CO.FAX Magazine: Women's Month Issue

CO.FAX MAGAZINE WOMEN’S MONTH EDITION

ISSUE 3/4 March/April 2022

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EDITORS NOTE

Time is a terrible thing to waste, I’ve heard it all my life leading up to moments like these. Thoughts of wasting time, is a concept that some day is scary, especially when you don’t know when you’re living in your last.

But for whatever reason, time has always been on my side. Time has given me the ability to create some of my greatest work. I might not be as fast as the other guys, but when I manage to put my hands on something, everything for me seems perfect. The timing, the body of work, and the appreciation of self, all tend to outweigh the negative risk it took to get here.

These issues should have been released sooner than before, but again from allowing life to interfere with my passion I got complacent, stuck, and thought it was over at times. But I stood strong, remembered my purpose and I dedicated the time to get this done. If you are reading this, thank you so much for your time and for giving my work a glance. I’m still learning, I’m still getting my life together, and I’m still trying to make it all make happen in divine timing. I'm going to keep going harder to show the world why this platform was created. It’s only the beginning, and if you think this is good, wait till you see what else we can do. Much love to all‼️

Kei-Shaun Thomas

We appreciate all of our readers and supporters of this movement, we are still in early stages but we can’t wait to show you what we have in store.

Let’s help put Colorado on the map TOGETHER! Be sure to follow our social media outlets to stay updated on Colorado music, fashion, interviews and so much more!

WOMEN’S MONTH

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: THE WAVES THAT PAVED THE WAY INTRODUCTION AND 1ST WAVE AN ARTICLE BY IIMANI MONÈT

Since the beginning of American history, women have been oppressed. From not having the right to have their own credit cards until 1974, the inability to receive an ivy league education until 1972, or even not possessing the right to decide not to have sex with their husbands women’s identification in sex and gender has placed them at a disadvantage in American society. Yet, over the years, these oppressive acts and limited rights have not stopped women from fighting for what they deserve. For almost two centuries’ women have been fighting for equity through different historical phases or eras of feminism.

These eras have become known as “waves” and since 1840 there have been four waves of feminism. The first wave of feminism was from about 1840-to 1925. It was centered around issues such as women’s suffrage, property rights, political candidacy, etc. During the first wave, the first everwomen’s rights convention took place at Seneca Falls in 1848. The Seneca Falls convention for women’s rights is most commonly referred to as the kick start to the women’s suffrage movement and during the event the Declaration of Sentiments was presented. This documents main argument was that “all men and women are created equal”. The document expressed this point by addressing the following points and facts…

Men have never permitted women to exercise their inalienable right to the elective franchise.

◦ Men have compelled women to submit to laws, in the formation of which they had no voice.

◦ Men have withheld from women rights which are given to the most ignorant and degraded men - both native and foreigner.

◦ Men have made women, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead.

◦ Men have taken from women all right in property, even to wages she earns.

◦ Men have denied women the facilities for obtaining a thorough education, all colleges being closed against them.

◦ Men have endeavored, in every way that he could, to destroy her confidence in her powers, to lessen hers, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life.

In 1920, 70 years later after this conference the ratification of the 19thAmendment guaranteed the right for women to vote in the United States however the waves of feminism did not in there.

2nd Wave: The second wave of feminism was situated between 1963 and the 1980s.

During this time there was a strong focus on issues like the problem that has no name, the cult of domesticity, and the beginning reels of intersectionality. One of the most influential books during second-wave feminism was published in 1963 titled The Feminine Mystique. The book was written by the well-known women’s rights activist Betty Friedan and argued that women were chafing against the confines of their roles as wives and mothers. In the 60’s the problem that has no name was a term used to describe the continued unhappiness and inability to live up to the feminine mystique which seemed either unattainable or uninteresting to some women who felt that they were built for more than society said they were capable of doing. They were tired of the notion of the The Cult of Domesticity which suggested that in essence women were bound to the home, the raising of children, and housework under the socially constructed ideology that…

WOMEN’S MONTH

These black feminists, spoke on how black women are constantly and simultaneously fighting oppression from the angles of sexism and racism. In the Combahee River Collective Statement of 1977, they spoke on how, “…difficult to separate race from class from sex oppression because in our [black women’s’] lives they are the most often experienced simultaneously". (Combahee River Collective Statement, pg. 504). The Collective articulated th e interlocking system of oppression based on sexism, However, second-wave feminist like heterosexism, racism, and classism due to Friedan were not the only ones making the lack of basic human rights in comparison moves in feminism. White feminists to white women. Black woman feminists received a lot of criticism from Black aim to tackle other struggles that White feminists because of their inability to women don’t necessarily need to fight for with this in mind White women fighting for recognize the intersectionalities of race feminism was and is way different from and gender/sex . Black women like Native black women fighting for Black feminism.

