April Haverford House Update from Claire Michel '18

Hello all! April has been both an incredibly hectic and relatively quiet month here at Haverford House. Everyone, including myself (Claire) has had a lot going on at work and in our lives.

We started off this month with a sweet house get together when some of us met after work to get Ben and Jerry’s on free cone day. It was the perfect day for ice cream, which is lucky considering April weather is so fickle.

Soon after that I headed to Williamsport, PA for the first of the Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission meetings. The Commission, which is headed by the Committee of Seventy’s CEO David Thornburgh '80, will advise Governor Wolf on how the redistricting process should be conducted in Pennsylvania. I am very grateful to have had the experience to hear and learn how citizens think about a process I have heard and read so much about. Also on the trip we made a very quick stop to the Little League Hall of Fame where my boss and one of the Commissioners discussed their nostalgia for baseball.

That weekend I attended an amazing conference at Hampshire College with one of Sabea’s co-workers. The Civil Liberties and Public Policy Conference focuses on reproductive rights but was very intersectional and I learned a lot that I had not previously had a lot of time to consider. One of the panels I attended was a crash course essentially on Native American women’s reproductive rights and sovereignty. The workshop was a really great addition to Eric Hartman's Planetary Health course that we have been hosting at Haverford House. I also had a lovely time exploring the small towns surrounding the college and getting to know Sabea’s coworker!

The highlight of April (I think at least) was my parent’s visit. My parents and I hosted a traditional Seder at Haverford House. It was my first time making matzo balls and I think they turned out pretty well. I am very grateful to have been surrounded by such wonderful housemates and friends on such an important holiday.

This month wrapped up for me with a fantastic Council Candidate Convention that the Committee of Seventy hosted at WHYY. It was really satisfying to see this event happen because it took so much work pull off. Voters were given the opportunity to talk directly with candidates who each had a table at the event. Jason was kind enough to join me and we went around the convention getting to know the candidates on our ballot. I think we both got a good sense of whom we would like to vote for on Election Day!

A few housemates, however, ended this month by joining the Planetary Health course for the final class meeting and kayaking at Bartram’s Garden and then visited Bartram’s Garden again for a very sweet House picnic.

Sabea had a particularly exciting April by starting to work as a Graduate Fellow for the BiCo Lagim Tehi Tuma program, and having Dizhsa Nabani screened at Drexel for Philadelphia’s Mexican Culture Week.

We cannot wait for what next month holds!

- Claire Michel '18, Fellow at Committee of Seventy