THE CAMPANIL
// Student-run newspaper serving Mills College since 1917 //
Women of Courage Night held in honor of Rosa Parks Ari Nussbaum
see
Government page 3
ARI NUSSBAUM
A panel of female professionals spoke to the students at Julia Morgan School for Girls.
// Volume 100 // Issue 9 //
‘Light Girls’ Professor Maggie Hunter discusses stratification in recent documentary
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Four women sat on a panel with microphones in front of them as the audience listened to voices echoing throughout the room. It was not the four women who spoke, but three middle schoolers. The Women of Courage Night in Honor of Rosa Parks was held in the Mills College Student Union on Thursday, Feb. 4. This second annual event was hosted by the Girls in Government, Leadership and Service (GGLS), a group at the Julia Morgan School for Girls (JMSG), located on the Mills campus. The group of middle school students meets regularly to discuss gender equality, visit local government offices and participate in activism around the Bay Area. JMSG students opened the event by introducing the four panelists: former White House intern Chanel Aleta Johnson, President of Change.org Jennifer Dulski, Journalist Dana King and Mills Alum Renel Brooks-Moon (‘81). The students also provided an overview of Rosa Parks’ life and activism before transitioning into a Q&A with the panelists about the meaning of courage and their experiences with it. King noted that most people are unaware of how they exhibit courage. “You don’t know when you’re doing something courageous when you’re doing it,” King said. The GGLS group asked each
02.10.15
Allie Enriquez staff writer
Margaret Hunter, associate professor of sociology and new associate provost, was recently featured in Bill Dukes’ documentary “Light Girls.” The film provoked a significant response on social media, bringing about a mass discussion about colorism in the U.S. and around the globe. “Light Girls,” which premiered on Jan 19, is a sequel to Dukes’ first see
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ALLIE ENRIQUEZ
Berkeley food co-op offers affordable produce Priscilla Son staff writer
In response to the rising costs of Mills College meal plans, colleges nationwide are starting their own non-profit food cooperatives. These organizations are studentrun initiatives that aim to feed the community at reasonable prices as well as educate them about natural foods. While Mills does not currently have such an option, the closest student food co-op is the University of California: Berkeley’s Student Food Collective (BSFC). This initiative is open seven days a week since its start in November 2010. It follows criteria stated by the Real Food Challenge, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging youth and universities to shift to “real food.” The real food these coops sell are inexpensive, natural, vegetarian and locally grown food. Products must fall into three categories: locally and community-based; fair trade and directly purchased; and ecologically sound and humane. Berkeley Community College student Molly Rosenthal, who benefits from the proximity to campus
on Bancroft Way in Downtown Berkeley, explains why she shops at the co-op. “You can buy produce and prepared foods for cheap. [The Berkeley co-op] is my favorite place to go when I want to eat healthy,” Rosenthal said. Fresh and seasonal foods are bought wholesale every Monday and Wednesday for the BSFC. Prices are only slightly marked up from original prices: 35 percent for produce, whereas other groceries typically charge more. Kitty Jones, on the Products and Policy committee for the co-op, said she found bunches of kale at Whole Foods for $5 each, while the co-op were selling them for $1.50 each. Considering grocers and famers’ markets in the area, students are concerned that Mills does not have many inexpensive food options. On campus, there are a limited number of places to purchase food: Founders Commons, the book store, which sells snack items, and the Tea Shop, where many say the prices are high. “If you don’t have points in your meal plan, it’s almost impossible to eat at the Tea Shop regularly,” Mills Junior Reina Reis said. Cooperatives are unique from other grocery stores because the production and distribution of their
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food is controlled by its members. Berkeley’s co-op makes democratic decisions by a majority vote of board members and simple majority by the general membership. Their “Manual for Student Run Food Cooperatives” contains a transparency policy in Appendix R, which was written by one of the store’s founding members, Christina Oatfield. It states that no worker should intentionally withhold information about products. These are all ways cooperatives hope to take greater social responsibility over their stores.
“Students should go into the world aware of ethical, sustainable foods and the treatment of animals,” Jones said. “We are showing students and community members how important their food services are.” The BSFC sets specific regulations for what food they buy and sell and how they are packaged and disposed. In addition, one of the their main goals is to take responsibility over the education of see
Groceries page 3
MEGAN SVOBODA
Students can find cheaper natural, vegan-friendly and sustainable produce at the Berkeley Student Food collective.
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News
02.10.15
One year later, Black Women’s Collective’s list of demands still being addressed Abbey Flentje flentje@thecampanil.com
Nearly a year after a message posted to the now-disbanded Mills Confessions Page sparked protests on the Mills campus, the demands created by the Black Women's Collective (BWC) are still being addressed. In an open meeting held Jan. 28, College President Alecia DeCoudreaux gave an update on the progress of the administrations efforts to meet the BWC's list of demands. Copies of the president's December memorandum regarding the administration's progress on the demands were on the tables. After speaking, DeCoudreaux opened the floor to students and faculty alike. "We're concerned about [racism] happening in our country, what's happening in our broader community here in Oakland, and what's happening here," DeCoudreaux said. "We're doing everything we can within our community to fight against racism." Judy Weisinger, a leading member of the Black Student Enrollment Task Force (BSETF) and Mills associate professor, spoke on the task force's job and what their current work is. Part of their job is to look at the recruitment, admissions, enrollment and matriculation of Black students at Mills.
