Mills Quarterly, Fall 2018

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Mills Quarterly Fall 2018

Siray Stevens ’19 Public health and health equity major Transfer student

This time, it’s different.

HAVING STRUGGLED FOR YEARS at a small, private college that wasn’t a good fit for her, Siray Stevens ’19 left the school with no intention of going down that road again. “I was supposed to graduate but instead watched all my friends graduate,” recalls Siray. Years later, she was back on track with her education and was determined to transfer to a large four-year state school, but had a change of heart once she saw Mills.

“I was sold on Mills from the moment I drove through the gate onto campus.

The professors are here for you and are committed to giving you the flexibility and extra help you need. The personalized attention and counseling is something I never got at my first college.”

Your support of Mills enables independent, ambitious students like Siray to succeed, thrive, and graduate.

Make it possible. Make it Mills.

Please make a gift to the Mills College Annual Fund by calling 510.430.2366, visiting alumnae.mills.edu/give, or returning the enclosed envelope.

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Mills Quarterly

CONTENTS 9

Fall 2018 The journey of a Mills evangelist Liz Parker ’85 shares an insider’s perspective on the board of trustees and reveals the motives for her faithful engagement as a Mills volunteer (in conversation with Vice President for Advancement Jeff Jackanicz).

12 Food, wine, and France by Bert Gordon French gastronomy defines standards for haute cuisine worldwide, yet France itself has had many cuisines. Professor Emeritus of History Bert Gordon takes us on a historical tour of the country’s food and wine culture.

16 Can the green rush deliver justice? by Dawn Cunningham ’85 As the cannabis industry booms in California, Mills students and graduates are pioneering new career paths and business models while advocating for safe access and social justice at the local, state, and national levels.

Departments 2

Letters to the Editor

3

President’s Message

4

Mills Matters

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Bent Twigs at Commencement 2018

22 AAMC News 24 Class Notes 29 In Memoriam

On the cover: Both Cannabis sativa and the closely related Cannabis indica are prohibited at Mills College and many other schools by federal regulations. But 30 states have passed laws to legalize marijuana, as cannabis is popularly known, for medical purposes; California and eight other states have also legalized it for recreational use. These changes have given rise to a rapidly expanding industry that Mills alumnae are helping to shape. Cover image ©PinkPolarBearArt2018, derived from a scientific drawing circa 1900. Photo at upper right by Paul Chinn/San Francisco Chronicle/Polaris.

Letters to the Editor

Volume CVIII, Number 1 (USPS 349-900) Fall 2018

With great interest, I read the article

The editor responds: I’m glad you raised

“Aloha from Oakland: How 150 Years

this

of Hawaiian History and Social Change

tory does begin 100 years before the

Unfolded at Mills College” (summer

Centennial Class of 1952 graduated.

2018). My double cousin, Clara Gede

Although Cyrus and Susan Mills pur-

Cundy ’51, was a Punahou graduate and

chased the Young Ladies’ Seminary

then attended Mills. Undoubtedly her

(later renamed Mills College) in 1865,

attendance was an influencing factor in

they were not its founders. The semi-

why I attended Mills one year later. I was

nary was established by community

in the Centennial Class of 1952.

leaders in Benicia in 1852. Mary Atkins,

The author states that Cyrus and

question.

Mills

College’s

his-

an Oberlin College graduate, became the

Young

seminary’s principal and proprietor in

Ladies’ Seminary in Benicia in 1865.

1855, and proceeded to strengthen the

President Elizabeth L. Hillman

That date differs by 13 years from the

school’s enrollment and academic repu-

founding year of 1852. Perhaps in the

tation. On a trip to Honolulu in 1864,

Vice President for Institutional Advancement Jeff Jackanicz

next Quarterly there will be a clarifica-

she met Cyrus and Susan Mills (who

tion on the date that Cyrus and Susan

were retiring from Punahou School at

Mills established the Benicia seminary.

the time) and urged them to relocate to

Senior Director of the Annual Fund and Alumnae Relations Nikole Hilgeman Adams

Susan

Mills

purchased

the

–Jane Gede Slyfield ’52

Benicia to continue their work as educa-

Ellensburg, Washington

tors—and they did!

Interim Editor Dawn Cunningham ’85 Design and Art Direction Nancy Siller Wilson Contributing Writers Melissa Berkay ’19 Dawn Cunningham ’85 Bert Gordon Sara Wintz ’07 Editorial Assistance Russell Schoch The Mills Quarterly (USPS 349-900) is published quarterly by Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. Periodicals postage paid at Oakland, California, and at additional mailing office(s). Postmaster: Send address changes to the Office of Institutional Advancement, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

Copyright © 2018, Mills College Address correspondence to Mills Quarterly, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

Email: quarterly@mills.edu Phone: 510.430.3312 Printed on recycled paper containing 10 percent post-consumer waste.

(Please use outline)

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Third Annual Auction of the Mills College Artists’ Network Featuring paintings, painted textiles, ceramics, and more by Betsy Hough ’60; Clare Olivares, MFA ’84; Annie Seaton ’89; Mel Prest, MFA ’99; Phyllis Lasché ’00; and many others!

Clare Olivares, “Night Sound”

All proceeds will go towards establishing the Mills College Artists’ Network Endowed Scholarship. Bidding, which opened on September 27 (during Reunion) and closes on November 10, takes place at www.prunelladarling.com, the website of Ann Kasper ’81.

If you’re an artist interested in joining the network, contact auction co-organizer Sissy Cutchen ’81 at sissycutchen@yahoo.com.

Go to “Art Auction” at www.prunelladarling.com and place your bids for the art you want by November 10.

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

A Message from the President of Mills College

Making college accessible for transfer and resumer students

By Beth Hillman As much as I enjoy being in the class-

of gender equity—pay gaps remain, sex-

room with Mills students, I also eagerly

ual harassment persists, and progress

anticipate the chance to learn off cam-

toward equality is far from steady. It also

pus. One opportunity occurred this

reflects a growing understanding of how

summer, while I was in Indianapolis for

to address disparities in educational

a meeting with a group of college presi-

achievement by race, ethnicity, income,

dents. Indianapolis happens to be the

and immigration status effectively.

headquarters of Lumina, the largest US

Mills has long been educating women

philanthropic foundation focused on

whose

increasing the proportion of Americans

diminished because of prejudice that

opportunities

to

learn

were

with post-secondary education. It’s a

deemed them unworthy of investment

subject I care very deeply about, so I took

and unlikely to excel. Now, we’re using

advantage of the chance to meet with

hard-won insight to make a transfor-

leaders of Lumina’s efforts to improve

mative education more affordable and

college completion rates.

accessible for not only students gradu-

I learned that Lumina aims to bring

ating from high school, but also trans-

college degrees, certificates, and creden-

fer students and resumers—adults who

tials to 60 percent of working-age people

started college earlier and are now

in the United States by 2025. This goal

returning, often years later, to com-

to accommodate working adults who

requires a significant leap from the 47

plete it. The child-bearing and care-

need evening classes.

percent who achieve those credentials

giving responsibilities of women have

We have other audacious goals that

now, already a nearly 10 percent increase

often interrupted their educations, so

advance the College’s mission, none

from the proportion just a decade ago.

Mills has long served resumer students.

more important than our commitment

The only way to make that leap is to

Transfer students, most from commu-

to a sustainable foundation not only in

close the gaps by race, ethnicity, income,

nity colleges, today make up more than

finances, but in environmental impact.

and immigration status that persist in

30 percent of Mills’ student body, with

A decade ago, Mills joined many other

Americans’ educational achievement.

resumers comprising about half of our

colleges and universities in pledging to

We need to close gaps not only by mak-

transfer students.

reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in

ing college more accessible for high

Mills is developing distinctive curric-

2025 by 40 percent from its 2008 base-

school students, but also by making it

ular pathways and support systems that

line. Mills exceeded its intermediate

more accessible for adults.

accelerate the success of transfer and

goal of reducing emissions 15 percent

My discussions with Lumina have

resumer students. We are sharing best

by 2015, reaching a nearly 20 percent

heightened my conviction that Mills

practices with our talented faculty, shift-

reduction that year through campaigns

College has a significant role to play in

ing class schedules, offering more online

to change behavior and upgrade equip-

preparing more people for lives of mean-

course options, and making it easier for

ment. As we work to optimize our cam-

ing, economic success, and civic par-

prospective students to see a clear path

pus in pursuit of a thriving community

ticipation. Our historic commitment to

to fulfilling their goals. One example

and healthy infrastructure, we also

women’s education was forged during

of these changes is our partnership

aim to reduce Mills’ carbon footprint

eras in which women were but a small

with the Peralta Community College

dramatically so we can continue to be

fraction of those attending college—far

District—a

guaran-

part of the solution to climate change.

different from today, when women are

tees qualified community college stu-

California’s devastating summer of fires

approaching 60 percent of US college

dents will gain admission to Mills and

reminded everyone that the time to act

students. Mills’ current emphasis on

provides a simplified transfer process.

is now. Mills can both educate and enact

inclusive excellence and gender and

Another example is our new Bachelor’s

policies that speak to this sustainability

racial justice reflects the elusive nature

Degree Completion Program, designed

imperative.

PHOTO BY R AY M ANZ AREK

partnership

that

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Mills Matters Leadership gifts fund students, programs, and facilities Mills College gratefully acknowledges

’93. The program supports undergradu-

Last November, the fund brought Larry

the following gifts, grants, and pledges

ate field research in biological sciences.

Rinder, director of the Berkeley Art

of $50,000 or more received from

Richard Barrett is a former trustee of

Museum and Pacific Film Archive, to

January 1 to June 30, 2018.

the College.

Mills to speak about art activism.

Maribelle Leavitt, another former

Several friends of the College made

Ann S. Wolff ’42 made a generous

major gifts to support the Raise the

trustee, and her husband, Stephen,

donation to Mills’ Greatest Need, an

Curtain campaign for the renovation of

contributed to the Leavitt Family

unrestricted designation that can

Lisser Hall, which will be completed this

Scholarship, which helps complete

be directed as needed. The estate of

fall: Enid Busser made her first contri-

financial aid packages for students,

Delphine Sparks ’44 made an unre-

bution to the campaign, while Elaine

especially first-generation students.

stricted endowed gift to the College.

Two gifts support programs for stu-

and Richard Barrett increased their

The James Irvine Foundation sup-

already generous commitment. Mills

dents resuming their college studies.

ported the re-launch of the Center for

trustee Glenn Voyles and his wife, Ellen,

Through their donation for the market-

Transformative Action at the Lorry I.

also augmented their support of Lisser.

ing and development of the Bachelor’s

Lokey School of Business and Public

The Voyleses, furthermore, served as

Degree Completion Program, trustee Mei

Policy. This center (formerly known

co-chairs of the Lisser Hall Campaign

Kwong ’70 and her husband, Laurence

as the Center for Socially Responsible

Cabinet, helping to engage other

Franklin, are helping to increase the

Business) brings together students,

funders with the campaign. The renova-

enrollment of women who return to col-

thought and practice leaders, policy

tion has transformed the 117-year-old

lege while continuing to work. Michael

makers, and others to share ideas for

hall into a versatile, state-of-the-art,

Moritz and Harriet Heyman made a

building profitable, sustainable orga-

structurally sound, and accessible space

generous gift to the Crankstart Re-entry

nizations and effective nonprofits to

for the College’s dance and theater

Program, which provides resumers with

address social, environmental, and

programs.

financial assistance.

policy problems.

Former trustee Jane Green ’93 and

The Barretts provided additional

The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell

funds for the Jill Barrett Biology

her husband, Jeff, contributed to the

Foundation made a generous donation

Research Program, which they estab-

Jane Green Endowment for Studies in

to the Mills Teacher Scholars Program,

lished 20 years ago to honor the

Art History and Criticism, a fund that

which helps promote teacher-led, collab-

memory of their daughter, Jill Barrett

supports public lectures on campus.

orative inquiry in Bay Area classrooms.

Farewell to a master editor

Linda Schmidt

A significant

11 years—spanning three College

alumni magazine, California Monthly,

era in the

presidencies—Schmidt filled these pages

Schmidt dedicated long hours to

history of the

with stories reflecting the interests of

ensuring the Quarterly met the highest

Mills Quarterly

Mills alumnae: stories about beloved

editorial and design standards,

drew to a close

faculty and campus locations,

writing much of the magazine—from

in July, when

intriguing alumnae and students, and

Mills Matters to Class Notes—herself,

longtime

the persistence of tradition as well as

and expertly guiding freelancers to

editor Linda

the reality of change at the College

produce their best possible work.

Schmidt left

and the Alumnae Association of Mills

We thank Linda for leaving us with a

her position

College. A graduate of Mills’ younger

stronger, prouder publication and wish

at the College. Over the course of

sibling, UC Berkeley, where she

her well in her future endeavors.

43 issues of the magazine and nearly

previously worked as an editor on the

–Dawn Cunningham ’85, interim editor and AAMC governor

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M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

Campus kudos A selection of recent achievements by faculty, staff, and students Critically acclaimed novelist,

studies on the cor-

two worlds: automated sensing reveals

award-winning journalist,

relations among the

links between above- and below-ground

and translator Achy Obejas

economic, legal, and

social networks in a free-living mam-

placed among four finalists

social impacts of LGBT

mal,” is based on field research Smith

for the 2018 PEN/Faulkner

inclusion worldwide.

and her students have been conducting

Award for Fiction, the largest

Published in March, the

since 2013 in Briones Regional Park, 20

peer-juried award for fiction

studies show, among

miles east of the College.

in the United States. She was

other findings, that

recognized for The Tower of

increased acceptance of

keynote speaker in September at the

the Antilles, a collection of

LGBT people and LGBT

2018 International Research Conference

stories about the conflicted

legal rights correlates

organized by UC Davis Global Affairs.

relationships Cubans and

with an increase in a

Hillman addressed the issue of sexual

Cuban Americans have with

country’s per-capita

harassment of women in academia—a

their homeland. Born in Havana, Obejas has taught at Mills as a visiting writer

gross domestic product.

A research paper on California

President Beth Hillman served as

topic she had previously examined in depth as a member of the national

ground squirrels co-authored by

committee that co-authored the report

Associate Professor of Biology

Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate,

of political science and legal studies,

Jenn Smith and five Mills undergradu-

Culture, and Consequences in Academic

since 2013.

Andrew Flores, assistant professor has held an appointment as a visit-

ate students was recently accepted

Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

ing scholar at the Williams Institute, a

into the biological sciences journal

The report was released in June by

UCLA School of Law think tank, where

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal

the National Academies of Sciences,

he co-authored three groundbreaking

Society B. The paper, “Split between

Engineering, and Medicine.

Sheila Lloyd joins faculty as associate provost Mills College warmly welcomes Sheila

English literature

from the New Deal to

Lloyd as its new associate provost for

from Cornell University.

Neoliberalism.”

teaching, learning, and faculty affairs.

She comes to Mills

As associate provost

In addition to her administrative role,

from University of

at Mills, Lloyd focuses

Lloyd serves as a professor of English

the Redlands, where

on faculty leadership

and affiliate professor of ethnic studies,

she served as direc-

development, teaching

teaching courses in African American

tor of assessment and

development, institutional

literary and cultural studies with an

accreditation liaison

grant-writing, and

emphasis on 20th-century fiction and

officer. Her teaching

nonfiction prose.

experience includes

“One of the reasons I was attracted to

positions at the

the assessment of Sheila Lloyd

student learning. Chinyere Oparah, provost and dean

Mills is its reputation for creative work

University of Chicago,

in the arts and scholarship,” Lloyd says.

Wayne State University,

is a great fit for the College and a vital

“Students not only see Mills as a place

and the University of the Redlands.

asset to accomplishing its educational

of education but as a place where they

As a scholar, she focuses on literature

goals. “She brings to her new position a

can make a difference. I look forward

used in the pursuit of social justice

commitment to Mills’ values, personal

to meeting students and learning from

as well as social change as a force for

experience as a first-generation student,

them, especially regarding their percep-

creating new literary forms—concerns

invaluable administrative experience,

tions of how to strengthen the College.”

that inform her current book project, “A

and a deep interest in innovative

Lloyd received her BA from Yale

Great Debt: African-American Literature

teaching practices,” Oparah says.

University and her MA and PhD in

and the Making of an Indebted Race

of the faculty, says Lloyd

–Melissa Berkay ’19 FA L L 2 0 1 8

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Art as Archaeology This fall, two groundbreaking women artists present works at Mills that use archaeology as a metaphor for examining histories and spaces.

Archaeology of an Artist: Lecture/ Performance by Meredith Monk November 7, 7:00 pm, Lisser Hall MacArthur “Genius” Award-winning artist Meredith Monk will inaugurate a new era of performances at Mills with “Archaeology of an Artist,” a lecture that integrates performances and

Catherine Wagner, Archaeology in Reverse I, 2018, Chromogenic print

video clips, distilling Monk’s 50-year journey as a composer, choreographer, filmmaker, performer, and tireless

compositions in the 1960s established

“Wagner is turning the architecture

cartographer of the frontiers of the

her as a pioneer in the field of interdis-

of the museum into a camera, reveal-

human voice. This presentation—the

ciplinary performance. Monk’s long-

ing structures so that you can see the

first performance to take place in Lisser

standing connection with Mills includes

museum in new ways.”

Hall after a year of renovations—is a

serving as the Music Department’s Jean

The concept of archeology is also

rare chance for the Mills community

Macduff Vaux Composer-in-Residence

central to this series of work. Wagner

to experience Monk’s vocal sorcery

in 2004.

says: “More than 40 years ago, when I

firsthand and to hear, directly from the artist, about the experiences and

Following “Archaeology of an Artist,”

began working as a young artist, I was

Meredith Monk will return to Mills in

interested in notions of archaeology

challenges that encompass her life and

2020 with a new, immersive perfor-

in reverse, or future ruins. I am always

career. The program will conclude with

mance piece, Indra’s Net, commissioned

looking at the times in which we live,

an audience Q&A.

by the College with funding from the

and the conceptual tools of archaeology

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

are useful in understanding the colli-

Meredith Monk graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1964. Her first

sion of the past, present, and future.”

Archaeology in Reverse: Exhibition by Catherine Wagner Through December 9, Mills College Art Museum The Mills College Art Museum (MCAM) examines its history and architecture in an exhibition of new work

by Catherine Wagner, Nancy Cook Chair of Photography at Mills College.

Through photographs, sculptural installations, and site-specific interventions— including large periscope elements that connect the gallery with its glass ceiling—Wagner explores the relationship between architecture and photography.

Sound like an unlikely pair? MCAM Meredith Monk

Director Stephanie Hanor explains:

“The museum was built in 1925 and there have been many additions over the years, now covered up,” Hanor notes. “In this exhibition, Wagner is revealing palimpsests of history. These are things that, as museum professionals, we try not to have people pay attention to—we want them to look at the art. Wagner is drawing our eyes to those details, those hidden stories.” The exhibition also features documentation of a site-specific performance in the museum’s rafters by Molissa Fenley, professor of dance.

MCAM is open 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday and until 7:30 pm on Wednesday. Visit mcam.mills. edu for more information.

–Sara Wintz ’07

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M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

Four new trustees to aid governing Four new members have joined the

for where I could help Mills be a

Mills College Board of Trustees to help

better institution.”

guide and support the College in its

Recent graduate trustee Sabrina T.

mission as a liberal arts college for

Kwist, EdD ’17, has served in a variety

women with coed graduate programs.

of staff positions at Mills, including

Their three-year terms began on July 1.

assistant dean of students (2015-2017),

As the College’s Commencement speaker in 2014, Daljit Bains ’99 said,

associate director of student diversity Daljit Bains

John Brabson

programs (2007-2011), and director

“My Mills experience strengthened my

of the Summer Academic Workshop

belief that remaining curious gives

(2007-2017). She also has served as

one access to things much greater

an adjunct lecturer and teaching

than just oneself.” Her curiosity has

assistant at the College. Her lifetime

spurred a career path traversing the

commitment to educational equity,

biotech and pharmaceutical industries

access, and social justice is reflected in

in the United States, social entrepre-

her current position as dean of equity

neurship in India, and an executive position in the Peace Corps. She is

and inclusion at Los Medanos College Pam Versaw

Sabrina Kwist

currently deputy director of permit

Pam Versaw ’73 has been

assistance in the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

John Brabson, professor emeritus of biochemistry, was

in Pittsburgh, California. elected as an alumna trustee by

Mills alumnae. She credits her Mills degree in biochemistry with giving her the confidence to pursue a career in a gender-

instrumental in reviving the biochemistry and molecular

biased field. Her MS in biochemistry from UCLA and MBA

biology major after his arrival at Mills in 1985. He also

from Stanford University also helped prepare her for a 35-year

helped secure funding for new labs and equipment in the

career in biotechnology, which included work in entre-

Betty Irene Moore Natural Sciences Building, which opened

preneurial technology-based start-up companies. She also

in 2007. Known as an inspiring teacher and colleague, he has

has served in such volunteer positions as vice president of the

summarized his faculty career as a period “of looking

board of directors of the Oakland Art Museum.

Campus Calendar Mills Music Now Concerts

Contemporary Writers Series

October 20  Maria Chavez, David Tudor Composer-in-Residence An abstract turntablist, sound artist, and DJ from Lima, Peru.

November 6  Dickson Lam Lam is author of Paper Sons: A Memoir, winner of the 2017 Autumn House Press Nonfiction Prize. He is an assistant professor of English at Contra Costa College and lives in Oakland. 5:30 pm, Mills Hall Living Room, free.

October 26  duo B. and Schimscheimer Family Trio An improvisation concert featuring duo B., an ensemble of acoustic bass and percussion that plays ethereal chamber music wrapped in dense improvised soundscapes.

November 3  Las Sucias New electronic music by the duo of Danishta Rivero ’10 and Alexandra Buschman, MA ’09, with composers from the Center for Contemporary Music.

November 17  Mills Performing Group Music by Robert Ashley, Morton Feldman, Meredith Monk, Maggi Payne, MFA ’72, Wendy Reid, MA ’80, and Steed Cowart.

All concerts start at 8:00 pm in the Littlefield Concert Hall. $15 general, $10 for alumnae, seniors, and non-Mills students.

See musicnow.mills.edu or contact Steed Cowart at 510.430.2334 or steed@mills.edu

Artist Lectures November 7  Shimon Attie An internationally renowned visual artist, Attie’s practice includes creating site-specific installations in public places. He often engages local communities in finding new ways of representing their history, memory, and potential futures. 4:30 pm, Danforth Lecture Hall, Jane B. Aron Art Center, free.

November 28  Bay Area Art in the 21st Century The Mills College Art Museum screens an episode of the documentary series Art in the Twenty-First Century, featuring Bay Area artists.

A discussion follows with Tom Di Maria and William Scott of Creative Growth, an Oakland-based art studio featured in the episode.

7:00 pm, Danforth Lecture Hall, Jane B. Aron Art Center, free.

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BENT TWIGS 2018

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A Bent Twig is a Mills student or alumna whose family tree includes another Mills alumna.

A dozen students celebrated graduation in May 2018 with their Bent Twig sisters, aunts, and moms.

1 Kate Carlin, MA, and mother,

Tricia Kerr ’87

7 Madeline Rose Searle-Bray

and aunt, Layla Rogers Powell ’95

2 Celia Gomez and sister,

Yuritzy Gomez Serrano ’10

8 Ana Cristina Dominguez and sister,

Maria Dominguez ’08

3 Sophia Draznin-Nagy and

sister, Rachel Draznin-Nagy ’12

9 Alexandra Goodenough and sister,

Nadia Ghani ’08

4 Maya Ibrahim-Bartley with

mothers Laila Ibrahim ’88

and Rinda Bartley ’86

10 Alia Naima Luqman, MBA, with sister, Khadijah Luqman ’95

5 Ashley Vo and sister,

Thuy Duong Le ’13

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6 Michelle Tran and sister,

Samantha Tran ’17

11 Alyssa Quiogue and aunt,

Arlene Quiogue ’91 12 Melissa McDaniel and sister,

Alicia McDaniel ’16 p h o t o s b y d a n a d av i s

The journey of a Mills evangelist A conversation with Liz Parker

From student body president to Chicago-based

Jackanicz: What led you to come to Mills for college?

admissions representative to College trustee, Liz

Parker: I grew up in Alameda, a town very close to Mills. Like

Parker ’85 has been speaking out for Mills across America for more than three decades. Jeff Jackanicz, who has supervised the College’s fundraising and

many kids, I always wanted to get away from home for college, but my mother kept putting in a plug for Mills—she had always heard great things about it. So I, of course, resisted it. But as a senior in high school, a friend of mine invited me on an over-

alumnae relations efforts as vice president for insti-

night visit to Mills. “If you want to come along, you get out of

tutional advancement since 2016, caught up with

school for the day,” she said. Those were the magic words. I

her to learn what inspires her deep commitment to volun-

stayed in Olney Hall, and I was so impressed by the witty and sophisticated women there.

During my college search, I also considered the University

teering for Mills. Parker also

of California at Berkeley. But when I had my interview at Mills,

shared insights into the work

I was basically love bombed by the admission representatives.

of the Board of Trustees, which oversees the College in collab-

They made me feel it was important to them that I attend Mills.

I also got a really handsome financial aid package, which made all the difference in the world. So that’s how I ended up at Mills.

oration with the president and key administrators.

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Where did life take you after Mills?

Immediately after finishing my BA in international relations, I took off for the University of Chicago, where I completed a two-year master’s program in international relations, focusing on Soviet studies—which is now ancient history. I stayed in Chicago ever since. I worked in the corporate world—with IBM and Siemens—for many years, until I decided it was time to be a parent at home with my kids.

We’ve been fortunate to have you as a trustee of the College since 2012.

How did you become a trustee?

You know, it’s funny. Sometimes I wonder if there were just no more volunteer jobs left for me at Mills and they had to find something for me to do! When I first moved to Liz Parker (second from left in front row) with other residents of Warren Olney Hall in 1984

Chicago, I agreed to be an alumna admissions representative. For about ten years, I would go to college fairs and help recruit students and interview them. I also was

Are there things you remember particularly vividly about your time at Mills?

active in the Chicago branch of Mills alumnae. We started a

Gosh, yeah. I think about dinner in the residence halls, where

of the Board of Governors of the Alumnae Association of Mills

we ate in small groups and got to know each other. I remem-

College. Because I did a lot of different things with Mills, Linda

ber spending many, many hours in the darkroom for a couple

Cohen Turner ’68, a trustee in Chicago who has since retired

of photography classes that stretched me so much I thought I

from the board, suggested me as a College trustee.

wouldn’t survive, but I did. The biggest thing was being involved

great book group that’s still going today. And I was a member

Mills College (ASMC) and working with a whole new group of

What motivates you to give so much of your time to Mills as a trustee?

people, including the administration and trustees.

Being a trustee—understanding the business of the College and

in student government through the Associated Students of

the challenges it faces—is fascinating, and we have some won-

Did you learn lessons, in or out of the classroom, that stayed with you over the years?

derful, brilliant, inspirational trustees. Working with two college presidents has also been fascinating.

The biggest lesson was the importance of taking advantage

But besides my personal fascination, I think it’s important for

of opportunities. I had so many opportunities at Mills that I

me to help provide continuity as the College grows and develops,

wouldn’t have had at a big school, whether it was joining the

so that we continue to make good decisions and be analytical as

swim team or being ASMC president or working with the

we move forward. I’m at a point in my life where I have time to

administration or taking classes outside of my normal subjects,

volunteer, and I have the resources to travel back and forth.

like ballet.

I also learned that there are solutions to most challenges, whether in or outside of the classroom. You just have to work on them actively.

You’re an active volunteer with other organizations besides Mills, such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Why is volunteering such a priority for you?

The last thing I recall learning was that unexpressed hopes

It started when I was 12 or 13 years old. I was a member of

or expectations are rarely fulfilled. If there’s something you

a Masonic youth organization, and the whole premise of the

want or some idea or dream you have, and if you don’t ask for

organization was the word “service”: to your community, your

it or don’t articulate it, it’s really hard for people to help you. In

family, your school, and your country. I did projects like stuff-

many situations, I was able to articulate my wishes and hopes,

ing envelopes at the Lung Association, planting small trees

and people did help me. At other times, I didn’t have the confi-

on the shoreline, and volunteering in an emergency room.

dence to ask for help, so I missed some opportunities.

I’ve worked at a Democratic National Convention, at the Iowa

10

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

Caucus, at the zoo. If you have a good life, it’s important that

tity and expression, and the increasing presence of first-gen-

you contribute something back to the community you live in,

eration college students and non-traditional-aged students.

whether it’s a small community or the greater community.

The trustees know that different students require different liv-

But volunteering is also a wonderful way to meet new people, to grow, to look at work from a different perspective. It’s both

ing and dining options as well as a wider range of class times, meeting days, and content delivery mechanisms.

personally and spiritually enriching, both fun and intellectually challenging.

What are the special things about Mills that continue?

There continues to be a sense of empowerment, supported by

Is there anything you’d want alumnae to know about the Mills College Board of Trustees that they might not already know?

a community of women working together to pursue mean-

When I was a student, I thought the trustees were a grouchy

still one of the most beautiful places in the Bay Area and an

group of people that made business decisions and didn’t really

oasis for study, living, research, and community development.

care about us. But early on in my experience as a trustee, as I

Our classes remain small and continue to offer students the

sat through board meetings, it became clear to me that trust-

opportunity to participate actively and build relationships

ees care very deeply about students and faculty. Another thing

with the faculty.

ingful academic experiences, life-long camaraderie, intellectual enrichment, and practical life skills. The campus is

that people might not know is that our trustees are a diverse,

much preparation to help us make decisions that it’s clear these

The six years that you’ve served as a trustee have been eventful. You and the board have instituted a number of significant changes at the College. Of which you are most proud?

staff think of Mills as something more than just another job.

One of them is the renovation of Lisser Hall. It was a bold

As a result, trustees are able to stay on top of what’s going on

undertaking at a time when there were, and continue to be,

in the College. They are very cognizant that Mills is a much

some demanding financial challenges. But it’s important for

different place than it was thirty years ago, and yet they real-

the College to keep developing programs and facilities that

ize it’s important to honor the things that remain truly special

directly contribute to the quality of student life.

eclectic bunch, coming from all walks of life. There is no single, standard personality that takes on this volunteer work.

When we go to trustee meetings, College staff have done so

about the College.

While I was never a student of the performing arts—outside

Our student body is much more diverse today in terms of

of the one ballet class I took—the opportunity to create, per-

race/ethnicity, social and economic background, gender iden-

form, and view work is an important part of the liberal arts experience and a significant opportunity for personal growth.

We need spaces on campus where students and faculty can explore their creativity and where the Mills community, and potentially the surrounding neighborhood, can come together.

I’m excited that we now have a multi-functional facility that will attract all sorts of groups to campus.

I’m also very proud of President Beth Hillman. She’s extremely creative and fearless. She’s got a high level of energy, and she’s working really hard to find solutions to all of the challenges facing Mills. As our college population changes, so must our way of delivering solutions. President Hillman and her team have worked closely with the trustees to explore a variety of partnership opportunities with other institutions. Last fall, for instance, President Hillman and UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ signed an agreement that means Mills students can now join Berkeley’s study abroad and global internship programs.

Meanwhile, Berkeley undergraduate women can enroll in our biology courses, which offer better opportunities for interaction with faculty, and Berkeley graduate students may qualify for our fast-track MBA and master of management programs.

Parker with fellow trustees Lyn Flanigan ’65 and Katie Sanborn ’83, chair of the Mills College Board of Trustees.

The effects of some of the changes we’ve instituted are still taking shape. But I’m happy that the board has had the courage to make decisions and take action. ◆

FA L L 2 0 1 8

11

BERT GORDON

A bakery on the rue Vieille du Temple, an ancient street in the Marais section of Paris.

Food, wine France

&

A taste of history

12 

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

1971, Mills students and alumnae have learned the pleasure of gastronomy infused with insights from history. Gordon retired from full-time teaching at Mills College in May, becoming professor emeritus of history. But the Mills community will continue

SUZ ANNE PERK INS

Ever since Bert Gordon debuted his course on cuisine history in

to have opportunities to enjoy the banquet of knowledge he offers: he’ll teach cuisine history again in spring 2019, and from September 24 to October 8, 2019, he’ll guide a tour in France, “Eat Your Heart Out! Paris and Burgundy,” organized by the Alumnae Association of Mills College. For more information about the AAMC tour, visit alumnae.mills.edu/travel.

Gordon first studied food history as a graduate student and, while a Mills professor, became one of the leading scholars in this field. His publications on the topic include “Food and France: What Food Studies Can Teach Us about History,” a special issue of French Historical Studies that he coedited in 2015. He has also written on the history of chocolate in France, England, and

Professor Emeritus Bert Gordon at the Marché Maubert-Mutualité, a lively street market in Paris where people have shopped for food since the 16th century.

California. His next book, War Tourism: Second World War France from Defeat and Occupation to the Creation of Heritage, will be published by Cornell University Press in November.

