Message from the Director—October 2023
Bienvenido a la Sala de Kearns
(Welcome to the Kearns’ Living Room)
From: Dr. Miguel Baique, Director of the David T. Kearns Center for Leadership and Diversity in Arts, Sciences & Engineering
Dear Kearns Center Community,
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
As celebrations transpire to honor the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latin Americans, I am proud to belong to a group of people often described as personas trabajadoras (hard-working) and divertida (fun) and a community filled with humildad (humility) and amor (love). As the son of a Peruvian immigrant, I was taught to work hard, be grateful, and have fun throughout the journey of life. This started at an early age. I recall my mother waking me and my siblings up early on Saturdays para limpiar el apartamento (to clean the apartment), but instead of a gentle nudge to wake us up, she would blast Salsa or Merengue through the speakers and have pan con café (bread and coffee) ready for us. I did not know it then, but my mother was instilling cultural elements that would impact my identity and worldview.
Early morning Saturday cleanings were not the only times this ‘influence’ was happening. In fact, I learned a lot about my culture (and life) en la cocina (in the kitchen) or la sala (in the living room). In the kitchen, yo aprendi a cocinar (learned how to cook) traditional cuisine from my culture—arroz y frijoles (rice and beans), pollo guisado (stewed chicken), papa a la huancaina (huancayo-style potatoes), tallarin verde (green spaghetti), and so much more. I not only learned how to make food, but I also learned to respect the cooking process and to make extra just incase an unexpected visitor showed up (my mom would feed the whole community!). A lot of the time, we ate in the sala, but even when we were not sharing a meal together, the living room was the space where a lot of activity happened. We shared stories, ideas, and philosophies; watched movies and played board/card games; partied and danced; and at times, just sat and enjoyed each other’s company. La sala era un espacio seguro (the living room was a safe space). I cherish those memories.
When I was hired and took a tour of the Kearns Center, I stepped into the main space of the Center (Dewey Hall, 4.160) and was told that the space is called the “living room”. What a pleasant surprise it was to find out that a space (living room) I benefitted from (in my home) was being emulated on campus. The reason it is called the living room is because students and staff often occupy the space to create community, share ideology and philosophy, share a meal together, study or work on a project, and/or simply be with each other. It’s a space where students and staff feel safe and comfortable, can be fully authentic without fear of judgment, and have a strong sense of belonging. Over the past few months, I have witnessed the impact of the living room and am fortunate to work at a Center that developed such a space.
To our relatively new students, bienvenido a la sala (welcome to the living room); to our returning students, ven a visitar (come visit)! To celebrate the end of Hispanic Heritage Month and commemorate the Kearns Center ‘Living Room’, come by the Center on Friday, October 13, to share a small bite during the lunch hour (noon). Almorcemos juntos y creemos comunidad (lets have lunch together and create community)! See you soon!
Read previous messages from the director: