My Global & Environmental Identity
I am Charlotte Millman, and I am from a small town in upstate New York called Skaneateles. Growing up, I have experienced many small communities ranging from being an only child with no cousins to living in a town with a population of just over 7,000 people. Consequently, something that has defined me as a global citizen is cherishing those around me. To me, community is an integral part of life, as people are resources that contribute to happiness and success. With ancestors who were forced to shed their Jewish identity in order to survive in an anti-Semitic world, I was not raised with any specific cultural identities. Christmas was a holiday about gratuity, love, and family rather than religion.
Travel has become a pivotal aspect of my life. Exploring new places allowed me to witness the beauty of our planet and the many cultures that call it home. My parents always prioritized travel over the summer, and purposefully organized trips that would allow me to learn more about the world and its history. Whether experiencing the natural world in the US like the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park, or learning about city life in Berlin or Tokyo, I have learned more about how different cultures interact with the world around them.
To me, global and environmental studies mean getting a greater understanding of how different societies around the world interact with each other and with nature. As someone who wants to pursue a career in economics, my focus will likely be on how people make economic decisions based on their environments and how many countries’ consumerism affects the environment.
My goals for GESC this year are to create a successful capstone project that benefits everyone, and to learn more about how myself and those around me treasure and interact with their environment.
Global & Environmental Resume
GESC-designated Courses
- World History: Systems of Justice and Injustice
- Spanish I-V (Including CL Spanish Literature V)
- CL Engilsh IV: Literature and the Environment
- CL European History
- CL Economics
- Developmental Psychology
- Concert Choir
Elective Courses
- CL Spanish Literature V: In this class, discussions have moved from topics of grammar and vocabulary into Spanish and Latin American literature ranging from classical to modern pieces. We grapple with difficult texts written in unfamiliar styles of Spanish, pushing our comprehension to the limit. We present on historical events and participate in class only in Spanish.
GESC Experiential Education
Italy — Blue Zones & Slow Food: Among a group of 15 students, I ventured over the sea to Rome and Sardinia in order to learn about Blue Zones and the Slow Food movement, as the trip's title suggests. Other than learning about longevity and the culture revolving around food in Italy, the group explored historical sites ranging from the Trevi Fountain to the Colosseum. We went on multiple hikes and walks, exploring the beautiful landscape in and out of cities.
Learning Artifacts
GESC Coursework
Gender Reflection from Developmental Psychology
After listening to the NPR podcast and reading the Unique chapter, it is clear to me that both environment and biology work together to shape gender identity. Overall, however, it seems that biology takes an overwhelming role in determining gender. Genetics creates a blueprint or a “floor plan” of sorts to form the basis of gender identity, while experiences reaffirm or challenge it.
Both the article and the podcast discussed the environmental effects on gender. During the “Hidden Brain” episode, Professor Jo Paoletti discusses the implications of marketing on gender expression and identity. She reveals that before the 1970s, boys and girls would wear the same type of clothing: dark-colored frocks that did not vary between genders. However, during the 1970s, few children were born, and hand-me-downs were so common that the children’s clothing industry was struggling. Therefore, retailers decided to use clothing to distinguish children’s gender. It was harder for families to have hand-me-downs if their kids were different genders, and kids had to begin expressing their gender at a much younger age, shaping them in their more formative years. However, in Unique, the author discusses the injustices against every gender other than the cis-man and how stereotypes impact our experiences living with specific genders. Yet, the author ultimately determines that it is genuinely biology that affects our gender, while our environment does not make as much of an impact.
The podcast also discusses the biological aspects that affect our gender, mainly focusing on the presence of testosterone. Dr. Debra Soh speaks about the fact that boys are inherently more attracted to toys like cars and trucks while girls are more interested in dolls, speaking directly to the inclination for women to be more interested in socially engaging things while men prefer mechanical things. This phenomenon was tested using monkeys, which are not shaped by human societal expectations; the boy monkeys consistently chose to play with cars over dolls, while the girl monkeys chose dolls over cars. Soh attributes these preferences mainly to the presence of testosterone in the body and the ability of the body to process it. She argues that if physical differences exist between men and women, why would it stop at the brain? Similarly, Unique makes the same connection about the association between testosterone levels and preferences. However, it also talks about the existence of gender dysphoria, the idea that one’s gender does not match their biological sex. The article notes gender dysphoria to be largely heritable, indicating that other biological factors go into how we identify.
