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Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

Year 15, Issue 3 October 4, 2017

In this Oracle . . .

CONQUERING CAMPUS

Conquering Campus ............................. 3

Personal Odysseys.............................. 10

Considering “The Circuit” ................... 12

Oracle Ovations .................................. 14

Noticing Nature .................................. 15

Feeling Different ................................ 18

Food Memories .................................. 20

Chazen Choices .................................. 27

www.odyssey.wisc.edu

Emily Auerbach, Project Director; Oracle Editor emily.auerbach@wisc.edu 608-262-3733 or 608-712-6321

Kevin Mullen, Associate Director; Oracle Editor kevin.mullen@wisc.edu 608-572-6730

Emily Azad, Odyssey Coordinator [email protected] 608-262-3885

Colleen Johnson, Director of Development and Community Partnerships Beth McMahon, Oracle Designer

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

CONQUERING CAMPUS

As a teenager in the 1970s, I would

visit the University of Wisconsin

campus and dream about going to

school there. When I was 17, I

accepted the fact that I was not

college material. It hurt a lot and in

many different ways was kind of like

this hole that I could never fill no

matter how hard I tried. I will be 57 in

a few weeks, and now I have a UW

student ID and the privilege of being

able to take a course and use the

library as a student. It feels like sweet

redemption after forty years! Visiting

the campus and getting an ID: for me,

that entire experience was something

overwhelming and wonderful at the

same time. I won't ever forget it. I've walked

through parts of campus and studied in the

library as a non-student over the years. I've sat

in the library reading and watching the sun rise.

I've taken my daughter Sidney to the campus

and to the museum, but not as a student. Now

I can take her there as a student, and for me

that also is very special. (Bruce Moore)

Last week’s trip for me was truly amazing. I

have walked in and around Union South

hundreds of times for work. While working as

security at Union South, I was always envious

of the students studying and enjoying the

facility. I often hoped one day I would be able

to participate as a peer with them, so to walk

into that building as a student was an

amazingly humbling experience. I feel that my

dreams are becoming reality. Receiving my

student ID card solidifies my dreams and gives

me tangible hope for my future. I haven’t been

to an art museum since I was a child. I enjoyed

drawing inspiration from the work of others.

(Tori Armour)

Wow, well, the trip was just amazing. I really

did enjoy the art, the paintings, and the

different cultures. There was one painting that

really got me thinking of a girl with a deep look.

The weird part of this painting was that her

eyes would follow you at any angle. This was

amazing because I got to show it to some

classmates and I felt really happy just talking to

many of them. However, the most memorable

moment that will mark my life forever is just

getting my UW ID; it is like something really

amazing. That ID just gave me full confidence. I

work downtown and I see students every day,

but I never thought that I would become one. I

know I will cherish that ID forever because it is

the beginning of a new moment in my life. I

really enjoyed this trip; it was very fun and it

felt like a family with all of my classmates.

(Guadalupe Hernandez Nuñez)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

A memorable moment for me was the top

floor with all the colorful sculptures and

paintings that brightened the room. I enjoyed

it most because I’ve always been a person

interested in lots of colors because I feel it is a

great way to express yourself. (Sch’Royce

Brown)

My class trip was amazing. I have always

wanted to go to college, so getting my ID card

was unreal. The Chazen Museum of Art was

unforgettable with the different paintings and

sculptures, and the storm made the evening

even more special. (Derrick Allen)

Union South was a very good experience and

made me feel special to be labeled as a

student at UW. The Chazen Museum was so

amazing. Learning about the different pictures

and statues made me look deeper and analyze

the meaning. The museum was a good

learning experience. It made me look at

history so much differently. (Alexis Law)

I was very excited to go and get my UW

student ID. I have been here in Madison for

more than 12 years and have been on campus

and in all the unions, and now I can finally say

I am part of this monster of a terrific

university. Since I came here, I have always

wanted to be a part of it. Later at the

museum, I liked it but I felt we were not there

long enough. I love the art and maybe next

time we can be there longer and with a guide.

(Victor Rojas)

The art museum in general was very

memorable for me. It was great to see the art

changes as the years flew by. The evolution in

artwork today also shows that we have been

more open-minded about new things, along

with accepting of the different types of

people, cultures, etc. that we’re not familiar

with. It was also uplifting because of the

different types of artwork that were put in

there and chosen to be put in there; it, too,

shows me that each and every one of us is an

individual form of unique. I also loved that we

all were given a

chance to express

our connections and

voice about an art

piece. A lot of times

we see something

and think something

of it but never get to

voice our opinions

and express how that

one thing feels and

why it moved us as a

person. I’d also like

to thank you all for

giving us this

opportunity. I will be

visiting on my own

time for sure. (Bao

Thao)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

I enjoyed walking through the halls and admiring all

the different pieces of artwork. I loved the different

colors and shapes of some of the sculptures. Seeing

the way the painting styles changed during the

different periods was a learning experience in itself.

(Angela Carpino)

Last Wednesday was my first day in the Odyssey

class. As one can imagine, I was extremely excited

about being a part of this class. We went on a field

trip to get student IDs, which I didn’t get because my

information wasn’t loaded. The class went to the

Chazen Museum of Art, which I had never been to

before. There were quite a few pieces that caught

my attention. One of my favorites was a

bronze-like metal statue that showed

the strength of a woman carrying a big

animal. She wasn’t afraid. There was also

a piece that showed a woman that was

combing her hair and it looked like she

didn’t have a face. It was the feature

piece I decided to write about. There

was even religious art that was there.

Some of the paintings showed God like

he was a darker complexion. . . There

were even two animals that had their

penises out. (Tandalaya Taylor)

Once the buses pulled up to Union South, my fellow

classmates and I started to exit the bus. I had

thought to myself that this is real; we have arrived at

the starting point of a lifelong journey. When it was

my turn in line to get my photo snapped for my ID, I

had a knot in my stomach from being so nervous, in

part because I observed students that were already

there looking at our group like, “Who are they?

Where did they come from?” Once my photo was

taken, I walked around mingling with students. A

sense of pride overcame me and feelings of self-

worth. (James Davis)

When we arrived at Union South, I proudly waited in

line until my name was called so that I could get my

picture taken for my ID. The process went very

quickly, and before I knew it, I was standing outside

in the lobby with everybody that had gotten their

IDs. We were all smiling and talking amongst our

fellow classmates when the photographer came and

gathered a group of about eight people (me

included) of all different backgrounds and he had us

come together for a group photo. We proudly held

up our IDs and smiled. He told us to get closer and

act more like family; he even told some of us to

stand up on the table for the picture. Seeing the

finished result of the pictures was nice – everyone

looked genuinely happy and we definitely looked like

a family because in that moment, none of our

differences mattered. (Maya Rasheed-Bracey)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

I was very excited to go to the Union because I

had the opportunity to talk and interact with a

lot of my classmates. I was very excited to ride

the bus, even with the hot weather; I was

soaking in water. However, I had so much fun.

This was my first time in the art museum here

in Wisconsin. I didn’t even know it existed. I

was so happy to see so many art pictures,

sculptures, and weird figures that I had never

seen before. I was also able to talk to different

classmates and make friends. My experience

getting my ID was cool and gave me a lot of

hope to see myself in the future as a student

pursuing a career. The only thing I didn’t like

was how my picture turned out on my ID. I am

not photogenic LOL, but I was happy to have

it. At the end I saw an art piece of a woman

lying down with her hand on her stomach and

I identified myself with her. This tour will be

unforgettable for me. I learned a lot and met

new friends, and it made me realize I can do it.

I love my teachers and tutors and the

program. Thanks again for the opportunity.

(Sayury Peralta Vivanco)

Last week we went on our Union South trip to

get our UW IDs. It was the simplicity of that

day in Cancun, Mexico, at

spring break in the sun. The

thrill, sun on my back, wishing

like a child waiting for Santa

Claus. Empowerment rose from

the heat surging through my

body. I will be a part of a family

of knowledge. Walking through

a rush of free emotions

displayed through imagery used

in a form of expression through

art. My feeling was a rebirth of

my significance to the world. I

want the success so badly. I can

feel it in my bones.

(Ta’Tiana Clacks)

I was very excited when we took the yellow

school bus down to campus. I knew we would

be taking pictures for our student ID’s, so I

wore my red and white Badger t-shirt for the

occasion to show my school spirit. It was nice

to get the ID back right away, unlike the DMV,

which gives you a paper copy and makes you

wait a couple weeks to receive it by mail.

