voxpop diversity

1 | VOXPOP DIVERSITY MAGAZINESpring 2012

diversity

2 | VOXPOP DIVERSITY MAGAZINE

2 | VOXPOP DIVERSITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2012 | 3

126

10

2220

the melting pot

captured

no lu

xury

veh

icle

a be

autif

ul m

ix

40 y

ear o

ld sp

onge

behi

nd th

e co

unte

r

stude

nt so

ldie

r

8

14mason around the world 5

twitter: diversity in 140 characters 16branches of the same tree 18


EditorLetter from the

Special Thanks to:

John Powell

Jake McLernon

Dan Waxman

Aram Zucker-Scharff

Jacques Mouyal

Katalin Mouyal

Offi ce of Student Media

Broadside

W hat makes you diverse?

For me, many may think my diversity is obvious – a female of a multi-ethnic background. My father is full Iranian, and my mother is from Bolivia, but she also has a little Lebanese and French in her. They came together and had me, a little Mid-dle Eastern and Hispanic girl with a hint of French. But my eth-nicity isn’t just what makes me diverse – everything about me, and more importantly, everything about YOU, makes us diverse.

You don’t have to hail from a far away land to be diverse – it could be that beauty mark on your cheek that makes you differ-ent. You don’t have to speak another language, you could just be into playing the piano. Our ideas, hopes, accomplishments, physical attributes and passions all define us.

My multi-cultural background is just one of my defining fea-tures. From the stories my late grandmother told me as a small child, to the beautiful traditions my parents introduced me to, to my Catholic faith, these stories, perspectives, beliefs and dreams have all come together and created me.

Every little piece of us is special; everything about us makes us diverse. No matter how plain you think you are, I guar-

antee that no one could count all the facets you have.

In this issue of VoxPop we explore what makes the beautiful community of George Mason

University diverse. We, as members of this family, have the privilege of interacting with thousands of different people who are as different and special as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand at the beach.

Thank you for picking up VoxPop. I hope that you find the people featured here as

beautiful and unique as I do.

Yasmin TadjdehVoxPop Editor-in-Chief

to my Catholic faith, these stories, perspectives, beliefs and dreams have all come together and created me.




University diverse. We, as members of this family, have the privilege of interacting with thousands of different people who are as different and special as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand at the beach.

Thank you for picking up VoxPop. I hope that you find the people featured here as

beautiful and unique as I do.




University diverse. We, as members of this family, have the privilege of interacting with thousands of different people who are

that you find the people featured here as beautiful and unique as I do.

Staff & Special Thanks

Yasmin TadjdehEditor-in-Chief

Mahogany M. MurrayArt & Design Director

Rumsha AhmedManaging Editor

Audrey MattainoCopy Editor

Stephen KlinePhoto Editor

Kathryn MangusStudent Media Advisor

David CarrollStudent Media Advisor


world

around themason

“Not all Jews originate from Israel – my

family is originally from Russia. I can’t speak for the entire Jewish population,

but my family thinks a lot about food – in

the morning we are al-ready thinking about what we are going to do for dinner. Case in point, the Jewish delis in New York City have

the most incredibly large sandwiches known to man.”

-- Rebecca Shore, Senior

Jewish & Russian

“I honestly can’t say how or why my love for England began, it’s just always been there. I am English,

[and] to me, England is the embodiment of everything that is beautiful – the time-less history, beloved

literature, even simply the lovely houses and gardens. When you

stroll through an Eng-lish village, you can

imagine, even see the centuries of history

that was made.”

-- Taylor McKinley, Senior

English

“I am proud of the history that my culture spans; the thousands

of years that Asian culture has survived

through and impacted. Enduring customs continue to make

themselves a part of society in many Asian countries, and that is one of the many sym-bols of Asian cultures holding on to and re-taining their identity.”

-- Phil Xu, Sophomore

Chinese

“What I am most proud about is Iranians

today. After a revolu-tion in 1979, many

Iranians fl ed Iran with no money, no luggage and a lot of emotional attachment. As a fi rst-generation Iranian, I have seen how hard my parents worked and how successful they have become. I

commend our culture, which has engrained this idea of ‘success’

and its importance in it. The joy I feel to be

a part of such a strong and powerful commu-nity that is able to excel in all parts of the world

is unexplainable.”

-- Parisa Pirooz, Junior

Iranian


D iversity and George Mason Uni-versity go hand-in-

hand. From the students, to the faculty to the staff, a mixture of dozens of cultures can be seen on campus. The Offi ce of Diversity, Inclusion and Mul-ticultural Education (ODIME) and the Offi ce of International Programs and Ser-vices (OIPS) work around the year to help showcase and celebrate these different cul-tures that come together at Mason.“Diversity is not just ethnicity-based,” freshman Nashiha Pervin said. “It’s more than that — like viewpoints, economic sta-tus and gender roles.”Mason students represent 134 different countries, and GMU has consistently been

ranked as one of the most di-verse universities in the

country. “It’s a beautiful mix,” Ebadullah Ebadi, a front-desk offi ce assistant at ODIME, said. “You learn and appreci-

ate [other] cultures and backgrounds,

which makes the college experience more enjoyable.”

