Capstone Fair 2021 showcases primarily the work of DCC's tenth cohort, affectionately referred to as the Kappa class, as well as some members of DCC's ninth cohort, the Iota class. These students faced a unique set of complex circumstances while enrolled in the program, marked meaningfully by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. and around the world; widespread grief and collective trauma; increased physical isolation alongside hyper-engagement with digital technologies and learning tools; and rampant violence—committed by civilians and state officers alike—perpetrated against Black people, Asians and Asian Americans, queer and trans individuals, and indigenous communities. While navigating these extraordinary (and, in some ways, alarmingly routine) challenges, Kappa and Iota students have engaged in creative practices to advance new and existing skills, seek joy and pleasure, restore their energy, and imagine possibilities in the face of dire constraints.
With the support of DCC staff, especially DB Bauer (Graduate Assistant & Ph.D. Candidate, Women's Studies), Dr. Evan Golub (Senior Lecturer, Computer Science), Dr. Jessica H. Lu (Associate Director), and Eva Peskin (Graduate Assistant & Ph.D. Candidate, Women's Studies), the Kappa and Iota classes have cultivated their own creative instincts, processes, and inspirations, culminating in DCC's first-ever Virtual Capstone Fair.