The
Campanil
Student-run newspaper serving Mills College since 1917
// Volume 105 // Issue 4 //
News
A&E
The Jewish Student Collective celebrates Sukkot with the Mills community.
San Francisco non-profit will host biannual storytelling event.
JSC celebrates Sukkot >> pg 4
Personals: Dating app >> pg 6
10.29.19
Health
Opinions
La Cocina >> pg 4
Read about the upcoming dating app that aims to create a personalized dating experience for LGBTQ+ people.
Tampon tax>> pg 8
Learn how the tax on menustral products affects people with periods.
Ethnic studies department celebrates its 50th anniversary at Mills College Angel Fabre Editor-in-Chief
The Mills College ethnic studies department has reached its 50th anniversary, and on Oct. 11 celebrated this significant milestone. The program is dedicated to social justice, community advocacy and exploring the intersectionality of race, class and gender. The department’s origins date back to February of 1969, when the Black Student Union (BSU) published, in the then studentrun newspaper, a letter first sent to then-President Robert Joseph Wert. The letter communicated the financial struggles Black students at Mills face, the low number of Black professors and included a list of remedial demands. Less than 30 days later, the BSU led 150 students through a sit-in protest in Wert’s office. The student-organized rally included a speech by Black Panther Party (BPP) member, Kathleen Cleaver, demanding an ethnic studies program. These events led Mills College to develop the curriculum and launch an official ethnic studies department in October of that year. The ethnic studies department
LINDA JONES PHOTOGRAPHY
Ericka Huggins, human rights activist and Black Panther leader gives the keynote address at the celebration.
celebrated the anniversary of this historic occasion in Lisser Hall. Students, faculty, and their friends and families gathered before the main events to enjoy some food and dance to a set by DJ Giant. The evening’s highlights
included speeches from ethnic studies professors, faculty and students, and performances sharing cultural traditions. Ericka Huggins, a noted human rights activist and former Black Panther leader, delivered the highly anticipated keynote address.
Towards the end of the evening, Dr. Chinyere Oparah, Mills provost and dean of faculty, moderated a panel discussion with other ethnic studies educators. “Why ethnic studies? Why now?” Oparah asked the panel and audience. On the Creekside Terrace, Lizbeth Tapia and Alex Garcia began the Call to Gathering with dance and Aztec Quiquizoani, meaning the musician who plays the conch. As attendees gathered in the newly renovated Holland Theater, where the celebration continued with a performance by the Wakan Wiya (Sacred Woman) Two Spirit community drum, a Native American drum founded and led by Indigenous women in the Bay Area. Mills Professor of Ethnic Studies Patricia St. Onge stood at the podium and began the Words of Gathering. Her “Words Before All Else” were spoken in Mohawk, an Iroquoian language, and English. She gave words of solidarity, peace and gratitude for the “gifts from the Earth.” She then introduced Kaime-lei Fujiwara-Greyhorse, a Stanford University graduate,
and Kai’ilihiwa Greig, a secondyear Mills student, to perform a traditional Kanaka Maoli chant. Greig spoke about the environmental struggle native people are currently experiencing with the mountain Mauna Kea. TMT International Observatory proposed a project to build a thirtymeter telescope on the mountain, that is sacred to the Native Hawaiians. Fujiwara-Greyhorse and Greig are both from the island of Maui, Hawaii. “If they were to succeed it would break the water basin which would ruin the water supply for that entire island, and it is also where we as Native Hawaiians believe our Gods dwell.” Greig said. “It is the place where they connect with us, where they walk with us and where they guide us. ... That’s a place that’s very special and sacred to us.” The students then shared “Ai ka mumu,” a protocol chant, done three times a day on Mauna Kea and “No kea ke Kupuna,” a chant about the deities that live in the mountain. see ANNIVERSARY page 2
Mills staff unite: A long time coming
Lila Goehring copy editor