Throughout the academic year, ODIME is active on campus, planning events based on heritage months and working towards a successful Cultural Fusion event in the fall, which is in its third year. They host an annual Martin Luther King Jr. program, conduct the Vision Awards and provide curriculum support, such as classroom

workshops on white privilege, class, ethnicity and customs, according to Director Joya Crear.“From a student’s per-spective, having so much [diversity] pushes the uni-versity to stay current in what it offers,” Crear said. “To learn in a diverse environment enhances the ability to work with other people and prepares students and faculty to interact on a global level.”Unfortunately, situations may occur where students of unique backgrounds feel insulted. If such an occasion hap-pens, students and/or faculty mem-bers can fi le a “Biased Incident Re-port.” Biased Incident Reports can be anonymous. Once collected, a team responds to the report and can reach out to the individual student, said Crear.“One time a professor called in about someone using racial slurs so they felt uncomfortable,” Ebadi said. “These are very rare cases.”ODIME also offers a wide variety of services, some of which were simi-lar to those organized by the former Multicultural Research and Resource Center (MRRC). The Offi ce of Diversity Programs and Services merged with the MRRC to form the new offi ce located in Student Union Building I. An outside consultant was brought in to do an evalu-ation to see if a merge was necessary.“They were sister offi ces both working

A Fusion of Culture

ABeautiful Mix

workshops on white privilege, class, ethnicity and customs, according to Director Joya Crear.“From a student’s per-spective, having so much [diversity] pushes the uni-versity to stay current in what it offers,” Crear said. “To learn in a diverse environment enhances the ability to work with other people and prepares students and faculty to interact on a global level.”Unfortunately, situations may occur where students of unique backgrounds feel insulted. If such an occasion hap-pens, students and/or faculty mem-bers can fi le a “Biased Incident Re-port.” Biased Incident Reports can be anonymous. Once collected, a team responds to the report and can reach out to the individual student, said Crear.“One time a professor called in about someone using racial slurs so they felt uncomfortable,” Ebadi said. “These are very rare cases.”ODIME also offers a wide variety of services, some of which were simi-lar to those organized by the former Multicultural Research and Resource Center (MRRC). The Offi ce of Diversity Programs and Services merged with the MRRC to form the new offi ce located in Student Union Building I. An outside consultant was brought in to do an evalu-ation to see if a merge was necessary.“They were sister offi ces both working

eautifuleautifuleautiful eautiful Meautiful Meautiful ixMixM


Photos by Jake McLernon

towards multicul-tural education

on campus,” Crear said. “Everyone

thought we were the same, so we merged

to use our resourc-es and collective strength.”

Over the summer, the offi ce invites students to participate

in STEP, the Student Empower-ment and Transition Program, a

program designed to help fi rst year students get a head start in college. Stu-

dents are on campus for fi ve weeks and take two courses while partici-pating in empowerment seminars and having opportunities to ob-tain jobs on campus. To qualify for STEP, students must be fi rst gener-ation college students or a member of a historically underrepresented population. “STEP provided personal attention to all issues,” Pervin said. “I know more people because of STEP.”ODIME also helps on-campus or-ganizations fi nancially, providing them with support and encourag-ing them to work collaboratively with each other, Crear said.Mason’s 32nd annual Interna-tional Week, hosted by OIPS, takes place in mid-April.Around 30 identity-based student or-

ganizations participate in I-Week. Past themes have been “Celebrate!,” “A Mosaic of

Cultures” and “The Road to Peace.” Some signature events are the opening parade, the dinner dance and the dance competition.“Mason would not be the same without di-versity,” Ebadi said. “Some choose to come here based on its diversity, like me.”

on campus,” Crear said. “Everyone

thought we were the same, so we merged

to use our resourc-es and collective strength.”

Over the summer, the offi ce invites students to participate

in STEP, the Student Empower-ment and Transition Program, a

program designed to help fi rst year students get a head start in college. Stu-

dents are on campus for fi ve weeks and take two courses while partici-pating in empowerment seminars and having opportunities to ob-tain jobs on campus. To qualify for STEP, students must be fi rst gener-ation college students or a member of a historically underrepresented population. “STEP provided personal attention to all issues,” Pervin said. “I know more people because of STEP.”ODIME also helps on-campus or-ganizations fi nancially, providing them with support and encourag-ing them to work collaboratively with each other, Crear said.Mason’s 32nd annual Interna-tional Week, hosted by OIPS, takes place in mid-April.Around 30 identity-based student or-

ganizations participate in I-Week. Past themes have been “Celebrate!,” “A Mosaic of

Rumsha Ahmed | VoxPop Managing Editor

Total student enrollment: 33,320Black/African-American: 2,747

Asian: 4,362

Hispanic/Latino: 2,729

White/Caucasian: 16,579

Non-resident International: 1,764

Two or More: 1,110

Native Hawaiian/Pacifi c Islander: 94

Native American/Alaska Native: 71

Non report: 3,864

Statistics taken from the 2011-2012 Facts and Figures Report produced by the Institu-tional Research & Reporting Department.