American women, Asian women, Latinx Therefore, the Black feminists of the women, women who were not assigned Combahee River Collective aimed for an female at birth, etc. experience the world inclusivity in their movement. According to quite differently from White women their statement their major point “is that because of White privilege. With this reality [they] are not just trying to fight oppression on one front or even two, but instead to in mind Black women formed their own address a whole range of oppressions.” feminist organizations, including the (Combahee River Collective Statement, pg.

National Black Feminist Organization 505).

(NBFO) and The Combahee River Collective (1974-1980) (a chapter of the NBFO located in Boston).

The home is transcendental; it is a woman’s special and sacred mission to preserve The woman, in her role in her home, should be considered morally superior and the moral guardian of their children Women have superior skills when it comes to the “softer” virtues: patience, gentleness, loving-kindness Leading into

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3rd Wave: Moving forward, third wavefeminism (which took place in the 1990s) was all about embracing the ideology of rebellion. This wave encouraged women to express their sexuality and individuality in many forms of art such as music, literature, and visual art.

For example, the “Riot grrl” groups like Bikini Kill, Bratmobile and Heavens to Betsy brought their brand of feminism into pop music, including songs that addressed issues of sexism, patriarchy, abuse, racism, and rape. Wellknown groups, like the Spice Girls, who told you what they wanted… what they really really wanted (the girls that get it get it, the girls that don’t don’t) was a version of a modern and free woman with a great belief in the notions of girl power which was used to influenced and encouraged young girls to have independent, confident, and empowering attitudes.

Present Day Wave: In terms of present-day feminism, one of the major influences of our time is the Internet. This has led to a new form of feminism that is taking shape as social media-fueled activism. One such large internet activism and the feminist movement were started by Tarana Burke in 2007 known as the #MeToo movement. The movement took off due to the sexual misconduct of influential film producer Harvey Weinstein. This social media movement lead to holding powerful men accountable for their actions and taking a moment to recognize the systems that allow such misconduct to happen. Similar to Critical Race Theory this Critical Sexism Lens allows society to reflect on the systematic oppression of women intersectional and alike.

FIGHING FOR EQUALITY

1# WEIVRETNI

Kristen Shirvan Interview By: Keishaun Thomas

In this month exclusive interview, we sit down with a good friend of mine, a teacher, an author, yoga instructor, and more Kristen Shirvan. Across the street from her favorite coffee shop, we catch up on life and talk about her recently released book ‘The Deepest Burn’. The book is bout a young character named Emery. Unfortunately due to files being lost, using new gear, low quality sound and visuals, and more deplorable events that took place not all of this interview was able to be captured. But none the less, the story doesn’t end here. I plan on re-interviewing Ms. Shirvan to fully capture her amazing story. But for now, the focus is on her new book. Here’s a description below: “Emery's life lit up in flames when she was only a teen, both figuratively and literally. Her life quickly spirals out of control when masked intruders kidnap her. She finds herself fighting for answers and her life.

Luckily, she isn't alone. She not only finds other teens like her who help her to discover the reason they were taken, but she also has two dads who knew this day was coming and had been preparing for years to help her through it.

Things only get more complicated once she discovers that she has a unique power.

Can Emery walk through the fire without being burned?”

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For more information or to purchase this book head over to Amazon or Barnes and Noble online to purchase the book. She also has another book released called ‘one dead girl’ which I plan to create a short film surrounding the novel , but that’s something for the future. Huge shout out to MS. Shirvan for allowing me to capture your story, sorry it took so long but this is only the beginning of something bigger than us.

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K.T.: Wassup everybody my name is Kei-Shaun Thomas and today I’m sitting down with one of my most beloved teachers Kristen Shirvan. I met Mrs. Shirvan in 2018 and she has been teaching for 10 Years. Nevertheless, she is much more than just a teacher. Since the start of our friendship, she has become an author, yoga instructor, traveler, and entrepreneur, etc.

K.S.: Ya so I’ve been teaching as you said for about 10 years now which is insane to me. I was raised in the Denver area right by Kennedy High School and I moved a to Austin for a couple years but now I’m back in my neighborhoods teaching which I’m really happy about. As you mentioned I’ve also have been writing A LOT! I released my first book One Dead Girl about two years ago and now I’m working on my next novel The Deepest Burn which I plan to release in March of this year. In addition to that as a yoga instructor I have been inspired by music and have been planning my classes around it. I know you can relate to the love of music like most people and so I wanted to branch past the typical music you would associate with yoga.

I think it is important to incorporate music because in my eyes music in general holds very meditative qualities. So sometimes I’ll start by picking a specific artist and planning my yoga class around that material.

K.T.: That’s really dope and unique!

