THE CAMPANIL // Student-run newspaper serving Mills College since 1917 //
Racial justice event deconstructs Asian model minority myth Priscilla Son Staff Writer SAMEAPI Awareness Now! presented an event titled “Asian American and Racial Justice: Model Minority Mutiny, Collective Liberation and Faith-Rooted Allyship” on Apr. 2 in the Student Union. This is one event of many hosted by SAMEAPI, the South Asian Middle Eastern Asian Pacific Islander club, featuring Mills 2012 Graduate Bianca Louie and some pork buns. Louie spoke about the interconnectedness of Asian American narratives and the real-
PRISCILLA SON
The SAMEAPI Club is hosting numerous events this month.
ity of all people of color in the US. She addressed how to be an ally and speak up as an Asian-American voice during dialog about racial justice. “I wanted to give historical context to why it’s difficult [for Asian Americans] to engage in conversations about racial justice,” Louie said. “We matter, and we are stakeholders.” Despite differences in the ways Asian Americans experience oppression, Louie encouraged the audience to see how the history of Asian Americans and that of antiBlack racism are interconnected. Some Asian-American students she has met do not even see themselves as people of color and therefore consider themselves irrelevant to the conversation of oppression by white supremacy. “When we talk about Black Lives Matter, when we talk about racial justice, we’re allies, but we’re also stakeholders in this,” Louie said. “We want to decolonize the way history, policy and culture as Asian-American citizens has pit us against other people see
SAMEAPI page 5
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// Volume 100 // Issue 12 //
‘I belong here’ : Transgender women discuss experiences at Mills Ari Nussbaum eic@thecampanil.com As the first Transgender Week of Visbility since the announcement of Mills College’s transgender admissions policy comes to a close, students are continuing a dialogue about transgender experiences at Mills. Two such students are Erin Armstrong and Mia Satya, both of whom identify as transgender women. In August of 2014, Mills enacted an official policy to admit students who self-identify as female. In the following months, numerous other women's colleges published similar policies, including Mount Holyoke, Bryn Mawr, Simmons and Scripps. Prior to this change, Mills' policy was to admit transgender or genderfluid students on a case by case basis. However, when Satya called the admissions office in 2013 to ask if they admit transgender women, the person who answered the phone reportedly said no, telling Satya that applicants' original birth certificate needed to say female in order to be admitted. Satya had an inkling that this information was not accurate and decided to apply anyway. "I was like, 'maybe she's just an intern or a student who's not aware of their official policy,'" Satya said. "That still speaks to the fact that staff at the school aren't adequately trained on how to answer these questions." Satya was admitted and transferred to Mills in Fall of 2014 and
is currently a junior. The 2013 Report on Inclusion of Transgender and Genderfluid Students: Best Practices Assessment and Recommendations (in the colleges' Strategic Plan) recommended that admissions staff be trained in handling the needs of transgender students and admissions policies. The admissions office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding their training process. Like Satya, Armstrong, also a junior, applied to transfer to Mills prior to the official policy change. She initially thought that coming to a women's college would allow her to blend in, as she thought female pronouns would be assumed. But coming into Mills shortly after the policy change announcement, Armstrong's experiences were different than she had expected. "I felt like I was never afforded that sense of invisibility because I'm a trans woman," Armstrong said. "And we were having this large debate on campus about transwomen belonging here. I felt like just my presence was a very public experience." Both Armstrong and Satya have found the community to be generally supportive and accepting. For example, Satya noted that some of her professors have discussed trans identities in class. Armstrong has found support in Gender Splendor, a formerly defunct club that she revived this year and is now the president of. While Mills does have several LGBTQ clubs, Armstrong felt there was a
ERIN ARMSTRONG
Erin Armstrong (a bove) is a n activist who hopes to eng a ge in dialogues with students a bout tra nsgender issues.
need for a space specifically for the discussion of gender identity. Even with the revival of Gender Splendor, there is still a debate as to whether Mills provides a safe space for transgender women. "I think that more trans women need to be on campus before we can answer that question," Armstrong said. "From a personal standpoint, yes, I feel safe on campus, ... [but] I want to see what it's like for someone who is pre-op, or who doesn't pass well, or, like, just barely started their transition." Transgender women are often met with challenges that may pre-
vent them from seeking an education, Satya explained. "Its hard for trans women to go to college in general. ... We lack family support. We also face employment and housing discrimination, and [we] face pervasive violence ..." Satya, who was formerly homeless, said. "As a trans woman, I often feel like I’m just fighting for my survival and fighting for my life." According to a 2013 report by the National Coalition of AntiViolence, transgender women are see
Experiences page 3
Mills Volleyball player invited to coach and play abroad Alexina Estrada estrada@thecampanil.com
APER
Kate Smith was na med Cyclone of the Week in F all 2014.