8 | VOXPOP DIVERSITY MAGAZINEPhoto by John Powell

From the Mixing Bowl to...

8 | VOXPOP DIVERSITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2012 | 9Yasmin Tadjdeh | VoxPop Editor-in-Chief

George Mason University lies less than 20 miles away from Wash-ington, D.C. Not only is the Fed-eral City the hub of government activity and the home of thou-sands of politicians, lobbyists, journalists and other notables – it is the epicenter of a cultural explosion.

The residents of Washington, D.C. and its surrounding suburbs hail from hundreds of different lands and are part of a countless number of cultures.

According to the U.S. Census Bu-reau, 50.7 percent of Washington, D.C.’s population are black, 38.5 percent are white, 9.1 percent are Hispanic or Latino, 3.5 percent are Asian, and 2.9 percent are two or more races.

Whether stopping for a bite to eat at Moby Dick House of Ka-bob, grabbing lunch at the Well Dressed Burrito, or walking around Chinatown and seeing the beautiful gate right next to the Verizon Center, The District has it all.

Located at Seventh and H Street, The Friendship Archway is one of the most recognizable structures in D.C. Constructed in 1986, the archway was a way to commem-orate the friendship between Washington and its sister city Beijing.

Melting PotThe


Vehicle

NoLuxury

Tyler Hollingsworth | Personal narrative


T he beginning of my seventh grade year was exciting. Happy to be out of the house, I embraced the op-

portunity to make friends, join clubs and find ways to have fun. Sixth grade was not a year of academic excellence for me, so I was anxious to show the teachers I could learn. I ran for student government – and lost – and chess club and computer club further established my geek identity. Per-sonal appearance wasn’t a major concern for me. And that year, the doctor said that I should start using a wheelchair, because my ability to walk had diminished enough that I should get used to using one.From an early age, I hadn’t been able to walk correctly. I went through shoe brac-es, surgeries and countless doctor’s visits, but it was getting harder for me to walk. I thought that I’d be able to live normally, but unable to do sports. Unfortunately, the doctors confirmed that I needed to make adjustments to my lifestyle for it to be practical in the long-term. I needed to walk less, and use a wheelchair for long distances. Staying off my feet was fairly straightforward, but using a wheelchair – that was something I’d wanted to avoid.I remember getting the wheelchair out onto the front stoop, for all the world to see. Used, from some family friend, rust-ed in parts, this was no luxury vehicle. So, embarrassed that the world would see me – and mortified that this would become a daily part of my life – I cleaned it up and put it away inside. At the time, I thought that being in a wheelchair was a sign of incapability, im-maturity and low intelligence. It didn’t help that it looked strange, getting in the wheelchair, and rushing to my next class in the three minutes between classes. Occasionally the tire would puncture, putting me lopsided until I got the in-ner tube replaced. Or the ball bearings would bind, slowing me down, until that was fixed. These are not complicated ma-chines, I thought, so why are they so dif-ficult to maintain?In high school, I had a slightly nicer wheelchair (solid wheels!), which helped me get around the massive building. I remember how when it rained, I could

skid on the slick tile floor in the hallways. When the elevator broke, I got to use the stairs.When I started attending George Mason University, I noticed early on that all of the sidewalks are slanted. Hills adorn campus, giving it some of the character and mystique that attracts so many to its halls of learning. Hills are simple enough for a wheelchair. To go up, pushing is required, and to go down, braking is op-tional. On a slanted sidewalk, though, one is always pushing. My routes from class to class evolved, as I found ways to cut corners, use elevators to get through buildings, and grab food on the way. The sidewalk up to University Mall became less of an obstacle after repeat perfor-mances made it clear that it wasn’t as hard as it looked. As time went on, Star-bucks became a favorite place to go, de-spite its location at the top of a hill. There is an atmosphere of friendliness and consideration at GMU. Being in a wheelchair, this has a unique advantage: some people enjoy pushing wheelchairs! Seriously though, I appreciate my friends pushing me, on all of the rain-soaked midnight runs to Ike’s, trips home from the gym, and the occasional mail center package retrieval. I don’t see it as an in-ability to get around campus, but that life is generally more pleasant when my friends offer to push me.At GMU, I don’t feel different for being in a wheelchair – the wheelchair doesn’t draw attention here like it did in high school. Because of this I have become more confident with who I am and what I want to do with my life. I feel like the only obstacle between me and my future is my work ethic, and my perseverance, but certainly not the use of a wheelchair. Here, I learned to dance in my chair, at various balls and music events, with friends to cheer me on. Here, I learned to double-check the smoothie to make sure it’s really closed – you only mess that up once. Here, I learned that elevators break all the time. But I am glad for my expe-rience dealing with the wheelchair. I feel like it’s not a big part of my life – just something that I do – but it’s taken some getting used to.

