On Feb. 9 the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion, in collaboration with the African American Student Union (AASU), hosted the 2022 Black History Month Lecture. 

The featured speaker of the event was Philonise Floyd, writer, activist and brother of George Floyd, a man whose murder at the hands of police officers sparked a national movement of racial equity and justice.

In his interview, which garnered over 200 attendees, Philonise Floyd began by discussing how he started his work in advocacy. 

While he had little interest in social justice advocacy when he was younger, after his brother’s death Floyd was overcome with the need to fight further violence. He felt his only option was to dedicate himself to the cause.

Floyd also discussed the uniqueness of the situation surrounding his brother’s death that sparked a social justice movement. 

The video of George Floyd’s murder began to go viral while people were isolated at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and it was harder than ever before for people to look away from the violence and hatred Black Americans experience on the daily basis.  

“This was … a motion cinema picture of a modern-day lynching in broad daylight. You can’t hide it. You can’t sweep it under the rug. People all around the world witnessed this,” Floyd said.  

Floyd’s work towards racial justice began immediately. 

The same day as his brother’s funeral, Floyd and his family went to Washington D.C. to begin meeting with politicians to discuss the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

There was no time for Floyd to grieve. Instead, he felt a pressing need for legislation to hold police
officers accountable.

“I knew that the pain inside of me was turning into purpose for me. And, I knew I would have to get out and speak because I wasn’t just speaking for George. I was speaking for every individual who lost their life to police brutality,” Floyd said.

Floyd went on to list several victims of hate-based violence, emphasizing that he could not possibly name them all because the list is far too long.

“Like Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor … Eric Garner … Pamela Turner,” Floyd said.

The work for racial equity is what Floyd continues today — fighting for legislation that holds people in power accountable and roots out systemic racism in America. 

After George Floyd’s death, people around the world began protesting racial injustices, and the national conversation about race and discrimination shifted.

Floyd said the movement that began after his brother’s death was sustainable and impactful because of its emphasis on diversity and inclusion. The protests united people of various races and backgrounds, building a community of people with shared values wanting to create a world in which everyone will be treated equitably no matter their race.

Part of the reason the protests in 2020 were so impactful was because so many people showed up to do the work — speaking out against racism.

“I always tell people — you’ve got to speak up. That’s the number one thing: if you witness any injustice no matter your bias or prejudice to it, don’t bind on to it. Don’t allow what happened to my brother to be your brother … anybody that’s loved to you,” Floyd said.

As a part of his talk, Floyd described how racism — from microaggressions to systemic discrimination — continue to affect Black Americans every day. 

One of his greatest concerns was the fear and ignorance that so many—particularly white people — have towards Black people. This year, that fear and ignorance has made its way into discussions of education. 

“We’ve been asking to be treated fairly for years and have to tell our kids the same thing over and over and tell these teachers ‘hey, treat our kids fairly,’” Floyd said.

Floyd mentioned teachers play a significant role in combating racism in the classroom, and they need to create a nurturing environment where students can feel safe to ask questions about race and learn to interact with kids who are different from them.

“Because when they’re interacting, they’re kids. The fact that you have these adults trying to change the narrative of a child being a child — they’re the ones that we have to get out of the classroom,” Floyd said. 

Racism is often learned at home, he pointed out. 

“Racism is built in a home, and that’s where it starts … That’s a problem, and that’s why it’s up to the teachers,” Floyd said.

 To Floyd, community leaders, such as teachers and young people engaging in community organizing, give him hope for the future of justice in America. The protests of 2020 proved that people are willing to fight to create a safer and more just world for everyone.

“It starts at home … It all comes down to your own humanity, your own soul, your own willingness to sacrifice for the greater good,” Floyd said.

Floyd pointed out the best ways for people to get involved in fighting for justice is to begin at the community level by starting conversations with family, neighbors and friends about race and encouraging your own personal community to begin advocating for the changes they want to see.

Most importantly, Floyd encouraged everyone to vote. 

He dismissed the misconception about one individual vote not having an impact, and he encouraged everyone to use their vote to ensure they have a say in their government and that they choose elected officials who best represent their values. 

Floyd emphasized that voting is increasingly important given efforts to subvert democracy through
voter suppression.

“If you think your vote don’t count, why are they trying to take it away from you?” Floyd said. 

While the fight for racial justice is far from over, and some of the momentum from 2020 may have died down, Floyd offered words of encouragement for those who are still working to build a better future.

