RISDiversity Community Narratives
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About

Each of us has a story to tell – compiled from the rich reservoir of our history, our life experiences, our creative vision and the distinctive details that make us unique. At RISD these stories intersect, overlap and are stitched together by our shared passion for creativity. Together they create the beautifully diverse tapestry that is RISD – that makes our community so strong.

The RISDiversity: Community Narratives project was created in 2011 to offer faculty, staff and students an opportunity to use their voices to inspire others about the impact each of us can make in the world. The project provides a glimpse into the hearts and minds of the eclectic individuals who make up the RISD community.

The exhibition by the same name features a series of portraits by photographer, author, and educator Adam Mastoon, accompanied by powerful text and artwork created by RISD staff,

faculty and students willing to share their voices and vision with the community.

The collection of portraits provides an inspiring and insightful look into the unique and authentic lives of its subjects, their journeys and stories.

www.adammastoon.com
Adam Mastoon utilizes the power of images and narrative to celebrate diversity in communities nationwide.

Portraits

  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
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    2015

    Alina Perez

    Painting '17

    It’s taking me a while to become comfortable with identities that I feel I have been pinned to, but I am slowly learning that I am allowed to embrace them. Being Queer and Cuban, I usually get categorized and compared to qualities with bad connotations. I have found that the only way to navigate through these negative remarks and spaces is to speak up even more, even though it can feel pretty terrifying, especially when the comments are from family and friends. I am learning that the people who matter are the ones who listen, rather than speak over me. When speaking up, I have found many people who silence me in ways I’m not familiar with, but I have also found people who feel and experience similar issues I do, who cried when I cry, laugh when I laugh, and carry some of the heavy weight I hold with them. These are the people who have helped me figure out that my experiences are both real and important. That being silent only corners me into darker places. I have realized that to navigate, you need to find those who will navigate with you.

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    2015

    Annie Newman

    Director | Campus Planning

    “Life’s passed along to us empty. We have to make up the happiness part.”
    Richard FordEvery day I wake up and marvel at how WONDERFUL my life is. I just wish it hadn’t taken me so long to get here.

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    2015

    Chelsea Tapla

    Ceramics '17

    You are not what you endure. You are the endurance through which you survive it.

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    2015

    Deanna Casanovas

    Executive Assistant | Provost’s Office

    Nobody ever guesses that I’m Cuban. Both my parents are of Cuban descent. My mother was born in Placetas, Cuba and came to the US at the age of 7 with her family. My father was born in NYC and lived in a small apartment in Hell’s Kitchen with a shared bathroom and makeshift shower in the kitchen.

    My parents met in high school and have been married for 39 years – they dated for five years and all of their dates were chaperoned by one of my mother’s brothers. They are far from perfect but their love is perfect, profound, and true.

    I am the oldest of three girls. My parents worked hard to afford us all of the luxuries they did not have as kids, and they raised three of the coolest gals around.

    Their love for each other and for family will be carried on for generations to come – as will their compassion, kindness, and free-spiritedness.

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    2015

    Gwen Farrelly

    Director | Global Partners + Programs

    Go into the world as an active participant to create a better one for all.

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    2015

    ImSun Song

    Film/ Animation/ Video '16

    How do you answer the question WHO AM I? It’s impossible. But that doesn’t mean you should feel worthless. Trying to figure out who you are is a life long process that should be full of ADVENTURES, SURPRISES, and HARDSHIP, and in the end worth looking forward to.

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    2015

    Indhu Solayappan

    Industrial Design '17

    Being away from home, my family, my culture,

    difficult is an understatement.

    But time away from them has allowed my

    relationship with each to become strong.

    As I know, understand, and value their importance in

    my life. They’ve made me who I am today.

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    2015

    Jack Silva

    Vice President | Campus Services

    REFLECT… on the past
    Look forward… to the future 
    LIVE TODAY!
    Be… the captain of your ship!

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    2015

    Jacob Vidal Seiferle-Valencia

    Apparel Design '16

    What you can’t tell by looking at me is how complicated my life has been. I’ve always existed in the in-between whether as a Mexican-American who is also Jewish and Swiss, whether as a queer person whose sense of love isn’t confined to cisgender, heteronormative or monogamous standards, or as a person who was raised in rural poverty where Velveeta cheese and generic peanut butter were dietary staples. I embrace the names and definitions of my identities, I love them. However, I accept wholly who I am first, without definition. My life has not been one with direct paths, I’ve always, been in the road, in the in-between, simultaneously both and neither, all of it yet none, the cosmic universe and singularly myself, my identity a torpid, changing beast like no other.

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    2015

    Karen Harris

    Internship Manager | Career Center | Illustration '86

    I am driven by

    Honesty

    Kindness

    Trust

    Hope

    I believe in giving

    Fate ~ Faith

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    2015

    Katherine Cavanaugh

    Painting '15

    Sick and disabled women are some of the strongest, most compassionate people around-mostly because we have to be. We often feel we need to prove we are no more dependent, no more burdensome, no less autonomous, and no less valuable than healthy people.But, my faith taught me that humans are INTERDEPENDENT and we have to accept that in order to fight oppressive structures of all kinds.I spend a lot of time trying to be worthy of love, but only recently figured out that I already am.

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    2015

    Khipra Nichols

    Associate Professor | Industrial Design '78

    Leo has taught me Diversity’s greatest secret: What looks like difference on the outside Is really Oneness on the inside.

    RISD: The garden where Diversity and Creativity always Bloom together.

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    2015

    Lili Hermann

    Professor | Landscape Architecture

    I fear of mediocrity- and not living up to all I can be, and contributing all I can contribute. I believe in people, in their innate goodness, imagination, creativity and ability to act. I fight for people who have no voice- so they can be all they can be through unleashing their own imaginative powers and having the confidence, tools and frameworks for creative explorations and constructive production so they can fully embrace and create opportunities within whatever conditions define their lives.

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    2015

    Moriah Benton

    Illustration '16

    I LOVE SELFIES, And not just taking selfies, but looking at other people’s, too. Although obviously physical attractiveness is not the most important quality in a person, our media consistently tells us otherwise and so it can be difficult to combat notions that there’s something wrong with us. Which is bullshit because we’re all adorable. And I love when people refuse to let these bogus notions prevent them from loving themselves openly and loudly. News outlets love to mock millennials, but the wonder of “the selfie generation” is that we are taking several steps closer to recognizing our own self-worth and instilling the ide that everyone is allowed to love themselves.

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    2015

    Patricia Barbeito

    Professor | Literary Arts + Studies

    Capitalism does not permit an even flow of economic resources.

    With this system, a small privileged few are rich beyond conscience, and all others are doomed to bepoor at some level.

    That’s the way the system works. And since we know that the system will not change the rules,

    We are going to have to change the system.
    MLK Jr.

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    2015

    Rachel Himes

    Illustration '15

    No man is an island. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less. As well as if promontory were. As well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were; any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

    (I think John Donne’s words ring truer now than ever. Black lives matter.)

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    2015

    Samantha Weiser

    Illustration '15

    No matter what I think of God, I am and always will be JEWISH.

    Judaism is more than the Holocaust, more than bagels; it’s a culture, it’s repairing the world, it’s helping others not for a space in the afterlife, but because it’s our responsibility to do so.