F

RANCE has long been known as a gastronomical epicenter. Even if its pre-eminence has been increas-

ingly challenged in recent decades—for example, in the famous wine competi-

“The style of simpler, lighter, and more natural foods was called ‘nouvelle cuisine’ as early as 1742.”

tion in 1976 known as the Judgment of Paris, where California wines were rated

added French gastronomy to its list of

following the autumn harvest. The rela-

equal or superior to their French coun-

the world’s “intangible cultural heritage.”

tive scarcity of food during winter and

terparts—France’s

remains

Indeed, the word “gastronomy” owes its

early spring found expression in the

strong in today’s culinary world. French

popularity, if not its origins, to a poem by

early spring Lenten fasts. Following a

continues to be the language of gas-

Joseph Berchoux, called “La Gastronomie,”

meal, dragées, or candies, made from

tronomy through its widespread use

published in France in 1801.

sugar cubes or hardened honey might

influence

in restaurants and cookbooks. In 2017,

France, however, has many cuisines.

be served along with cheese and spicy

France was the country with the second

Aristocrats in medieval Gaul staged elab-

wine, such as hippocras (spiced wine).

greatest number of restaurants holding

orate banquets in Roman Empire style

From these the dessert course evolved.

the highest rating—three stars—from

to show off their status, imitating the

Haute cuisine emerged with cook-

the prestigious Michelin Guide. With 26

banquets described by the first-century

books published in the late 17th and

such restaurants, France was just behind

Roman writer Petronius in his Satyricon.

18th centuries by François Pierre La

Japan, which led with 28—but one of

Medieval courses were brought out

Varenne and François Massialot, among

Tokyo’s 3-starred restaurants was that

all at once; diners ate them with their

others. They moved away from the

of the late French chef Joël Robuchon.

hands. Poultry and birds were favored

Medieval combination of sweet and

Of course, the Michelin Guide itself is

because they flew and were thereby per-

salty flavors within the same dish and

French, indicating a continuing influ-

ceived as being closer to heaven. Swans

argued for foods to reflect their origins

ence in the language and aesthetics of

and peacocks, dressed in their skin and

in nature more than the elements of

gastronomy. In November 2010, UNESCO

plumage, were sometimes featured, but

magical transformation often favored in

were stuffed with the more tasty meat of

earlier texts. Sweet flavors were moved

goose or chicken. Foods varied accord-

exclusively to desserts at the end of the

ing to the seasons, with feasts usually

meal. The style of simpler, lighter, and

By Bert Gordon

FA L L 2 0 1 8

13

more natural foods was called “nouvelle

century B.C. France’s King

cuisine” as early as 1742 in a cookbook

Louis XIV (who reigned

by Menon (the pseudonym of an other-

1643-1715) had resisted

wise unidentified author). As the monar-

using the fork, but its use

chy grew in power, Paris—with markets

spread rapidly after his

at Les Halles and the rue Mouffetard,

death.

among other locations—replaced the

Cookbooks,

including

rural aristocratic châteaux as the center

Antonin Carême’s Art de la

of French culinary culture.

cuisine française au XIXe

Associated with the rise of haute cui-

siècle (1833) and Auguste

sine was the spread of restaurants, taking

Escoffier’s Guide culinaire

off toward the end of the 18th century

(1903), helped develop and

and growing in substantial numbers

codify French haute cui-

with the rise of an increasingly influ-

sine. Carême focused on

ential bourgeoisie during and after the

sauces, such as espagnole,

French Revolution. The original meaning

velouté,

of the French word “restaurant” was not a

still known today. Escoffier

place but a bouillon: a soup or broth with

worked in collaboration with César Ritz

ants; the corresponding figure for 1847

meat consumed for medical purposes—in

in developing luxury hotels and is known

was one for every 1,800. New dining

other words, a “restorative” to recover

for the creation of desserts like Pêche

times corresponded to the interests of

one’s health. A Monsieur Boulanger

Melba and Crêpes Suzette. Escoffier’s

the bourgeoisie. Service à la française, in

is sometimes said to have opened the

work in hotels such as the Carlton in

which dishes were served all together on

first restaurant, where these bouillons

London helped link haute cuisine with

a large table in the salon, was replaced

were served, in 1765. Previously, din-

restaurants in luxury hotels. Beginning

by service à la russe, with dishes pre-

ing outside the home had occurred at

in the 1920s, the world of the French res-

sented one at a time in a salle à manger,

inns with fixed times and fixed menus

taurant was enshrined in the Michelin

or specific dining room in the home.

or in the shops of traiteurs (caterers). In

Guide’s restaurant rating system. As

Cuisine populaire, or working-class

1782, Antoine Beauvilliers established

elsewhere in French life, state legisla-

cuisine, developed with industrializa-

La Grande Taverne de Londres, gener-

tion played a key role in the protection

tion in the late 19th century. This cui-

ally agreed upon as the first luxury

and preservation of French haute cuisine.

sine, in both bistros and homes, may be

restaurant, in Paris. With the abolition

For instance, the appellation d’origine

best understood in terms of the foods of

contrôlée (AOC) sys-

the French provinces, with their many

tem, first adopted

differing wines and cheeses, as well as

in

and

“The original meaning of the French word ‘restaurant’ was not a place but a bouillon: a soup or broth with meat.”

Bœuf bourguignon

béchamel,

in

charcuterie, candies, and pastries. In

1855, requires AOC-

1958, the American expatriate writer

certified wines to be

Waverley Root published The Food of

produced in specific

France, in which he divided the country

ways in designated

into three domains determined by their

geographic areas.

cooking fat: the regions of butter, lard,

Bordeaux

to

and olive oil. The butter zone embraces

of guilds during the French Revolution

the haute cuisine served in restaurants,

Paris, the wine regions of Burgundy

and the increased bourgeois clientele,

cuisine bourgeoise developed as a style

and Bordeaux, the alpine regions to the

restaurants surged in popularity. At a

of home cooking generally for families

east, and the northern coastal areas of

restaurant, as the gastronomic writer

with cooks. Advances in agriculture dur-

Brittany and Burgundy. Lard is the base

Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote in

ing the second half of the 18th century

of the foods of Alsace and Lorraine, while

The Physiology of Taste, “A man might

brought improvements in the breeding

oil is the base in Provence, Gascony, and

dine at whatever hour best suits him,

of pigs and other livestock. Along with

the Basque country.

according to the circumstances in which

the introduction of potatoes from the

Burgundy, the region where I will

he is placed by his affairs or pleasures.”

Americas, these advances increased the

guide a tour for the Alumnae Association

In

contrast

Another key to the modernization

quantity of food available to the middle

of Mills College next year, is noted for

of haute cuisine in France was the dis-

and lower classes. Les Halles attracted a

both its wine and its food, with the most

semination of the fork, whose history

new bourgeois consumer and also helped

Michelin-starred

goes back to the Eastern Mediterranean-

supply the new restaurants. In 1820, Paris

Paris. Bœuf bourguignon, beef stewed

Persian world of the sixth or seventh

had one butcher for every 2,400 inhabit-

in côte de Nuits or côte de Beaune red

14

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

CRE ATI V E M ARK E T

restaurants

outside

SHU T TERS TOCK

opposed to longer menus,

dish. The beef is from Charolais, an

and the use of microwave

area in the eastern part of the region.

ovens, for example, charac-

Other famous foods from Burgundy

terized nouvelle cuisine.

BERT GORDON

wine, may be Burgundy’s best-known

include poulet de Bresse, chicken from

Today, there is no one

the town of Bresse, found on many

“style” that has succeeded

restaurant menus throughout France,

the nouvelle cuisine of the

and moutarde de Dijon, mustard from

1970s. French cuisine will

Dijon. Escargots à la bourguignonne

most

(Burgundy snails) are made with parsley

assimilate

butter, served in their shells, and eaten

ences

with a small “snail fork” or a toothpick.

Grangousier, the fictional

Burgundy wines date back to antiquity,

glutton in François Rabelais’

the best known being the dry reds made

16th

from pinot noir and whites made from

dined on couscous, a North

chardonnay grapes. More wines from

African dish. With some-

Burgundy are now legally protected by

where between six and eight

AOC designations than are wines from

million Muslims in France,

any other French region. With some 400

including increased popula-

types of soil producing different grapes,

tions of second- and third-

Burgundy wines are known by their ter-

generation families, the availability of

bottles had never been in close contact

roirs, or areas of origin.

likely

continue

cultural

from

century

to

influ-

elsewhere.

Gargantua,

An American-inspired hot dog stand, also in the Marais.

halal (Arabic for “permissible”) foods has

with alcohol, which would render the

In the years following the Second

grown. Noting an assimilation of Muslim

water haram, or unclean.” A new genera-

World War, increased automobile usage

with other styles of popular French

tion of halal gourmets, according to the

made the regions and their cuisines

foods, the New York Times reported in

Times, was now being called “beurgeois,”

more accessible to visitors from inside

2010 that some French supermarkets

a play on the words bourgeois and beur,

France and abroad. What is often con-

were devoting entire aisles to halal prod-

slang for “Arab.”

sidered “nouvelle cuisine” took off in the

ucts, including chicken sausage, paella,

And, as elsewhere, fast foods have

1970s to describe a simplification of food

pizza bolognaise, and lasagna. French

gained popularity in France. To make

preparation styles with shorter cooking

charcuterie and catering brands intro-

its menus more attractive to local cli-

times to render more intact their natu-

duced halal foods, and Evian was plac-

entele, McDonald’s added salads, fresh

ral flavors. Steam cooking, the use of the

ing a halal stamp on some of its bottles

fruit, sandwiches on baguettes, and

freshest possible ingredients, shorter as

“to reassure its Muslim clientele that the

AOC

cheeses.

Hamburgers,

having

been elevated in status by Michelinstarred chefs, have gained popularity.

McDonald’s has also adjusted its hours to more closely match mealtimes in France, which, despite some slippage, are still more regular than those in America.

Not surprisingly, there has been resistance against “imported” fast foods as well as “foreign” influences.

The identity of people in France with their foods has a long history and will continue into the future, though the specifics will likely evolve. To cite one instance, some have referred to a new style of “bistro cuisine” that combines regional foods and the nouvelle cuisine of 40 years ago. Undoubtedly, BrillatSavarin’s aphorism, “Tell me what you eat; I will tell you who you are,” will remain, as will the staunch defenders of la cuisine française. ◆ Vineyard in Burgundy FA L L 2 0 1 8

15

Can the GREEN RUSH deliver justice?

Mills graduates find opportunity and room for reform in the cannabis industry

BY DAWN CUNNINGHAM ’85 IN AMERICA’S FASTEST-GROWING INDUSTRY, job listings

Meanwhile, to deepen his understanding of regulatory issues,

increased by 445 percent and consumer spending rose by 31

he’s working at NUG, a licensed cannabis manufacturer that

percent last year, reaching $8.5 billion. Yet few colleges offer

produces concentrates, such as those used in vape pens. In the

curricula to prepare their students for careers in this field.

MBA program’s social entrepreneurship course last spring, four

That’s because this industry’s product is marijuana.

students wrote business plans focusing on cannabis.