“Keep fighting for change … You have to be loud for the people with no voices,” Floyd said.

To learn more about Tech’s diversity and inclusion efforts and Black History Month programming,
visit diversity.gatech.edu.

Living in a college dorm brings newfound independence, freedom and responsibility, and as young people coming of age in the midst of a climate disaster, many college students feel a sense of responsibility to the environment and creating more sustainable practices. 

While it may not solve climate change on its own, individual action plays an important role in demonstrating the value of protecting the environment. Recycling is one of the easiest and most impactful individual sustainability practices.

The best practices for recycling can be complex and change with every location you’re in, but Tech makes recycling easy with clear instructions on how recyclables should be handled in the dorms and across campus.

Follow these tips to make your dorm life more sustainable. 

The campus community must be sure to differentiate trash from recyclables. 

The recyclable materials accepted at on-campus receptacles are plastic bottles and containers, aluminum and steel cans and paper and cardboard goods. 

Glass is also accepted but must be disposed of separately. Tech’s waste management system only accepts brown, green and clear bottles and jars. 

Be mindful not to bag your recyclables. Plastic bags, like shopping bags and garbage bags, are not recyclable and any materials within them will be disposed of as trash. Leaving bottle caps on bottles is acceptable because the caps are too small to be processed by waste management individually. 

While most other materials are trash or compost, some trickier to recycle materials such as electronic waste, plastic bags and styrofoam can find a home outside of the dorm dumpsters. Thanks to Tech’s network of recycling programs, most difficult-to-recycle items can be disposed of safely on campus. If you are looking for more information on recyclable materials, recycle.gatech.edu offers a guide of what materials can be recycled and where. 

Another cardinal rule of recycling, no matter where you are, is to clean your recyclables before you deposit them. 

“As a general rule of thumb, I tell people, if they put their recyclables in a bin, you should be able to reach in and not feel gross about it,” said Emma Brodzik, Zero Waste Project Manager of the Office of Solid Waste Management and Recycling. 

“Things should be rinsed out and empty, but not necessarily scrubbed down and washed,” Brodzik said. 

Brodzik also recommends keeping a separate storage receptacle for recyclables. Sorting recyclables prior to taking out the trash will save time and allow you to take out the trash less often. Reusable bags make a great recycling container because they are easy to transport and store in between uses. 

The final step of the recycling process is depositing the waste. Tech has a recycling drop-off location on East campus, at the intersection of Sixth Street and Techwood Drive. The Greek Neighborhood has a recycling drop-off system as well. Most campus buildings have their own recycling bin. 

Each residence hall has a corresponding recycling drop off. All residence halls except the North Avenue apartments use dumpster sites located outside the building, and some dorms share a dumpster site. North Avenue apartments use a trash chute system that includes recycling. 

Dumpster sites have large brown dumpsters for trash, green dumpsters for accepted recyclable materials, a blue cart for glass and a black cart for compostable materials. 

These various rules and regulations can be difficult to always follow correctly. When attempting sustainability initiatives such as recycling, it is easy to become doubtful of its effectiveness. Brodzik emphasized that proper recycling practices matter, especially in Georgia, where we have a significant market for recycled materials.

Our community’s continued dedication to building a safer and cleaner future can be seen across campus from the sustainable Kendeda Building to the recycling programs in dorms. 

Beginning on Oct. 1, the Tech Library opened an Art-o-mat machine on the Grove level of Price Gilbert Library adjacent to the Sideways Cafe.

The Art-o-mat is a vintage cigarette vending machine, refurbished and repurposed to dispense small art pieces in place of cigarettes.

Students can purchase a token from the INFODesk or online using a QR code and deposit the token into the machine to receive a small piece of artwork roughly the size of a cigarette box.

The concept was created by Clark Whittington as an art piece to be shown at Penny Universitie, a cafe in North Carolina.

When the store owner wanted to keep the piece on display, Whittington decided he, alongside his collective, Artists in Cellophane, wanted to use the machine to promote the works of local artists and public consumption of art.

From there, the piece grew into a worldwide art project. Artists from across the world apply and submit their work to join the collective of artists who are featured in the machine.

Organizations wanting to host an Art-o-mat similarly apply and begin the process of selecting and installing their vending machine and receive a shipment of small art to stock it.

There are over 200 Art-o-mat machines across the US and over 400 artists worldwide contributing to the project.

