Spelman Embraces Global Community With International Spring Events

The Spelman community kicked off spring with a host of international events in celebration of various cultures. Held March 22 – April 1, the International Film Festival, West Indies International Festival, and “The International Vagina Monologues” showcased Spelman’s commitment to global citizenship.

Hosted by the department of world languages and literature, the weeklong International Film Festival featured five movies.  Shown were two Spanish films, “Mancora” and “La Zona,” a French film, “The Battle of Algiers,” the Japanese film, “City of Lost Souls,” and a Chinese film, “The Course of the Golden Flower.”

The International Film Festival began in 2004, originally comprised only of Hispanic films and then known as the International Spanish Film Festival. The event soon began incorporating films from other foreign languages taught at Spelman.

“My role as a professor goes beyond teaching and interacting in the classroom,” said Julio Gonzalez-Ruiz, Ph.D., associate professor of Spanish, and organizer of the event. “We want our students to be global citizens and prepared leaders, not just within the community or nationally, but internationally. Understanding different languages and cultures broadens their horizons.”

Students were exposed to another part of the world during the West Indies International Festival, explained the importance of the annual event hosted by the P.U.L.S.E. student programming board. Held March 24-26, the festival consisted of three events: a reggae party with Jamaican food, dance and music; mini-cooking classes on traditional Haitian/Caribbean cuisines; and a Caribbean-themed Market Friday.

“We wanted students to have a better understanding of West Indies culture because it is important to showcase global understanding,” said Lena Hill, C’2011, director of the festival. “Not everyone has a passport, but P.U.L.S.E tries to provide an experience similar to having one.”

Critical global issues were addressed in the annual production of the “International Vagina Monologues,” hosted by Miss Spelman Lacey Reddix, C’2011, and Her Court. The event, which began in 2009 to raise awareness about female genital mutilation in Africa, featured multiple presentations involving Africa, China and the United States. Some of the topics discussed included rape, incest and female sexuality. – Dannieka Wiggins, C’2013, an Office of Communications intern, is an English major with a minor in film and visual culture.

View photo gallery of images from Spelman’s Alternative Spring Break Trip to Costa Rica.