Being on campus looking at the other students

really made me feel like a part of the UW

students. The Chazen Museum was

wonderful. The detail in the different

sculptures really blew me away. Some were

white marble, while others were dark and

made out of bronze. I always took a particular

interest in paintings of noble people from the

1700s, but I got a new respect for the simpler

drawings that use less color. I noticed that

most paintings were oil on canvas, and later

when I was home, I googled, “Why do artists

prefer to use oil on canvas?” The answer was

because of the drying time, the longevity, and

the ways they could emphasize different

shades of the same color. It was so hard to

pick a favorite! I enjoyed it all.

(Tyjeana Galloway)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

Last week when we went to get our ID cards

at Union South, the most memorable part of

that was actually receiving an ID card. I felt

like it added an identity to us, being students

of UW Madison. It was also nice to see the

other students who are also enrolled working

on homework and meeting with their friends

or just on their way to class. The most

memorable part of visiting the museum last

week was seeing how the art changed over

the different time periods, like the different

supplies they used to create the art, or just

the different ideas each artist had during that

time. Each century had a piece of art that

stuck out to me. I also have not been to a

museum in years, so it was nice to visit one

that held all those incredible pieces of art and

get a brief background on them. (Charnice

Anderson-Morris)

Stepping on the stairs of the big bright yellow

bus gave me shivers through my body and

reminded me of elementary school days.

Inside the bus felt like a sauna, and the seats

made it worse since they were leather. Once

we were making our way to the UW campus, I

felt an excitement. Once we stopped at the

place to get our IDs, I felt nervous, as though I

didn’t belong. The building was huge

and gray from the outside. The inside

was lively with all the young

students. It also felt like I was

stepping into a fancy hotel – nice,

clean, shiny. Going through the busy

students, we got to a plain looking

office. Waiting in the long line, I

thought we’d take forever, but it

wasn’t long before it was my turn to

get my UW ID, which made me feel

excited and proud. (Carla Herrejon)

As we were entering the campus, I

was thinking of how much I wanted

ice cream – lo and behold, there was an ice

cream shop near the entrance! I naturally got

in line for some ice cream. The ice cream shop

was next door to the office where we got our

ID’s, so I was able to get my picture taken

right after finishing my delicious dessert. After

we got all situated with our IDs, we went to an

art museum. As instructions were being given,

my attention was drawn to a strange

sculpture titled “A Congress of Fools.” I

remember staring at it to figure out what it

meant. Kevin and I started talking about it,

and the sculpture made sense when he

recalled an alum describing it as the voices in

his head. (Reggie Reed)

There were several memorable moments for

me. Last week, for instance, getting to know

my classmates was very comforting. Sharing

ideas and thoughts about the paintings at the

museum was like an icebreaker for me. Having

to be back at the museum after five years was

very refreshing. I felt like the paintings at the

Chazen Museum were food for our brains.

With such proportionate paintings of all sizes,

there was so much left to the imagination; we

were all trying to think and see.

(Selena Muñoz)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

I went to Union South last week for my first class

field trip. The anticipation for this event before it

occurred was something like a child waiting to go

to the zoo. I was excited, stoked, and restless. The

days before the event were really stressful and

draining for me, so knowing I’d be able to go to

class and get on a bus to go experience something

I never had before really comforted me in a

mysterious way. I had no clue what I would see

and how I would react to the history behind the art

at the Chazen Museum. My curiosity was at an all-

time high. Once I arrived at class that Wednesday

for the field trip, an unwanted sense of

nervousness crept within me. I knew we were

getting UW Madison IDs, which anyone would feel

was a great blessing, accomplishment, or

opportunity. For me, I sensed a little fear and

anxiety. I asked myself if I deserved this credential:

I have the same privilege as all these other

students, but I took a different road to receive my

admission. Knowing how hard it is to get into the

university, I felt humbled, but also a sense of

shame. A lot of the guilt also stemmed from my

personal life and issues I was having outside the

classroom. I felt undeserving of everything. I felt

overwhelmed and distracted, but at the same

time, I felt a bit at peace and grateful for

everything that was being offered. I will use this

opportunity to open new doors. I am curious what

the future holds. (Nathaniel Robinson)

The bus ride was hot, tense, and familiar. When we

arrived I felt like a charity case waiting for the UW

ID that I was given. I looked around and realized

how exhausting my full-time admission to this

super uptight campus will be. I also felt vigilant

when I imagined being at the School of Social Work

in Fall 2018. I am grateful I don’t have a silver

spoon. When I get my degree I am going to give

back to the community that kept me alive. I am

going to go ahead and inspire others to lead a life

different than mine. I smiled for my picture. I was

proud. I had a girlfriend who worked and did

installations at the Chazen. I thought of her. I

looked for negative space in the paintings because

I study contrast in my subliminal. I realized that I

really felt good with the group. I guess you get in

where you fit in. I always have. I don’t like William

Blake’s poetry, but I do like his philosophy

concerning the intention of art and the artist.

Concept without experience is bullshit. Art that

doesn’t come from the pit of your stomach is not

genuine. I live like that also. (Adrian Molitor)

I felt a sense of accomplishment as I boarded the

yellow school bus to head to Union South for my

UW ID. As I stood in line to wait my turn to take my

picture, I thought of all the things I could do with

my new ID. When the worker handed me my

picture, I immediately posted to my Facebook

#official badge kitty! It dawned on me on the bus

that I’d never been to an art museum. When

walking, my thoughts drifted to learning. Walking

through the doors my thoughts switched from

learning to curious. I wondered what type of art

would I see? Will there be something that stands

out? To sum up my trip, I can say it was interesting

and curious all at the same time. (Ruthie Allen)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

My favorite part was the colorful

glass sculpture. It honestly looks

like something that would go in

your bedroom or living room. It

was designed beautifully and is

unique. I loved everything about

that piece. (Lisa Simmons)

My most memorable moment

was when I took my ID and the

guy misspelled my name. It was

annoying the first ten minutes because he had my

state ID with the correct spelling on it, and he still

spelled my name wrong. Something I liked about

the trip was going to the art museum and seeing

all the different pieces of art. My favorite is the

glass piece that I picked out. (Arioun Jones)

Last week my UW continuing education class for

adults went on a field trip to the Chazen Museum,

with a short stop at the Union South building on

campus to pick up school IDs. We also received

semester-long bus cards and Quizno’s while

waiting for our chartered buses. The first stop on

our bus trip was to Union South for the new IDs. It

has been remodeled since I was there last with a

pretty new décor, including soft lighting, new

wooden tables, sparkly floors, and modern

accessories. It was a very inviting atmosphere that

I thought I would like to be a part of. I felt very

positive and hopeful of my future school career. It

also made me think I should take my sons to places

like Union South to eat or for fun so they feel

comfortable with the idea of college. Next on our

list was the Chazen Museum. I liked the intimate

atmosphere of just our class being there after

hours, so close to the artwork we could almost

touch it. Some of the artwork interested me and

some I had no connection to. While others liked a

carving of a mass of fools named “Congress of

Fools,” I did not. I actually appreciated some of the

older art, somewhat for the skill in painting and

the picture it literally paints, as well as modern art

and what it’s saying. Sometimes I also just like

bright, colorful, and shiny

things too. (Hailey

Sjuggerud)

During the campus trip to

the art museum, we got to

see some really beautiful

and interesting things. I

remember when I was in

Odyssey Jr we went on the

same trip. Both times I saw

something creative and educational in the art

work. (Keziah Bester)

My first crazy feeling was when it was time to get

on the bus. Being a very quiet and shy person, I

don’t really like being around people that I don’t

know. Once on campus it was really weird at first,

but once the ID was out of the way I think I opened

up a little more because there were conversations

going on around me. In the art gallery I was kind of

off to myself, but that was the hard part. I knew

the best way to relieve my anxiety was to tell

jokes. That made everyone feel how I was opening

up, and I felt as if we were a team. (Ameshia

Turner)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

PERSONAL ODYSSEYS

This course is called the

Odyssey Project because it

provides opportunities for

higher education. This class

will be an odyssey for me

because I’ll leave with more

knowledge, friends, and a

higher sense of self-worth.

(Reggie Reed)

My first thought was about

the many changes of fortune

that I’ve survived in my life. I

would guess that the rest of

the group has also been

through endless suffering. In

the present tense, I feel that

change will continue through

the winter. Joy and pain live together in every

part of life. (Adrian Molitor)

I think this class is called the

Odyssey Project because we

are all on different journeys in

life, but we are all coming

together to learn despite our

trials and tribulations. I believe

that Odyssey is the class for

me because I have been out of

school since I graduated from high school.

Being accepted into the program just shows me

that this is for me, and it is truly an honor.

(Maya Rasheed-Bracey)

It’s a journey of learning,

discovery, and longtime

friendship. This class is an

odyssey for me because I want

to be a great writer.

