TCNJ

13 Prairie FALL 2021 Worth the watch TCNJ voices captured in compelling video series DALIAH OUEDRAOGO '21 remembers the day TCNJ students called her friends a derogatory term. While the racist remark wasn't directed at her, as a fellow Black woman, it made her question her own place at the college. "I sometimes felt viewed as a Black person instead of just a person on campus," she says. Ouedraogo's story is told in I Am TCNJ: A Docu-Story Project, a series of videos produced by TCNJ faculty and students as a vehicle for the com- munity to open their minds and hearts to the experiences of others. The project, unveiled online in April, is catching attention, most notably from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which nominated it for two 2021 Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy Awards. The segment "Now Is the Time" was nominated in the Interactive Media category and was up against local, professional NBC and FOX stations. "To My Professors" received a nod in the Education/Schools — Short Form Content (single story) category. While the video project as a whole is receiving its due praise, it's the stories within the documentary that really shine. Throughout the videos, Ouedraogo and 28 other students share their experiences and reflect on 10 different timely themes, including privilege, microaggressions, unconscious biases, and institutional racism. "I don't want to be stereotyped or be judged because I'm a Black woman," Ouedraogo says. "I felt that I had to work harder because I am Black. I had to show that I belonged here." Ouedraogo hopes the video leads to action, not just awards. "I hope that everyone listens to the stories," she says. "We don't have to sweep these issues under the rug. We have stories worth telling. We showed our voices matter." — David Pavlak I AM TCNJ: A DOCU-STORY PROJECT "It is an extraordinary opportu- nity for a college student to compose a work for a ballet company," says Nakra. "Professional ballet commis- sions are extremely rare, even for famous composers," she says. "Clearly, the ARB has a high regard for Haley." Wright's music was paired with a dance from ARB choreographer Ryoko Tanaka and was originally performed and livestreamed as part of the company's digital spring 2021 season. This fall, the piece will be in front of live audiences at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center and at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College in New York City. "It has just been amazing," says Wright. "I cry every time I see the performance." — Kara Pothier

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