    It is RUACH (spirit)

    It is SHIRA (song)

    It is SIMCHA (joy)

    Of course, I can’t be the one to define what Judaism is, but it is so, so much more than God and bagels.

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    2015

    Tara Sriram

    Industrial Design '15

    I share a name with my father and his father, I’d like to think they both still live through me. I have NO IDEA what happens next, but the world is BIG and KIND and there are plenty of new adventures out there. I am DETERMINED to do something ground with my life. Thank you RISD it’s been a blast!

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    2015

    Vaughan Carman

    Apparel Design '18

    I bring the energy. It’s something my parents have engraved into me since I was young. Bring the energy! It’s a process. Not just anyone can bring the energy. If you’re gonna bring the energy, you gotta step it up to a whole nother level. It’s the drive to work longer then necessary, run faster, jump higher, learn more than necessary. Bringing the energy is changing necessary to mandatory. I bring the energy everywhere I go. Maybe that’s why I’m always smiling so much.
    My name is Vaughan Lewis Carman, and I bring the energy.

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    2015

    Won Bee Hwan

    Illustration '16

    “There’s more to you than meets the blinking eye…

    Never doubted you for a moment

    Move the moon by Will-power problem?

    Mister, I thought – “ No problem”
    from: Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

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    2015

    Yannik Stevens

    Sculpture '17

    Living on a tiny island in the middle of the Caribbean may seem ideal to most, but for me it was a very STIFLING experience. I found it difficult to connect to the people around me – particularly my family – as it felt like they were having completely different experiences from my own. I just couldn’t find a space for myself.

    It’s taken a while for me to feel SAFE exploring my identity, but I’m finally beginning to find people I feel comfortable around who help me create that space for myself and others.

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    2015

    Yelitsa Jean-Charles

    Illustration '16

    At the age of 4, my parents began preparing me for life as a BLACK GIRL. They told me to work HARDER, be SMARTER, look NICER than the other kids. This wasn’t just because these are good things to be, but because people will not expect me to be ANY of those things. They still don’t.

    I am a QUEEN Regardless.

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    2015

    Yves-Olivier Mandereau

    Ceramics + Graphic Design '15

    As a queer person, I have fought for myself all of my life. I have been told for too long who or how I “should” be. In resistance I’m very much who I am and commit to being myself.

    However, I am still struggling with internalized homophobia and the tropes of ‘should.’ When I meet new people I find myself checking my behavior and curbing my attitude & mannerisms to fit-in for fear of being confronted w/ what ‘should’ once again.

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    2014

    Adam Blake

    Apparel Design '16

    IF I AM AS STEREOTYPICAL AS IT GETS. I am a fruity flouncy bouncy skinny white gay boy who would rather prance somewhere than drive. Growing up “different” in any sense is hard but it’s especially difficult when you are everything gay culture represents. Well, not everything. I barely thought I was anything other than a boy who wanted to do his hair differently and who had an unquestionable crush on Frederick from The Sound of Music. But then people put me on a billboard as “Gay!” A poster child spokesperson. Girls always came to talk to me about boys, and boys didn’t know how to talk to me about anything other than the fact that they like girls. I’m not saying that I’m upset that I fit a stereotype, cuz I’m not. I will not be upset that I am who I am. All I’m saying is that I’d prefer people to see me as the boy who skips everywhere rather than the gay boy who skips everywhere. I love being gay. Love it to pieces. But I love prancing and flitting about even more. People don’t always realize that it’s not cuz I’m gay, it’s cuz I’m Adam, who just happens to be a big fan of boys who are 6’3”.

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    2014

    Alicia Deyanira Luzón-Villamán

    Employment Specialist | Human Resources

    I am from wisdom

    I am from love – AMOR

    I come from painful history

    Courage

    Revolts

    Dreams

    y Determinación

    Soy una danza de colores

    Black

    Red

    White

    I come from you!

     

    Vengo de yucca

    The ocean

    Sugar

    y limón

    From Strength

    blues and greens

    music

    rice and beans

    Then FREEDOM gave birth to me

    So I keep dancing…

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    2014

    Anayra García

    Division Administrative Assistant | Media

    She is clothed with

    Strength

    and

    Dignity,

    and she laughs

    without fear of

    the future.

     

    Fuerza

    y

    Dignidad

    son su vestidura,

    y sonríe al futuro.

    Proverbs 31:25

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    2014

    Babette Allina

    Executive Director | Government Relations + External Relations

    Change happens incrementally

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    2014

    Carol Terry

    Retired

    I want students at RISD to see the library as a place that brings them new insight and knowledge and also reflects their experience.

    I would like to be remembered not only for my contributions that resulted in our splendid library building, but also for the collections I built.

    I have bought 63,115 books in my 27 years… more than doubling the size of the library.

    I am always looking for new ways to expand our coverage of visual art and design history and practice from diverse communities and cultures.

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    2014

    Christina (Chris) Hartley

    Director of Alumni Relations | Institutional Engagement | Illustration '74

    I am a first-generation college graduate. I adore my two sons and worked hard to help them through college.

    I cherish my family, my friends, and my DOG!

    I like to: bake cookies, travel, smell the roses, read Dickens, make jam, walk in the snow, doze by the fire, knit, say please + thank you.

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    2014

    Constance + Ernest Kirwan

    Apparel Design '51 + Painting '56 | Int. Architecture '51 + Architecture '56

    It was love at first sight when we saw each other in the stairwell of Memorial Hall.
    That was in November of 1947.

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    2014

    Dennis Congdon

    Professor | Painting '75

    My dad was a dairy farmer in Southern Rhode Island and he told me many times about the Depression years when sad, hungry men would knock on his mom’s door and ask, hat – n – hand, for any work. They would stare at their feet, humiliated but too hungry not to have knocked. Their shoes were nearly worn out. All work on the farm was covered, but my Grandmother said to each one, “You come in and fix a plate, son.” They could not come in… too embarrassed. Dad’s mom brought food heaped high out to them. They ate on the stone doorstep. My dad gave away everything as his mother had taught him. We have a roof, we have our cows, we have our fields and garden. I have his heart behind me as I work, empathy and caring for others connects me to my family.

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    2014

    Devyn Park

    Illustration '15

    BEE YOURSELF!
    I love so many different things. First and foremost my family and friends will always be the trueloves of my life because of their endless love and support. With that being said I also love movies, video games, cartoons, comic books, action figures, posters, collectables and so many other things. Never be ashamed to love the things you love, and never be afraid to be yourself!

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    2014

    Emily Chao

    Industrial Design '15

    I DREAM ABOUT TRAVELING THE WORLD. Ever since I was young, my dad would always bring my family on road trips, or overseas. As a young child, I never really appreciated going to places because I didn’t have an understanding. As I grew up, I became influenced by my dad’s spontaneity in traveling. I like to think that everywhere I go, each place is as unique as each individual is. I WANT TO CREATE ART REPRESENTING MY TRAVEL EXPERIENCES. I want to travel and explore the uniqueness of each place, the people that are there, how they interact with each other or with the environment, how the environment influences the people… The ART of interaction is what INTRIGUES ME.

