Category Archives: Uncategorized

Fanmi Mwen

Identity, Initiative, Interpersonal Relationships, UncategorizedAdmin

I am the oldest of six siblings. I have 5 sisters and 1 brother named; Joanna, Tanisha , Vannessa, Ruthanne, Channa. Family plays an important role in the continuation of my education. My mother stressed college to me which is partly the reason why I decided to attend Wesleyan University. Attending college allowed me to be independent because my family is either in Boston or Florida- my parents are not in a commutable distance to my location.

Both of my parents are of Haitian descent born and raised in Haiti. I am the first generation in my family to graduate from college. I believe I learned from this experience that it is important to be independent. Throughout my college years I’ve made genuine relationships with people in the community and university although I struggle to sustain those relationships.

In the courses I’ve taken at Wesleyan I learned more about my haitian identity. Freshman year I enrolled in Histories of the Caribbean where we read primary source documents about The Common Wind- the communication of those enslaved through the sea, during the Haitian revolution, in the New World. In addition to other texts as it relates to Marxs and Engles in the Caribbean. The Caribbean courses offered by Wesleyan is one of the reasons why I decided to pursue a Liberal Arts education. In my time at Wesleyan I got the chance to work with Professor Elizabeth McAlister taking photos of Haitian art in the fall 2020. While working with Professor McAlister, I learned about different modern artists and the materials used to make Haitian art. For example, the image above is of a Haitian artist. October 7th 2019 I got the chance to met artists from a haitian band RAM. Overall, attending Welseyan allowed me to explore my identity.

Pictured above Jeovanne Brumaire (my other), Aunt Tata, Uncle Mel, Monique B(My grandmother), and Aunt Neheime

From Rio De Janeiro to the Dance Room

Identity, Responsibility, UncategorizedAdmin

In 2020, I took a Business Ethics Course in Brazil. I got a chance to stay with a host family. There is a large afro indigenous population in Brazil. Traveling to Brazil was the first time I’d ever been outside of the country. I had to apply for a passport, study away visa, and medical insurance. The process took about one month. Fun fact, Brazil was the last country to abolish slavery. I got a chance to learn from the afro indigenous peoples in Brazil. In my freshman year, spring semester, I took an Afro-Brazilian dance class spring of 2020. I learned more about art in Brazil soon after the trip. Throughout the course, I used background life experience I learned in Brazil, specifically the dance samba

The course has educated me on real-life experiences. In Brazil, I went to a museum in Petropolis and I asked about the Afro- Brazilian experience. Come to find out they removed the afro-Brazilian exhibit in the museum. Another experience I had with learning more about Afro-Brazilian culture was through the TV show, She’s Gotta Have It. There was a mention of orixas in one of the episodes. Two dances in the choreography reminded me of Lansu and Xansu. The episode took place in Puerto Rico and the mother was extremely religious. In the episode, the mother gave food to the orixas before eating which I found interesting. The religion was praised on the show and made multiple appearances. Having the background of the class made me understand the dance in the last portion of the episode. The African Diaspora reached as far as Puerto Rico and the episode is testimony to this truth.

Berge and her classmates on a beach in Iiha Grande, Brazil.

I was able to apply my real-life experiences to the class from the daily greeting or the orixas learned in class. This made the class more interpersonal. Reading about the origins of Condomple in the course allowed me to delve deeper into Afro- Brazilian culture. Before COVID-19 I would practice the moves for movement evaluations with a partner. During the pandemic, I was practicing and mesmerizing dance move by myself. Art is not respected in the world of academia. I learned this through Yoruba reading. The first impression of cultures is dark. This course has taught me to see dance in a different light. I see dance as educational, as a form of communication and art. When in Brazil there was another student there that wanted to learn more about the Yoruba people. The global society remains sheltered from African culture. This course promotes dance education in Brazil where dance is not respected in the world of academia.

What is Colorism?

Identity, Initiative, Interpersonal Relationships, UncategorizedAdmin

A common theme in my writing is about the nuances of being black. What I mean by that is I tend to do research about my identity and how that fits in the space I occupy. For example, in 2020 I took a Public Speaking class and for our final project the class was tasked with writing a gala speech for a non-profit organization. I choose to write about colorism and how that may impact black girls in education. Prior to Wesleyan I took an Intro to Anthropology course and African Culture and Languages through the Harvard Crimson Academy. In the Anthropology course in 2018 I wrote a research paper on colorism in the Caribbean and the Americas. Similarly in 2016 I wrote a ted talk on beauty standards

Colorism is defined as ‘the prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group’.