12 | VOXPOP DIVERSITY MAGAZINE12 | VOXPOP DIVERSITY MAGAZINEPhotos by Marine Jaouen


Q Who are you? What are you majoring in?

I’m a late bloomer, [and] I am an English major with a creative writing minor.

Q What led you to attend college at this stage in

life?

I graduated high school in 1987, and went to the University of Maine as a freshman I lost my funding to go to school so I stopped going. I worked and went to school on and off until I had my own kids, which kept me out of school for 12 years. I enjoyed it all, but I knew there was a part of me that wanted to fi nish my education; I knew I was capable and I never lost the love of learning. I knew I would come back.

Q What interested you in coming to study at Ma-

son?

The creative writing program attract-ed me to Mason; Mason was my num-ber one choice. Mason is an amazing school and it keeps getting better all the time, there are so many amazing opportunities and I feel blessed to be here and part of the community.

Q What was it like to adjust to the college life?

It was a challenge coming back to school [and] getting used to carrying the workload. The other workload I

carry – three kids – has not disap-peared, its gotten heavier. Looking back, there is no way I could have done it when they were younger.After my kids go to bed, I take my “mommy” hat off and put my “stu-dent” cap on – and it can take me well into the early morning hours. School is kind of like my kid now.I don’t feel stressed out, even though I am a single mom going to school full time – maybe because I’m enjoying it so much. Now I can appreciate that challenges are potential for growth.When I was younger, I felt like things stressed me out because I hadn’t learned to fully appreciate that chal-lenge as growth material. Now I think, ‘If I can do that, what else can I do?’If you want something bad enough you will pursue it at all costs, and that [mindset] is defi nitely making it easier.

Q Was it hard to fi t in with the student body?

The vast majority of students are younger than I am, but I don’t re-ally notice it. I know they’re younger, but I never treat them like they are younger because, academically, they are my equals. Some of the things other students say broaden my hori-zons.The people I have had a chance to meet on campus [became] truly out-standing friends. The social aspect of being here has been really great.Lisa on age and education:

Age is just a number; never look at yourself as too old to do anything. If only we can learn to appreciate age as opposed to fearing it. It’s a trade-off; you lose your youth but you gain a lot of things.As I got older, I had all that time to think about what I want to do, what I am really interested in, and who I want to be. I’m at a really good point in my life – my early 40s are very lib-erating. My concept of the world and my place in it has changed dramati-cally. I’m noticing I’m much more re-fl ective. I’m able to take the informa-tion given to me and apply it to things right away. When I was younger I hadn’t experienced enough to make those connections. I appreciate my education differently now. I feel like I have become a stronger learner [and] even though I’m a late bloomer, my gifts are still being cultivated. I can see the benefi t of doing this a little later in life. I think that timing is everything in life. For whatever reason, this is the time I’m supposed to be having all of this in my life. Every day I’m max-ing out on it. I feel like a 40-year-old sponge, taking as many opportuni-ties as I can possibly take hold of, given my circumstances. You can’t put money on the value of what education does for you as a person, the way that it opens your mind up in so many ways that challenge you as a person and makes you grow ex-ponentially. The value of that never goes away.

4Oyear

Whether you are young or a late bloomer, doors open when you are a student at George Mason University. Many people from different walks of life share the unique experience of being a Mason student, and age does not defi ne it.

For Lisa Cotts, an English major who is 43, age is just a number.

SPONGEOld

Audrey Mattaino | VoxPop Copy Editor


With the click of a shutter, students tell a story that words cannot

CAPTURED

Yasmin Tadjdeh | VoxPop Editor-in-Chief


F or some members of the LGBTQ community at George Mason Uni-versity, words fail to say exactly how

they feel – so they turned to photography.On April 5, nine students who were a part of the PhotoVOICE project, came together and presented a series of photos showcas-ing the various experiences that LGBTQ students go through at Mason.The photos varied – from a photo of a stu-dent with an alcohol and drug addiction, to photos of gender-neutral bathrooms, to photos of their empowerment – the photos told a story that they could not in words.“[Photos] show people’s emotions more, and you can connect to a person’s face bet-ter than you can connect to a page,” said Dani Kreigh, a sophomore psychology stu-dent who participated in the project.Lisa Lindley, an associate professor with the Department of Global and Community Health, who got the idea from a similar project at the University of South Carolina, helped to bring the group of students to-gether last semester. Calls to participate were made in Septem-ber, said Lindley, and from there it was history. Participation required a six-month com-mitment, and the group met about every two weeks to go over photos and cover various topics like the ethics of photogra-phy. Participants were also paid a small stipend of $150 each, and some were able to use their involvement as class participa-tion points.PhotoVOICE is part of a larger, worldwide project, which seeks to help give histori-cally marginalized people a voice through photos. “Collectively, as a group, we wanted to tell everyone’s story, because everyone’s ex-perience is different and the experiences that I’ve had – in classrooms, in housing, in dining – [they] are completely different than the person sitting next to me,” said Elizabeth Bodine, a freshman government and international politics major. “Every one of us has a different problem, and yet it can still apply to all of us.”While sharing stories was the principal function of the project, participants also hoped to inspire those who watched.“I really hope that change happens, and that people are inspired by our photos and what we said and are ready to make changes on campus,” said sophomore psy-chology major Jay Banks who participated in the project. According to Banks, the university needs

to work harder to be more inclusive of all students, and more resources are needed for LGBTQ students. Banks also said that reform is needed in housing, where some students are placed with students who do not match their gender.Kreigh also called for gender-neutral hous-ing and bathrooms.“I really want gender-neutral bathrooms and housing,” said Kreigh. “If you identify as male, but you have to live with a female, because your sex is the same, it just sucks.”When it comes to bathrooms, Kreigh said LGBTQ students often feel unsafe when using gender-specific restrooms.“Personally, I feel pretty safe, [but] a lot of

other people don’t feel safe going to rest-rooms where they might be perceived to be something they are not,” said Kreigh.For Kreigh, participating in PhotoVOICE gave her a way to express herself and at the same time increase awareness about various issues that affect the LGBTQ com-munity, like substance abuse that is some-times used as an escape method.“It’s better to talk about problems where people can do something about it, instead

of just talking to my friends about what’s wrong. This was a venue where I could actually be heard by supervisors and say what I need,” said Kreigh. “With photos, like the one where someone was passed out after drinking, you can’t capture that in the same way in writing. It shows you the depression, it shows you the escapism that is [sometimes] used.”For Arin Stackhouse, a student and mem-ber of the audience at the event, the photos spoke volumes.“What bothers me is how Mason boasts and brags about its diversity, but it hasn’t really taken measures to make sure that its diversity is safe,” said Stackhouse.According to Stackhouse, who identifies as a trans guy, he and his friends often feel nervous and scared to walk around campus at night, especially when wearing clothes that match their identities. Stackhouse also feels uncomfortable using restrooms on campus.“[I] don’t feel safe going into certain rest-rooms on campus because they are gender binary restrooms,” said Stackhouse. “Be-ing a trans guy, on days when I may not be binding, where you can clearly see I have a chest – it’s really uncomfortable and un-nerving having to choose which restroom to go in, having to wait for there not to be people around, and for there not to be any-one in the men’s restroom.”But while some participants and members of the audience say that more needs to be done for students, many agree that they love Mason and the work that has been done so far.

Photos by Elizabeth Bodine

For some members of the LGBTQ community, using the restroom can be a stressful experi-ence. In Student Union Building I, students can use a gender-neutral restroom.

16 | VOXPOP DIVERSITY MAGAZINE@#

@twitterHow are you DIVERSE in 140 characters?

Graduated h.s. in NL. American dad but he didn’t really live in US till 18. have friends who live(d)/natives in 6 continents. @masonvoxpop

@kozafl uitmuziek

@djskarleezy

@CarmencitasT

@DJPakiRican

@JewishSWAGG

@masonvoxpop I’m Lebanese but raised in America so culture wise I would say that I’m 50/50. We celebrate traditions from both cultures!

born in spain, raised in the states. never lived in the same house for more than 3 yrs. catholic. fi lipino. cuban. spaniard. @masonvoxpop

@MasonVoxPop I am of two mixes: Indian + Puerto Rican. Music is the international language I speak to love all backgrounds/religions/gender

I fi t no stereotypes. I’m a nerd that’s athletic, a white guy with rhythm and moves, and a CS major that gets out and has fun. @MasonVoxPop


twitter4402 University Drive, Fairfax VA

www.gmu.edu/depts/cdc/

George Mason University Child Development Center

Celebrating Diversity Everyday!

“Rich in tradition. Radical in spirit.”

- Bayard Rustin,1960s Civil and GayRights Activist

“When an individual is protesting society's refusal to acknowledge his dignity as a human being, his very act of protest confers dignity on him.”


“I believe that we are all fl owers in the garden of life. No fl ower is exactly the same or tremendously different...”

Raquel Sands | Personal narrative

What is diversity? Diversity is the state of variety, a multi-form that transcends dual-

ity. It encompasses everything from gender, ethnicity, age, economic class, beliefs, experiences, political ideolo-gies, preferences, mindset and more. It is a never-ending staircase that goes up, down and around so many levels that cannot be counted. Now, in the 21st century, diversity is the name of the game. Knowing about others and understanding and interacting with various cultures are essential to any field that one goes into. So, what makes me diverse? I am all encompassing. I am a Salvadorian, Spanish and British descendant who is a global affairs major at George Ma-son University. Spanish was my first language, learned from my family and being surrounded with the culture as a toddler. It wasn’t until pre-school that I learned English and began to iden-tify with American music and values such as freedom of expression. Because the world is becoming more connected, I decided to learn Manda-rin Chinese, a beautiful language with its own special qualities and richness. Also, I am spiritual, which for me is a lifestyle that understands the inter-connectedness of the known religions and faiths. Being spiritual, I see the beauty and truth of diverse beliefs as one and the same. Since I was a little girl, diversity played an essential role in my upbringing.