(Derrick Allen)

I think the course is called the

Odyssey Project because we

will not only learn about the

journey and experience of our

history but of our classmates’

history, too. I think the class

will be an odyssey for me

because I will be creating my

own adventures in an attempt to reach success.

(Barbara Rogers)

This will be a long, life-

changing journey with trials

and new processes related to

learning and achievement

that will challenge me and

change some of my

perceptions of my life and the

world I live in. As I go through

the program, I will grow as a student and a

person. (Bruce Moore)

This project is an opportunity

to display your lifestyle and

your story in a poetic form to

share with the world. Though

the trials and tribulations that

come with life, both good and

bad, make it beautiful . . . what

you put into your legacy to

prosper is the highest level of your destiny.

(Ta’Tiana Clacks)

We’re going to dive into things

that may be difficult to talk

about, but also this journey is

going to show us amazing

things about humanity, things

we may have thought we

would never be able to

participate in or understand. It

will bring out our strengths and test our

weaknesses. (Tyjeana Galloway)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

This class is a journey

because we are all at

different points in our lives

and we are embarking on a

journey towards bettering

ourselves and each other.

We will have ups and downs,

good days and bad, but we

will ride this wave together.

This class will be a journey of self-exploration.

I’ve spent the majority of my life taking care of

everyone else and getting lost within that role.

My goal is to find out what I have to offer

outside of the role of caregiver. (Tori Armour)

This course is called the Odyssey because it an

opportunity to open new doors, no matter

how many times others have been closed. For

some it may be their first step in their journey,

and for others it can be a second or third

chance to progress in life. This class is an

odyssey for me because it will teach me new

things, and it’s also a second

chance for me to complete

all my endeavors. It will help

me meet new people that

could possibly be on the

same journey as myself. We

all know that team work

makes the dreams work, so

we’ll all prevail together. (Sch’royce Brown)

I think this course is called

the Odyssey Project because

it is a journey to further

yourself into a new position

in life by putting your all into

whatever you do and going

through new experiences.

The Odyssey Project might be

the class for me because it pushes you further

in life so you can accomplish something. Going

through obstacles and hard times is all worth

the journey. (Alexis Law)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

CONSIDERING “THE CIRCUIT”

I can relate to this story by understanding how

hard it is to learn a new language and read out

loud because of the fear of not knowing how

to read a word or pronounce it correctly. I

have been reminded again that as soon as you

think your life is hard and difficult, you find

out someone’s life is actually worse and yours

isn’t as bad as you think. (Bao Thao)

This story makes me think about being

homeless in Chicago and Madison for awhile,

and the idea of the circuit is true. Your

itinerary includes particular events on a daily

basis: wash up, get dressed, get breakfast,

gather your things, and wander around

looking for work and stable housing.

I remember living in this one hotel and

returning from work that evening and getting

the news that we had to leave immediately—

no questions asked. It was just because the

police had questioned my oldest son on the

hotel premises, and that meant an immediate

eviction from the dump of a motel we lived in.

This story evoked all the tales of my homeless

adventures and how I overcame homelessness

in Madison, Wisconsin. (Ruthie Allen)

I can relate to this story a lot. I worked in the

fields in Mexico and here, so when he talks

about long days in the fields with the heat, it

just takes me back to that part of my life. I

moved from Mexico and had to start school

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

here, and on the first day I felt very nervous,

like he did. I love corridos too, so that is one

big thing we have in common. I feel very

connected to this story. (Guadalupe

Hernandez Nuñez)

I can personally relate to the author when he

explains how he felt ashamed to be who he

was because everyone around him was

different and couldn’t understand him. That’s

how I felt in high school. Going from being

with the same people from kindergarten to

eighth grade, and then going to high school

and not knowing anyone was hard to adjust

to. (Maya Rasheed-Bracey)

I can definitely relate to this story personally

because my brothers and I had to respond to a

similar situation when our single mother was

working two jobs. Because our mom worked

the third shift, we woke up with her and got

out of bed to go to our grandparents’ until 4

AM the next morning; then they would go to

work and our next babysitter would take us to

school with her kids. (Selena Muñoz)

I can relate to this story

because my dad and uncles

went through this when they

first arrived here to the US.

They didn’t last long because

they found different

opportunities, but they did

say working in the fields was

very hard and tiring work.

(Carla Herrejon Tinajero)

I can relate to feeling alone

due to language. He spoke

Spanish and knew certain

English words. On this we

differ, but I can relate

because coming to Madison,

I felt what I spoke was

“ghetto,” so I chose not to

speak. (Ladaro Taylor)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

ORACLE OVATIONS

Upon reading the Oracle, I grasped a feeling of

fellowship, a sense of belonging to a new family. One

thing that struck me from the alumni writing was:

“Don’t you give up, no matter what.” After reading

Alice’s story and comparing it with “The Circuit,” I

gained a sense that a family that sticks together through

any struggle will overcome all obstacles. (James Davis)

There was a lot going on for me while reading this. I

smiled at some of the things written. I was moved by

some of the stories . . . I’m going out of my comfort

zone, pushing some schooling into my schedule. Am I

overwhelmed? Yes! This is a lot of reading, but I keep

reminding myself I’ve come this far, and “Don’t quit,

Bao.” Life will keep going, and I just have to make time

for my own self while everything is happening. “Don’t

Quit” made me very emotional while I was reading it,

but it was very uplifting. I thank all the writers.

(Bao Thao)

Reading the Oracle evoked many emotions for me:

motivated, overwhelmed, conflicted, blessed, anxious,

excited, and validated. Most importantly, I feel that I

belong and have more hope for my future.

(Bruce Moore)

Reading the Oracle made me feel happy and confident

knowing that a lot of students shared some of the same

feelings that I have, and all of

them have the same message:

“Don’t quit” . . . I’m looking

forward to completing the

program so that I can share my

experience with the future

students. (Guadalupe Hernandez

Nuñez)

Before knowing if I was accepted

into the program, I began reading

the Oracles from previous

students, and it was the most

comforting and encouraging

reading I have read in my entire

schooling . . . Reading several

stories of encouragement and

wisdom from intelligent students from previous classes

made me feel like I do matter in this world, and I have a

purpose. (Selena Muñoz)

Reading the Oracle made me feel welcomed and not as

nervous as I was before reading it. I saw that a lot of

people felt the same way I did . . . From reading the

Oracle I learned that being in the Odyssey is one of the

best things that has happened to me. No one wrote

anything negative, and that makes me happy and proud

to have taken the class.

(Carla Herrejon Tinajero)

It made me feel so happy and grateful to be a part of

such a wonderful program with such loving and amazing

people. It also motivated me and made me believe I can

achieve great things. (Keziah Bester)

I’m so impressed by the writings from Odyssey

graduates and the fact that they have not ended their

journeys when the program was completed. I see that

this program and the things that we are going to learn

have the power to change the rest of our lives. It looks

like people that once had little confidence in themselves

found their ability to shine and share their newfound

gifts and talents with the world. (Tyjeana Galloway)

I think what people have written is very inspiring. It

almost brought tears to my eyes

to hear how everyone felt at first.

I also felt discouraged on the first

day since I am quiet and a lot of

people seemed open to

participating, and they were

actually getting everything that

was being talked about for the

first time. The Oracle makes me

feel more confident that I will go

far during this year and after it is

finished. It really reassured me

that I belong in this class, and I am

glad I have gotten a chance to

attend. (Angela Carpino)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

NOTICING NATURE

I was in the woods—trees, branches, and leaves

everywhere. I could feel the cold breeze of the wind

hitting against my neck. Mosquitoes bit me, and I

shrugged them off. It smelled like nature—I could

smell some of the flowers that surrounded me.

(Arioun Jones)

I’m walking through a field and my eyes start

watering, then I start sneezing. I continue to walk

and bugs start swarming around me, and I start

waving my hands frantically to get them away while

tripping over branches and seeing raccoons run

towards me. I’d prefer to stay out of nature’s way.

(Tandalaya Taylor)

A few years back (I had to be

about 18 years old), I was

selected with a few others to

go camping and search for gold.

By “gold” I don’t mean fancy

jewelry; it was actually a rare

and delicious fungus sprouting

from the ground—a morel

mushroom. I was prepared, but

I wasn’t ready, and enjoying

nature is something that I

lacked . . .

I wanted to enjoy this place. I

wanted to love being outdoors. I

just wished the teacher had

prepared me a little more. She

didn’t tell me that when you’re

sleeping the bugs chatter and the

trees whisper, or that there would

be shadows creeping around the

window that were covered all in

fur. Oh boy, that nature thing was

getting scarier and scarier . . . If I

knew then what I know now, I

probably would have passed on

going. That was my first time

camping, and probably my last. (Charnice Anderson-

Morris)

I visited the beach at Biloxi

It was a beautiful sight

The sight of the ocean warmed me

My dreams of visiting came true

Waves sparkling like diamonds in the sun

A swordfish jumping just for fun

The heat of the sun upon my skin

Soft warm sand between my toes.