At Tech, Alison Valk, multimedia instruction librarian, spearheaded the project as a part of an art program being promoted at the library, known as the ARTS Initiative.

On what inspired her to bring the project to Tech, Valk said, “I had heard about the project because I had read about it in magazines, and I discovered that Georgia really didn’t have many Art-o-mats.”

Bringing an Art-o-mat to the library also fits with the goals of Tech.

“I thought it would be interesting for the renovated library to become a host organization for one, since promoting artwork has become a big part of the strategic plan with Georgia Tech,” Valk said.

After Tech was designated a host organization, Valk and a team of her colleagues at the library worked together to select the model of Art-o-mat. They chose the Space Monkey, which was one of the original Art-o-mat Machines.

Valk said this model was chosen because of its special meaning for the Tech community in reference to recent strides made in space travel and exploration, and the themes of science and technology would be appealing to Tech students.

Since its installation, the Art-o-mat has proven to be a success.

“At this rate, we’re going to probably be [replacing the art] every couple of months. It’s been very popular so far, and we’ve been selling a lot,” Valk said.

The Art-o-mat is also bringing a new slate of arts programming to the library.

The library has plans to offer a workshop and speaking event with Clark Whittington in spring of 2022, where Whittington will discuss the origins and inspiration for the Art-o-mat as well as run a workshop to teach students how to make their own small art prototype.

This type of programming and the machine itself is a part of the ARTs Initiative — Tech’s efforts to increase students’ exposure to arts through creative based programming and public art displays on campus.

One offering of the ARTs Initiative is smART (Students Making Art).

Expected in 2022, the goal of smART is to encourage faculty to integrate art into their course projects.

“[These courses] have the library’s support in whatever way we can — whether that’s bringing artists to classes as guest speakers or having artists run workshops to help them think about in new and creative ways,” Valk said.

The library is also excited to host an artist-in-residence in the spring of 2022 as a part of Tech’s efforts to promote artistic and creative programming.

“I think that’s going to be really exciting. Having artists use the library as inspiration for their artwork and share that knowledge with students,” Valk said.

The Art-o-mat fits well into the ARTs Initiative.

“I started seeing a need for the library to help develop some arts programming. There weren’t many outlets for students creatively,” Valk said.

“I think it essentially encourages students to look beyond just the Georgia Tech bubble and see what people are doing across the world and around the country.”

To learn more about the library’s creative programming, contact Alison Valk at alison.valk@library.gatech.edu, or view the library programming calendar at library.gatech.edu/events.

It is autumn in Atlanta. An uncharacteristically cold year has brought chilly weather and autumn leaves earlier than usual in the state of Georgia, so Atlanta has more time to take in the grace of fall. Make the most of the season with these cozy autumn activities.

If you are looking to get outside and enjoy the rich colors of fall, Gibbs Gardens offers an immersive nature experience.

Red, yellow and orange leaves paint the scenery of the Monet Bridge, bringing to life the famous Water Lilies painting of its namesake. Stroll through the picturesque forest and take in the brightly colored foliage of the over 3,000 Japanese maple trees, or rainbow-colored rolling hills of the fall wildflower meadow.

Gibbs Gardens spans over 300 acres and offers 16 different gardens, so it offers something for everyone to enjoy.

While the city of Atlanta does not have many hiking options, the metro Atlanta area has hiking trails and parks galore for the adventurous type.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park offers scenic views of forest and mountain across over 15 miles of trails. The park’s main feature is the Kennesaw Mountain trail — a hike to the peak of Kennesaw Mountain that overlooks Atlanta, Stone Mountain and the expansive tree canopy that gives Atlanta the moniker “city in a forest.”

The Kennesaw Mountain Trail is also the most challenging of the park trails, deemed a “moderately difficult, but relatively short hike” by Trailful Outdoor, because of its mildly steep and rocky slopes. For the less adventurous, Kennesaw Mountain also offers historical, environmental and scenic trails suitable for casual rambles and jogging.

If you dream of experiencing autumn as a character for Gilmore Girls, you should get to know Decatur Square, located fifteen minutes away from Tech. This suburb of Atlanta offers the aesthetics of small town Americana in a new way. The indie stores and restaurants are almost enticing enough to distract from the gentrification of a once richly diverse city.

Gather all your friends for fun and a fall-themed photoshoot at the Buford Corn Maze. Get lost in the corn maze, or engage in other corn-themed activities such as the Cornball Slider. Beyond corn, the maze offers farm animal petting zoos, a pumpkin patch and hayrides, and they have an antique tractor designated specifically for photos.

