by Rachel Mitchell, Anthropology Instructor, CCFT Council Rep.
A heartfelt thank you to my fellow faculty who allowed me to share these glimpses of their personal and professional lives with you. I hope you have enjoyed reading them as much as I have enjoyed compiling them. In solidarity, Rachel
& Camille Hatton, Adjunct Music Instructor, CCFT Member
Nancy Stucker, Spanish Instructor and Department Chair, CCFT Historian
Taking advantage of the loosening county COVID restrictions and a beautiful sunny spring afternoon, Nancy and I met for coffee and some slow Friday fellowship in early April at Pacific Coffee Roasting Co. in Aptos. While we were both happy to spend some time outside together in person, we also acknowledged how fortunate we both are to have a nice outdoor view from our home workspaces and appreciated how something as simple as looking out the window and watching birds and busy bees on blooming plants could bring small moments of joy throughout the workday (and welcome relief to screen weary eyes).
Nancy has been an active and long time member of the union having served on the Executive Board as Treasurer in the past, and most recently as Historian. In fact, she had just recently attended the CFT Convention as a CCFT delegate and was feeling very inspired and energized by the sessions she attended and grateful that the virtual format granted her the opportunity to participate. Another relatively recent state (and national) level highlight was participating in the Red for Ed demonstration in Sacramento with other CCFT officers in May 2019.
It was apparent throughout our conversation how much Nancy values and has benefited from the close relationships and support our union provides. For instance, she recalled how union colleagues helped her prepare for her interview for the full time position she currently holds. This got us talking about ways we could build in more support and guidance for internal candidates as they seek full time positions at the college through professional development or “Guided Pathways” for faculty. We both agreed that having more opportunities for cross campus collaboration and developing a community of practice for excellence in teaching and institutional engagement should be prioritized once we return to campus and the fully online workload demands that have us all stretched thin right now will hopefully have eased.
Fittingly, as historian, Nancy also contextualized some of the benefits that directly impacted her as a former adjunct instructor including being able to use the health benefit stipend towards dental coverage, which was negotiated with the help of the union Grievance Officer at the time, and eventually became part of the contract for eligible adjunct faculty. Nancy credits this hard work and the steady gains the union has made for its members year after year as one of the reasons for her involvement with CCFT.
As you might expect from a language instructor, Nancy has a love for languages and has studied French and German in addition to Spanish. Of course, it is through learning another language that you learn about the culture as well, and this is something that Nancy infuses in her classes through music, history, food, and film. Using a student centered approach, Nancy provides opportunities to engage in natural communication and meaningful interactions around these cultural elements to build language acquisition skills.
Something you might not know about Nancy is that outside of teaching and being mom to two sons, she spent 14 years training and competing with her Australian Shepherd, Scout, who she affectionately called “her girl.” It was clear that this was a source of pride and joy for her and a hobby to which she might return during retirement. When I asked her about her plans for retirement, Nancy talked about her interest in taking some more language courses, but also wanting to use her time to find ways of making a difference in political causes about which she is passionate, including immigration. This stems from her lifelong interest in Mexican, and Central and South American history and an understanding of the history of violence and oppression that has caused so much human suffering in these countries, forcing so many to flee their homelands in order to survive. One organization she hopes to get involved with is called Limitless Horizons Ixil, based in Guatemala and focused on supporting opportunities for indigenous youth, women, and families to develop academic and professional skills that enhance their roles as change agents in their community.
After 26 and a half years at Cabrillo and a long history of union involvement, Nancy will certainly be missed, but her passion for education, civic engagement, and cultural and linguistic appreciation are sure to keep her active in and contributing to our local community and beyond. ¡Gracias por todo, Nancy!
Camille Hatton, Adjunct Music Instructor, CCFT Member
Like the “pivot” to online teaching and learning, the term “humanizing” is now endemic in our pandemic lexicon. Yet there is something to be said for reminding ourselves that we are humans first, and that we are living our very human lives alongside our professional lives in some challenging and unprecedented times. This was brought into sharp focus during last fall’s CZU fire. We all have witnessed the power in coming together in community to support one another when disaster strikes. For our colleague, Camille Hatton, the financial support through the CCFT CARES Fund provided much needed assistance in a time of great upheaval. Camille and their wife were displaced by the fire and although they did not lose their home, it was deemed uninhabitable due to extensive smoke damage. During our meeting over Zoom, Camille recounted the almost prescient sequence of events that led to their displacement.
It was a really hot day up in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Being in a wooded area with four dogs, Camille thought it would be a good idea to practice an evacuation drill as they made their way to the beach for a picnic to cool off for a few hours. Bags, dogs, and essential items were packed, and, not wanting to return home to an overheated house, the windows were left open. While on the beach, the evacuation notice came and Camille’s family has been displaced ever since. It was a big challenge to find accommodations that would allow four dogs and that met the accessibility needs of their wife. The only way they could make it work was for Camille to sleep in their car with two of the dogs. Eventually, their insurance was able to settle them in a hotel (far from home), but even then, their shelter situation was subject to approval in short term increments, creating a lot of uncertainty and a perpetual state of impermanence. Throughout this time, Camille continued to teach music classes and is thankful that they have been able to work remotely, which they are now doing, still far from home, as it has been extremely difficult to find affordable housing locally, especially with four dogs. In fact, two of their fur babies are currently boarding with a friend, so their family is not fully intact.
Here’s what else I learned about Camille in the course of our conversation: Camille has been at Cabrillo for three years and teaches Advanced Music Theory (Music 3 & 4). They noted how helpful the flex session on the flipped classroom was and how they have incorporated this into their online classes. When I asked about what they were learning about their students during this time, Camille commented on how impressed they are with the dedication students have shown during the pandemic, showing up to class, being engaged, asking good questions and working hard in what they described as “not easy” classes. Camille is also the Music Director at a church in Monterey, and as such, has also acquired a lot of skill in digital and video editing as the church has been providing music & choir service throughout the pandemic. This has required a lot of work coordinating choir members each week to record hymns and preparing up to 25 tracks for a digital recording. Camille was quick to say how worthwhile, uplifting, and appreciated it has been by so many during this time.
A fun fact about Camille—they like to harmonize with the appliances in the house, making music with them by singing or adding rhythm to recreate sound. “Found sounds/music” is a source of endless creativity and joy for them.
As I listened to Camille’s experiences, I couldn’t help but be in awe of their resilience and unwavering commitment to their students, choir, and community in the face of so much personal hardship. Given all that they have endured, I felt so grateful that Camille made the time to talk with me and to share so openly and honestly—”humanizing” indeed.