I Friday, Nov. 5, 2010 Factory workers detail abuses By Aiaina Gallagher COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Gina Cano and Maritza Vargas, who say their rights were violated while working in Latin America for apparel companies, put a face to the plight of workers laboring in sweatshops Thursday night. Speaking through a translator, the women gave accounts in their native Spanish of their experi ences of working in factories pro ducing apparel for American companies to a crowded class room in Willard at an event host ed by Penn State's United Students Against Sweatshops. Cano spoke of the poor working conditions in Honduras, which included being watched by securi ty guards during bathroom and water breaks and receiving no health benefits despite work- Sorority holds date auction for Lupus Foundation By Kathleen Loughran and Jessica fully iAN STAFF WR4F.R Damian Gates said he didn't care if tie was only auctioned off for a :;enny because it all was for a good cause Foundatii m of America. Gales 'senior-economics' was one of the men auctioned off at Feta Phi Beta Sorority. Inc.'s The I lino Revue the 19th annual male date auction held ihutsdav night in 124 Findlay < 'omm«ns. 11 of the money raised through Artist speaks on experience, creative process By Allegra O'Neiti li ail roads lead to heaven, then irtist Craig McPherson will show rou the artwork he created along I ho wav The realist and working artist ■presented his lecture “Road Work" during the Anderson Lecture Series last night in the Palmer Museum of Art. McPherson's lecture to a group nl approximately 50 people focused on the development of his style o! work over the 40 years sinee he graduated college. I went to ten schools in 12 [!■ The Very Best In mi Austrian Home Cooking ■ 'Where bacon is an herb” k For Home GrjjS^ /Football Weekends Are Open Sunday 11-3 pj|p 1 32 W. College Ave. 238-0200 r Ntxr HIOT€- Understanding Peace of mind Improved grades This is the power of quality notes. Asit Mishra/Collegian Maritza Vargas (center) and Gina Cano (right) talk about their expe riences working in apparel factories at a USAS discussion Thursday. ers' paychecks being deducted weekly for them. Cano said the factory was even tually shut down to the workers’ surprise. Although the factory owners claimed it was because of the recession in America, Cano said it was actually because of workers' efforts to organize a union. As a member of the Central General de Trabajadores union, Cano recently won a historic set tlement, which forced Nike to give severance pay for people like Cano who had lost their jobs in Nike's subcontracted factory. Vargas also spoke of her experiences working for a compa the auction will go to the founda tion, which is the sorority's nation al philanthropy. Event Chair Shinique Wright said. "This is not going into our pock ets," said Wright (senior-psycholo gy). "It's going to raise awareness and to find a cure for lupus." Last year, the sorority raised about $BOO through the 100 people who attended the event, she said. This year they hope to beat the previous year's total money raised. the Lupus "Last year was the middle of the economic recession, so I think this year people have more money," years," McPherson said. “It was good practice as an artist." He spoke about his project "Harbors of the World," which was a mural project for the American Express Tower in Manhattan. The project involved visiting six harbor cities: New York, Venice, Rio de Janeiro. Sydney. Istanbul and Hong Kong and painting their landscape for the lobby. McPherson said the project took five years and he placed his paintings in a geographical man ner. "On the northern walls of the building I placed the northern-fac ing cities,'' McPherson said. LOCAL ny in the Dominican Republic, which employed 3,500 workers and provided apparel for compa nies such as the Gap, Nike and Adidas. After trying to organize a union, Vargas said workers were kicked out of the factory and union leaders were fired. “I really wanted to come and see what the workers' actual opin ions were about how the sweat shops affected their countries and [...] directly affected them." attendee Dave Stevens (sopho more-hotel restaurant and insti tutional management) said. To e-mail reporter: aqgsoB7@psu.edu Wright said. “Hopefully they'll be willing to give to a good cause." About 175 people attended the free admission event and were given auction paddles upon enter ing the room, which was decorat ed with star balloons and a refreshment table. A DJ was set off to the side so that music could accompany each male as they strutted down the runway with a rose in hand. The sorority ladies recruited the men to be auctioned off from the Interfraternity Council, the University Park Undergraduate Association and other various The project, which features the World Trade Center towers in the New York City skyline, miracu lously survived the Sept. 11 terror ist attacks, he said. McPherson said to create the large murals, some over 11 feet tall, he