While apple picking season has come to a close, plenty of apple orchards remain open for visits and continue to sell homemade products and fresh produce all season. The city of Ellijay, known as the Apple Capital of Georgia, has an overwhelming selection of apple orchards to choose from.

The B.J. Reece Orchard was selected as one of the best apple picking spots by Explore Georgia. Visitors are welcome to walk the over-120 acre grounds with some apples still available for limited picking and a fresh market that offers a variety of local, in-season produce.

For those looking to stay closer to campus, you can witness the change of the seasons on full display in Harrison Square.

The red, orange and yellow colors in the heart of Old Campus creates a picturesque break from the monotonous modernity of the rest of campus.

As the chaos of finals approaches, it is important to remember to take a break, get outside and breathe in some fresh air.

Autumn in Atlanta also brings brightly colored sunsets, which can be best viewed from Piedmont Park.

Just a five minute drive from Tech, Piedmont Park offers the perfect view of the city against the bright pink, purple and orange skies of fall evenings. Bring some friends and take in the beauty of the Empire City of the South.

When you need a pick-me-up after a long day of fall-themed fun, Dancing Goats, located across from the Midtown MARTA station, offers a wide selection of coffee, tea and baked goods. Known for their specialty blends and indie aesthetics, Dancing Goats has plenty of space to study and hang out with friends over coffee.

Students who are unfamiliar with Atlanta can also get to see more of the city outside of Tech Square without straying too far from campus.

Fall is also flu season. Nothing says cozy autumn vibes more than immunizations. Flu shots are available at Stamps Health Service, as well as local pharmacies.

Fall in Atlanta brings plenty of seasonally-themed fun, but it is also a great time to take a break from campus and explore.

Whether you enjoy spooky season or Christian girl autumn, autumn in Atlanta has something for everyone.

I keep thinking back to Week of Welcome when I had just moved into an apartment.

It was my first time being on campus after over a year of isolation and social distancing.

The anticipation of starting a new chapter, of being around people.

I was sold on the pipe dream that life would return to normal.

All I wanted was to return to the feeling I had my first semester of college, before the pandemic.

I spent time with friends every day, setting up camp wherever I could find a seat in the library.

I romanticized the little moments that made that time in my life feel normal.

Now, it is those very motions of everyday life that drain me.

I had forgotten what it felt like to be a part of something–to feel as if I belonged.

I thought returning to in-person would bring back that feeling.

That is the hope that I held onto for the past year and a half.

By the end of Week of Welcome, I began to feel the shift.

My life was not what it had been before the pandemic. Now, I do not think it will ever be the same again. In that first week with a jam-packed schedule of on-campus events and old friends returning to campus, I became overzealous and overcommitted to going out and seeing people every day.

Within five days, I crashed. Small talk never used to take this much out of me.

Driving around Atlanta had never filled me with existential dread.

Once the semester started, I did not recognize that I was hurting myself.

I thought “normal life” was just something I had to become reacquainted with, so I kept pushing myself beyond my limits.

Before the end of August, I reached a level of burnout no amount of boundary setting could solve.

Over a year in isolation led to my social appetite changing in a way I could not have predicted.

And I am still not certain how to cope with it.

I have held onto this big empty feeling in my chest of not knowing if I am okay and not being sure on what to do about it.

The devastation of not knowing who I am and of not knowing how to live in this brand new world has made a home in my heart.

Since I crashed, I have practiced pacing myself and trying to understand where my new boundaries exist.

The pandemic has left me with a lot of trauma I’ve only just begun to sort through.

This exercise in looking back and self-reflection has cleared a path to reach “better.”

The image of the new me is beginning to come into focus.

I concede my memories of my first year might have a rose-colored tint to them.

I cannot remember feeling anything negative — no stress, loneliness or fear.

As much as I wish to return to that place, how can you return to your old self if they have become a stranger?

So with all of this being said, I am now reintroducing myself — like falling in love for the first time, I am slowly getting to know what makes this stranger tick.

And as is the way with any rebirth, I am trying to carve out a place for myself that feels like home.

On Friday, Oct. 3, Parking Day, a global public event that reclaims street parking spaces for public use for a day, was hosted by the Tech Student Planning Association (SPA) in Tech Square.

Promotional materials for the event said its purpose was to “spark a conversation with passersby to help educate them how public space is designed and allocated.”

