The I-House Connection: January 2022

The I-House Connection: News from International House at UC Berkeley
January 20, 2022
Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

Dear I-House Alumni and Friends,

The Omicron variant is still with us, and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge the I-House community as we welcome back new and returning residents for Spring term.  As Executive Director, I am proud of our staff members who continue to demonstrate their dedication and ability to pivot and to innovate to provide services safely to our residents.  As I conveyed in my New Year message last week, I also wish to express my appreciation for residents taking the necessary steps to help protect themselves and our community.  

In this issue of the I-House Connection, I’m pleased to share an invitation to three virtual events hosted by I-House New York: The Art of Japanese Cooking, followed by Why Have Hope? Sustainability Through the Lens of Politics, Business, and Civic Engagement, and The Expat Success Story: Chinese American Careers in the U.S.

I hope you’ll enjoy hearing about the fun week of welcome activities for new and returning residents put together by Shanea Gideon, Resident Support Services Manager, and the Spring Resident Assistants.

I’m also delighted to provide a sneak peek at the logo for the upcoming soft opening of Edmonds Caféat I-House after months of restoration. We are delighted to honor the memory of Harry and Florence Edmonds, founders of the I-House movement, as we confer their name on one of I-House’s most cherished features.  As public health and safety conditions allow, we look forward to welcoming back alumni, friends, and the broader community for an “official” Edmonds celebration!

Sincerely,

Shaun Carver, I-House Executive Director
Shaun R. Carver
Executive Director
International House, UC Berkeley

I-House New York Presents: 

The Japanese Art of Cooking: A Virtual Evening of Culinary Wonder
Monday, January 24  – 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (Virtual)

Join Japanese Ambassador Yamanouchi for an intimate evening in the I-House kitchen with his personal chefs. The chefs, through a translator, will explain and prepare a series of traditional Japanese dishes in real-time!  You can follow along from home, all registered guests will receive the ingredients list in advance, so get ready to get cooking with the best!  Due to an abundance of caution, this event will be virtual-only.

Menu:

  • Small Plate: Simmered spinach and mushroom in Dashi
  • Main Plate: Wagyu sukiyaki with onion, gobo, hakusai, tofu, shiitake and leeks; served with rice and miso soup
An Evening of Culinary Wonder
***

Why Have Hope? Sustainability Through the Lens of Politics, Business, and Civic Engagement
Monday, January 31 – 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (Virtual)

A virtual conversation between I-House NYC Trustee Andy Darrell and Professor Jeffrey Sachs on sustainability through the lens of politics, business, and civic engagement and why we should have hope. 
Why Have Hope? Sustainability Through the Lens of Politics, Business, and Civic Engagement
***

US-China Series: The Expat Success Story: Chinese American Careers in the US 
Wednesday, February 9 – 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (Virtual)

International House New York is excited to host a four-part series that aims to explore major issues facing the U.S.-China relationship in the years ahead. Distinguished speakers and moderators will host in-depth discussions on the relationship between the world’s two greatest powers – and their citizens.
 
For the second event in this series, we bring together Chinese-born ex-pats in mid to senior-level positions from the arts and business world to share personal stories, including challenges and opportunities, on navigating successful careers in the USA to inspire our residents, alumni, and friends. The session will be moderated by Ms. Bei Ling, Senior Executive Vice President and Head of Human Resources at Wells Fargo and Board of Trustee member of I-House New York. 
 
US-China series
 

Coming Soon: Edmonds Café at I-House!

Edmonds Cafe!

After months of restoration overseen by the House Committee of the I-House Board of Directors, it is with great pleasure and anticipation that we'd like to unveil to the I-House community the new logo for Edmonds Café at International House. The Café is named in recognition of Harry and Florence Edmonds' founding vision of welcoming diverse people together over meals to build community. In the late 1920s, many protested their shocking plan to house students under a policy of racial integration, as well as to house students from other lands, not to mention men and women together under one roof. The Edmonds sought to build I-House in the most conspicuous and influential location possible to counter such prejudice and racism. The site next to Memorial Stadium was chosen because it was at the nexus of the many fraternity and sorority houses on Piedmont Avenue, which at that time excluded foreigners and people of color. The Café is meant both as a gathering place for residents and as a means of welcoming the public to project I-House's mission into the broader community.

I-House is grateful to imagiCal, UC Berkeley’s award-winning creative student strategy agency, and competitive marketing team. The Haas-sponsored official chapter of the American Advertising Federation spent months working with Cedric Martin, Director of Hospitality to understand the rich traditions of I-House and to provide a professional-grade communication and branding strategy.

Edmonds Cafe team

Jasmine Zheng (back row third from left) and the imagiCal team with Shaun Carver (back row center) and the I-House Edmonds Café team.

Edmonds will feature coffee, small bites, beer, and wine. The I-House team is working diligently to bring to our residents an exceptional and unique experience in the Café. The Café will return in the near future with some modifications that will enable it to continue to be a central gathering point for our residents and community members as it has been for over nine decades.  We would love to hear stories about your favorite memories of special experiences at I-House Café throughout its many different forms. Please contact ihalumni@berkeley.edu or post on ihberkeleyconnect.org.

Spring 2022 Resident Events

Shanea Gideon, Residential Support Services ManagerShanea Gideon (pictured at right), Manager of Resident Support Services, and the I-House Resident Assistants put together a series of outdoor or virtual Spring Term welcome week events for new and returning residents. Virtual Game Night was followed by a Berkeley Scavenger Hunt as a fun way to explore campus in teams and have the chance to win Cal swag. Sporty Sunday was a “Sun-Day, Fun-Day” afternoon of sports. Sunset at Baker Beach in San Francisco was a special treat, especially for those who had yet to visit this side of the Pacific Ocean. 

The Virtual Whiteboard Self-Portrait Competition is the final welcome week event and a fun way for residents to embrace their artistry! Residents can look forward to more RA-planned events throughout the semester, including cultural house-wide events and floor socials!

Meet the Spring 2022 Resident Assistants

Resident Assistants Spring 2022

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