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Being offered the opportunity to play and teach a favorite sport in another country is not something that happens everyday. Kate Smith has been offered just that chance. Smith, a second-year PLEA legal major, has been invited by Beyond Sports to their 3rd Annual Invitational Costa Rica Volleyball Tour from May 22 to 30, to coach and play volleyball. According to Beyond Sports’s website, during the nine-day tour, Smith will participate in volleyball clinics for the youth, play games against Costa Rica’s top teams, and go on excursions to the beach and rain forest. Grant Leslie and Josh Erickson
founded Beyond Sports in 2010 when they were in graduate school after being student-athletes themselves. Leslie was able to study abroad in Europe, and Erickson volunteered in Costa Rica. Mills Alum and cross-country athlete Angie Sandoval ‘11 played a role in building the program when it first began, according to Leslie. “These experiences helped us understand the importance of study abroad as a component of a liberal arts education, while also alerting us to the fact that very few of our student-athlete peers took advantage of similar opportunities,” Leslie, who is now the director of program development of Beyond Sports, said. see
Smith page 8
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News
Sweet Briar alumnae campaign against closure of college Abbey Flentje
flentje@thecampanil.com
114 years after Sweet Briar College opened its doors, the Board of Directors voted to close the historic Virginia women's college. Now, Sweet Briar's alumnae and students are fighting back to keep their beloved school open. The decision made by the Board and the College's President James Jones to close the college came on Mar. 3, stating that the financial situation at the school would not be able to keep the doors open. According to a Washington Post article, the school's 84 million dollar endowment and declining enrollment could not support the school. According to Sweet Briar Alumna Elizabeth Zuckerman '09, the decision came completely unexpected. It shocked students who considered the campus a second home. Alumna Bethany Melendy '09 currently lives in Japan and was shocked to hear about her school's closure through Facebook. "I felt completely betrayed," Melendy said in an email. "I understand [the Board's] position, and their argument as to why they did what they did; however, I still feel that what they did was completely unethical." According to Zuckerman, before ten o'clock on Mar. 4, alumnae started to plan how to fight back against the Board and president's decision. "[After] that initial rush of anger, we turned it into an actual movement," Zuckerman said. Twelve hours after the announcement, this movement became two groups: Saving Sweet Briar Inc., a formal entity handling legal matters, and the grassroots campaign of the same name, which consists of alumnae and supporters working to save their school. Spokeswomen for the grassroots campaign and Sweet Briar alumnae, Brittany and Briana Deane '08 said Saving Sweet Briar's goal of raising 20 million dollars should help to keep the school open for the present. Currently, Saving Sweet Briar has raised 3.3 million dollars.
Ari Nussbaum Editor in Chief eic@thecampanil.com 5000 MacArthur Blvd. Rothwell 157 Oakland, CA 94613 510.430.2246 phone
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
The Saving Sweet Briar campaign is working toward a goal of 20 million dollars to help save the historic women’s college.
However, according to the Washington Post, Jones has stated in order for the college to remain open they must raise 250 million dollars. The Deanes do not believe this sum given by the president is an accurate figure. "We believe the figure of 250 million dollars is fictional, one to make the goal of Saving Sweet Briar unattainable," Briana Deane said. Brittany Deane agreed, saying the group has a large support network committed to saving the school. "Jimmy Jones has attempted to make the Save Sweet Briar movement sound like a 'small' group making a lot of noise," she said. "We are not a small group. We are thousands ... of people united in the goal to save a historic women's college." In addition to gathering funds and support, Saving Sweet Briar released a statement on Mar. 6, announcing that Troutman Sanders LLP, a prominent law firm in
Virginia, would be representing them. This law firm sent a letter on Mar. 23 to to the college demanding the board of directors and Jones to resign from their positions. The letter also stated that the decision to close the college violates Virginia
“[After] that initial rush of anger, we turned it into an actual movement.” — Elizabeth Zuckerman
law because they took donations for the school even though they were planning to close. Melendy received an email toward the end of February which asked for one such donation. "You can imagine my shock when just a couple weeks later, the announcement came that they were going to try and close my beloved 'Pink Bubble,'" Melendy said.
Alumnae have also found ways outside of the Saving Sweet Briar campaign to show their support for keeping the school open. Melendy started a networking group, SBC Alumnae for SBC Faculty and Staff. This group helps the faculty and staff of Sweet Briar with their needs, such as finding new job openings or helping update cover letters and resumes. "[The faculty] are part of our Sweet Briar family," Melendy said. We care deeply for them and want to help them as much as we can." Support for Sweet Briar has come from other colleges as well. According to Zuckerman, Wilson College alumnae have shown support for the Sweet Briar alumnae as Wilson experienced a similar situation in 1979. Wilson remained open after the students worked against the administration's decision to close, though the college became co-ed during the 2013-2014 school year. "The circumstances are remarkably similar," Zuckerman said. "The Wilson women have been
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through this already, so they know not only emotionally what we're going through, but what to do to get the result we want." Mills College has also shown support for Sweet Briar; President Alecia DeCoudreaux sent out a campus-wide memorandum to announce the news of Sweet Briar's closure. "Our thoughts are with the students, staff, faculty and alumnae at Sweet Briar as they address this difficult reality and transition," DeCoudreaux said in the memorandum. Mills now provides information on its website for current students of Sweet Briar should they need to transfer. Even though the closure of Sweet Briar still stands, the alumnae and their supporters are still hopeful that they can succeed in keeping the school open. "I am extremely hopeful that we can save Sweet Briar," Melendy said. "I believe that we are very determined, and our greatest strength is our love of the school."
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 Trans women tell their stories at Mills
ERIN ARMSTRONG
G e n d e r S p l e n d o r, a c l u b o n c a m p u s , h a s o p e n e d a d i alogue on gender identity and transgender issues.
from
Experiences page 1
more likely to face harassment, discrimination, threats, intimidation, sexual violence and police violence than other groups; they are also less likely to report these experiences to law enforcement. According to the same report, 72.22 percent of victims of LGBTQ hate homicides were transgender women and 66.67 percent of homicide victims were transgender women of color. Both Satya and Armstrong have noticed a lack of transgender women of color at Mills. They both hope to see the College extend scholarships to transgender women of color, who typically have a lower socioeconomic status. "I ... identify as white, I grew up as white, I have white privilege and that works to my benefit," Satya said. "And I know the only other trans woman I know on campus is also white, and I think that isn’t shocking to me because with my financial aid package, I’m still spending the majority of my pay check paying for school, even with scholarships. So, a lot of other trans women of color who I used to work with or who I was homeless with, they are in the same position or worse than me and wouldn’t have the ability to finance their education here." Armstrong and Satya both feel that it is important to engage the community in dialogue about gender identity. Armstrong believes in looking for teachable moments.