K.S.: It is! I’ve also been doing a lot of freelance editing as I am trying to stay above water.

K.T.: I know how that can get just because you want to get into so many different things. In today’s world its not hard to do anything if you put your mind to it so that kind of makes you want to go into everything that you can put your hands on.

K.S.: Absolutely! I used to think about this quote all the time which said you can do anything but not everything and for a while I lived by that. I felt like I just had to pick my specialty and do one thing at a time. After a while though I feel like I just dropped that quote and since then I’ve been able to accomplish so much more. I feel like I can borderline do everything that I want to do. So far so good, ya know!

K.T.: I feel like relates to the jack of all trades quote which has a deeper meaning. A lot of people just always say “WeLL iF yOuArE a jAcK oF aLL TraDeS YoU CaNT MaStEr aNy” and its like well really no. I can really just master life. If I master myself first, I can get into whatever. If it comes with money or benefits than that’s what it comes with.

K.S.: For sure… C O . F A X M A G A Z I N E | P A G E 0 3

K.T.: So how long were you teaching at Respect Academy?

K.S.: I taught at Respect for 3 years. Before that I was at Lake Middle school, and I did my student teaching at Henry. I was at Lake for 4-5 years and then went to Respect. Then when I came back from Austin I came back here.

K.T.: What made you get into teaching?

K.S.: You know its funny because its almost full circle sitting her doing an interview with you. I was thinking about this on the way here; my English teachers in high school told me I was talented in writing and at the time I was going through a really rough time. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do next. I didn’t know if I wanted to graduate high school or if I really wanted to do anything ya know?

So just having a couple people on my side really changed everything for me and I wanted to be that person for other people because the world we live in is so cold and hard to live in. Sometimes I saw teachers who would praise themselves in making it harder and so I just wanted to make people happier and make people believe in themselves. I wanted to make the world a warmer place so that’s why I went into it and I still love it.

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K.T.: Ya you definitely did that for me. I know at times it was hard for me because I enjoyed the freedom of being able to leave campus and pretty leave school and do what I wanted to do at that time. But there were times where me an Vic were like we can’t miss Mrs. Shirvan’s class we have to go we have to go there regardless of what happens we are going to come back.Now there would be times where we wouldn’t always make it to your class.

Sometimes we wouldn’t make it or be late, but wewould always try to make it to your class because you made writing fun you made it more welcoming. Of course, you had no control of what you had to teach sometimes based on the curriculum and there would be things I didn’t want to do but you made it easier. You made it so no mater what skill level we were at we know we could write. You made us realize we could produce anything and at that time I was doing music, so I felt like man this class is bigger than me. I got that feeling from how you taught in that class. So I really want to say I appreciate you for just being yourself in that classroom because even though it was small and that made it even better because though it was small you got to connect to the kids more. It just brought a different energy, so I appreciate you.

K.S.: Awwww thank you! I appreciate you too. You’ve been talented. I know you said that I taught you some of that but I want you to know that you walked into that class you were meant to be writing yourself.

K.T.: I’m definitely thankful for you class. You brought a lot of great knowledge and opportunity because of how you talk and people who were in the class know that but from being around you I know that you were that person to connect with and to get knowledge from everyone need a you in their life. So, I wanted to ask, what inspired you to be the way you are as a professional towards students?

K.S.: Well, I think a lot about other people’s lives and I think that helps me in the writing world as well so I think about how complex our lives are. I often joke around with students because they love to tell me they never see me get mad so their like what if I like keyed your car and I’m like no never I’m not going to get mad! I would just be like they’re having a bad day and they need something right now. Sometimes that’s why we do the things we do as human beings. Sometimes that’s why we act out or why we have a hard time sometimes is because we need something. So, I see that in each of my students and so I try to recognize that I might not know they complexity of their live,but I know that they need love and patience.

K.T.: And I felt that you were always that helping hand.

Regardless of if you were busy or had a stack of papers to do you would always push that aside to help the student out. It just seems like that was more important to you and it definitely was especially because of how small Respect is you have like 100-150 students maybe in the school itself so its like you connect with everybody and you see the same faces every day. So, it’simportant to have that connection especially being around the students for 8-9 hours a day. A lot of teachers at Respect did that and I’m thankful for that experience. I could have went to a bigger high school, I could have went to Lincoln to bullshit and I wouldn’t have had the connections I have now we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

K.S.: Ya! Like you said I think the smaller size of it made it so close K.T.: I don’t know how I did bigger classrooms before then but anyways even your husband has done some amazing stuff. Like I remember you telling us how he used to work at GameStop and he was doing his thing but now he does software and coding.

So, tell me about that and how you saw him develop?