(Hailey Sjuggerud)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

It was our favorite time of year again.

The sky covered with grey gloomy clouds,

yet so bright and beautiful with all the bright

colors.

The leaves yet to fall off the trees.

As you hear the gentle wind, it also plays with your

hair.

The branches sway, the leaves dance, and together

they sing

a sweet serenity all around you.

The squirrels gather to play one last time.

Glossy, dark, and as beautiful as night

we both stand and stay on this native land we call

home

watching the birds gather in the sky.

See you when the flowers awake.

(Bao Thao)

My connection to nature is lying in the grass,

looking at the bright white stars, feeling free to

think about anything and relax. I went to the park

just to get my mind off things, but as soon as I

looked out my window I wanted to go outside and

lie down in the grass, feeling a nice breeze on my

face while looking up at the stars. (Lisa Simmons)

This summer I went on a camping trip with my

boyfriend and his family . . . There were kids

running around everywhere,

families barbequing, laughing,

swimming, sitting around the

fire. We got on a hayride, just

going around the campsite. The

kids and families on the ride

were smiling and everybody was

excited. The vibes were so

positive I couldn’t help but hold

onto my boyfriend’s arm, close

my eyes, and smile. Taking it all

in, all of the love I was

surrounded by warmed my

heart like the fire toasting

marshmallows for s’mores on a

breezy summer night. (Maya Rasheed-Bracey)

Looking at the picture of daffodils reminded me of

my childhood in Sweden. I used to play with my

friends at the lake, jumping from a rope tied to a

tree into the lake. I still remember every detail like

it was yesterday—it was a sunny and beautiful day.

(Sayury Peralta Vivanco)

There is nothing more soothing than to hear the

waters moving. When I’m in a bad mood, I sit on

the lake—15-20 minutes is all it takes. As the

waves come in, I fight through all the confusion.

There is never enough time to figure out life.

Depending on the weather, the winds cut through

me just like a knife. (Ameshia Turner)

Don’t be afraid of the somber night

Let the rain wash away the hurt and sorrow

Let the agony dissipate like the embers of a flame

Let the soul rejuvenate with each crash of thunder

and

the bright lightning resurrect the heart

Allow yourself to be engulfed in darkness and let

your

dreams shine like the night sky.

(Tori Armour)

Lying out on our red, white, and black plaid

blanket, the hot sun is beaming down on us. Cold,

wet popsicles melt, slipping

down the sticks, leaving

colorful streaks and

streaming down kids’

fingertips. A semi-cool

breeze comes by and lightly

brushes the open, grassy

fields and gently blows the

leaves on the trees, flowing

all in the same direction.

We’re watching tiny bugs

buzzing about overhead as

large, fluffy clouds slowly

float by. (Angela Carpino)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

The winds blow across my face

Fresh air soothes the mood

Birds chirping, hearing my thought

Peace is all I ever thought.

(Alexis Law)

Sidney was three, and while we were on a cruise,

she saw people snorkeling and swimming in the

ocean with dolphins. She asked if she could do it

one day. I said yes if she learned to swim well

enough to join a swim team. She did, so we went. I

do not swim well, nor do I float, but we went

anyway!

The water was blue and inviting on a beautiful

sunny day in the beautiful Florida Keys! The waves

appeared to be fighting each other gracefully, like

rows of Blue Samurais. This was a dream I made a

reality that at least appeared somewhat inviting. I

was tory, yet I felt invited, but inside I felt such

trepidation. I don’t swim well, but the water was

so blue and inviting I quieted my fears. I put on the

snorkel, goggles, and flippers, and jumped in the

water with Sidney. Initially she was sacred, too, but

water is her element. She draws strength from it

and has always seemed to do so since she was a

baby and I took her for her first swim class when

she was one.

The waves seemed to welcome us, pushing us

gently to and fro, like the rocking of a child in a

cradle at first. As we swam away from the boat

and looked down in the water, the waves

appeared to open, permitting us to view the

beauty of the coral in the Keys that she kept

hidden to all those above her. Our guide tapped on

some coral and, like magic, so many fish appeared,

so bright colored they appeared to cover the

entirety of the spectrum—red, yellow, blue, green,

striped, spotted, and solid colored, flat fish, round

fish, small fish, medium-sized and large fish. The

small stingrays, small sharks, coral, and plants

were as colorful as the fish. We were so taken

aback by the beauty of it that all my fears

appeared to dissipate. We looked at each other

and shared a thumps up!

By this time, my child was so comfortable she

began to swim away farther from our boat. The

waves seemed to simply, slowly, gently carry her

away, like they wanted their time to play with her,

too. I was a bit envious, but in a sharing mood. She

smiled, with snorkel in her mouth, as I motioned

her to keep going with our guide. It was a glorious

sight to behold on that beautiful, sunny day last

June. It was like another level of clarity was

reached by simply diving in and swimming for it.

After a while, the waves and salt seemed to grow

heavy on me. Once again, floating for me became

difficult. The sea, I don’t think she likes me.

Somehow I took in some salt water, and the waves

became more choppy. At that point, I remembered

that I couldn’t really swim. I was finding it difficult

to stay afloat in the Keys. It was odd, my last

thought: I wanted to get out, but I also wanted to

stay. By this time, Sidney and the guide were about

fifty feet away, so I just smiled and got out of the

waters of the Keys and into the boat. I had pictures

to take and more memories to make of my child,

snorkeling, in the waters of the Keys.

(Bruce Moore)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

FEELING DIFFERENT,

LIKE WILLIAM BLAKE

The way William Blake felt

most of the time with his

poetry and art is the way I felt

during childhood. Growing up

speaking a different language

was intimating even though I

was born here. Because of the

cultural beliefs my parents

had, really the only time I spoke English was in

my ESL classes. My dad didn’t really encourage

English at the house, not only because he didn’t

know how to speak it but because he didn’t want

my brothers and me to forget Spanish. Luckily in

our early teens we were able to speak complete

sentences, even though they were a little

chopped at times.

Another reason why I felt like an outcast growing

up was my studies. Most of the girls I grew up

with in grade school were into smoking

cigarettes at 12 years old and hoping to get

pregnant by their boyfriends by the time high

school hit. Because I was the only girl in my year

who wore glasses and completed my homework,

I got bullied a lot. I didn’t even want to go to

school, even though I loved being in class,

because of mean girls. Most of these mean girls

were in gangs and so were their brothers and

sisters. I was happy to be out of that once I

reached high school, but little did I realize things

were going to get worse before they got better.

My English was too much of a barrier to trying to

fit in. I felt racially profiled most of the time

because I was the only Hispanic girl on an all-

Caucasian cross-country team.

There were many times I cried and many times I

felt hopeless. Going to work was my escape, not

only because it would take my mind off stress

but also because I was supporting my mother

and two brothers, so much so that I was working

75% of the time and not really prioritizing school

like I should have. But I found light again when I

got my diploma and graduated high school. It

was the first moment in life where I actually felt

for once like I was winning. (Selena Muñoz)

I remember when I started

elementary school I felt very

isolated and weird because I

didn’t know what anyone was

saying to me. I would feel

strange because no one would

understand me either. I felt

lost and sad. I would also cry

because I was only five years

old. (Carla Herrejon Tinajero)

When I was in eighth grade I

got accepted into a program at

school because I had excellent

grades. I was so excited and

couldn’t wait until the

program started. I walked into

the class full of students, and

everyone was staring at me. I

felt a little weird because I was

the only African American in the program. Also,

the students were looking at me like they were

wondering how I got into such a high program.

Some of the students wouldn’t talk to me and

made me feel invisible. So my mindset was to

show them that I’m as smart as they were and

that was the reason I got into the program.

(Alexis Law)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

I come from a family of eight

children, five girls and three

boys. Up until my baby

brother Sam was born, I was

the darkest child in the family.

Being the darkest and oldest, I

always felt I was punished the

hardest and not loved. I will be

the first to admit I was naughty and rebelled

against parental authority. I often ran away, lied,

and stole.

The thoughts and feelings of being treated

differently were just feelings until I was visiting

with my mom and she just opened up in a

conversation one night. She confessed to

different treatment, punishment, whippings, etc.

We discussed how she felt when I was born dark

skinned like my birth father and how the first five

to six years of my life were spent with my Great

Ma Bea. All I can say is I’m glad I forgave her a

long time ago; that’s the only way I was able to

heal way before her confession and apology. I

was 42 years old at the time of her confession.