Last semester when a fellow student used the wrong pronouns for her, Armstrong took the opportunity to sit down and speak to the classmate about trans identities. "I've been living as a woman for
“This is where I belong.” - Mia Satya
10 years, so I've had lots of experience about how to deal with people misgendereing me," Armstrong said. "I had to decide at one point that I'm going to use this as an educational opportunity as opposed to feeling like I'm being attacked." Armstrong said that if she could send a message to the student body, it would be to not be afraid to make mistakes but to be willing to own up to those mistakes and learn. Armstrong also encourages students to ask her questions. Although Satya does not feel that she has experienced any blatant discrimination, she does feel that others sometimes hold back their opinions or avoid certain topics
around her. Satya, who grew up in a conservative town in Texas, finds that she prefers negative comments over being ignored. "I would rather have a conversation [about] what are your biases around trans people, what do you think my life is like, what do you think my history is like?" Satya said. "Because I think that the more we talk about it, the more we can find common understanding." Similarly, Armstrong also feels that it is important to open up dialogue with people who have different opinions on trans issues. "I don't want to demonize anyone for saying that trans women don't belong here," Armstrong said. "I want to engage them in a discussion about what are women's issues, what's the commonalities that we share. Let's bridge that gap because I think that's how you can actually change hearts and minds." In addition to the space provided by Gender Splendor, students can find other opportunities for these conversations. President Alecia DeCoudreaux recently hosted an open meeting on gender inclusivity on Mar. 11. According to speakers at the Mar. 11 open meeting, current initiatives to make Mills a more gender inclusive environment include providing more gender-neutral bathrooms, updating the non-discrimination policy and pushing the Common Application Organization to improve the application process for transgender applicants. Satya and Armstrong have ideas on how Mills could become more inclusive — specifically through actively recruiting transgender women. "It's not just about saying 'We'll accept you,’” Armstrong said. “It's about saying 'We want you here, please come here.” Although there are changes that both Satya and Armstrong hope to see, there is one thing Satya is sure of. "I feel like everyday that I go to Mills, I’m like, ‘This is where I should be,'" Satya said. "This is where I belong." This article is in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility. Check back with The Campanil for further coverage of TDOV.
DAJANAE BARROWS
Transgender Day of Visibility recently brought the campus together to celebrate trans lives.
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People’s assembly works to promote change in Black community
DAJANAE BARROWS
Black community leaders at the SOBO assembly stressed the importance of the nine areas of self-determination.
Dajanae Barrows barrows@thecampanil.com Black residents of Oakland recently came together downtown at the night club and venue Geoffrey's Inner Circle to attend The State of Black Oakland (SOBO) to unify Oakland's Black population. Activists, organizations and community members discussed a plan to start what the organizers of the event call a vision of self-determination, a plan to empower and strengthen Black people in Oakland during the meeting on Mar. 28. After the recent rise of protests, demonstrations and discussions of the Black Lives Matter movement in Oakland, organizers of the assembly felt that more needed to be done for Black residents. According to organizers, the many deaths by police, gentrification and miseducation of Black children still pose issues. Organizer and Co-Chair of organization ONYX (Organized to Act, Never Ceasing to Struggle, Youth Focused with Elder Guidance, Xercising the Right to Liberate our Communities) Cat Brooks hoped to unify Black Oakland and start the agenda of working together and uplifting Black people in this assembly. The organization focuses on several issues, such as ending police brutality, arts and culture in Oakland and self-defense training. "In addition to the beautiful things that we’ve seen happening in Black organizing in Oakland, there’s a very real crisis for Black people," Brooks said. "The only way we’re going to overcome that crisis is by unifying in our work together and getting on the same page and pushing towards a collective agenda that is self-determined by us." The assembly gave people time to discuss their experiences and the conditions in Oakland in different groups. Each group talked about one of nine topics that the organizers of the event call the "nine areas of self-determination." These areas include politics, economics and self-defense. Organizer and Founder of the organization Community Ready Corps (CRC) Turha-Ak, focuses
the organization's work on protection, safety and solidarity for Black residents in Oakland. According to Turha-Ak, he hopes that his role in organizing will contribute to "advanced perspectives on solidarity" for the Black people in the assembly. "We can say that we hope that somebody in this room, we hope that some interaction in this room may be a part of that," Turha-Ak said. "Time and circumstance will tell us if we've done an effective job or not. These gatherings have the potential to do that." Takeema Hoffman, a graduate student from the California College of the Arts, felt that this work brought on more dialogue, especially for Black students in the American educational system. She felt that the United States is not ready to assist Black people progress in education and society. "What we're being called to do is something similar to anarchy," Hoffman said. "The more I think about it, the crazier it seems because I know one of the conclusions that I came to after being put onto some stuff is that the United States has always been a hostile environment for Black people, and I feel that it always will be." Terry Collins, Bay Area resident since 1967, shared his thoughts about how the Black members of Oakland should proceed in achieving unity and an agenda. Collins has worked with the Black Panther Party and the Black Student Union of San Francisco State University from 1967 to 1970, helping to make changes within the school's curriculum and campus for Black students. "So, as we come together, first we’ve got to think about our ideology," Collins said. "We’ve got to think about long-term survival, long-term thinking about a message [and] a vision of where we want to go, what we’re supposed to do, something that we’re ready to continue. We’ve got to find our ideology and what we believe in." The State of Black Oakland plans to have two more assemblies over the summer with dates to be determined. People can find out more information on their Facebook page: SOBO 2015 and through Twitter @SOBO2015.
