Unlike the walkout two weeks ago, which circled the perimeter of Tappan Square, this walkout led directly to the Cox Administration Building. There, SFP leaders announced that they would be performing a die-in, a type of protest in which a group of people lie down in a public place as if they are dead. Leaders also passed around a leaflet explaining the plan for the rest of the afternoon, which included the demand for Oberlin to formally condemn Israel’s genocide in Gaza and to divest from corporations that support the Israel Defense Forces — referred to as the Israel Occupation Forces in the leaflet — including aerospace and defense company Elbit Systems; and information technology company Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

At 2:10 p.m., students trickled into the Cox Administration Building and gathered throughout the second floor, the stairs, and the first floor. For about two hours, approximately 80–100 students led chants, sang songs, and laid down to symbolize deceased, injured, and grieving Palestinians. SFP airdropped a document to students in attendance with an email template for students to reach out to Oberlin administrators, faculty, and other campus organizations demanding that Oberlin “acknowledge and condemn Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestine.” At around 4 p.m., Campus Safety officers refused to let in more people, although some students were allowed to leave. Administrators left the building at 4:30 p.m., leading to a brief confrontation between officers and students. 

Shortly before 5:30 p.m, students left Cox and went to President Carmen Twillie Ambar’s house, where an event for prospective students was being hosted. Around 30–40 students chanted outside of the house. At approximately 5:35 p.m, Vice President and Dean of Students Karen Goff exited and started a discussion. Students speaking on behalf of SFP asked Goff to clarify the College’s stance on the conflict in the Middle East, in light of the absence of the words “Palestine” or “genocide” in statements released by the Office of the President. Student leaders and Goff also discussed the context of the Oct. 11 SFP-led vigil to commemorate lost Palestinian lives, where candles and slogans left by students were interfered with in the aftermath of the gathering. After 40 minutes of dialogue, SFP leaders agreed to a later meeting with Goff and President Ambar. 

Production Manager Isaac Imas contributed reporting to this story.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What type of research are you doing through Mellon Mays?

I initially only applied to the Oberlin Summer Research Institute. Over the summer, I was researching tuition equity for undocumented students in Tennessee. That was just a really emotionally and mentally heavy project because I identified with the community. It was very heavy work and I realized that I couldn’t do that mentally for two years. I did my summer research and finished that thinking it was the last of my research experience. A couple of weeks before I got back on campus for this year, I actually got an email offer for a Mellon position. I’ve transitioned into Mellon, through taking a step back from my summer research and focusing on something entirely different. At the most recent Mellon Mays conference, I presented my summer research. Now, I have the mental space and energy to focus on my new project. For the next two years, I’m going to be researching Latinas’ relationship to spirituality in the southern part of the US, which is where I grew up. Specifically, I want to study the ways in which religion and religious groups have been used to help Latinas both form community amongst themselves. I also want to analyze how religious organizations can take away from the idea of the community. So, I really want to research both aspects of that. Obviously, this again is going to be a very personal project because I’m a Latina. I also grew up very religious and in the South. Making my research personal to me is very important because obviously I have my own stakes in it, but it’s also a way for me to connect and give back to my community. I want to produce meaningful work and to an extent like show that I’m worthy of this, that I am capable of doing stuff.

Do you want to continue researching after you graduate? 

I originally came to Oberlin wanting to be a Politics major and go to law school, but I switched to Comparative American Studies and Hispanic Studies. I still don’t know what I really want to do because I feel like research is still very new to me. I’m still trying to explore the stuff that I can do with that. I think the most natural next step would be to go to grad school. I definitely know that I want to work within and for my community. So obviously the broader Latinx community, the undocumented community, the immigrant community.

How have you found community as a Latinx, first generation student? 

I think coming to Oberlin was very hard. I don’t want to say it was a culture shock because I grew up with a lot of white people. I know how to move within white institutions. The only difference between back home and Oberlin is that I was really forced to find a new community. So, I kind of struggled at the beginning.

I feel like joining organizations like El Centro Volunteer Initiative, Obies for Undocumented Inclusion, and  La Alianza Latinx. That’s definitely given me a sense of community but also like friendships that have, I’m sure will last past these four years. When it comes to ECVI, the work I do is for my Bonner community service hours. However, I’ve never seen it as a job. I really enjoy being with my community there. I like working with the other board members, like those are genuinely my friends. Comparative American Studies Professor Gina Pérez is my role model on campus. I look up to her so much even before she was like my research mentor. In my first year she was on sabbatical, all the fourth-years would talk about how great Professor Pérez is. I always looked up to her even before I ever met her. So when I met her, it was super surreal because I finally got to meet the person everybody was talking about and she lived up to if not exceeded, every expectation I had. She’s been such a great help, obviously advocating for me through my research process. She’s a Latina professor that’s really big to me, and I really look up to her for that. Also, Vilmarie Pérez, assistant director for career readiness, is Puerto Rican and she’s been super helpful. She’s been a great help and is very big on speaking Spanish when we’re in Oberlin. Being able to use my native tongue with other people in a  predominantly white institution is very comforting to me.

