On October 26, FLOW, Lambda, CORPUS, SCOPE and Ebony Expressions Gospel Choir hosted “Community of Identities” open mic night. It was a event put on - in the words of the emcee - to showcase "the corners of William and Mary". The night kicked off with two poems, performed by the emcee, and continued with a short intermission, allowing willing participants an opportunity to sign up.
The acapella group FLOW kicked things off with their beautiful renditions of songs like The Jackson Five’s “I’ll Be There”, each voice joining to tell one story through song. Following this, and providing a beautiful end to the event, student Nathaniel P. crooned the crowd with two John Legend covers and enough personality to win everyone over. While the night was short, it was amazing. These are the events that allow platforms for marginalized voices and allow for the type of storytelling that creates change. Be sure to attend the next open mic, and when you do: bring a listening ear, an open heart, and maybe even a talent to share. Kailyn Small, Mya White
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On October 25, 2017, Alma Mater Productions and the Black Student Organization brought poet, activist, and educator Dominique Christina to campus for an event that can only be described as a form of healing through the channel of words. Dominique Christina, in a manner of pragmatism, opened conversation by addressing possible triggers throughout the night’s journey and encouraging listeners not to “confuse being triggered with being offended”, stating that in the event of offense there may lie near a possibility to learn and grow. This was simply the beginning of a night of noteworthy statements. The artist embarked upon a journey of vulnerability, speaking candidly of her lived experiences: being woman, being black, and being consciously aware of the two, and provided encouragement for all in attendance to follow suit.
Each poem was painted in color and surrounded issues like sexuality, sexual assault, mental health, reclamation, and strength, those that are often written off as the “crazy” in the black community… the difficult conversations to have. To the point of her womanhood, Ms. Christina highlighted the important notion that “every woman ‘womans’ differently”. In a warm poem in which she sang the praises of her mother, Christina affirmed the importance of one’s individual journey and unadulterated form of performing their gender. This continued in the artist’s soapbox exclamations decrying the stigma of menstruation and a very heartfelt recollection of the feat of a first love, the act of reclaiming one’s body from victimhood and renaming the rubble of the past. To the point of blackness, Christina spoke of the importance of finding community in spaces of underrepresentation, combatting the effects of otherness with fellowship and love. Furthermore, she spoke to the continuing fire that black people must retain in their bellies; she encouraged the act of looking to one’s ancestors to find a guiding light in the energies of ancestral defiance. As she put it, the trials of displacement and slavery brought forth along the Middle Passage were impossible to survive; the very idea that we, as black people, are here means that we are descendants of men and women who did the impossible and in the essence of their spirits we have no other choice than success. The overall event was one for the books. It was the embodiment of the many conversations of representation and intersectionality that are constantly held within the community. If you missed this, you missed a great event. Check out some of her powerful work on Youtube, and prepare to be amazed. Mya White On Friday, the Biology Seminar Series presented guest speaker Dr. Anton Bennett. Dr. Bennett began his collegiate education at Liverpool John Moores University in Liverpool, England. He graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry before continuing on to receive a Doctorate in Philosophy with work on experimental pathology from the New York Medical College.
After spending five years doing post-doc fellowships at the Harvard Medical School and the Cold Spring Harbor Lab in New York, Dr. Bennett settled into a job as a professor at the Yale University School of Medicine in 1998. Beyond being a professor of both pharmacology and of comparative medicine, Dr. Bennett is involved in many research programs as well as minority outreach programs for faculty and students at the university. He is currently the director of minority affairs for the school's Biological and Biomedical Sciences program. He also works with an organization called MORE which stands for “Minority Organization for Retention & Expansion”. This group works to recruit minority faculty members while also working alongside these faculty members in order to increase their comfort and success while boosting retention rates. Research wise, Dr. Bennett has a current focus on “Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases in growth and Development” and in the past has many published works revolving around similar biological topics. When visiting the college, he led a seminar on “Emerging therapeutic approaches to human disease by targeting protein tyrosine phosphatase signaling pathways”. See who's coming to campus next at https://events.wm.edu/calendar/upcoming/as Vittoria Valentine Sources: http://medicine.yale.edu/lab/bennett/people/anton_bennett-2.profile?source=news https://www.linkedin.com/in/anton-bennett-9939a165/ The IRep Africa Cultural Showcase was a vulnerable presentation of cadence, culture, and conversation. Each presentation opened a door to culture unadulterated and worlds unbounded. It spoke to the resilience of history, the beauty of variance, and the strength in numbers of people of color. Every beat called bodies to move and every word spoken called hearts and minds to simply take in the history at hand. This event holds a necessary importance in that it shows representation done right. Here, people of color used their voices to tell their stories; Africa, told Africa, as Africa is, and not as America wishes to see it. This event was more than a performance; it was history in action, art embodied, and unity at work. The showcase was eventful at every turn, the hosts kept the crowd interested, the performances touched all parts of the black experience and the crowd was dressed to impress. The night kicked off with a performance by Afrodite to get the crowd pumped, followed by an array of performances that showcased meaningful art, passionate dance, and mesmerizing poetry. Even with technological issues the night never dull. The atmosphere was exciting and there was a level of comfort and bliss that can only be found when celebrating culture. You could see the work and dedication that was put into the show by each member of the performance by the seamless way the show was put together. In just a few short weeks into the fall semester, the African Cultural Society put on an amazing showcase that demonstrated what real representation is. ICYMI: Watch the full show here and like ACS on Facebook here. Kailyn Small, Mya White Posters were put up in Morton Hall and the Center for Student Diversity, possibly around 9 a.m. on October 9th, 2017, in the hope of causing divisiveness. These posters are pictured above.