K.S.: Ya it was really cool, and I really admire him a lot. He’s had quite the journey for his career, He started out by working at iHop’s and he was at those for a while, but he knew that wasn’t his passion and that’s pretty common to get into jobs where you’re just making enough money but to find that ya know this isn’t what’s driving me this isn’t what’s making me passionate. So, I was like well let’s figure out what does make you passionate. So, he started going to school for computer science while working at GameStop on the side which was kind of fun because there’s something soothing about retail jobs. When we moved to Austin, he went to a coding bootcamp out there, he graduated from that and then graduated with his computer science degree and is now a full-time software developer and it was really exciting to see that take shape for him. We kind of have this infinite support for each other to where it’s like anything that the other person wants to do the other one is like you should go you should do that full force and run as fast as you can towards it. And he supports me like that and so I really appreciate it. I could be joking and be like “I’m gonna do this” and he’ll be like you can do that.

K.T.: Everyone definitely needs that, and it doesn’t take too much time. It only too him 4 years and he’s gravitated towards what he is now. You just need that encouragement, you just need a you in your life.

You need that support system to lean on and I’m glad he’s ascending and doing new things in his life.

K.T.: So, what made you get into yoga instructing?

K.S.: I started doing yoga when I was in college. I had just started getting into it and practicing and then it grew into a dream of like ya know maybe I could teach this. When I graduated college, I went to Costa Rica, and it was some of the best times of my life, but it was also a smack in the face because these people were like serious yogi’s and I was just like I just got out of college and came to see what Costa Rica was about.

But I felt so at ease, and I felt so at ease practicing yoga there. I felt so connected to the universe in a way that I never had before. It made me realize I gotta live life like this. I gotta live slowly and feel good in the things that bring me peace. So, after that I just started practicing yoga more aggressively. That’s one of the ways I feel like I can bring light to the world.

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Artist of the Month

MARCH 2022

SHADAE

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y name is Shadae Hunt, I am 22 years old and I have been a full time artist for about 2 years now. Throughout my life, I have always been so inspired and intruiged by the world of art. To me, an artist was someone who had a big studio, who had hundreds of paintings laying around that displayed who they are and that to me was so admirable. From as early as I could remember, I started my journey with drawing figures from books, and doodling on schoolwork and during my freetime. Eventually that turned into me being a senior in highschool, using my artistic abilities to do my senior project, which was creating a painting for our schools Special Education unit.

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My highschool embraced students with disabilities, and provided them with education and support, and that really resonated with me and furthered my mission with my project. With this, I learned that I truly wanted to be an artist and use my talent as something to teach and inspire others.

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Artist of the Month

MARCH 2022

TANAJHA PUTMAN

It’s hard to categorize someone of her caliber, but Ms. Putman is a hard-working individual who strives to accomplish any goal set in mind.

From majoring in Human Development and Family Studies, working with children in her community, and becoming a mental health counselor on top to creating art, Ms. Putman can make hard work look easy. But we all know that’s not the case, with hard work comes responsibility, and discipline is the only way to overcome the many obstacles life has to throw, and that’s exactly what Tanajah Putman has done. Overcame every obstacle to make goal achieving, obtainable.

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Tanajha’s work is very unique, with an exclusive style of painting and drawing she makes anything come to life and gives vision through her creativity. With popping colors that glow, and styling that enthralls viewers, Putman creates a new slant within the artistry realm. I can’t wait to see what else she achieves not only through art but through life as well.

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2# WEIVRETNI

WOMEN’S MONTH

CO.FAX MAGAZINE

THE POWER OF LOOKING LIKE THE PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT: AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHELLE HILL

By Iimani Monèt

In a world that is structured on the dynamics of privilege and power it is quite common for those who are marginalized to face various problems when it comes to representation. Representation allows people to feel seen, heard, and validated in their experience and skill.

Historically there many marginalized groups have not gotten much of a privilege to experience representation. For one reason or another marginalized group have been denied equal representation society. Nevertheless, with the help of individuals like Michelle Hill representation barriers are being broken and the narratives of marginalized groups are being changed. Michelle Hill is a Black woman who advocates for advancement and change.

She is a wife, a mother, a breast cancer survivor, a scholar who has earned a degree in cellular molecular biology, a 20year professional in Colorado Springs Utilities, a PEAK Education mentor, and now a current member of Colorado Springs Board of Education committee for District 2.

March/April Edition | 2022

“Every day is a gift, and we have to know what is important to fight for and what’s not I finished with the second most votes even though I wasn’t the most well-known out of all the candidates by the community. I attribute this win to first to the grace of God because it was truly my season and secondly to my ability to relate to all people across the board. I have the gift and the ability to relate to people using language; I can speak eloquently or code switch and use Ebonics with the best of ‘em.”- Michelle Hill

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WOMEN'S MONTH

I.M.: Hey y’all. Today I am here with an old PEAK Education mentor of mine, Michelle Hill and we are going to be talking about the power of looking like the people you represent through her work but before we get into that Michelle, I’d like to get to know a little bit about you as a person…give us a little bit of your back story.

