Partnerships:
- International Voices: Lehigh
- What constituted the partnership?
International Voices is a student club and literary magazine refounded in 2017. The student-governed magazine highlights the creativity, diversity, and inspiration that flourish at Lehigh University. It collaborates with the Center for Gender Equity, Lehigh After Dark, and the larger Bethlehem community.
- How did the partner help you?
I have contacted Teresa Cusumano, an English instructor and the Faculty Advisor of International Voices, last semester for including our script in their magazine. Due to the COVID-19, the plan was canceled. This semester, she helped us send the introduction of our project and our audition link to students of International Voices and those in her English courses. She has also kept a page in the magazine waiting for our new version of the script.
- How did you help them?
Our script is a social justice theatre that aims to increase people’s awareness of the mass incarceration rate in the US and the situation of LGBTQ+ inmates. If this piece is included in the International Voices magazine, it will not only add the diversity to the overall content, but also represent Lehigh nationally and internationally, and will build credibility by broadening readers’ horizons on the mass incarceration topic.
- Was this a symbiotic relationship?
Yes. They help us with propaganda, and we help them explore a new area of knowledge as well as building credibility.
- What would help strengthen this partnership and make it more equitable?
Consistent communication about possible changes and helping them with the propaganda of their magazine. Revising the script to a more attractive version since it has a heavy topic and a lot of information that might make it boring.
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Dr. Bonnie: Team
- What constituted the partnership?
Dr.Bonnie Winfield operates an art-based support program for incarcerated women, The Journey Home. She developed an art therapy program for female inmates. Our previous focus was on incarcerated women, so we have established the partnership since last semester.
- How did the partner help you?
Last semester, Dr.Bonnie provided us with some poems written by female inmates and their stories. She planned to bring us into the Northampton Prison and interview some inmates, but the COVID-19 stopped us. This semester, she had several meetings with us, sharing her research results, stories, and contact list with us.
- How did you help them?
We will include her name and introduction page on our website and build her credibility. Her thoughts and concerns will be spread to more people through our play.
- Was this a symbiotic relationship?
Yes. She helps us a lot on completing the content of the script, and we will help her spread her ideas to more people. Our aim is the same: to decrease the mass incarceration rate in the US and to adjust the current policy.
- What would help strengthen this partnership and make it more equitable?
Dr.Bonnie is a professional researcher with many more resources and a larger network. As student researchers, we should have consistent communication and consistent work on spreading her thoughts to more people.
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Office of Creative Inquiry: Lehigh
- What constituted the partnership?
The internal office of the university has started the Mountaintop Summer Experience in the summer of 2018.
- How did the partner help you?
The office established the LVSIF project. It offers us funding, network, and university approval on research. We have weekly meetings to discuss how to make a progress.
- How did you help them?
Our project adds diversity to the Creative Inquiry projects and represents Lehigh nationally and internationally. We build credibility by showing their work is efficient and will make a difference.
- Was this a symbiotic relationship?
Yes, because we help each other and collaborate with each other.
- What would help strengthen this partnership and make it more equitable?
We can strengthen this partnership by working more efficiently and spreading our work to more people. In this way, the Creative Inquiry Office will have the opportunity to get good publicity and more partners.
4. Pride Center: Lehigh
- What constituted the partnership?
The Pride Center for Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity exists to build a just, equitable world through community building and the pursuit of change. They were working on the mass incarceration of minority groups, especially the LGBTQ+ inmates. We have established a partnership since last semester. Now we have a more similar focus, we can collaborate better.
- How did the partner help you?
We had a meeting with Mel and Scott Burden of the Pride Center. They told us about some events they held and their purpose. They also gave us the resources and contact lists.
- How did you help them?
We will spread their thoughts and ideas to more people through our play. The Pride Center will be on our list of resources in the final performance, so we help them build credibility and find more partners.
- Was this a symbiotic relationship?
Yes, because we help each other and collaborate with each other as I noted above.
- What would help strengthen this partnership and make it more equitable?
We can strengthen this partnership by communicating consistently, working more efficiently, and spreading their thoughts and research to more people. In this way, the Pride Center will have the opportunity to get good publicity and more partners.
5. End Mass Incarceration – Power Lehigh Valley: Team
- What constituted the partnership?
Our partnership with this organization started before I enter the team. The Beyond Bars 1.0 had performed successfully with their support. We have the same purpose, so our partnership will last long.
- How did the partner help you?
They have weekly meetings about mass incarceration and stories of inmates. They have provided us with a perfect platform for our performance.
- How did you help them?
Their aim is to raise more people’s awareness of mass incarceration in the US. We will have more than one show, and every performance will let more people know about the current situation. This organization will also be introduced on our website. They can get more partners.
- Was this a symbiotic relationship?
Yes. This organization helped us a lot with completing the project. Our aim is the same: to decrease the mass incarceration rate in the US and to adjust the current policy.
- What would help strengthen this partnership and make it more equitable?
We will have consistent communication with them. Exchanging information and network can strengthen this partnership and efficiently spread our thoughts and research to more people.
