Assiatou Diallo, OC’08
I am a fourth year student from Guinea and I lived in New York City before coming to Oberlin.  I am passionate about organizing for social justice, particularly around issues of gender, women, and health.  I have found a home within spaces that continually strive to make Oberlin a better campus and community; places such as the Oberlin College Dialogue Center, the Edmonia Lewis Center for Women and Transgender People, and Third World Co-op.  As intense and intellectually challenging as these organizations are, they have also been places for relaxing, venting, and laughing.  In my spare time, I like to dance, hang out with friends, and sleep.
(Assiatou.Diallo@oberlin.edu)

John Harper, OC’09
Originally from Atlanta, GA, I am currently a double-degree candidate
at Oberlin College and the Conservatory of Music in Vocal Performance and
African American Studies. A versatile performer, I have performed both nationally and internationally in such productions as /Snapshots/ with acclaimed Broadway director Kenny Leon ( Atlanta, GA), /The Magic Flute/ with the Rome Festival Opera ( Rome, Italy), and /Little Women/ with the Oberlin Opera Theater ( Oberlin, OH). Outside of the arts arena, I have been working diligently to support the students of color on Oberlin’s campus as co-founder of the Admissions Student Advisory Council, a group aimed at increasing minority student recruitment and enrollment at Oberlin. As a member of the 2007 class of the Institute for Responsible Citizenship, I interned at both the National Endowment for the Arts and THEARC, an innovative community center in Southeast Washington, DC. Although I hope to become a professional opera singer, I also intend on opening an arts based community school to support under-served and under-privileged communities across the country.
(John.Harper@oberlin.edu)

Lam La, OC’10
Hello Obie newbies!  I’m a second-year student planning to major in Visuals Arts with a focus on architecture and Environmental Studies. I’m from Monterey Park, CA, about an hour from the city of Los Angeles. I’ve become involved with a couple different groups on campus, including: the Asian American Alliance, which seeks to empower Asian American students here at Oberlin; Oberlin Steel, your student run steel drum band—come check us out!, and the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC) where you’ll probably see me hanging out and helping with activities to support students of color on campus.  You might also see me snoring away on the MRC couches as well as working at the Con library, or building sets at Hall auditorium for the Theatre and Opera Departments. And once you realize just how compact this campus is, you just might run into me anywhere! Don’t be afraid to approach me and say hey. I don’t bite, I promise. ;) Welcome to Oberlin College, I hope you have a wonderful semester.
(Lam.La@oberlin.edu)

Shane MacDonald, OC’08
Greetings, new Obies! I am originally from central Nebraska , where I grew up partially among rural farms and urban concrete. Needless to say, Oberlin is larger than most of the towns I grew up around. Coming from a low-income background, I am the first in my family to attend college. Here at Oberlin, I’m a history/politics double major, where my interests focus on medieval history and political theory. And yes, medieval history is relevant, no matter what people claim! In the spirit of my fields, I have spent the past two summers doing research on campus as a McNair Scholar, a paid summer research program. And while I do tend to become possessive of the campus after three months of near summer vacancy, I nevertheless am always thrilled to see many new and returning faces at this time of year. Outside the classroom, I tend to focus my energy on a few organizations and dozens of little personal projects. Even though my interests are extremely varied—from Catholic mysticism to bowling, I have found that Oberlin has not yet disappointed me when it comes to staying active. I’m a leading member of Socialist Alternative, a mediator/facilitator with the Oberlin College Dialogue Center , and one of the current student History Department major representatives. If you are interested in the History Department, talk to me. Every spring, I also teach an Experimental College (ExCo) course on my other great passion: American animation. When I’m not reading medieval texts or watching cartoons, one can usually find me playing Risk, working in the dining halls, or preparing for the coming robot/zombie apocalypse.
(Shane.MacDonald@oberlin.edu)

Hannah McCorkel, OC’09
Hey, folks! I’m a third-year Comparative American Studies (CAS) major from Port Washington , New York. My focus within CAS is on youth activism, but really I’m interested in all kinds of activism, from prison abolition to environmental justice. I’m involved in Transgender Advocacy Group and I work as a Trans Ally 101 Trainer for the MRC. This semester I will also be co-facilitating the “Anti-Racist Organizing and White Privilege” Experimental College course (ExCo) and working for Oberlin College Co-operative Association's Committee on Privilege and Oppression. I’m really into collectives, co-ops and consensus, and I’ll be living in Tank this year, although my heart will always belong to Old B. When I have free time, which hasn’t been for approximately two years, I write poetry, fill up my journals, and occasionally scribble down a short story. I also play women’s rugby and work at the Wilder Student Union information desk. I hate sitting in classrooms all day, so I get outside as much as possible. I love relaxing in the sun on Wilder Bowl, chilling out on porches, and taking walks in the arb. I do a lot, but all it takes is a nap followed by a good dance party to keep me going.
(Hannah.McCorkel@oberlin.edu)

Kathryn Ray, OC’08
I’m a senior religion major from Madison, WI . I participate in Ecumenical Christians of Oberlin, Queers and Allies of Faith, Oberlin Peace Activists’ League, and Harkness Dining Co-op. Last year, I did research for Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur with other members of OPAL on prisoner torture in Iraq and Guantánamo. This year, I expect most of the research I conduct will be for my Capstone (and hopefully Honors) project on feminist, womanist, and queer theologies of bodily resurrection. I work as a writing associate for first-year seminars, helping students develop their writing processes and improve their papers. Occasionally, I take shifts in the Writing Center. The Writing Center , by the way, is located on Mudd main level and is open from 7-11 Monday-Friday and 1-11 on Sunday! Come visit. This spring, I will also tutor for POLT105: American Government, a course I recommend wholeheartedly. Becoming part of a community off-campus has made Oberlin home for me. As a member of Peace Community Church, I have participated in antiwar protests, statewide social activism networking, dozens of potlucks, and Christmas plays written by grade school students. I also participate in Oberlin Area Cooperating Ministries and the Interfaith Committee on the Environment, doing community-based ecological projects and advocacy. I am currently collaborating with students, faculty, and town members to put on a symposium on poverty in the Oberlin area this spring. The past three winter terms, I did independent projects in a monastery in France , a small town in Nicaragua , and a church in Atlanta. For figuring out who I am and what I want to do, these experiences were worth whole semesters of learning in classrooms. To relax, I enjoy playing the dulcimer, dancing in all forms, painting my clothing, visiting the kittens at Gingko Gallery, and sleeping 8 hours every night.
(Kathryn.Ray@oberlin.edu)

Lauren Salazar, OC’09
Hello, I am a junior year double major in History and Comparative American Studies. I was born and raised in California, where I grew up in Redwood City, and now live in Palo Alto.  I like to run, and am a part of the varsity Cross Country team here. Go Yeo(wo)men! Yes, our mascot is a yeoman, and yes, I am proud of it. I spent this past summer working in the Office of Admissions, but my favorite part of the summer was doing research as a Mellon Fellow (a.k.a., I got to study and research what I found interesting and get paid for it). That did mean, however, that I spent an entire summer here in Oberlin. I learned the joys of small-town life and there really are some, and traveled across state lines visiting places like Detroit and Brooklyn. I love Oberlin, but I'm here all year and wanted to take advantage of the quick access to other amazing places. I have been eating in Third World Co-op since spring semester of my first year and absolutely love it. Every student should be a part of Oberlin Student Cooperative Association (OSCA) for at least one semester. I've lived in Dascomb, Tank, and will now be living in Harkness. Clearly, OSCA has a hold on me and I will forever love it. I love to go into Lorain and Cleveland for good food, and I can recommend a significant list of places to check out if you’re interested in breaking the Obie-bubble. I'm Co-Chair of La Alianza Latina, and have been a member since my first year. Our Heritage Month is in September and October and you should check out the events we have planned! Well, those are a few things about me. I hope I get a chance to talk with some of you all after the panel. Peace!
(Lauren.Salazar@oberlin.edu)