(Ruthie Allen)

When I was younger, I was

very insecure about my

birthmark on my face. It was

different. No other kids had

one quite like mine. They

would laugh, ask if I was

burned, or point it out at

inappropriate times. Later in

life, I realized it is what makes

me “unique.” People will forget my name but

never my face. (Charnice Anderson-Morris)

My life was unique. I was always very flamboyant

and intelligent, so it made me a target growing

up in the inner city of Chicago. People of less

fortune would become ruthless to fit in. My mom

always worked hard and so did my dad. We

didn’t have our in-laws around, so it made me

feel unlike my peers who had cousins, aunts,

uncles, and grandmas. But as

time went on, I learned god-

sisters still wished to build a

larger, solid, genuine

foundation. One day I will

have that love and be still

blessed. (Tatiana Clacks)

When I was younger, my mom

would take the family to

church. We would go every

Sunday, so when I attended

middle school and even high

school, I would feel different

than the other kids. They

would curse and act out in

class, but me knowing how I

was brought up felt different. It was a good

difference, though. Some of my friends would

want me to participate in the stuff they were

doing, but I would always separate myself from

it. (Arioun Jones)

There was a time when I went

to a tailgate at Lambeau Field.

We took the bus with people I

didn’t know, and there was a

lot of drinking and arguing. I

felt out of place because I

don’t drink and I’m a laid back

type of person. (Derrick Allen)

I definitely knew that I was

different from others. The way

I wore my hair and the type of

clothes and patterns I chose

really made me stand out.

Some would say somewhat

hurtful things, but deep down

I knew they liked it and

wanted to be just like me.

Sometimes I caught kids doing little things that I

had already done, such as putting colored pieces

in their hair or copying certain jewelry that I

would wear. (Sch’Royce Brown)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

I could write you a book about

separation. Half of my stories

would be reality; the other half

would be my ego drawing me

further and further away from

feeling human at all. If you put

me in a group, I will naturally

separate. Vulnerability seems

to be the gospel of growth. You know I’ve almost

died, seen people died, abandoned folks, and

been abandoned.

I feel different on campus at Madison College-

Truax. Those people have never seen a man

covered in tattoos. It is no longer my job to fake

my way through it. I feel different than the person

reading this. These are just the waves of my life,

and I’m learning to surf. (Adrian Molitor)

I recently moved back to

Madison from Rockford,

Illinois. I felt like an outcast in

the home I shared with three

other roommates and their

children. No one cleaned the

house, so every day there were

dishes piled high. The cat and

dog were being neglected

because no one wanted to take the dog out to

potty-train her, and the cat’s litter box was always

overflowing with smelly canlumps of cat dung!

The children ran through the house all hours of

the night breaking things and screaming at the

top of their lungs. I didn’t feel comfortable there

at all because I wasn’t raised in that type of

environment as a kid. I had rules, like clean up

after yourself, flush the toilet, and wash your

hands. I’m not a neat freak, but I prefer to wash

my dishes daily so they don’t pile up into a crusty

mess. I also know that if you have pets, you must

potty train them and take them outside. These

folks would walk by the dog’s piddle on the floor

and complain that the house stinks. I would clean

for hours and complain about the adults not

reining in the kids and their destructive behavior. I

felt alone, like no one else cared about the home

or our furniture. (Tyjeana Galloway)

When I started at my present

job, I noticed that the majority

of the people that I work with

are from Nepal and mainly

spoke their language more than

English. It was hard at first to

understand what they were

saying and become friends

because they all mostly spoke

their own language to each other. But eventually

it became easier to understand them, and we

have all grown closer. We have built real

friendships after the year of me being there.

(Angela Carpino)

There were many instances in

my life where I didn’t fit in. I

took some pretty important

parts away from my life. There

was a time where I felt plenty

of bad things kept happening to

me, like when I was going

through cancer and didn’t

understand why it was

happening to me. I knew people who were

robbing people and people who were all around

not good people. Those I loved were dying from

cancer but shouldn’t have been because they

were genuinely good people.

I felt like I would never get over moments when I

was hurt by people I loved. I had given my all and

never let them down. They betrayed me and took

the importance of our relationship away. I never

understood why I didn’t fit into the world we all

existed in. I learned that me not believing in what

they believed would take all of the levels of love

we had away. (Tandalaya Taylor)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

I’ve always been “different,” not

in a bad way (I’d like to say to

myself), but I have always been

the odd one. Being born in

Madison, I went from preschool

to eighth grade with the majority

of the same people, but in high

school I wanted to branch off

and try new things. I applied to go to an out-of-

district school, which was Verona. I got accepted,

and the closer it came to the first day of school the

more nervous I got about taking this new step in

life. I had all types of things running through my

mind, like “I don’t know anybody here.” I got

bullied in middle school, so I was automatically

assuming that I was going to have the same

problem in high school. I was used to being around

a more diverse group of people, but I found myself

being one of only three black students in classes.

Everyone knew each other, so everybody had their

“group” of friends already. It was hard, and I can

honestly say I did not ever get through that phase

my whole four years of high school. (Maya

Rasheed-Bracey)

It was the summer of 1996. I was

picked to become a member of

the American Legion Premier

Boy Stater. This odyssey was like

no other I ever embarked on. I

was chosen with a handful of

other boys from Chicago public

schools to attend this once in a

lifetime experience. Unlike the

other kids chosen to represent CPS, I was the only

black kid. Hell, there weren’t more than ten African

American boys out of 1,000 boy staters all from

over Illinois plus a staff of about 150. So I was most

definitely out of my element. Since it was one of

the first times I traveled outside of the city limits,

and I do mean far outside of the city, I never really

had encountered white people outside of doctors’

appointments and police officers that rarely

patrolled my neighborhoods. The club was based

on mock politics. We were split up into counties,

cities, Republicans, and Democrats. When it came

time for me to express my views and stands on

issues, I was viewed openly and publically as a rebel

and trouble maker, simply because my peers never

saw nor experienced anything when it came to

urban living. Neither had I experienced their life or

culture, though TV sure made it relatable. (James

Davis)

. . . Sometimes people at think

being bilingual is awesome and

you have advantages, but not

everything is the color of roses.

Because I am bilingual and have

a thick accent, most people at

my work don’t consider me in

their opinions or think I have

brains. They never ask me about

what I think or feel. . . . Sometimes it makes me

sad, sometimes I cry, and sometimes I feel alone.

They don’t know how many times I research the

cases, investigate, and especially take the time to

read and do my timeline to figure everything out. I

take it to another person to check my grammar

first and be corrected. They can’t imagine how hard

it was for me. I feel sometimes that my coworkers

think that I don’t exist or my voice doesn’t count,

but they want my help to reach their goals. They

ask me for help because I don’t say no. Through the

years I have demonstrated to them that I know my

job and am not ignorant, but they still always make

me feel I don’t exist. That is the reason I decided to

go back to school and prove I can do it. . . . So far,

being in this class I have been discovering myself

little by little and that my life is an odyssey. I didn’t

know the meaning of the word until Kevin and the

tutor explained it to me, and it is funny because

doing my homework made me start talking about

my personal life and family and how I have been

living in this beautiful country that gives me the

opportunity to grow and have my family. Doing the

homework also reminded me of all the places I

have been before I came here.

(Sayury Peralta Vivanco)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

FOOD MEMORIES

I still remember it like it was yesterday. Everyone

was gathered together, with multiple

conversations and children running wild, myself

included. It was that time of the year when we

were all jam-packed in my grandmother’s house,

the one time a year we all came together to

indulge in the tasty meal for Thanksgiving dinner

that she spent nights preparing. If we didn’t

agree on anything, we all agreed her food was

definitely for the soul and prepared from the

heart. The ham was baked to perfection, and the

mac-and-cheese was golden and crispy around

the edges. To this day, I still don’t know how she

accomplished that. The sweet potatoes flavored

the whole house with the cinnamon and sugar

mixture she used to add sweetness to them. The

greens were my least favorite food, but I would

do anything to have hers again.

My grandmother was the glue of my family. Her

food was fuel that still energizes us today. Many

have tried, but no one has come close to the

meals she used to prepare. After she left, food

hasn’t tasted the same. (Charnice Anderson-

Morris)

A few weeks ago, when it was still hot as an oven

outside, my boyfriend decided to make

something affordable since we didn’t have much

here at the house. Living in a city like Lake Mills,

there isn’t much around. As soon as he threw a

stick of butter on the hot pan, I knew it was going

to be hard taking a nap while he cooked. He

threw some garlic and some mini shrimp in the

butter, and it just made the entire house smell

like a chef’s kitchen. It was the best! My

boyfriend decided to cook my all-time favorite

rice (4-minute rice from Uncle Ben’s). Cooking

that with butter just made me run to the kitchen

and help because I couldn’t resist the excitement.