JEN MAC RAMOS
President DeCoudreaux (above) says that progress is being made to meet each demand on the BWC’s list.
"[This] involves gathering large amounts of quantitative as well as qualitative data to better understand the experience of Black students here at Mills," Weisinger said. In addition to their research in the recruitment and admissions of Black students on campus, the BSETF is looking into data on retention rates of Black students at Mills to compare with nationwide retention rates. Weisinger also addressed that BWC Demand Five, the breaking down of students of color percentages for individual ethnic groups on the College's website, has been looked over. According to Weisinger, the representation of students of color on the website has been split into
JEN MAC RAMOS
Sharon Washington (above) is in charge of directing the sensitivity training for faculty from demand nine.
different categories. Demand nine, a request for racial sensitivity training for faculty and staff, is currently in the process of being enacted. Sharon Washington, a diversity consultant brought
“We’re doing everything we can within our community to fight against racism.” — President DeCoudreaux
in to assist meeting this demand, will begin work to start this training. With the help of biology department chair, Lisa Urry, Washington began conducting workshops on Feb. 2, to train the faculty on inclusive teaching. Plans are being made to hold workshops in other departments. "We will be looking at what does it mean to look at inclusive teaching," said Washington. "I have helped faculty on how to expand being more inclusive, whether you're teaching math or biology or the social sciences." Students also had the opportunity to speak. They told personal stories of microaggresions they have experienced on campus and discussed their desires for the demands to be met. Sophomore Niac Muhammad said he has seen instances of professors who have told Black students
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they should give up in their area of study. He also expressed frustration at the lack of action from the administration to reprimand these faculty members. "One of my friends was told she wasn't intelligent enough to pursue what she wanted to pursue," Muhammad said at the meeting. "I have seen no repercussions so far. There have been a number of professors who have told students to just give up. To me, it's unacceptable for a teacher at any level of education to tell a student they should give up." Junior Rachel Patterson said she was thankful for a space for dialogue about the microaggresions on campus. "I was waiting for a space like this to be held at the end of the spring semester of the year the incident took place," Patterson said. "I appreciate transparency in language and in spaces like this." Patterson also said she feels many of the problems on the Mills campus come from a disconnect between students and the administration. She cited an example of a microaggresion training session for the Board of Trustees that got followed by a presentation where the presenter said there were not enough white students on campus. "Yes, we need to focus our efforts together, but we also need to be connected in those efforts," Patterson said. Senior Cheryl Reed spoke specifically about Demand Four on the BWC list, the establishment of a fund for Black students who are need of financial assistance in order
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to continue their education at Mills. Reed stated concern that without a fund specifically set aside for Black students' financial aid, remaining at Mills might not be feasible for some. "My concern with this is [the administration] is saying 'Well, we're doing what we can, but you guys have to do what you have to do,’" Reed said. "We're asking for your help, we're asking the institution for help." DeCoudreaux responded by saying the College sets aside what funds it can, but they cannot set aside funds for a specific ethnic group. Such a fund would need to be supported by an outside donor, she stated. The research being compiled by the BSETF will be presented to the President in April. According to DeCoudreaux, all the other BWC demands will continue to be addressed as quickly as possible.
JEN MAC RAMOS
Dave Donahue offered an open door to students if they wished to express concerns.
The Campanil welcomes public commentary on subjects of interest to the campus community, as well as feedback on the paper itself. Letters to the Editor should be no more than 150 words. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity only. All submissions must include the author’s name and contact information and may be submitted via e-mail or in typewritten form, accompanied by an electronic copy. No anonymous submissions will be accepted. Submissions must be received one week before the publication date to appear in the next issue. The Campanil reserves the right to upload all content published in print, in addition to original content, on our website, www.thecampanil.com. The Campanil is published every other Tuesday. Students interested in joining The Campanil staff should contact the Editor in Chief at eic@thecampanil.com
News Influential women speak about courage to empower young girls from
Government page 1
panelist to share stories of when they had been courageous or witnessed a courageous act. Johnson, now an Apple recruiter, spoke about her time interning in the West Wing of the White House. “Interning at the White House and working with President Obama — that is witnessing courage every second, every minute,” Johnson said. Dulski spoke about her decision to take a demotion in order to pursue a different career that she was more passionate about, as well as her fight to coxswain the men’s rowing team while in college. Dulski also shared anecdotes about ground-breaking petitions started by children or teens that helped create change. “To me, courage is doing what you believe in, even if you think it might not succeed, and it comes at a cost — and that cost could look like anything,” Dulski said. King, a five-time Emmy-winning broadcast journalist, discussed her decision to stop dying her gray hair despite her boss’s wishes — a big taboo for women in the broadcast journalism field. She also spoke about the courage of her white mother and black father to marry and have children during the 1950s despite the racial climate of that time; King praised her mother for raising “two little brown babies” after her father’s death. “My mom taught me that if you have [a] problem, you take it to the person who can answer, who can make a difference, who can make a decision — which is why I’m a reporter today,” King said. “I learned a long time ago to ask questions of the people who can answer them. My mom taught me an awful lot, but she taught me courage through love.” Brooks-Moon spoke about when her father, Nathaniel Brooks, became the first African-American high school administrator in San Francisco, and they became the first Black family to integrate into the peninsula. Accepted by neither her Caucasian nor Black peers, Brooks-Moon was bullied as a child until she found a way to use sense of humor to gain friends. “I also learned that I had the power within me to stand up to the bullies,” Brooks-Moon said.