Being born in Arlington, Va. but be-ing raised in West Palm Beach, Fla., my neighbors ranged from Caucasian, Colombian, Indian and African-Amer-ican; not to mention that the major-ity of South Florida is filled with im-migrants from the Caribbean states of Haiti, Dominican Republic and Cuba. It was a beautiful time in my life, to play on bicycles and roller blades with kids who had different stories and identities. Since then, my diversity has molded into one in which I have adapted Asian traditions into my daily lifestyle, from eating a variety of veg-etable and tofu stir-fry’s and using chopsticks to practicing Taoist beliefs and martial arts on a regular basis. I believe that we are all flowers in the garden of life. No flower is exactly the same or tremendously different from the others that they can no longer identify with being a flower. It is the similarities which connect us all and the differences which make us special.Being the daughter of two Salvador-ian immigrants has also made a tre-mendous impact on my diversity be-cause my parents had to overcome life struggles that influenced their cul-tural selves. They instilled in me their cultural values and the wisdom to un-derstand others as they have felt the displacement that comes from leaving one’s native country. My father, Ricardo Sands, is from Santa Ana, El Salvador. He is an en-trepreneur of sorts, a born teacher

and devoted learner of the world.He left his country at the age of 17, has lived in the United States for 28 years and got his citizenship when I was four-years-old. He has dedicated his life to his family, and through any obstacles that he faced he has always held an open mind, a thankful heart, and an extraordinary trait of being able to adapt in order to persevere. He says, “For me when you speak about being diverse, you speak about being yourself. There is no other person like you. So, diversity is being unique.”Aother very unique person as well is the giver of my life — my mother. I can say whole-heartedly that as she has made a great impact on my life; she does so incessantly with the lives and minds of others. With a Master’s degree in educational leadership and a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish, a pass-erby could say that she has fulfilled the “American Dream.” By coming from a foreign land with very little and making herself a better life, she has overcome. I am not sure if it is the American Dream, but she has fulfilled her dream. Her dream to teach others how to better their lives through the hard work and value of education has led her to different careers, places and people. In 2010 my mother, Ana Sands, be-gan working for Mason Links at GMU. Mason Links is a program that was created to be a supportive environ-ment for service entry-level employ-

Branches of the same tree


ees, specifically for those who work in the areas of housing, facilities, park-ing and dining. The general purpose is to teach them English so that they can be effective at Mason. My mom is the English teacher in Mason Links; to these Mason employees she is a con-stant guide who opens doors of pos-sibilities towards the future. “My role at Mason Links is very im-portant. In terms of providing sup-port to these employees who need to integrate themselves into the Mason community, the position of English teacher is vital as it brings various groups together for a common cause,” my mother said.

“Being an immigrant woman com-ing to the United States with limited resources, I can show that it is pos-sible to go to college and to grow at a greater level. I see the impact in serving as a role model.”As a second semester sophomore, I wanted be a role model to promote diversity at a bigger level than my-self. Through family and friend sup-

port I took the initiative to become a student senator in Student Govern-ment. On March 1 I took an oath to fulfill my duty as a representative of the students, to be a voice for their wants, needs and concerns. And as a student senator I want to be at the forefront in promoting diversity at a whole new level; not by simply sitting with different people in the Johnson Center or Southside; not by simply being a student in classes with people from different ethnic backgrounds. I want to have in depth conversations about cultural values and traditions and promote events that appreciate and educate others about countries and customs all over the world. There are also parts of diversity that include dietary preferences, environmental causes, gender identity and religiosity that I would like to illuminate. Being a university student at Mason, I can say whole-heartedly that diversity is what brought me to this university. When I was a high school senior I was faced with many colleges to choose from within Virginia. After analyzing all of them thoroughly, my first choice was GMU. My reasons varied from the college campus atmosphere, local-ity and cost of tuition, but what deter-mined my decision was the level of ex-posure and intensity of diversity that Mason had. I remember being at ori-entation and walking around campus, seeing all the people of different col-ors, shapes and sizes walking to and from classes. I said to myself, “This is where I want to be. This is where I want to go to college.” This yearning for being with others from countries all over the globe was more than just wanting to see variety and difference.

It was about having the experience to learn from others, their cultures, thoughts and beliefs but most impor-tantly to learn about how to interact with others and be a more well-round-ed individual. I believe that wanting to understand others is crucial for self-development at any age; it shows an openness to others’ ideas that maybe different from one’s own.