“We are also hoping to inspire people to interact with these temporary public spaces in new and innovative ways,” the material continued.

For four hours, organizers occupied five parking spaces along 5th Street NW and granted participants creative control in how they wanted to repurpose the parking spaces. SPA provided attendees with art supplies to work on creative projects. Some spaces were lined with green carpet and lawn chairs to create makeshift parks. SPA also created activities for attendees to engage in such as trivia games and activities with prizes and snacks provided.

“Basically, the premise of Parking Day is to draw awareness to how much space we give cars, particularly in cities. As planners, we like to say we plan for people not cars,” said Bianca Mers,

CRP graduate student and president of SPA.

The event provided attendees with an opportunity to have fun with friends and enjoy the beautiful weather. But Parking Day went beyond a fun day of activities to educate the public about the cost of parking financially, environmentally and socially with accessible alternatives to parking.

Parking in Atlanta can be costly, but organizers say parking that requires pay is important. Free parking is not free. If the consumer does not pay for it, the cost of the space and its use is subsidized by businesses, employees and cities. The burden of this cost can result in higher taxes, rent and other living expenses such as food and shopping.

Alternative forms of travel such as walking and public transportation are more environmentally friendly. Additionally, parking spaces can be expensive and inaccessible. Parking Day wants to encourage everyone to reimagine what their cities would look like if these spaces were allocated to better benefit the community, such as with a park.

“If we’re giving a lot of land to cars, and we’re giving more of that land to cars than we do to people, then that’s really telling of where our priorities are,” Mers said.

Mers said it is important to start these conversations about land use with members of the public.

When discussing social issues such as a lack of green space or affordable housing and where to put such spaces, she wants community members to remember the parking spaces.

Many people underestimate how much city planning influences their lifestyles and everyday choices, especially where they live, how they travel and where they spend their time and money. In Atlanta, Mers said that the city is not very walkable or bikeable and the public transportation system is in need of improvement. But the public did not make these decisions. Instead, these choices were made on their behalf by city planners.

According to Mers, Parking Day wants to let community members know that their opinions and ideas on parking matter. The best way to make their voice heard is through voting. Many of the land use decision makers are found in down ballot races, which are local or state races that fall below the presidential or nation-wide elections on the ballot.

“Further reason why we, as city planners, take pretty strong political opinions sometimes is because a lot of the people you vote into office allocate where your resources go,” Mers said.

Down ballot races and local elections often contribute the most to citizens’ everyday lives but are the hardest races to get the community engaged in. Parking Day, in part, works to ensure community members are informed on land use issues and how to make changes in their communities.

Mers wants to encourage everyone to use their voice and their votes to help create a city that allocates its land in the best interests of its people.

“Especially now, as we look to the future of planning and what it means to be a livable city and how we can make cities more equitable and more just — a huge part of that is how we use our land,” Mers said.

To learn more about Georgia Tech’s Parking Day and getting involved with SPA, visit @spa_georgiatech on Instagram.

In June 2021, Tech appointed Dr. Luoluo Hong as vice president of the newly established Student Engagement and Well-Being unit, a revised and restructured version of the former division of Student Life and division of Campus Services.

Student Engagement and Well-Being includes all the services of the original unit, but the leadership of the unit has been reorganized, and its goals have been refocused to place more emphasis on a holistic approach to student health and well-being.

These changes to the division were caused by a need to realign student services at Tech to better meet the needs of the Tech community.

Such needs include mental health and well-being, physical health and diversity and inclusion.

“How do we create a better co-curricular, out of classroom experience that supports the total student?” Hong said.

As for her role in the new division, Hong said she was hired under the generic goal of coordinating the integration of two divisions into one, more expansive unit. However, during her time at Tech and with her prior experience, she is getting a better idea of what students need from Student Engagement and Well Being.

“There are so many things the out of classroom experience can teach us so that we come out with a whole learning experience,” Hong said. “It’s not just the intellectual skills or the academic expertise, but that we grow as total human beings.”

Hong and the division of Student Engagement and Well-Being are currently working to get to know students and their needs. Through this process, they hope to develop goals that are more uniquely tailored to the campus community.

There are also efforts underway to address some of Tech’s most pressing issues, namely in mental health. Tech has joined the University System of Georgia’s Mental Health Initiative and has received funding to help improve mental health resources.

Additionally, Tech has joined the Jed Foundation initiative. The Jed Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose focus is on the mental health and well-being and suicide prevention among teens and young adults in the US.