Cannabis—the scientific name for the plant—remains illegal

In March, Naima McQueen, MBA ’18, and Rebecca Robles,

under US federal law. It’s still listed under Schedule 1 of the

MBA/MPP ’19, co-organized the annual conference of the Lorry

Controlled Substances Act, a category intended for substances

I. Lokey School of Business and Public Policy at Mills. Partly in

with a high potential for abuse and no medical value, such as

response to their peers’ interests, they included a panel discus-

heroin. Nevertheless, 30 states allow medical marijuana use

sion on the cannabis industry, which drew a standing-room-

and nine of these also allow recreational use. In California—the

only crowd of students, alumnae, community members, and

first state to permit medical marijuana—recreational use has

industry insiders. But rather than sharing tips on how to get

been legal since the start of this year.

rich off the green rush, the conversation focused squarely on

At colleges like Mills that receive federal funds—including

social justice. “We wanted to explore the potential in the indus-

federal financial aid for students—the Drug Free Schools and

try for building wealth for the same populations who have pre-

Communities Act strictly prohibits marijuana use. This campus

viously been criminalized for selling marijuana,” McQueen

ban persists even in states where cannabis has become legal.

explains.

But you don’t have to inhale to prepare for a career in can-

In 2013, the American Civil Liberties Union found that

nabis. On a number of campuses, students and recent gradu-

a black person was 3.73 times more likely to be arrested for

ates are taking the initiative to educate themselves about the

marijuana possession than a white person, even though both

industry. At UC Berkeley, for instance, students organized a

groups used marijuana at similar rates. Yet three years later,

course called High Margins: The Business of Legal Cannabis

only one percent of cannabis dispensaries across the country

and formed the Berkeley Cannabis Industry Club, which offers

were owned by African Americans. McQueen says: “As a busi-

the opportunity to network with cannabis companies.

ness school with commitment to equity, diversity, and inclu-

In Mills College’s Public Policy Program, Ryan Reaves, MPP ’19, is completing a policy report on women in cannabis.

16

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

sion, we should hold space for a conversation about these issues in the cannabis industry.”

AS IN ANY FIELD, MILLS STUDENTS LOOK TO ALUMNAE

ing industry. Due to unequal criminalization rates and dispari-

to understand the career paths open to them and to gain criti-

ties in access to capital, people of color are being locked out of

cal perspectives on the cannabis space. Two of the speakers

the new and thriving legal cannabis trade. We need to address

that McQueen and Robles invited to the Lokey School panel

the systemic exclusion and discrimination at play.”

were alumnae: La Wanda Knox, MBA ’10, and Claudia Mercado

Lee’s resolution, as well as the Lokey School panel discussion,

’06, MBA ’07. Along with Barbara Lee ’73, Angela Bacca, MBA

reflect concerns that run particularly deep in Oakland. The city

’12, and Kirk Miller, MBA ’15, these graduates have been shap-

is recognized as a center of innovation in the cannabis indus-

ing new business models, pushing for legislative reform, and

try, just as Silicon Valley serves as a center of innovation for

changing public opinion around cannabis at the local, state,

the tech industry. In 2004, Oakland became the first American

and national levels.

city to issue a permit for a medical marijuana dispensary; a few

Lee plays a central role in the national conversation. As the

years later, it became the first city to tax marijuana. With the

US Representative for California’s 13th congressional district,

advent of recreational cannabis, the city instituted new regula-

which includes Oakland, she has been advocating for changes

tions for licensing businesses; now it has the greatest number

in federal marijuana law for more than a decade. Last January,

of cannabis licensees of any city in California. It’s also home

Lee introduced two cannabis-related bills in the House, both

to Oaksterdam University, which has positioned itself as the

currently being considered by House committees: the REFER

world’s premier cannabis college. Miller studied at Oaksterdam

Act would prevent federal government intrusion in state and

after finishing his MBA at Mills. “If you’re in Oakland and

local marijuana laws; and the Marijuana Justice Act would cre-

you don’t consider the possibilities presented by the cannabis

ate a fund for cannabis job training in communities dispropor-

industry, you’re sticking your head in the sand,” he says.

tionately affected by marijuana arrests. It would also expunge

PAUL CHINN/SAN FR ANCISCO CHRONICLE /POL ARIS

convictions for marijuana use and possession.

The downside of recreational licensing is what some in Oakland’s marijuana community have called the “Wal-Marting

In June, Lee presented a resolution to encourage equity in the

of weed.” Reaves, the public policy student, explains that older

cannabis industry. It raised many of the same concerns that

medical marijuana regulations encouraged the formation of col-

the panel discussion organized by McQueen and Robles did.

lectives of patients and caregivers who pooled resources to culti-

Lee said: “We must learn from the failed War on Drugs and

vate and share cannabis. “Businesses could be run out of homes

ensure that entrepreneurs of color are included in this expand-

and costs kept low, creating opportunities for women and people

Calibueno founder Claudia Mercado inspects cannabis buds at her packaging and distribution center in East Oakland in November 2017.

FA L L 2 0 1 8

17

DAWN CUNNINGHA M

of color,” he says. But the new recreational laws require most growers to apply for commercial licenses and comply with strict regulations— which aren’t barriers for large companies, but can put small entrepreneurs out of business.

In addition, as successful cannabis businesses grow, they tend to import executives from mainstream corporations. Marijuana Business Daily reports that this trend contributed to a 9 percentage point fall in the proportion of executive positions held by women in the industry between 2015 and 2017.

“THE SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT in Oakland made marijuana happen, but now the industry is being eaten alive by Wall Street,” says Angela Bacca, MBA ’12, who is writing a book of investigative journalism on the industry and how it evolved in Oakland between 2009 and 2012. “The same thing is happening

Angela Bacca, MBA ’12

in the cannabis industry that has happened in other industries: mergers and acquisitions. The people most affected by the drug war—women, people of color,

from the mainstream press: children being taken away from

poor people, gay and transgender people—usually aren’t the

their homes and put into foster care because their parents used

ones making the money in this industry.”

cannabis, even if it was legal under California law.”

Bacca witnessed the evolution of cannabis in Oakland first-

These investigations helped launch her into a broader activ-

hand. As an undergraduate at San Francisco State University,

ist role. She moved to Utah and, as co-founder and director of

she found marijuana to be more effective for treating her

media relations for the Drug Policy Project of Utah, promoted

Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder, than pre-

a medical marijuana bill in 2015 that won strong support in

scription pharmaceuticals. She began writing about medical

opinion polls, although it failed in the Utah Senate by one vote.

marijuana for the student paper. In 2008, after graduating with

Today Bacca lives in Portland, Oregon, but continues to work

a BA in journalism, she landed a job as an editorial assistant to

on the campaign to legalize medical marijuana in Utah—this

Ed Rosenthal, a pioneering, Oakland-based cannabis advocate

time through a measure on the November 6 ballot. Meanwhile,

and a prolific writer on the subject.

she serves on the board of Oregon NORML, the state branch of

“The cannabis scene in the Bay Area was not as professional

the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

and mature then as it is now,” Bacca recalls. “But then Obama

“Cannabis is still not fully legal,” she says. “People still go to

became president, and his administration issued the Ogden

jail because of it and lose their kids. We’re still preventing sick

memo,” which deprioritized federal prosecution of medical

people from having it and giving them more dangerous phar-

marijuana use. “This opened the door to the green rush, and I

maceutical drugs. That’s why I’m so passionate about it.”

saw cannabis turn into a big business overnight. I thought an MBA might be useful for me, so I started at Mills in 2010.”

OAKLAND HAS BEEN SEEKING TO RESIST domination of

Her first semester coincided with a 2010 California ballot ini-

the cannabis industry by big business: it was the first city in

tiative to legalize recreational marijuana, known as Proposition

California to initiate an “equity program,” which minimizes

19. Rosenthal was teaching courses at Oaksterdam University,

barriers to cannabis licensing for people who have been the

and Bacca served as his teaching assistant. “I was spending

most victimized by the war on drugs. This group is defined

days at Oaksterdam, where they were running the initiative,

as residents who earn 80 percent of the average income in the

and my nights at Mills. It was interesting studying business

city and who either have had cannabis convictions since 1996

while watching a business take shape out of thin air.” Although

or live in certain East Oakland neighborhoods with a history of

Prop 19 was defeated, the City of Oakland soon began laying

high cannabis-related arrest rates.

the regulatory groundwork for industrial cannabis cultivation.

In addition to reserving half of its cannabis licenses for appli-

Meanwhile, Bacca kept a hand in journalism, writing for

cants who qualify for the equity program, the City of Oakland

Skunk, a cannabis growers’ magazine, and later cofounding

is setting up an interest-free loan program for equity applicants.

Ladybud.com, a women’s magazine with a focus on marijuana

It also provides them with the opportunity to be incubated in

activism. In 2012, she says, “I starting covering a story missing

rent-free space by a better-financed cannabis business (NUG,

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M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

the cannabis manufacturer Reaves works for, is one such incu-

worked with hundreds of equity applicants, offering them an

bator) and with technical assistance to help them navigate the

online bootcamp, workshops and conferences, and referrals to

complex licensing process.

attorneys, accountants, insurers, and other business services.

This technical assistance is provided by Make Green

Make Green Go is currently expanding its services to help

Go, a local consulting firm established by La Wanda Knox.

applicants apply for the California state license, an additional

“Everybody is watching Oakland,” Knox says. “There’s a lot of

requirement beyond the city license.

pressure on us to get it right. We want to be an example of

“I’m working in the industry I’ve always wanted to work in,

how to help communities that have been disadvantaged by

with the people I’ve always wanted to help,” Knox says. “I’m

the war on drugs, and how to help businesses thrive.” Three

doing exactly what I’m meant to do. It doesn’t get any more

other cities—San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento—

perfect than this.”

launched equity programs after Oakland did. On September 26, California Governor Jerry Brown approved a bill to estab-

ONE OF THE FIRST BUSINESSES that Knox assisted through

lish a statewide equity program.

Oakland’s equity program was Calibueno, a cannabis dis-

Although the design of Oakland’s equity program has come

tributor co-founded and co-owned by Claudia Mercado. Knox

under criticism—some say it should be open to a broader group

helped Mercado bring Calibueno into compliance with various

of people of color, while others say there isn’t enough financial

requirements for the state license.

support for equity applicants—the program has had some undeniable success. “Before we started our work,” Knox says, “there were more general applicants than equity applicants. Now it’s reversed: we have more equity than general applicants.”

“Everybody is watching Oakland. We want to be an example of how to help communities that have been disadvantaged by the war on drugs.”

Knox’s preparation for this work goes back to when she began using medical marijuana for a thyroid disorder. She recalls: “I would go to a dispensary to get my medicine. It was a dark, closet-like room with shelves of product in the back of a café, and you had to know the secret passageways to get back there. But I saw right away that this MORGAN SHIDLER

was a retail opportunity.”

A Bay Area native, Knox had been a business consultant for many years with 7-Eleven. She wanted to expand her skills in entrepreneurship to open her own business, so she enrolled in the Mills MBA program. There, she met Bacca and Mercado.

“Mills helped me understand the importance of building and maintaining a network of like-minded people who can help each other achieve their goals.”

Knox started several businesses after completing her MBA. About four years ago, she launched a mobile cannabis testing laboratory, Pure Bud Testing, along with her husband and his family.

Her husband is a cannabis attorney; his mother, a retired anesthesiologist, founded American Cannabinoid Clinics in Portland.

“We wanted to test products for potency,” Knox explains. “We knew quality control would make or break the industry. But we were too far ahead of the curve to be profitable. Testing wasn’t required in California until July of this year, and back then not enough businesses understood how testing protected them.”