What has it been like working with residents of Lorain and engaging with a Latinx community outside of Oberlin?

I feel like it’s silly when people say that they are trapped in an Oberlin bubble. If people made an effort to step out and learn about the community around them, that wouldn’t be the case. Obviously I’m very privileged to be a Bonner Scholar and have that connection to Lorain. It’s been great going to Lorain. My first year when I first started working with ECVI, we had a community engagement workshop and we learned about Lorain as a city. It’s labeled an international city. There’s a lot of Puerto Ricans, but also a lot of other Latinx communities. It’s been great going there even if it’s just like one Saturday a week. I’ve met a lot of people from different backgrounds and that’s the best part, like just being with other people and learning from them. I always say like, I definitely end up learning more from them than they will ever from me if I’m the one teaching the lessons. I think it’s really great because the way we do classes is somebody gives it in English and I give it in Spanish. It’s really great, using my skill to help other people. It’s a way for me to practice that skill and only strengthen it. So that’s been great. Just like all the other work we do with ECVI, I like fundraising for citizenship tests. A lot of the times I feel like the work that we do, we feel like, oh, is it really helping anybody? We’ve actually managed to fund at least five people’s citizenships. So that to me is like a really big deal. It really reminds me that the work that I’m doing every Saturday, even if I have to wake up at 8 a.m. on Saturday mornings, is really meaningful and it does make an impact on people and that’s really important to me.

What has your experience as a first-generation college student been like? 

It’s going to be hard because that’s just the nature of it. Like you’re the first person ever in your family to be here. I was the first person ever to make it past middle school and graduate from high school. It’s been hard but finding community, that’s really what gets you through it. A lot of it is taking self initiative because if you don’t do it, nobody else will for you. Obviously, I can’t call my mom and ask her to help me fill out my financial aid forms and I can’t call her to help me pay or cover my tuition. All of that stuff falls on me and it gets very heavy at times. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it as a bad thing or something that people should pity me for because if anythin I learned from a very young age how to be self-sufficient and I learned how to be independent.

Issue 1 allows voters to decide upon a constitutional amendment change, establishing an individual’s right to reproductive medical treatment. 

If sufficient voters select “YES,” section 22 of Article 1 of the Constitution of the State of Ohio will change. Individuals receiving reproductive medical treatment can have legal protections and be treated on a case-by-case basis by a physician. The state cannot prohibit abortion before a fetus is considered viable.

The proposed amendment defines fetal viability as: “the point in a pregnancy when, in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician, the fetus has a significant likelihood of survival outside the uterus with reasonable measures. This is determined on a case-by-case basis.”

The state can only prohibit an abortion in the instance of a fetus being viable and the woman’s physician not considering the abortion to be necessary. Additionally, a fetus can be aborted at any stage if a physician is concerned about a woman’s health. 

Norwalk resident and candidate for Ohio House of Representative District 54 Dr. Kellie Deeter wrote to the Review about her concerns for parental rights if the amendment is approved. 

“It creates a new legal standard that goes far beyond pre-Dobbs law under Roe v. Wade, and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which upheld parental consent and a 24 hour waiting period,” Deeter wrote. “It gives abortion rights to every pregnant individual, including minors, calling into question whether or not parents will have the ability to have a say in the medical decisions of their children.”

Lili Sandler, founder of Lorain County Rising and a member of the executive committee of the Lorain County Democratic Party, spoke to the Review about why Ohioans should vote “YES.” 

“Voting yes for this constitutional amendment does not require that the voter themselves have an abortion,” Sandler said. “It does not mean that they need to be in favor of abortion. It does not mean that they need to think that abortion is a great form of contraception or anything like that. What it means is that they believe that people should have the option available to them if they find themselves in those dire circumstances, whatever the cause may be, and we need to have that option. It is healthcare.” 

Issue 2 is a proposed law to enact Chapter 3780 of the Ohio Revised Code. It proposes the commercialization, regulation, legalization, and tax for the adult use of cannabis. If sufficient voters select “YES,” this law will be enacted.

Oberlin resident John Pardee is president emeritus of the Ohio Rights Group, a cannabis legalization organization. He wrote to the Review about his concerns for Issue 2 as an initiated statute, as opposed to a proposed law from a citizen to the people of Ohio for a statewide vote. 

“The State Legislature can drastically restrict or even void Issue 2 in its entirety because it is an ‘Initiated statute’ and not a Constitutional Amendment like Issue 1,” Pardee wrote. “And the Senate leadership has already drafted a plan to do just that.” 

If this is passed, adults must be 21 years or older to purchase cannabis in facilities where the cultivation, processing, and sale of cannabis will be regulated and investigated by the state of Ohio. According to the text of Chapter 3780, an individual can possess “[2.5] ounces of adult use cannabis in any form except adult use extract … [and] 15 grams of adult use cannabis in the form of adult use extract. ” An individual consumer may only purchase these amounts from a dispensary per day.