On Oct. 21, staff members at Mills College went public about their efforts to unionize. The group, touting the slogan “Mills Staff Unite!,” is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1021. This union is dedicated to service workers and known on-campus for its nearly five year representation of the College’s adjunct professors. “I’ve worked here for three and a half years, I make $20 an hour, I have never had a raise— my job is below market value,” Corrina Burrell said, a member of the organizing committee who works as the library specialist for interlibrary loans and acquisition at Mills. Their top priorities are getting pay increases and working with administration to address high rates of turnover and issues of overextention. To Mills staff, the bigger picture is a matter of creating a sustainable organization—a group that is fairly compensated and treated with respect. “Unionizing at Mills College brought with it not just raises and job security, but perhaps more importantly, recognition and respect from the College at large,”
David Buuck said, an assistant adjunct professor of English who has been at the forefront of the Adjunct Faculty Union. Members of the staff union organizing committee expressed their inspiration by the Adjunct Faculty Union at Mills, as well as other local colleges in the area such as California College of the Arts (CCA) and Saint Mary’s College, whose adjunct professors have also joined forces with SEIU. “Their experience with SEIU went really well and has resulted in well-made contracts, so we’re looking forward to their support and think that they’ll be a great partner,” Maddie Davis, annual fund manager and alumna of Mills, said. It appears that unionization seems to be a trend among workers in higher education, particularly adjunct professors, in California and as far away as Florida and Pennsylvania. “Collective action, generally, as we’ve seen broadly across the country and across the world, can make a big impact, and it’s more important than ever for people to band together and fight for what’s needed,” Burrell said. Unionization has been a year coming: the staff has had a council during this time to discuss and prioritize issues faced by its members. Jayna SwartzmanBrosky is another member of the
AMANDA BALDIGA
Representatives of the union tabled outside of the Tea Shop to inform students about their priorities.
organizing team who works as the program director at the art museum on-campus. She described the council’s mission as a way “to amplify the voices of staff on-campus to the administration and be a conduit for what staff needs are.” SwartzmanBrosky credits her union actions with her initial involvement in
the council, which typically has involved discussion of the same issues the union will face: salary increases, issues with turnover, the feeling of overextension and benefits, among others. “Unfortunately we haven’t had movement on these issues from our administration or President Hillman, so at this point
we’ve decided to come together independently and seek outside representation,” Davis said. Swartzman-Brosky explained that while the administration could take the suggestions of the council under advice, they have not been obligated to make any changes. “If we’re unionized and come to an agreement with the administration, they’re legally obligated to pursue those agreements,” Swartzman-Brosky said. “So, it gives us leverage and accountability.” In the end, the Mills staff stresses that a sustainable group will be one more able to fully support students. “That’s our top priority,” Burrell stated. “We all love Mills and we want to stay here, but we want this place to be sustainable over the long term, and we want to be able to be here over the long term, and have the institutional knowledge and the support structure so that we can proceed and make Mills yet more awesome.” For more information and to remain up-to-date on Mills’ staff effort to unionize, follow them on social media at @millsstaffunite.
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Editorial Editor-in-Chief Angel Fabre eic@thecampanil.com Managing Editor Felicia Payomo me@thecampanil.com Chief News Editor Jessica Gillespie jgillespie@thecampanil.com Asst. News Editor Xing Gilbert Arts & Entertainment Editor Tyler Mendoza tylermendoza@thecampanil.com
Asst. Arts & Ent. Editor Rosina Ghebreyesus
Health & Wellness Editor Grayson McNally gmcnally@thecampanil.com
Asst. Health & Well. Editor Alyana Willis
Opinions Editor Shirley Acuna sacuna@thecampanil.com
Asst. Opinions Editor Jo Moses
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Online Editor Imani Gibbs igibbs@thecampanil.com
Asst. Online Editor Leilani Doneux
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Advising Faculty Adviser Keli Dailey 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.
