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My Teta’s Pain : Generational Trauma and Language in Palestinian-Americans
No full textThis project reveals the experiences of Palestinian-Americans living with the effects of settler colonialism. Generational trauma and language are two significant aspects of the Palestinian experience. Communities and individuals experiencing generational trauma often respond differently to how they connect and interact with their identities. In my experience, I was shielded from the trauma my family endured and, unfortunately, I did not grow up speaking my native language, for numerous reasons. I also felt isolated as a Palestinian and did not have any exposure to other Palestinians, or Arabs, until college. I presumed other Palestinian-Americans had similar experiences, so I conducted a series of informal, reflective interviews. I connected with four Palestinian-Americans and listened to them share their lives and all the emotions they wanted to express to me. Hearing the experiences of other Palestinian-Americans uncovers the ways in which we experience settler colonialism and allows us to take steps towards generational healing. Additionally, completing this project deepened my connection to my homeland, identity, and family and granted me the opportunity to create an archive of my history. After several months of working on this project, the genocide on Gaza began on October 7th, 2023. From that point forward, I knew my motivation and purpose for this project must shift. Now, it is to honor my family and every Palestinian martyr, forever. Now, I complete this project to provide some semblance of justice to the martyrs in my family and every single other Palestinian family in diaspora and in our homeland
Embracing Nature’s Touch
No full text18 p.My ceramic pieces are an exploration of textures, glazes, found materials, and firing methods that capture the essence of nature. I aim to bring earth and nature into homes and spaces devoid of such. I seek to draw viewers closer to nature and tradition through texture and unconventional beauty.
“It is clay, you know, it’s earth. you know, man seems to have come from this earthly material. You come from it and you go back to it. So it is life and death, really. And that’s the beauty of clay.” Dame Magdalene Anyango Namakhiya Odundo.
I believe humans have an intrinsic connection to the earth, we are it, and how I go about making pottery is underscores this connection by using, showcasing and appreciating these beautiful materials. I aim for my work to allow people to reconnect with nature, to ground people in the relationship we share with the Earth, remind them what it is to be human. We do not follow a set of rules—humans are organic, always changing, on a spectrum, and I hope my work reflects that.
Embrace the imperfections
Drachensheldinssaga
No full text313 p.I wrote this book by accident. Since first opening Percy Jackson, I’ve wanted to be a novelist. I’ve planned out and attempted probably a hundred books, sometimes cycling through multiple in a day. I was determined. But I only ever managed a full novel once before this, and due to the fact that I was thirteen and it was inspired by my obsession with Hamilton the musical, by Lin Manuel Miranada, it’s pretty bad (not Hamilton’s fault, definitely mine.) All that is to say, that my hopes of being able to write a full length novel in two terms were not high. But I just couldn’t seem to stop. All of the loneliness and pain I felt in high school found its way onto the page, but it was soothed by the influence of Medieval knights, brave demigods, Jewish ancestors, and chivalrous butches
La Vida Después de la Muerte
No full text63 p.Mexican cemeteries are more than just spaces of mourning. Through acts of the living and Indigenous roots, death and mourning have been shaped to become social activities that are performed in community. Dating back to the Aztecs, who demonstrated the importance of exposed traditions through their common uses and displays of bones, modern day Mexicans have translated these customs into contemporary practices. Oftentimes wakes or velorio’s, are open caskets, held within the home of the deceased, and mourned socially around family members, friends, and neighbors. In addition, cemeteries and death spaces become sites where vendors of all kinds can make their income tending and caring for the dead which further produce community and social relationships. Lastly, materiality and objects found in cemeteries allow the living to sustain relationships with the dead while simultaneously producing the sense of devotion and remembrance. This project explores these topics through ethnographic fieldwork performed in Toluca, Mexico
Charge Order in the Blume-Capel Model on a Triangular Lattice
No full textiv, 22 p.To better understand the onset of charge ordering in high-temperature superconductors, we perform Monte Carlo simulations using the Blume-Capel model on a 2D triangular lattice. By working in the canonical and grand canonical ensemble, we identify transitions in both charge and spin ordering on the lattice. To aid in this process we introduce several new measurements focused on identifying loops of spin or charge. We also make modifications to the Binder cumulant to make it applicable to the model
mind the reflection: إسمي ف لطس ین
