“ … and show a respect for their culture as an outsider. Crystal Flax Union College, Schenectady NY … ”
Abstract
Language learning is how we transcend borders. It creates global affability, and trust among strangers. A part of every culture, languages can help humans communicate across continents. With learning a language, you learn so much more than just its words. Languages help show you how other communities think and perceive. Languages, also, can be a tool. People travel across the world wanting to help others, but forget that English is not a universal language. If a group wants to implement sex education, vocational training, or medical aid in remote areas where they need it most, they must do so in the language of the community they are trying to help. I am going to Ghana this summer to teach a course on entrepreneurship, and to do this, I took lessons on the Akan language, Twi. This language is spoken by almost 20 million people around the globe, and a third of Ghana speaks Twi as a first or second language. Though my 10 Twi classes have ended, I have developed a foundation off of which to build further language competency. This poster aims to share my Twi foundation with you, and to educate the public on the intricacies and beauties that exist within the Twi language.
“ … References/Acknowledgements We would like to thank Crystal Flax for critical revisions of the original research … ”
Abstract
The 2007 financial crisis was caused by the rise of predatory mortgage lending to unsuspecting and even unqualified consumers. Financial intuitions purchased trillions of dollars of investments in sub-prime mortgages, and as individuals were unable to pay for their mortgage, a global financial crisis ensued. Predatory lenders intentionally targeted communities of color, causing African Americans to disproportionately purchase subprime mortgages. The effects of the recession have been extensively studied in poorer regions. However, minimal literature examines the effect of the 2008 housing bubble collapse. This research examines how wealth, especially with respect to real estate, varies between white and black households in the affluent county of Fairfield, CT pre- and post-2008 recession.
“ … Study Caitlin Boice, Mary Darden, Sarah DeRosa, Elaine Du, CrystalFlax, … … Boice, Isobel MacKinnon, CrystalFlax, Victoria Avon Makeup … ”
Abstract
This project began due to my need for a thesis when I decided to change my theater minor into a major. I was at a loss for what I wanted that thesis to be. I combined my love of theater with my love of hair and thus this thesis was born. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I took on the project but what I got could never have been expected. I had never taken any sort of theater costume, make-up or hair design class before, however so that seemed like a good place to start. Fall 2022 I took Beyond Cosplay and got my first taste of the world of theatrical design and I enjoyed it. For my final project I created an 18th century wig out of paper that could actually be worn and that sparked conversations surrounding possible materials for the wigs for Act A Lady: A Comedy by Jordan Harrison. Since this play revolves around three men in the midwest “dressing up” as ladies to put on a play for their town we discussed the possibility of using paper or other found materials to make the wigs out of. Well this idea was incorporated into some of the “rehearsal” costumes for the characters as seen from the flour sack for Greta and the baskets for Romola and the countess, we decided to use real hair for the wigs. The wigs could not be switched as often as the “rehearsal” costume pieces were and since the “real” costumes were not made out of found objects we used real hair for the wigs. As far as how realistic the wigs were some historical research went into the ideas behind the costumes but they were as realistic as townsfolk in the 1920s in the midwest would have made 18th century wigs. Another aspect that was taken into account when making the wigs was the current hair of the performers and what changes they were willing to make to their hair, if any.