Anniversary page 1
Oparah followed with Words of Welcome. She gave a history of the birth of ethnic studies and explained how the Black students at Mills were encouraged by the solidarity of the Third World Liberation Front, Black Student Union, the Latin American student organization, the Filipino American Collegiate Endeavor and others. Their actions led the protests that occurred at San Francisco State University in 1968. “50 years ago, Black students here at Mills came together to found the Black Student Union and to demand an end to the invisibility of our struggles and our lives in the curriculum and in the faculty,” Oparah said. “They were inspired by those students who successfully shut down San Francisco State and forced the creation of the first college of ethnic studies in the nation.” She gave a moment of thanks to all the people in the audience who were the first Black students at Mills, those who were a part of the start of the Black Student Union and those who helped create the ethnic studies program. Mills President Elizabeth Hillman joined too, sharing her own welcome and expressed thankfulness to the audience and those who were not in attendance who helped educate the leaders of Mills on what they “needed to do to move towards the future.” She expressed gratitude for the current faculty and introduced Cliff Lee, who is the new associate professor of education, affiliate professor of ethnic studies and emcee of the evening. Now at Mills for five months, Lee leads ethnic studies focused courses “to cultivate critical secondary teachers in urban schools in and around Oakland.” He recalled his first ethnic studies class as an undergraduate where for the first time he felt his history, his life and family were seen and valued. Ethnic studies majors feel that the courses hold great significance as they have helped shape their own ideas around American history and reflect on their own life experiences. Mills assistant professor of Race, Gender and Sexuality studies, Natalee Kēhualani Bauer, shared the process of planning the anniversary celebration, and that the ethnic studies faculty agreed that the students had to be involved. “Being the community-based student-centered program that we are, we knew that students had to be at the center of the visioning. Not only to put their voices at the forefront but to create a learning opportunity for them as well,” Bauer said. The faculty held a discussion and Bauer used the feedback to redesign “Leadership for Social Change” into a semester-long course that would give students this opportunity. The students studied several political movements and theories of social change.
This course helped prepare the students to organize and plan the 50th celebration. “In this course, students learned about the history of community organizing across the globe and the history of the ongoing fight for ethnic studies that was centered right here in the Bay. They explored what it means to be a leader, specifically outside of the traditional bounds of the image we have of the charismatic male,” Bauer said. “They studied movements like the Black Panther Party, generations of activists in Hawaii, Standing Rock, the Occupy movement, Black Lives Matter and more.” Mills Sophomore Mel Miguel and alum Socorro Montaño were two students who took the course and shared that they felt empowered by experiences in ethnic studies classrooms, especially in Bauer’s “Leadership for Social Change” course. Due to their experiences in learning about the struggle of communities of color, they “could only imagine” the impact of ethnic studies curriculums in communities from kindergarten to high school. The Black Student Collective (BSC, formerly BSU) Communications Chair Alexis Coleman introduced the keynote speaker, Huggins. She is a human rights activist, poet, educator, advocate, former Black Panther leader and former political prisoner. From a young age, she sought ways to serve humanity. For instance, at age 13, she attended the March on Washington for Jobs of Freedom. When she was 18 years old, she was one of the leaders of the Los Angeles chapter of the Black
