workers in May 2021
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Publisher Tim Seiber Editor M.G. Maloney Artist, Designer, & Lay-Out Giana (Gigi) Mitchell Interns Anthony Castellon, Giana (Gigi) Mitchell Office Assistant Jacinta Navas-Galdamez The Coz McNooz is a quarterly e-newsletter published by the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies for our alumni and friends. Errata/omissions, please contact Tim Seiber (tim_seiber@redlands.edu)