About Rosie Zhou
During my first summer in the Laidlaw Program, I am working with the Columbia Law School's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law to research and provide a series of write-ups to West Harlem Environmental Action Coalition on actions the federal government can take to combat climate change, with a particular focus on efforts that could benefit communities facing environmental injustice.
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Week Five:
What new skills and/or knowledge have you gained from your summer experience? Have you met anyone who has been instrumental in shaping/helping you conduct your project? Briefly, how has this person impacted you? What have you learned about leadership from this individual, and how might it influence your actions, work, and self in the future?
I learned a lot from my supervisor, as the senior site work manager, they were really inciteful about what it means to be a leader and activist in a community that's not your own. Through working on different projects that were community-based and location specific, I learned about best practices for supporting communities and their ability to create programming and services that address issues in them. Throughout the summer, we started to build a resource that collected information from existing organizations that addressed the over-punitive policies in probation and parole. A big part of this project involved respecting already existing community-based organizations and their ability to understand and address problems in their community. Within the context of my fellowship at the Justice Lab and as a Laidlaw fellow, this guidance was really important to me as I struggled at first with understanding how I, as a non-community member, could contribute to these community based efforts without reproducing some of the violent and harmful rhetoric and ideas that often come with field work. A lot of these communities know what the problems are, they just need access to the resources that can help address them in sustainable ways.
Week Six:
For your final post, upload a video presentation or create a written or photographic narrative in which you discuss your project: why did you become interested in this project, what was the goal of the project, what was its significance or impact (real or potential). How did the project evolve or change over the course of these six weeks? Finally, please consider how your understanding of leadership (curiosity, empathy, teamwork, resilience, etc.) has informed your work or been deepened by your work.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KApPvcbbIM4iGN9eySqKlQUyhc5hvU-Fx/view?usp=sharing
Denise, it's great to hear about how you've taken a lot away from your experience! Your recognition of how to navigate the space as a non-community member to ensure that you weren't reproducing any harmful rhetoric, is really admirable and definitely something I've had to come to terms with/still coming to terms with.
Week Six:
For your final post, upload a video presentation or create a written or photographic narrative in which you discuss your project: why did you become interested in this project, what was the goal of the project, what was its significance or impact (real or potential). How did the project evolve or change over the course of these six weeks? Finally, please consider how your understanding of leadership (curiosity, empathy, teamwork, resilience, etc.) has informed your work or been deepened by your work.
One of the most meaningful projects I worked on was creating an "podcast" episode—an interview with Manang Jeanette, one of the original defenders of the I-Hotel. Mikey (the other intern) and I asked her questions regarding her experiences back in the 60s living and working at the I-Hotel; how she developed bonds with the manongs there, how the experience shaped her, etc. We also connected the history of the I-Hotel to the present day, sharing our observations as young people today and how American society has changed/stayed the same since the times when she was our age.
As I was editing the interview, Manang Jeanette's words really touched me even more than when we were recording—I think they truly are so important for our generation to hear. I'm grateful that we were able to engage in meaningful conversation, her words will stay with me forever.
On August 4th, MHF held their commemoration event of the 46th anniversary of the I-Hotel eviction. We first had an gallery exhibit open to the public, then a screening of the restored version of Curtis Choy's documentary The Fall of the I-Hotel, and finally, a community sharing session where community members, including original defenders, shared poetry, excerpts, music, with the audience. It was truly a beautiful, moving event that I'll always remember. Seeing how the legacies of those who fought for the I-Hotel have continued into the present day and are still being carried on gives me a sense of hope, as well as determination to keep sharing the story of the I-Hotel, so that it becomes engrained in our collective memory and never becomes forgotten.
Lastly, my understanding of leadership has undeniably been deepened by my time at MHF this summer. My experiences have shown me that the best leaders are those who maintain a sense of curiosity and humility, not viewing themselves as "above" anyone else. They are deeply empathetic, extending their kindness and generosity to all they work with, as they see how others contribute to their own learning and self growth as well. And of course, they must have resilience, working through barriers to achieve their goals and not being afraid of challenges/getting out of their comfort zone. I hope that I can keep working towards the point of embodying this level of leadership.
Here is a folder with photos I took from the August 4th commemoration event :) Another beautiful thing that came out of this summer is getting more into photography—I'm glad I was able to document our events so they will always be remembered through visual images. Maybe someday they'll be in MHF's archive, and young people will look at them the same way I look at images in the archive from the 60s/70s now.