The proposed law includes a social equity and jobs program, giving people from disadvantaged groups preference for cultivator licenses. The ballot language notes that the issue will “[r]equire the Division to provide preferential treatment to applicants who have qualified for the cannabis social equity and jobs program based on social disadvantage when issuing level III adult use cannabis cultivator licenses and dispensary licenses.” 

Additionally, the law aims to prohibit certain local government entities from limiting homegrown cannabis. Adult users will be permitted to grow six plants per person, but 12 plants per household if two adults live together. 

Landlords and employers have the authority to prohibit the use of cannabis in certain circumstances. The operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of cannabis is prohibited. 

New programs and funds will be created if this law passes. An agreement with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services will create a program for cannabis addiction. The law proposes five new funds in the state treasury: the aforementioned cannabis social equity and jobs fund, adult use tax fund, a host community cannabis fund, a substance abuse and addiction fund, and the division of cannabis control and tax commissioner fund. 

If the law passes, there will be a taxation of 10 percent on the sale of adult use of cannabis by dispensaries. All money from the tax will be deposited into the adult use tax fund and distributed quarterly. The ballot language explains that these funds will be divided among these programs, with “36 percent to the cannabis social equity and jobs fund; 36 percent to the host community cannabis facilities fund; 25 percent to the substance abuse and addiction fund; and three percent to the division of cannabis control and tax commission fund.”

Bryan Burgess, 44, is the current president of Oberlin City Council and has served six terms on the Council. Burgess is an Oberlin High School graduate, received a bachelor’s degree in Business Computer Systems from New Mexico State University, and is now a contractor who owns and operates Burgess Electric. He is a passionate advocate for renewable energy and energy efficiency, a cause which resulted in Oberlin’s electric utility achieving a carbon-neutral portfolio and establishing an Office of Sustainability. Burgess is now focused on building a new green industrial park to provide additional job opportunities and economic development in keeping with Oberlin’s environmental ethics. 

Ray English, 76, served as Director of Libraries at Oberlin College for 25 years from 1990 to 2015. English is in his third term on Oberlin City Council and previously served as co-chair of the City’s Human Relations Commission. English feels strongly about housing of all kinds, especially affordable housing. He supports developing the economy to create jobs, retaining existing businesses and attracting new ones, and keeping Oberlin’s downtown healthy and vibrant. He wants to see improved relations between the College and the community and improve the effectiveness of city government. “I’m running for reelection to city council because I believe I have helped bring positive change to Oberlin and I want to continue to make a difference,” English wrote in an email to the Review. “I believe Oberlin is a wonderful community that can become even better. While we are making progress with social equity, we can be more just and more inclusive and we can continue to build on our remarkable record of sustainability. I want to continue working for that kind of change.”

Eboni Johnson, 48, grew up in Elyria and graduated from Oberlin College in 1997. She returned to Oberlin in 2009 to join the Oberlin College Libraries. She has served on the Social Equity Working Group since 2020, and before being elected to City Council in 2021, she was a member of the Human Relations Commission from 2018. Johnson’s contribution to the community includes serving on the board of the Oberlin Heritage Center, the United Way of Greater Lorain County, and the League of Women Voters of the Oberlin Area. “I am seeking re-election to Oberlin City Council to continue the initiatives already underway in the areas of reproductive freedom, environmental sustainability, affordable housing, and safe transportation,” Johnson wrote in an email to the Review.

Michael McFarlin, 50, is a current member of Oberlin City Council and the Head of Library Technology and Systems at Oberlin College. McFarlin grew up in northern Ohio and is a United States Army Veteran. He is a member of the Oberlin Community Improvement Corporation, vice chair of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, and a previous chair of the Historic Preservation Commission for the City. He is passionate about addressing the City’s housing issues, improving communications among all groups in the City, and promoting the City of Oberlin and Oberlin College as the arts and culture hub of our region. McFarlin believes in ongoing service to one’s community, and he recognizes the importance of including all voices when considering policies that impact our residents. In an email to the Review, McFarlin wrote that his priorities are “working for smart, sustainable, and equitable growth; fostering a connected, collaborative, and inclusive community; and supporting a vibrant, colorful, and fun City of Oberlin.”

Elizabeth Meadows, 78, has been an Oberlin resident since 2001. She has served on numerous City commissions including, but not limited to, Open Space and Visual Environment, Human Relations, and Recreation. She is Council Advisor to the Underground Railroad Implementation Team. For the past decade she has been an enthusiastic advocate for enhancing art in public spaces. Meadows is a member of Community Connection, a group composed of people from Oberlin College and people from the City of Oberlin whose mission is to enhance the relationship and communication between the College and the City. Meadows is seeking reelection to see completion of a few projects initiated by the present council. These projects include construction of two multi-use paths to enhance pedestrian and bicycle traffic parallel to Route 58 from Hamilton south to Route 20 and on South Park Drive from Lorain to the elementary school campus. Additionally, she wants to see construction of affordable housing on infill lots.

