Differing perception of speaker’s Darfur presentation
I am writing in response to the article titled “Speaker insensitive in Darfur presentation” by Madelaine Anderson.
I completely disagree with the remarks Madelaine made about Susan’s work and goals in helping Darfur. This woman has dedicated her life to helping Darfurian women and families and is in no way, shape or form trying to exoticize the situation or people of Darfur. I feel that Madelaine did not properly understand what Susan’s mission is because I know for a fact that Susan spends every day working to educate and help these people. She was simply coming in to Mills to help spread the message, to give us a sense of what these people experience everyday; to put faces on this country we hear about day after day.
What I will say is that maybe she came in on a bad day because she had just returned from a trip to Darfur and seemed pretty devastated about the direction things are going there and because she is disturbed by the overwhelming hurt and pain that these people continue to face. Susan is human and is allowed to feel pain and express it, and I think that is what she was doing that day.
And what I would like to know is what have you done for the people of Darfur today, or at all? So many people are uninformed or misinformed on the horrid day-to-day lives of these women and people and I was disappointed that there were not more people attending this event and I am sorry that you got this incorrect impression of Susan. Maybe next time you can ask her questions to hear more about her work and dedication before you assume that she was being selfish and degrading Darfur people.
Because what she’s really doing is giving these people a voice, a path, a sense of hope for the future.
-Ari Lloyd, senior
Former employee wants to thank the Mills community
I would like to thank the Mills Community for the opportunity to serve as your Tea Shop Manager over the past year. The decision to outsource the dining services was not supported by the dining staff. And, yes, I did apply for a position with Bon Appetit and was happy that I was not hired by them. I am know working in San Rafael for Follett Higher Education Group running Dominican University’s bookstore.
-Steven Deresh