M.H.: Hey everyone. My name is Michelle Hill. I was born and raised in Pueblo, Colorado. I’m the oldest of two. I am the child of a steel worker who left the integrated south in 1959 and was married to my mom for 57 years. I am a person of faith because it keeps me grounded. I’ve been married for 22 years, and I have a 20-year-old daughter. I am a graduate of Fort Lewis College (1986) and I have a degree in cellular molecular biology with a minor in chemistry. I have been an environmental specialist at Colorado Springs Utilities for the last 20 years. I have a love and passion for community service work and so that is why I decided to run for the Colorado School Board. I wanted to give back to my community in my journey to and in retirement.

I wanted to make some positive change in my community so that my babies like you (referring to the interviewer) can be successful.

I.M.: So now that you kind of have an inside scoop about Colorado Education what does the education system look like right now ?

Education is in a very precarious time right now because unfortunately even though school boards are non-partisan you cannot tell by what’s going on in the press right now. And I’m just putting it out like it is… the political parties in particular the conservatives have funded school board election candidates. So, what we see happening in Douglass County, in Jeff County, and even in school District 11 is a byproduct of that funding and the infiltration of politics into the education system. I can think of various examples of this such as Dr. Thomas the only Black school superintendent in Colorado Springs resigning.

Women's Month Edition | 2022

CO.FAX MAGAZINE

Additionally, the new school board in District 11 which has a total of seven people (four of them new and 3 of them are regular board members) hired a person for the equity committee who was really going to go after equity and inclusion, but this hire ended up resigning and the committee was disbandedbecause there was a sense that people were going to come after the hire.

Another example is with the Men of Influence, which is a group of Black men who are positive role models for high school students. They work mainly out of Sierra High School and were called a bunch of barking chihuahuas for asking for help from one of the new board members.

Furthermore, the vice president of the school board who has his own Facebook page and has had issues with LGTQIA+ community. He put up a meme/remark that was really transphobic and the PRIDE club at Palmer High School came down and mass protested at the board meeting. So as of late there’s been a lot of drama at board meetings and it’s because politics have infiltrated education. People want to take over, banning books like To Kill a Mockingbird, coming after libraries, etc. Now what we want is a better teaching of history. What we want is for history to be is taught accurately but all they hear is Critical Race Theory. And this debate is not new.

It has been a big debate in educationrecently and it was a topic that really killed some candidates because Page 29 they took a position on it.

I.M.: Did you take a position? What were your thoughts? I.M.: Well, one if the things that was sparked in M.H.: Lemme tell you what happened to me… When I really my mind while you were speaking is that understood on a higher level what it was going to teach, I notion that not all Black people are the same realized that the minds of high schoolers could not process and we all have different positions. I’m sure it that, so I said that it needs to be kept in higher education. probably was to your benefit that you are not However, I did say that I’d rather see history be taught in support of Critical Race Theory and stating accurately because we need equity in education. In fact, I had that history should be taught accurately but I a citizen reach out to me through my campaign email address have to ask what it about Critical Race Theory is that causes you to believe that it is not and this man said to me, “By reading what I see of you online I material based for High Schoolers. can’t tell what your position is on Critical Race Theory, so I M.H.: Because now we are talking about systemic won’t vote for you because you’re Black and you’re going to be racism which goes beyond the education system. It’s like everybody else.” Baby, I had to take a few breaths because in politics, in the judicial system with jails. Being on he didn’t know me at all. After thinking on it fir a few hours I the school board I’ve now even see this concept in wrote back and said, “First of all, if you looked at everything the data of graduation rates, in disciplinary actions, that was online that I said you would know that my position is etc.; higher percentages are people of color and its that that cannot be taught in secondary schools AND that so amplified. I think we need to deal with biases such history needs to be taught accurately. So, I want to know what as the ones we see in the disciplining of students and you know about me that allows you to come to the conclusion children. We need to understand as a society that on what I am for and against. If you really wanted to know you 05. students have other things going on besides just could have reached out to me via email to have a conversation school and just even how they relate to each other in with me about my position but instead you choose to school when you have to put on your mask and fit in. stereotype me. What makes you think all people Brown or I think there is a miscommunication between Black are the same.” When I finished, he sent me an email back different cultures… our understanding of one another is lost in translation sometimes. Some saying, “Well I’m not racist.” cultures get the privilege of having excuses made for I.M.: OH, ALRIGHT IF YOU SAY SO!!!