inviting place... I want to thank all of the students who are here and have been and the students who will come to Mills because it is such a welcoming and inviting place for women and now, women of color,” Huggins said. “I hope that that’s true.” Huggins expressed her appreciation for the Mills community because she has seen college campuses where students of color were not acknowledged or valued. There were BPP members who completed their education at Mills. Conveying her gratitude, she acknowledged that the land the community inhabits is Native land before beginning her address. “I want to give thanks to the land on which we stand and the land on which we live,” Huggins said. “I cannot begin anything without acknowledging that we all eat and sleep and breathe on Native land.” She went on to praise the Mills ethnic studies department as a program that “highlights transnationality, intersectionality and community activism.” In 1966, Huggins was one of the first 15 women to be accepted into Lincoln University, a historically Black men’s college in Pennsylvania. It was one of three historically Black colleges open during slavery. Her experience at the college taught her about the combination of race and gender. This was not the last time she would have this experience in an academic environment. “Forty years later, at Cal State University East Bay, 2007, I was studying for a master’s degree in sociology. And I learned very quickly that due to the Eurocentric and male paradigm that is the
studies is important not only in college but in grade school, especially elementary. “It is a fallacy that they are too young for something,” she said. Infants as young as two years old can start to recognize race and use it to understand people’s behaviors. Huggins mentioned that in September, children at Chabot elementary found a noose on school grounds, an incident identical to one a couple of weeks earlier. She connected this occurrence to emphasize the significance of ethnic studies because of the current political climate and the questioning of the identities and intelligence of women of color. “Ethnic studies is not the domain of one or two leaders,” Huggins said. “The sapling ethnic studies tree sprouted to include Chicano studies, Latin American studies, Black studies, and later African diaspora studies, Asian-Pacific Rim studies, South Asian studies, AfroBrit studies, Afro Brazilian studies, and on and on and on. It’s endless.” The panel that followed Huggins’ address and Q&A session hosted multiple ethnic studies educators moderated by Oparah. She asked them the question “Why ethnic studies?” and they answered and shared their educational backgrounds. The panelists included Leah Aguilera, second-grade teacher at Sequoia Elementary in Oakland; Dr. Nabine Naber, professor in the gender and women’s studies program and the global Asian Studies program at the University of Illinois; Marisa VillegasRamirez, an ethnic studies teacher at Madison Park Academy in East
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O p a r a h d e l i v e re d Wo rd s o f We l c o m e w h i l e f a c u l t y j o i n e d h e r o n s t a g e .
Panther Party. As Huggins entered the stage from behind the curtains, the audience met her with a standing ovation. She thanked everyone for their welcome and specifically mentioned Daphne Muse, former professor and former director of the Women’s Leadership Institute program that was canceled in 2009. Huggins named Muse a trailblazer for ethnic studies at Mills. “It is such a welcoming and
academy, and particularly in the field of sociology, the study of women and people of color was not wanted. In fact, it was dismissed,” Huggins said. She discussed the origins of the Eurocentric focused American history and how the economy was built on the enslavement of Black people. History created a structure for racism and sexism in the country. Huggins believes that for this reason, ethnic
Oakland; Dr. Amy Sueyoshi, dean of the college of ethnic studies at San Francisco State University; and Dr. David Ga’oupu Matthew Palaita, associate professor of interdisciplinary studies, critical Pacific Islands & Oceana studies, ethnic studies, and diversity and social justice at City College of San Francisco.
Read the full story online at thecampanil.com
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October Democratic debate simplified: Faction in political party displayed
OFFICE OF ROB BONTA
B o n t a re p re s e n t s t h e C a l i f . 1 8 t h A s s e m b l y D i s t ri c t .
Xing Gilbert Asst. News Editor The fourth Democratic debate of the 2020 election occurred on Oct. 15 in Westerville, Ohio. It was moderated by CNN anchors Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett and Times national editor Marc Lacey. Refinery29 reported in May that the Democratic National Convention (DNC) now requires 2020 debates to feature at least one woman and one non-White person. Present at the debate were former Vice President Joseph Biden, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and Amy Klobuchar, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, entrepreneur Andrew Yang, former Representative Beto O’Rourke, Former Secretary of Housing