used a perspective device also used by Leonardo da Vinci to create schematic drawings. In addition to his world travels, McPherson talked about his earli er days as a starving artist. "I moved to New York with S 1.500 in my pocket and that lasted me my first year, 7 ’ McPherson said. "By the second year I had run out of money.” Use the equity in your home for all of life's expenses ... • winter heating hills • debt consolidation . braces for the kids + vacation Penn State Federal Credit Union "APR Annual Percentage Rate Rates are dependent on youi credit stoic* and the Joan term. Above rate requires tl Loan-tovalue may not exceed Above rate is valid on new loans only. See Rate & Fee Schedule for'' jp.o 1 ’ 1937 North Atherton Street • State Coilege. PA 16803 • P. (814) 865 7/28 • P. {Boo} 828 4636 • F. 1814) 863-6183 • www PennStatefedera! com • Council to discuss future of building By Zach Geiger COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER The State College Borough Council will review the fate of the former Verizon building, 224 S. Allen St., on Nov. 15. The building was acquired by the council in October 2007 after a unanimous vote to approve the $750,000 purchase. Plans to redevelop the 10,000 square-foot building space for community use have been in the works for months, State College Planning Director Carl Hess said. "Their suggestion would be some type of mixed-use project." Hess said. "The community bought that property for some kind of community use." Discovery Space of Central Pennsylvania Inc. originally planned to house a children's sci ence center and museum in the building, but plans for the loca tion fell through. Other groups, like the student created Innoblue, recently expressed interest in renting space in the building. State organizations. UPUA President Christian Ragland said the reason he went for a high-ticket price of $47 is because of his ability to enhance the classic push-up. "I think what won them over was my one-armed push-up and my ability to push-up people sit ting on my back," said Ragland (senior-political science). Ragland added that he decided to be a part of the event because he feels it is his duty as president to give back and it is something about which he is passionate. Edwin Rossi, vice president of Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity. He talked about trading art for meals and felt soriy for himself until he saw a man who was living out of a crate in the middle of win ter who ultimately inspired McPherson to keep going. "He became my iconic symbol of endurance and survival," he said. As a realist. McPherson has had the opportunity to paint peo ple who are as interesting as his art, he said. His painting "‘The Pennsylvania Kid” represents a man who had been elected the "King of the Hobos “ in lowa for four years run ning. This story interested audi ence member Lauren Down <jun- Collegian The Daily Collegian College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham said. The council requested the Planning Commission evaluate possible uses for the former Verizon build ing, Hess said. Though the Planning Commission did not recommend selling the property, there are still multiple possibili ties for the site included in the recommendation report that will be presented to borough council, Hess said. The building could be reused for multiple purposes, Hess said. But the building's design, which is long and narrow, may need to be completely rede veloped to accommodate future tenants. Hess said. The redeveloped space combined with the possibility of a partnership between the borough council and the neighboring building. First National Bank would be suitable for a mix of commercial, office and residen tial space. Hess said. Collegian sta ff writer Colleen Bogle contributed to this report. To e mail reporter: zjgsol2@psu.edu Inc. said he heard about the event because the "Zetas are our sorori- tv cousins Rossi 'senior-business adminis tration! said he knew the girl, Debie Blair, who bid $27 on him because she is in his fraternity's sister sorority. Before the event was over. Gates said he already had made plans for the date. "I'm going to take her to Rotelli's." lie said. "The ladies like it. It's all about pleasing women." f r; krlslo6@psu.edu at Palmer ior-print making > who said the story of the “King of the Hobos" was something she was unaware existed. "When I met him he was quot ing Voltaire.' McPherson said. “He was an intellect." .Jane Hargrave (junior-print makingi said she 1 was intrigued by McPherson's approach to his work. "It was interesting that he focused on personal development rather than following the trends of New York." Hargrave said. "As a 21-year-old. that is not something I ever thought of. I am obsessed with trends." Love (he (.rooter Philiv Area? Check oui The Daily Collegian’s Classified section in the paper or online for today’s listing of employment opportunites, real estate, and cars in ihe Greater Philiv Area!
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