No full text13 p.Suha Qashou’s Senior Individualized Project narrative is her personal story of the creation of her project, covering the interconnected frameworks that brought it to be. The emergence of her studio art studies and the intensity of them, leading to the holistic process of creating her final SIP portfolio, are all essential to her personal narrative. She discusses her greatest influences Xu Bing, Mona Hatoum, and Palestine and how each of these things inspired her in their own unique yet connected ways. She explores challenges she faced as well as the overcoming of thosechallenges and how it all benefitted her to create her show mind the reflection: . إسمي ف لطس ی
Beyond the Kitchen Table : Food Access and the Systems That Shape It in Kalamazoo
No full textiv, 59 p.This literature review thesis examines the language, history, and current state of food access in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to explore how systemic inequities shape the local food landscape. Using a sociological lens, it investigates how terms like "food desert," "food apartheid," and "food sovereignty" frame public understanding and responses to food inequality. The work traces the enduring legacy of redlining in Kalamazoo, showing how historical housing policies continue to influence neighborhood access to grocery stores and fresh food. Drawing on literature, case studies of local organizations, and theoretical frameworks, the research highlights the ways in which food access is intertwined with broader issues of race, class, and neoliberal governance. My thesis aims to critique the band-aid market-driven solutions that dominate food systems today, arguing that they fail to address the structural roots of food insecurity. By examining the efforts of initiatives such as Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, the Michigan Good Food Fund, Kalamazoo Valley Food Hub, and SNAP, the thesis demonstrates both the potential and limitations of community-based approaches. It calls for a shift toward food justice and food sovereignty frameworks, advocating for systemic change to create equitable, sustainable food systems. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of food access as a critical issue of justice and community resilience in Kalamazoo and beyond
Breaking Down Barriers: Addressing Financial, Health Literacy, and Accessibility Challenges in U.S. Healthcare
No full textiv, 39 p.It is difficult to be a healthy American. This reality is often overlooked until individuals face the harsh truths of the United States healthcare system. For many, this struggle manifests as exorbitant health insurance premiums, the need to miss work for difficult-to-schedule appointments, or even a resignation to forgo care altogether due to the overwhelming costs associated with navigating the American healthcare landscape. This paper addresses the research question: How do systemic barriers established by the United States limit access to public healthcare, and in what ways do these barriers hinder individuals from engaging in preventative health measures, ultimately impacting overall public health outcomes? Three main barriers emerge when investigating what “access” to healthcare in America entails, financial constraints, health literacy deficits, and physical accessibility issues. While these barriers are not insurmountable and some progress has been made, the U.S. healthcare system remains stagnant in addressing these evolving challenges. This paper aims to provide insight into these three critical aspects of U.S. healthcare access, while also offering a firsthand perspective on how the system operates and the implications for public health outcomes
Experiential Internship : AGS Automotive Solutions
No full text7 p.Over the past two years, I have completed internships for AGS Automotive Solutions during summer and winter breaks. AGS is an expanding automotive company and a leading international after-market brake, fuel, and transmission line manufacturer. Its clients include AutoZone, O’Reilly’s, and Advanced Auto Parts. In the fall of 2022, AGS purchased Motive Products, a brand that manufactures brake bleeding, oil changing, and transmission refiling products, mainly for DIY individuals/mechanics. This acquisition opened the door to a new customer market. After purchasing Motive Products, AGS purchased BrakeQuip, LLC, strengthening its aftermarket manufacturing and distribution position. BrakeQuip was a company that produced brake hoses
A Stage Manager’s Guide to More Than Survive : An Analysis of How Stage Management is Taught at Kalamazoo College
No full text238 p.Through this paper, my goal is to elucidate the community-oriented teaching structure of stage management at K by analyzing my own experience with Be More Chill (BMC), the 2024 spring musical, and reflect on how we can continue to improve how we support student stage managers at K. In the first part of this paper, I will reflect on what happened throughout the process, how my previous experiences guided me through specific situations, and what I learned from the process. In the second part of this paper, I take what I learned and what I wish I had learned and turn it into a new, updated handbook for the department. It is my hope that this SIP, particularly the handbook, becomes a resource for future students who would appreciate an additional perspective