ARI NUSSBAUM
Brooks-Moon would later become the first African-American female announcer in sports history. Today, she is the announcer for the San Francisco Giants. At the conclusion of the panel, the GGLS students asked each panelist for advice. “You don’t have to see it to believe in whatever your vision is,” Johnson said. “Believe in your own strength and power.” Dulski told the students that failure is nothing to be ashamed of. “You know you’re gonna fail, so rather than hide it and be ashamed of it, why not celebrate our failures?” Dulski said. “The truth is that we all help each other by admitting that we all fail at one time and so if we can be somewhat public about it, then the amazing thing is that other people will help us.” King shared advice from her personal experience. “We’re telling you to be strong,” she said, “and I can tell you that because I’ve been weak before. I’ve let myself down, and I’ve let others down. I can tell you to not be afraid and to go out into the world boldly, and I can tell you that because I’ve been afraid. I can tell you to be kind to people because I’ve been mean[....]I can tell you to believe in yourself because I’ve not believed in myself at times. I can tell you not to be arrogant, but to be humble because there are times I’ve been arrogant. We are humans. We will make mistakes, humans make mistakes. And you know what? You’re supposed to make mistakes.” Brooks-Moon reminded the JMSG students that they have just as much courage in themselves as the women sitting on the panel. “We’re courageous at every age, aren’t we, ladies?” she said.
The Women of Courage panel (above) their experiences and the meaning
ARI NUSSBAUM
spoke about of courage.
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Berkeley students create co-op for cheaper and healthier food options from
Courage was the main topic at the JMSG Girls in Government club’s panel.
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Groceries page 1
employees and customers. With a quick turnover in student workers, many members of the community pass through and hopefully become more aware of their food, agriculture and health, according to their website. Listed under their “about” section is a description of their goals for the community and environment. “We seek to educate students about nutrition and food systems, empower new leaders, and train youth to work in and manage a sustainable business,” the BFSC
website states. Bekah Park who works at a head shop on Telegraph Avenue, takes regular trips to the BSFC, which is a few blocks away. “The fact that people are excited and aware enough about healthy food to keep the Collective running, makes me happy to go there,” Park said. Other than the BSFC, Jones also suggests the Berkeley Bowl and farmers markets for fresh, organic food. She says farmers markets are sometimes even cheaper than food offered at the BSFC. In addition, it is possible to put in orders and make agreements with the
farmers themselves. Another way to get food delivered directly to doorstep is with produce boxes offered by the BSFC and organizations, such as Full Belly Farm located in Capay Valley, California. After signing up, boxes of seasonal foods are sent to customers’ addresses every week. “If something like the Berkeley Student Food Collective existed on Mills campus, or even somewhere else in the city, I would definitely go,” Reis said. The entire “Manual for Student Run Food Cooperatives” can be found on berkeleystudentfoodcollective.org.
MEGAN SVOBODA
Berkeley Student Food Collective sells more affordable groceries for students on a budget.
Mills professor Maggie Hunter featured in recent documentary from
Documentary page 1
film, “Dark Girls.” Both films delve into the matter of skin tone stratification, also known as colorism. Skin tone stratification analyzes the issues arising from the variation in lightness and darkness of skin tone. In her book, Hunter published her findings from studying AfricanAmerican and Mexican-American communities. She analyzed trends in discrimination and, like other researchers, found clear patterns of discrimination against darkerskinned women. Interim Provost David Donahue was not surprised that she was invited to speak on the documentary. “Her scholarship is impressive, and given her expertise on colorism, I’m not surprised the film makers have drawn on her knowledge and insight,” Donahue said. In the documentary, Hunter supplied historical context, helped explain how colorism shapes people’s lives and provided information about skin bleaching and racially based cosmetic surgeries and alterations. Ten Mills students were also interviewed and Hunter felt that they made a big impact on
the documentary. “The filmmakers shared with me that they felt that the depth of personal response and analysis from the Mills students was very profound,” Hunter said. Just like “Dark Girls,” “Light Girls” received a lot of viewer reaction on social media and drew a lot of online commentary that ranged from praise to harsh critiques of the film. According to Tre’vell Anderson of the Los Angeles Times, a large majority of the social media response separated into lighter and darker people speaking about their own personal experiences. “Voices in each group echoed long-held sentiments: Feeling undue pressure to be ‘black enough’ for lighter women, or being ‘too black’ for darker women,” Anderson wrote. Hunter explained that colorism is just as relevant to our culture today as it was hundreds of years ago, and the response to this documentary reveals that the subject of colorism is touching on racial taboos that people now want to open up conversation about. “Colorism is a long-standing issue in the U.S. as well as other
places,” Hunter said. “People are interested in the nuances of colorism because it is only possible in a racist context that darker skin is less valued.” She then explained that when delving into the subject, many are going to have divisive opinions about it because colorism was a topic not openly talked about until recently. “Colorism in the Black community has long been seen as dirty laundry,” said Hunter. Because this subject has been so taboo, any research on or openings of conversation on colorism is relatively new, according to Hunter. “People have strong connections to this painful topic that is not supposed to be talked about,and that brings about the social media frenzy,” Hunter said. But above the conversations this work has stirred, what she ultimately sees as the larger goal of the film is to channel this discussion to prompt productive change. “The bigger goal [of this documentary] is to continue this kind of conversation and changes in our laws, actions and behaviors so we can reduce the harm from colobased discrimination,” Hunter said.
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02.10.15
Arts & Entertainment
Sarah O’Neal ‘radically re-imagines’ the world through spoken word Terrapin Frazier
frazier@thecampanil.com
“Ask us to be polite, to stay calm, to voice grief with respect while our brothers’ bodies are laid out on the streets, sounding the alarm. Our bodies are threats well before they are human, and you still want to know the source of our rage?” These are words from Sarah O’Neal’s poem “An Overreaction,” featured Jan. 31 by UpWorthy. Upworthy’s article on O’Neal was one of many recent recognitions for her spoken word. In August 2014, O’Neal was selected as a winner of the Raise Up Project’s hip hop and spoken word competition. She was awarded a scholarship and performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. On Jan. 23, O’Neal came in first at the Mills College Poetry Slam. As a result, this March she will be at the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI) in Richmond, Va. O’Neal is an active member of the community both at Mills and in the Bay Area. Q: How do you see yourself in the Oakland community? A: I’m an artist, I’m a student, I’m an organizer, I’m an activist. There’s a lot of different roles that I play, and I’m involved in a lot of different spaces outside of Mills, for sure. I think that my role is sort of just being present, stepping in and adding to some of the work that’s already been done here for years. Q: What has it been like to be featured by Upworthy? A: It means a lot to me because it can reach more people ... For a lot of people, hearing that piece is affirmation that they are not alone in what they are thinking, that they aren’t alone in the pain and the rage and the hurt and the trauma. Also, to reiterate to folks who are constantly dismissing it, dismissing us. It’s a larger platform that I didn’t have access to, and now I have access to. Q: How did you find out you had been featured? A: My friend messaged me the link on Facebook and was like, ‘Hey, by the way if you haven’t seen this you’re on Upworthy.’ Q: What was it like to open for Cornel West and Mann Jones on Jan. 15?
Yale Art School Dean and critic Robert Storr delivers lecture on Louise Bourgeois Elaine Chen
chen@thecampanil.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF YOUTH SPEAKS
Sarah O’Neal has performed her award winning poetry throughout the Bay Area and across the nation.
A: It was probably one of my most prideful moments this year. [West] is really brilliant and talks about a lot of different things, from the prison industrial complex to the current state of race related issues in the United States. It was really, really powerful to be able to actually meet him and sit down and talk with him. I don’t like idolizing people, but he’s definitely someone I looked up to from when I was really young. Q: What was it like to be a winner of Raise Up’s hip hop and spoken word competition? A: It was actually really funny. I wrote the poem, then maybe a month and a half later one of my mentors was like, ‘Hey, Raise Up has been in the works and they’re putting up a call for people to submit poems. You should definitely submit your piece.’ Q: How long did it take for you to find out you had won? A: It was like all summer. Simultaneously I was competing in Brave New Voices with the Bay Area Youth Team. So I submitted the poem and then during that time I was rehearsing, practicing and writing, getting ready for the slam in Philadelphia. I wasn’t really thinking about it to be honest.
PHOTO COURTESY OF YOUTH SPEAKS
O’Neal will perform with the Mills College Slam Poetry Team March 12 before competing in CUPSI.
Q: How did you first get into spoken word? A: I was 13; I was at a protest. It was during operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009, when the state of Israel was bombarding Gaza, they were basically bombing them. I was getting more involved with political organizing, and I met my best friend at that protest. She was a spoken word artist and she was like, ‘Hey, I know you really care about all this, I want you to write a poem and come share it at the next march.’ I had never been exposed to poetry that interested me ... now poetry is such a vital part of my being. Q: Do you consider yourself an artist? A: I have struggled a lot with defining myself that way, but lately I’ve been thinking, you know, I make a lot of art. A lot of what grounds me in this work around liberation and justice is the idea of radically re-imagining the world we live in and envisioning something, not buying into the fact that this is the way the world has to function. That is inherently artistic, in my opinion, and inherently creative, is seeing the world in a different way than it is currently functioning. So yeah, I would consider myself an artist. Q: Do you differentiate between art and activism? A: No. Mostly because — and I think it was Audre Lorde who said this — the personal is political for me. The Mills College Slam Poetry Team will hold a send off show March 12 before leaving for CUPSI. For more information about spoken word and slam poetry on campus, visit the Mills College Student Activities page or the Mills College Poetry Slam page on Facebook.
Robert Storr, art curator, critic, painter and current dean of the Yale School of Art, presented a lecture on French-American Artist Louise Bourgeois in Lucie Stern Hall at Mills College on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Louise Bourgeois, who died in 2010 was most renowned for her paintings and sculptures. She was a prolific and influential figure in both modern and contemporary art, with a career that spanned most of the 20th century and into the 21st. Storr, a biographer and a close friend of Bourgeois until her death at 98, published a biographical survey of her work in 2003 on Phaidon. Storr’s lecture was a mixture of detailed presentations on a chronological selection of Bourgeois’ work and personal anecdotes. Storr depicted Bourgeois as a dynamic and unique artist, whose work embraced aesthetic elements of both cubism and surrealism but rejected to assimilate to their ideas. Storr explored Bourgeois’ work through its themes of the community and the collective feminist expressions of male and female form and through her experimentation with various sculptural mediums. “Louise shifted from painting to sculpture because painting doesn’t show enough resistance,” Storr said, showing pictures of Bourgeois’ early sculptures made from
PHOTO COURESTY OF WIKIPEDIA
Robert Storr spoke about renowned artist Louise Bourgeois at Mills Feb. 4.