Kristin Peterson, 72, graduated from Oberlin College in 1972. She is a retired 35-year educator and the former owner of the UPS Store. Peterson has been on the City Council for 8 years. Peterson is a City Council representative for the Ohio Municipal Electric Association Board and the Central Lorain County Ambulance Board. She is currently on the Charter Review Committee and the Cable Co-op Board. Former boards include the Elyria YWCA, Lorain County Developmental Disabilities, Oberlin Community Improvement Organization, Mercy Allen Foundation, Neighborhood House Association (now Neighborhood Alliance), and the Oberlin College Committee for Shareholder Responsibility. “I have and will continue to support increased housing options in Oberlin, sustainability in all respects (affordable city services for residents, transportation options, POWER), and advocacy at state and national levels in support of public power,” Peterson wrote in an email to the Review.

Non-incumbent Candidates: 

Frieda Fuchs, 60, is a political scientist with a Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University, awarded in 2001. Residing in Oberlin for the past 25 years, Fuchs is married to Oberlin College Professor of Sociology Veljko Vujačić and is the parent of an Oberlin second-year student. She has previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor in Oberlin College’s Politics Department and worked as a provenance researcher for Nazi-looted art at the Allen Memorial Art Museum. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fuchs founded the nonpartisan communal Facebook Group, “Oberlin-What Do You Have? What Do You Need?” This group boasts over 3,000 members, providing a platform for sharing information, offering volunteer work, and facilitating the sale of small items. Fuchs’ agenda focuses on several key initiatives, including investment in sustainable and affordable housing, improving transportation options for seniors and individuals with limited mobility, and enhancing well-lit pedestrian and cyclist-friendly infrastructure. Fuchs also intends to support the downtown area with tax credits and more public events. Furthermore, Fuchs is committed to addressing noise, health, and safety concerns related to EDL’s renewable natural gas plant. 

Libni López, 36, is a community organizer and has worked as a therapist for the past 12 years. He has a background in mental health and social change and “empowers individuals to thrive while advocating for stronger, more connected communities.” López is passionate about amplifying the voices of underrepresented and most vulnerable communities, ensuring their stories are heard, and advocating for their representation and equity. López is dedicated to advancing housing equity by working to eliminate barriers to affordable housing and collaborating on new policies and measures that ensure everyone has access to housing. He hopes to build a strong relationship between the City and College that is crucial for fostering a thriving community. “I’m committed to bridging the gap between the College and the community that it serves, creating opportunities for collaboration and growth,” López said.

Jessa New, 44, is a 2001 graduate of Oberlin College and the general manager and owner of Slow Train Cafe and the Local Coffee & Tea. Most recently, she has volunteered as a board member of both Oberlin Business Partnership and the Oberlin Community Improvement Corporation, in addition to being a member of the committee tasked with revising Oberlin’s Comprehensive Plan. New is passionate about economic vitality, guiding new businesses, and making Oberlin a business-friendly community. If elected, she hopes to improve City and College relations and cultivate a central hub of information, events, and activities. New also told the Review about the importance of the Social Equity Committee. “I intend to be active in the oversight of the Social Equity Plan and help facilitate quick implementation and remediation so that we no longer fall short as champions for true social equity,” New wrote in an email to the Review.

Joseph Peek, 57, comes from a family of Oberlin educators and is a former teacher from the South Bronx and Columbus. He returned to his hometown of Oberlin to care for his late mother. “As a substitute teacher in Oberlin, I see students of all grade levels and listen to the needs of the community,” Peek wrote in an email to the Review. He is passionate about sustainability initiatives, affordable housing and uniting the City and College. “My hopes are that Oberlin will speak, model and educate with one progressive voice throughout this city/county/country, for the betterment of all,” Peek wrote.

Joe Waltzer, 48, graduated from Oberlin College in 1998. Upon graduating with a degree in Environmental Studies, he stayed in Oberlin and opened two farm-to-table restaurants: Black River Café and Agave. He recently opened the Black River Wine Shop and Bar. Waltzer hopes to work with City Council members to respond to the needs of diverse communities by developing creative housing solutions. He also intends to implement effective communication strategies in order to improve relations between the City and College. Waltzer believes that there needs to be a clear path for promoting economic development in Oberlin. “For nearly 30 years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with community members and local organizations to support Oberlin in reaching its full potential,” Waltzer’s website notes. “As an Oberlin City Council member, I would continue to help Oberlin grow in a way that retains our unique character and small-town charm.”

In previous years, Candidates Night has been held online due to COVID-19. 2023 marks the first in-person City Council Candidates event since 2019. 

The Oberlin Community Candidates Night is organized by a nonpartisan coalition of groups including the Oberlin Business Partnership, Kendal at Oberlin, the Oberlin Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Social Justice Team, and the Lorain County Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. 

