'Giving Market'
By Brianna Beach
Current Editor
Students at AACC are coming together Nov. 4 to learn marketing skills and help workers in Third World countries. The Global Giving Market is designed to help people in developing countries earn a living. People in these countries produce crafts, food, and other products that are sold in the U.S. This is called fair trade, and ensures that the workers receive a reasonable amount of money for their work. One hundred marketing students from AACC are involved. Cathy Doyle, who directs the program, says its purpose is to “address global issues locally.” In addition to assisting those in developing countries, it has an important education component, Doyle said. It teaches students about economies throughout the world and helps them develop marketing skills. “They’re learning theories and concepts in the classroom, and they’re able to apply those,” Doyle said. AACC professor Stephanie Kastle teaches a sales and marketing class that is involved in the Global Giving Market. Kastle says the project helps students apply what they learn in the classroom. Her class is split up into five different teams for the project:
- Social media
- Creative design
- Public relations and promotions
- Sales
- Mass media
Learning to work with other teams, Kastle said, is an important skill. The project is significant to her on a personal level, she said. “I like helping other people,” Kastle said, adding that the Global
Giving Market helps her reach out to those around the world in need, as well as to her students. Matthew Campbell is a student in Kastle’s Sales and Marketing class. He is on the public relations team. His team’s job was to publicize the Global Giving Market. They created an advertisement for the event, and sent out a mass e-mail informing others about it. Campbell called the event “genius”. “I think it’s one of the smartest things they could do,” Campbell said. The most important thing he’s learned working on the Global Giving Market, Campbell said, has been to be innovative when coming up with plans. Products will be sold from Bangladesh, Ghana, Haiti, India, Israel, the Philippines, Uganda, and Vietnam, among others. Items will include jewelry, toys, foods such as candy and coffee, and home goods such as decorative pieces and kitchen necessities. The Global Giving Market takes place Nov. 4 in the cafeteria, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
New art exhibit inspired by the Dia de los Muertos
By Aries Matheos
Current Staff Writer
Death – it’s an intimidating idea and even a taboo word at times.
Not for those who observe Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a celebratory holiday in Mexican culture.
“When the average North American hears ‘Day of the Dead,’ his mind cannot help but travel back to zombies roaming the Earth seen in the late Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ video,” AACC Spanish professor Thomas W. Edison writes. But Dia de los Muertos aims to expel this image in favor of a more accepting and happier portrait of the deceased.
To help celebrate the Nov. 2 holiday, AACC’s World Languages faculty and students are putting on a free display Oct. 28 through Nov. 4 in the Pascal Center for Performing Arts Gallery.
Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday that honors deceased loved ones, based on the belief that once a year the dead come back to visit. Families visit the graves of their loved ones and set up altars in their houses to welcome the spirits, both of which they decorate with colors and their loved ones’ favorite food.
While many North Americans fear death, people in Mexico see death as a part as life, said Edison, who organized the event at AACC.
“When you’re born, death is around the corner,” Edison said.
Current Staff Writer
Death – it’s an intimidating idea and even a taboo word at times.
Not for those who observe Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a celebratory holiday in Mexican culture.
“When the average North American hears ‘Day of the Dead,’ his mind cannot help but travel back to zombies roaming the Earth seen in the late Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ video,” AACC Spanish professor Thomas W. Edison writes. But Dia de los Muertos aims to expel this image in favor of a more accepting and happier portrait of the deceased.
To help celebrate the Nov. 2 holiday, AACC’s World Languages faculty and students are putting on a free display Oct. 28 through Nov. 4 in the Pascal Center for Performing Arts Gallery.
Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday that honors deceased loved ones, based on the belief that once a year the dead come back to visit. Families visit the graves of their loved ones and set up altars in their houses to welcome the spirits, both of which they decorate with colors and their loved ones’ favorite food.
While many North Americans fear death, people in Mexico see death as a part as life, said Edison, who organized the event at AACC.
“When you’re born, death is around the corner,” Edison said.