Several organizations already came out to condemn the messages. These posters were anonymously put up by an unknown number of people and seemed to directly attack certain minority groups on campus. The flyers targeting the African-American community were next to frames of Africana Studies professors. The posters attacking feminism were next to the Gender Studies department and other flyers were placed in the CSD. The College sent out an email that condemned the posters and clarified that it was illegal for a flyer not to have contact information. Other organizations have sent out statements condemning the person/people behind this and the message spread quickly. Although the College can agree that this is not what “we” stand for, it was still done. The people who committed this act did so in cowardice and with the knowledge that they could fully get away with it. Besides the condemnation from the school, that is exactly what happened. Students have to realize that silence is a form of compliance and that the messages spread by these posters and the sentiment no doubt felt by students, is not allowed. Several students felt that this is not simply an anomaly, but a feeling that has been brewing under the foundation of the school for a long time. Instances like this have continued and students have only gotten bolder. This is not simply a warning, but a call to action, for minority groups to link arms with other allies and stand against intolerance and hatred. For many, this is a safe haven. For all, we should feel comfortable enough to call the College a home. Ifeoma Ayika On September 27th, representatives of the William & Mary chapter of Black Lives Matter shut down an event where executive director of the ACLU of Virginia, Claire Gastañaga, was scheduled to speak. BLM protestors were organized, prepared with posters and chants to disrupt the event and prevent Gastañaga from presenting. There was some confusion about the goal of the protest; some students thought they were protesting the ACLU, others thought they were protesting the student organization Alma Mater Productions. In an exclusive interview with The Black Voice, one BLM member clarified the intent behind the protest: “This is not about AMP. This is not about the ACLU. This is about liberals use of the concept of free speech in the furthering of White Supremacy… Our goal is to silence white supremacy, to not allow it a platform like the ACLU has done for a long time.” The ACLU was partially responsible for the infamous rally in Charlottesville this August. The ACLU backed “Unite the Right” organizer Jason Kessler in suing the city of Charlottesville for trying to revoke the permit for the rally because it was a “violation of free speech”, thus allowing the event to proceed as planned. The idea of whether or not hate speech should be protected under the First Amendment is being heavily debated. Should speech that openly threatens and incites violence against others be protected under Constitutional law? Another BLM member offered another explanation for why they chose to protest white supremacy in this manner: “It’s not just the ACLU that has done this, it’s liberal organizations. Most liberal students on this campus believe that white supremacy should be valued as free speech, as discourse, and we firmly disagree with that.” Despite heckling from a few students in attendance at the event, Black Lives Matter protesters stood firm in their cause for over an hour. Chanting things like, “ACLU, who’s your enemy? Make your target white supremacy”, “No justice, no peace, Nazis don’t deserve free speech” and “Your free speech hides beneath white sheets”, the protesters boldly challenged white supremacy and the ACLU’s responsibility in furthering it. Below is the official statement read by Black Lives Matter W&M during the protest: “The event description for this “open discussion” says nothing about the ACLU’s controversial decision to help white supremacists sue Charlottesville. The tragic events in Charlottesville are only the latest in the ACLU’s long legacy of being on the wrong side of history. By hiding behind the rhetoric of the first amendment and free speech, the ACLU has provided a platform for the most extreme forms of white supremacy. When is the free speech of the oppressed protected? We know from personal experience that rights granted to wealthy, White, cis, male, straight bodies do not trickle down to marginalized groups. We face greater barriers and consequences for speaking. The ACLU and liberals believe that legality determines morality. Not too long ago, the constitution dictated that Black people only count as 3/5ths of a person. The Constitution cannot be your moral compass. In contrast to the ACLU, we want to reaffirm our position of zero tolerance for white supremacy no matter what form it decides to masquerade in. When the president of the United States refuses to condemn brutal violence committed in the name of genocide against Black people, indigenous people, and people of color, it is unacceptable to actively provide a platform for those who would perpetuate it. To those of you who disagree, we want to remind you: Black lives matter. Trans lives matter. Queer lives matter. Muslim lives matter. Native lives matter.” Watch the livestreamed video of the protest on their official Facebook page here. Camryn Easley This previous Friday the Black Student Organization, or BSO, hosted their annual “Welcome Back Cookout” and it was an event you shouldn’t have missed. Although it was only two hours long it was a fun filled time of food, dance, and friendship. There were people working on the grill to cook hotdogs, hamburgers, and even veggie burgers. As well, as different toppings and other sides provided by both the BSO itself and the Center for Student Diversity to top off your cookout meal. Food wasn’t all that was provided at this cookout though.
What is a cookout without music? There was music playing the whole time, from the latest hits we hear on the radio, to the oldies that we can’t help but to break out in dance to. The thing that really made this cookout fun was when songs like the Wobble and other line dancing songs came on where everyone felt compelled to get up and join in. While this cookout was held to welcome students back to campus, it wasn’t the sole reason that the cookout was held. The BSO also aimed to collect donations for Pineapple Kids, an organization dedicated to homeless children living in the Pineapple Inn. This made the cookout double as both a way to social with people you already know and meet new people, as well as a way to raise donations for a worthy cause. The Jamestown Field was the perfect location for this cookout because as the sun was setting it gave the perfect lighting for those Instagram, Snapchat, or even Facebook worthy pictures. So if you missed out on nothing else, you definitely missed out on the best photo shoot opportunity. Overall the cookout was an event that was enjoyable to attend and if you missed it this BSO event, make sure to keep an eye out for the next event, and even be on the ready to come to the cookout next year! Courtney Barr |
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