After Pure Bud closed, Knox began offering workshops on regulatory compliance for medical marijuana businesses through Make Green Go. But her biggest project wasn’t cannabis related: she taught minority entrepreneurs at the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce how to develop business plans.

By the time the city set up its equity program in 2016, these experiences positioned Make Green Go to win the program’s technical assistance contract. Since then, Knox’s firm has

La Wanda Knox, MBA ’10

FA L L 2 0 1 8

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medical marijuana has been legalized have seen significant reductions in opiate prescriptions.

Calibueno, Mercado’s company, prepares cannabis for wholesaling to retailers, operating out of a cavernous warehouse space in Jingletown, a post-industrial neighborhood in East Oakland where Mercado lived for more than 15 years of her early adulthood. Calibueno procures flowers from farmers and then hires a certified laboratory to test the product for pesticides and other contaminants as well as levels of THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, and terpene, essential oils that enhance the high from THC and are believed to have health benefits. If the flowers pass inspection, Calibueno packages them in containers of various sizes—most commonly a jar that holds an “eighth” (3.5 grams)—for resale to retailers.

Only licensed distributors like Calibueno can handle the testing and packaging required by California law. “We are the gatekeepers of public safety. We take care of the product like a food or pharmaceutical medicine,” Mercado says. Nearly 20 percent of marijuana products in California have failed the tests since they became a requirement on July 1, creating botClaudia Mercado ’06, MBA ’07

tlenecks in the supply chain.

These challenges provided opportunities for entrepreneurs

“We’re focused on building relationships with farmers and retailers who share our values, including being environmentally conscious.”

like Mercado. She explains: “The hardest part of starting out in this business has been getting the right information in order to predict the way the market would evolve. But we’ve been able to jump the regulatory hurdles quicker than some of our competitors.”

In the decade after graduating from Mills, Mercado had

Mercado has a vision of ways her company

gained experience with sales and marketing in variety of corpo-

and the industry could grow. “We want to help farmers stay in

rations, including the wine retailer JJ Buckley. “The wine and the

business. We’re focused on building relationships with farmers

weed industry have a lot of parallels,” Mercado observes. “Much

and retailers who share our values, including being environ-

of what I’m trying to do now is based on what I learned there.”

mentally conscious, caring for each other as a community, and

Despite her corporate resume, Mercado felt pulled in a differ-

giving back to society.”

ent direction. “I’ve always been an entrepreneur,” she says. “I was selling chile-flavored popsicles during recess in elementary

CANNABIS COMPANIES CAN’T BE MANAGED quite like a

school.” She learned to value entrepreneurship from her fam-

normal businesses—even in California—because of the plant’s

ily. Until she was eight years old, Mercado lived in Zacatecas,

federal illegality. Few banks will open accounts for businesses

Mexico, with her grandparents, who owned a farm; her father

who “touch the plant,” so many operate on a cash-only basis.

also owned a business there. Mercado had her first taste of run-

Insurance policies typically exclude “criminal acts.” To address

ning her own business in 2016, when she and her partner, a

the latter, California’s insurance commissioner has been work-

chef, opened Aztecali, a Mexican restaurant in Oakland.

ing with insurers to develop policies for the state’s licensed

Mercado began to explore medical marijuana when her

businesses.

mother was afflicted with a persistent pain in her left arm.

Kirk Miller is vice president of risk management cannabis ser-

Doctors prescribed ibuprofen, which didn’t help much. So

vices for Emergent, a San Francisco-based insurance brokerage

Mercado researched alternative treatments, learned about a

specializing in the cannabis industry. Originally from Indiana,

topical cannabis cream, and convinced her mother to try it.

Miller worked in the insurance field before deciding to pursue

The cream worked. Mercado recognized the importance of

an MBA. He wanted a program with a focus on social responsi-

high-quality, affordable pain medication. Since 2012, she’d

bility, so chose the Lokey School. “Many of my courses at Mills

been serving on the Osteopathic Medical Board of California

involved collaboration and solving problems, both of which are

as a public board member, appointed by the Senate Rules

important for navigating the cannabis industry,” he says.

Committee. “The board was hearing a lot about the issue of

After graduating, Miller and a classmate, Scott Watkins, MBA/

opiate addiction,” she says. “With cannabis, I saw an opportu-

MPP ’16, took an executive course at Oaksterdam University

20

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

PHOTO BY PAUL CHINN/SAN FR ANCISCO CHRONICLE /POL ARIS

nity to bring quality medicine to people.” In fact, states where

and began consulting with cannabis businesses who were

the risk profile, it could be managed by putting worker-safety

coming to grips with legalization and the attendant regula-

measures in place, managing cash effectively, protecting pat-

tions. Miller helped a well-known grower in Oakland bring its

ents and intellectual property, practicing good corporate gov-

nursery facilities into compliance with the city requirements.

ernance, or addressing cybersecurity.”

Miller’s LinkedIn profile, straddling the cannabis and

Like others in the cannabis industry, Miller’s work includes

insurance industries, came to the attention of a recruiter for

advocacy. “We’re not just working with clients and other canna-

Emergent soon after the company launched last year. “My

bis business,” he says. “We’re lobbying nationally and regionally

background in risk management and my personal involvement

to create a more robust cannabis insurance market.”

in the early efforts of the cannabis industry has enabled me to act as a bridge,” he says. “A lot of early adopters in the cannabis

ANALYSTS EXPECT STRONG GROWTH TO CONTINUE

space don’t understand how insurance can protect them. On

in the legalized cannabis industry. In four more years, consumer

the other hand, many insurance professionals aren’t in touch

spending on cannabis is projected to double in value, reaching

with the needs of the cannabis industry. I bridge that gap.”

$23 billion by 2022. But many uncertainties remain. At the start

At Emergent, Miller’s clients represent the spectrum of can-

of the year, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded an Obama-

nabis businesses. “We cover everything from cultivation to

era directive that deprioritized federal action against recre-

manufacturing to distribution to dispensaries to investment

ational marijuana users and businesses.

funds,” he says. One client, a grower, was licensed through Oakland’s equity program.

Knox and Miller think it’s unlikely that businesses operating in compliance with state law will face prosecution in the future.

Miller’s role is to help clients find insurance that covers

But Bacca is concerned about the status of gray-market growers:

their business and doesn’t exclude the cannabis trade as

“Not all producers have the means to enter the new legal market,

a criminal act. But even with the best insurance currently

and law enforcement is already cracking down on those who are

available, cannabis entrepreneurs face greater risks than

unlicensed.”

other companies do. In addition to conducting transactions

She also believes medical marijuana patients could lose out.

with cash—which raises the risk of theft—growers can’t get

She sees a trend developing to define “botanical” marijuana

insurance to protect outdoor crops against fires. So Miller

(the flower or other parts of the plant) as a recreational product,

also helps his clients mitigate risks. He explains: “We first

while patients are pushed toward FDA-approved tinctures and

assess what a business’s risk exposures are. Depending on

other standardized, pharmaceutical extracts, which she says are less effective for many patients than a genetically diverse range of botanicals. Bacca, however, is working on a project that

ALLISUN NOVAK

could raise awareness of cannabis’s genetic diversity: a technology that would engage cannabis users in helping to decode and understand cannabis DNA. Miller points to two factors that he hopes will sustain diversity—of people and plants—in the industry. One is the spread of equity programs. “Each local jurisdiction needs to make equity a priority,” he says. “We were locking up people for years because of this plant, and now we need to make reparations through equity programs.” The other is California’s love of artisanal goods. “Look at the beer brewing industry,” Miller remarks.

“There’s been lots of consolidation, but there are constantly new entrants creating original microbrews. In the cannabis industry there’s still an opportunity for small entrepreneurs to offer unique products.”

Knox says, “There are plenty of people who are in the industry just to make money. But I’m seeing more people like Claudia— people who care about cannabis as a medicine. They are driven because they know it can help people.”

“This business is not for everybody,” cautions Mercado. “You can’t come in and be an overnight success.” Still, she says: “It’s important for Mills students to understand there’s a new industry with career opportunities. If you can carve your niche at the beginning of the industry, you’ll be around for the long term. It’s a good Kirk Miller, MBA ’15

time for women and people of color who want to be bold and can hold on through the ups and downs over the next few years.” ◆ FA L L 2 0 1 8

21

A Message from the AAMC President Dear Alumnae, I am delighted to inform you that MillsConnect, the online men-

orphaned children in India.

toring and professional networking platform of the Alumnae

It informs my work on the

Association of Mills College (AAMC), is being introduced to

Mills Board of Trustees and

alumnae and students this fall. More than 160 alumnae helped

AAMC Board of Governors.

beta-test the platform this summer, and I am grateful to all

It shapes my sense of jus-

who participated in that effort.

tice and equity wherever I

Mentoring has been a part of my life since childhood. My

am and in whatever I do.

Viji Nakka-Cammauf

father was a lecturer and director of athletics in a college in

I chose mentors from

India, where the roles of teacher (guru) and student (sishya)

different fields to enhance

are special. I was aware of and exposed to these roles very

my growth in various areas of my personal, spiritual, and pro-

early in my life. My father was a teacher to his sishyas and

fessional life. I benefit from mentors even as I mentor people of

then a lifelong mentor. There was a sense of mutual benefit

all ages, from the 20s to the 80s. Mentoring is one of the most

and enjoyment in these relationships. During childhood, my

rewarding and fulfilling parts of my life. The cultural differences,

mother mentored me. She significantly shaped my spiritual life

backgrounds, and biases I encounter help me reexamine my own

and experience.

perceptions and biases. It has always been mutually beneficial.

In high school, I met freedom fighters who worked with

I want to encourage you to sign on to MillsConnect and

Mahatma Gandhi for the independence of India. They would

become a mentor. Some of the things I learned from my own

become very strong mentors to me for several years. These

life experience and from others may help you with mentor-

men and women had been transformed by the teachings and

ing students. I encourage you and your mentees to work on

actions of Gandhi, and as I spent time with them, my hidden

a road map together. Set goals with measurable expectations

idealism began to sprout and mature. I travelled with them all

and accomplishments. Mentor in your field of knowledge and

across India, meeting key leaders—including the prime minis-

experience. Learn to listen to what is being communicated, and

ter, Mrs. Indira Gandhi—to discuss social change in India.

as you get to know the people you are mentoring you will lis-

Through these freedom fighters and leaders, my eyes were

ten for what they are not telling you. Give thoughtful advice.

opened to the social evils of the caste system, the inequality

It may not always be what your mentees like to hear, but it will

between men and women, the marginalization of the Dalits,

help them trust and respect you as they see the wisdom of your

and the indignity of certain kinds of labor. They stirred my

insights. You are not their problem solver, but a guide helping

desire to be a difference maker. This desire has stayed with me

them grow in their ability to grasp the truth and make realistic

all through my life—in my education, spiritual journey, travels,

decisions. Sometimes you will need to challenge them to move

and career as a pastor, professor, and president of a home for

forward in their decisions to make and take action. Share mistakes you have made in your work and decisions.

I like this quote from Mårten Mickos, CEO of HackerOne: We tend to think that mentorship was designed to help the mentees, the up-and-coming. But mentorship helps the mentor too. To be a mentor makes you a more understanding human being. It keeps your mind young and your skills fresh. Successful people who don’t start to mentor others will over time lose touch with their own excellence.

