On Monday, Dec. 7, the 68th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Fairfield University students are taking a serious look at the commercial use of the peace sign through "Posing for Peace: A Fashion Show, An Exploration." Chandler Oliphant, a Peace and Justice Studies minor, is spearheading the event, which is a fundraiser for the Nicaraguan women's cooperative whose t-shirts will be modeled by students and faculty.

Chandler said the purpose of the fashion show is to get students "to think about the implications of the popular peace-sign consumer culture that saturates today's market - a popular consumer culture that so many of us buy into, yet never question." She hopes it will force people to ask themselves why they are buying the peace sign, what it means, and whether or not the t-shirt, backpack, ring, etc that displays the peace sign truly promotes peace in the form of issues like fair labor.

To tie in with the military component of the fashion show, the students are collecting supplies for the troops, urging people to donate items such as non-scented shaving cream and deodorant, protein bars, puzzle books, tan/white socks and wet wipes.

The program begins at 7 p.m. There is no admission fee, but those attending are encouraged to make a contribution to the Nicaraguan Women's Cooperative. A donation jar till be set up a baked foods table and fair trade coffee table.

"Posing for Peace" is an event of Fairfield University's "Year of Activism" and is supported by the College of Arts and Sciences' Humanities Institute Grant and the Peace and Justice Studies Department, in affiliation with the Progressive Student Association, JUHAN (Jesuit Universities Humanitarian Action Network), the Center for Faith and Public Life, and the Just-Us and Ignatian Residential College Communities.

Posted On: 12-01-2009 10:12 AM

Volume: 43 Number: 137