It’s not fair and I get it. 

Four plus years of hard work, perseverance, and navigation of one of the most expensive and treacherous systems in the US will seemingly go unrecognised. For better or worse, we represent the incredible investment our parents made into the American Dream. Our graduation from UMBC is one step towards that elusive goal.  Yes, our graduation should be celebrated! We should be expecting Facebook ovations, WhatsApp congratulations, gifts from proud relatives and random admiring phone calls from people we haven’t seen (or remember) since childhood. Rather, the grand finale to our four plus years of grueling college coursework and circumnavigating the financial aid process comes, not with a bang, but with a stay-at-home order. 

Anticlimactic really. 

I remember completing my very first FAFSA application with my mum. Really it was just me compiling paperwork and tax information that neither of us really understood, in the hopes that I would get into college and she would not get convicted for tax fraud. This is a reality for many first-generation immigrants: lack of training, experience, and basic knowledge of the never-ending college application process (i.e. tax information, citizenship verification, home income information, family/marital status information). By my first year of college, I’d become a self-appointed tax expert and a perpetual prisoner of the financial aid office. But still I get no accolades! Now, this is not an essay meant to bash the Financial Aid office, rather, it is a little spotlight on the fact that the federal financial aid system was not built for  1st gen immigrants to navigate easily. Sandy Baum and Stella Flores (2011) explain this succinctly in their article:  “applying for college and financial aid - a complex task even for students with English speaking parents...is far more difficult for the children of non-English speaking immigrants, even those who are themselves fluent”.  

Even with weekends lost poring over paperwork, random emails from the bursar during class, and out-of-pocket tuition costs, WE STILL DID IT! We at least deserve some recognition for our work! I personally feel that, if not for me, a Commencement is needed for my distant relatives that held high hopes for their child lost to the land of opportunity. The grass may not be greener here, but I still managed to grow up and thrive regardless. They should be as proud of this as I am. Participating in a Commencement ceremony would have been the closure we all dreamed of. A celebration of the end of this chapter and the exciting beginning of the next.

So what now? With the stay-home order and COVID-19 limiting our movements and meetings, how can we celebrate? I spent the last two weeks compiling a list of alternatives to the commencement ceremony: 

(1) Call a group of friends over video and have my own little commencement.

 (2) Call relatives back home to catch up and remind (brag to) them of my achievements.

 (3) Photoshop my face onto one of the past graduates’ (very unlikely).

 (4) Thank my mum for working hard to put me in a position to succeed (it’s her ceremony too).

(5) Ordering a cap & gown on Amazon and playing loud music all day (anything to feel special).

(6) Invite all of my closest friends to compile a Top Ten UMBC Experiences We Will Never Forget list.

(7)....

Luckily, with the amount of time we will be spending indoors, this list can be inexhaustible, which gives us more time to commend ourselves for graduating college. My fellow 2020 1st gen graduates, this is our victory and we need to celebrate it in any way we can. Congratulations!

This post is written by Tiwa, a Diversity & Inclusion Peer at the Mosaic Center. Tiwa is a senior majoring in Biology. In his spare time, he likes to watch a lot of anime.

Stress is a part of everyday life. However, there are certain situations that can cause stress specifically for college students. 

• The first year of college brings the stress of something new. 

• For returning students, there could be the stress of taking more challenging classes in their major and finding the perfect internship, 

• Some students are managing classes and work while being active in one of UMBC’s many campus organizations. 

• Outside of college life, sources of stress can come from family and world events, such as natural disasters or the political climate. 

• Right now, COVID-19 has an impact on our everyday life, as well as academics and work.

But not all stress is bad. 

• A healthy level of stress can serve as a motivator. 

• Positive stress, called eustress, can help you focus and improve your performance on activities such as tests, playing sports, or interviewing for a job.

Stress can turn into a major problem if it is not managed properly. It can have serious consequences on your school performance, body, and mind.

• Difficulty concentrating

• Increased worrying

• Trouble completing assignments on time

• Not going to class

• Short temper or increased agitation

So what can we do about stress? 

One useful method in managing stress is Mindfulness. 

• Mindfulness is the practice of being fully aware of where you are and what you are doing. 

• If you have never tried mindfulness, the best way to start is by incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine. 

• Activities such as walking, eating, or breathing can be done mindfully. Here is a 7-minute mindful practice that can help you to reduce stress.

• The Counseling Center is offering virtual 30-minute mindfulness practices Monday – Friday, 12 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., beginning April 22. Check out their myUMBC group for updates and to access the Webex link.

• NAMI COVID 19 information and resources 

• Free online mindfulness resource 

The Counseling Center offers additional resources to help you cope with stress.

• WellTrack

• Free online workshops with Counseling Center staff

Free phone apps are also available.

• Calm

• Headspace 

• Aura 

• Stop, Breathe & think 

• Insight Timer 

Trigger warning: the following post contains potentially distressing material to survivors of sexual violence.

Women of color experience sexual violence at a disproportionate rate. The fight to eradicate sexual violence must focus on ending ALL forms of oppression. Given the numbers, each one of us has either experienced sexual violence or knows someone who has.  

In order to better support survivors we need to:

• Believe survivors and become an informed ally. Don’t make marginalized women teach you about their oppression or your role as a bystander. 

• Do the research and get involved at the legislative level. Use your privilege to center Black and Indigenous women in the discussion and in your advocacy. 

• Listen to Black and Indigenous women. Support organizations that advocate for survivors, validate their voices and experiences and are led by survivors.

Every 73 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. 

Every. 73. Seconds.

Throughout the country April is recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. A month, not of celebration but of educating the public, advocating for and raising awareness of the grim experiences lived and survived by many; most of them - already marginalized women. One of the root causes of sexual violence is oppression and it comes in many forms: racism, sexism, ableism, heterosexism, and/or cissexism. The numbers don’t lie. In fact, they are horrific.  Indigenous and Black women are at an even more alarming and disproportionate risk of experiencing sexual violence.

According to the National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community:one in four Black girls will be sexually abused before the age of 18. Black girls and women must learn to navigate a world where they are disproportionately likely to survive childhood sexual abuse, rape and human trafficking. All too often, systemic and cultural considerations prevent survivors from reporting these crimes. Native American women are at an even greater risk of sexual violence. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that Native American and Alaska Native women are more than two and a half times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than other women in the USA. Most Native American women living on tribal lands never seek justice against their attackers because they are forced to navigate a complex maze of tribal, state and federal law. If they do report the crime, they are perpetually met with inaction or worst yet indifference.

How do we protect our LGBTQ+, cis, and straight Black and Indigenous girls already vulnerable due to the gendered, intersectional and systemic oppressions they experience from girlhood to womanhood?

We get involved. 

The fight to eradicate sexual violence is far from over but we can all do our part to make a difference and support survivors.