Mentoring someone connects you back to the original you who became so excellent.

Please see the back cover of this magazine for information about signing up with MillsConnect. As more alumnae join

The AAMC hosted Taco Tuesday to welcome new students in August.

Alumnae have the opportunity to play an ongoing role in these students’ lives as mentors.

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M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

the platform, I look forward to hearing wonderful stories of the connections we make with Mills students and other alumnae.

Warmly, Viji Nakka-Cammauf, MA ’82 AAMC President

AAMC NEWS & NOTES Nominate the next alumna trustee Make your voice heard on the Mills College Board of Trustees and the AAMC Board of Governors. Nominate yourself or another willing Mills graduate as a candidate for the position of alumna trustee for the three-year term beginning July 1, 2019. Alumnae trustees serve on the boards of the College and the AAMC; they are expected to participate on committees on both boards. Look for more information on the responsibilities of the position and how to apply under the “Leadership” section of the AAMC website, http://aamc.mills.edu. Nominations are due Friday, January 11, 2019, to AAMC Nominating Committee Chair Marina Kershaw Simenstad ’68 at aamc@mills.edu or AAMC, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., MB #86, Oakland, CA 94613.

Alumnae welcome new students Tacos, desserts, and prizes—as well as the chance to mingle with alumnae, President Beth Hillman, and other College leaders—brought nearly 200 people, most of them new students, to this year’s Taco Tuesday fête in the Reinhardt Alumnae House (RAH) garden on August 28. The crowning event of student orientation, Taco Tuesday is hosted by the AAMC’s AlumnaeStudent Relations Committee and the College’s Alumnae Relations Office.

But this wasn’t the first opportunity for new students and alumnae to connect. In early August, the AAMC’s Alumnae of Color Committee hosted brunch for 25 new first-generation students and students of color participating in the Summer Academic Workshop, as well as 60 alumnae, faculty, and friends.

Reinhardt kitchen to be renovated If you visit Reinhardt Alumnae House between October 22 and the end of November, you’ll find a much-needed renovation of the kitchen in progress. The project is funded by the AAMC and managed by our Reinhardt Alumnae House Committee,

Gift ideas for the Mills community

Surprise friends and family this holiday season with keepsakes as unique as their alma mater.

From the AAMC Holiday ornaments. Choose from five ornaments, each depicting a Mills icon: a eucalyptus grove, Mills Hall, the Music Building, the Art Building, and El Campanil. Made from solid brass and finished in 24-karat gold, these limitededition ornaments are presented in gift boxes and include ribbons for hanging. $30 each.

Eucalyptus pins. These one-of-a-kind pins are created from a eucalyptus leaf hand-picked on the Mills campus, strengthened with copper, then preserved in 18-karat gold ($45 each) or sterling silver ($40 each).

Pearl M pins. A modern version of an antique Pearl M, our pins are custom-crafted for the AAMC from 24-karat gold and real pearls. Quantities are limited. $360 each.

To order, call the AAMC at 510.430.2110, email aamc@mills.edu, or send payment to AAMC, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., MB #86, Oakland, CA 94613. Prices above include shipping and handling. See more AAMC merchandise online at http://aamc. mills.edu. Proceeds benefit the AAMC.

From Orange County Mills College Alumnae Tea Towels. Printed with an iconic Mills eucalyptus branch, these lovely 17” x 30” towels are made of 100 percent cotton plain weave. They come with a hanging loop and are machine-washable. $18 for one or $30 for two, including shipping and handling.

To order, send payment to the OCMCA, 4812 Wisteria Dr., Yorba Linda, CA 92886; direct questions to TheOCMCA@gmail.com.

Proceeds benefit OCMCA activities, including donations to a Mills scholarship.

co-chaired by Pierre Loving ’77 and Alexa Pagonas ’91. We invite donations for the project, which will allow the committee to select higher-quality kitchen appliances than the budget currently allows. If you’d like to help, contact us at aamc@ mills.edu or 510.430.2110. During renovation, RAH will not be available to rent for private functions.

Eucalyptus pins

AoCC Scholarship Concert November 8, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Student Union Please join the Alumnae of Color Committee for an evening of song and celebration! Our sixth annual concert raises funds for the Alumnae of Color Endowed Scholarship in honor of the College’s 13th president, Alecia A. DeCoudreaux. Meet our newest scholarship awardee and our previous recipients. For details, visit www.alumnae.mills.edu or call 510.430.2123.

Pearl M pin

Holiday ornament Tea towel

FA L L 2 0 1 8

23

Class Notes do not appear in the online edition of Mills Quarterly.

Alumnae are invited to share their news with classmates in the Mills College alumnae community.

To submit notes for publication in the next available Quarterly, send your update to classnotes@mills. edu.

Class Notes do not appear in the online edition of the Mills Quarterly.

Alumnae are invited to share their news with classmates in the Mills College Alumnae Community, alumnae.mills.edu. To submit notes for publication in the next available Quarterly, send your update to classnotes@mills.edu.

In Memoriam Notices of death received before July 18, 2018 To submit listings, please contact alumnae-relations@mills.edu or 510.430.2123

Alumnae Anita Hagstrom Faulkner ’37, April 3, in Rocklin, California. She enjoyed traveling and is survived by her two children and her brother.

Dorothelle Willard Fites ’39, MA ’61, June 26, in La Quinta, California.

She was a talented musician, active in Oakland music circles as a pianist for many years. She received a trustee scholarship in her first year at Mills, served on the AAMC Board of Governors, and acted as class agent and class secretary. She is survived by a son and daughter, Kareen Fites Morgan ’97.

Nanette Ostrander Hjellum ’48, December 1, 2014, in El Cerrito, California. A cherished member of her class, she enjoyed attending Mills Reunions. She also loved swimming and diving. She is survived by a daughter and two stepdaughters.

Betty Rae Honodel McGehee ’48, May 16, in The Dalles, Oregon.

She relished playing tennis, golfing, and skiing. She is survived by two daughters.

Marilyn Hirschhaut Braginsky ’50, January 28, in New Haven, Connecticut. She was director of the West River Senior Center in New Haven and, in her spare time, practiced weaving and dancing.

She is survived by two children.

Barbara Farris Cole ’50, April 16, in San Juan Capistrano, California.

Named Outstanding Mills College Senior of the Year in 1950, she went on to complete an MA in instructional media at San Diego State University. She worked as a realtor and lobbyist and served as both class agent and class secretary for Mills. She is survived by a son.

Diane Dragstedt Andrus ’51, June 20, in Surprise, Arizona. While living in Seattle, she served on the board of the Highline Creative Activities Center. She later established a career as an interior designer. She is survived by her sister and three daughters.

Anne Sherwood Copenhagen ’44 Born and raised in East Oakland, Anne Sherwood Copenhagen spent her life building community and working for social justice, beginning with the anti-segregation movement in the 1960s. A tireless advocate for children and early childhood education (ECE), she founded the Association of Children’s Services (now BlueSkies for Children), the only childcare center in Oakland accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. She trained thousands of ECE teachers and, as a teacher herself, loved and helped many children and their families. She taught in the Mills College Children’s School in the 1960s and volunteered with the Alumnae Association of Mills College most of her life. She also sat on the board of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. Deeply appreciative of all types of art and music, she enjoyed visiting museums and was a season ticket holder to the San Francisco Opera for 70 years. A world traveler, she loved learning about different cultures, ancient and modern.

Copenhagen died May 23 in Orinda, California. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, and her daughter Carol Copenhagen ’77. She is survived by three children—Claire Copenhagen Bainer ’74, MA ’75; Chris Copenhagen, Cred ’86; and Keith Copenhagen—as well as eight grandchildren, including Alice Hallaman ’10, and five great grandchildren.

FA L L 2 0 1 8

29

Doris Mott Hall ’51, April 1, in La Quinta, California. She was a teacher and published author, and enjoyed reading and travel. She is survived by a son and two granddaughters.

Elizabeth Howard McFarland ’51, May 30, in Portland, Oregon. A member of the Portland Mills Club, she enjoyed reading, traveling, antiques, and martinis. She volunteered with such organizations as the Portland Art Museum, United Way, and American Cancer Society. She is survived by her husband, Jim, and their four children.

Bettye Wright-Thomas ’51, November 11, 2016, in Napa, California. She was a teacher in the Napa Valley School District and is survived by two children.

Kay Van Vliet Dunne ’52, March 10, 2016, in Burlingame, California. A successful interior designer, she was generous with her time as a community volunteer. Her pastimes included skiing, tennis, and traveling. Kay is survived by her husband, Peter, and their three children.

Hermi Jacobs Cassady ’53, July 11, in Fair Oaks, California. She was a woman of many talents—including horse jumping, motorbike riding, photography, and gardening—and was also a great reader, genealogist, and author. She is survived by her husband, Clyde, and two children.

Joanne White Miller ’53, May 6, in Carmel Valley, California. After Mills, she pursued graduate work in anthropology at UC Berkeley and became an avid traveler, visiting Venezuela and Iran, among other destinations. She is remembered as a thoughtful and generous member of the Mills community.

Margaret Mosie Waltmon ’53, April 27, in Houston, Texas. A caring and compassionate wife and mother, she was involved with Kappa Alpha Theta, the Junior League of Houston, and the River Oaks Garden Club.

She is survived by her husband, DeWitt; her sister; and four children.

Elenor Burns Dell ’54, April 15, in Carlsbad, California. She served in the Air Force; worked as a librarian; volunteered as a candy striper; and enjoyed reading, traveling, and cooking. She is survived by her husband, Emerson, and three children.

Margery Hellman Strass ’54, July 1, in Blue River, Oregon. She was passionate about swimming, card games, and gardening. An inspiring community volunteer, she worked with the McKenzie River Clinic, among other institutions, and was named the McKenzie River Valley Woman of the Year in 2002. She is survived by three children.

Caryl Hansen Albert ’56, July 16, in Los Angeles, California. As a student at Mills, she served as president of Mary Morse Hall and as social chairman while studying economics and sociology. She worked briefly as a deputy sheriff, but spent most of her life as a homemaker who enjoyed cooking spectacular meals and taking care of her family.

She is survived by two sons and a daughter, Kate Albert Stulberg ’81.

Susan Kennedy ’56, April 2, in Olympia, Washington. After Mills, she continued her education at UCLA and NYU, then made a career as a stockbroker. She fondly remembered all of the pranks Mills students played in the dorms and treasured her experiences at the College.

Catherine McCormack McGilvray ’56, April 19, in Palo Alto, California.

She was a cherished volunteer in the Mills community, serving as branch president of the Palo Alto Area Mills College Club, as a governor of the Alumnae Association of Mills College, as a Reunion volunteer, and as an alumnae admissions representative. She loved travel, classical music, museums, and the theater. She is survived by her husband, John; three siblings; and a daughter.

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Kate Albert Stulberg ’81 and her mother, Caryl Hansen Albert ’56

Jeannine Sova Jones ’57, June 1, in Glendale, California. She served as secretary of her Mills class for many years and volunteered with organizations such as L’Aureole club and the Questers. She enjoyed traveling the world.

Joanne Melson Mehus ’59, May 28, in Seattle, Washington.

