bgess ...
I am very active in the UC Berkeley Black
Graduate Engineering and Science Students(BGESS).
The primary objectives of BGESS are to recruit and retain graduate
students of African descent in Engineering and the Natural and Physical
Sciences, as well as to influence the relevant departments to award tenured
faculty positions to these and other professionals of African heritage.
In addition we perform outreach services such as our Annual High School
Science Fair for local schools and work jointly with the Latino
Association for Graduate Students in Engineering and Science (LAGSES)
on other projects and events. With the re-emergence of the Black
Graduate Students Association,
on campus we're looking to coordinate our efforts with those of
this broader organization.
Within BGESS I have served as Secretary (2002-2003), Vice President (2003-2004), and President (2004-2005).
It's the classic tale of working your way from the bottom up, I know. I now hold the positions
of Executive Vice President (a.k.a. President Emeritus) and Webmaster. Check out the site (link above) and
let me know what you think as I definitely appreciate feedback.
snowboarding ...
What's a Ghanaian-born kid from Florida doing on the slopes of California and Nevada? Carving it up, that's what!
At first glance, snowboarding seems like a strange fit for me, but it's not. My time as part of Princeton
University Outdoor Action revealed my love for the outdoors, of which snowboarding is one manifestation. In addition,
like most kids of my generation I went through a skater phase, which appears to have re-emerged in this new form.
Partly because of the previous fact, I've taken to snowboarding really quickly. I've had three injury-free seasons
so far and anticipate many more to come. To those of you thinking about maybe just possibly
trying it out...go for it!
Here are the places I've checked out so far. They're all in the Lake Tahoe area in either California or Nevada, about
three hours from the Berkeley/Oakland locale I call my home.
capoeira! ...
My latest and most obsessive activity is capoeira (pronounced "KAH-poo-EY-ra").
Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art developed by African slaves during the
colonial era. Likely because of its distinct origin, capoeira differs significantly
from more well-known Eastern martial arts such as Taekowndo and kung-fu.
Capoeira is practiced as a game ("jogo"), in which two
practitioners (capoeiristas), engage one another in a circle ("roda") of fellow
capoeiristas who, accompanied by musical instruments, sing songs and, depending
on the type of Capoeira clap. This provides a rhythm which sets the pace of
the game. The two fighters ("lutadores") seek not to
openly strike one another, but rather demonstrate their skill and
prowess through "sneakiness" in displays of intent (feigned or true), executed
movements (primarily kicks) and corresponding defensive maneuvers (or escapes
as they're often called). The effect is that the game is very interactive
and improvisational. Because of the nature of the game, capoeira is often
referred to as a dance or dance-fighting (about which I have mixed feelings).
I began training Capoeira in February of 2004 and have been hooked ever since. I train with the group Capoeira Mandinga
under Mestre ("Master") Marcelo "Caveirinha" Pereira. In December of 2005 I went to Brazil, partly as a "pilgrimage" to the birthplace of Capoeira (and partly, of course, to have the time of my life).
I had the opportunity to participate in one of the parts of Capoeirando, a world-renowned sequence of workshops for capoeiristas, with mestres and students from all four corners of the
globe. Pictures can be found in my album here.
I hope to be able to compile a nice Capoeira resource, the beginnings of which, can be found here:
eecs.berkeley.edu