Camping tents, discussion circles and peace signs decorate the Academic Quad this week as DePauw students and faculty gather for another year of Peace Camp hosted by The Compton Center for Peace and Justice.
Although many people may be familiar with Peace Camp, some are unfamiliar with the faces behind these discussions and events. Student interns for the Compton Center each have their own causes and personalities they will voice at Peace Camp. Here are four of the 15 diverse student interns that piece together all the events of Peace Camp this year.
Mike Curts '14
Major: Biochemistry
Years involved: 2
Why he participates:
Although senior Mike Curts' main focus at Peace Camp last year was to explore the issue of death penalty, this year he decided this focus on better understanding identity.
Curts believes that since it's a broader topic to tackle, it will be more relatable for students on campus.
"I saw the need for somebody to tackle just the generic social justice issue and talk about the identity roles and how they affect the more specific issues that a lot of the other interns are addressing," he said.
Curts is hosting the first event of Peace Camp entitled "Understanding Identities" with senior Janelle Lyons. Curts and Lyons will highlight the concept of personal identity and how it affects our daily lives beyond just race.
The Perks of being a Compton Center Intern:
Curts enjoys working with 14 other interns that come from different backgrounds and all advocate for a variety of causes.
"I get to interact with people that I otherwise would never really talk to [and] never really get to see just because our paths don't cross that much."
What do you hope students could get out of going to Peace Camp?
Curts suggests that students pick the events that they are interested in advance since there are so many to choose from. He also challenges students to participate in events that are outside of their comfort zone.
"I really encourage my white male friends to come," he said. "Not to make them feel uncomfortable, but just to understand a little bit better."
Curts hopes that conversation will help people begin to understand topics that they are not familiar with.
"We're not going to single-handedly change everything but the goal is that through understanding people will change eventually."
Phua Xiong '14
Major: Conflict Studies
Year involved: 3
Why she participates:
Since the start of her Compton career, senior Phua Xiong has always been interested in addressing issues dealing with the Asian American Pacific Islanders' community and DePauw's international students.
Xiong is collaborating with other resident advocates of the Association of African American Students (AAS), Center of Latino Concerns (CLC), Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and The Queer Center (LGBT services) for a week-long tribute to The March on Washington.
"On Thursday we are going to have a march on campus and that's to symbolize solidarity with the people during the Civil Rights movement as well as the actual march at Washington," Xiong said.
Xiong is also working with senior Mami Oyamada, president of the International Student Association for an event on Wednesday, Oct. 2 where they will discuss international students at DePauw and their cultures.
Breaking students out of the DePauw Bubble
Xiong believes that the best way to highlight current events on campus is through visuals.
"Putting up big posters at the academic quad or chalking or having some sort of demonstration," Xiong said, "I think that usually is the easiest way to go about just sparking some sort of interest or letting people really see that there are people that care about this issue."
Xiong understands that students may be unable to attend workshops because of their busy schedules. Therefore, these visuals are meant to make current events easier to see and understand.
Why the tents?
Xiong doesn't know the history behind the tents, but she does think that the tents are a way to demonstrate their desire for their causes to be recognized.
"I kind of relate it to big movements or demonstrations where they stay there overnight to visually show that 'these are the issues that I care about.' I'm willing to sleep out here, I'm willing to stay the next day and still really protest about what I care about.'"
Clark Edwards '15
Major: Conflict Studies
Years involved: 1
Why she participates:
Senior Clark Edwards is passionate about women's equality in sports as a former basketball player and cross country runner.
"When people talk about women's sports on campus they kind of talk about it as a joke," Edwards said. "[I] love sports, [I] love watching them so it's something that interested me that I couldn't do in classes."
Edwards, along with senior Olivia Rees, presented a movie on Monday titled "ESPN Nine for IX: Venus VS." The movie addresses gender discrimination and inequality in sports. Edwards will also participate in Friday's event "Resolving Conflict through Restorative Justice."
The Perks of being a Compton Center Intern
Edwards jokes that candy is her favorite part of being an intern, but she also enjoys how she's able to research any topic that she's interested in and hold events addressing these topics. She also collaborates with students from other outlets on campus who know about women and sports.
"[I am] able to research whatever I want but with a lot of support from everybody else there."
Making the most of camping
This is Edwards' first year as an intern and her first time camping. Edwards remembers the hot cocoa setup during a dreary Peace Camp week last year, but has a traditional snack in mind for her camping experience.
"It's gotta be some s'mores, they just aren't the same if you make it in the microwave."
Ashley Sanchez '15
Major: Women's Studies
Years involved: 1
Why she participates:
Junior Ashley Sanchez has a lot of mixed causes that she wants to tackle during her time both as an intern and at Peace Camp. Sanchez identifies herself as a feminist and often researches intersexuality, race and power issues.
"My experiences matter and I want them to matter and everybody else's experiences to matter," Sanchez said.
Sanchez will host an event entitled, "When Your (Brown) Body Is A (White) Wonderland: Exploring Beauty Standards." The event will touch on topics discussing media portrayal of women, colorism and Eurocentric focus on beauty standards for people of color.
Breaking down the issues:
Sanchez prefers to lead discussions about the topics that interest her personally.
"I'm going to have an event and I'm going to be leading it," she said. "It's going to be easier for me to communicate the issue versus if a person who is in that field and is constantly using all these big words."
Sanchez tries to make complex topics easier to understand through films and clips of people who have experienced what she looks to breakdown. This helps people who are not of that culture or of a certain lifestyle understand through the eyes of those who are.