Hong is also looking to respond to student concerns over CARE services. The goal of these mental health initiatives is to better understand what mental health needs exist for Tech students and what changes could be made to better meet those needs. She expressed particular concern for students’ ability to take care of themselves while meeting the high-pressure demands of Tech.

“There’s a reconciliation of excellence at Georgia Tech. How do we remain excellent and compassionate?” Hong said.

“Can intellectual, academic, scholarly well-being be enhanced by greater well-being? That’s the approach we have to lean into.”

Hong noted that Tech’s culture of academic excellence and achievement can often interfere with students’ ability to take care of themselves.

Recent changes across campus meant to cater more towards student care is an attempt to change this culture and offer greater resources to support student’s well-being throughout their university experience.

Hong is the first to step into the position of vice president of Student Engagement and Well-Being.

At the beginning of the semester, she sent an email to the campus community to introduce herself and the new division, which received an overwhelmingly positive response from students.

Several students praised her on the Tech reddit page for her honesty and vulnerability in speaking about her personal experiences and trauma.

While she is entering her vice presidency with a resume spanning three decades in education and public health, Hong said her personal experiences ground her to her work.

“I was a sexual assault survivor, and it happened when I was in college … my own experiences of high risk drinking as a way to cope with depression. I also struggled with suicide ideation and made an attempt my sophomore year,” Hong said.

“So that led to pursuing a career in public health.”Hong said her experiences in college taught her the vital impact student services can have on student’s lives.

While at Amherst College, she founded a self-help support group for rape and sexual assault survivors, acting as a supplement to counseling.

“It did things that I don’t know counseling can do by itself. Just the power of being in a room with other women who were college students at the same campus and had gone through it, too,”

Hong said. She began her career working in a rape crisis center. While she found the work to be rewarding, it showed her the need for greater crisis prevention services. This inspired her approach to dealing with rape and sexual assault on campus.

Additionally, she spoke about how her own experiences with racial and gender-based discrimination and microaggressions influenced her passion for diversity and inclusion in schools.

“I also experienced feelings of ‘I’m other,’ ‘I’m different’ because of who I am and what I look like,” Hong said.

The division is placing an emphasis on major concerns of students including issues of diversity and inclusion and financial support for students. Hong’s approach places students at the forefront.

From meeting with and learning from student communities to working with students in decision-making bodies, Hong wants to ensure that students have a voice in the administration.

“I’m always going to stand up for what I think is right … I will speak up if I believe there is injustice,” Hong said.

“I will use my voice at the table in asking questions and supporting what best supports students, and I will use what I learned from students … The good, the bad, the ugly, the gorgeous. I’ll try to bring all that to bear.”

To reach out to the division of Student Engagement and Well-Being, emailvp_sewb@gatech.edu.

On the evening of Aug. 26, the Office of Minority Education and Development (OMED) hosted the OMED Carnival, an event bringing together sections of Institute Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (IDEI), minority fraternities and sororities, and other inclusive initiatives at Tech to celebrate the beginning of the fall semester.

The three hour event took place on Harrison Square and included free barbeque, games and a raffle. The event’s main feature was the information tables promoting inclusivity-oriented organizations, such as Tech’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and minority-inclusive fraternities and sororities such as the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC).

Through the carnival and other promotional programming they have planned for the fall semester, OMED aims to let minority students know they have a support system at Tech.

“Every year we do this as a way to just kick it off and make sure students know that we’re here to support them from the moment they enter campus to the moment they walk across the stage,” said Denise Ocasio Thomas, assistant director of Retention Initiatives with OMED, when describing the purpose of the OMED Festival.

Organizers emphasized the importance of hosting a fun and casual event that is still able to inform the Tech community of resources that are available to them.

The resounding concern from event organizers and volunteers is that many students of minority backgrounds, who are often most in-need of support, are not aware of what resources are available to them.

Inclusivity organizations at Tech must often make a greater effort to gain exposure to the community than other organizations on campus.

The carnival, sponsored by BP, also featured networking opportunities for attendees.

In particular, the networking focused on elevating minority students who have been historically underrepresented in professional settings.

“OMED provides resources academically, professionally and socially, and you don’t have to be specifically a minority student … so we just want to spread the word and help the most people that we can,” said Alexandra Madrid, fourth-year CE.

Organizers and attendees of the event agreed that promoting inclusive organizations includes providing a platform for them to interact with the general student body.