planks found on the rooftop of her New York City apartment. “[In these sculptures], she was particularly interested in the individual’s relationship with the world built on risk and uncertainty, and the capacity of a member to sustain the community or wreak havoc,” Storr said in relation to many of Bourgeois wooden sculptures — some of which contain figures that are almost unable to support themselves. Storr also spoke about Bourgeois’ later use of non-traditional materials, such as plaster and latex, to achieve organic textures and tactile elements in her sculptures. Many of these works evolved around themes of the male phallus and the female body, often in a single piece. These sculptures show Bourgeois’ interpretations of “the human body in aggregate from a female’s perspective,” Storr said. “A lot of art criticism that I have read take on a psychoanalytic angle of the work, so it’s very refreshing to hear a presentation that distances itself from that perspective,” audience member Dan Swindel said. Critiquing the psychoanalytic stance many of Bourgeois’ pieces encounter, Storr says, “the dynamics of her work are open to interpretations.” He argues that by taking a literal perspective one reduces art to mere images whose symbolic nature denies the work from its own manifestation. “Louise’s claim to fame is defined by her innovations and contributions to the art forms which she practices,” Storr remarked on Bourgeois’ legacy. Aside from the formal presentation of Bourgeois’ work, Storr told personal anecdotes about the artist, particularly from her famous Sunday salons where young artists would gather at her Chelsea townhouse to show her their works. The event was part of Mills College’s Artist Lecture Series, sponsored by Corenah Wright Lecture Series and the Mills College art department. For upcoming events in the Artist Lecture Series, visit www.mcam.mills.edu/events.
Photo of the week
Seniors leave their mark
JEN MAC RAMOS
Arts & Entertainment
02.10.15
Expert anthropologist speaks about decolonizing food Maria Aguilar Staff Writer
Terrapin Frazier
TERRAPIN FRAZIER
Myers discussed how colonialism has shaped farming in the United States.
Black History Month kicks off in Adams Plaza Genevieve Adabelle Contributing Writer
frazier@thecampanil.com
Dr. Gail Myers, an expert in the anthropology of African-American farming, spoke alongside four local farmers in the Student Union Thursday, Feb. 5, in “Decolonizing Your Diet,” a Black History Month event at Mills College. Myers spoke extensively about the impact colonialism in the United States has had on farming and the relationship that AfricanAmerican communities have with the Earth. “We were in tune with the natural environment,” Myers said. “Colonialism brought all this destruction. When we grow our own food,
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Lecture and dent Union
panel “Decolonizing Feb. 5, as part
we are giving back to the spirit we came from.” For Myers, growing food was a part of her childhood. She fondly described growing food with her grandmother, and said that her grandmother’s urban farm created a strong sense of who she is as a Black woman. “That was her way of resistance and liberation to the standard American diet,” Dr. Meyers said. Myers has used her experiences with her grandmother to encourage others to decolonize their diets. “How do we decolonize? We reclaim and we revalue the local knowledge,” Myers said. “When we decolonize our diet, we reclaim foods. There [is] something very important about growing your own food, a sense of power.” Myers is a co-founder of Farms to Grow, Inc., a non-profit organization which, according to their website, strives to “assist African American farmers and other underserved farmers/gardeners maintain
PHOTO COURTESY OF FREEDOM FARMER’S MARKET
Your Diet” took place in of Black History Month
and create sustainable farms and spaces to grow food and motivate the next generation of farmers to grow sustainably and with community in mind.” Preceding Myers’ lecutre, a panel of four local farmers discussed urban farming and their experiences with decolonizing food. Panelist Iyalode Kinney, founder/garden director of Communities United Restoring Mother Earth (CURME), spoke highly of Dr. Meyers. “The only reason I’m here is because of her. She cares about us,” Kinney said. “I follow her to the next soil place. I know her as a person who brings people together for a cause.” Myers repeatedly discussed urban farms, markets and gardens as spaces of resistance. According to Myers, colonialism resulted in the intentional erasure of Black farmers. “We are resisting invisibility,” Meyers said. “Many people don’t even know there are Black farmers.”
Myers is currently working on a documentary project called “Rhythms of the Land: The lost love story between the Black farmers and community” that will include interviews of AfricanAmerican farmers, sharecroppers and gardeners. “There is a power in choosing where your food comes from. There is power in knowing where your food comes from,” Myers said. “Especially if you have a farm and you are able to grow your own food, I think that is everything... Decolonizing is everything.” Tamicia Wakefield, a first year majoring in public policy, expressed interest in supporting local black businesses following the event. “It is important to support local black businesses in order to build up your community and an opportunity to give back to it,” said Wakefield. “Black men and women propel themselves into the business world and exist as role models.”
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Black History Month Dinner and the Appreciation of our Black Faculty and Staff & El Wah Movement Dance Theatre–Haitian Dance Performance Founders Hall 5:00-7:00pm
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Creative Expressions of Faith and Identity Mills Chapel 7:00 p.m.
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Healing from Toxic Media Faculty and Staff Lounge 4:00-6:00 p.m.
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The Art of Living Black—Open Studios Art Fair Student Union 11:00-5:00 p.m.