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Arts & Entertainment
Senior dance concert T H R E A D strings together mediums Alexina Estrada estrada@thecampanil.com Lisser Theater was completely filled with people. Backstage, performers prepared to awe the crowd. For months these dancers had been working numerous hours to practice and put together the dance concert. From choreography to filming and finding music, everything they had put together was ready to be showcased. The Mills College Senior Dance Concert, T H R E A D was held Apr. 2 at 8 PM. Seniors Ashley Yee, Maya Haines, April Melendez, Alix Marcus and Aiano Nakagawa put together a concert filled with dancing, films, instruments, songs and lights. According to Resident Director Shinichi Iova-Koga, the students have been working on the concert since December 2014. The seniors asked other dancers and students they knew to perform and be part of the show as performers and background support. “The seniors had a vision,” Iova-Koga said. “They worked together and created a brainstorm. I am pleased with the level they were able to achieve with the technology and the music, you don’t normally see that background support.” As the lights faded to black, there was a chair on the right side of the stage. Suddenly, a light flashed onto it; three bodies emerged from waiting in the shadows, and the show began. There were five different acts, which threaded together continuously, just as the name of the concert suggests. The music ranged in different tones. Every body movement flowed into another. “It’s interesting,” Haines, one of the five seniors in the show, said. “Usually, when I perform, I think about the people sitting in the audience, but last night, I was focused on me, my dance, my dancers, my cohort and the cast. I felt very present.” Some pieces included visual projection in addition to dance. Some projections were faces of the different performers. Other projections were rain drops being focused in and out and slow-moving
images of people stretching their legs, moving their arms and swinging their feet blankets the stage and the dancers. During curtain call, each group of performers came together to do one last move from their piece. Once everyone had taken their place in the last spotlight, they all danced together. Yee and Haines hugged each other before everyone ran back behind the curtain. “I like the way one piece followed into another,” audience member Avril Fowler said. “Curtain call was great to see how one work came together by so many factions.” The audience was blown away by the production as a whole besides just the dancers. “They were all fantastic artists,” audience member Dominique Mask
COURTESY OF SHINICHI IOVA-KOGA
The pieces showcased by seniors flowed together seamlessly, inspiring the name T H R E A D.
said. “The technical precision it takes to be a Mills dancer is unbelievable. I’m glad I came to witness the beauty of Mills dancers.” Another audience member, Beatriz Perez- Stable, was also blown away by the event. “The films were great, and there was so much to see. The program was just wonderful,” Perez- Stable said. After months of practice, the show was a success. For the seniors, it was surreal. “It hasn’t hit me yet,” said Haines. “I do wish we had another show. I feel proud, relieved and honored to have had the experience with my dancers.” The seniors will be performing in the MFA Thesis Concert: Short Stories happening Apr. 16-18.
COURTESY OF SHINICHI IOVA-KOGA
At the senior thesis dance concert, Apr. 2, students performed pieces that have been in the works for months.
Gender Splendor celebrates Transgender Day of Visibility
ERIN CLARK The Gender Splendor Club hosted a fashion show for the sixth annual Transgender Day of Visibility, a day of recognition founded in 2009 by international transgender activist Rachel Crandall.
Alexina Estrada estrada@thecampanil.com After being revived to Mills College this semester, the Gender Splendor club coordinated a week of events to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility. Transgender Day of Visibility was founded by Rachel Crandall in 2009. While Transgender Day of Remembrance honors transgender people who have lost their lives in hate crimes, Crandall wanted to have a day to recognize those still living. In honor of the sixth annual Transgender Day of Visibility on Mar. 31, the club hosted a week of celebration starting with t-shirt decorating on Mon., Mar. 30, and concluding with a movie screening on Apr. 1. The Gender Splendor Club also placed posters around campus with the schedule of the week and in bold print “Trans* people ______ HERE!” Club members and anyone who wanted to participate filled in the blanks. The signs not only drew awareness but brought humor to the campus community. Blanks were filled with responses like “sleep,” “stress,” “can’t afford” and even “can reach” over the doors to the Tea Shop. For the first event of the week, a t-shirt making party was hosted outside the Tea Shop. The Gender Splendor club supplied all materials except for shirts, which people were asked to bring. Erin Armstrong, the club’s president, and Melanie Burgarino, the community engagement chair of the club, created stencils for students to use. People decorated their shirts to say things like “Gender Queer As F--”, “I AM LGBT ALLY,” “Hella Queer” and more. Bargarino sported her shirt from the t-shirt party on Tuesday, during the lunch event on Adam’s Plaza. “It was great seeing the creativity with the stencils and shirts. People were creative on what they put on shirts, like ‘butch,’ ‘feminine,’ ‘queer,’ ‘gender,’ ‘hella gender,’” Burgarino said. “Today,
we have a space to tell people and make them aware and a sign-up for our newsletter.” On Wednesday, a picnic was held on Holmgren Meadow in front of the M. Club. Members and friends sat in chairs or blankets and brought their own lunches to sit together and talk. On Thursday, the Gender F--Fashion Show was held in front of the Student Union. There were eight models, all of whom brought their own clothes, including spring wear, plaid shoes, ties overalls and a shirt that said “In space no one can hear you insist there are only two genders.” After each modeled their outfits, they swapped certain pieces with each other and strutted a new outfit. First-year Gabriela Ramirez, who attended to support a friend,
enjoyed the fashion show. “I think it was a great way to show different people’s personal interpretations of what gender truly means,” Ramirez said. Friday, the last day of the event, the Gender Splendor club projected a movie on Holmgren Meadow about drag queens in the Australian desert. “I’m proud of the Gender Splendor club, considering we rested this semester,” Alisha Lemieux, vice president and co-founder of Gender Splendor, said. “I hope the club continues on with Transgender awareness days. It’s a super important holiday for the community and important for people at Mills to see.” To sign up for the Gender Splendor newsletter, email gendersplendor@gmail.com.
ERIN CLARK
All students were welcome to attend the fashion show, Apr. 2 to sport outfits of their choice in celebration of Transgender Visibility.