There was a shift in the trajectory of my higher education. When I returned to the country, schooling became virtual and we were required to take courses via Zoom public speaking. This was a dramatic shift for me and my peers as we were not accustomed to taking courses online. As a result of COVID, I had to create a video of the speech I would have presented in class Spring of 2020. Being robbed by COVID from practicing public speaking skills in person, I wanted to take an interactive course upon return from Isolation. My sophomore year, fall semester, 2022, I took the startup incubator. I decided to work on creating a plan for a hypothetical vending machine that sold beauty supplies. It was difficult to communicate the importance of the vending machine on campus because not everyone in the community related to the machine (wouldn’t buy) and did not think it was necessary on campus. Although that did not stop me or my ideas!

Through the courses taken throughout my academic trajectory I’ve learned valuable research skills, writing techniques, and project management skills. I’d say that I am still developing interpersonal skills such as public speaking and relaying information to an audience. With preparation and knowledge I feel like I am able to collaborate with a team.

Pole Fitness Club

Initiative, Responsibility, UncategorizedAdmin

POLE is a pole fitness student group I began . POLE began spring semester in 2022. A student becomes a member by signing up and attending the first mandatory meeting. Members become official by adding them to the group operations via groupme and WesNest roster. The student group is horizontally run with- a group leader and a financial manager. The group leader can not be in they’re first or last year. P.O.L.E wants to cultivate a judge free safe zone for those on campus who want to express themselves physically through pole dancing. The group will be instrumental in holding this space by hosting intimate performances at a nearby fitness club in Hartford CT.

P.O.L.E will establish longevity and long-term effectiveness on campus by appointing a club leader at the end of the school year. In order to fulfill its intended mission of self awareness, the organization’s defining principles are to be inclusive, judgment free, healthy, and have fun! The group is committed to hosting an intimate performance at the end of the given school year depending on the capabilities of the members of the group.

The objective of the event is to engage with the community while showcasing what we did during the school year. The event would typically occur at the end of the school year in May. The club leader will host the event at an appropriate location on campus. The event will not require funding. The host leader will be responsible for confirming a location on campus for the event. A month prior the financial manager will be responsible for working with student involvement to promote the event.

GAP Semester Away

Research Skills, UncategorizedAdmin

My sophomore spring I took time off from Wesleyan for personal reasons. During this gap semester, I decided to split my time between working and traveling. Though I learned a lot over the course of the break, the most notable discovery was learning how to take care of myself. Since attending Wesleyan, I have been independent since I was about 18 years old. But taking that necessary period off, I was reminded of and refocused on why receiving higher education is important. Following COVID I took a semester off from school January, Spring Semester, 2021. I moved into a shared room and functioned without the Wesleyan security. During my time off I learned how to take care of myself, developed a passion for hair, and Interned for Cushamn and Wakefield in the Summer of 2021 before arriving back to Wesleyan.

My time away from school highlighted three truths that I had not yet realized. First and foremost, I was burnt out. I have been dedicating my time to extracurriculars and participating in the workforce since I was about 15 years old. In middle school, I attended the Steppingstone Academy, and remained an active member until my senior year of high school in 2019.

Summer Solo Travel
Dinner(rice with fried pork) with a friend I made in Puerto Rico 2020

Second, I discovered my passion for social justice work is to who I am. This passion can be channeled in an array of forms, from personal interaction to community involvement. From a very young age, I’ve always taken pride in being adaptable. I’ve spent a considerable amount of my college career working for The Connection, a non-profit agency in Connecticut. Fall of 2022 I was CPR certified by the Red Cross through the Connection. I know what it feels like to be labeled as the “other”. I’m familiar with the feeling of needing assistance from others, but not knowing how to ask for it. These experiences are one of the reasons why helping other people is so important to me. I challenge myself to always be selfless, although there are other times where I have to put myself first, because all I have is me by establishing boundaries.

Sand dollar found on beach in Puerto Rico

Lastly, I learned how to be independent. One habit of being is having to plan ahead and prepare for any and everything that comes my way. I have done this through programs I have participated in and the courses I have taken at Wesleyan. Throughout college I have worked full-time with an assortment of jobs. I worked as an Residertinail Aid at Wesleyan for two years. I’ve also spent some time working at the Middletown Hair City, a nearby hair story. At the hair store I developed a wig making hobby that I potentially want to explore in the future. In Spring of 2022 I will be exploring that passion at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.