Six City Council members are incumbents: Bryan Burgess, Ray English, Eboni A. Johnson, OC ’97, Michael McFarlin, Elizabeth J. Meadows, and Kristin L. Peterson, OC ’72. The five other candidates are Frieda Fuchs, Libni Lopez, Jessa New, OC ’01, Joseph L. Peek, and Joe Waltzer, OC ’98. 

The event mostly consisted of community members; few students were in attendance. 

“One of the reasons we decided to have the event at First Church is because we are hoping students will come because it’s close and easy,” League of Women Voters member Linda Slocum said. “But I realized it’s rather a long program.” 

In addition to opening and closing statements, the discussion format allowed prewritten questions from the League of Women Voters and questions sent in by community members.

“Some of the candidates felt like there wasn’t enough time because there were so many of them,” League of Women Voters member Alison Ricker said. “They were limited in how much time they could answer questions, but overall, people felt it was very worthwhile.”

Community members took time to ask candidates about their plans to address the lack of housing in Oberlin. 

“Housing was discussed so much because there is more demand for housing than there is housing available at every income level,” Peterson said. “For housing, it’s important to get infill lots built, getting proposed housing developments in different parts of town where we have the land, and hopefully we will get developers and get houses built.”

Currently, the median monthly gross rent in Oberlin is $726 and the median monthly owner cost with a mortgage is $1,256. 

“I wish we had addressed more of this issue earlier, like years or decades ago,” Johnson said. “It’s important to address this issue now so 20 or 30 years from now, we’re not dealing with this.”

Another aspect of housing addressed was safety in rental properties. Incumbent Ray English spoke to the Review concerning landlords not being responsible for notices of safety code violations. 

“I would like to see the City institute a formal requirement for registration of landlords and rental properties with appropriate fines for noncompliance,” English said. “There should also be a requirement for out-of-state landlords to register a local person who can be contacted in urgent situations. We also need to find additional ways to convey to tenants that they can report safety concerns to our code administrator.” 

Another topic addressed was Oberlin’s Comprehensive Plan, a community-driven project with the purpose of defining goals for the City’s future. The City of Oberlin describes it as “an opportunity to prioritize development and land-use patterns, identify important and potentially transformative projects, and align resources to address growth and improve a community’s quality of life.”

Three candidates have been a part of the Comprehensive Plan: English, McFarlin, and New. 

“I love that it talks about all different facets of the community — it’s already resulted in a social equity coordinator,” New said. “We need an economic development coordinator very badly so there’s proper communication and a proper liaison between the businesses and the City.”

In his opening and closing statements, Lopez was the sole candidate to bring up immigration in Oberlin.

“I will try to bridge the gap between community members and business owners by connecting them with resources,” Lopez said. “I have observed a genuine willingness from residents to extend support, but there is lack of familiarity with available resources and no one to turn to.  I believe in having a centralized location in Oberlin where organizations like Oberlin Community Supporting Immigrants can have a designated hub.”

Residents also asked questions concerning the future of the Eastwood School Property, owned by the Oberlin City Schools. 

“The City does not have a direct say in how Oberlin City Schools dispenses its property, but it does have an interest in making sure that the quality of life in the neighborhood remains intact,” McFarlin wrote in an email to the Review. “My hopes are that the schools find a solution that makes an acceptable use of the existing building rather than letting it remain vacant.  In any case, the future of the Eastwood property should be in line with the social equity and environmental sustainability goals of Oberlin.”

President of the League of Women Voters of the Oberlin Area Deb Cocco discussed the importance of the event and its impact upon attendees. 

“We put on this event to educate voters about their decision making and what’s coming up,” Cocco explained. “I thought tonight went really well, and people got a good impression of who the candidates are.”

Shontae grew up influenced by her parents’ service work. She was a cadette in the Girl Scouts. At Oberlin High School, she was a member of Kiwanis, an international service group.

“My mother and father are people who I’ve seen give when someone’s sick,” Jackson said. “They go out and visit and take food to the neighbors. My father is a farmer, so he would create baskets or donate food to people whenever he would do his harvest. So I always saw this growing up.”

The Oberlin Rotary Club was chartered on May 25, 1938 at the Oberlin Inn. Afterward, a group of 27 men met at the former Hi-O-Hi tea rooms regularly. It wasn’t until 1989 that women were first allowed to join the Rotary Club. In 1994, Mary Durling became the first female president, followed by Jeanne McKibben in 1999. 

In most Rotary constitutions and bylaws, race is not mentioned. In Oberlin, Black women and men have been in the Rotary Club. In the past twenty years, two Black people have served in leadership positions — Charles Horton as President, and a Black female superintendent.

“It is an honor, not only as a woman, but to the African-American community and Black and brown people to have the opportunity to share what it is to be a Rotarian and to put service above self,” Jackson said. “That’s what I’m most passionate about. Even in my work, I am very connected to the service aspect.” 

Rex Engle, sergeant at arms, spoke to the Review about the Rotary Club’s mission. 

“The Oberlin Rotary Club seeks to improve the human condition of the community through participation in numerous local, state, national, and international projects,” Engle said.