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Healing Justice: A Conversation GSB Gathering Hall 101 7:00 p.m.
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Black History Month Dance Student Union 9:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
the Stuat Mills.
Black History Month Events
The typical midday chatter of Mills College’s Adams Plaza momentarily hushed Monday, Feb. 2, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s voice filled the warm air: “We shall overcome. We shall overcome.” The gathering was held to celebrate the start of Black History Month at Mills College. Soon the moment of hush shifted to cheerful festivity as bouncy beats replaced the voice of King on the sound system. Students clustered around the Mills College Black Women’s Collective (BWC) table, the hub of the Black History Month Kick Off Party, discussing upcoming events and eating cookies. “Today we’re mostly just trying to be in community,” said Joyelle Baker, president of the BWC. The theme of this year’s Black History Month is “Healing Justice.” The month’s events will be geared towards identifying and sharing holistic responses to the institutionalized racism and subsequent trauma and violence facing Black individuals today. Among this month’s events are: Black Lives Matter, an event honoring Black individuals who have lost their lives due to police brutality; Decolonizing Your Diet, an event exploring the importance of knowing where your food comes from; Heal Your Hair; A dinner honoring Black faculty and staff; Healing From the Toxic Media; The Art of Living Black, an evening of open studios as part of the Bay Area Black Artists Exhibition and Art Tour entitled “The Art of Living Black;” Healing Justice Conversations; The Black History Month Dance; and a much-anticipated production of “Pocketbook Monologues.” “These events and healing [are] so important,” Cheryl Reed, outreach coordinator for the BWC said. “[Healing] is a crucial part of liberation.” More information about upcoming Black History Month events can be found on the ethnic studies department’s webpage, posted around Mills College and in the Student News Digest.
Visit
www.thecampanil.com
to read about past Black History Months at Mills
Staff Editorial
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Opinions
02.10.15
Freedom of speech in student publications Recently in North Dakota the John Wall New Voices Act was introduced, intending to protect high school and college student journalists with freedom of speech in content, particularly with school-sponsored media. North Dakota has become one of eight states that have or are starting to pass laws to protect those rights for student journalists. What does this signify to us as students at Mills College? Freedom of speech is one of the five rights in our First Amendment, going hand in
hand with freedom of press, assembly, petition and religion. As a student newspaper, The Campanil knows all too well about the importance of the freedom of speech, particularly on college campuses. There have even been laws and precedents passed to protect those rights, such as California’s Leonard Law and the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier decision in 1988. As editors and journalists, we report and write to create an open dialogue of different perspectives for the Mills community. At the same time, The
Campanil notices the limitations on freedom of expression on college campuses. Although there are beliefs that people can say whatever they want, especially in higher education, we recognize that institutions create these limitations to prevent things such as hateful words, libel, slander and so on. Overall, we understand that every word said can not be justified with freedom of speech. Because of this understanding, The Campanil also acknowledges the rules and regulations placed by colleg-
es and universities that limits this freedom of expression. At Mills, we know the importance to adhering to its policies in its “Student Handbook.” The “Student Handbook” even has community standards and an honor code, acting as both a guide and a contractual agreement for students to follow. In short, the handbook is to enforce and attempt to create a safe space for students to receive an education at Mills, even with our newspaper. We know the significance and impact of our words with The Campanil. We acknowl-
edge our responsibility to cover events, especially in adherence to its mission statement: to serve the Mills community through responsible and ethical journalism. As students, we also know that freedom of expression comes with a responsibility, one that can easily be misinterpreted and misrepresented to hurt others and show one perspective. At Mills, we work to create safe, all-inclusive spaces, and we attempt to contribute to that idea with our newspaper.
Racial ambiguity and the
Sexpertise with objectification of mixed-race people Millie
I’m back! Hello my darlings, I’ve come back to you after a very long and hard vacation. My body is so ready for you. For those of you who have never heard of me before, I am the school sexpert. I love sex ,and I love sharing my knowledge with you. No topic is too taboo for me to tackle. Most importantly, I am very sex- positive. I believe that sexuality is fluid, not fixed. But, of course,
time for you and your partner(s) to get down and dirty. Like I’ve said before, all relationships have depth and complexity — especially the one you have with yourself. I want to know how you do the deed. How dirty can you get? What are you into? What aren’t you into? All submissions will be anonymous and protected, I promise! Share your stories and/or questions about love, life and health
I am very
sex-positive
.
I believe that sexuality is fluid, not fixed.