Julian Castro, Representative Tulsi Gabbard, and billionaire Tom Steyer. At 12 participants, this session had the largest stage of any presidential primary debate in American history. At Mills, California Assemblyman Rob Bonta and Larry D. Magid, professor of practice of public policy, hosted a viewing session. Bonta represents District 18, comprised of the central East Bay and a few communities south of Oakland. He has previously taught classes on California politics and policy at Mills, and intends to move to a more “one-on-one format”. Bonta authored California Assembly Bill 32 and on Oct. 11, Governor Gavin Newsom signed it into law. After Jan. 1, the bill would ban California from entering or renewing contracts with private
prison companies and require the state to discontinue for-profit facilities by 2028. “These are for-profit prisons being traded on Wall Street,” Bonta said. “In their line of work, people are commodities. To me, there’s nothing that can be more worse or wrong than that.” Before the debate, Bonta commented that, out of the Democratic line-up, Sanders, Warren and Harris have all voiced their support for his goal of detention reform on Twitter. Sanders, one of the most outspoken advocates of incarceration reform, tweeted in March, “No more private prisons and detention centers. No more profiteering from locking people up. No more ‘war on drugs.’ No more keeping people in jail because they’re too poor to afford cash bail.” However, the topic of incarceration did not come up during the debate. First, Cooper questioned the candidates on the topic of presidential impeachment and the whistle-blower complaint. The complaint alleges an abuse of office by President Trump through the solicitation of election interference from Ukraine. More specifically, this solicitation includes the president asking the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for damaging information on former Vice President Biden. Gabbard and Yang in particular stood out vocally against a partisan approach. A survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute showed
a clear partisan demarcation, indicating that although support for impeachment is rising among most Americans, Republicans remain nearly unanimously opposed to it. “Electability is a big concern for me, even though I do want to be supportive of some of the younger candidates,” Mills assistant adjunct professor of Public Health MiKyung Hong said. “It’s a battle for electability. What are your policies? What do you really have to offer us?” Hong expressed more confidence in moderate candidates, who she believed would be palatable to a wider audience. In contrast, Bonta stated during the discussion that convincing conservative or swing voters with a more moderate approach was not necessary to win the election. “Millenials are now all at voting age, and Gen Z is coming into presidential voting for the first time,” Mills First-year Maisie Glock said. “They’ve been really outspoken about issues like climate change and gun control. If we get them to the polls, Democrats could not just beat Trump but flip the senate as well. None of these moderates will do that. They don’t have the ability to excite young voters.” Other topics of the debate included Syria and the Kurds, reproductive rights, automation,and whether or not billionaires should exist. Throughout the evening, Elizabeth Warren appeared to sustain an onslaught of attacks from her opponents. For instance, Harris asked why Warren hadn’t
joined her in support for a Twitter ban on the President, Buttigieg questioned Warren’s faith in the American public, and Klobuchar referred to her healthcare plan as a “pipe dream” while Biden called it “vague.” For her healthcare plan, Warren supports Medicare-for-all, which would guarantee healthcare as a right to all people, including the undocumented, and effectively abolish private insurance. When Lacey questioned Warren on whether she would pay for her healthcare plan by raising taxes on the middle class, Warren said that it would “lower costs.” Warren was criticized most notably by Klobuchar and later by multiple media outlets for what they considered dodging the question. “Senator Warren didn’t talk about how she was going to pay for Medicare-for-all,” Hong said. “I agree with Amy Klobuchar. We have ObamaCare, which isn’t perfect, but you can add and change it.”
Read the full story online at thecampanil.com President Trump tweeting again, Britain leaving the European Union, America feuding with China. National and international news affects us all. But what’s going on? The Campanil is here to help simplify that for you. If there is something happening in the national news you’d like help understanding, e-mail jgillespie@thecampanil.com.