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    2014

    Emily Wolter

    Textiles '15

    The truest thing I know about myself and others is that people are filled with all kinds of complexity and contradiction. DO NOT over-simplify the diverse and unique individuals around you. It is the root of ignorance and prejudice.

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    2014

    Eric Telfort

    Critic | Illustration '05

    I discovered one day I was in fact an x-man with the ability to control magnetism. Much like Magneto I’ve always had the ability to freeze time… whenever I enter a professional setting, bank, convenience store, or a classroom everyone and everything seems to stop. From time to time my telepathy controls the side of the street people walk on. My power also attracts people to a unique open-minded approach to re-inventing perceptions of race, gender, ideologies, and of course fashion preferences!!

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    2014

    Fritz Harryson

    Public Safety Officer III | Public Safety

    My diversity is my family, (West African meets Italian-French-Canadian). My children, beautiful, talented, and smart. My diversity is my creativity with art and my love of music (old school). My diversity is my passion for football, (GO BEARS), love of food and zest for life. My diversity is my wonderful wife for whom I would not have found without GOD’s help. Diversity is my smile, sense of humor, and laughter… (especially at myself). My diversity is knowing I will never be perfect but at least try to be right. My diversity is knowing I may be better “off ” than others but I am not better “than” anyone else. My diversity includes all people. My diversity is my personality: friendly, positive, and upbeat. What is your diversity?

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    2014

    George Delgado

    Cook | Dining + Catering

    All the kids love me. They ask for George when they come in. I love to cook for them. They ask me what days I’m off and they tell me not to leave school until they graduate.

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    2014

    Jennifer Prewitt-Freilino

    Assistant Professor | History, Philosophy + Social Sciences

    The truth is, people spend too much time worrying about what they are not and what they don’t have, rather than truly appreciating who they are and what they have. It is pretty difficult to feel anxious and depressed when you focus on what makes you LUCKY. I wish I could say I always knew this and that I always live by it. However, this kind of daily gratitutde takes practice and sometimes even effort.

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    2014

    Kincso Toth

    Industrial Design | Illustration '15

    My life is entirely different than how I imagined it would be. I’ll never forget the feeling that I didn’t quite live up to my teachers’ expectations. I don’t quite remember when the realization came that I was somewhat talented and even – absurdly enough – intelligent. I will never forget the day that I got my acceptance letter to RISD. This was the final moment that reassured me that I couldn’t be experiencing a more positively different life than what I originally thought I was entitled to.

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    2014

    Leah Benjamin

    Critic | Apparel Design

    Loss has been the greatest gift. When everything else was stripped away, all that was left was me.

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    2014

    Lucy King

    Associate Director of Admissions Recruitment | Sculpture ’93

    The TRUTH is hardly ever black + white. I’m intrigued by the sliding scale of PEOPLE. We encompass a very WIDE spectrum. I ask, “What’s the context?” I say, “That depends.”

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    2014

    Max Avi Kaplan

    Administrative Coordinator | Intercultural Student Engagement

    I look at the world with eyes wide open.

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    2014

    Mika Kanazawa

    International Student Advisor | International Student Services

    The Moment of Discovery
    Looking back the days when I was an international student, I realize how far I have come to.

    Imagining the next direction in my life, I hope myself Be the one who can Inspire Others.

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    2014

    Patrick Hamilton

    Graphic Design '86

    I would HOPE I’ve helped MAKE CHANGE, or helped someone love their home, or ADDED BEAUTY, or that I’ve helped MAKE A CONNECTION, or shared a part of my story or journey or vulnerability in a way that helped someone understand themselves, or their neighbor or son or husband better. I’d like to think I was the best version of myself I was capable of.

    And I’d like a fancy wedding to a handsome man. Possibly in a kilt.

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    2014

    Pradeep Sharma

    Provost

    Curiosity is not only about being eager to know or learn something, but it is also about the strange and the unusual. I like this familiarity-unfamiliarity. I am fascinated by paradox. To me there is a link to creativity – how we can look at something and perhaps see something else – something different, something new.

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    2014

    Tiara Little

    Film/ Animation/ Video '15

    When I think about my life, I think about how I wouldn’t be here without all of the strong women in my family. In my eyes, I was raised by Queens and Goddesses because everything they do is flawless! All of them have taught me many great things that I use in my daily life. One of them being that nothing is impossible. My family always pushed me towards leadership positions, and it was for good reason. They wanted to prepare me for a world that would walk all over me if I allowed it. Thanks to my family, I not only learned how to be independent but also how to be strong. My physical size is nothing compared to the intensity and determination that flows through my body. I only hope that I can be a fraction of the woman my mom, grandma, aunts and cousins are, and I hope I continue to make them proud throughout life.

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    2014

    Zoë Chinonso Ene

    Industrial Design 2017

    I AM PROUDLY AFRICAN.
    If one day God decided to hit the reset button, I would willingly want to represent the Motherland and all the pride and beauty that she possesses again. Being Nigerian & being Black are more than just boxes to tick for me; I consider myself an African ambassadoress and desire to put my continent in the good light that she deserves. Enough is enough of hearing half of Africa’s story; tales of famine, poverty, and pain. I want to use my gifts and talents to complete Africa’s narrative for the world’s ears, a story of innovation, color, and life.

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    2013

    Alexandra Blake

    Textiles '14

    The work that I do as an artist, activist, community organizer has the potential to shake up the world! This work is always, I hope, moving toward change – in my life, on a personal level, and in the larger scopes of the communities I am a part of. Most specifically, I am interested in shaking up the world of dress – what it means to wear what we wear, what impacts those decisions. Do we have access to decision-making in terms of clothing? If not-how can we take this part of our lives into our hands to positively impact our health and well-being? I approach this work while acknowledging its impact on mental health – trying to funnel that potential in an effective manner. Feeling fabulous about how we present ourselves to the world is a step towards recognizing our inherent greatness.

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    2013

    Ariel Bordeaux

    Senior Library Assistant | Special Collections | RISD Library

    Making comics helped me find my voice. Making art was a little meaningless until I started writing about my own life… Comics are great if you’ve got a lot of pent up frustration. If I go through a phase of not writing or drawing for too long I become a ball of repressed rage. It’s powerful to put your thoughts on paper… it’s healing.

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    2013

    Bill Cline

    Computer Laboratory Technician | Industrial Design

    My people are the African American community.
     

    We are timeless innovators, artists, scientists, inventors and explorers who have endured and overcome almost insurmountable obstacles to gain the right to be treated as equals.
     

    In spite of that, we as a group have made and continue to make significant and indelible contributions to American culture.

    We are America!

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    2013

    Christina Rodriguez

    Illustration '03

    While I can “pass” for white, I am far from it. You can’t tell by looking at me that my ethnicity is predominantly Mexican and Korean. The “whiteness” is assumed by merit of inheriting my mother’s ivory skin. I make jokes about it, but there’s a whole world of pain surrounding this. It’s surprising the terrible things people have said to my face before realizing I’m not white, or worse, after they knew. But what can a child say in the face of such ignorance? I’ve carried that pain over the years and tried to turn it into something beautiful: the characters I paint in my books are often deliberately ethnically ambiguous. Children search for representations of themselves in books, and I feel like I’ve been painting for my childhood self for years.