Arts & Entertainment
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Film screening explores what it means to ‘be a man’ Greta Lopez lopez@thecampanil It’s tough being a boy. Or so the documentary “The Mask You Live In” asserts to its audience. According to the statistics featured throughout this documentary, boys and young men are more likely than girls and young women to be kicked out of school, binge drink, take drugs, engage in violent crime and commit suicide. The documentary was shown on Tues., Mar. 31, inside the Graduate School of Business, followed by a Q&A with a four-person panel, including Ashanti Branch — the founder and executive director of The Ever Forward Club. The Ever Forward Club is an after-school mentorship program based in Oakland that aims to guide young men to achieve their goals. “I think what our work does is it provides young men the tools, so that when there is a conflict, when there is some kind of harm [being] caused to someone ... they have better schools [which are] perfect ... to deal with the situation,” Branch said about The Ever Forward Club. The 97-minute documentary, which premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, is the latest film by director Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who previously directed the 2011 film “Miss Representation” — a documentary that examined media representations of women. Newsom, who is married to California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, was inspired to dig into American male culture after becoming pregnant with her son. “The Mask You Live In” contends that images of men that boys and young men receive from television, films, sports and video games — and thus, from American society — encourages them to be stoic, dominant and to only resolve conflicts through violence. The documentary opens with a voice-over by Joe Ehrmann, coach, mentor and former NFL player. “The three most destructive words that every man receives when he’s a boy is when he is told to ‘be a man,’” Ehrmann said in the documentary. After watching the documentary, Oakland Technical High School
student Cleo Milton closed the Q&A panel’s round of questioning with his own personal anecdote. “It was definitely interesting ‘cause I feel like a lot of things I saw in there, I did kind of experience, and I guess I would say I’m still dealing with now. In some ways, I wished I had seen this years ago,” Milton said. Lizzy Schultz, current student at Mills and the program director of The Ever Forward Club, said that she and Branch have been attempting to connect with the Mills campus. They have been wishing to start a dialogue about how American culture’s narrow definition of masculinity is not only harmful to boys and young men, but is also often correlated to the oppression of women, trans people, and the gender non-binary and gender fluid communities in today’s society. “I met Ashanti [Branch] through a class at Mills, so it just felt right that we started to connect the dots, and I think that there is so much [dialogue] on campus about gender,” Schultz said. “I think that we have a lot of empowerment for women on this campus, and [yet] there is still this gender tension. In a lot of ways, I think that this film provides a powerful introduction into that.” Not only did various psychology, sociology, neuroscience, sports, media and education officials weigh in in this documentary, but also boys and young men from across the country. The film also featured Branch and local members of The Ever Forward Club. After an audience member mentioned the film to be intense, Schultz agreed. “It’s intense; it’s definitely an intense film, but I think it’s important,” Schultz said. “The hope is to spread the awareness.” When asked if Mills will have a future screening of the film, Schultz expressed her aspirations and determination. “I’m hoping that we can continue to show this screening now that we have the education licenses to the film, now that we can show it in classes ... to show it to a larger audience,” Schultz said. For more information about the documentary, visit its page on the Representation Project’s website. For more information about Ashanti Branch and The Ever Forward Club, visit their website.
GRETA LOPEZ Brahm, who lectured at Mills, Apr. 2, has served as a mediator between the 14th Dalai Lama and Beijing.
Global activist discusses holistic approach to economics
People may not see a connection between compassion and economics, but Laurence Brahm is trying to change that. Brahm, who has served as a chief economist and governmental advisor to China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Mongolia, says compassion is a necessary aspect of economics. Brahm spoke in the Bender Room Thurs., Apr. 2, to share his experience as a political-economist and discuss sustainable economic models with the Mills College community. Wah Cheng, a professor of history at Mills, asked Brahm to speak on campus after they met earlier this year. “I think [Brahm’s] work, convictions and values are very much aligned with ours, you know, social justice, and a kind of economic development that is not invasive, not predatory, that is organic and community based,” Cheng said. “I think in so many respects he is very much Mills.” During his talk, Brahm emphasized the importance of environmental sustainability and community mindedness in economics. “It’s really about finding or creating ourselves a new financial architecture in community solutions,” Brahm said. “Talk about compassionate capital — you can have businesses, those businesses can be profitable, but they can be positive and transformative if the intention and management is thinking in that direction and if government policies allow it. “ Additionally, Brahm introduced
what he calls the the economic theory of the interconnectivity of everything, which encourages a holistic approach to economics. “The solutions to the same problems are as relevant in Dhaka as they are in Dakar as they are in Detroit,” Brahm said, “because we are all facing the same problem. There is a global financial system that has disempowered people, and concentrated wealth at the very top. ... The community has been disempowered.” One of Brahm’s accomplishments is helping found the Himalayan Census, a non-governmental organization whose mission, according to their website, is to protect and endorse ethnic diversity and indigenous identity as well as prioritize environmental protection and community development. Several years later, Brahm used similar principles and his experience from working with the Himalayan Census to help found the African Consensus Movement, a civil society network in Africa. Brahm’s current dream is to change what he calls a ridiculous financial system, by encouraging interest in younger generations around the world, particularly in the United States. “I just have such huge frustrations because coming back to this country of so many innovative, talented, creative, outgoing and wonderful people, and its being run by such a narrow group of narrowly thinking, myopic confrontational people,” Brahm said. “I really want to see that changed. If I can do something to spark the youth of this country to feel like they can take the power back, I would really like to do that.” Following the event, Brahm
met with students individually and signed copies of his book, ‘Fusion Economics: How Pragmaticism is Changing the World,’ which was published last year. First-year Carolyn Dorwin was inspired by Brahm’s talk. “I was amazed. I think I just feel a sense of hope, reenergized to work locally in the community knowing that there are people out there with different ideas that are working,” Dorwin said. “I really related to knowing one’s culture and knowing one’s identity in order to then spring up and enrich the community.” Associated Students of Mills College Vice President Cheyanne Young said having an internationally experienced speaker was important for the Mills community. Young hopes to have more globally focused events on campus in order to combat what she calls “America blinders.” “We need that global perspective here,” Young said. “I firmly believe in grassroots organizing and especially the empowerment of our students, giving them as many knowledge bases as possible to move into the world with so that they can affect the kind of change they want in a way that is sustainable.” Brahm splits his time between Katmandu and Beijing, where he lives with his wife — a former protestor at Tiananmen Square, who now works with Nordic financial institutions on green finance. They have two sons, who Brahm brings along to travel with him when he can. “Understanding the behavioral patterns of the financial world is very much what our family is about,” Brahm said.
have simply learned how to work the system by going against other people of color. “Asian Americans have been labeled as a model minority who are great workers, who are passive, who aren’t going to disobey your orders,” Louie said. “But who has paid the price for that?” Black people have been stereotyped as a “problem minority,”
with crime, unemployment and poverty. White supremacy, Louie stated, used the model minority myth to juxtapose Asian Americans to Black people in order to justify anti-Black racism. “There is this idea that we are post-racial Asians who pulled ourselves up by our boot straps,” said Louie, “that we’re fine, so there must be a problem with the other people.”