Week One:
As you set out on your research or community engagement project, do you find yourself experiencing any worries or insecurities about saying something that’s already been said? How do we as researchers and/or volunteers learn to address or set aside those insecurities or, better yet, to use them to our advantage?
If your project this summer differs from your project last summer, has last summer’s project influenced your project this year, and if so how? If your project is different, what tools have you developed to help you work on this project?
For my project this summer, I am working with the Anthropology department at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, focusing on sociolinguistic studies and how culture can be conserved through language. Though this project is in a different discipline than my work on the American Diva project last summer, which focused on gender and sexuality, they both aim to emphasize the importance of linguistics in our own perceptions of culture; my experience last summer has given me the tools to more critically investigate seemingly innocuous uses of language and putting media into a broader sociopolitical context. It also allowed me to discover the ways that language and media can influence our daily lives and how important my own lived experiences can to take into account when conducting research; it is through my own lived experiences that I have observed how instrumental the internet can be for linguistic and cultural preservation. To answer the first question as well, I think that the desire to be completely original is one that can be dangerous when conducting research--nothing that we say or write is in a vacuum and we must acknowledge the work of those who come before us as we enter the conversation. Especially when considering fields like anthropology or gender studies, our own lived experiences can often be the motivation for research and it's important to acknowledge how and why these experiences have become a driving force. This personal motivation is something I consider to be a great advantage when conducting research as it allows for a nuanced perspective and great interest in the subject.
Hi Elianna, it's so cool to hear about your work at the National Autonomous University of Mexico! The connections between linguistics and cultural conservation seem fascinating and so very relevant to the present day. I love how you say that our own lived experiences are tied to the motivations behind research. I think incorporating more of a personal lens into humanities research is not only important, but desperately needed to bridge the gap more between the world of academics, and the world outside of academia—the "real" world. Would love to learn more about your research and experiences as you spend more time in Mexico!
Week Four:
What challenges and/or difficulties have you encountered and how did you go about resolving them? Speak to a specific challenge you have encountered and some of the ways that you tackled the problem.
One challenge that I've encountered, which I see that some other students have encountered as well, is navigating how to structure my time effectively. Because my internship with MHF is pretty unstructured and I have a lot of freedom for how to use my time for certain projects/tasks, I have found it difficult at times to foster the self diligence that's needed to work on things. Without concrete deadlines, it can be easy to push things off and focus on other creative projects of my own.
However, I've found ways to overcome this challenge, mainly through creating schedules for myself and allocating chunks of time to focus on tasks. I've also found it very helpful to dedicate certain times of the day towards different focus areas—for example: mornings/early afternoons for internship tasks, evenings/nights for creative projects.
Week Five:
What new skills and/or knowledge have you gained from your summer experience? Have you met anyone who has been instrumental in shaping/helping you conduct your project? Briefly, how has this person impacted you? What have you learned about leadership from this individual, and how might it influence your actions, work, and self in the future?
I have gained many new skills from my summer experience, mainly surrounding how to use and set up recording equipment and facilitate interviews. Chet Canlas, who runs the Media team at MHF and is an independent filmmaker, has been instrumental in teaching me these skills. I'm so thankful that he dedicated his own time to teach me how to use equipment and answer my questions. I'm also thankful that he allowed me to spearhead my own projects and produce a podcast segment and commercial for the organization. I admire Chet's work ethic and straightforwardness, he is a strong leader who is not afraid to tell you how it is. I will definitely try to carry his spirit with me as I lead projects in the future, acting with a sense of power and resoluteness.
Week Five:
Q: What new skills and/or knowledge have you gained from your summer experience? Have you met anyone who has been instrumental in shaping/helping you conduct your project? Briefly, how has this person impacted you? What have you learned about leadership from this individual, and how might it influence your actions, work, and self in the future?
A: As someone whose primary interest is in literary studies, I had many enduring concerns about my work’s contribution to the “public good,” as it is formulated by the Laidlaw Foundation. This summer, under the instruction of so many seminal literary scholars, I’ve arrived at a better understanding of the (ethical, social, political) “value” of literary studies in the 21st century.