Overall, Unique and the NPR podcast work together to illustrate that gender is influenced by both biology and experience, but biology is more prominent. They identify that different testosterone levels, along with the presence of gender dysphoria – a heritable trait – are the main contributors to gender identity. However, experiences shape how we express ourselves, rather than solely our genetics.
By completing this assignment for my Developmental Psychology class, I both sought knowledge and enhanced my understanding of issues pertaining to gender identity. For the seek knowledge aspect, this assignment helped me understand how culture shapes the modern world while also allowing me to become competent with scientific methodologies. I enhanced my understanding by developing more empathy for people who feel that they do not identify with their biological sex. I think this was super meaningful to me as I was always curious to know whether desires to change gender identity came from experience or genetics. I liked exploring modern topics through a more scientific lens.
GESC Seminars
Seminar #2 (research on immigrant groups in Connecticut) Overall, this research assignment enhanced my understanding of the diverse cultures that make Connecticut their home. I was amazed at the amount of Jamaican-Americans who live in Connecticut, and particularly the Greater Hartford area, amassing a total of 17,874 people a few years ago. I have a new context of how well immigrants can preserve their culture while living in a new country. For many years, I thought that immigrants had to shed much of their identities when coming to the US, but I am pleasantly surprised that they are able to retain this heritage. Additionally, the concept of a “brain drain” was new to me, giving me a new perspective on why exactly people immigrate to the US, proving to be partially because of better wages that result in a domino effect within countries that people are emigrating from. I am very interested to learn more about immigration policy in the US which greatly shapes immigrant experience in this country. I am curious to gain a greater understanding on the rewards that the US can receive from welcoming people of diverse backgrounds into the country. Overall, this experience has allowed me to develop more empathy for immigrant communities in Connecticut and elsewhere.
Seminar #4 (Courageous Conversation with Robin Okunowo about Environmental Justice) Learning about Robin Okunowo’s work as an activist for environmental justice helped me understand the intersectionality between social and environmental activism much more clearly. Until I listened to her presentation, I believed that social and environmental injustice were not connected, but it is clear to me now that minority groups within the United States, as well as individuals living in developing nations, are experiencing the effects of climate change more intensely than privileged people. Okunowo was negatively affected by noise and air pollution due to her childhood neighborhood’s proximity to a busy highway: a result of redlining. So, Okunowo took action and devoted her life to helping the younger generation understand that they are the ones who can and have to make a difference to recover the environment and minimize effects on minority groups. She encouraged her audience to be mindful of their consumption and waste to redistribute the responsibility from the minority groups that are being forced to deal with this issue. After this talk, I feel much more intrigued by how policymakers are working to counter the negative effects of climate change, especially on minority groups. I feel empowered to make my vote count and will be actively seeking out opportunities to make change at a local level because that is where she says it is best to start. I will continue to be mindful of my consumption, making sure that I do not buy more than I need and never take for granted the clean air that I have to breathe.
GESC Electives
GESC Experiential Education
Capstone Project
Loomis Chaffee Dorm Snack Community Project
Project rationale
By spending time in the kitchen of an Italian family through an International Education Program (IEP) this summer, Adrienne, Annie, and I noticed two things: the neighbors came over to help, and the food was fresh and local.The Blue Zone in Italy's Sardinia is characterized by a hilly landscape and beautiful architecture. Yet, its population's longevity can be most attributed to the consumption of local and fresh foods as well as harnessing close community bonds.
In order to culminate the knowledge we have gained from the GESC seminars as well as our IEP in Italy, we wanted to host events within two select dorms on campus where community and wellness are enhanced through group preparation of a healthy and local dorm snack. Establishing relationships and friendships through cooking is highly important in many cultures in addition to Italy, and it can enhance our community here. Additionally, teaching students the importance of eating local in their formative years can lead to changes in eating habits for the rest of their lives.
Target Audience
The goal of this project is to affect as many people as possible. The first and most direct targets are the students in the dorms. Our event teaches students the importance of community and eating local, while simultaneously helping to build a collaborative culture within the dorm. The second and less direct targets are the farms from which we are purchasing the ingredients from. We are helping support local farms instead of buying from corporations. Lastly, it also targets anyone who chooses to view our website. We hope that our website can encourage anyone who views it to consider changing where they source their food from, and to take more time cooking with friends and family.