Louie suggests having conversations with other people in order to extend your voice, forgiving people if they speak over you and being aware of your own blind spots in the spirit of being an ally. In some spaces, Louie said, such as those celebrating Black people, one’s experience as an Asian American may not belong, and it is important to be aware of all people.
Terrapin Frazier frazier@thecampanil
SAMEAPI Awareness Now! Month kicks off at Mills from
SAMEAPI page 1
of color.” Louie also discussed the model minority myth. The myth associates positive stereotypes such as hard-work and obedience with Asian Americans and was used as a weapon to get their citizenship validated over other immigrant groups. Model minority mutiny is the internalized anti-blackness
that Asian-American people were taught to feel about other immigrants. Louie explained that Asian Americans seem to have vertically integrated into the white middle class. They are expected to go to college and be successful in ways other people of color are not. However, she disagrees with the belief that the system works for Asian Americans but rather feels that they
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Opinions
04.7.15
Talk theory to me Sonja Lund Columnist “Words are powerful acts of creation.” I have this quote from author Marg Herder scribbled in my notebook and etched into my brain. As I’ve grown up, I’ve learned that having terms — terms we create ourselves — for our feelings and experiences is essential to being able to understand them and describe them to others. Your average women’s studies program is dense with jargon, either being taught to students or being deployed by them as they practice a new, liberating means of discussing things which they may not have been able to really describe before. Having a feminist lingo is an immense help in our activism. But it can also be a hindrance. Without jargon, it can take many more words to describe the same idea; conversation is slowed when we don’t have an agreed-upon shorthand to streamline it. Without a jargon, our understanding of ourselves can be limited. For instance, before I knew what “romantic orientation” was, I had no idea how to conceptualize my feelings about various genders when they didn’t line up neatly with “lesbian” or “bisexual.” Without jargon, we struggle to find what we have in common with others; two women may have experienced harassment at work, but if one was touched inappropriately by a colleague and the other had her boss regularly flirt with her, on the surface they haven’t endured the same problem and may not feel they can relate to each other. Over the course of the feminist movement, we have developed this terminology which has been able to unite us, whether it’s among our affinity groups (Black women can talk about experiences with “misogynoir,” for instance)
Interracial Lovin’ Hello My Darlings,
DAJANAE BARROWS
or as a greater feminist community. The creation and knowledge of these words and phrases is incredibly powerful. Having this nomenclature doesn’t mean there aren’t problems. I’m a user of the microblogging site Tumblr, which has become notorious for its social justice community. There I’ve seen many people get chewed up because they didn’t get the words right. It’s one thing to express hurt when someone says something unintentionally offensive; it’s another to call someone cruel names just because they haven’t taken the time to learn a dictionary’s worth of feminist terms. There is also the problem of people seeing terms being used, and then using them incorrectly. For instance, I referred to South Asian peoples as “desi” until I learned that White people shouldn’t use that word because it’s a self-given and self-referring term. If I wasn’t such a small internet presence, I could have been causing some serious division by my ignorance. The solution to these problems is not in ditching the jargon altogether. Instead, we need to make it more accessible for others. We need to grant grace to people still learning because being punitive won’t encourage anyone. We need space in which to ask questions, to ensure that we learn right the first time. Communal terms were created to bring us together, not drive us apart; we just need to learn how best to use them. This is an installment of the column “In Search of Feminism.”
There is no shame in dating who you want to date. Date within your race, outside your race, within your gender, outside your gender. As long as you’re in it for the right reasons, mutual consent and all, then you’re doing it right. It’s all love. Let’s talk about interracial dating! There’s so much beauty around cross-cultural relationships that could benefit you in your own personal growth. If you and your partner come from different backgrounds, you could learn from each other’s experiences. Even the simplicity of learning about each other’s childhoods can bring out the differences in views. Celebrate those differences. Celebrate the diversity. I have been dating outside of my race ever since I even started dating — seven years ago. It’s a lot of fun and there’s so much love there, but unfortunately, I have to fight a lot of racism that comes my way. There’s so many controlling images around how I, as an Asian woman, am submissive and fragile, so much so that many people think it’s okay to make these controlling images into a joke. While you’re having fun joking about my sexuality, ask yourself at whose expense
you are having this fun. Is it worth it? Especially considering there’s a million non-offensive things to laugh about. It does not only come from friends, but also from my family. For instance, my friends would hypersexualize me and my partner in order to justify the pairing. My family would warn against our relationship because they were afraid my partner would not be good enough for me or for the family solely based on their race (poverty, laziness, and criminality often get associated with my partners). I have heard a hundred times of too many people dating a certain race for the sake of making their parents angry. Their parents typically covet racist prejudices toward particular groups of people and believe that their children dating these groups is wrong. You don’t want to criminalize your partner or position them as a toxic entity in your relationship. That ultimately shows your superiority complex, which only sheds light on your racism. Absolutely unacceptable. The most hurtful part is, all of it came from my loved ones. It’s so much more difficult to step up and call someone out on their racism when they’re really close to you. Admittedly, in the beginning of my social justice journey, I remained silent. Even then, I knew that
Have something to say?
was wrong. But my relationships helped me learn more about what it means to be an ally. I grew more and more passionate about social justice issues because of my crosscultural relationships. Even if they didn’t work out (and let’s be real, most of them didn’t), I still left each relationship with a more social consciousness. Ultimately, I never allow those expelling racism — even if they think they’re hilarious — to walk away without letting them know how their words and actions affect people. This country has a long history of shaming interracial relationships. That form of racism still exists today; it’s just not as obvious as it used to be. It’s sneakier. Shame, shame, I know your name. If you have any ideas, comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at askmillie@thecampanil.com. I want to hear all your dirty little secrets. Stay sexy, XX, Millie
This is an installment of the column “Sexpertise with Millie.”