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    2013

    Eduardo Duarte

    Assistant Professor | Interior Architechture

    I don’t drive my attitudes, dreams or ideas to change the world but to keep me awake so the world may come in to make me able to dream, act and think all over again.

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    2013

    Elias Ajaga

    Film/ Animation/ Video '15

    I was a slave to my past and will be paralyzed by the future. Right now I wish to be present.

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    2013

    Eric Estenzo

    Industrial Design '13

    The truth is a resounding heartbeat THAT I AM HUMAN.

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    2013

    Greg Victory

    Executive Director | Continuing Education

    “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” e.e. cummings Never be afraid to share “you” with the world. Do so with abundant VIGOR and beaming PRIDE.

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    2013

    Joseph Bochynski

    Apparel Design '16

    My father was a care-taker of properties around Buffalo, NY. He would drive around and fix or replace things that broke or needed attention. As a kid I would usually just drive around with him and wait on the porch until he was finished. There were incredible forces of chaos in the world, usually personified in a broken doorknob or a stolen copperpipe. If at any moment he stopped tending to the landscape and community, things would begin to collapse. I understand what this means now, the fragility of the world, of how quickly we can fall through the ice, of how we need to continuously improve the world. If we can just keep things propped up long enough, everything will be okay.

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    2013

    Kelley Mills + Matt Bengochea

    Trustee Relations Secretary + Project Coordinator | President's Office

    What are you?

    The prefix “multi” has always intrigued me. I think it is because the concept of a “multi” category allows one the freedom not to have to categorize. I mean, how awesome is it to have variety and not have to choose? My family has Native American, African American, and Caucasian heritage. And being from the Southern US, my parents were categorized as African Americans…despite their outward appearance. They graduated from segregated high schools and were treated as African Americans. I was born and raised in the same hometown where they grew up, and I was taught (and in some cases, forced) to identify as African American. Friends used to say to me…“But you don’t LOOK black.” Needless to say, I struggled with identity issues as a multi-ethnic person in an environment where choosing one category was important. Later in life, I finally felt the freedom to no longer fell as though I must categorize into one particular group. And though I have pride in identifying with my African American heritage from a social and cultural perspective, I fully embrace that I am multi-ethnic and multi-dimensional. So, now when people ask me, “What are you?” I answer with a simple response that begins… “I AM ME.”
    — Kelley I always joked with my friends that I was “light” not “white.” Half Latino and half white. Just what does that mean? When the name Bengochea precedes me, I am always asked to explain. You don’t necessarily guess my Cuban roots by looking at me, but maybe you should look harder. As a person of mixed race/ethnicity, I have always wrestled with my identity. In certain contexts I feel that I am not Hispanic enough and in others, I feel like I am not expressing myself completely unless I reference my mixed ethnicity. As I get older, I become more comfortable in these situations and learn to embrace the fullness of who I am. In a black and white society I am the grey; I am other; I am what cannot be clearly defined.

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    2013

    Lisa Pevaroff Cohn

    Board of Trustees Vice-Chair | Textiles '86

    Be brave

    Make noise

    Make art

    Dig in

    Dream

    Smile

    Sing

    Create

     

    Celebrate

    Dig in

    Stand tall

    Get dirty

    Believe

    Pray

    Play

    Love

     

    Remember, no matter what we look like, we all have a story. Our stories are what make us diverse, our humanity is what makes us similar. Everyone has challenges. Rise to the occasion. Shine. I carry you in my heart always.

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    2013

    Lynne McCormack

    Film/ Animation/ Video '83

    I believe community and collective consciousness create a city And the sea of humanity is beautiful I believe everyone has a voice And that difference breeds understanding and difference is STRENGTH And that UTOPIA exists I believe LOVE transforms And the day is full of possibilities

    I have four beautiful bi-racial children I have been misunderstood by people I love I worked my ass off to get where I am I’ve given, probably more than I should have

    My heart is open I am compassionate connect people am a doer am a worker have sacrificed I am a cancer SURVIVOR

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    2013

    Malisa Suchanya

    Illustration '14

    All too often, I’m filled with fear & doubt about my Capabilities. I Question my Strengths & I Believe in my Weaknesses. I’m terrified that once I’m tossed out into the sea of life, I’ll Struggle, Drown & become a disappointment to those who believe in me. I do not want that to be the case. I want to be able to make those whom I love Proud. I know that Life is a struggle & a gamble. So, I’ve got no choice but to keep my fingers crossed & Keep Pushing On.

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    2013

    Manuela Jiminez

    MFA Jewelry + Metalsmithing '13

    In the city I am from: Bogotá, there was no space for my passion so I decided to come to the United States to fulfill my dream of becoming a jeweler. As a young student I believed that if there was no space for what I believed in, then I had to create it. If I did there would be someone to believe in me. At RISD, I have found beautiful people that not only share my interests in jewelry and art making but that complete my life. There is always a positive reception for different opinions but also strong convictions of people’s own philosophy. I think that following your dreams inspires others by showing that it is possible to do what you love. Keeping yourself positive will always make a big difference.

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    2013

    Nafis White + Garcia Cinclair

    Sculpture '15

    My wife is EVERYTHING to me!

    We collaborate on sculptures and enjoy every moment of this wondrous journey together. Words cannot say how lucky we are. Recently we celebrated our 11th year together. We will celebrate many more. Living and learning with the person you LOVE makes the world shine brighter. It’s like eating dessert for every meal…

    JUST DIVINE.

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    2013

    Nicole Buchanan

    Photography '15

    I am a PROUD African American WOMAN I am a STRONG African American Woman I am proud of myself, of how far I have come, and how far I still have to go. My DREAM is to become a National Geographic Photographer. I want to document cultural and social issues around the world. Many documentary Photographers today are outsiders trying to “give voices” to others without truly being connected or able to relate to the People being Photographed. I want to change the game by not documenting as an outsider but as someone who is deeply KNOWLEDGEABLE about the cultures and people that I photograph. I am Determined to be the Best that I can be. Photography is and will always be my Passion.

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    2013

    Nicole da Cruz

    Administrative Assistant | Academic Affairs

    It took a long time for me to feel safe in my own skin. I grew up a little black girl in a white, middle-class suburb. Picket fences. I suppressed who I was so that I could fit in… or at least not stand out and get bullied more than usual. I left for college and shed those fears little by little spending time alone, taking long walks through Philadelphia. I learned that if I could stand being alone – by choice or by circumstance then I could learn who I was, what I loved, I could be a WHOLE person.
    I wear bright colors, bold patterns. My hair is big & kinky. I. Stand. Out.

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    2013

    Pamela Chávez

    Illustration '15

    My life story has blessed me with the ability to see STRUGGLES & HARDSHIPS as MOMENTS TO LEARN, LOVE, FEEL, PAIN & GROW. Some of the most important elements in my life relate to my upbringing as a child of Costa Rican migrant workers. I’ve moved around my whole life, learning that the life of a migrant is as TOUGH as it is FRUITFUL. Another important element is my sexual identity; I am a QUEER LATINA, living life as openly & honestly as I can CON TODO CORAZON. I decided a few years ago to focus my passion on storytelling – both my own & others like me. I hope and dream that I can carry the voices of my community in ways that are HONEST & TRUE. I hope that the creation of these stories will reflect the DIGNITY, TRUTH & RESPECT that communities of color deserve. I hope to change the way that people of color and queer people of color are regarded in the social & political narrative. I hope that all the intentions I seek remain TRUE POSITIVE and UPLIFTING.