By the time I got into the kitchen, he slowly

poured the buttery, garlicky, sautéed shrimp into

the hot steamed rice, and I was drooling by that

point. It was too hard to watch the butter from

the rice melt with the butter of the shrimp. As

soon as I thought we were about to eat, he

poured some aromatic lemon pepper and

parmesan garlic onto the rice full of butter and

shrimp. Just when I thought it was ready to eat,

he splashed a pinch of salt and a handful of

squeezed lemon onto the simmering shrimp, and

my sinuses cleared up. I have never been more

ready to eat than on that particular day. (Selena

Muñoz)

When I was young, I remember waking up to the

smell of guayaba. My mom and grandma had

been picking guayabas from the trees outside and

making a milkshake for breakfast. On this visit, I

would get a guayaba or strawberry milkshake

every morning because that’s what grew in

Michoacan, Mexico.

Guayabas are a small,

round, yellow fruit

that grow on

small trees.

You can pick

them off a

tree like an

apple and

eat them.

When you bite into

them, they are juicy, and they

can be sweet or sour. The color on the inside is a

pale yellow, and it has a lot of tiny, round, white

seeds. I haven’t been able to have that same

taste since being at my grandparents’ house.

(Carla Herrejon Tinajero)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

The food-based memory I have is of tallarines

rojos de pollo con papa ala huancaina

(spaghetti with red chicken sauce and boiled

potatoes with huancaina sauce). This plate

reminds me of when my dad and mom used to

take us outside of the city to have family time

with them.

This food brings a lot of good memories with

my parents and brother before our family was

split. This food reminds me of my mother and

how she cared for us and also how my

deceased father played with me, carried me

on his shoulders, and showed me things

around the beach. I could smell the ocean

breeze and used to play with my collection

(muymuys) of ocean animals. My mother

always spoiled us and cooked our favorite

meals for the family. The taste of the

spaghetti reminds me of my country, Peru.

The taste of the ethnic food and fruit is not

easy to find here in America. I have been here

for years but still find it hard to find my

favorite fruit, grandilla. Any time I go to the

lake here and spend time with my kids, I am

reminded of the days I spent with my parents

at the beach. (Sayury Peralta Vivanco)

When it comes to food, there’s

nothing like when my mom gets

the urge to make spaghetti with a

meat sauce to die for. In addition

to “The World’s Best Spaghetti

and Meat Sauce,” she typically

makes perch or catfish with a

gorgeous salad full of colors. The

meat sauce is packed with freshly

picked herbs chopped and diced

to perfection. When she sautées

the veggies, you can smell it two

blocks away in any direction.

Beware: it’s one of those meals

once prepared and eaten that will

cause you to suffer from sleepitis.

(James Davis)

My grandma’s cookies are well known (among

family and friends). She came up with the

recipe on her own and has been making the

same cookies for as long as I can remember.

They are oatmeal cookies, and she adds in

nuts, chocolate chips, cranberries, raisins, etc.

I remember how her face just lit up one day

when I asked her if she could teach me her

“secret” recipe.” We actually ended up

making them that same day. She had me mix

everything together with my hands. They

were so sticky, but the smell of cinnamon,

nutmeg, and all types of sweet spices filled the

kitchen. I helped prepare the cookies for

Sunday dinner at my grandma’s house. They

turned out well, and I was so proud, telling

everybody that I helped make them. I didn’t

realize how much work was put into making

the cookies, but once I tasted them I quickly

began to understand why. There are no

cookies out here that I can even compare

them to. They are truly one of a kind, made

with love, and they truly melt in your mouth

at each bite. (Maya Rasheed-Bracey)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

I have so many memories of good food and

bad food. There was a time when I tried meat

in a can (Spam), which I hated. My mom used

to fry it up, cut it in slices, and make us

sandwiches for lunch. The other kind of meat

in a can was Vienna sausages with crackers. I

actually enjoyed those—my first taste of hot

dogs. Then the most dreadful was potted

meat. I’m not even sure what that was made

out of, but it was not tasty. These meats in a

can brought me back to a different part of my

life when my mother had to make do until we

got more. That is one of the fondest memories

that I have for eating meat in a can.

(Tandalaya Taylor)

My favorite food memory is when my mother

showed my sisters and me how to make her

lasagna for the first time. We were all

gathered in the kitchen taking out the

ingredients. My mother was seasoning and

browning the ground beef while tending to

the sauce. We each got to prepare a layer,

following the steps given to us. When we were

done putting it together, she picked up the

pan and turned to the stove. As she was

lowering it into the oven, I remember us

pinching the leftover mozzarella out of the

bowl, thinking we were being

sneaky. (Angela Carpino)

It’s Saturday, September 23, 2017.

We’re out in a cabin with our

family for a family get-away

before winter comes. Each person

has been assigned to help with

prepping and making a meal. I was

assigned to make breakfast this

morning. We made your typical

American breakfast: bacon,

sausage, eggs, hash browns, and

waffles with whipped cream and

mixed berry sauce.

What stood out was the waffles and mixed

berry sauce. It’s simple but super delicious! I

only get to have it once in a blue moon. But

when I do get it, it reminds me of when I was

in Headstart. It’s truly one of my favorite

times. When I’m reminded of those moments,

it puts a smile on my face. It was a time where

anyone would wake up early just to go to

school. It was a time where Monday-Friday

wasn’t known yet. We would wake up early

every day, even on Saturdays and Sundays,

but be told there’s no school, and we would

be sad about it. It also was a great time where

independence was automatically given. I was

that small and was able to trust the world and

walk about a mile to school. It was a time

where we only played with what nature gave

us to play with: sand, rocks, sticks, leaves, and

grass. But those were the best years because

we used our imagination, and that brought

our adventure farther than already having

images to look at from the computer. Life was

simple like this dish of waffles and berries, but

it was the best time because our imagination

was not limited. (Bao Thao)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

When I would go to dinner at my grandma’s

house, it would always smell like greens

cooking. An earthy, unique smell would engulf

you as you entered her kitchen. She would put

garlic and ham hocks in the pot with the greens,

and she’d serve you a huge, steaming plate of

them. Along with those greens would be a

healthy pile of black eyed peas, which I hated!

She’d say, “You better eat all your food, or

you’ll be an old woman before you get up from

the table.” The black-eyed peas would turn to

mush in my mouth with every bite, and they

were very peppery. I found a way to conceal

the fact that I wasn’t eating the black-eyed

peas: put them in my napkin and then excuse

myself to the bathroom so I could toss them in

the toilet. Sorry, Grandma! (Tyjeana Galloway)

It is very hot, fresh out of the oven, with lots of

layers shown once it’s cut into pieces, full of

cheese and meat, leading to a warm sizzling

feeling on your tongue from the cottage cheese

once you take that first bite. (Sch’Royce Brown)

I walked into my mother-in-law’s house and

was hit with an amazing smell! I recognized the

smell of onion powder and garlic salt. The scent

of seafood also filled the room as we walked

toward the kitchen to take a peek at a pot filled

with sticky rice. “It’s gumbo!” I said with

excitement. My wife told me to sit down and

wait. As I sat waiting, I heard the stirring of a

large spoon hitting the pot. Before I could

turn around, a large plate of corn, onions,

and okra was upon me. As she set the plate

on the table, it seemed like the shrimp and

crab were swimming in the sticky rice. I

didn’t hesitate to indulge in this Louisiana

Delight. The first bite was filled with sausage

and a strongly-flavored stock. I fell in love.

Everything came together to create a

wonderful taste. I’m truly thankful she made

this great meal. (Derrick Allen)

A food memory I have is eating egg rolls that

my mom made me. The egg rolls smelled like a

delicious Chinese restaurant. I was eating them

with my friend and wanted to save my plate, so

I told him when he was done to save the sweet

and sour sauce. He ended up throwing it away.

At the time, I was frustrated because the egg

rolls were really good, especially with sauce,

but it was also funny at the same time.

(Arioun Jones)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

Thanksgiving is where you are around your family

and are thankful. Our tradition is to make dressing,

which is my favorite. The flavor, texture, and spices

make it tasty. The corn meal mixed with turkey

makes your mouth watery. You mix the two things

together until it’s moist and thick, and then you put

it in the oven to marinate together and get that

lovely juicy smell. Then when it’s done, it’s gold,

crispy, soft, and ready to serve. (Alexis Law)

I was at my best friend’s house, and her mom had

decided to go out of town for the weekend. At the

time, we were 18, so the first thing that came to

our minds was to throw a party, but then again

who would drive all the way to Sun Prairie to go to

a party? So we said, “Let’s cook instead of buying

food all the time.” We only could cook the things

that were in the house. We made baked potatoes,

blueberry muffins, and salad, but after that we

didn’t know what to make next. It was funny

because neither of us knew what we were doing.