“Diversity to me is a big a tree, the tree called unity, with many branch-es stretching up and beyond into many directions, all coming from the same trunk, the same essence.”Health systems, religions, nations, cultures, sciences and environment are all branches from the same tree. Regardless of discrepancies or dif-ferences, diversity is fundamentally uniqueness. At a large or small scale, we are individuals and in that we are naturally diverse. For there may be other Hispanics, Asian-Americans and many other people who enjoy classical, salsa and jazz music, but there is only one person like you. It is more than just thinking of colors and locations, as it is usually thought of in the generality. Everyone and everything is already diverse for being their natural self. As scientists have proven with data found by studying twins, even two humans completely identical in the biologi-cal aspect are fundamentally separate from their inner selves, in areas such as tastes, preferences, thoughts, opin-ions and hobbies. Diversity is innate within us.

Photos courtesy of Raquel Sands


A glimpse into Mason’s Sodexo workers

T alk to me, talk to me” are familiar words heard echoing from Original

Burger through the second floor of The HUB (Student Union Building II). The voice beckons customers in line to choose the toppings they want piled on their burgers and has become a hallmark element of the Original Burger expe-rience. But what is the story behind this voice? And what makes Original Burger so effi-cient in delivering hot, quality burgers to customers?“It’s all about teamwork here. Everyone works together,” Original Burger shift supervi-sor Abdul Kowsar said. “We try to deliver 100-percent custom-er satisfaction.”At Original Burger, custom-ers can customize their burg-ers any way they want and can choose from several different meats, toppings and sauces. Additionally, customers can choose from a variety of milk-shakes and salads.But customized burgers are not the only part of the Origi-nal Burger experience. Team member Rob McCrary, the man behind the voice greeting customers in line with “Talk to me,” has been working at Orig-inal Burger since the new din-ing venue was opened in spring

2011. McCrary leaves his home in Lorton, Va., around 8 a.m. each day, taking three differ-ent buses to reach work around 10:45 a.m. Despite the long commute, McCrary enjoys his job and regularly converses with customers.“If students didn’t enjoy the service, they wouldn’t come. I keep an upbeat spirit to keep the students happy,” McCrary said.Asked about his talent for fill-ing orders quickly and accu-rately, McCrary said, “It’s a gift from God. I’ve been cooking for years, and I know that some customers may not know what they want. So I try to help them along by saying, ‘talk to me.’”For Kowsar, Original Burger is more than just a job — it’s a community where co-workers support one another to deliver the best service possible. “Everyone’s nice here, and we all work together. If team members see another team member struggling, they pitch in to help,” Kowsar said.Keeping customers happy is at the core of working at Origi-nal Burger, according to Mc-Crary. “I enjoy the students. I don’t have a lot of money, but my riches are in seeing them happy.”

Michael Lagana* | Broadside Staff Writer

Behindth

ecounter* This article originally appeared in Broadside, and has been edited.


Audrey Mattaino | VoxPop Copy Editor

What do Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu and Princess Grace Kelly have in

common? They have all met Charles Dunne, the customer relations super-visor who works at Southside after im-migrating to the United States 44 years ago from Limrick, Ireland. While working in Ireland, Dunne came across all sorts of celebrities, whether by serving the head table or by getting asked if he had a cigarette when passing through. This year is his fifth at Mason.“I came here on my honeymoon with my wife to see the sites of Washington,” Dunne said. “The manager at the Key Bridge Marriott said, ‘Why not work with us?’”Dunne was a waiter and bartender in Dublin before immigrating. After living in Santa Barbara, Calif. for two years working at the Biltmore, he moved to Virginia.“My wife and I decided to stay here for two years,” he said. “We went back [to Ireland] after 10 years and stayed for four months, it was so quiet — there

were no big supermarkets, life was very different in the United States.”Receiving his green card within two months after applying, he and his wife left for the States, Dunne being the first in his family to do so. With no tele-phones or e-mail available, Dunne kept in touch by sending letters, some of

which he has kept. He visits his home-land every year for three to four weeks. “We didn’t know anyone, we just took a chance,” Dunne said. “There’s no place in the world like America.”Besides the diversity and busy lifestyle America has compared to Ireland, Dunne mentioned the differences in management. Dunne recalls when out-going president Alan Merten would come for Christmas and participate in Saint Patrick’s Day.“In Ireland, the manager would walk by and wouldn’t recognize you,” he said. “But here, everything is so different. If you see Ram [Nabar, resident district manager of Sodexo] he’ll shake hands with you. When I see that I think, ‘Isn’t this wonderful?’”At Southside, one can find the Irish-man helping on the cash register or lines, while passing suggestions and complaints from the students to the managers.“Everyone is so alive and enthusiastic,” Dunne said. “When you enjoy your job, you never work a day in your life.”