that’s for you to decide for yourself. Sex positivity denotes comfort in the bedroom — well, wherever you want really. As a human being, you have the right to explore and express your sexuality. Sex, for some people, is still a taboo topic, especially when considering the possibilities of sexually transmitted infections, gross bodily fluids, and of course, the most intimidating factor: showing someone else what you look like naked. Well, my darlings, that is why I’m here. I’m here to talk about the sexy, hot, awkward, gross, nasty, and even funny moments that can happen when it’s
with me at askmillie@thecampanil. com and I’ll share them with the Mills community. Together we can build a more sex positive environment and create a safe, informative dialogue about sex, your body and your consent. Mills has great resources like the Health Center and Community Health and Resource Center (CHRC) in CPM. Now you can put me back onto that list. I can’t wait for you to tell me all your dirty little secrets. Stay sexy, XX Millie
ELAINE CHEN
Ari Nussbaum eic@thecampanil.com
I always know when it’s coming. People always have the same look on their face right before they say it: “What are you?” The first time I was asked this, I didn’t know what to say. There were so many answers — I could have said “I’m Asian-Filipino, actually,” or I could have said, “I’m Russian,” or I could have simply said, “I’m mixed-race.” But truth be told, the people who ask me these questions are usually not satisfied with any of these answers, responding with “Really? You don’t look Asian” or “Oh, I would have guessed _______.” Every once in a while I receive a, “You can’t be Filipino! You don’t
seem *random adjective that actually has nothing to do with Filipino culture*.” Even the simple, the “mixed-race” answer elicits a whole lot of questions. When I am straightforward and tell people my ethnicities, I often get responses such as “Ooh, how exotic” or “What an interesting mix!” My least favorite — and the most common — comment I get is, “Yeah, I thought you looked like you were something.” The objectification of mixedrace people is nothing new. It’s been happening for centuries and I’m certainly not the first person to deal with it. Referring to mixedrace people as “exotic” has become so normalized that most people don’t even realize how dehumanizing it can be. It took me several years to realize how much these questions — and moreso, the responses to my answers —hurt me. Why do people feel entitled to interrogate strangers about their race or ethnicity? Why do they feel that they have a right to question my identity because I don’t look white enough or brown enough to fit their stereotypes? Why do people think that it’s okay to trivialize someone’s culture by reducing it to one-dimensional characteristics? I don’t have answers to these questions yet, except to say that most people still feel like they need
to catalog people in their minds by race or ethnicity. I understand the natural curiosity that people feel towards someone who appears racially or ethnically ambiguous, but I think it will always bother me that others think it is okay to argue with someone about their identity because they don’t fit into what the outsider believes that identity should look like. I’ve accepted the fact that I will probably have to field these questions for the rest of my life, but I’ve got an answer for the next time someone tells me that I look like I’m “something:” Everyone is something. My race is not what makes me “something.” Being a mixed-race person does not make me “something,” and neither does my whiteness or my Filipino heritage. I do not want to be exotified or objectified for my race(s). I do not want to constantly be looked at as “something” instead of “someone.” If you deconstruct “something,” do you know what you get? Some. Thing. I am not a thing. I am a person. I should not be defined by others solely by my race — whether through visible or invisible characteristics. People should not have to challenge my cultural identity in order to contextualize me in their minds. My race is a part of me, but it is not who I am.
Editor’s note: With the exception of staff editorials, the views expressed in the Opinions section do not necessarily reflect the views of The Campanil and are solely those of the author. Additionally, statements made by contributors outside of The Campanil do not reflect the opinions of the editorial board.
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Come to our Open Meetings Rothwell 157 Mondays @ 6:30 p.m. or contact: eic@thecampanil.com
Opinions
02.10.15
7
In search of feminism
The challenges of “choice feminism”
DAJANAE BARROWS
Sonja Lund Contributing Writer Can a woman be a feminist if she has chosen to become a stayat-home mom? Can the choice to leave the workforce and devote her life to child rearing and housekeeping be considered a “feminist” choice? There’s a lot of talk in feminist circles these days about the validity, or lack thereof, of “Choice Feminism” — an approach to feminism which states that any choice a woman makes is inherently “feminist,” simply because it was a choice freely made by a woman. Some believe very strongly in this paradigm, while others reject it, considering it too simplistic. In understanding this issue, it’s important for us to examine what the implications of this idea actually are. One of the main goals of the
feminist movement, if we’re thinking really big, is to liberate all of us from expectations and roles arbitrarily assigned to us due to gender. “Choice Feminism” can be an appealing view because it means that we’re that much closer to achieving our goals. The options women have for careers, appearances and relationships have expanded, and that’s a victory.
What we do know is that all women should be free to live their lives as they wish, and we’re not there yet. We must work hard to support those who go against society’s script. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Yes, a woman can shave her head, date another woman and work as an engineer, but her life choices will be scrutinized in a way that more conventional choices won’t be. Society has expectations of how the female life will be lived, and it doesn’t always take kindly to those who decide to go against those expectations. So is the bald, queer engineer more of a feminist than the straight, married mother of three? Not necessarily. But the way she is living her life is certainly more subversive in the face of patriar-
chy. Likewise, my butch straight sister is not necessarily any more feminist than femme queer me, nor I her, but we both subvert gender roles and expectations in our own ways. I don’t like the label “feminist” when it comes to the decisions one makes for one’s own life. While not all choices are equally subversive, feminism is still about liberation, not ignoring one’s own desires in order to make the “right” choices. Further, larger life choices will have smaller associated choices, all with different implications and impacts. A woman becoming a Christian isn’t challenging American society, but a woman becoming an Episcopal priest certainly is. I resist demands that I meet a narrow standard of beauty by choosing to love myself exactly as I am, but “loving myself” manifests as growing out my hair, wearing makeup and shaving my legs. There are no easy answers here. What we do know is that all women should be free to live their lives as they wish, and we’re not there yet. We must work hard to support those who go against society’s script. We must examine the choices we make in our own lives and why we make them, and — most importantly — we must always resist the notion that there is only one way to be a woman.
How do I adult?
100 days.