“I love meeting everyone, being able to tell them more about the organization. I joined this organization my freshman year, and it has done so much for me, so I’m really happy to be able to share this with everyone else,” said Sophia Ung, third-year CHBE and the vice president of administration for SWE.

Student reaction to the carnival makes it clear — students are excited to engage with inclusive organizations.

Simply seeing a diverse group of people gathering together piqued students’ interest enough to join the carnival on a whim.

“I was honestly just passing by from the library,” said Sharanya Pillalamarri, third-year CS. “I think it’s just nice to see so many people of color and the diversity.”

In hosting the carnival, OMED aimed to demonstrate the positive impact that finding a community can have on students.

These organizations, in particular, aim to support students who are often dismissed or excluded because of their identities.

“Our job is to promote them and to uplift them and to find people who are doing a lot on campus that other people wouldn’t see their contributions,” said Gabi Nwachukwu, fourth-year AE.

As Tech returns to residential instruction, the importance of meeting students face-to-face is not lost on organizers.

“My favorite part of this event is seeing students engage with one another after coming off a very challenging year with COVID. It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to see students engage and smile and laugh and banter,” Thomas said.

Overwhelmingly, students were excited to find a community of people with shared culture, experiences and ambitions, emphasizing the importance of diversity and inclusivity initiatives.

Students who are historically underrepresented, especially in STEM fields, often struggle with feeling at home at Tech.

For these students, finding a community to call their own can be transformative for them, personally, and elevate their college experience.

For more information on OMED, visit their website at omed.gatech.edu to find a contact form, event calendar and other support services offered through OMED.

For many Tech students, summer break goes beyond a vacation. This past summer, several students chose to invest their time giving back to communities in need by engaging in volunteer opportunities.

Tech offers several on-campus organizations that connect students with civic engagement opportunities in Atlanta and around the world.

Three key organizations that work in community service opportunities are the Office of Civic Engagement (CE), Mobilizing Opportunities for Volunteer Experience (MOVE) and Alternative Service Breaks (ASB).

Sarah Strohmenger, director for civic engagement in the Office of Student Engagement, described the purpose of CE.

“At Georgia Tech, so much of the work of the Office of Civic Engagement is to support students in their programming and community engagement efforts,” Strohmenger said.

According to Strohmenger, CE programs provide students an environment of creativity and reflection vital to personal growth. CE programming offers students an opportunity to engage consistently or just once for a few hours. Students can find a fulfilling experience by connecting to other students and community partners.

In collaboration with Wreck Camp, CE began a new effort to offer service project options for incoming first-years this summer.

Then, during Week of Welcome events, CE worked with MOVE to create “Small Act, Big Impact, A Day of Service,” another event offering for incoming freshmen.

Students can look forward to upcoming service projects and events as well.

The 11th annual “Into The Streets Day of Service” is set to take place on Sept. 11. Another popular event is the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, a part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Commemorative Event Series.

“This event often encompasses a variety of service projects, along with discussions, reflection and speakers to help us serve with the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. in mind.” Strohmenger said.

Similar to CE, MOVE also helps connect students to civic engagement opportunities throughout the campus community. MOVE is staffed with 6 different committees: Animal Welfare, Hunger and Homelessness, STEM and Education, Sustainability, Medical Assistance and Special Projects, which encompasses all subject areas not covered by the other committees. MOVE also offers a student-led podcast, The MOVEments Podcast.

“The MOVEments podcast gives listeners context of social issues that local leaders are addressing in our community, and different ways to get involved in those projects as well,” said Sydney Blakeney, fourth-year INTA and director of logistics for MOVE.

In Blakeney’s experience, students who are a part of MOVE share a passion for service. Because MOVE covers broad subject areas, their programming accommodates a variety of interests.

Students who join MOVE can connect to a network of students who share similar interests and values. And, taking on a committee position offers students experience in developing impactful civic engagement events and coordinating with service organizations for large-scale programming.

MOVE will be participating in the Student Organizations Fair and the Service Organizations Fair in the Fall Semester, as well as the “Into the Streets Day of Service” event.

Distinct from other programs, ASB offers students a unique and enriching experience through travel-based programming. Prior to COVID, ASB offered local, national and international engagement opportunities.

“ASB allows students to make an impact not only in the Atlanta community, but communities across the U.S. and around the world during those breaks from school.” said Nadia Ahmedin, fourth-year BME.