Jewish Student Collective celebrates Sukkot with the Mills community Stephanie Aldaz Staff Writer From Oct. 15 to Oct. 20, the Mills Jewish Student Collective (JSC) shared the Jewish holiday of Sukkot (pronounced sue-coat) with the Mills community. Sukkot is a festival that celebrates the period of time during which the Israelites traveled from Egypt to find the Promised Land. The JSC erected a sukkah (pronounced sue-KAH) which is translated as booth or hut, that the Mills community was encouraged to visit. Sukkah are temporary structures that commemorate the temporary dwellings that the Israelites lived in on their journey to the Promised Land. When asked why they feel it is important to celebrate and share Sukkot with the community at Mills, JSC CoPresident Ari Yovel responded, “The holiday of sukkot has many values that tie into the Mills experience: building community, resilience in the face of adversity and celebrating that which brings us together.” This sukkah, which JSC members built with the help of volunteers, was located on the grassy field in front of the Cowell building near the frog pond. It was constructed as a very calm
and serene space, consisting of a wooden frame sheltered on its sides with various pieces of cloth and roofed with branches entwined with twinkling lights. Over the course of its time on campus, it was visited by members of the Mills community and on Oct. 16, students from Mills College Children’s School visited the sukkah while studying a unit on “home,” and left garlands of paper chains as decorations. In its interior there was a bench to sit on as well as signs that prompted visitors to contemplate a list of questions, including: 1. What sacrifices have you made along your life’s path? 2. Who do you consider your ancestors, mentors, and/or sources of inspiration? 3. How do you understand, engage with, and overcome adversity? 4. When in your life have you been in a leadership position? 5. Why does it matter to you to connect with your heritage? 6. Where does your drive for the future come from? 7. Which of your accomplishments would you like to be known and remembered for? According to ReformJudaism.org, Sukkot, also known as the Festival of Booths, is a holiday that lasts seven days and begins five days after the end of Yom Kippur which ended on the
STEPHANIE ALDAZ
T h e J e w i s h S t u d e n t C o l l e c t i v e b u i l t a s u k k a h i n f ro n t o f t h e C o w e l l B u i l d i n g .
evening of Oct. 9. The holiday is held as an occasion of thanksgiving during which temporary dwellings, the sukkahs, are made in order to remember the homes Israelites lived in during their journey to the land God promised them.
Over the duration of this autumn holiday, ancestors are honored and the sukkah stands as a place where people are meant to “eat, gather with friends, and even sleep.” According to NSW Board of Jewish Education, Sukkot was also an autumn festival that celebrated
fall harvests. “On a campus like Mills, where many students admit to feeling very lonely, a holiday that focuses on literally making a space to be together feels very relevant and important,” Yovel said.
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La Cocina’s “F&B: Voices from the Kitchen” Tyler Mendoza arts & entertainment editor On Nov. 6, the San Francisco non-profit La Cocina will host their biannual storytelling event “F&B Voices from the Kitchen: Migration” at Brava Theater. La Cocina’s event intends to amplify stories from the voices we may often dismiss. La Cocina, meaning “the kitchen” in Spanish, is a fitting name for the San Francisco based non-profit, as they grew from the Latin influenced San Francisco’s Mission District. Inspired by the Mission neighborhood, La Cocina strives to emulate the way small and informal businesses support the community. La Cocina focuses to recognize food businesses that are not yet legally established and that are owned by women of color and immigrant women. La Cocina understands that establishing these types of businesses would allow for working-class women of color and immigrant women to have the opportunity of creating a pathway to economic freedom while allowing them to move away from wage labor and encouraging them to hire within their local community. In doing so, La Cocina’s primary focus is to support communities of women of color and immigrant communities by providing the necessary resources to start a business. Their vision is for entrepreneurs to gain financial
security by doing what they love while creating inclusive, innovate and economic landscapes. The non-profit’s website states, “La Cocina was born out of a belief that a community of talented natural entrepreneurs, given the right resources, can create self-sufficient business that benefit themselves, their families, their community, and the whole city. The food that has come out of our kitchen since 2005 reflects that aspiration and, quite simply, tastes amazing.” La Cocina’s vision is to increase inclusivity in the food industry while solving problems of equity in ownership for women, immigrants and people of color. Presented by Whole Foods Market, the non-profit will host the multisensory event, “F&B Voices from the Kitchen: Migration,” to support La Cocina. The event will start at 6 p.m. and go until 8:30 p.m. with tickets for sale from $45 to $55. The proceeds raised will be going directly to La Cocina. This project gives the opportunity for cooks and those associated in kitchen spaces to tell their story. This event occurs twice a year and will focus on the theme of migration around food and drinks, which will also be included during the event. The night will include several notable performers such as former writer and editor for East Bay Express, Azucena Rasilla, and Pulitzer-prize finalist Roz Bentley. Dr. Howard Conyers will also be performing at the event. Conyers is a co-director of a digital series called “Nourish” on PBS that
explores the connections of food, culture and science in the American South. As La Cocina strives to improve the lives and communities of women of color and women immigrants, they will also showcase the beauty of diversity of kitchen spaces to support their mission further. If you don’t have any plans on Nov. 6, check out and support the non-profit La Cocina storytelling event: “F&B Voices from the Kitchen: Migration” at Brava theater.
