20 The Courier sun • JUNE 5, 2014 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com Women of the Diaspora The Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning Presents Unique “Exhibit Within An Exhibit” Fashion meets fine art in a fresh new exhibit opening this weekend at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. The exhibit will feature the debut fashion illustrations of artist and Fashion Institute of Technology graduate Stephanie PhaFa Roy, which will be displayed amongst pieces of fine art on loan from Galleria Noire in what the curators have deemed “an exhibit within an exhibit.” “We are calling the overall exhibition ‘Women of the Diaspora’,” says Philippa Karteron, CEO of Galleria Noire, who curated the fine art pieces along with her daughter, Malikka Karteron. “Stephanie’s debut exhibit is called ‘We Be Rational’, and it includes a diverse range of drawings she created featuring women of color whose aesthetics inspired her.” Roy’s work consists of sixty original color drawings, which are strongly rooted in her New York City upbringing. “I was inspired by growing up in Brooklyn, where I was constantly surrounded RATIONAL an exhibit within an exhibit "WOMEN OF THE DIASPORA" by vibrant colors and artwork,” explains Roy. “As I became an adult, I realized that my own experience as black woman was not showcased by characters on television. I decided to create these unique characters by drawing them myself.” Roy, who also created the frames on which her drawings will be displayed, says that she looks forward to seeing viewers’ reactions to her work and feels honored to have her pieces displayed alongside fine art. “Galleria Noire has so many epic pieces in its collection, and it means the world to me to see my work surrounded by other legendary artists,” says Roy. Galleria Noire, which is a family-owned business that recently ran an weberational.indd 2 5/29/14 7:22 PM exhibit commissioned by Resorts World Casino titled “All That Jazz,” is making strides in supporting up-and-coming young artists like Roy. “I first met Stephanie at a conference, and her work was one of the first things that drew WE BE my eye,” says Malikka Karteron. “My mother and I are excited to have this opportunity to expose her drawings to an even larger audience.” The exhibition will open with a reception on Friday, June 7, at 6p.m. at the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning. For more info, visit www.jcal.org. NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S NEW PRESIDENT DR. KENNETH SAUNDERS BY SALVATORE LICATA editorial@queenscourier.com Ensuring a quality education for a reasonable price is only one of the goals Dr. Kenneth Saunders has during his second year as president of Nassau Community College. “My primary objective is to provide a qualitative education experience at an economic price for students,” Saunders said. A qualitative experience is imperative to keeping students engaged and the college afloat, according to Saunders, and he believes this is created by maintaining a healthy student-faculty relationship. Throughout his presidency, Saunders has overseen the construction of the college’s “Life Science” facility which will help to better accommodate its biology and chemistry students. He is also in the process of working up the plans for a new performing arts facility that the college is currently raising money for, but has no plans for expansion into Queens yet. “Once we have mastered our current programs we can go forward and talk about possible expansion,” he said. One of these programs would be to lend a helping hand to those students who work full-time and can only take classes on weekends. “One thing I want to do is implement a system where students who can only take classes on weekends will be able to fulfill degree requirements on those respective days,” he said. Saunders received his doctorate in higher education and administration management at the University of Pennsylvania. He has worked for Nassau Community College since 2000, where he started as the vice president of academic student services. He was promoted to executive vice president 10 years later and in June of 2012 was named acting president of the college. “I am committed to expanding the quality of the infrastructure of the college,” he said. “I will cultivate new programs and continue to advance our college neighborhood’s needs.” CK Students Celebrate the Gatsby Era Christ the King High School students gathered in their glamorous “Roaring 20’s” attire at the culmination of their English class’s reading of “The Great Gatsby”. Student’s reenacted the time period through creating news reports, research documentaries, and performing songs and dances from the era. ADVERTORIAL
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