Global Connections: An international newsletter | January 2020
Happy New Year from International Alumnae Relations & Development

2020 is upon us, which means it's time for new beginnings! We're celebrating fresh starts, Smith's spring semester, and the Lunar New Year. We asked alumnae to share their new year's wishes with students:
  • "Happy New Year, fellow Smithies! Wishing you happiness and prosperity in 2020!"
  • "May you realize all your resolutions during the happy new year!"
  • "Smith is an incredible place - I hope you are able to savor each and every class, meal, cup of tea, dessert (especially the ones at my former house - Emerson) and friendship this year. I wish you all the best."

May your 2020 be filled with joy and abundance. Read on to learn about Smithies reuniting in Pakistan, gathering in Paris, and releasing their own studio albums.

Sincerely,

Danielle Brown & Jacqui DeFelice
International Alumnae Relations & Development
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Smithies gather in Asia
Nearly 40 alumnae from across Asia gathered in Lahore, Pakistan this October for the first alumnae-organized Smith in Asia reunion.

Led by organizers Mahbina Waheed '95 and Abida Mukhtar '05, the group enjoyed tours, panels, lectures, dinners, and even a visit to witness the Wagah-Attari Border ceremony. View photos from the event here and here.
Amel Toumi '06 to release album
A lifelong music lover, Amel Toumi ’06 taught herself guitar in her late 20s so that she could sing cover songs without depending on someone to accompany her. In 2016, at age 35, she wrote her first song, learning that it was easier than she expected. 

Fast forward to February of last year, when through several brushes with kismet, Amel rounded up a group of musicians (discovered at open mics), found a way to record a studio album for free (at a sound engineering school), and got to work! To date, three singles-- I Would Follow You, Give Me The Strength, and Slow Down--have been released; she hopes to have a nine- or ten-track album completed this spring. 

“It is a great, great joy to see an old dream come to life as I just turned 39,” Amel says of her album. “And it’s really incredible the way help came along the way at times that I was wondering how to manage to move forward with my objective. I am very proud of my songs, they tell true stories and were written with the heart, in the solitude of my apartment. I hope people like them, I hope [the songs] move them, make them think, bring them solace. That’s what I’ve always sought in art as a reader, a listener or a spectator.”

Amel adds, “I am deeply convinced that my time [at Smith] played a decisive role in mustering a spirit of ‘this is possible,’ and ‘let’s roll up our sleeves and try.’ Whenever I needed help or advice while at Smith (and even later in life), I always received a warm welcome, suggestions, and actual help. I love the fact that when you’re there, everything feels possible, and that’s why it was important for me to play a small role and to give back to Smith by contributing to the Smith fund every year. Places like Smith are essential for encouraging women to reach their objectives and believing in themselves. I will never stop being grateful for Smith.

You can find Amel Toumi Music online at sites such as Spotify, Deezer, Instagram, and Facebook.
Alumnae learn about Life So Far in Paris
In November, alumnae from Smith, Barnard, and Wellesley colleges gathered for " Life So Far: Tea with Inspiring Women." Held in Paris and organized by Denise Silber ’74 and representatives from Barnard and Wellesley, the event featured six speakers (one from each decade from the 1960s to 2010s/two from each college) presenting on their “Life So Far.”  Dawn Turek '00 and Shivani Kannabhiran '95 presented on behalf of Smith.
Upcoming Events

Smith Alumnae event (Madrid) : February 27, 2020

Smith Club of Tokyo event : April 8, 2020

Smith in Europe (Paris) : October 8-11, 2020

For more information on any of the above, please contact Jacqui DeFelice .