FLICKR
Bursting the bubble Camille Schmitt Contributing Writer
FLICKR
On Sunday evening, North Oakland cafe The Well hosted an open mic that revealed how community members are responding to the Bay Area’s shifting culture. Open mics at The Well are a microcosm of how community members can continue their city’s cultural legacy even when surrounded by displacement and gentrification. The host, Jada Imani, an artist and community leader, welcomes artists at The Well to share their talent and support each other. According to Imani, the cafe “could easily be a product and symbol of gentrification.” The Well shares a building with the East Bay Community Space (EBCS). Imani talked about the building’s history and said the EBCS went from “a hip hop venue named Leo’s, which held numerous underground hip-hop events, to the EBCS, where they now offer trap yoga, and other events dominated by White folks. ... The Well could literally be the epitome of gentrification.” But it isn’t. In the East Bay Express, Darwin BondGraham revealed that “By 2030, if trends of the last 15 years continue, Oakland’s Black population could fall to as few as 70,000 people from 140,000 in 2000, declining from roughly 35 percent of the city’s total population
to a mere 16 percent.” “This rapid de-Blackening of the East Bay’s urban core has farreaching consequences for the region’s future political, cultural and economic identity,” Imani said. As gentrification continues to push out communities of color, furthering the loss of the Bay Area’s culture, Imani’s open mics hope to combat these struggles. While The Well could be the epitome of gentrification, Imani is committed to encouraging artists of color and Bay Area natives to take up this space with her. The Well can be a leading example for new businesses in the area. “What if I wasn’t here? What if I didn’t bring all these people to be unapologetically Black, and shake these fragile bubbles and boxes?” Imani said. “What if we didn’t involve young hip hop heads and older white folks who are musicians, to know what it looks like to genuinely be in circle, to know what it looks like to not be the dominant culture, but to humbly take part in this circle?” If she wasn’t here, neither would artist and Bay Area native Moses Weener. Weener witnesses the shifts happening around him involving gentrification. “I kinda feel like I’m not supposed to be here,” Weener said, even though he’s lived in the Bay his whole life. “Imani is breaking through the bubble of uncomfortable White tension. She’s creating small little balls of love. Places where if you feel alienated, you can be with your little alien
people.” Through her open mics at The Well, Imani gives artists an opportunity to be recognized in the shifting Bay Area community. Weener praises Imani for her work at The Well. She provides a safe and revolutionary space for people whose homes and culture are being taken away and drastically changed due to gentrification. Imani invites everyone to give respect to Bay Area natives and artists, ultimately resisting the threat of and continuing the legacy of art and community that Oakland has.