In addition to my project commitments, I’ve been attending many seminars and lectures in the Faculty of English in my own time. In one of these talks, visiting Professor Kevin Quashie lectured on contemporary Black literary criticism in a world-context structured by insurgency, disaster, and crisis. As Professor Quashie remarked, we think of aesthetics as antagonistic to—in the case of Black literary arts—racial matters, as if aesthetic discourse were in conflict with the political contexts of these works. Although my project is more outwardly 'humanitarian' this summer, throughout the Laidlaw program I've been thinking a lot about what my interest in literary studies means more generally for the kind of work I'm interested in pursuing—about what it means to attend to sentences in times of global crisis. There are no easy answers to this question, of course, but part of what I've valued so deeply about my time in Oxford is that I'm coming away with a more comprehensive understanding of literary studies as something entangled with, attentive to, and compatible with the public good.
Jonathan, it's really interesting to hear about your reflections on this summer! Super cool that you were able to meet professors who are really passionate about their work and its relation to the world outside of academic and research contexts. I love how you say that literary studies is "entangled with, attentive to, and compatible with the public good." I really relate to the feeling of wondering how aesthetics, literature, and art have tangible impacts on the world, especially in times of crisis. I've had a lot of similar thoughts relating to film/film studies. Would love to discuss more with you about all of this once we're back at school in the fall!
Week Three:
What does a typical day look like this summer? Aside from a narrative description, upload a photo, video and/or other media submission!
A typical weekday for me usually goes something like this:
- Walk to Chinatown and get dim sum to-go or sit down and eat at a restaurant. So many yummy + cheap foods to try!
- Head to the I-Hotel Center on Kearny Street. A Staff member of the Center is usually there already.
- Assist with any tasks that they need help with that day. Mostly, I help out with social media and updating their media list. If it's a production day, I help set up equipment and make sure everything's ready for filming. Sometimes, if I'm not needed at the Center itself, I'll go to the Chinatown Public Library branch and work on things there.
- Once I feel like I'm at a good place for the day, I head back to North Beach! On the weekends, I'm also working at a local independent movie theater, which has been really fulfilling on top of my internship experience.
Here's a fun little commercial that we made for an upcoming fundraiser with Masa Ramen Bistro in Berkeley: https://youtu.be/i9HJlYdQmrw
Below are some BTS pictures from recording an interview with Manang Jeanette and Manang Carman! It was really interesting hearing their perspectives and I think it's super cool being able to know someone who was involved in the struggle to save the I-Hotel.
Week Two:
If you are doing a leadership-in-action or community engagement project, how do you interact with community members, and what kind of conversations are you having? How do you connect with this community of people, and what common cause do you find?
This last week, MHF held a Community Archiving Workshop, in which we partnered with California Revealed to work on organizing MHF's collections and items donated by various individuals who were involved with the I-Hotel struggle. This event was incredible to me, because I got to help organize the collection of cassette tapes that document various events and activities that tenants of the I-Hotel participated in, and MHF's events from the time of its conception. I also participated in a musical workshop in which we learned how to play traditional musical instruments of an indigenous Filipino tribe.
I also met more community members and was especially honored to meet Manang Jeanette Lazam, who was a young activist during the struggle to keep the I-Hotel and is one of the last survivors of the movement. She spoke candidly during the event about the importance of preserving the history of the I-Hotel, especially since the physical space, and those who occupied that space, are all gone now. Her words made me think a lot about history and memory, and I thought again about the importance of film and art. I believe that the most powerful way we can remember the past is through documenting it and making it "come alive" again. We also watched the restored version of Curtis Choy's 1983 documentary, The Fall of the I-Hotel. This was my second time watching it, and it touched me even more than the firs time I watched it. It is haunting, heart-wrenching, and immensely beautiful.
I've been trying to interact with the folks at MHF and Manang Jeanette as naturally as possible, really just observing and learning from them rather than trying to impose anything myself. I find that there is such richness, love, and sense of community in this space and I'm glad to just be a part of it. I especially love chatting with Caroline Cabading, who's the executive director of MHF and has such a deep knowledge of the history of I-Hotel and San Francisco, and Filipino culture. Everybody at MHF is very dedicated to showing how the past is really not that separate from the present—something that history classes at Columbia have taught me. In this vein, I feel that this experience is helping me see first-hand how academia and the world outside the ivory tower can be bridged to support communities and bring forgotten stories to light.
Hi everyone! Sorry for the late posts, I've been working at the Justice Lab on the Emerging Adult Justice Project.
Week One:
As you set out on your research or community engagement project, do you find yourself experiencing any worries or insecurities about saying something that’s already been said? How do we as researchers and/or volunteers learn to address or set aside those insecurities or, better yet, to use them to our advantage?