Ahmedin believes ASB’s immersive experiences were key to helping her form lasting relationships through the organization.

Not only do students have experiences of cultural immersion and helping communities in need, but they also form a unique bond with the other members of their team. ASB programming also offers students opportunities for personal and group reflection to enhance students’ understanding of their work.

ASB’s next service project is scheduled for Fall 2021. They also offer recurring programming in the fall, spring and summer.

For more information about CE, contact Sarah Strohmenger at sarahstroh@gatech.edu. For more information on MOVE, find them on Instagram and Facebook, @movegt.

For more information on ASB, reach out to servicebreaks@gatech.edu.

Our Take: 4 Stars

On Mar. 19, Disney+ premiered “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” the second of three limited series planned to supplement the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” depicts the world in wake of the Blip, the disappearance of half the world’s population that took place in “Avengers: Infinity War” and their subsequent return in “Avengers: Endgame.”

“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and its sister shows, “WandaVision” and “Loki,” act as stepping stones into a new generation of Marvel movies. The characters in these series, already familiar to Marvel fans, are responsible for ushering in Phase IV, a new era in the MCU.

In “Falcon,” the Global Repatriation Council (GRC) is an international organization charged with helping newly returned Blip victims restore and rebuild their lives. However, those who did not disappear in the Blip are being displaced from their homes and deprived of resources.

Enter the Flag Smashers, an international grassroots organization aiming to return the world to how it was during the Blip, where people supported each other and cared about their fellow man.

Led by Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman, “Solo: A Star Wars Story”), the Flag Smashers begin to build an army of super soldiers using stolen vials of the serum that gave the former Captain America, Steve Rogers, his super strength.

With international rebellion and conflict on the rise, the GRC grants Captain America’s shield to John Walker (Wyatt Russell, “22 Jump Street”) to rouse hope among the public. Walker is a trained soldier tasked within using his military skills to snuff out the rebels.

“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” ultimately, is a continuation of the story of Captain America following the death of Steve Rogers. Rogers’ friends and titular characters Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, “8 Mile”) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastion Stan, “I, Tonya”) must learn to adjust to their lives without him.

Sam Wilson grappled with taking on the mantle of Captain America and furthering Rogers’s legacy in a racially divided America and eventually decided to pass on the honor. With Wilson’s refusal, John Walker was given the shield and the title instead.

Bucky Barnes is reckoning with the trauma of the torture and mind control he experienced operating under Hydra as the Winter Soldier.

Wilson and Barnes team up to stop the unregulated use of the super soldier serum, and the violence that results from the Flag Smasher’s rebellion.

The Flag Smashers blame the GRC and Walker, acting as an agent of the GRC, for the displacement of the people who were left behind in the Blip. While Walker aims to fight back and capture the rebellion leader, Wilson and Barnes attempt to quell the violence through more peaceful means with the help of Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp, “Revenge”) and Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl, “Inglourious Bastards”).

Director Kari Skogland and creator Malcolm Spellman crafted the series to emulate the original Marvel films as much as possible, and successfully retained the sense of the Marvel Universe magic. However, at times, it is clear that the formula of the MCU films does not neatly fit into the television format.

The series took two episodes to establish the major characters and conflicts, which initially affected the pacing of the story, making it much slower than a typical Marvel film. However, by the third episode, the series was able to recreate the fast paced story and conflict Marvel fans have come to expect from the MCU.

At the heart of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” are the central characters and their love-hate relationship. Their banter and tension is key to creating lighter moments in the story. From the moment Wilson and Barnes connect on screen, the chemistry of the actors, Mackie and Stan, shines through and lends a unique charm and heart to the series.

Adding Brühl’s Zemo to the mix has created a hilariously mismatched trio of characters. Brühl’s performance, in particular, brings a certain charisma and humor to the somewhat-reformed villain.

The audience gets to delve more into the character’s personality and motivations not seen in “Captain America: Civil War,” where he was first introduced. Zemo’s swagger and dance moves have made him a surprise fan favorite.

The stand-out performance of the show is Wyatt Rusell as John Walker. Walker enters the role of Captain America wanting to live up to the mantle but is plagued by his inability to measure up to his predecessor.

The character consists of equal parts good and evil. Russell is able to portray Walker’s discord and complexities with a precise artistry that brings a refreshingly dark energy to the story of Captain America.

“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” grounds the Marvel universe in a grittier and more complicated world than where the films left it and offers both familiarity and originality for Marvel fans and new viewers alike.