Well. this year has been a doozy.
2020: The year of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) global health pandemic, the year we lost Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as well as countless Black lives at the hands of the police—Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and so many more. 2020: The year we can’t leave our homes, can’t go to school or work in person, can’t go to restaurants or museums or live concerts or host friends and family in our homes. The year of increasingly disastrous wildfires, especially in California. As of September 2020, we have lost more than 200,000 American lives to COVID19, and our current president is still campaigning to audiences who do not wear masks or observe social distancing. It is a hard year to remain optimistic.
And yet: 2020 is the year I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. My son’s joy—and to be frank, his oblivion to all the insanity going on outside our home—has kept me going these past several months. While I have had to take a break from writing fiction and producing Play On Words shows, I am proud of the articles published at San Jose State University’s Washington Square magazine and blog this past year. They include:
Meeting at the Border: Virginia San Fratello and her design partner Ronald Rael used three pink seesaws to bring two countries together.
Aisha Wahab: Of and For the Community: Hayward City Councilmember Aisha Wahab, ’10 Political Science, made history in 2018 by being named one of the first Afghan-American women to hold public office.
Erin Salazar: Creating a Public Art Haven: Artist and entrepreneur Erin Salazar, ’10 BFA Pictorial Arts, was named one of the Knight Foundation’s inaugural Public Space Fellows in 2019.
William McGinnis: One Gene Connects All: William McGinnis, ’78 Biology, earned membership into the National Academy of Sciences in 2019.
Faculty Spotlight: Nikki Yeboah’s The (M)Others: SJSU professor, playwright and oral historian Nikki Yeboah interviewed women who had lost family members to police violence for her play, The (M)Others.
Solving X for Access: The Value of Math Education: Lurie College of Education Dean Heather Lattimer’s new formula for preparing math teachers is transforming the careers of educators and increasing equity in classrooms.
Mary Calegari: Researching the Bamboo Ceiling: Mary Calegari has studied the relationship between one’s ethnic background and the ability to succeed in accounting.
Addressing Inequities in Early Childhood Education: SJSU’s Lurie College of Education is working to organize and present the best possible early childhood education research resources for teachers, parents and the greater Bay Area community.
“Eyes” Wide Open: SJSU Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Yoon Chung Han combines art, design and engineering to create installations based on unique biometric data.
The Challenge of Electroforming: SJSU Spatial Arts Lecturer Yvonne Escalante, ’13 MFA Spatial Arts, has created an electroforming workspace in the College of Humanities and the Arts.
2020 President’s Scholar: Lawrence Quill: SJSU Political Science Professor Lawrence Quill is the 2019-2020 recipient of the President’s Scholar Award.
2020 Outstanding Professor: Charlotte Sunseri: SJSU Associate Professor of Anthropology Charlotte Sunseri is the 2019-2020 recipient of the Outstanding Professor Award.
The San Jose Fruit Cocktail: Canneries, Civil Rights and the Birth of Silicon Valley: For 100 years, San Jose’s canneries employed working-class families, women, and immigrants and inspired diverse communities to organize, advocate and use their voices.
Her Own Hero: The History of Women’s Self-Defense: Associate Professor of History Wendy Rouse explores the history of women in self-defense and its relationship to women’s rights.
Nicholas Taddeo Jr.: Creating Opportunities in Science: Taddeo established a scholarship to support students pursuing computer science.
Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston’s American Story: The Farewell to Manzanar author credits the civil rights movement for creating opportunities for people of color to share their experiences, voice their frustration and force the nation to confront racial inequality.
Meta Mereday: 9/11 First Responder and Veteran Advocate: Meta Mereday works to increase access and opportunities for veteran entrepreneurs.
Despite the challenges that this year has posed, I am hopeful that we can bring some positive change to our nation—and ultimately the world—come November. Please vote, if not for me, then for my son and daughter.