Rumsha Ahmed | VoxPop Managing Editor

George Mason University boasts a diverse student body and fac-ulty, and the staff members who

help run the university are no less di-verse.Nadira Burton, an African-American neuroscience major and Sodexo work-er, offers a glimpse behind the serving window and into the diverse experience of being a staff member at Mason. “I could be walking, and I hear someone speaking one language in one ear and another language in another ear,” Bur-ton said.She is just one of the many unique people that make up the diverse staff at Sodexo. Burton comes from fast-paced New York City and is a member of the inter-national Church of Christ and enjoys the diversity that makes up Mason. “I like seeing many cultures; you can learn a lot from other people,” Burton said. There are many chances to learn about other cultures as a part of the Sodexo staff: on any given day, Burton can find herself working alongside people from Guatemala, Cuba, Mexico, Vietnam and China. There are a multitude of lan-

guages spoken as well, though Spanish and Chinese is spoken primarily in the Southside kitchen. “To be honest, a lot of times when I work in the dish room, I think I’m the only one who speaks English in there. It’s hard to hold a conversation that way,” said Burton. The many languages spoken among the staff members can be a challenge at times, and as Burton puts it, “some-times it’s a little hard to relay what ex-actly they want to say.” In the end, the efforts to communicate and understand are a learning experi-

ence for everybody. “I know two words in Chinese, I’m try-ing to learn a little bit of Spanish, so [the learning] will be two-sided. [Other workers] try to talk to me in Spanish so I can learn, but we work it out and we all understand each other in the end,” Burton said. As different as the cultures are, being a part of the diverse staff is a unifying and fulfilling experience, and when it comes down to it, they are all working together.

Yasmin Tadjdeh | VoxPop Editor-in-Chief

F or many students, starting their freshman year can be a stressful experience; packing

your bags, moving away from home and living with strangers all can be hard to deal with initially. But for Walter Sweeney, a freshman economics major at George Mason University, his experience was a bit different.Sweeney, a former Marine who served seven months in Afghanistan, isn’t your typical freshman -- he’s 26, been around the world and served in the Marines for four years. Sweeney has seen more things than the aver-age 18-year-old freshman has, but he still sits next to them in class.For many veterans, coming to college can be a difficult time – going from close relationships like those in the military to college friendships can be a difficult transition. Coupled with large age gaps, many veterans find themselves alone and have issues relating to their younger classmates, said Sweeney.“To try and reach out and build a meaningful friendship and a mean-ingful relationship like you’re used to in the military, with someone who is so many years younger than you — in age and maturity — it’s difficult,” Sweeney said. “For the most part, I wanted to not [just] make friends, but make friends that challenged me, that understand me, and that I also understand, and we have some com-mon ground between us.”As president of the Veteran’s Society and the College Veterans for Hire, Sweeney has made it his mission to gain the trust of fellow veterans and help them feel at home and make real friendships.“I try to focus more on the social as-pect of things, and give people oppor-tunities to get together socially and make friends,” said Sweeney. Often, members of the different groups get together and hold happy hours or cookouts, and even go ca-noeing sometimes.

“The big focus is just to try and en-courage that sense of community among the student veterans,” Swee-ney said.For Sweeney, while the military was a large part of his life, it is not his defin-ing feature. Rather, he is a mix of a student, a soldier and a friend.“Being in the military is one of the things that defines me. Being a stu-dent at Mason is one of the things that define me. I lived overseas when I was younger — that’s part of what defines me. There [are] too many things that are significant parts of my life that I can say, ‘Oh, it’s this one identifying thing,’” Sweeney said.Besides being an active member of the Veteran’s Society and the College Veterans for Hire, Sweeney also fre-quents the Office of Military Services.OMS, located in the Johnson Cen-ter, helps student veterans transition from military life to college, and from college to career. They, along with the Veteran’s Society, the College Veter-ans for Hire and the Sempre Fi Soci-ety, help build community.OMS also works to cut through the red tape that is often present when trying to use the educational benefits that the government gives veterans, known as the GI Bill through the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. The GI Bill, for those with full eligibility, gives veterans a housing allowance, a book stipend and pays for academic fees and in-state tuition. “The OMS offers guidance through the process of using the educational benefits [of the GI Bill],” said Swee-ney. “It’s not always cut and dry easy, press a button and you get it — there are miles of paperwork and all sorts of bureaucracy to make sure it’s working properly. So the OMS helps streamline that and is kind of the link between not only the VA, who dis-penses the education benefits, and the students, but also between the school’s administration and the stu-dents.”

studentSoldier

Photo courtesy of Walter Sweeney

SPRING 2012 | 23

• Mason students represent 134 countries • There are 315 recognized student organizations • Mason is one of the top 100 universities for LGBT students • There are 35 identity-based student organizations

• There are 6,000 students living on campus

University Life creates purposeful learning environments, experiences, and opportunities that energize ALL students to broaden their capacity for academic success and personal growth.http://ulife.gmu.edu/

The Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education leads the University in creating an inclusive learning environment through identity development and cultural competency. http://odime.gmu.edu

? Did You Know?...

24 | VOXPOP DIVERSITY MAGAZINERecycle Me!

VoxPop Diversity is a Student Media Publication. Follow us on Twitter at @MasonVoxPop.

University Lifediversity

voxpop diversity

Documents

issue of voxpop

beautiful traditions

little piece

thousands of different

little middle eastern

catholic faith

grains of sand

hint of french