The Rotary Club has ties to Oberlin High School, with $7,500 donated every year through the Rotary Scholarship Program. The Rotary Club leads the Interact Club, which provides backpacks and food packages to Oberlin High School. The club also provides a stipend for community members to pay certain types of bills. 

The Oberlin Rotary Club has dedicated time to international programs. They have provided clean drinking water to people in Haiti and Mexico through building wells or providing funding. Another program, titled MESA, delivers medical equipment and supplies abroad. Local communities donate hospital beds, walkers, and more that are then sent out of the country. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the club gave money to local restaurants and encouraged community members to buy from a certain restaurant for dinner or takeout. On an annual basis, around $100,000 dollars is given to the Oberlin community. 

Membership Chair Curt Paul notes the significance of their next fundraiser. Rotary Night at the Races will be held Saturday, Nov. 11 and requires a reservation and ticket. 

“Every service organization struggles for membership, but we still have a core group of people that are very committed to doing good things in the community,” Paul noted. “We have our big fundraiser coming up in November, which we haven’t done in a while because of COVID. That’s always a fun event and kind of a social thing, but it’s also pretty good for the community.” 

Jackson has future plans concerning new service projects. She is currently working on a project to provide agricultural education in Belize, where students will learn farming techniques at a local school.

“I feel comfortable in my skin and my duties to reach out, to call and ask,” Jackson said. “I may have a title, but it’s everyone that’s making this well-oiled machine of giving and being a help to the community, the environment, and to one another that makes it work. Not one person can do it alone.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The cover of Dearborn depicts a postcard of the industrial aspect of the city of Dearborn. What is the meaning behind this? 

I told the editor that I was hoping for something whimsical and colorful because the stories are tragic comics. So when they sent this, I just loved it because it’s the Ford River Rouge Complex, and the automotive industry features a lot in the short stories. There were Arabs who arrived in the Detroit metro area before the Ford Motor Company started offering its employees $5 a day. There were just droves of Arab Americans and until this day there’s a lot of Arab Americans who work in the factories. It’s not uncommon that recently arrived immigrants, who might work in the factory for several years, would try to save up enough money in the hope of opening their own business. I like that the factory is on the cover, right? It’s just so central to the city and to the stories.

Your characters span a wide range of the Islamic spectrum. What was it like to shift from story to story with such different variations?

There’s a big contingent of Lebanese Muslims from the Levant Bay in Dearborn. Following the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the Iraqi Civil War, a lot of those immigrants left the Middle East and they came to the Detroit metro area. So over time, Dearborn became increasingly more Muslim. The majority of the Arab Americans are of Islamic faith, but it’s important to also know that the Arab world and Arab Americans are very religiously diverse, and that being Arab-American doesn’t necessarily mean you’re Muslim. In the story collection itself, I wanted to share a diverse range of voices and a diverse range of characters’ relationships with Islam. Some characters are religious, some characters are very secular, and some characters aren’t really believers. I also wanted to show that there’s no one experience of what it means to be Muslim; it means something to every single person, which  goes to my wanting to show the diversity of these voices. Just as there’s no one monolithic representation of what it means to be Muslim, there’s also not one monolithic representation of what it means to be Arab-American.

Can you describe what motivated you to address nonbinary identity in Arab culture? How have you worked to address queerness in Islam through your writing?

Dearborn is a very conservative city, and it’s not necessarily generational. There are a lot of young Arab Americans who are incredibly conservative and unfortunately have exhibited or demonstrated transphobic or homophobic views. So I wanted a queer character to be part of the world that I was creating, because they’re there. We have to recognize them. One of the characters, Yasser/Yusra, is a married butcher. He has a 23-year-old son and a wife. He’s always hid his identity and he’s trying to figure out who he is as a person. So, he goes every week to Hamtramck, which is a city within Detroit. In this Yemeni-American and Bangladeshi-American city, he forges a bond with a Yemeni woman and reveals his true identity. Before I published the book, there was an attempt to ban the display of the pride flag in Hamtramck. I just thought that was so devastating. How do you think that’s gonna make people from the LGBTQ+ community feel? They’re not gonna feel safe.

This semester, you are teaching Introduction to Fiction Writing. At the University of Michigan-Dearborn, the student population was vastly different from Oberlin College. How has your work changed?

At the University of Michigan-Dearborn, it’s mostly first generation students. Most of them are working 20 to 40 hours a week just to even pay their tuition. It’s a different student body. 

Before that, I actually taught for two years as a visiting professor at Kenyon College. I think that liberal arts experience really prepared me for my teaching career. What’s really exciting about Oberlin is that there’s a Creative Writing program that students can actually major in. There’s so many different aspects of Oberlin that really attracted me to the job, one of them being that there is a strong presence of creative writing and a strong sense of community. It’s really a dream job for me. 

How are your Arab-American community identity and your teaching content connected?