M.H.: He said, “I like Black people, but I’m not voting for the them while we see children of color receiving the blunt end of disciplinary acts. There’s also stuff like rest of the people because I don’t know where they stand.” stereotyping by grading. For instance, teachers will I.M.: Wow! have their opinions about the A/B students, and they M.H.: But I love serving on the board. I really enjoy getting into make such a big deal about their successes but those the schools, learning about the curriculum, learning about the who are D/F students they stereotype them as bad. initiatives, etc. We have a 3-year strategic plan that was put They think oh this student is more likely to go to jail into place that was a collaborative effort from the super than the high achieving students they are less likely intendent and the super intendent’s executive staff, teachers, to invest them like they do high achieving students. the community, etc.; it’s called the Initiative of Community So, there is just a lot of low hanging fruit that we can 03.

Culture and Classroom. The things that are being set into teach or deal with such as cultural biases, such as place are just amazing and knock-on wood you don’t hear dealing with how we do disciplinary actions, getting about Harrison School District 2 right now in the press. to know each other, involving the community more, Diversity and Inclusion is who we are. In fact, there was an etc. I think its more appropriate that we deal with article that was out in the local newspaper (the Southeast what we have in front of us. I’m not saying Critical Express) that someone from up North was invited to take a Race Theory doesn’t exist cuz it does you can see it in tour of Southeast Colorado Springs and they said that they the health care system, in Black Lives Matter (BLM) saw wasn’t what they expected. The tourist said they expected protests, etc. People feel like all Critical Race Theory the area to look like a slum… boarded up houses… burned was going to do was shame their children. You know down buildings… abandoned cars looking junky, but they saying that its your fault that slavery happened, but discovered that we were “normal” people with maintained we don’t do shaming in education. We are not going lawns and decent cars and a wide range of diversity from our to shame a whole race of kids for something that happened hundreds of years ago. people. That stereotype of the Southeast is just not true.

I.M.: That makes a lot of sense. My position differs from yours, but I digress…

M.H.: Gon head tell me your position! We having Grown Folk Conversation!

I.M.: Oh, ight we love Grown Folk Conversation. Well, I think that it should be taught in secondary education. In my experience as a woman of color the teaching of Black history was something I was longing for. ​I went to Palmer which has a lot of white students especially in those higher preforming classes (AP and IB). So, I always found myself doing what they call “mesearch” in college where students sit down and learn about themselves and their position in the world as it relates to their identity; in that research you’re asking yourself how does my identity show up in the world, how am I perceived (negatively and positively), how can I use my identity to navigate the social spheres around me. So, in high school I would do all my AP English book reports on Black books. I think we had to do a book report every month so every month I was that Black girl up at the front of the class with my fro out teaching my classmates about what I learned in these Black books about Black people with Black problems. So, in a way that became my own Black History class because I had to scratch, and army crawl my way to information surrounding my people and where I come from. Before I went to college that was my experience in make sure I was seen and heard as a Black woman. I put myself in the curriculum and I don’t think other Black students should have to do that.

Again, I know it’s not our job to shame other students who are not Black for the wrongdoings that have been done in the past however I do feel that it is very essential and important that these topics are being presented in those classrooms and being talked about in a critical way. I think its important if we ever want to live in an antiracist world for others to begin taking responsibility in their privilege no matter what it is. For instance, I’ve had to make myself aware of the privilege I hold in my abled-bodiedness so others need to become aware of the privilege they hold because of their race instead of being so fragile about it.

I think its unfair to place that onus on the Black child or the Black community like look you have to learn how to navigate the White world by code switching, protecting yourself from racism, prejudice, discrimination, and police brutality, etc. but yet White children are not only given the privilege of not having to learn all these things to navigate life but they are also given the privilege of not having to worry about them if they do not want to.

WOMEN’S MONTH

Their bubble of privilege protects them from having those difficult conversations like Critical Race Theory. And of course, there is going to be a lot push back from others like you’re trying to blame us or you’re trying to shame us but that’s not what Critical Race Theory really does. I think Critical Race Theory is a way of taking the light off of the Eurocentric perspective that is normally taught and history and allowing other perspectives to come to the forefront and speak; it allows for laws, and policy to be questioned as tools of power and control but it also allows people to see the bigger picture. It allows us to examine where we have all come from to forge the beginnings of how we can come together to create new societal foundations that are better anti-racist communities.

M.H.: It’s about having the right curriculum.

You can have those curriculums in higher ed. But there is no approved curriculum for secondary schools by the Colorado Education Association to allow for these conversations to happen. It’s really unfortunate that I had to teach my daughter about Black History because you didn’t get that at all. I had to teach her about our own family history as well ya know about how we ended up in Colorado.

There’s a whole lot of oral history that we’ve done in our family like going back to 23 and me and that’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I found some ancestry- cousins- and it was a whole other side of my family I had never seen. In fact, one of my DNA cousins went back to Africa…

I.M.: Ouuu where’d she go?!