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    2013

    Pascale Rihouet

    Lecturer | History of Art + Visual Culture

    To set a model + save The earth, I boldly decided against driving – ever. I was 14 then but to this day, I do not know how to drive. Unfortunately, my dream of a carbon footprint close to zero for individual transportation has not really concretized… I often find myself alone riding my bike in the Providence traffic, even + so when my bundle of joy Juliette sat on the co–pilot seat between the ages of 1 and 6. Now my daily sunshine rides her own bicycle. The new GENERATION?

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    2013

    Peter Tagiuri

    Professor | Architecture

    Please go and make a world of difference.

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    2013

    Rachelle Crosby

    Landscape Architecture '14

    i Love my sisters, my plants, and dogs. i Love my ZAMi. i Love my moms grey hair and my own. i Love my one and only brother. i Love my sisters smile and her signs. i Love cedar. i Love Red chile and deer meat in stews. Love my boo. i Love red lipstick and thick eyebrows, the sound of the train and the sky color of desert monsoon. i Love the touch, the calls, red wine, gold jewelry and stones. i Love that my dads hair is longer than mine. i Love my homegirls and staying up too late. i Love sex, fine tip pens and red wine, women with thick thighs and lip. i Love Tupac. i Love my granddaddy and his funny way of speaking. i Love my culture and our timeless dresses. i Love adjectives and my dads perspective. i Love black. i Love myself. i Love, Love.

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    2013

    Richa Kejriwal

    Graphic Design '15

    At this point in my life, the one thing that matters to me is having lots of experiences. I want to be satiated by life. I want to travel the world and meet new people, climb mountains and speak different languages. I want to fall in love and have my heart broken. I want to live to the fullest in reality rather than vicariously. I don’t want to ever look back and wish that I had tried harder or reached further.

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    2013

    Robert Brinkerhoff

    Professor | Illustration

    I feel a terrific sense of responsibility as a role model to our students, and particularly when I see a bit of myself in them as they begin to form their adult IDENTITIES. I owe them as much PERSONAL COURAGE as I can muster – as difficult and EMBARRASSING and RISKY as it may be sometimes. I especially want the disenfranchised, marginalized and fearful to know that I’VE GOT THEIR BACKS.

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    2013

    Soung Park

    Glass '15

    The truth is I wont ever be happy with the person I am. CHANGE has been my way of coping with myself and with the world around me. I will never stay the same because I refuse to ever be “ME.”

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    2013

    Yulia Gusarova

    Architecture '16

    I know that God has plans for me. I believe that I will become an architect and a citizen of the World, whose influences and creations will help build a better society in different places on our Planet.

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    2012

    Adan Gonzalez

    Architecture '14

    There are many things I hope to do, but at the top of my list is to celebrate the culture and identity of my Hispanic heritage. I hope that I can use my creativity to help those in need… I hope that I can become connected to an effort that solves problems around the world.

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    2012

    Agus Winangun

    Custodian | Facilities

    Got blues?
    I am from Bali, but I was born and raised in Lombok, another island in Indonesia. I came to the United States when I was 20. Since then I learned how to play the “Blues” listening to a lot of Blues legends like B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and my big influence of all time, Jimi Hendrix. My hope and dream is that we, my wife, my two sons and I will move to Bali together. I hope my wife gets a job at the Green School, and I dreamed of opening a café/bar where I can play the Blues and entertain tourists. Because what I truly love to do is play music. Music is my Soul.

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    2012

    Anais Missakian

    Professor | Department Head | Textiles '84

    I am Armenian American born in Switzerland. My father is from Egypt. My mother is from Detroit. They are both Armenian. My grandfather escaped the genocide (1915) in eastern Turkey; my great grandparents, sadly did not survive. My husband, Mark, is of German descent and our three sons Haig, Vartan, and Arani are then Armenian german Americans. My identity is deeply tied to being Armenian and American. Textile traditions are in my blood. I learned to knit and sew from my grandmother and mother before I was ten, and before I knew it was a serious field of practice and study. My hands are always making. My eyes are always looking.

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    2012

    Avishek Ganguly

    Assistant Professor | Literary Arts + Studies

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    2012

    Becky Fong

    Assistant Director | Admissions  | Graphic Design '05

    Sometimes I think I need to win the lottery, jet set around the world, quit my job, and live near the beach. It’s true it would be great to win the lottery but my real hope is to be a philanthropist, and actually I really like to work. I really like people, talking, helping, interacting. It’s a reward that I get to meet so many different people in my job and in the activities I participate. I feel good about my day when I do at least one good thing to benefit someone other than myself. I try really hard to keep my life in perspective. I am very fortunate and remain grateful and try to be humble. I am blessed with very loving parents, family, and siblings.

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    2012

    Beryl Bai

    Graphic Design '15

    Steadfast

    relentless

    resolved

    enduring

    intimidating

    headstrong

    RESILIENT

    paramount

    calm

    rebellious

    period.

     

    exclamation!

    loving

    smiling

    amiable

    tolerant

    soft

    Lovely

    understanding

    compassionate

    gentle

    I AM

    light to dark

    and

    EVERYTHING in

    BETWEEN

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    2012

    Candace Baer

    Vice President | Human Resources

    Being a whole person is not about how many hands you have, whom you choose to love, how smart you are or the color of your skin… for many years, I went everywhere in public wearing a prosthesis. I believed that it made me more complete – more whole. Now when I wear my artificial hand it’s because my arm is cold or because I like the way it looks with my dress… My friends joke that whenever they ask if I’d like help with something I say – “I can do it!” And they say, “I know you can do it – and I can also help you!” I guess part of understanding or believing that we are whole means that sometimes we get by with a little help from our friends, regardless of how many hands we have…

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    2012

    Carmel Snow

    Textiles '14

    I am

    A child

    Of the moon

    Adventuring

    In the woven

    Tidepools

    Of the present

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    2012

    Francisco Moreno Taboada

    Painting '12

    In America I am free. In America I am not free. In America I feel watched. In America I am anonymous. In America there are illusions. In America I became an adult. In America I am always hungry. In America I am an alien. In America there is order. In America the police frighten me. In America I can see the future. In America I always have an outbound ticket. In America cigarettes are expensive. In America I think about my looks. In America I buy jeans. In America I walk the streets. In America I ride in cars. In America I eat quickly. In America I shit & shit. In America I never stop. In America I always shop. In America I question what I am doing. In America I’m never in shape. In America I feel alone. In America I’m not so successful. In America I’ll always fail. In America where are my friends? In America what are the rules? In America how do I break the rules? In America we are afraid of our sexuality.