So, there’s a series of three courses I’ve already taught and maybe sometime in the future I will teach again. Particularly, an introduction to Arab-American literature and Arab-American women writers. I’m interested in the influence of the Arabian Nights on Arab culture, specifically the figure of Shahrazad. She tells stories to the king in order to save not only her life but the lives of other women. In Arab and Arab-American literature, there’s a lot of discussion about how Shahrazad is a feminist and a figure of resistance against male violence and patriarchy. So how do we examine how contemporary Arab-American writers use different tropes from the Arabian Nights, how they are even re-contextualized in a contemporary setting? 

On a personal note, it’s my experience in Dearborn that was just so unique because it was the first time in my life that I had ever lived in an Arab-American community. I grew up in the Middle East, actually, but my family came to the States in the early ’90s. I never really had Arab friends and my sister and I felt isolated like we were outsiders. Dearborn was so different, and it was such a transformative experience. It’s an American city, but at some points, you feel like you’re in the Arab world. The store signs are in Arabic. You walk into the grocery stores, and there are a lot of imported goods from the Arab world. When I’m in Dearborn, I speak Arabic with so many of the patrons. When you’re in Dearborn, you know that you’re in Dearborn.

On Aug. 31, Lexington and United Educators filed two separate responses. 

Lexington has admitted that they have not reimbursed Oberlin for any of the amounts paid to the Gibson plaintiffs, including any damages and post-judgment interest incurred. However, the company denies that it wrongfully refused to provide coverage under its own policy and denies that it broke any obligation to defend Oberlin College. 

Oberlin’s initial lawsuit reads, “Lexington and United Educators observed mock jury exercises before the Gibson trial, and were therefore fully aware of the possibility for a substantial plaintiffs’ verdict,” and “on the eve of the trial, it became clear that the case likely could be settled for under $10 million.” 

Lexington admits that it observed mock jury exercises but denies that prior to the trial, one of Oberlin’s excess insurers, Mt. Hawley Insurance Company, “sent Lexington and United Educators a letter demanding that they ‘negotiate in good faith and settle this matter on [Oberlin’s] behalf [.]’”

Lexington has acknowledged that Oberlin purchased a commercial umbrella liability policy with a $25 million limit but has continued to deny that it was contractually obligated to provide a defense.

In a separate filing, United Educators Insurance denies that they were presented the opportunity to resolve the Gibson case before trial. Additionally, United Educators refutes the claim concerning that there would be a substantial verdict and that there were numerous opportunities to resolve the Gibson lawsuit. United Educators denies that the Gibson lawsuit could have been settled for the amount that United Educators contends is covered by its policy.

The Alumni for Oberlin Values group issued a statement expressing concern over recent actions of College administration, stating, among other things, that Oberlin has “Handled the Gibson’s bakery matter in such a way that [resulted in] serious financial losses and damage to Oberlin’s reputation.” 

Oberlin College has previously claimed that insurers Lexington and United Educators could have funded a settlement within the combined $50 million limits of their policies to avoid a costly jury verdict.

Joshua Spielberg, OC ’77, a lawyer and member of the Alumni for Oberlin Values group, explained his concern with Oberlin’s recent financial track record.

“As an alum, I am very concerned that Oberlin has paid out $36.6 million for this judgment because it could have been spent on other things that are a priority for Oberlin,” Spielberg said. “Oberlin has not been spending money in areas that I would consider a priority. Oberlin has outsourced union jobs that affected over a hundred union workers. The explanation given for that is they needed to save money. Oberlin has not kept its faculty salaries competitive with peer colleges. The explanation is Oberlin needed to save money or create additional revenue. So especially in that context that Oberlin would be paying out this much money, it’s very much a concern.” 

The facility takes methane gas from the Republic Services Lorain County Landfill and purifies it to adhere to pipeline specifications. Methane from decomposing trash is converted to renewable natural gas. Gas is transported from the plant, located on 520 Hill Creek Drive, to the nexus pipeline, a 256-mile pipeline extension that runs through Oberlin city limits. 

On Sept. 5, Oberlin residents were given the opportunity to comment on the EDL facility. Despite EDL not being on the Council’s agenda, eight community members took turns expressing their thoughts. 

Residents expressed concern about the increase in noise levels, living near potential explosions, the light emitted by gas combustion, and the overall lack of communication from the City regarding the plant. 

The facility plans to create approximately 1.6 million British thermal units per year of pipeline-quality renewable natural gas. 

EDL has been a part of the community for over 20 years. In 2001, EDL began purchasing landfill gas from the Lorain County to create electricity on site, which was exported through the Oberlin Municipal Light and Power system. 

EDL closed the electrical plant in 2022. That same year, EDL purchased $800,000 worth of electricity a year from the City to operate the new plant, which will cost Oberlin $500,000 to generate. The $300,000 revenue from the sale will go into the City’s general fund. 

“EDL has been using landfill gas to generate electricity in Oberlin for a long time,”City Councilmember Ray English noted. “They’ve been doing it at a plant that is near the landfill. It’s actually very close to where this plant is. They have been burning landfill gas to drive generators to create electricity.” 