We don’t cook at all. My best friend burnt the eggs

a little, but I still ate them. The pasta turned out

pretty good. The whole experience was good

because we were learning how to cook on our own.

I hope we do it again because it was pretty fun.

(Lisa Simmons)

Growing up at or near the

poverty line sometimes means

an occasional hole in a shoe or

shirt. It means hand-me-downs

and wishes of being too fat,

short, or tall so mom and dad

would be forced to get that

new coat or a few pairs of new

jeans. Being at or near that line

also meant a missed meal here

and there or beans and chicken

until the smell of it makes you

sick and turns your stomach.

Have you ever eaten egg

sandwiches for breakfast and

dinner three to four days a week? I remember this

one week, thank God, it was Daddy’s pay week.

Payday Friday came, and we had nothing in the

house to eat. I remember wishing for the

sandwiches we called chokes: thick meat, thick

cheese, and dry white bread. It was around 11 PM,

and my dad called my mom and asked, “What do

you want me to bring in?” She turned to us children

and said, “What do y’all want?” We all yelled,

“White Castles!”

My memory is when my dad brought home 100

White Castle Sliders, no cheese, no fries, and no

soda. White Castle Sliders are small square beef

patties cradled between two buns and onions

served up in a blue and white decorated box. I

remember from our second floor apartment we

anxiously watched for Daddy’s car to turn that

corner of 66

and Ashland.

The night seemed to drag on. It seemed to take

forever for Daddy to make it home. We all had

drifted off to sleep and were awakened to see this

huge white paper bag filled with White Castle

Sliders. For the first and last time, we ate Sliders, as

many as our tummies could hold. (Ruthie Allen)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

Most of the time, my mom

would wake me up early in the

morning, and we would talk

while she cooked. Christmas

dinners were very special, and I

have the fondest memories of

those times.

First I want to tell you a bit

about my mom. She grew up in

the Mississippi Delta. Her

family members were

sharecroppers, so she started

picking cotton at an early age.

When she got a little older, she

was given a choice: either to

continue picking cotton or

learn to cook and work in the kitchen instead. She

chose to learn to cook and ended up loving it for

many reasons! Some of those reasons are why I

believe they called it ”Soul Food.” It changed

minds, hearts, and perceptions.

She would usually have the radio playing gospel

music. One of her favorite artists was Mahalia

Jackson, who sang songs like “His Eye is On The

Sparrow” and “My God is Real.” She and I would

hum aloud to the music as she cooked.

She would start preparing most of the meal the

morning before, and I would watch, help, and taste

a lot! She would clean the chittlins twice, put them

in a large pot with seasonings, a large whole onion,

and potato, and put the large pot in the fridge until

early morning. Then she would clean, season, and

marinate the turkey and put it in the fridge. Next

she would make an awesome potato salad from

scratch and, of course, I got to taste it as she was

making it! It was as if it just melted on my tongue.

By that time, the sweet potatoes would be done.

She baked them with cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses,

and other spices. When she would take the top off

that large casserole dish, the aroma, ah, so sweet,

would float through the entire house!

While this was happening, I

was picking the stems from

collard greens. They were

stuffed in a big brown paper

bag, and it would always

take me a long time to do it.

My mom would always

check on me to make sure I

was “doing it right.” I never

minded because I got to

taste everything during the

cooking process! Then she

would make the cornbread

dressing with the boiled

leftover turkey parts, and I

got to crack the eggs and

would always get a

tablespoon of the dressing before she put it in the

fridge. While tasting I didn’t talk; my responses

were usually just smiles and nods of approval. I’d

help her wash the greens twice before she would

put them in a large pot, season them, and add in

pork neck bones and onions.

The last things she would make were corn bread

and the desserts. She would always make sweet

potato pie and yellow cake with chocolate frosting,

all from scratch and always using butter! I would

get to help her by handing her some of the

ingredients and cracking the eggs. She didn’t have

to measure things because she knew it all by heart,

which I found to be amazing. She seemed to just

float through the entire process, and I would just

sit and stare in awe of her mixing magic and love in

our kitchen. As I watched, I’d help sift the flour,

taste and pour in the baking powder, and crack and

put in the eggs. After we finished all the mixing, I

got to lick the bowls and the spoons and would

watch her put the pies, corn bread, and cakes in

our big oven. . . .

A nap was out of the question for this boy as long

as my mom was cooking Christmas Dinner. I could

smell the cakes and pies, and again the aromas

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

would just fill the whole house, one

after another, then altogether. I would

just sit there with my hands on my

chin, smiling, imagining myself eating

cake and pie. The time seemed to fly

by when she was cooking, and it was

my bedtime, but I knew she was going

to wake me up early to help finish

making Christmas Dinner, like she

always did. True to form, she woke me

up early to help her finish cooking.

I was out of the bed in a flash, cleaned

up and ready to go! The turkey was

already in the oven and the chittlins

had already been boiling, too! I would

look at the presents under the

Christmas tree with anticipation, but for me, it was

more about helping with the meal and the

desserts!

I got to help clean up the kitchen and set the table

for our Christmas Dinner because we usually had

an early family dinner, then another family dinner

with guests. My reward for helping was my small

sample of everything, including cake and pie. My

mouth would be watering, and I would just stare

and smile at my small plate before eating it

because it was special in many ways. I got to help

and watch my mom do magic and love in her

favorite room. She would tell me that her cooking

ingredients always included love. I never ever

doubted that.

My mom died when I was 23. She was my best

friend. My daughter Sidney and I cook and bake,

and Sidney gets to crack the eggs now! (Bruce

Moore)

My food memory is the last time my family and I

prepared Easter dinner with my grandmother, not

knowing it would be the last time. Peach cobbler

was the one I remember her liking the most; my

grannie would make it

from scratch. Not

knowing then what I

know now, there is a

true meaning to

cooking with love. As

kids, we would watch

her use many different

ingredients, measuring

them one by one as she

mixed and blended

them. She would talk so

we would know what

each one meant to the

outcome, almost like a

tutorial. From fresh

peaches to butter to

the required spices to the bag of flour to make the

crust, it was a work of art.

It was something special, a perfect memory, but at

that time, we wouldn’t have called it that. From

the front of the house to the back, there was a

joyful sound. We were together as one with so

much love in such a small place. The holidays, as I

remember, were filled with special memories with

my loved ones. I wish I could turn back time just to

relive those special moments. (Ameshia Turner)

My mother and father worked very hard to

maintain a home for my siblings and me. I recall

my parents staying up all night preparing

Christmas dinner, always making my favorite

hearty meals from my grandmother's recipes that

my mother says she will pass down. We had greens

with turkey neck from my dad's farm from

Georgia, the fresh picked ham was from the"best

part," as my mom would say, and there would be

macaroni from scratch with pasta from Italy that

my brother brought from Illinois. My family all

brought a special piece to complete our dinner. I

miss those holidays. I can smell the love. (Tatiana

Clacks)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

CHAZEN CHOICES

Still Life with Watermelon by Servein Rusein

I see grapes of all colors and sizes, nectarines,

plums, and citrus of all sorts. Bounty is yours for the

taking, while the watermelon cleanses and

refreshes your soul. You sip champagne and have

dreams of gold. (Ruthie Allen)

The Fall of Norgorod by Klaudii Vasilievich Lebeder

I felt drawn to the sharp snow, white on the ground

against the tones of the characters. What looks like

a death also looks like extreme satisfaction as the

leg cuffs are fastened. The peach haze and muted

mist on the top half create such amazing contrast.

Three-fourths of this is negative or white. Russia is a

cold ass place, literally and figuratively. (Adrian

Molitor)

Jaguar Knight by Judy Fox

I see two naked young women alone, but they seem

powerful. They look like a symbol of strength to get

through something. The two women are like

warriors and symbolize war and fighting the enemy.

(Alexis Law)

Theseus Combating the Minotaur

by Antoine-Louis Barye

Theseus Combating the Minotaur stood out for me

because I love mythology. For me, Theseus is the

hero, the higher self, and the Minotaur is the

animalistic part of my being. Man is always at war

with himself. (Derrick Allen)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

What was then will never be again by Jim Dine

History really has no end.

What was then will never be again.

(Nathaniel Robinson)

Murrini Glass by Giles

Bettison

Colorful

Square patterns

Looks like an airplane view of

a busy city or small town

Natural colors

Why was this material used?