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    2012

    Heeju Choi

    Interior Architecture '14

    I was always a common. I was invisible. I was wimid and quiet. I was too aware of what others thought of me.But Now it’s different. Being surrounded by so many dverse individuals who value themselves as who they are and what they are Ive learned to see myself as an individual. RISD has taught me to be brave and bold. Not to be afraif. To overcome my shyness and be myself. To be confident and to be me. What it means to be me. What it feels like to be “Heeju” I’ve learned to be a groundbreaker of my own life.

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    2012

    HeeSang Lee

    Illustration '14

    THIRD CULTURE KID (TCK): An individual who has experienced a significant part of his/her developmental years outside of the parent’s culture. A TCK would be open to connecting to all cultures while not possessing full ownership in any.

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    2012

    Jennifer Kwack

    Illustration '13

    Yes, I look serious. I care about my grade, my work, my portfolio, and my friends. I can’t commit to each of them. That’s why my facial expression is uptight and i hardly ever…smile. But please know, I am not sad. I am rather satisfied with what I do! I <3 my friends and I <3 the work that I do. So I don't know why I look serious all the time. People think that I'm boring, but once they get to know me and talk to me, they will find out that I'm actually funny.

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    2012

    Jeung-Hwa Park

    Senior Critic | Apparel Design | MFA Textiles '00

    Life is transformed into a combination of opposites

    Dream and Reality • Spiritual and Physical • East and West

    Yin and Yang • Woman and Man • Tradition and Modern

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    2012

    Karan Mudgal

    Industrial Design '13

    Optimism is my modus operandi. I am always under the belief that the situations we are in have a silver lining, no matter how bad the going gets. While much of my outlook on life exists because of the luck of the draw I was given, it has only cemented in me the fact that I must use these wonderful gifts to help others. What is the use of a blessing not shared? I live each day knowing I will one day make waves. This overconfidence stems simply from the fact that I have been given all the right tools. Now I need only make something beautiful. I aim to bring light to dark places.

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    2012

    Keela Potter

    Graphic Design '14

    I am from the land of 10,000 lakes. I was born in South Korea. I am lactose intolerant. I believe in the power of education. I am an avid list maker. I swear a lot. My family cooks Korean food on Christmas Eve. I have a Minnestonian accent. My parents are my best friends. I write lots of letters. I play the viola. I sometimes forget to wear my retainer. I find beauty in just being.

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    2012

    Latrelle Maria Rostant

    MA Architecture '12

    Sometimes I hold back parts of myselff and keep people at a distance because I did not want to be hurt by their words and actions. BUT as I have gotten older I have come to the understanding that people are complex and at the end of the day it is our complexity that makes us UNIQUE and really AMAZING people.

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    2012

    Linda Murphy Church

    Executive Director Planning + Assessment | Finance

    DOA- Dead on Arrival- That’s what the doctors said my fate could have been. When I was a child I was thrown into the windshield of a car in an auto accident. I had severe bleeding and might have died except that a bystander knew the pressure point to control the bleeding. I wound up with facial scars and lost most of my vision with one eye, but I survived. I always thought my life had been saved for a reason, and I thought the reason was that I would save a a life someday. As the years went by there was no child under the ice or burning building to rush into. Then one day as a young mother, I was watching my three children play.It came over me like an epiphany that if I had died as a child , these three children would never have been borm. I had already given back three-fold what had been given to me. I knew then that my purpose in life was to raise these three children to be responsible, caring adults, and I have done that to the best of my ability. So what does that mean for me now. It means I am not afraid of dying. Every day I have had since day eleven has been a gift, and I am not greedy for more. And about these facial scars, I’d like to say that I think of them as my red badge of courage or as marks of my character, but actually I really hate them!

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    2012

    Michael Cooley

    Industrial Design '15

    I wear my heart on my sleeve. Everything Negative gets to me. Don’t try to use that against me.

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    2012

    Rakhshaan Gazi

    Architecture '16

    Coming from a society which is very conservative, coming to RISD was a big change,but change for the good. i felt I could explore so much that I hadn’t before. often females or women are looked as objects rather than humans in our culture, and I believe RISD gave me a completely different outlook on how to approach my place in society.The independence was a fresh feeling. Almost a new world. Art also helped a lot. RISD as a community made me realize about the cultural diversity, people from different backgrounds and experiences and that my unique qualities could add to that experience.

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    2012

    Rhoda Blakey

    Lead Dining Experience Associat | Dining + Catering

    I am obsessed with the color ORANGE- I <3 it!!! I have ORANGE furniture, ORANGE watch, anything ORANGE– Iv’e got it. I even had a dog whose name was ORANGES. I have an ORANGE butterfly tattoo. I just love ORANGE it makes me smile. I <3 to make people smile. I think a smile means LOVE. When I see people I greet them with a big ole smile of love. I think it brightens up the day!!

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    2012

    Steven J. Bailey

    Assistant Registrar | Registrar’s Office

    When I graduated from high school, I did not have the opportunity to attend college, instead my background led me to helping people, helping my country. Joining the military was important to me at that time, mainly because we had just withdrawn ourselves from a terrible war and I wanted to keep our country strong. I was willing to defend her, in case we were called into battle again. The flag is a very important symbol to me. I don’t only look at it as a piece of cloth flying in the wind, but a measurement of how important this country is to me and my fellow Americans. I stand proudly and face our flag with due diligence, mainly because I followed in our fathers’ footsteps to keep her flying and to defend her with all my might. *Deceased

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    2012

    Tammy Kwark

    Illustration '13

    I struggled with my faith as a Christian.

    I still struggle with my faith.

    People may not believe in the cross but I think everyone believes in hope.

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    2012

    Zoe Lohmann

    Sculpture '15

    What sustains me is knowing where I’ve COME FROM and where I am GOING. I finally feel that I am in the RIGHT PLACE at the RIGHT TIME. I find that I have begun to understand a lot about the world i live in, and these truths help me along and reassure me, no matter if they are good or bad. I feel somewhere between 1000 and 5 years old. I find the most calming feeling I can think of is that I AM ALONE WITH MYSELF IN THE UNIVERSE. I am responsible for my choices and my furture. When I achieve something, I can be PROUD OF MYSELF. When I FUCK UP it’s up to me to fix it. I believe that all you need is COMMITMENT & DETERMINATION. I have to love myself before I can have a healthy relationship with other people, so I embrace myself with my QUIRKS, WEIRD HABITS, UNIQUE BODY and SOUL. I have found friends who love me for being who I am. EVERYTHING WE BEGIN BECOMES WHAT WE MAKE OF IT.

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    2011

    Adam Taylor

    Clerk | RISD Store

    To me seeking happiness is the most important thing, and on that I always keep an eye. It may seem self-centered, but I believe being happy is the only way you are really yourself. I no longer have a tolerance for misery. If what I’m working toward does not give me peace then I move on.

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    2011

    Alexander Rowe

    Illustration '14

    I wish I was so lucky to know what path I should take. Sometimes that path is artist, sometimes just a guy who likes movies. A lot. Sometimes my heart says “Priest,” but other times it calls to a future along the “white – picket fence” variety – wife and kids, no room for the white dog collar. I learned the hard way not long ago that what you want is not always what is right; even if what you want is best for you. Sometimes you just need to sacrifice what you want most. If I had to follow one thing, it would be the constant effort for something greater that all can share. So whether my life leads to the pulpit or parenting, a career or a vow, I’ll be sure of one thing: it’s what the world needs.