After working with a Mexican colleague and seeing her set up an altar, Edison said, people’s reactions to it inspired him to bring the observance to AACC, where students and faculty will create altars devoted to anyone or anything they choose.
“I’m participating for two reasons,” said David Rachid, a student in Edison’s Spanish 111 class. “For extra credit, and to get closer the language I’m learning.”
His altar is dedicated to his grandmother, and he will decorate it with some of his grandmother’s possessions and traditional items like colors and skulls, said Rachid.
“I think we need to look at death from a different perspective,” Rachid said. “It’s good for our culture.”
The altars are about 3 feet by 2 feet in glass cabinets. Traditional Mexican altars include rainbows as well as a glass of water, salt and a candle. Salt and water represent the ongoing of life, candlelight guides the dead, and each color in the rainbow has its own meaning.
“The altars really show the love that the person had for the person they created them for,” Edison said.
Though they have similar timing, with the Day of the Dead falling two days after Halloween, the two holidays are not the same.
“When people walk in and see all the colors and decorated altars, most ask ‘What’s that all about? Halloween’s over,’ or ‘Where is the Halloween candy?’ ” Edison said.
“I’m participating for two reasons,” said David Rachid, a student in Edison’s Spanish 111 class. “For extra credit, and to get closer the language I’m learning.”
His altar is dedicated to his grandmother, and he will decorate it with some of his grandmother’s possessions and traditional items like colors and skulls, said Rachid.
“I think we need to look at death from a different perspective,” Rachid said. “It’s good for our culture.”
The altars are about 3 feet by 2 feet in glass cabinets. Traditional Mexican altars include rainbows as well as a glass of water, salt and a candle. Salt and water represent the ongoing of life, candlelight guides the dead, and each color in the rainbow has its own meaning.
“The altars really show the love that the person had for the person they created them for,” Edison said.
Though they have similar timing, with the Day of the Dead falling two days after Halloween, the two holidays are not the same.
“When people walk in and see all the colors and decorated altars, most ask ‘What’s that all about? Halloween’s over,’ or ‘Where is the Halloween candy?’ ” Edison said.
But Halloween was created as a reaction to All Saints' Day, while Dia de los Muertos comes from a merger between Catholicism and Aztec traditions, Edison said.
The notion that death is near may be depressing, but another perspective helps “embrace other ways at looking at life, helping people see how other cultures deal with death and pay homage to those that have died,” Edison said. “When people are either interested or unnerved by something, that’s when they’re learning, because it’s something new.”
That’s what he wants participants and viewers to get out of the Dia de los Muertos.
Plus, he says, “It’s just fun.”
The gallery show will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A reception is planned for noon on Monday, Nov. 1.
At the reception, along with the altars, there will be traditional Mexican “pan de los muertos” or dead bread, which Edison promises “has no dead things in it.”
The notion that death is near may be depressing, but another perspective helps “embrace other ways at looking at life, helping people see how other cultures deal with death and pay homage to those that have died,” Edison said. “When people are either interested or unnerved by something, that’s when they’re learning, because it’s something new.”
That’s what he wants participants and viewers to get out of the Dia de los Muertos.
Plus, he says, “It’s just fun.”
The gallery show will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A reception is planned for noon on Monday, Nov. 1.
At the reception, along with the altars, there will be traditional Mexican “pan de los muertos” or dead bread, which Edison promises “has no dead things in it.”
AACC student campaigns for county council; fights for education
Tyler Dawodu & Steven Aldridge
Current Staff Writers
An 18-year-old student at AACC, Fiona Moodie (R), is running for county council in District 4 against the incumbent, Ingrid Turner (D).
The County Council is the elected governing body of the county. According to the Prince George’s County website, District 4 covers the areas of Bowie, Glenn Dale, Westchester Park, parts of Lanham-Seabrook and Upper Marlboro.
Fiona Moodie has a busy schedule. In addition to being a student at AACC, she’s a tutor,
a representative of the 23rd District in Prince George's County for the Republican Central Committee, and a chairwoman for the Maryland Teenage Republicans.
“I would like to bring [education] back within the state,” Moodie said. She said that she would want to hear from the teachers and the students and see what they would like to be improved. The city should be focusing its money on the educational system, and not on things like a new city hall, she said. She would also like to bring about an increase in jobs for young adults, she said.
“I would not continue to tutor,” Moodie said if she become the county councilwoman.
She also added that she will have more available time due to her campaigning for herself; her mom, who is running for a Maryland General Assembly delegate seat in District 23A; and other political leaders. “I understand that there is an age difference,” Moodie said. “I don't think that you can base our experience on our age...I've been involved in politics since the 2000 election.” “The qualifications of a candidate are the factors that should be considered when someone is voting in this election,” Turner said on the the subject of the age difference between Moodie and her.
Current Staff Writers
An 18-year-old student at AACC, Fiona Moodie (R), is running for county council in District 4 against the incumbent, Ingrid Turner (D).
The County Council is the elected governing body of the county. According to the Prince George’s County website, District 4 covers the areas of Bowie, Glenn Dale, Westchester Park, parts of Lanham-Seabrook and Upper Marlboro.
Fiona Moodie has a busy schedule. In addition to being a student at AACC, she’s a tutor,
a representative of the 23rd District in Prince George's County for the Republican Central Committee, and a chairwoman for the Maryland Teenage Republicans.
“I would like to bring [education] back within the state,” Moodie said. She said that she would want to hear from the teachers and the students and see what they would like to be improved. The city should be focusing its money on the educational system, and not on things like a new city hall, she said. She would also like to bring about an increase in jobs for young adults, she said.
“I would not continue to tutor,” Moodie said if she become the county councilwoman.
She also added that she will have more available time due to her campaigning for herself; her mom, who is running for a Maryland General Assembly delegate seat in District 23A; and other political leaders. “I understand that there is an age difference,” Moodie said. “I don't think that you can base our experience on our age...I've been involved in politics since the 2000 election.” “The qualifications of a candidate are the factors that should be considered when someone is voting in this election,” Turner said on the the subject of the age difference between Moodie and her.
“The big push was just getting our age involved in politics,” Moodie said. “The general
attitude of teenagers in politics is 'Well, I'll just worry about it later on.'” However, politics affect teenagers, Moodie said. Moodie hopes that by running for county council, she will “act as a role model for the teenage community.” Moodie’s and Turner’s concerns share some similarities. “Education remains my number one priority,” Turner said. “All of our children deserve a quality education that prepares them for tomorrow.” Turner said that she also wants to focus on public safety, and increase the number of firefighters and police officers as the population of the county increases and as more firefighters and police officers prepare to retire. In addition to education and public safety, Turner said that the county must increase its tax base. “We can increase our tax base with commercial development,” Turner said. “We must also get people off the roads not commuting as far. When we have more jobs in Prince George's County, citizens can work where they live.”
Heather Olsen, the secretary of the Republican Central of Prince George’s County office, said
Moodie is a “go-getter and takes initiative.” Moodie is very active within her community, she said.
Though PG County is a predominately democratic area, Moodie said
that she hopes for everyone to vote based on policy and not on party.
attitude of teenagers in politics is 'Well, I'll just worry about it later on.'” However, politics affect teenagers, Moodie said. Moodie hopes that by running for county council, she will “act as a role model for the teenage community.” Moodie’s and Turner’s concerns share some similarities. “Education remains my number one priority,” Turner said. “All of our children deserve a quality education that prepares them for tomorrow.” Turner said that she also wants to focus on public safety, and increase the number of firefighters and police officers as the population of the county increases and as more firefighters and police officers prepare to retire. In addition to education and public safety, Turner said that the county must increase its tax base. “We can increase our tax base with commercial development,” Turner said. “We must also get people off the roads not commuting as far. When we have more jobs in Prince George's County, citizens can work where they live.”
Heather Olsen, the secretary of the Republican Central of Prince George’s County office, said
Moodie is a “go-getter and takes initiative.” Moodie is very active within her community, she said.
Though PG County is a predominately democratic area, Moodie said
that she hopes for everyone to vote based on policy and not on party.