If your project this summer differs from your project last summer, has last summer’s project influenced your project this year, and if so how? If your project is different, what tools have you developed to help you work on this project?
Starting out in any new project or job is very nerve-racking because its hard to know exactly what your role will be before you begin. It was especially hard this year because I've never worked in the criminal justice space before. Last year I worked in Public Health and this year I became interested in the Justice Lab because mass incarceration is a public health issue. The EAJ Project uses neuroscience and developmental psychology to demonstrate why young adults need to be treated differently in the justice system. Although my last summer and this summer are certainly different, the data analysis skills and especially the writing skills have been super valuable so far. Having a public health background also gave me a unique view of the project which has been helpful too.
Week Two:
If your project connects with your research from last summer, explain the ways in which it picks up on themes, issues, or questions that are important to you. How are you expanding on your project from last summer? How is your understanding of this topic evolving?
If you are doing a leadership-in-action or community engagement project, how do you interact with community members, and what kind of conversations are you having? How do you connect with this community of people, and what common cause do you find?
I have been meeting a lot of people working in the criminal justice space, many of whom are formerly incarcerated themselves. We have had some great conversations which helped me realize how broken the justice system is and gave me insight into the devastating powers that lawyers can have. We also had an event recently that brought together DAs, legal aid defenders, judges, non-profits, and many other stake-holders who all represented different sides and angles of the system. This kind of conversation is pretty rare since these aren't groups that tend to cooperate together but we were able to have great conversations together and everyone was able to find common ground. A common cause of everyone in this space is that they really care about their job and pursuing justice. Unfortunately, everyone goes about it in different ways that can have negative effects on people.
Week Three:
What does a typical day look like this summer? Aside from a narrative description, upload a photo, video and/or other media submission!
I wake up and head to work. When I get there, I check my email and answer emails from Lael Chester, my boss, and anyone else. Then sometimes we have a check-in meeting with the internship supervisor and all the fellows share what they've been working on, so we can discuss and give feedback on each other's work. Depending on the day, I am asked to sit-in on Lael's meetings with different people. One day it was a public defender's office in Wyoming to consult on a case. Another day it's the Nebraska probation and parole department that we're helping implement developmentally appropriate policies for emerging adults. I look up facts they ask about during the meetings and also take notes and consolidate deliverables. When I am not in meetings I work on my other tasks. These include a paper I am writing on gang attraction for emerging adults, the monthly newsletter, updating the website, event planning, editing content, etc. Sometimes we also have field trips to meet different groups like the Center for Justice or the Reentry Theater Harlem. Recently we had an event at the Columbia Club that I helped plan and all the interns got to come and watch really interesting speakers.
Week Four:
What challenges and/or difficulties have you encountered and how did you go about resolving them? Speak to a specific challenge you have encountered and some of the ways that you tackled the problem.
I have difficulty prioritizing when I have a lot of different tasks to do. For example, this week I have a ton of emails to answer, plane tickets to book for an event, and other short-term tasks while I am also behind on my longer-term tasks like my paper and the July newsletter. I try to time-block where I spend the morning completing as many small tasks as I can. Then, after lunch, I work on my paper/ newsletter. One hour before I end for the day, I go back to my email and respond to any new emails I have and write down the short-term tasks I need to do in the morning in order of importance.
Week Five:
What new skills and/or knowledge have you gained from your summer experience? Have you met anyone who has been instrumental in shaping/helping you conduct your project? Briefly, how has this person impacted you? What have you learned about leadership from this individual, and how might it influence your actions, work, and self in the future?
I have gained a lot more knowledge of the legal field and where I want my career to go. Lael Chester has been enormously helpful to me in this internship. She has insisted I sit in on every meeting so I meet as many people as possible in many different fields and see what aspects I like. She also shares with me about her vast career experience to help me see what is good and what is bad about each career option. She gives me plenty of different kinds of work which also help me gain several different skills. She has been a super kind and helpful leader which inspires me to behave the same way when I am in the position where people are working under me.
Hi Lizzy, so cool to hear about all your work with the Justice Lab! It seems like you've been able to contribute meaningfully to the group and gain a lot from the experience, especially in guiding you towards future career pathways and the legal field. It's great to hear that the Lab works directly with those experiencing incarceration and has what seems to be a bottom-up approach, rather than a top-down approach that doesn't consider the ideas of those most impacted by the issues (as I've noticed some organizations do). Hope your last week goes wonderfully!