Join us to celebrate the release of season two of MVCC:POV Voices from the Valley featuring guests the GASP Club (season two), Muslim Student Association (season one), and Arab Student Union (season one). We’ll be chatting with students and advisers about their experiences participating in the podcast.
Today is National Coming Out Day, a celebration of coming out as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. There are plenty of ways to get involved!
Come to the library this month and check out some of the many books and videos featuring LGBTQIA+ themes.
Stop by these upcoming events sponsored by the GASP Club and Celebrating Diversity Committee:
Lunch Fundraiser: Wednesday 10/16 11:30 – 1:30 in U Cafeteria. All proceeds support the college’s first LGBTQ+ scholarship.
STI Testing: Tuesday, 10/22 11:00- 2:00 U209. Free and confidential testing provided by the Cook County Health Department.
You can find more information about campus LGBTQ+ resources here.
The U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing oral arguments regarding the legality of workplace discrimination against people who identify as LGBTQ+. Join sociology professor Jeffrey McCully as they explore the history of workplace discrimination targeting the LGBTQ+ community and legislative attempts to end it. Sponsored by Celebrating Diversity Committee, ¡GASP! club, and Democracy Commitment.
New to the collection is a graphic novel biography, The Life of Frederick Douglass, written by David F. Walker with art by Damon Smyth. It tells the story of Douglass’s life through beautiful illustrations. He lived during the 19th century, was born into slavery in Maryland, learned to read even though it was forbidden to slaves, and ended up becoming one of America’s greatest writers. He worked to abolish slavery and believed in the equality of all. He also was one of the most photographed Americans of the 19th century, even more so than Abraham Lincoln! “Frederick Douglass was 
acutely aware of the fact that photographs could be used to help define his image in the public eye and, as a result, also influence how white people viewed blacks. In many pictures, his eyes are cast directly at the camera, an uncommon practice at the time, which resulted in a seemingly defiant expression” (Walker, p. 99). His photos were taken without him smiling because he didn’t want to portray “the racist caricature of a ‘happy slave’” (Wikipedia).
If you are not a fan of the graphic novel medium, a biography is a good way to try it out because the illustrations really bring the person’s story to life, which is helpful when learning about historical subjects. It’s not unlike how “Hamilton the Musical” resonated with people and presented a different way of re-telling history, so, too can a graphic novel achieve the same.
Frederick Douglass in MVCC’s collection:
To our students, faculty, and staff who celebrate Ramadan, we want to say “Ramadan Mubarak.”
If you are not familiar with Ramadan, check out this Time magazine article, “Your Complete Guide to Ramadan, Including the Proper Greeting and When It Starts.”
This lecture introduces the early Biological and Evolutionary theories of Al Jahiz along with the observations of early Biologists. The session introduces a brief history in the many chapters of the history of Biology. This lecture is part of the MOSAICS Building Bridges Program.
A Biologist from Long Ago: The Accomplishments and Work of Al-Jahiz, a Ninth Century Polymath
The audio of this discussion is available below:
Celebrating Women’s History Month, the Arab Student Union held this panel discussion in the library. Women leaders from our local Arab-American community came together to share their stories. The discussion was inspiring and instructional.
Panelists are:
Reem Ali – Clinician Counselor, Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System
Naheda Zayyad– Assistant State’s Attorney at Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office
Iba Ello – Senior Environmental Chemist, Exelon Corporation
Shadin Maali – Principal in Allen Austin/Gaines International’s Architecture, Engineering and Construction practice
Suzanne Amra – Assistant Principal, Peck Elementary School, Chicago Public Schools
Dr. Lena Hussein PharmD – Pharmacy Manager at Walgreens
Inspiring Insight from Arab American Women: Professional, Passionate and Proud
The audio of this discussion is available below:
Members of the Muslim Student Association and the Arab Student Union discuss their religion, serving others, life as students and challenging stereotypes. This event is part of our One Book, One College Programming.
Glossary of terms:
Allah: Arabic Word for God
Asalamo Alaikum: Arabic for Peace be upon you
Zikir: remembrance of God
Quran: Holy book of Islam
Hadith: Traditions, sayings and daily practices of Prophet Muhammad from his daily life (Sunna)
Ayb: Arabic term used to describe something that might be culturally inappropriate
Deen/Din: Arabic word that encompasses judgment, custom, and religion. This term is used by Muslims and Christian Arabic speakers.
Being Young and Muslim in America: A Panel Discussion
The audio of this discussion is available below:
Hear their stories. Learn about prominent black historical figures followed by a discussion on the history, role and impact they had on society.
Featured figures include:
-Mary Eliza Mahoney
-Jean Baptiste du Sable
-Gwen Ifill
-Aretha Franklin
-Muhammad Ali
-Shirley Chisholm
-Thurgood Marshall
-Dr. Mae C Jamieson
-Alvin Ailey
Live Museum and Monologues Project
The audio of this discussion is available below:
Pakistan’s history has impacted global events. This complicated story is often misunderstood. This talk will explore this history. This event is part of our One Book, One College Programming.
A Short History of Modern Pakistan
The audio of this discussion is available below:
