Month: January 2015

Little Red Riding Vogue: Marsala chosen as Pantone’s Color of the Year

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Whether you realize it or not, at the beginning of every year, an important decision is made in the fashion world. It affects clothes, makeup, home goods—you name it. This monumental moment is when Pantone chooses the Color of the Year.

Last year was Radiant Orchid. The year before was Emerald. This year, is the year of Marsala, which Pantone describes as, “a naturally robust and earthy red wine.”

So what exactly is Marsala? It’s not a color you use in your everyday vocabulary, but no doubt you’ve seen it before. Marsala is a passionate red with calming natural tones. Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, said, “Marsala is a subtly seductive shade, one that draws us in to its embracing warmth.” Still, how many products can you think of that are exactly Marsala? To make this a bit easier to follow—understand that this decision leaves a broad spectrum.

When Pantone announces the Color of the Year, stores scramble to find what they carry in that shade. Usually, it’s not much. They can easily make products to fit that description, but that would take too long, and by the time they have the product out, someone else has already drawn their customer’s attention. The secret is to stretch the color.

When Emerald was announced, suddenly, any shade of green would do. When Radiant Orchid was chosen, people started stocking products in shades of purple. By choosing Marsala, Pantone has given us a year of red.

The color is chosen carefully based on trends seen throughout different markets. Eiseman said of Marsala, “This hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings, and interiors.”

However, The Color of the Year, isn’t the only prediction Pantone makes. They also make specific predictions for incoming fashion. Their Fashion Color Report for Spring 2015 was based on the New York Fashion Week from September 4-11, 2014.

Their predictions for colors are soft, cool hues with natural neutrals. For women’s fashion, they expect an eclectic, ethereal mix. For men’s fashion, they call for uncontrived, natural, deep tones.

Knowing this, Marsala is a smart choice for Color of the Year. It’s deep and warm, but soft and natural enough to come across as an almost neutral shade of red. As Eiseman said, it translates well to different products without appearing gaudy or overwhelming.

All hail Marsala until they choose something else for 2016.

 

Cougars basketball team falls to Wolverines 68-48

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The Chatham Cougars basketball team fell 68 to 48 against the Grove City Wolverines on Wednesday, January 14 at the Chatham University Athletic and Fitness Center (AFC).

Photo Credit: Kaylee LaPosta

Photo Credit: Kaylee LaPosta

The Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC) game was filled with excitement as the Cougars battled back and forth with the Wolverines. Senior Becky Rowe started Chatham’s first half momentum with an early three-pointer.

The Cougars junior guard Anna Shashura led the team with 11 points, one assist, and one steal. Other major contributors to Chatham’s total score included junior guard Rachel McClain with eight points, four assists, and two steals and sophomore guard Nikki Ingel with nine points, two assists, and one steal.

Leading the team for the Wolverines was junior forward Kathryn Erbelding, with 20 points on the board.

At the end of the first half, the Cougars were down seven points. The team picked up energy in the second half, shooting five three-pointers to lessen the deficit in the score.

The Cougars fought back hard, but were unable pull ahead in the end. The loss drops Chatham’s season record to 4-10.

Graduate Student Assembly meets to discuss issues on campus

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On Tuesday, January 13, members of the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) gathered for their first meeting of the semester in the Conover Room to discuss events and issues regarding the graduate student body.

After welcoming new and returning GSA members, Assistant Director of Student Affairs Hallie Arena, who led the meeting, began the program.

First, Arena presented upcoming events relevant to graduate students.  The agenda was, “kind of event heavy,” according to Arena, because it was the first meeting of the semester.

First discussed was the memorial to graduate student Kim Cox—who passed away over winter break after suffering an aneurysm—on Wednesday, January 14.

“It’s supposed to be a celebration [of her life],” said Rachel Faas, a Masters of Education student.

Next was the first of the GSA Lunches also set for January 14.  For these lunches, students can pick up vouchers in the Carriage House or Eastside’s second floor lounge to be used in Anderson or at Eastside.  The next GSA Lunch is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11.

Arena also mentioned a class available to graduate students at a discounted rate at the Pittsburgh Glass Center on Saturday, January 17, and encouraged students needing to fulfill service requirements to participate in the MLK Day of Service on Monday, January 19.

Looking further into the future, Arena said the first Mug Club meeting would be on Thursday, January 22 at 4 p.m. at Eastside.  Through Mug Club, GSA offers graduate students free pizza and beverages, as well as the opportunity to socialize with their peers.  Last semester, the club met at 3 p.m., but Arena hopes this time change will allow for students whose classes conflicted with meetings to attend.  Mug Club will also attempt their first meeting on the Shadyside campus on Tuesday, January 27 at 5 p.m. in Café Rachel.

Finally, Arena mentioned the upcoming Mongolian Grill BBQ with Guest Grillers on Thursday, February 5 at 6 p.m.  As a fundraiser for Relay for Life, students can pay $25 for dinner and the entertainment of seeing Chatham faculty attempting to grill.

“[Many of] these are things that grad students asked for, so I hope a lot of grad students sign up for them,” said Arena.

Next on the agenda was the GSA Excellence Award.  Every year, GSA grants three students who have demonstrated professional, creative, or empirical excellence through their graduate work with $500 checks.  According to Arena, GSA tries to make updates to the program every year.

She asked students to provide feedback to help improve the process for applicants and judges.

“It’s meant to be an opportunity, not a burden,” said Arena.

After discussion about application requirements, the award categories, and submission methods, the assembly decided to reduce the number of letters of recommendation from three with one coming from a current program faculty member to two from any source.  They also considered adding a fourth category—excellence in service—although no final decision was made, and there was talk of having students upload all of their application materials as one PDF to Moodle so that judges would receive one file per applicant.

GSA will discuss the application further at their next meeting.  They plan to distribute applications in February for a March deadline.

Finally came the Open Forum portion of the meeting in which students submit questions or concerns for deliberation. Topics included a request for increased lighting along the Fifth Avenue entrance (which, according to Arena, is up to the Woodland Road Association, not the University) and complaints about cold temperatures in the Art and Design Center, some maintenance issues, the expiration of Chatham passwords without warning, professors not submitting required texts to the bookstore, and graduation fees for students not walking at graduation.  Arena promised to find answers to these questions as soon as possible.

For future Open Forums, Arena encouraged GSA members to seek out topics other than only those from their personal experience.

“I need you to be leaders in your programs,” she said.  “Please be a representative, and talk to your class.”

The next GSA meeting will occur on Tuesday, February 3 at 5 p.m. in the Eastside Main Conference Room.

By the people, for the people: CSG weekly update

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The Chatham Student Government (CSG) meeting on Thursday, January 15, began with a number of announcements from Dean Zauyah Waite, CSG advisor and Dean of Students.

She brought up the fact that the interviews for Chatham’s new Women’s Institute are approaching, and she asked that that students come to the candidate’s presentations, as “[the students’] input would be critical.”

She then moved on to the topic of the student engagement transcript (previously called the co-curricular transcript), discussed by Dean Motely in a previous meeting, and how it is meant to boost professional skills, and prepare students for the future.

In regards to the coeducational transition, Waite said that a team is currently working on a Title IX handbook that will be given to all students with information about their safety and security. She also mentioned that all students will engage in a HAVEN (Helping Advocates for Violence Ending Now) training before they can register for their classes next semester.

Looking at next year Waite said that 26 students are confirmed, three of whom are men.

“That is about 10 ahead of last year,” she said, reminding the Senate that most do not deposit until March first, when financial aid comes out.

Sarah Jugovic, CSG Executive President, then spoke briefly about the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. She was followed by Jenny Schollaert, who reminded students to update their organizations’ information on the Student Organization Forum’s (SOF) Moodle page.

The meeting then turned to Sam Elbaz with the budget report, during which she reported that at the last Undergraduate Budget Committee meeting, $350 was allocated to the Drama Club, and $1,280 to the Artist Collective, leaving $17,845.91 in the budget for the rest of the semester.

The next point of discussion, class reports, revealed that the Class of 2015 is still working on fundraising ideas for their senior gift, and that the Class of 2016 is still looking for a representative to replace Brittani Berch-Schmidt.

Additionally, the Class of 2018 is working on ways for students to learn more about public safety, including a possible meet and greet with the Chatham Police at orientation.

Alex Waasdorp, Class of 2018 President, also suggested creating a pamphlet that would give students instruction about who to call for various emergencies. “For example, if there’s a deer in the parking lot,” she said, “who do you call?”

In new business, a survey was passed out to the Senate regarding what bands they would like to see come to campus next year.

The meeting then moved to old business, during which students were reminded to sign up for the Circle of 6 training sessions, and ideas for what event the CSG would sponsor at Relay for Life were discussed, though no decisions were made.

Jugovic then brought up the Town Hall meeting that occurred last semester.  She said that after much discussion about, “how best to get the word out and update the student body,” it was decided that an editorial, written by the executive board and approved by the Senate, will appear in an upcoming issue of the Communique.

As the meeting drew to a close, Waite stood up to address one last issue.

“Add drop has ended” she said, “and if students are not registered, they are not allowed to be here in classes, or in the residence halls. The University is in a great liability spot when we house students who are not registered.”

She made this point in order to quell rumors around campus of students being removed from their residence halls, saying that the University is currently working with students to “work things out,” but that she didn’t want people to think the University was being unfair to its students.

International students at Chatham settle into life in Pittsburgh

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Chatham University has been an international campus since the 1930s. Today Chatham has 180 students from several countries mostly from Saudi Arabia, China, and Canada. International students are involved in different programs at Chatham including the English language program, graduate, and undergraduate studies, in addition to one semester or full year programs.

International students at Chatham have different experiences living away from home even though they live on the same campus.

“It’s an amazing but challenging experience. One of the biggest challenges I’ve been facing is the cold winter. I’ve lived in a tropical country all my life and have never experienced this type of cold,” said Silvia Alejandra, an exchange student from Honduras. “The culture shock of being in a new country can be overwhelming, but it’s an amazing experience to get to meet new people and immerse yourself in a new culture,” she added.

For Daniella Bauer who is studying English language, the challenge is different.

“The biggest challenge was to deal with my loss of professional identity and activities. I used to be very active at work and studies in Brazil,” said Bauer. “Other challenges for Brazilians are the interpersonal relationships. We like make connections and know about peoples’ lives and customs. At Chatham, I meet people from many countries, and the teachers as well, made me feel very connected and welcome,” she added.

“Well I guess the only challenge I’m facing right now is the fact that I’m not allowed to work off campus and so can’t really fund my education until I get a job after graduation,” said Komal Kooduvalli, a graduate student from India. “Honestly, I love Pittsburgh. It’s become my home now, and I love the people, place, and culture.”

Kooduvalli continued, “I think Chatham has been instrumental every step of the way in helping me adjust including helping me get proper on-campus accommodation and everything. My teachers are fantastic and always ready to help, and friends support me emotionally and have become my family here.”

For May Alrawaqi, an English language student originally from Saudi Arabia, dealing with weather is very sensitive.

“Living in Pittsburgh is so challenging during the winter, especially when it snows. Since I have a child, I have to skip classes whenever it gets so cold in order to take care of him. Not to mention getting cold and sick,” said Alrawaqi. “Although I like Chatham university and feel very comfortable studying here, I have to leave it next year. I am seeking a masters degree in mathematics, but this major isn’t available at Chatham,” she added.

Many international students share the the worry about their kids and their family members living at home.

“My greatest challenge is the separation with my family. I miss and worry about my daughter, my husband, and my parents,” said Wenju Chen, a graduate Nursing student from China. “Then the language barrier comes next. Sometimes, I feel lost when I talk with people here,” she added.

Lama Alrwais, who also has a child, said,”being a mother and a student is hard. I have late classes at Chatham, and after going home I have to take care of my baby and cook dinner for my family. By the end of the day I don’t have the energy to do school work.”

Alrwais is Saudi Arabian, and currently studying English at Chatham.

“The language is so different from mine. I feel like my simple vocabulary does not convey my ideas and thoughts to people and teachers,” she added.

At Chatham, the Office of International Affairs tries to help students adapt to the new environment by providing pre-class orientations and workshops through the fall and the spring semesters. The workshops introduce international students to U.S. culture and its academic system, and they help students determine their future careers.

Slutciety feminist publication makes a name for itself at Pitt

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On Wednesday nights in room 918 in the William Pitt Lounge, meetings for the University of Pittsburgh’s feminist publication Slutciety come to order. Armed with laptops and covering topics that range from female soldiers in the Middle East to sex education in American schools to the commodification of the female orgasm, Slutciety is making their collective voice heard at the University of Pittsburgh.

Typically, when most people hear the world slut, they do not immediately think of an articulate, empowered woman. Slutciety is pushing back against that. Why such a provocative name?

“It’s a mush together of slut and society,” said Amanda Chan, President of Slutciety, “‘Society’ has a connotation of order and tradition and ‘slut’ brings about feelings of chaos and bitterness and stigma. By mushing these two together, I want people to question why being a promiscuous woman would be so against society.”

“And women are going to get called sluts no matter what, so we’re just reclaiming that word,” Zoe Hannah, Vice President of Slutciety, said.

Slutciety takes an interactive community approach to editing articles. Roundtable style and computers out at meetings, the writers read aloud their work and provide comments, suggestions, and the occasional anecdote. They also do more than just write; in November, Slutciety was responsible for bringing Political Commentator and Activist Zerlina Maxwell to Pitt to speak about rape culture.

Although the writers cover topics that might make some clutch their pearls, the members agree that as a whole they are been well received on their campus.

“If nothing else, people are intrigued by us,” said Hannah.

Understandably so as Slutciety is the only feminist group on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus.

These ladies don’t pull any punches and did not let lack of funding in the earliest days of the paper’s existence stop them from making their voices heard. Before they had a budget, this group at one point in time had to use their collective print budgets to run issues.

Why did these young women go outside of the University of Pittsburgh’s official newspaper? For one, the authors of Slutciety do not consider themselves a journalist source. More so, they enjoy the freedom that having their own paper allows them.

“We create a safe space, where anyone can come and feel comfortable talking to us,” said Hannah.

Slutciety places a special emphasis on intersectionality–the concept of how different identities and forms of discrimination interact and impact one’s life. In the simplest of terms, they are determined to make sure that queer people and women of color are properly represented.

“It’s not real feminism unless it’s intersectional,” Chan said.

With humor, honesty, and a willingness not to shy away from uncomfortable topics, it seems that Slutciety will continue to challenge conventions at Pitt. To see some of Slutciety’s work, look them up on Tumblr at Slutcietyatpitt.tumblr.com or follow them on Twitter at @slutciety.

Chatham Relay For Life Committee gears up for annual event

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What event combines music, games, and food and lasts for 12 hours? Only one event comes to mind, and that’s Relay For Life.

Chatham’s Relay For Life will take place on February 6 from noon to midnight in the Athletic and Fitness Center. Relay For Life is a fundraising event for the American Cancer Society (ACS).

This will be Chatham’s fourth annual Relay For Life.  Last year Chatham’s Relay raised $10,000 for the ACS, and this year they are reaching for that same goal. The money raised helps to provide support for individuals and families affected by cancer.

According to the ACS, Chatham’s Relay For Life has supported 76 calls to the cancer information center for a cancer patients. It has helped 432 people get connected to clinical trials through clinical trials matching. It has funded 86 rides for cancer patients to and from treatments through the Road the Recovery program. It has supported 88 women in the Reach to Recovery program where women facing breast cancer are paired with a trained breast cancer survivor for support. It has helped to provide 130 nights of free lodging at a Hope Lodge for a cancer patient and their caregiver. It has funded 21 early career researchers who have turned to the American Cancer Society to investigate cancer, its causes, and how to help patients cope with the effects of the disease and its treatment. All of this was possible with the help of Chatham’s Relay For Life.

Relay For Life is a not an athletic event but a celebration of life. There are not any relays or baton passes. What can be expected at Chatham’s Relay is a whole 12 hours packed full of activities.

Interested participants can register on relayforlife.org/pachatham and join or make a team. Anyone a can make a team–academic departments, classes, friends, student organization, residence halls. There’s a special treat for those who register and donate to Relay For Life. Registered participants who raise $25 will be entered into a drawing to win tickets to see One Direction and Taylor Swift.

“For every $25 you raise, you receive one ticket to put into the drawing,” said Coordinator of Residence Life and Student Activities, Emily Fidago. “So if you raised $100 you would receive four tickets. The more you raise the more chances you have to win.”

Tickets will be pulled from the drawing between 9 p.m. and midnight and you must be present to win.

There will also be a silent auction with gift baskets from local businesses, gift cards, Pittsburgh Pirates tickets, and much more.

Relay For Life kicks off at noon with Dine & Dance. Lunch will be served in the AFC gym.  At lunch there will be a swing dance lesson taught by Swing City Pittsburgh instructor Jared Clemens.

At 5 p.m. is the survivor ceremony with guest speaker, Dr. Harrington. Hall Olympics will commence at 7 p.m. followed by a game of extreme musical chairs at 9 p.m.

Special guest performers include University of Pittsburgh Hip Hop Dance Crew and the Panther Belly Dancers. In addition, Chatham alumna Olivia Traini will return to perform a comedy set.

The Relay For Life Committee and the Office of Residence Life and Student Activities-Student Affairs also have events leading up to Relay. On January 29, the Student Alumni Association (SAA) is hosting a bowling night at Forward Lanes. The cost is $11. This includes two hours of bowling and shoe rental.

On February 5, Chatham has a night out at the Mongolian Grill. It is $25 for, “all you can eat.” For another $5 you will receive a movie ticket. All proceeds benefit Relay For Life.

“Relay For Life is a time where the whole Chatham Community can come to together to help support the fight against cancer, celebrate those who survived and celebrate those who were lost to the disease,” said Meg Scanlon, Relay For Life co-chair and Community Service Coordinator.

 

Rea and Laughlin RHC host open mic

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On Friday, January 9, Rea and Laughlin’s Residence Hall Council (RHC) opened their doors once again for their Open Mic Night.

The Rea Coffeehouse served as the designated venue for this special event. Students filled the main room and food and drinks were served throughout. Laced with graffiti stained walls, the location added to the sense of intimacy and “realness,” one student stated, while also creating a cool background for the performers.

As a returning RHC member, and co–organizer for the event, Abigail Beckwith was excited for the announcement of the Open Mic Night once again.

Courtesy of Chatham Student Affairs

Courtesy of Chatham Student Affairs

“We came up with the idea for the event last semester and it was a hit,” Beckwith said.

Beckwith went on to explain the importance of the event as a place where,  “expression is valued,” and, “students aren’t pressured to perform [the way they are] in similar events such as the talent show where judges are present.”

Beckwith also stated that while there was a mic and a stage, students were, “welcomed to share their experience,” through any medium and were, “encouraged to take advantage of the safe space.”

The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with many students claiming a sense of ease as they supported their fellow classmates. The mix was diverse with performances by many different Chatham women. While students took to the stage they were met with a promising applause that was calming for the nerves. Many who attended had never gone to an open mic and were excited to be a part of a new experience.

Courtesy of Chatham Student Affairs

Courtesy of Chatham Student Affairs

Encouraged by the crowd, sophomore Tahmina Tursonzadah showed her support for the event by performing an act of her own. Tursonzadah wowed the crowd with her rendition of “Fine By Me” by Andy Grammer.

She later stated how participating in an open mic, “gives students a chance to express themselves in an unique environment that they may not find somewhere else.” Tursonzadah also went on to say how proud she was as a former RHC member to be able to, “come back and share the stage with such wonderful women.”

As the night went on the performances ranged from poetry to spoken word as students told their stories to an eager crowd. Many told tales of personal triumph along with affirmations of their worth that brought the audience to a grand applause.

As the night dwindled down, sophomore Suzi Nanthavong, another member of Rea and Laughlin’s RHC was content with the evenings turnout.

“The event seemed like a success, lots of people showed up and had a really good time,” she said.

Sophomore Megan A. Cooper, also a member of the RHC, was, “pleasantly surprised,” stating that the, “first week back can be hard, but I was thoroughly impressed with the support from the Chatham community.”

Cooper further explained how the committee was concerned with the turnout due to short notice, but nevertheless was, “highly entertained.”

Coming to a Theater Near You: “Pass the Light”

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It’s not too often that a film is made whose focus is not on special effects or big name stars but on uplifting the hearts of those who watch the piece and one is coming to a theatre near you.

The feature length film, “Pass the Light” (2015) tells the story of a high school boy, Steve Bellafiore (Cameron Palatas) who stands up to a local politician who is running on a platform of hate and intolerance.

Rachael Kathryn Bell, who portrays the character Louise in the film, had a great experience working on a film that meant so much to her.

Bell was born and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania. From the age of 13, she knew that had to fulfill her love of acting because nothing made her feel more alive. Bell is best known for her role “Addison” in Disney’s the Suite Life on Deck.

She was able to balance school and acting even with auditions consuming two months of every spring and fall. After graduating high school, Bell packed up and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream at 18 years old.

Bell currently resides in Los Angeles, performing roles in upcoming television shows and movies, attending acting classes, and living her dream. She said she could not have reached as much success without the steadfast support of her parents.

When Bell first auditioned for “Pass the Light,” it was for a different role. The part was given to another actor who was a better fit. However, Bell did not leave the auditions unnoticed. The producer, writers, and directors loved what she brought to the audition, and as a result, they changed the part of Louis to Louise.

“I was thrilled for the opportunity to be part of this project and that more doors are opening for women in Hollywood,” Bell said.

Bell also says that the industry’s decision to change a male role for her changed her perspective and increased her faith in the world’s treatment of women.

Bell and Louise are alike in their core values where they both want everyone to be kind, understanding, and to treat each other better. It bothers Bell personally when people spread hate, but she is constantly working on limiting her own negativity in order to have a positive impact on others.

The film focuses on a group of nine students called the Force. Their purpose was to spread the message of hope, tolerance, and love. To accurately portray these students, the nine actors spent a lot of time interacting with one another. The mood on set was fun. They all took their crafts seriously but in their downtime they had a blast.

Bell’s favorite part of “Pass the Light” is one of the final scenes when Steve gives his campaign speech which states why he decided to run against a prominent politician and attempt to stop the spread of hate. Bell believes the content of his speech is important for all genders, races, ages, faiths, and sexual orientations to hear.

Bell thinks this is a film everyone should see. After the film, viewers will walk away a little more open-minded and determined to treat one another better.

“Regardless of someone’s set in stone opinions of faith, if they can be open-minded after seeing the film, isn’t that a beautiful thing?” Bell said.

Pass the Light will be released on Friday, February 6 in over 200 theatres nationwide. Local theatres screening the film include: Carmike 10 in Pittsburgh, Carmike 6 in Uniontown, Southpike Cinemas Digiplex in Sarver, Clarion 7 in Clarion, and Cinema 4 in Indiana, PA.

For updates on “Pass the Light” like and follow them on Facebook, follow @Passthelightmov on twitter and follow Rachael Kathryn Bell on Twitter @RachaelKBell. Visit the page on tumblr at passthelightmovie.tumblr.com

Chatham alumna Najaa Young releases successful film, “Blood First”

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It is every filmmakers dream to create a film that is not only successful, but that also has a real impact on the people who view it. For Chatham University Alumna Najaa Young (Class of 1995), that dream has become a reality.

With screenings in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, her film, “Blood First,” which is now available online at Target, Best Buy, and Amazon, has made quite a name for her and her production company, NaRa Films.

Regarding her time at Chatham, Young spoke highly of the college, explaining that, “in an industry dominated by men, [it] helped to bolster my self-confidence and make me comfortable with being in leadership roles.”

While here, Young was an active member of the campus community. In addition to participating in campus events she was also the president of the Black Student Union, which she said, “helped me to learn how to work well with others, respect differences of opinion, and find common ground with others…skills that I employ everyday whether I am working on set or not.”

Despite wanting to major in film from the time she started college, Young said that Chatham did not have a film program, so she chose instead to major in Theatre Arts, to “develop [her] directing, acting, and writing skills while taking additional classes from the Communications department to get more technical experience with cameras.”

She also took classes from Pittsburgh Filmmakers, and from there, she went on to earn her Masters in Film from Florida State University.

Young’s first film after graduation, a documentary about, “African Americans reclaiming and practicing traditional African religions in the United States,” was one that she had wanted to make for a long time, so together with her friend Rasheed Jihad, she formed a production company and set to work making the film.

Now, a few years later, NaRa Films, in collaboration with O.Y.’s Spotlite Entertainment has recently released its first feature length film entitled, “Blood First.”

The idea for the film came from Young’s brother, who, “wanted to make a movie about brothers who grew up ‘in the streets’ with the same code of ethics and upbringing only to have one brother decide to go against that code.”

“I didn’t want to make another gangster film,” said Young, “and I thought it might be a good way to raise some important questions about what manhood in urban communities means and how boys are being raised to become men. Furthermore, I wanted to show the cyclical nature of crime, violence, and imprisonment so that we can all begin to have solution oriented discussions around these topics.”

According to Young after three drafts of the script, which took three months to write, the project “hit the ground running.”

In four weeks they had a cast, crew, locations, and equipment. The film itself only took 26 days to shoot, with another three months to edit it.

On her ability to balance writing, directing, and producing her films, Young said, “It’s definitely difficult at times, and if I had my druthers, I’d concentrate solely on writing and directing. But producing is great because you’re the boss, and I really like being the boss at times.”

Additionally, she said, “I rely on my partner as co-producer to oversee things on set, manage the crew, and basically, “put out fires.” So, I guess I’ve found balance by selecting a good business partner.”

“When I look back on the experience, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life and one of the hardest,” Young said of the process. “Every decision I made carried so much weight and impacted multiple people’s lives and careers including my own.”

When asked about her advice for burgeoning filmmakers currently studying at Chatham, Young highly recommended internships, and even just volunteering at production companies.

“The key is to get valuable experience under your belt so be enthusiastic, hard working, and reliable,” she said, “it will get you very far in this industry.”