Category — Department news

We are happy to announce that our very own Women’s Studies professor, Victoria Rue,  is directing the Pulitzer prize winning play [07'] , Rabbit Hole, at the Santa Cruz Actors’  Theatre.   Details follow….

Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre, the longest running theater in Santa Cruz, is proud to announce it’s play to close our twenty-fifth season. Actors’ Theatre will bring to life David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize winning drama “Rabbit Hole,” running May 14 to June 6, 2010, at the Santa Cruz Actor’s Theatre, 1001 Center Street, Santa Cruz, CA.

Lindsay-Abaire’s play, which garnered five Tony nominations and won the Pulitzer for drama in 2007, tells the story of Becca and Howie, a married couple whose 4-year-old son, Danny, was killed by a car eight months earlier. Struggling to cope and unable to reconcile their different ways of grieving, their relationship has begun to unravel: Becca is trying to forget the pain, Howie is holding onto his fading memories, and other family members are complicating the situation. Hope is reignited when Jason, the teenage boy driving the car that killed Danny, comes into their lives. Despite its heavy subject matter, Lindsay-Abaire’s play is a balance of comedic moments with serious themes.

The production is directed by theatre titan Victoria Rue. Dr. Rue’s work as a theatre director and playwright has been seen in Los Angeles at the Mark Taper Forum, San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre and New York’s Shakespeare Festival, among other theaters.

“This is a play about compassion,” said Victoria Rue. “Grief and rage and love rise up. We also laugh. We recognize this as our human condition.”

A quietly moving play, the story explores the reconnection of relationships and the possibilities of hope after tragedy. Rabbit Hole, is a beautifully observed and heartfelt look into the grief and healing one family experiences dealing with a death in the family. Meticulously mapped, Lindsay-Abaire never indulges with sentiment.

“Lindsay-Abaire’s story is about how grief is often held so tightly to the chest that it is difficult for our arms to embrace the present.” said Victoria Rue.

“Rabbit Hole” is Lindsay-Abaire’s first naturalistic work, a departure from his trademark style of dark comedy seen in previous plays such as “Fuddy Meers” and “Kimberly Akimbo.” Despite the differences, Lindsay-Abaire said all his plays deal with the same underlying dilemma: “… it’s about characters finding themselves in an upside-down world and trying to find clarity in a world that doesn’t make any sense.”

The cast includes Kristin Brownstone as Becca; Steven Capasso as Howie; Nan Dejarlais as Becca’s mother, Nat; MarNae Taylor as Becca’s sister, Izzy; and Taylor Closs as Jason.

Dates for “Rabbit Hole” are: Friday, May. 14 (Opening), and closing Sunday, June 6.

Performances are Friday through Saturday at 8PM and Sundays at 3PM.

All performances at Actors’ Theatre, 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz

Tickets are $16 general; $13 students/seniors. Buy tickets at the theatre box office one hour before show times.

To make a reservation, call 831.425.PLAY (831.425.7529). You can also purchase tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com or Visit Actors’ Theatre website at www.santacruzactorstheatre.org

http://www.santacruzactorstheatre.org/

I’d like to share here an interview and discussion that the Social Science 195 Spring class did with Dr. Angela Valenzuela, Professor of Education and Director of the Texas Center for Educational Policy at the University of Texas, Austin.

Dr. Valenzuela spoke with us about the concept of “subtractive schooling,” a critique that traditional schooling divests Mexican and Mexican-American youth of “important social and cultural resources, leaving them progressively vulnerable to academic failure.”  She goes on to discuss several new projects, including the National Latino Education Research & Policy Project (NELRAP) that seek to address these kinds of consistent inequalities in American education.

Click here to see the interview on the SJSU server (or click image)

Some excerpts:

On Mexican identity: “We have been traumatized in this society, and we continue to be traumatized, harmed, because of the languages we speak, the identities that we hold….virulent campaigns that don’t ever seem to stop, against Mexican immigrants, and Mexicans in general, by association….”

“Where is that common discourse, within the mass of silent people, where is that discourse that is really trying to reach out for fairness within this system?”

Demographics: “What people need to know and understand, lead on, is that the way that Texas looks now demographically is the way the whole nation will look in 2050.”

The next step: “A systems approach, a systems analysis. We have many piecemeal programs…we have the intellectual knowhow. We really don’t need another study that shows us bilingual education works if it’s well-funded, well-trained, well-staffed. Now it’s about leadership, critical, respectful partnerships…. We need to work together to change systems….”