ELAINE CHEN
Jen Mac Ramos Ramos@thecampanil.com On the day of Senior Paint Day, I remembered my first piece of writing for The Campanil: a letter to the editor during Orientation '10. Five
years? Has it really been that long? Apparently so. I was so nervous to begin my undergraduate career back then. Since then, I've learned how to schedule nap time into my planner. And now, it's a 100 days until I walk across the stage and face this so-called "real world" that many adult folk tell me about. Am I ready for this? Do I know how to "adult?" Some would say that I already am "adulting" because college requires you to have responsibilities and obligations. Others would say that college is just a transition period that lets one adjust from high school to "life," because "life" doesn't begin until you get your degree (obviously). I don't know what
I would say other than that all of this is too confusing and scary — every new chapter is nervewracking. I think that's normal. I think. I'm still preparing for life fully outside 5000 MacArthur Blvd. It's intimidating not knowing where I'm going to be in six months. That uncertainty floats around in my head from time to time, and it will until I hear back from the grad schools and jobs I've applied to. Waiting always sucks, but I guess in the next 100 days, I'm going to pretend I know how to be an adult, so I won't be in complete shock when the time comes around to stop pretending.
Want to have your voice in The Campanil? The opinions section is currently looking for:
Melodie Miu Contributing Writer
5. Conserve by wasting ... everything. Remember the soap spit balls on the roof in middle school? It’s time to bring those back.
Emily Mibach mibach@thecampanil.com
6. Concerning feminine hygiene products: leave them everywhere. Especially if used.
You’re about to embark on your first mission as the Bathroom Bandit. You are a member of an elusive secret revolutionary group of public space raiders who strategically dismantle the status quo by creating huge inconveniences for everyone around you. Think of yourself as a poor man’s Banksy with toilet paper as your spray paint. Follow these steps and you’ll be able to save the earth, one clogged toilet at a time. 1. Never flush anything. 2. Surfaces should never be dry or spotless. 3. Hair deserves to be everywhere. 4. What’s a trash can?
7. Put end of toilet paper roll in toilet. Flush repeatedly. 8. Want to involve others? Throw toilet paper over the stall while someone is in there. 9. Leave half eaten food in the stall. 10. When graffiti-ing: misquote popular quotes on purpose. Let the rage responses begin. 11. When you have sex in the bathroom, don’t clean up after yourself. 12. Leave your toenail clippings in the sink. DISCLAIMER: This is not real advice. For the sake of your other bathroom go-ers, please do not actually do this.
Visit The Campanil’s website for these articles, columns and ongoing coverage: -Cyclones of the Week -In Search of Feminism -Black History Month events -Being Asian at Mills Everything in this issue and more at www.thecampanil.com
-Columnists -Opinion submissions -Letters to the editor Email barrows@thecampanil.com for more info!
Sports & Health
02.10.15
e n o cl y C
rs celeb e m m sw i
rate final hom
8
Monika Sabic
either end of the pool, team members leaned over the edge to cheer on the swimmers. There was no break in the Cyclone cheering. Sophomore Mara Harwood excelled in the 50-meter fly by achieving an all time best personal time as well as placing on the Mills top-ten swim time. “It took a while to get going, but I think once we got going everyone put their frustrations aside and really swam hard,” Harwood said. Gaby Amberchan, senior, gave it her all during her last swim meet. Her steady speed allowed her to easily outswim other swimmers, especially in the 500meter freestyle. “It’s been one of my better seasons,” Amberchan said. “I dropped a lot of time in events, the mile in particular, after having a shaky start.” Not only did the team and fans celebrate the victory, they also recognized senior Gaby Amberchan‘s last Mills swim meet;
f o t e mee
sabic@thecampanil.com
Cyclone fans and athletes felt school spirit at the pool on Saturday, Jan. 31 as the swim team prepared to take on City College of San Francisco (CCSF) and Laney College at their last home meet. “We have come off of the threeweek break so people are starting to get back into the feel of it,” head coach Neil Virtue said. “Today there was a lot of improvement from our meet two weeks ago.”At
on s sea
Mills athletes and fans marked the day “Gaby Day." Amberchan was present with flowers and a handmade banner in recognition of her commitment to the swim team. Teammates expressed that Amberchan has been an important member to the team by being a spirited and hardworking Cyclone athlete. “[The] senior part was really gratifying and it’s nice to know that you are appreciated,” Amberchan said. “It’s been a great day”. Being on the swim team has helped Amberchan stay focused and organized throughout her academic career at Mills. She credits Virtue for helping her become a successful swimmer by pushing her to do better. Virtue appreciated Amberchan’s dedication to the team, such as coming to almost every practice and being ready to work hard in the pool. Her ambition to become a better swimer has been admired by
both Virtue and her teammates. “Words can’t describe really the impact that she has had, not only on the team, but on me as a coach,” Virtue said. Despite having a victorious last home meet, the swim season is not over. The team has yet to compete in the upcoming Liberal Arts Championship at Cowe College in Iowa, Feb. 12-14.
MONIKA SABIC
There was a great turn out to Mills’ last home swim meet of the season (left). Gaby Amberchan recieving her Senior Day gifts (Right).
UPCOMING EVENTS Swimming Feb. 12-14 Liberal Arts Championships at Coe College Tennis Feb. 13 at Diablo Valley College 2 p.m. Feb. 20 at UC Santa Cruz 3 p.m. Feb. 21 at Dominican University 10 a.m. Rowing Feb. 14 Alumnae Row
Psychological Services Make appointment at Cowell Building (510) 430-2130