M.H.: I think she’s in Ghana. She traced our roots all the way back to Ghana and so she moved back there to have the time of her life.

I.M.: So you stated that you became a part of the Harrison High School District 2 School Board and what was that like for you? What did it feel like to get those results and then to find out it was an allminority board that represents what the student population looks like?

M.H.: Of course, we made history! This is the first all minority board in Harrison School District 2. It’s made up of four African Americans and one Hispanic. It was almost five African Americans but four we will take it. The sad part is the press they want to report on who shot who and who did what in school; I hate the press here because its always the bad stuff not the good things that’s going on in the community.

Like our main newspaper did not tell our success story so I’m going to tell as many people as I can. I’m the crab in the barrel wherever I go I pull my peoplebring my people along with me. The other history that we made was in the Colorado Association of School Boards.

Tay Anderson is the Vice President of Denver Public School Boards. He is about your age and very controversial; he’s a political activist at the forefront of BLM in Denver. In December he reached out to newly elected and currently reelected Black School Board Members to form the Black Caucus of School Board Directors. We are certified group with bylaws and all.

I.M.: What do you think is the biggest benefit of having an all-minority board and what do you feel that demonstrates for Harrison School District 2?

M.H.: Well, there are a few positives or benefits I can think of. First of all, it reflects more of the complexion of the school district.

We are 54-46% Hispanic. When we you have an all White school board how do you understand your student population… you don’t. You think you can identify and do what’s right for the education system but people latch on more when they see people of color- when they see people who look like them. It gives us a little more compassion because we understand where we come from right? Its positive role models for kids. When they can sit down and realize, “Oh wow the school board member is Black like me!?” It allows students the opportunity to have something to identify with. So now that we are present as school board members, we need to be a little bit more present as teachers. That really does something for minority identities to see themselves in multiple areas of life. For example, little Black boys when they something as rare as a Black male teacher it does something to them and for them. Its like the group I was telling you about the Men of Influence; its 7-10 father figures and they make sure the present themselves as positive role models for these minority young men. When you have something that is relatable so in this time its just so important. I also think this a moment of accountability and social proof ya know because we are under the microscope.

People are asking, “What happens when there is an all-minorityboard group” … well let us show you. We are setting the stage for success. We aren’t an experiment, and we are being more inclusive of everyone at the table whether its race, disability, sexual orientation, all of it. We are just considerate and that’s a benefit and we have to be if we want more “Iimani’s” out there that have a good head on their shoulders and value and respect others and themselves. We have to be in order to show through you all that we are capable of excellence. That’s why I’m here, that’s why this board is here.

I.M.: Well, thank you I appreciate that little compliment that you threw in there!

M.H.: Well, you’re one of a kind. I want you to always know that even when you are sitting up as the attorney general wherever you are remembering I told you way back in the day that every investment that we made along the way was worth it because I see something in you. And I see greatness so don’t forget to invite me to your next graduation!

WOMEN'S MONTH

I.M.: Mannn you’ll be there for sure… you’ll be on the list! Moving forward to that microscope metaphor that you were talking about, how does that make you feel when it comes to moving forward in making the best decisions for? Good pressure bad pressure?

M.H.: I think my first lesson of this was in that debate of Critical Race Theory. When I was campaigning, I went to a neighbor’s house who I had never met before to see if I could get a signature for my petition. I told him you know this is what I want to do as a school board member an =d he stopped me and said, “What are you really about? What do you really stand for?” and I was like “What are you talking about?”. All he really cared about was knowing my position of Critical Race Theory. At that time, I had not done my homework on Critical Race Theory so I’m looking at my skin color and I’m like “Yes of course I support that.” And he was like “Well you don’t have my vote.” So, I decided I needed to look it up to see what it was about. I think being under the microscope really reminds you that you have to be better.

You have to be sharp so that you won’t be caught off guard because you did your extra.

You know what you’re talking about. It’s a shame that I have to go above and beyond in order to be taken seriously but you will never question my product because it will always be top tier. That’s what being under the microscope does to you. It makes you question things a little bit more because you have to be sure of what you are saying.

I.M.: That’s facts and I can relate to that!

Apart of me wished I would have stayed in District 2. I really pushed my parents to send me to Palmer because I thought that it would give me better opportunities. I had opportunities in District 2 but I thought that in order to be taken seriously I had to go to different district when that wasn’t true at all.

M.H.: I hate that we always have to do that to be taken seriously. I look at the glass being half full vs half empty. There is benefit ton not being taken seriously because like I said you become shaper.

In the end I reap the benefits because you can never question me or my work.

I.M.: That’s definitely something I’ll take with ne so thank you for dropping that little gem!

M.H.: Girl you know I gotchu!