See the interview here

Join us for a wonderful afternoon talk with sex educator Carol Queen!   Writer and cultural sexologist Carol Queen offers observations about women’s sexuality and discusses key issues like information, desire, boundaries, support, and communication — including specific tools that may help any woman learn what she wants for her sexuality, and move toward achieving it.

Carol Queen is a writer, speaker, educator and activist with a doctorate in sexology.  She has a long history of organizing in local and international lesbian/gay communities, including co-founding one of the first gay youth groups in the United States.  She is a worker/owner at Good Vibrations, the women-owned, worker-owned sex toy and book emporium, where she directs Continuing Education for the staff. She also organizes workshops at The Center for Sex and Culture, a non-profit sexuality education center which my partner Dr. Robert Lawrence and I have spent the last several years organizing.

The multialented queen writes explicit fiction and memoir, essays, commentary, analysis, book and film/video reviews, reportage, and interviews.  She publishes a sex and relationship advice column which is available at the Good Vibrations Magazine.

Please join us Wednesday at 1:30-2:45 in Engineering 189.

Related links:
www.goodvibes.com
www.sexandculture.org
www.carolqueen.com

Students Majoring in any of the Social Sciences are Invited to Apply for
Spring 2010 College of Social Sciences Scholarships
(DEADLINE: 3/25/10, to WSQ 103)

Seven scholarships will be awarded to students majoring in the Social Sciences.  Both undergraduate and graduate students may apply.  Last year’s scholarship recipients are not eligible to apply for any of these scholarships during Spring 2010.

• SJSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DEANS’ SCHOLARSHIPS (2) • $1,250  (The SJSU Alumni Scholarship is awarded to a student only once during their academic career at SJSU.  This scholarship will be disbursed Fall 2010 and is only available to students enrolling at SJSU for Fall 2010. Scholarship applicants must demonstrate community service or participation in student organizations.)
• GERALD WHEELER SCHOLARSHIP (1) • $1,000
• CHARLES BURDICK SCHOLARSHIPS (1) • $1,000 (student must demonstrate financial need based on the 09-10 FAFSA – FAFSA must be on file in the SJSU Financial Aid Office)
• INEZ AND DONALD BURDICK SCHOLARSHIPS (1) • $1,000 (student must demonstrate financial need based on the 09-10 FAFSA – FAFSA must be on file in the SJSU Financial Aid Office

Application available here in MSWord format or here in PDF format [Read more →]

Come learn how SJSU Women’s Studies alumni are making change in local communities with Noemi Teppang, Lindsey Mansfield, and Margie Strubel.  From 10:30 – 11:45 in MLK Library rooms 255/257

Womyn United:  International Womyns’ Day Marcha & Festival 2010

March begins 11am at Roosevelt Park, continues down Santa Clara and First Street to the Biblioteca Latinoamericana.  Festival from 1 to 4pm with vendors, food, and entertainment.

Participating Organizations: Cihuatl Tlatocan (MAIZ), FOCUS-SV, Silicon Valley
DEBUG, San Jose Peace and Justice Center, Women’s International League for Peace and  Freedom , San Jose CodePink, SJSU WoWi (Womyn on Womyn’s Issues), Santa Clara County’s Office on Women’s Policy,  LGBTQ Youth Spaces, SOMOS Mayfair, Cardea Center for Women, Bay Area Radical Women, SJSU Women’s Studies.

Cihuatl Tlatocan  is a women’s based mass organization whose vision seeks the liberation of Mexican womyn at an individual and community level, in a collective struggle towards social change and is a member organization of the MAIZ Alliance  (Movimiento de Accion, inspirando Servicio). Questions?  Cihuatl.Tlatocan@gmail.com

Download flyer here (click on image to see fullsize)

English	Spanish	Tagalog

Click on image to see fullsize

3/2 Women’s Studies Open House, 3-6pm , DMH 238A

3/2 Max Dashu on Women Shamans from far-ranging cultural backgrounds, ancient to modern, 6pm Boccardo 003.

3/3 Chicanas in the Movimiento – 6-8pm Mexican Heritage Center, 1700 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose

3/3 Film Screening of Arusi: Persian Wedding
Followed by Q&A with Director Marjan Tehrani. 7pm in Eng 189.

