34 • THE GRYPHON Spring/Summer 2020
of Health Sciences program at the University of Bridgeport. Visit my website at www.dlev.tel for details. Amanda Haas ’89 writes: Many blessings from where the mountains meet the redwoods at the ocean. I have 3 kids, ages 14, 8, and 5. It’s an amazing life. Love to all.
1990s Erik Rosengren ’86 and husband Pierpaolo
such a pleasure to look upon those distant yet familiar mugs. Thanks to Erik Rosengren ’86 for being the loveliest host and to all who made it happen. Erik Rosengren ’86 writes: I’ve been living in Italy for a few years now with my husband, Pierpaolo. Our most extravagant news is that we miraculously won the auction bid for an ancient convent just outside Florence that had been abandoned for 20 years. Built of stone in 1489 up against a 13th century church and overlooking a valley of olive trees, it is the most ideal place to tune into the rhythms of the planet, listen to morning birdsong, entertain our family of friends and grow older. I’ve spent every day of our quarantine deepcleaning and renovating the place for permanent habitation — truly satisfying work. I’m constantly laughing at myself by doing things I never imagined this committed independent traveler would ever do: get married, buy a house and own kitchen appliances! Old friends, if you’re in Tuscany, holler at me. Hannah MacKenna ’87 writes: My band, Convertible (for which I am the lyricist), just released the first single, “Not a Cloud,” from our forthcoming album, Holst Gate ll. Releases always fill me with wonder; and with this one that is especially true. They are two very different songs of configuration landing upon a reconfiguring world... www.convertible.lnk.to/NotaCloud. My CSW colony and brethren have
been invaluable over this course. Family. Tribe. I am ever grateful and welcome further connections. Suzanne Rivera ’87: Congratulations to Suzanne, who was recently named President of Macalester College! Here is an excerpt from the official announcement: The Macalester College Board of Trustees is pleased to announce it has unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Suzanne Rivera as the college’s 17th President. Dr. Rivera comes to Macalester from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), where she is serving as Vice President for Research and Technology Management.... Dr. Rivera holds a BA in American Civilization from Brown University, a Master of Social Welfare degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Doctor of Philosophy in public affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas. She is an accomplished leader having guided CWRU’s $400M research enterprise. In addition, she served in administrative and research leadership roles at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the University of California, Irvine. She is active nationally in research policy, and in a range of social justice and equity initiatives. Learn more about Dr. Rivera at macalester.edu/17th-president and about Macalester at macalester.edu. David Levavi ’89 writes: I have accepted an offer of admission to the Fall 2020 cohort of the Doctor
Constant Southworth ’90 writes: I graduated from college with honors and a degree in history on July 1, 2020. Thank you very, very much! Prageeta Sharma ’90 writes: I’m happy to report that I’ve moved from my job at the University of Montana to Pomona College, and I love my new home in Claremont. My recent collection of poetry titled Grief Sequence came out from Wave Books in the fall of 2019. I’d love to be in touch with any LA/SoCal alumni/ae from CSW. I didn’t graduate from CSW, but attended my junior year. Larisa Mann ’91 writes: I’m into my fourth year as an assistant professor in Media Studies and Production at Temple University in Philadelphia. I’m still maintaining my creative side with regular DJ gigs, event organizing, and public speaking. In Oct 2018, I gave the keynote at the Haus Der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, Germany, titled “Rude Citizenship: Jamaican Musical Challenges to Copyright(ed) Culture,” and also DJ’d there alongside Jamaica dancehall legend Sister Nancy and German dub techno maestro Mark Ernestus. Definitely living the dream! In 2019 I had an article on ethnic and pirate radio in New York published in the International Journal of Communication. I also DJ’d NYC’s SummerStage in Central Park and then went to Barranquilla, Colombia, for four months to learn about Colombian pics — DJ sound systems popular on the Caribbean coast. While I was there, I also gave a workshop for women DJs, and did some public lectures on my research, as well as doing a few gigs. Since I came back to the U.S. in late November, there were a few more gigs and public speaking, but now
Liz LaRaia ’95’s three daughters.
I am back in Philly, teaching, writing, and throwing bass music events with the Subversion collective. I’m enjoying getting to know Philadelphia, but still come back to Massachusetts regularly to visit my mother in Arlington. As I figure out the best way to fight and mobilize collectively against war and fascism in 2020, I have been thinking back when we at CSW organized a campus teach-in about the (first) Gulf War (after me and if I recall correctly, Anna Rosenblum ’91, called through the entire student phone book, me starting at the front and her starting at the back, to let everyone know about a protest downtown the day after it started). I’m grateful that CSW allowed us some space for critical thinking and activism, alongside the artistic expression. Liz LaRaia ’95 writes: Recently moved from living in beautiful Shelburne Falls to Amherst, where we have a large community with many of our CSW family close by. Our three daughters enjoy loving friendships with the children of friends that I have had since high school! I keep in touch with many of my CSW peers and it gives me great pleasure to see all the great work people are putting into this world. My next step is developing my new private therapy practice in Amherst, MA, as we settle into our new home.
2000s Drew Pappone ’02: Drew and his wife Cait welcomed new baby, Alder, on January 2, 2020.