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Evolution of a Premature Revolutionary
terminations (the legal terminology) many students lived in the Buena Vistas. Over 400 Black students left COA that academic year, due to enrollment fee increases and our exile from the BVs.10 For students studying politics, sociology or economics, a prime example of the intersections of race, public policy and those disciplines occurred across the street. Yet, these discussions only emerged through our initiative to make our education relevant to our conditions and experiences. Growing up in the BVs was a unique Alameda experience. It was the largest concentration of Black people on the island. If people knew you were from Alameda, they assumed you lived in the BVs. Some saw it as the “ghetto.” I saw it as home. While I played up the “ghetto” factor in the raps of my younger years11 in search of a stronger Black identity, I later downplayed this when discussing my community. The prevailing idea that BVs residents were all 10 California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Data Mart. Enrollment Status Query: College of Alameda, Annual 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, by Ethnicity. < http://datamart.cccco.edu/ Students/Enrollment_Status.aspx> 11 See “East Bay Funk” by L.S.D. The lyrics, “I’m from the BVeez/ knocks spotted with TVs/spot for the L.Geezy/you got it cuz? Fa sheezy” refers to two things: a drug addict I witnessed stealing TVs as a child and the purchasing of marijuana, often called “Light Green,” or “L.G.” 2002. Released on 2003 “Island Boy Mixtape.” 989 Productions. <http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?PID=204533&t=1>