3/4 Statewide Day of Action in Support of Education –
Multiple events locally, statewide, nationally

3/ 4 & 3/5 The Vagina Monologues! Morris Daily Auditorium. At 5pm March 4, 5 & 8 pm March 5

3/6 “Womyn Unite” – International Women’s Day March, 11am from Roosevelt Park, Festival continues from 1-4pm.

3/8 Transfigurations, photodocumentary by SJSU alum Jana Marcus, 6pm University Room

3/9 Panel Discussion 7pm, Engr 189 Featuring filmmaker Dr. Annalise Ophelian, Cecilia Chung and Renata J. Razza

3/10 “Trans 101 with America’s Transexual Sweetheart Calpernia Addams”. Followed by panel discussion, noon, University Room. Also resource fair, 12-3pm

3/11 Women’s Studies Alumni Panel, 10:30-11:45. In MLK Library rooms 255/257

3/11 Cabaret Benefit Performance by Calpernia Adams, 7pm University Room

3/17 Sex & Love in the Bay Area with Sexologist Carol Queen, 1:30–2:45 Eng 189

3/17 Literary Reading with Laleh Khadivi, The Age of Orphans, 7pm in MLK Schiro Room, Steinbeck Center, 5th floor.

3/17 Reading with Karen Offen, Globalizing Feminisms, MLK Library, 7pm

3/24 Liz Burke, “Classism: How it Effects Our Lives,” 5pm at MOSAIC

3/25 A Salute to Women Veterans, 5:30pm Lobby Breezeway, County Government Center, 70 W. Hedding Ave, SJ

4/7 Andrew House,”White Privilege: Identifying & Understanding”, at MOSAIC: Cross Cultural Center.

Please join us for conversation, games, music and refreshments with faculty and friends of the Women’s Studies program.  We are happy to kick off a full roster of events for Women’s History Month 2010.  In DMH238A from 3-6pm.

Also please see the left column of the blog (click here) for a Main Index of Women’s History Month events, including WOWI, Transexual Awareness Week, and more… let us know if you have events to be added!

Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 2 for the Women’s Studies Program Open House.  Come share good conversation, games, music, food, and drink as we kick off Women’s History Month and a full roster of events.  In DMH238A from 3-6pm.  Also mark your calendars for these events throughout the month:

3/2 Women’s Studies Open House, 3-6pm  DMH238A
Please join us for conversation, games, music and refreshments with faculty and friends of the Women’s Studies program.

3/3 Chicanas in the Movimiento – 6-8pm  Mexican Heritage Center, 1700 Rock Ave, San Jose
Featuring local activists Elisa Marina Alvarado, Shirley Trevino, Martha Campos, Tamara Alvarado, moderated by Teresa Castellanos.  Part of the MAIZ series on 40 Years of the Chicano Movement in San Jose

3/3  Film Screening of Arusi: Persian Wedding, followed by Q&A with Director Marjan Tehrani, 7pm  Eng189
Marjan Tehrani’s second feature documentary explores the complex and troubled relationship between America, the country of Tehrani’s birth and Iran
Co-sponsored with the Student Association of Middle Eastern Studies

3/6 “Womyn Unite” – International Women’s Day Marcha, 11am
March begins from Roosevelt Park (Santa Clara & 19th) to Biblioteca Latinoamericana, Festival continues from 1-4pm.   Sponsored by South Bay International Women’s Day Network & Cihuatl Tlatocan

3/11 Women’s Studies Alumni Panel, 10:30-11:45  MLK 255/257
Come learn how SJSU Women’s Studies alumni are making change in local communities with Noemi Teppang, Lindsey Mansfield, and Margie Strubel.

3/17 Sex & Love in the Bay Area with Sexologist Carol Queen, 1:30 – 2:45  ENG189
Carol Queen is a writer, educator and cultural sexologist with a Ph.D. in human sexuality.  She is founder of The Center for Sex and Culture, a non-profit sexuality education center and directs Continuing Education at Good Vibrations, the women-owned, worker-owned sex toy shop in San Francisco.

3/17  7pm  Literary Reading with Laleh Khadivi, The Age of Orphans, 7pm MLK Schiro Room, Steinbeck Center, 5th floor
Khadivi’s first novel begins a trilogy that follows the lives of three generations of Kurdish men as they grapple with landlessness, migration and national identity.   Sponsored by the Student Association for Middle Eastern Studies