Come to our Open Meetings Rothwell 157 Mondays @ 6:30 p.m. or contact: eic@thecampanil.com
Staff Editorial
Indiana’s RFRA, the Bay Area and LGBTQ rights Recently Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) into law, which would allow any individual or corporation to cite its religious beliefs as a defense when sued by a private party. However, opponents of the law fear that this act could lead to discrimination, especially for the LGBTQ community. Because of the potential discrimination that the RFRA could bring into the community, many businesses, cities and states have decided to boycott Indiana, including San Francisco. Conferences and events that
were planned in Indiana have been canceled because of the RFRA. After the controversy that the RFRA has caused, Pence and legislators have since then amended the act, stating that the RFRA will not “create a license” to discriminate against anyone, including those of the LGBTQ community. So, what do we think about all of this? The Campanil understands the potential dangers of having an act like the RFRA. It promotes discrimination towards a marginalized group, something that we refuse to support. There have already been restaurants
and other establishments that support the act (i.e. Indiana’s restaurant Memories Pizza) citing “religious beliefs” as their reasoning. Although supporters believe that this act is only protecting religious freedom, we recognize the bigotry and trouble that can come out of this. This act could set a precedent, causing states to potentially pass acts like the RFRA. Overall, we understand the reasoning behind boycotting Indiana: to send an impactful message to Indiana’s legislature. At the same time, The Campanil recognizes how this
act affects those in Indiana, particularly those in the LGBTQ community. There also could be businesses and organizations that either identify as part of the LGBTQ community or LGBTQ friendly, and this boycott could cause these establishments to suffer. We also recognize the strange position that this act has placed Indiana in, especially because Indiana is one of the 37 states that have legalized LGBTQ marriages. Overall, these thoughts made us think about the livelihood of others in Indiana, particularly for the LGBTQ community and LGBTQ
friendly establishments there. The Campanil knows the trouble that may come out of this act. It could lead to discrimination of a marginalized group of people. At the same time, we have to think about all perspectives and politics with this issue, especially those that it has affected the most. As a diverse group of journalists, editors and students, we understand the importance of having an open dialogue about this issue, for it could set precedents for other states and could potentially affect us in the future to some degree.
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.
Sports & Health
04.07.15
7
Keys to Health: Moderation Felicianna Marquez Health Columnist
PHOTO COUTESY OF CJ ROESSLER
Mills College campers enjoy the beach and other various acivities during their camping trip to Little Basin for Spring Break
APER hosts spring break adventure Lindsey Baillie Contributing Writer During spring break, nine Mills students traveled to Little Basin in Santa Cruz County for a three-day camping adventure. The camping trip was open to all Mills Students as an alternative spring break hosted by the Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation department. Students paid $40 to attend and had the opportunity to rent camping supplies from the college. Nic Van Dyke, assistant director of APER and organizer of the event, believed Little Basin would be the ideal camping location for its beach and forest activities. “It’s relatively close by for a trip that’s only three days and two nights,” Van Dyke said. While on the trip, students played games, hiked and went to Santa Cruz as well as Waddell State Beach. They also cooked hot dogs and made s’mores over a fire pit.
“The food was great, and it was fun hiking, playing and getting to know people,” CJ Roessler, thirdyear Mills student, said. “I would go again.” This trip appealed to a variety of people, from those who have gone camping to those who were new to the activity. About half of the students had never gone camping. Students who attended without their friends were excited to meet new people. Vanessa Salomon, secondyear Mills student, attended the trip with a friend and was interested in the opportunity to go on another camping trip. “When I was younger, I was in this organization called C5 Leadership Youth Foundation,” Salomon said. “It was an organization for minority students to develop leadership skills and they took me camping in Wyoming for a couple of summers. So, I found a love for camping.” With only nine spots available, the trip filled up fast. About five students were put on a waitlist; however, only one student
from that list actually attended the event. One waitlisted student, Maia Sinaiko, said she would go on the trip next year if it were offered again. Because of its success, APER hopes to host a spring break camping trip next year. While the number of spots allotted to students will probably remain the same, it will
give an opportunity for new students to attend the trip. To find out more information about APER events, students should check the Student-News Digest. In addition, they can “like” the APER Recreation Facebook page or email recreation@mills. edu to be put on the organization’s emailing list.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CJ ROESSLER
Little Basin was the destination for APER’s spring break trip.
Calendar Tennis
Apr. 10 : Holy Names 2:00 p.m. Apr. 11 : Family Doubles Tournament 9:00 a.m. Apr. 18 : Notre Dame de Namur 10:00 a.m.