“EDL is committed to being a responsive and responsible neighbor and we are working with our contractor to further mitigate any sound impacts, as well as ensuring we meet all regulatory requirements” EDL Chief Executive Officer Richard DiGia added.

Oberlin Fire Chief Robert Hanmer has worked with EDL concerning the commissioning process. 

“The facility has gas detection sensors … and a number of fire detection systems, including … Very Early Smoke Detection Alarms, infrared detectors, smoke alarms, and a sprinkler system,” Hanmer wrote. “Any activation of any of the alarm systems will immediately shut the gas lines down and immediately notify the fire department to respond.” 

Conservatory third-year Bradley Boatright has observed the impact of the facility on campus.

“It was 2 a.m. and my friends and I were walking to Bailey House, and the whole time the sky was like a little bit pink on one side,” Boatright said. “In front of [Stevenson Dining Hall], you could see it clearly, and it was really bright for a second. It was just above the horizon.”

Boatright’s observations can be attributed to the flare created by the combustion of gas, which is a means of disposing of excess landfill waste. 

“Once the facility is supplying all the generated RNG to customers, the flare will run during shutdowns, maintenance or repairs,” DiGia noted. “Combusting biogas and RNG in a flare emits primarily carbon dioxide and water, thus reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent from if the unburned gas was vented.” 

John Elder, cofounder of environmental group Citizens for Safe and Sustainable Energy, which fought against the construction of the NEXUS pipeline in Oberlin, expressed his perspective on the gas processing plant.

“Although I was favorably impressed by EDL’s City Council presentation on the corporation’s demonstrated commitment to safe operations, the reality is that a gas leak or explosion could occur,” Elder wrote in an email to the Review. “Also, although an Oberlin friend reports that, during his brief observation of a similar EDL refinery in a residential neighborhood near Indianapolis, he could detect no foul odors, gas refineries certainly have a reputation of being pretty smelly operations. I suspect that the longer the refinery is in use the more leakage is likely to develop, including of invisible gasses such as methane, that contribute significantly to global warming.” 

Oberlin Director of Planning and Development Carrie Porter commented on the importance of City Council’s next meeting concerning EDL. 

“At the last meeting, representatives from EDL were there to hear all the residents’ complaints [and] questions,” Porter said. “EDL are supposed to come back to the Sept. 18 council meeting and give answers.”

The $36.59 million does not include a separate $1 million contribution from Oberlin’s primary commercial general liability insurer, the College Risk Retention Group. 

The suit is filed against Lexington Insurance Company, United Educators Insurance, Mt. Hawley Insurance Company, and StarStone Specialty Insurance Company.

The case will be overseen by Judge D. Chris Cook. The complaint brings claims for Declaratory Judgment, Breach of Contract, Equitable Subrogation, Bad Faith and Breach of the Duty of Good Faith and Fair Dealing, and Promissory Estoppel. 

Oberlin College claims that primary insurers Lexington and United Educators could have funded a settlement within the combined $50 million limits of their policies to avoid a costly jury verdict.

“Lexington and United Educators observed mock jury exercises before the Gibson trial, and were therefore fully aware of the possibility for a substantial plaintiffs’ verdict,” the lawsuit reads. Oberlin claims that before the trial, “it became clear that the case likely could be settled for under $10 million,” but that none of its insurers were willing to pay the settlement fees, leaving Oberlin to pay damages “many times greater than the lost settlement opportunity.”

Lexington and United Educators have both denied Oberlin’s allegations, and Lexington has filed a cross claim against United Educators. 

However, in the lawsuit filing, Oberlin cited a section of Lexington’s policy stating that the insurance company has a “duty to defend any ‘suit’ against the ‘Insured’ that seeks damages for … personal and advertising injury, to which this insurance applies, even if the ‘suit’ is groundless, false or fraudulent.” 

“As a fiscally responsible institution, Oberlin had at least $75 million in total insurance coverage — more than enough to pay the judgment and defense costs,” Oberlin wrote in a statement to the Review. “The insurers declined to settle despite indications from a mock jury that a trial might result in a substantially more costly outcome.” 

Oberlin College also claims that the insurance companies have shifted blame for who is responsible for the loss Oberlin incurred. 

“Lexington and United Educators each engaged in a systematic, multi-year effort to avoid their coverage obligations by attempting to shift responsibility for the Gibson lawsuit to each other, to [the College Risk Retention Group], or to Oberlin, instead of protecting their Insureds’ interests,” the lawsuit reads.

Second-year College student and Law and Justice Scholar Kash Radocha commented on the case. 

“Oberlin College v. Lexington Insurance Company is not another Gibson’s,” Radocha wrote in an email to the Review. “I believe it is important for students to be aware of, since this will be a living memory for us whenever the holding is delivered. The reality is, this is just a normal legal process the College is engaging in with insurance claims, not out of its own control. Gibson’s, while very important to remember and recount accurately as part of the College’s history, is a settled case. The College is moving forward and away, and this new suit is evidence of that.”