I.M.: Well, I appreciate you taking the time for this interview,and we look forward to seeing more from you and relishing in your future accomplishments with you.

M.H.: And thank you for having me and shedding light on the history that’s being made in Colorado!

THE DANGER OF FOLLOWING THE MASSES: THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH IN TERMS OF EATING DISORDERS

By Iimani Monèt

A

s mentioned in this month’s article that discusses the history of feminism, women have always occupied a space marginalization in America. Since women have occupied a far more disenfranchised position for much of history it is no surprise that the beauty standards for women were and are notcreated by women alone. Women’s beauty standards are often controlled and created by various intertwining systems of oppression such as racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, classism, etc. because those that have privileged identities in society are able to write the narratives of what is acceptable and therefore beautiful in society. In a society that gives more power and privilege to men it is easy to recognize the fact that men play a very large part in women beauty standards. One of the main reasons for this is because of the male gaze.

This gaze can be found in most things that are considered visual such as film, media, video games, etc. and it has a tendency to sexualize and objectify women and their bodies for the viewership and pleasure of heterosexual men. Socially there is also a tendency for American s to be quite fatphobic. In traditional social standards for genders women are supposed to be weak and take up less space while men are strong and dominate and therefore should take up more space. One of the ways that these norms show up in society is through the form of the physical body or embodiment. For example, when on public transportation it is more common to find men “manspreading” which is the act of men sitting with their legs wide apart in such a way as to encroach on the space of an adjacent seat or seats.

Women do not have this equivalent. In fact it is more common for women to try to shrink in size by sitting in such a way that allows more space for others like crossing their legs. However, in the case of a larger woman trying to do this in crowded public transportation may be very difficult. Simple everyday fatphobic situations like these can lead some women to feel as if they are a burden or monstrous because everyone seems to be judging them for their physical embodiment and the need for more space.

Additionally, because society controls most of the media and this media of women is shaped and modeled for the male perspective historically speaking it was very uncommon to see larger women get the airtime and space they deserved. From magazines to classic film, to children’s toys like barbie dolls, for women the ideals of beauty standards surrounded the image of thin White women.

While women couldn’t do anything to change their race (although there are plenty of women who have bleached their skin or taken medications to become whiter/lighter) one thing they could change that society made them think they needed to change was their weight. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services an article of eating disorders and body image found that “Women and girls are twice as likely as men to have an eating disorder.

In the United States, about 20 million women will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives.” Additionally, while there is some discrepancy about which race of women experience eating disorders more, I would assert that these racially discrepancies should not be societies main focus.

The fact of the matter is eating disorders do not see race.

While it may be more common for women of one race to experience a certain type of eating disorder (because there are three main eating disorders: anorexia nervosa: an eating disorder characterized by relentless drive for thinness with a fear of gaining body weight associated with self-induced behaviors towards thinness, bulimia nervosa: and eating disorder characterized by binge eating, followed by methods to avoid weight gain such as purging the food from the body and binge-eating disorder: a disorder involving frequent consumption of large amounts of food, and uncontrollable eating and each disorder has its own rates in each race) the reality is women are being socially perceived or objectified in such a way that they feel the need to pay constant attention to their body image, weight, and measurements to the point of obsession and physical harm to their bodies. This is the real issue at hand. Moving forward while it may be more common for certain races of women to seek and receive help from the health care system CO.Fax magazine encourages any woman who is experiencing body image issues or eating disorders to seek mental health care through the forms of counseling or therapy.

If you are in crisis, we encourage you to text "NEDA" to 741-741 to connect with the Crisis Text Line. Contacting the NEDA Helpline for support, resources, and treatment options for yourself or a loved one who is struggling with an eating disorder can potentially save lives and the mindsets of many individuals in this world. These Helpline volunteers are trained to help you find the support and information you need. Additionally, Co. Fax also encourages society and men to consider how social interactions and learned negative biases can affect the lives of others. Our goal is to motivate and educate our audiences into living a life of health, understanding, and kindness to oneself and those we share space with.

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SHOUT OUT

JAYTRIIIPLE

PHOTOGRAPHER: JAVON @GLVVONSKIII In this years womens month issue, we have to give a shout out to a hard working individual when it comes to the Colorado music scene, Jaytriiiple. With a catalog over 5 years old, consistent quality music, and performances at some of the biggest events in Colorado it’s only right we give her the flowers she deserves!

With an excessive amount of quality music described as raw, gritty, authentic, Braggadocious. With songs like ‘Rainbow’, ‘Real Love’, ‘Tell The Truth’ those statements are nothing but true. Jaytriiiple is easily recognizable in the top 5 women artist of Colorado, from her flow, delivery, and word play it’s not hard to see why she claims a spot.

Shout out to Jaytriiiple, CO.FAX will continue to support your journey through music.

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