Just Mesa’n Around
The crowd was amped Tuesday night. Theatergoers have been waiting months for the highly anticipated world premiere musical Miss You Like Hell. The official opening is tonight and all I can say is grab your mothers, sisters, daughters, and get to the La Jolla Playhouse!
A beautiful interpretation of the ever so complicated relationships between mothers and their daughters, the role of Beatriz is played by none other than Daphne Rubin-Vega. Oh you know, she only originated the role of MiMi in Rent! And Krystina Alabado, fresh from Broadway’s American Psycho, plays her daughter, Olivia. Alabado has one of the most enchanting voices I have ever heard. I’ve already downloaded the songs I could get my hands on. A magnificently modern piece, this show will touch the hearts of several generations with its timeless depiction of family relationships while simultaneously driving home a timely subject of our nation’s immigration laws. Miss You Like Hell… bottom line… don’t miss it!
And the very next night at the BellaV… “You know the difference between diamonds and e-mails?” Former lead for the U.S. Central Intelligence and director of the CIA, Ambassador R. James Woolsey, hit up the Mesa for a private reception hosted by Liz Fraumann and her stellar team from the Securing Our eCITY Foundation. Not only did Woolsey have an awesome responsibility keeping us safe in the early 90s during the Clinton Administration, he also had an awesome sense of humor.
“Top 5 Questions to ask the former head of the CIA”… You bet I asked. “You know when you slide and delete… does it REALLY delete?” With a smirk, Woolsey simply claims he never had the need to delete any texts from his phone. “So you got two phones right?” He then delivers his joke… “You know the difference between diamonds and e-mails?” E-mails are forever. Golden. Right. Got it. Stick to the cell phone.
Hmmm let’s continue… “Do you read lips? Can you pass a polygraph? And what about the show Homeland? Another attendee chimed in, “How many Jason Bournes are really out there?” Ooh, that’s a good one.
Although Woolsey held one of the world’s most burdensome roles, he still knows how to deliver a few good zingers. And what I would give for our paths to cross again. Perhaps we can rope him in for a chat at the BellaV? Jokes aside, there are so many serious issues to discuss concerning cybersecurity. Drones… unmanned vehicles… robotics… privacy laws… Start sending me your questions and let’s see if we can get him back to the Mesa. Texts preferred.
Upcoming Events (I’ll Be At the Fun Table)
- STEAM Lecture Series
October 28, LIVE Webstream - Robotics Forum
October 28, Qualcomm Institute - Opening Night, Miss You Like Hell
La Jolla Playhouse - Sally Ride
October 29-30, Broadway Pier
Public Tours of the R/V Sally Ride, the Mesa’s newest Research Vessel! - UCSD Men’s Basketball vs. SDSU
November 3
Jump off the Mesa and head East to support our UCSD Men’s Basketball Team as they take on the Aztecs.
(left to right) Ananya Rihan, Emanuel Cantor, Meg Jones UN, Tanzila Rab, Dayamitra Chaitanya, Amandine Roche UN, Naila Chowdhury, Karen Moawad, Rao R. Bhavani, Amanda Caniglia, Alexis Dixon, Feroza Ardeshir, Samina Chowdhury
Food for Thought
While walking out of the double doors of the Duane Roth Auditorium, I took a deep breath, not knowing what to expect. One by one, during the morning tea break, the women came up and whispered in my ear… you are not alone. Some gave hugs, and in those hugs you could hear the silent words “Thank you for sharing”…
On Saturday October 22nd, at the Global Empowerment Summit, I leaned in to my discomfort, allowed myself to be vulnerable, and shared with the audience that at the age of 17, I was raped by two men. This horrific experience was swallowed and hidden deep inside for over twenty years. Knowing that a few women on our panels later that day would speak about their personal stories of abuse and exploitation, something inside compelled me to open up about my own horrific past in order to pave the way for the rest of the day.
Let’s be very clear. This was not an easy decision. And I did not want to be perceived as a victim. But it seemed essential that in order to create awareness about the gender based violence that goes on in our own country, let alone around the globe, I needed to make people realize that it happens to almost every woman, at some point in their life, but they hold it in for fear of being judged. And that if I could find the strength to share my own stories, that it could possibly inspire others to open up about their own pasts… we would finally rip off the mask and stare deep into the eyes of the ugly truth we have all grown accustomed to ignoring.
And so I stood at the podium, looking into the eyes of others… asking… “Why did I remain silent?”… “Why do we remain silent?” At 17, I could not let the horrific incident define me. But in retrospect, and given the current political climate, I now realize that what is needed is a fundamental change in our culture so that these types of conversations can take place. We need to remove the stigma, in order to make way for awareness, understanding, action and ultimately education to change perceptions and behavior. And while I speak about my own living hell as a woman, sexual assault, rape, exploitation, happens to men as well. Enough is enough.
My guess is the minute you find the strength and your safe space to talk about your own experience of sexual assault, or rape, or gender based violence, exploitation, you will be blown away. There will be a few others who will walk up and whisper in your ear “You are not alone.” WE are not alone. And when WE find the strength to stand together and stand up to this social injustice that affects more than half of the world’s population, WE will be able to live without fear.
“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?” Hillel, Ethics of the Fathers, 1:14
When? Today my friends. Our nation is ready for the conversation. And it includes both genders.
Tags: Blogs, Life on the Mesa
