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The observer | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2023 | ndsmcobserver.com
Black history beyond February Grace Sullivan I.M.P.A.C.T.
Black History Month was established with the intention of dedicating a month to highlight the impactful historical contributions of Black individuals that are often ignored by the whitewashing of American history. While this month is attempting to include and integrate black voices, some individuals like Shukree Hassan Tilghman – a film producer and writer – explains in an article how, “we are invisible for 11 months out of the year, but now suddenly we were visible in February.” There is an ongoing debate on whether Black History Month advocates for the representation or further segregates Black history from American history. As stated by Karsonya Wise Whitehead, an executive director for the Karson Institute for Race, Peace, and Social Justice at Loyola University, “We want Black History to be American History.” To work towards this goal, Hasan Kwame Jeffries – a professor of history at Ohio State University – emphasizes the need for Americans to question the American experience and “the myth of perpetual progress and American exceptionalism” to effectively integrate black history into the common narrative. So, as Black History Month comes to an end, it is important that all Americans continue to educate themselves by recognizing influential black figures that impacted American history. Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) chooses a theme for Black History Month. This year, the theme was Black resistance. The intention of this theme was to reframe the conversation around Black History Month to one of empowerment rather than victimization. As explained by LaGarrett King, an associate professor of social studies education at the University at Buffalo, this theme emphasizes the “power that Black people have in terms of their historical realities which counters the concept of victimhood that many say drives Black History education.” While some still argue that Black History Month can feel tokenizing, its existence is necessary as it advocates for the integration of Black historical figures into all aspects of history as a means to hold America accountable for the white-washed narrative it perpetuates. A start to making sure influential Black figures are recognized for their contributions to historical movements can start with Women’s History Month and recognizing Black women’s impact and contributions to the progression of the feminist movement. In March, Women’s History Month celebrates the monumental and significant contributions of women who served as the central leaders to the mainstream feminist movement. However, the feminist movement has a history of marginalizing the voices of Black women through the reluctance to address racialized discrimination women of color face. Essentially, as stated in this article about white feminism, “Black women are still less likely to be associated with the perception and ideals related to the ‘typical woman’ and are viewed as more similar to Black men than to white women.” In other words, Black women are not recognized as equal to white women in the feminist movement because of the racial oppression they experience. Not only does this narrative exclude black women from mainstream feminism, but their significant contributions toward the movement continue to go unrecognized as an essential part of American history and women’s liberation. An example of this is shown through anti-rape activism which was pioneered by black women including but not limited to monumental black feminist leaders like Fannie Barrier Williams and Ida B. Wells. As stated by TIME, Black women’s strategic contributions to anti-rape activism in the 1970s anchored the movement. Regardless, sexual violence against Black women remains under-addressed in the mainstream antirape movement. The unseen and unheard contributions of Black women to this movement is only one example of the power white supremacy holds in shifting the narrative of American history by excluding the contributions of people of color. Mainstream feminism, or often referred to as white feminism, only acknowledges the impact of gender-based oppression without taking into account how other forms of oppression such as racism and homophobia further marginalize women with these identities. Thus, intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberle Crenshaw describes “how race, class, gender and other individual characteristics ‘intersect’ with one another and overlap.” Utilizing an intersectional lens when revisiting American history could encourage individuals to re-educate themselves and question the common white supremacist doctrine that has been promoted to the American public. As explained by Audre Lorde, a lesbian, mother, warrior and poet, “although differences in gender have received all the focus, it is essential that these other differences are also recognized and addressed. That ideology is the root of intersectional feminism as we have come to know it today.” Black history month is essential in recognizing the contributions and essential role Black people played in American history, but this cannot be limited to one month. It is crucial that there is a continuous effort to uplift the legacy, influence and voices of Black figures to advocate for an accurate and inclusive representation of American history. Grace Sullivan is a first-year at Notre Dame studying global affairs with a minor in gender studies. In her column I.M.P.A.C.T (Intersectionality Makes Political Activist Change Transpire), she is passionate about looking at global social justice issues through an intersectional feminist lens. Outside of The Observer, she enjoys hiking, painting and being a plant mom. She can be reached at at gsulli22@ nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Dining hall despair Jonah Tran De Re Publica
The dining hall food is terrible. There, I had to rip the Band-Aid off. I will not sugarcoat the quality of the dining hall food. On the whole, it is simply bad. Before I begin listing off my grievances, I need to establish a few things. My opinions are based off my experience predominately at North Dining Hall. Though the few times that I have eaten at South, I can say in good conscience that the quality of the food, not the ambience, are comparable. Secondly, I am not attacking NDH Pablo, a local hero and fellow Stanford Griffin, but I do willingly accept all criticism from all NDH Pablo apologetics. Lastly, I am by no means a picky eater. In fact, I take great pleasure in eating food, which is why such a topic like dining hall food hits so close to home.