She worked as a school psychologist for the Seattle public school system and was known for her compassion and friendship, especially at the Southeast Senior Center, where she was a member for almost 20 years. She is survived by two daughters and a brother.

Joyce Goodwin Widofsky ’59, June 9, in River Ridge, Louisiana.

She worked as a chemist at such companies as Dow Chemical.

Barbara Coleman Earnest Mee ’62, June 4, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A realtor and special education teacher, she was devoted to her family and friends. She is survived by three children.

Kathleen Boyle Champlain ’64, November 29, 2016, in Fort Collins, Colorado. She called herself a “professional volunteer” for most of her life, serving in the Navy Wives Club of the USS Beale, on PTA boards, with the Girl Scouts, and with the League of Women Voters. She is survived by her husband, Captain John G. Champlain, and their four children.

Hilary Burdick Daggett ’68, September 9, 2016, in Sedona, Arizona.

Suzanne Yeiser, MFA ’69, April 22, in Fallbrook, California. She was a talented artist who spent much of her life teaching and spreading the joy of art. In 1990, she joined the many alumnae who came back to Mills to support the Strike against the decision to make the College co-educational.

Suzanne Talmy, MA ’74, February 20, in Oakland, California.

Katharine Oppenheimer ’76, April 14, in Bentonville, Arkansas.

She is survived by her spouse, Margaret Allen, and a cousin.

Joan Amy ’86, April 3, in Oakland, California. Having studied set and lighting design at Mills, she worked for many years at Acme Scenery Company. She is survived by her sisters, nieces, great-nieces, and a great-nephew.

Gifts in Memory of Received March 1, 2018 – May 31, 2018 Florence Aragon, P ’63, mother of Anita Aragon Kreplin ’63, by Bette Krause Spagel ’63, P ’79 Laura Balas, MA ’92, by Helen Hovdesven Cheryl “Cheri” Bard-Henoch ’71 by Susan Graves ’73

Kathleen McClintock McCormick, MFA ’85, by Lisa Bishop, MA ’02, Caroline Kappel, MFA ’99, Susanna Li-Jue, MFA ’83 Catherine McCormack McGilvray ’56 by Sharon Coleman ’68, Alexander Crosby, Barbara Evans ’63, Victoria “Vicki” Du Vall Luibrand ’75, Bette Camille “B.C.” Berliner Michaud ’64, Lorinda Bader Reichert ’67

Charlotte Bonica ’68 by Corinne “Brandie” Brandt Gallagher ’68

Eleanor “Elly” McDonald Meyer ’36, P ’70, by her daughter, Nancy Meyer Neal ’70, P ’12

Colette Bowler by Lindsay Duckles ’01

Marcia Miller ’63 by Mary Root Campbell ’63

Mary Cochran by Lisa Bishop, MA ’02, Caroline Kappel, MFA ’99 Thomas Manning Cook by his sister, Barbara Cook Barnes ’60 Isadora Duncan by Melinda Green McGee, MA ’81 March Fong Eu, MA ’47, by Connie Young Yu ’63

Elaine Moss ’61 by Dorotha Myers Bradley ’61 Alene Jensen Parsons ’48 by her daughter, Jane Parsons Penelope Peterson ’67 by Dianne Sanders Howlett ’67 Elizabeth Pope by Elaine Bowe Johnson ’62

Jean McMinn Greenwood ’43 by her daughter, Helen Hansma

Brooks Ragen, husband of Suzanne Munk Ragen ’58 by Diane Smith Janusch ’55

Gail Inman Hallgren ’53 by her daughter, Julia Gardner

Donna Riback ’61 by Jaci Williams Pappas ’60

Peter and Margaret Mancina by their daughter, Marianne Mancina ’69

Connie Rosenbaum ’68 by Corinne “Brandie” Brandt Gallagher ’68

James Hurlbut by Catheryn Smith ’74

Elise “Liz” Feldman Rosenfeld ’47 by Lorinda Bader Reichert ’67

Donna Hunt by Sandra “Sandy” Glenn Gaines ’73

J. Roussel Sargent by Elaine Bowe Johnson ’62

Judith “Judy” Ireland ’56 by Elliot Hayne

George Sheldon by Barbara Parsons Sheldon ’56

Carolyn Clothier Killefer ’45 by Gertrude Burr

Marie Siegenthaler ’11 by Shanshan Mai

Mary Ann Childers Kinkead ’63 by Lisa Bishop, MA ’02 Jean “Bushie” Bush Lathrap ’45, P ’71, by her daughter, Roberta “Robbie” Lathrap Davis ’71 Edward LeFevour, P ’90, by Leslie Woodhouse ’90 Janice Robison Liascos ’57 by Gerry Wong Ching ’57 Mary Halsted Lonergan ’68 by Corinne “Brandie” Brandt Gallagher ’68

Berniece Yocum Simmon ’68 by Corinne “Brandie” Brandt Gallagher ’68 Diane Webb Turner ’71 by Roberta “Robbie” Lathrap Davis ’71 Margaret Clarke Umbreit ’49 by Pauline “Polly” Royal Langsley ’49, P ’83, P ’78 Barrie Wall by Tamitha Carpenter ’89 Elizabeth Sheffield Webb ’45, P ’69, P ’71, P ’74, by Roberta “Robbie” Lathrap Davis ’71

P=parent. For information about making a tribute gift, contact 510.430.2097 or donors@mills.edu.

Jacquelyn McLeod ’05, May 31, 2017, in Oakland, California. She was a great traveler and activist who served her community through several organizations and worked for the West Contra Costa County School District. Jacquelyn is survived by her father, siblings, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Spouses and Family

Taneko Kazuko Felder, mother of Ammie Felder-Williams ’76, June 5, in Seattle, Washington.

Reith A. Harrington, father of Patricia Harrington Ottiger ’64, January 16, 2016, in Lincoln, California.

Neal Heston, father of Susan Heston ’75, April 11, in Gig Harbor, Washington.

Florence Aragon, mother of Anita Aragon Kreplin ’63, May 18, in Danville, California.

Janet Klion, mother of Emily J. Klion ’80 and grandmother of Laelena Brooks ’11, April 18, in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Ronald Hollingsworth Browne, father of Taylor Marie Browne ’20, March 17, in Paso Robles, California.

Gary E. Marsella, father of Anne F. Marsella ’86, June 15, in Fresno, California.

Paul De Lay, husband of Anna-Lou McDaniel De Lay ’45, March 15, in Pebble Beach, California.

Brooks Geer Ragen, husband of Suzanne Munk Ragen ’58, April 15, in Seattle, Washington.

FA L L 2 0 1 8

31

Kirsten Saxton

Chatsworth House

Jane Austen & Literary England June 10–24, 2019 With Mills College Professor of English Kirsten Saxton The AAMC will reprise its most popular tour of 2017, designed exclusively for Mills alumnae. As you explore the thatched country villages, regal estates, and small parish churches that make up the idyllic world of Jane Austen, you’ll discover more about the novelist, those who inspired her, and other British women authors. You’ll be accompanied by Professor of English Kirsten Saxton ’90, who’ll share her expertise on Austen and 18th-century British literature.

St. Nicholas Church, Steventon

“I can’t say enough good things about this amazing trip.

We enjoyed incredible food, behind-the-scenes tours specially curated for our group, and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Spending time with Mills alumnae was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

That we get the English countryside in which to bond and explore? ‘A thousand times yes!’” – Wendy Poling ’17

For a full itinerary, costs, and registration information, visit alumnae.mills.edu/travel.

Bonus: Register for the tour by December 31 to receive free access as an auditor to Professor Saxton’s online course, Jane Austen: the Critical Legacy and the Popular Imagination.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TOUR INCLUDE: • Jane Austen’s House Museum in

Bishop’s House, Winchester 32

M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY

Chawton and her hometown, Steventon • Locations of film versions of Austen novels: Mompesson House (Sense and Sensibility); Lyme Regis (Persuasion); Laycock village and Lyme Park estate (Pride and Prejudice); and Chatsworth House (Pride and Prejudice), believed to be Austen’s inspiration for the fictional Pemberley, the estate of Mr. Darcy • Bath, the setting of several Austen novels • Winchester Cathedral, where Austen is buried • The birthplaces of Shakespeare and his wife, in Stratford-upon-Avon • Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s summer home on the Isle of Wight • Stonehenge

Where Mills students and alumnae come together to make powerful mentoring and professional connections.

“Learning from the life experience of mentors can alleviate the fear of stepping into the unknown, beyond the Mills bubble. They’ve been there, done that, and are here to help along the path.”

—Zoe Binsch ’15, MBA ’16

How to get started

■ Respond to meeting requests and messages

The Alumnae Association of Mills College (AAMC) invites all

Through MillsConnect, you may receive email messages and

alumnae to join our new online mentoring and networking

requests for in-person meetings, phone calls, or video calls

platform today!

hosted by our platform. You might be contacted right away, or

■ Join MillsConnect

not for a while—it depends on who is searching.

Check your email for an invitation from MillsConnect and fol-

■ Explore MillsConnect

low the instructions. If you can’t find an invitation, go to con-

If you’d like to participate actively, rather than waiting to be

nect.mills.edu and click “Join Now.” You’ll be guided through

contacted, you can:

profile set-up. If the email address you provide matches the one in our records, your account is pre-approved. Otherwise, your account should be approved within one business day.

■ Complete your profile Fill in your information, including your employment history,

• Find other alums to connect with. On your homepage, you’ll see alums who are “recommended for you” based on shared interests and backgrounds. Or go to “Explore the Community” to look for potential connections who match your criteria.

• Engage in discussions with other users.

the industry you have expertise in, the kinds of advice you can

• Visit the “Resources” section for tips on using MillsConnect

provide, and your availability (you can limit the amount of con-

as well as articles and videos on mentoring, networking, and

tacts you are willing to receive each month). Please remember:

other helpful topics.

• This information helps MillsConnect to match you with potential mentees and professional connections. Students often seek mentoring not only from alums with relevant work experience, but also from those with backgrounds and identities similar to their own—so you’ll have the option of adding information about your race/ethnicity, gender, and groups or programs you identify with.

• Upload your photo: it makes it much more likely that other MillsConnect members will contact you.

MillsConnect is a project of the Alumnae Association of Mills College in collaboration with Mills College and its Lorry I. Lokey School of Business and Public Policy, created for and by alumnae and students using the PeopleGrove platform.

Questions? Call 510.430.2110 or email connect@mills.edu.

Mills Quarterly Mills College 5000 MacArthur Blvd.

Oakland, CA 94613-1301 510.430.3312 quarterly@mills.edu www.mills.edu

Just launched

MillsConnec Alumnae Association of Mills College

“My mentors have helped shape my approach to my career, assisted in the development and execution of my ideas, and continue to inspire me to strive towards being better every day.”

—Rose Lopez ’14, MA ’15

MillsConnect makes it easy for alumnae and students to leverage the power of connections within our community to achieve professional goals. This online platform enables you to: ■ Mentor current Mills students and alums interested in your career path.

■ Ask fellow alums for career information, advice, and mentoring.

Join now at connect.mills.edu

■ Participate in mock interviews and job shadowing.

We need you: students will start looking for mentors this fall! See our guide to getting started on inside back cover.

■ Grow your professional networks.