What made this artist choose

these colors? (Sch’Royce

Brown)

Day Dreamer with Rock

by Michael Lucero

I gather from this

peculiar piece of art a

sense of mankind going through various

changes from weather related to the stars to

the moon and beyond. I also get the impression

the artist is still giving you the sense of nature,

both past and present. He takes you far under

the ocean and also under the earth itself. He

represents all colors and creeds of life itself,

from the good to the bad, from happy to sad,

to light to dark, from night to day, from the

desert to the glaciers. (James Davis)

New Couple by Judy Moonelis

I will change. You will change. Our love will stay the

same. Different feelings, same troubles. Each day

we are a new couple. (Charnice Anderson-Morris)

The Shawl by Charles Sprague Pearce

This painting particularly stood out the most

because it has a dark side, but the way the artist

painted it is very deceiving. It’s dated from the

1900s, which I still believe is old enough where

people could pay their way ahead in life. She

represents a class of elegance but also betrayal. The

woman with the long dress represents what she

wants in life, a long life. Her face shows much

arrogance but also how wealth can hide secrets

very well. (Selena Muñoz)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

Girl in an Arbor by Walter Friederici

I see a girl in a quiet place. She feels comfortable.

There is pain and sadness in her eyes. She seems

troubled and looks deep in thought. She’s holding a

piece of black clothing that appears to have blood

on it. She looks as if she’s mourning the death of a

loved one that has recently passed away, or

possibly missing somebody who has recently gone

away. (Angela Carpino)

Knee bend artwork (nude female) by Frank Gallo

This specific piece of artwork stood out to me (the

nude lady) because of how she’s bending. The fact

that she is nude and smiling shows that she’s

confident in herself and living carefree, really

expressing her womanhood. Another reason it

stuck out to me was that the lady was of some

color (not white). (Maya Rasheed-Bracey)

Woman Combing Her Hair

by Alexander Archipenko

It was different when I saw the

sculpture versus when I read

the name of it. I thought it

would be the faceless woman.

They showed a woman who

was there representing me as a

woman. You can’t see the

journey one may have been

through based on the look on a

person’s face. She looks like a

fully functioning human – no

worries, no issues, no cancer.

There is a faceless woman living

a wonderful life. She can still be

combing her hair as a woman.

Equality, sexism, torture,

degradation. This woman has no face but she lives

a wonderful life. Everything is shown in your face,

not the faceless woman. (Tandalaya Taylor)

The Dead Bird Double Vase, The Frontier Vase, The

Rainbow in the Fountain Teapot by Anne Kraus

The vases each tell a story poetically. You can feel

the moment and how the artist seems to have felt

these things herself at one time. I wonder if she

was depressed. She didn’t live very long. Did she kill

herself? It reminds me of Beyoncé’s “Lemonade”

and sentences my friends and I wrote for Art in

high school. (Hailey Sjuggerud)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

Disfigurine

by Justin Novak

Poverty, deceit, complacency, and betrayal are all

signs of weakness. This weakness is shared between

us all, but what happens when a community is

struck by all at once? The

“Disfigurine” answered

just that. The three men,

eating while being eaten,

display what we go

through as poor

Americans living today.

Drugs, prostitution, dead

end jobs, murder, stealing

and envy eat away at us

every day while we

consume the daily bullshit

we believe is freedom. I

should call it “free doom”

in this case. These three

men represent what we

go through every day. We see someone with a car,

so we eat away at his happiness, not realizing the

fact we are being eaten away at by someone just as

envious. The sad part is that I looked at the three

men foolishly, thinking to myself, “Why can’t they

stand up and heal each other’s wounds?” Stupid

statue. The sad part is that the rich are looking at

me the same way. (Ladaro Taylor)

Coney Island by Peter Gourfain

The people in the painting appear to be entertaining

and warming themselves by the fire. Someone is

playing the guitar, while some are tending to the

fire; some are just laughing and talking and enjoying

the evening as a community. There is one man on a

horse with a gun, and the people near him are not

smiling. I think the people in the community are

slaves and the man on the horse is the overseer.

I see birds that represent freedom, headstones

representing former slaves. There are also three

characters in the lower left that could be voodoo

characters. There are more characters with

expressions going from guarded to happy and more.

This painting sticks out to me because it represents

the entirety of an African American community

during slavery: Life, nature, plantation life, family,

community, and good times. It warms my heart.

(Bruce Moore)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

Sleeping Woman in Pink and Blue Dress

by Akio Takamori

The picture is an Asian woman lying down and

holding her stomach. Her face wasn’t happy. I

picture myself with her when I was sick with

leukemia and I was undergoing chemo, but I didn’t

know I was pregnant. When I found out, I was very

happy, but at the same time I didn’t know what to

do. I didn’t know if I should keep the baby or not.

Doctors told me I’d have to wait until the baby was

more developed so they could run tests and make

sure he was OK and would be OK. Every night I lay

down thinking, “What should I do?

What will it be, a boy or a girl?” Every

night I rubbed my tummy and lay in

my bed while talking, telling him/her

that I am happy but at the same time

sad. I lay in my bed rubbing my

stomach talking to him/her, telling

him/her that I would love him/her no

matter what, and asking him/her to

forgive me depending on the

decision I made. (Sayury Peralta

Vivanco)

Lakshmi by Judy Fox

I imagine I am sharing a dinner with

the locals. They invite me into a nice-

sized dining hall filled with smells of

meat that must have been simmering

in a large pot or over an actual fire.

I’m far from home because no one

looks the same and I don’t fully

understand the language. I imagine

my host is walking me out to

the back garden to partake in

smoking some sweet tobacco

out of an elaborately

decorated hookah. A young

child comes running out of a

nearby room where the smell

of Hindu kush heavily

perfumes the air. A seated

small group of men are

watching something…a

figure…moving, dancing slowly. I wish I could

remember if I heard the faint sound of a flute. For a

few moments, I am just as captivated by this young

nude, brown-skinned girl. She doesn’t seem scared,

but she isn’t aggressive. I know the young girl is

being sexualized in this form. Her dark brown thick

hair has been immaculately built into a tower

almost. She has baby hairs all around her pretty face.

There is a gold band that twirls around each part of

her tower hairdo, but she is without any clothing.

She has the look of an innocent child. I believe she is

an obedient girl, not knowing the depth of pain that

will come to her when she

realizes her little body no

longer belongs to her. It

has become nothing more

than a vessel of sexual

perversion to these men

that all clap and cheer and

smile with brown-teethed

smiles – smiles that are

followed by thoughts and

actions. A few moments

later, the host is sitting me

down and pouring hot tea.

There is no more mention

of the girl, just as there

hadn’t been any of the

times I’d visited. She

disappears just as quickly

as she pops into view. I will

never be told her name,

Lakshmi….and I never ask.

(Tyjeana Galloway)

Odyssey Oracle 10-4-2017

Vergϋenza (Shame) by

Kukuli Velarde

This piece of art really caught

my eye. It showed how

people are ashamed of their

bodies, and they show this to

their kids. The statue is really

deep. In the middle of the

throat there is a mouth really

wide open, like deep down

they just want to scream.

Shame of bodies and

sexuality: it’s just too deep

and beautiful. (Guadalupe

Hernandez Nuñez)

Shame and pain, the in-depth

purpose of burden of the way things stay inside so

deeply to suppress. The inner pain reflects the after

pain, but who will accept you for all your flaws? Is

beauty skin deep?

(Ta’Tiana Clacks)

The Question that Devours

by Beth Cavener

Why is the piece a question

mark? Is the question are

you predator or prey? Can

you change and how? I

think this question

“devours” people because

the only way to determine

what you are is through

soul searching and facing

hard truths about oneself.

Sometimes those truths are

too much to bear.

(Tori Armour)

“The Question that

Devours” says a lot to me.

When I saw this piece of art, it was like I could feel

the pain of the rabbit. It’s very sad to feel that way

when you think there is no exit from your

predator, but at the same time I can

understand the predator. In this art, he

looks like the bad guy, but he has no choice;

it is who he is and it’s how he survives. It is

like how you make very hard decisions.

(Victor Rojas)

My young,

Home, hungry and alone.

Waiting, waiting

I must catch you!

I’m tired, can no longer keep up

But I must!

I must go back home with no empty hands

Not this time.

There’s not enough time but I must

Eyes to eyes, I see you.

My young,

Will forever be home, alone, and hungry

Waiting, waiting

I must run!

I’m tired, I no longer can run but I must

As I must go back home to nurse my young.

Not this time.

Eyes to eyes, I can no

longer see.

(Bao Thao)

Orange and Purple

Implied Movement

by Harvey K. Littleton

It’s pretty, the colors

are pretty, and I like

how it comes up and

curves. (Arioun Jones)

The colors are pretty

and my favorite color

is the purple one. It

looks like something

you would put in your

room. (Lisa Simmons)

Photography in this Oracle by Dick Baker, Colleen Johnson, and Odyssey staff and students