It does not take a Gordon Ramsay to deduce that uncooked ground beef is a no go.
Weggs.
Meatloaf.
These speak for themselves. Absolutely disgusting. My dislike for the dining hall food is not just based on the low levels of appearance, taste, texture and smell but also on nutrition. To eat healthily, you must scavenge for bits of dry chicken, rabbit food and the small quantity of unrotten fruit. To eat unhealthily, you have freedom of choice, and the offerings are endless. Pick up a chocolate chip cookie. Grab a side of fries. Enjoy a southwest salad, a mound of fried chicken doused in ranch. Treat yourself to a boom-boom chicken salad. Your arteries will thank you in advance. My point is that the unhealthy food — yes that means your favorite “salad” is not healthy — is more mainstream and comes at the expense of your body. Why should there be a wider variety of desserts than fruit? Why are the lines for salads on Tuesday and Thursday so long? Why do so many people queue for the stir-fry, which in my calculations is processed, fried chicken poppers swimming in teriyaki sauce. I fear that the dining halls have somewhat of a monopoly in the food market at Notre Dame. Yes, there are flex-point restaurants, but you are severely limited by option and the number of flex points themselves. There is no incentive to improve the quality of food since there is minimal competition, if you can even call it competition, and no one calls out the issues. It seems like we are so entranced in a lull of eating terrible food that we have lost our standards. Only once we eat food outside the bounds of Notre Dame do we restore our standards, only to lose them again upon returning to school. Investing in your body by nourishing it with delicious and nutritious food is a nonnegotiable for a good life. One cannot have a healthy mind without having a body. To think that Notre Dame invests so much in developing our minds but leaves so little to develop our bodies is troubling. It appears hypocritical. As for exercising, delving into my dislike for the Smith Center at Duncan and the inequalities in male and female residence hall gyms is a can of worms that I wish not to open in this article. I once remarked that it is impossible for me to gain the notorious freshmen 15 since the food is so bad. Another time, I remarked that the dining hall food is made in such a way that I never will eat again, because the food will nourish me for an eternity! Obviously.
Meatloaf is one of those foods that depends on your experience with it. You love it because grandma was killing it in the kitchen with the family recipe. Or you hate it because grandma was killing you with the family recipe. I vividly remember one time my slices of meatloaf had a gradient of doneness. At the bottom third of the slice, was well-done, a thick gray band throughout. But the top two thirds of the slice was medium rare.
Jonah Tran is a first-year at Notre Dame double majoring in Finance and Economics and minoring in Classics. Although fully embracing the notorious title of a “Menbroza,” he prides himself on being an Educated Young Southern Gentleman. You can contact Jonah by email at jtran5@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The chicken breast. Picture this. You see a heaping mound of chicken bits submerged under a sea of watery, murky chicken sweat. You fish out a few pieces and plonk them down onto the plate. Upon taking a bite, your tastebuds are confused by the semblance of poultry, present in its most unseasoned form, and your jaw is subjected to a high intensity workout to chew and swallow the “food.”
The tilapia. Dry, chewy, and unremarkably fishy, the tilapia will induce gagging and will ruin any future vacation or recreation at a body of water. But seriously, you have got some issues if you trust fish at a dining hall in South Bend, Indiana.
Beef short rib. In theory, this dish ought to be fantastic, a hearty meal reminiscent of home cooking. However, it fails miserably. The beef short rib is paradoxically drenched in beef sweat but it retains no moisture, flavor, or tenderness, similar to the case with the chicken breast.
Mandarin orange cauliflower. I have seen, first-hand, the physical disappointment of people who thought that the Asian line had orange chicken, a Chinese American crowd pleaser, but instead was cauliflower. I include myself in this association. It looks like chicken but tastes like obsessive breading and mush drenched in a sugary sauce.