Rowing
Apr. 12 : Santa Clara Apr. 25-26 : WIRA Championship
If you haven’t read my first column on essential keys to health, then here’s a tip: Get lots of rest; it will make your life a lot easier. Here’s the second key to health: Moderation. Moderation doesn’t mean ‘no chocolate cake’ and it certainly does not mean starving oneself. Moderation means eating so your body is full, not stuffed, which means portion control so there is a healthy amount of food to fuel your body. Portion control in general is difficult. It is easy to forget about your health. However, it is especially hard in college when you are racing from class to class while balancing tests and essays. Between all of this, it is easy to over-consume when you are presented with food. With Founders being a buffet style, it makes it easy to overeat. If you really wanted fifty plates of food, you could indeed have fifty plates of food. But is that necessary? Is that really helping your body function? No, it’s not. One to two plates is the ideal portion size and can be easily done by just getting what you will eat, not what you think you may eat. Our eyes have always been bigger than our stomachs. We always bite off more than we can chew, literally. A way to stop this munchie madness is by setting your plate up with the right foods. According to Texas Tech University, half of your plate should be vegetables and fruits. A quarter should be a grain/carb, such as rice or bread, and the last quarter should be a protein, such as chicken. It is essential to eat healthy snacks, such as a handful of almonds or a granola bar, to help yourself from overeating at mealtimes. Drinking water throughout the day helps with hunger, according to Shape.com. When our bodies are dehydrated we can confuse our thirst pains with hunger pains, causing us to unhealthily snack or overeat. If you are not a big fan of drinking straight water, try adding water to juice, as most juices can contain about twenty grams of sugar. On a personal note, these past months I have been healthy snacking, eating in moderation and drinking tons of water, and I have happily seen results in my body. I still have a sweet treat every now and then, but I have made my sweet tooth satisfied through healthy treats. Greatist.com is an awesome site that has a list of delicious, almost guilt free treats. Chocolate covered strawberries, smoothies and nutella with pretzels are just some ways to incorporate a healthier junk food into your life. Moderation is hard at first and retraining your body to eat proper portions is difficult. But it is a necessity and the best option for your body.
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Sports & Health
04.07.15
Sophomore Kate Smith sets for Costa Rica from
Smith page 1
Leslie reached out to Head Volleyball Coach Loke Davis through email to invite Smith to the summer tour. Smith, 19, has been playing volleyball for nine years, including two at Mills. Starting in the sixth grade, she chose to play volleyball competitively year round. Smith continues to play for the Mills Volleyball team, playing setter and libero. “I always like it, and it’s always felt like an escape from everything else that’s going on,” Smith said. “On the court you’re in control, and it’s you and your team. You can just play and do your thing.” Formerly the tennis coach, Davis remembered hearing about Smith as a promising volleyball player. Davis said that Smith has high expectations for herself and others on the team in terms of how much they can be pushed. Davis regards Smith as the most outward and vocal about her competitive self. Smith was awarded Cyclone of the Week last November. “She’ll be the one at practice who will be constantly checking in about what the score is,” Davis said. “‘What’s the score now? Or it’s 5-7 now it’s not 4-7, we just got a point.’” Smith is also an RA for firstyear Cyclone living learning community (LLC), the Mills Visit Program coordinator at the Office of Admissions and helps run her family’s carnival when she is home in Vancouver, Washington. Emma Baumeister is a former teammate as well as a current friend of Smith. After rooming together in a hotel during their first trip of the
volleyball season, the two clicked; they have been friends since then. “She always has something funny to say when you’re having a hard day or something isn’t going right,” Baumeister said. “She always knows how to cheer me up, whether it takes a good laugh, an ice cream run or just a supportive presence.” Smith has already begun to leave her mark in volleyball. Her high school, Fort Vancouver High School, created The Community Leadership Award, on behalf of Smith’s leadership and excellent skill. Smith’s sister Sarah J. Smith, a senior at Fort Vancouver High School, received the award earlier this year.
Now Smith has the opportunity to leave a mark in another country for a new group of people and return with some new memories and experiences. “To even have this opportunity of doing something like this abroad you can grow so much, on so many levels,” Davis said. “I’m really happy for her that she’s taking advantage of this opportunity.” With only a few months before going to Costa Rica, Smith is excited to coach for a diverse program that inspires youth to play sports. “I’m really excited for the coaching experience because when I’m done playing volleyball, I have every intention of coaching,” Smith said.
Cyclone tennis player Gwendolynn Fernstrom named Cyclone of the Week
HART ROSENBERG
Sophomore Kate Smith (5) plays in a game at Mills’ Haas Pavilion.
Monika Sabic sabic@thecampanil.com
At practice, Jensen describes Fernstrom is always the first to arrive energized and ready to help out her teammates . Her willingness to coach other players is something that Jensen encourages from her players. Jensen describes Fernstrom as a strong player and true leader. “She brings a lot of great ideas about sportsmanship and honoring the game and her opponents,” Jensen said Fernstrom is excited to be selected as APER’s Cyclone of the Week. She will continue to practice her tennis skills for upcoming matches in this season. “I’m really surprised because I never thought that I would get it,” Fernstrom said. “Go Cyclones!”
First-year Gwendolynn Fernstrom was recently awarded Cyclone of the week for her outstanding dedication and enthusiasm on the tennis team. Fernstrom’s hard work and focus has helped her be the only player this season to have the most wins for the team: three singles matches. “She has been standing out,” tennis Head Coach Amy Jensen said. “Her singles play has been fantastic.” In her last match against Notre Dame de Numar, a division two team, Fernstrom made a comeback. Fernstrom was described as being right on the edge of the cliff in her later sets and eventually ended with two tiebreaker sets. “It’s hard to keep a player’s hopes up when the score is like this,” Assistant Coach Kim Neal said. “She keeps her head in the game and is focused.” According to Jensen, Fernstrom has been known as for her “laser beam” shots that are described as very fast, straight shots down the court. Currently, Fernstrom is working on incorporating “rainbow” shots which are higher, arched shots. By using a variety of laser beam and APER rainbow shots, Jensen said, “she will be hard First year Cyclone Gwendolyn Fernstrom excels on the court in singles play. to beat.”
LGBTQ Health Resources The Pacific Center LGBT community center www.pacificcenter.org (510) 548-8283 2712 Telegraph Berkeley, CA 94705
Trans Lifeline Crisis hotline for transgender people (877) 565-8860
Rainbow Community Center LGBTQ community resource center for Contra Costa County www.rainbowcc.org (925) 692-0090 3024 Willow Pass Rd., Ste. 200, Concord, CA 94519
Lyon-Martin Health Services Provides healthcare for women and transgender people. Services provided regardless of ability to pay. www.lyon-martin.org (415) 565-7667 1748 Market Street Suite 201 San Francisco, CA 94102