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    2011

    Christina Bertoni

    Professor | Foundation Studies

    As I stand in the center of my knowing I am more and more able to understand that humans are simply no better and no worse than any other species. I learn a great deal from observing nature and understand my life and our culture better when I see our lives in the full context of nature and the larger universe.Nature is my constant inspiration. It refreshes me always. Most importantly it teaches me everything…or most of the BIG THINGS I need to understand.  As I walk and look and smell and feel and observe, I see how all things abide with the cycles of life, and the inevitability of regeneration and change.

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    2011

    Claudia Ford

    Director | Office of International Programs

    When I practiced as a midwife I realized:Hey! We are ALL born naked and upside down!  I have been circling the globe for thirty years with my four children in tow. I see the world through the eyes of a child- my children, other people’s children. That we humans see difference and fight with each other is ludicrous. How could we pretend that we are not all equal in worth and value? But then my life has also been one where I have been devalued, marginalized, discriminated against, pushed out because I am a woman of color, outspoken, nonconforming to the mainstream hegemonic values. Now I am dedicating my life (by studying for a PhD in Environmental Studies) to repairing the horribly damaged relationship between humans and Nature. I don’t have time to worry about whether people approve of me.

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    2011

    Deborah Bright

    Professor | Department Head | Photography

    Some of my identities are worn on the surface: white, middle-aged, woman (sort of butch), professional, educated creative type, (wears black).  Others are claimed in particular contexts: artist, photographer, writer, educator, administrator,  activist, queer, lesbian, aunt, mentor, friend, sister, agnostic, seeker.  All of these identities evolved over time and cross-fertilize. I am not reducible to any one of them.

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    2011

    Duhirwe Rushemeza

    MFA Printmaking '11

    I believe that living in many different countries around the world – moving from one place to the next – has made me who I am today. Had the locations been reversed – or some omitted – I would be a radically different individual. I was born in RWANDA. Soon after my family moved to Bonn, GERMANY, then to the U.S.A. – Lubbock, Texas before moving to Ithaca, NY. We moved to Abidjan, CÔTE D’ IVOIRE when I was 14. A couple of years later, my twin sister Liliane, and I returned to the U.S.A. for school. We lived in Tennessee; Long Island, NY; and Atlanta, GA. I also resided in Florence, ITALY, Chicago, IL and New York, NY. My family has recently also called Rome, ITALY; Harare, ZIMBABWE; and Montreal Quebec, CANADA… HOME. Having lived in many diverse places, Global issues – such as those lead to war or environmental issues – are very important to me. Everything I do in my creative field, even subtly, reflects these concerns… I am especially interested in how different people from varying cultures around the globe relate to each other.

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    2011

    Elinor Nacheman

    Cataloger/ Reference Librarian | RISD Library

    One of the key foundations of Judaism is the concept of Tikkun Olam, or, ‘repairing the world,’ and that’s something that resonates deeply with me. For that reason, I have been involved with volunteer activities in various organizations for a very long time. I would like to believe that in some way my work with Ronald McDonald House, my synagogue’s Social Action Committee, and the John Brown House Museum, have made a difference and touched people’s lives in a tangible way. I also love the contact I’ve had with students over the years, in my daily work as a librarian at RISD. If as librarians we can inspire students with our collections and help instill lifelong learning skills in research and critical thinking, I would consider that a wonderful legacy.

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    2011

    Emily Albert

    Graphic Design '13

    I have 2, 5, & 10 year plans. I can only hope my future looks like none of them.

    I want to be remembered as one whose ears were open to others, hands were busy with good work, & mouth was always quick to smile.

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    2011

    Gina Borromeo

    Curator of Ancient Art | RISD Museum

    Being in this community of creative people who appreciate art in all its forms is something I try not to take for granted. I love going around a corner and finding something completely unexpected. Just happening upon a surprise like that is very much like being given an unexpected gift. The crossing currents of creativity and constant learning around here have affected me positively. Since coming to work at RISD, I’ve taken classes in glass and ceramics. I think being here also played a huge role in motivating me to take piano lessons again at the age of 48. I took piano lessons as a child but my teacher quit on me early on. She told me I was tone-deaf. I carried that belief and the stigma around with me. In high school music class I mouthed the words to songs but never allowed my voice to come out. I’m even self-conscious about singing “Happy Birthday” too loudly at family gatherings. While my piano playing doesn’t produce beautiful music, the process of learning and practicing has been wonderful. I wonder what’s next?

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    2011

    HyoYoon “Brenda” Han

    Illustration '14

    There are so many girls who dream about becoming a ballerina. But I was different. The dance studio was my life. Every day I was in my own world practicing my pirouettes and choreography. People were amazed at how easily I danced on my toes like a professional. On a big performance day, as I was performing a split leap, I fell to the floor. My ankle had fractured once again, and my performance was over. My doctors and my parents told me to end my ballerina dream. I could not do anything until my ankle healed. I could not hop, skip, or run like the other children. But I decided to take the risk by continuing to do ballet classes. I would not live with regrets. After recovering, I returned to ballet classes. As I danced to the music, I began to draw in the air with the movements of my arms and hands. My love for the visual arts started to build off of my passion for ballet. As I drew my arms up and down, I could see a picture of the dance with an imagined pencil in my hands and a paper in front of me. I began to realize that all of this beauty was not limited to the stage. If I had not taken the greatest risk, I would not have realized my true and deep and full passion for the arts.

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    2011

    Janet Hoyte

    Advisor | International Student Service

    My aunt and my mom are my mentors and role models. My mom has taught me to be STRONG and always stay POSITIVE. They both taught me that there is no OBSTACLE too big or too much for me to overcome. They have always told me “What doesn’t break you makes you stronger” and to never regret any experience GOOD or BAD becaise it has lead me to the the person I can look in the mirror everyday at and be PROUD. They are always pushing me to be BETTER by the way they live their lives and to NEVER settle for “NO” when there is a possibility of a “YES” most important of all in EVERYTHING no matter how small give GOD thanks. My aunt is one of the strongest women I know. She LOVES hard and FIGHTS harder for what she BELIEVES in and NEVER gives up. She INSPIRED me to go to college, to NEVER stop learning and to be the BEST parent I can be.

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    2011

    Kevin McNulty

    MA Architecture '14

    Self-worth

    Confidence

    Perseverance

    What whispering do I hear?

    Understanding

    Dream

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    2011

    Kristina Paglio

    Crime Prevention Officer | Public Safety

    The deepest truth I know about myself and others is that honesty and integrity are inherent in all of us. The question is, how and whether we choose to employ these all important facets that will impact our future. I employ honesty and integrity in all that I do – work and home – as it is the best way for me to empower myself and help others. *Deceased

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    2011

    Madhu Vishnu

    Gift Processor | Institutional Engagement

    Children are the best educators you can find. They speak without fear or prejudice. Children teach by asking questions. My husband & I field a lot of questions. Mostly from our five-year old, echoed by our three-year old. We keep our answers simple. And brace ourselves for more questions prompted by the answers.