Project Process
In order to complete our project, we started by reaching out to the dorm heads to see if there were any possible dates and what the budget was. Once we got the dates and the budget sorted, we started doing research on the different farms in the area. One obstruction we faced in our process was that the events needed to happen in the winter, so we had to problem-solve and find local goods that were produced in the winter. That is how we ended up settling on breakfast for dinner with eggs, pancakes, and waffles. When it came closer to the events, we designed posters for each farm that would inform students about where their food was coming from. Then, we sent out surveys to collect data about how students enjoyed the events and if they gained anything from them. Nest, we designed our website to keep a record of the events and our goals as a team. Lastly, we presented our findings to all the dorm heads and the deans to try and continue the tradition after we graduate.
Project Reflection
How do you feel about your final product and its impact? How does your project connect to the Alvord Center Matrix? How did this project help you grow as a global and environmental scholar? How do you envision your project being used in the future?
Overall, I feel that our final product—a website that documents this year's events and our motivations and inspirations for our project—is exactly what was needed to begin this new tradition at Loomis. I think our project has the potential to strengthen not only the community within Loomis but also Loomis's relationship with local businesses in the area. With the results from the survey, I am confident that our project has accomplished its goals of helping to foster a stronger community and to encourage students to eat local.
Our project speaks to each aspect of the Alvord Center matrix. Firstly, we began our project by seeking knowledge about Italian culture through our trip to the region. We were able to use this knowledge to consider how cultural trends shaped the modern world and how we might incorporate that into our community. In doing so, we enhanced our understanding of the importance of community events such as these for overall happiness and lifespan longevity. Next, we took action by organizing these events and reaching out to local farms to purchase their goods, actively bringing the cultural trends to our campus. Lastly, we learned how to develop skills in website design, event planning, and presenting to administration. We learned how to effectively communicate our ideas in order to make the project as successful as possible.
We hope that the dorm heads and the deans heed our advice and continue this event as a tradition in the future. We have left suggestions for future events on our website, and we would love to hand over the reigns of the website to anyone who wants to continue to run the blog in the future.
Visual Interests for Capstone Project
GESC Reflection
Statement of Intent (written when I enrolled in the GESC)
The Global & Environmental Studies Certificate is desirable to me because I feel that out of everything I have learned here at Loomis, the message of committing myself to “the best self and the common good” will have the most positive effect on the world and me. Through all the classes and extracurricular activities I have taken advantage of, I learned to question common narratives and attempted to solve critical problems. This learning has given me a broader perspective of the world and taught me the significance of education. My goal for this process is to take full advantage of the Alvord Center seminars to understand the difference that my knowledge can make on the world. I am very fortunate that I was able to receive this excellent education and am aware that not everyone has the same opportunities that I have been granted. I am most looking forward to the travel program through the Alvord Center that allows me to go to Italy this summer. I have an interest in food accessibility and healthy options so through the exploration of the Slow Food Movement in Sardinia I hope to gain knowledge that I can use to improve Loomis’s dining hall plan and improve health in communities outside of Loomis.
Response to my Statement of Intent (written after completing the capstone)
Throughout my time in the GESC program, I have been able to think more deeply and deliberately about what it means to be a global and environmental scholar. It is not just about being aware of events in the world or cultures all around it, nor is it only about the natural world and the things that effect it. Instead, being a global and environmental scholar means that I can actually act on the things I have learned, not just let my knowledge lay idle in my mind. I feel very proud of myself and my capstone project partners, Adrienne and Annie, for overcoming many obstacles with our project brainstorming. I feel especially proud of myself that despite everything, I ended up returning to my original idea that I had put in my statement of intent: "I have an interest in food accessibility and healthy options so through the exploration of the Slow Food Movement in Sardinia I hope to gain knowledge that I can use to improve Loomis’s dining hall plan and improve health in communities outside of Loomis." While I did not adhere directly to that idea, I stayed true to that sentiment and was able to make an impact on something that I have always truly cared about. I feel happy for myself that I successfully completed this program, and I am excited to see where this knowledge takes me as I continue on in life.