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    2011

    Mara Hermano

    Vice President | Integrated Planning

    My grandmother, my mother and aunts, the women in my family have been strong role models for their courage to pursue their dreams, to serve others, and to be independent, self-made women. My mother and her siblings grew up during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. For as long as I can remember, I heard stories of hiding in bunkers, of having to move from their home in the bombed – out city to the countryside, of not having enough to eat and waiting for planes to airdrop

    cans of food. My grandfather had been imprisoned for collaborating with the Americans, so my grandmother did all of this on her own, with 6 young children. I can’t even imagine the courage and energy that took! My grandparents valued education and sent their children to study abroad. They became successful

    professionals — dedicated to their own careers as well as the family businesses. My grandmother instilled in them a commitment to serve. Her favorite charity was a home for paraplegics. We welcomed the residents to our family gatherings and still support the home today. I left them in the Philippines to create my own story, but they are very much a part of my story and WHO I AM.

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    2011

    Mariana Botero

    Architecture '14

    TRUST. BELEIVE. DREAM. ENJOY. LIVE. CARE. LAUGH. ACHIEVE. LEARN. GROW. I am inspired by creativity and an open mind. I admire people who love life and accept it as it comes; without rules, stereotypes or prejudice. There are no rules. There isn’t one true truth  Life is just meant to be lived. Everyone is afraid. So people who manage to LIVE following their heart and TRUE happiness are those whom I admire the most. LIVE.LOVE.LAUGH. BE! HAVE FUN!

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    2011

    Martin Almonte

    Custodian | Facilities

    I love to work hard. I want to be the hardest worker in my department. I don’t like people who are unmotivated and lazy. I hunt out problems and fix them. I am a skilled carpenter. In my home country, the Dominican Republic, I would sand and make things. My father taught me so I would have skills. My papa and I would play pool. I made the pool table with my dad. It doesn’t matter that I’m deaf. I am the same as others who can hear. I’m learning American Sign Language. Everything is visual to me. I know what I see and have to trust it. It’s what I have. I am the only deaf person I know here at RISD. It gets lonely sometimes being the only deaf person. Just because I don’t hear don’t think that I don’t know everything that’s going on. I want people to see a strong worker and someone who contributes. I always have my eyes open to find the treasure in the day. I love being at RISD.

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    2011

    Mike Fink

    Professor | Literary Arts + Studies

    I have learned that we become more “artistic” with the passing decades because we appreciate the little things more, the glimpses of beauty wherever we come across them, from the flowers of spring to the red leaves of fall and the snowflakes of winter. It’s the consolation for our losses, the gain of gratitude and the wealth of memory.

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    2011

    Sam Andrus

    Illustration '11

    I have ideas about creativity that can impact the world and make people generally happier. I’ve seen some interesting research about how to generate ideas and increase productivity. It is healthy and productive to let your mind wander and make train-of-thought lists of things, not caring whether things make sense. I dream of a world where no one stays “stuck” or “bored.” These are mindsets we can’t afford to be in. I want to set an example for sheer creative output that shows this idea inaction. Simply mix and match random elements to form new connections to generate an idea, and the boundaries of creativity are limitless.

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    2011

    Tila Adams

    Director | RISD Store

    My vision for my future is to be content living a simple life… To be at a point in my life where I can give more than I take, from nature and from society.

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    2011

    Toussaint Wallace

    Architecture '13

    The slang I speak dont change that Im deep.

Videos

Take a look behind the scenes to learn more about the the RISDiversity project, and more about our students, faculty and staff.

What is Diversity

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What is Diversity

Behind the Scenes 2015: Indhu Solayappan

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Behind the Scenes 2015: Indhu Solayappan

Behind the Scenes 2015: Yelitsa Jean-Charles

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Behind the Scenes 2015: Yelitsa Jean-Charles

Behind the Scenes 2015: Jacob Vidal Seiferle-Valencia

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Behind the Scenes 2015: Jacob Vidal Seiferle-Valencia

Behind the Scenes 2015: Samantha Weiser

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Behind the Scenes 2015: Samantha Weiser

Behind the Scenes 2014: Adam Blake

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Behind the Scenes 2014: Adam Blake

Behind the Scenes 2014: Alicia Deyanira Luzón-Villaman

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Behind the Scenes 2014: Alicia Deyanira Luzón-Villaman

Behind the Scenes 2014: Eric Telfort

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Behind the Scenes 2014: Eric Telfort

Behind the Scenes 2014: Leah Benjamin

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Behind the Scenes 2014: Leah Benjamin

Behind the Scenes 2014: Pradeep Sharma

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Behind the Scenes 2014: Pradeep Sharma

RISDiversity: An Introduction

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RISDiversity: An Introduction

Behind the Scenes 2013: Nafis White

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Behind the Scenes 2013: Nafis White

Behind the Scenes 2013: Kelley Mills and Matt Bengochea

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Behind the Scenes 2013: Kelley Mills and Matt Bengochea

Behind the Scenes 2013: Soung Park

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Behind the Scenes 2013: Soung Park

Behind the Scenes 2013: Rachelle Crosby

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Behind the Scenes 2013: Rachelle Crosby

Behind the Scenes 2013: Pamela Chavez

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Behind the Scenes 2013: Pamela Chavez

Behind the Scenes 2013: Eric Estenzo

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Behind the Scenes 2013: Eric Estenzo

Behind the scenes 2012: Michael Cooley

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Behind the scenes 2012: Michael Cooley

Behind the scenes 2012: Agus Winangun

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Behind the scenes 2012: Agus Winangun

Behind the scenes 2012: Steven Bailey

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Behind the scenes 2012: Steven Bailey

Book

Check out RISDiversity Community Narratives, a vibrant 140 page book that celebrates five years of beautiful photographs and compelling stories. All proceeds from the book go to scholarships for students needing support with supplies, travel funds, tuition and much more.

Excerpt

Giving

The RISDiversity Project supports social equity initiatives at the college and gives voice to the extraordinary individuals whose life experiences, talents and dedication contribute to RISD’s strength as an educational community and global leader of art and design innovation.

Purchase the RISDIversity book and help write the story of a young artist.

100% of proceeds will directly benefit RISD students in need.

Shop Now

Top priorities include:

Scholarships + Fellowships / Materials Fund / Travel Stipends / Paid Internships / Project Thrive

Connect

If you’d like to be involved in this project, please contact Tony Johnson, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at ajohnson@risd.edu or Candace Baer, Vice President for Human Resources at cbaer@risd.edu.

What is Diversity

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Bill Bowles


Behind the Scenes 2015: Indhu Solayappan

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Bill Bowles


Behind the Scenes 2015: Yelitsa Jean-Charles

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Bill Bowles


Behind the Scenes 2015: Jacob Vidal Seiferle-Valencia

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Bill Bowles


Behind the Scenes 2015: Samantha Weiser

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Bill Bowles


Behind the Scenes 2014: Adam Blake

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Bill Bowles


Behind the Scenes 2014: Alicia Deyanira Luzón-Villaman

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Bill Bowles


Behind the Scenes 2014: Eric Telfort

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Bill Bowles


Behind the Scenes 2014: Leah Benjamin

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Bill Bowles


Behind the Scenes 2014: Pradeep Sharma

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Bill Bowles


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© RISDiversity 2016