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Lit Crawl event draws readers and writers for biggest literary night Rosina Ghebreyesus ASSISTANT ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Halloween Maze Twitches Crown Campanil Costume
Ancestral Shadow Haunt Celtic Apparition Corn Warlock Casper Shadowhunter Mystery Treat Magic Trick Scream Zombies Cloak Queen Mills Phantom October Autumn Lurkers Evil Spook Fall Creep Vanish Crypt Spell Ghoul Candy Ghost Boo Busters Enchant Fright Riverdale Moonlight Damned Pumkin Bones Mist Sabrina Masquerade Wrath Bughead
Comic Moment: Routines Anna Nguyen
contributing Artist
The clapping of hands ringing from street to street roared through each block along Valencia Street. Bodies floated in one by one, intrigued by the event. That was San Francisco’s Lit Crawl in a nutshell. An event hosted by LitQuake, the literary event occurs annually among other literary events year-round. In their 20th year, more than 500 authors and 10,000 audience members engaged and locked in for the content of the evening. Beginning in 2004, Lit Crawl created a lure through the ambiance of various venues and great content from talented writers. They cover topics all across the board, presenting work in bookstores, galleries, bars and even laundromats. The festival kicked off on Oct. 18 in the heart of the Mission District, where literary lovers spent the evening hopping around from one reading to the next. There was a wide selection of writers performing, from the San Francisco Writers Grotto in “A Night of Firsts,” to the Phillipine American Writers and Artists, to the College of San Mateo’s Writers’ Ruckus presenting “In The Wild.” With so many great selections, festival goers couldn’t go wrong wherever they ended up. The College of San Mateo’s Writers’ Ruckus was a particular group showcasing three students, James Bitoy, Lori Olsen and Jessica Yousef, along with two faculty members, Jill Colin Goutzky and David Lau. Goutzky was particularly memorable; she talked about an assignment she had given her creative writing class. She tasked them (and herself) with making a list of ten things that scare them, and from
that, she crafted a collage essay of the 161 things that she and her students fear most. Goutzky organized the essay by grouping fears that were of the same topic, like spiders and insects, as well as repeated fears like heights. It created a repetition and interesting flow to the essay. She said, “It’s really moving to hear what we have in common and what we don’t.” The fears ranged from cell phones and vast ocean to police brutality and death. There was a fear for everyone to find themselves in and connect with. Another memorable writer of the night was Lori Olsen, who shared a few excerpts from a short story she is currently writing. The story is about a girl that experiences an odd time in her life where rabbits appear every morning in her garbage and are multiplying by the day. She attempts to give them away, but they always end up coming back. As she tries to understand why, she is struck with flashbacks of her childhood and feels they have a connection to her mother who passed away and loved rabbits. Olsen performed with much poise and a steady pace, unrushed and fully invested in her craft. That is what makes Lit Crawl a great time for writers looking for inspiration, new tools and tips to strengthen their work. If you missed this year’s Lit Crawl, don’t worry, there is always the next. Come check out the literary talent or even perform yourself. Lit Crawl always occurs in October, so keep an eye out for one of the biggest nights in the literary circle next fall.
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Kelly Ragowski’s “Personals” app embraces the queerness of personal ads
Jo Moses Assistant Opinions Editor Sixteen years ago, Anji Fipps posted a personal ad on shoe.org, “The Online Lesbian Community.” “Hi all,” she wrote. “This is my first time posting to the list although I have responded to a few posts. I just wanted to do alittle [sic] intro. I live in wonderful South Carolina. I am 29 but try not to act it.. lol.. I have kids and I just got out of an 8 yrs lesbian relationship. I am looking for friends to chat with, email, maybe even visit one day.. I live in a small town so meeting new people isn’t easy.” The most recent update to Fipps’ bio states that she is 40 and in a happy relationship—but if she were still searching for love, she would have found a home at Personals, an upcoming queer dating app. Inspired by vintage personal ads, the service encourages less represented groups within the LGBTQ community like “QPOC, people with children, 40+ crowd, rural queers, people with disabilities, people with chronic illnesses, [and] asexuals
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worldwide” to join and find love and community. Personals began as a spin-off of Kelly Rakowski’s Instagrambased education project, @h_e_r_s_t_o_r_y, which served to promote “dyke imagery [and] lesbian herstory, from pop culture to high art.” @herstorypersonals, now simply @_personals_, is a virtual backpage of distinctly queer personal ads that echo the personal ads from the iconic lesbian magazine “On Our Backs.” A far cry from the image-based sterility of services like Tinder and Bumble, @_personals_ is unique, quirky, and distinctly queer, full of “nonbinary nature witch[es],” “aspiring Latinx daddies,” “plant obsessed brown femme[s] with soft butch haircut[s]” and the like. There is a distinct sense of queer ownership in Personals that feels friendlier than most dating apps. The landing page of the Personals website displays a picture of a lofi, newspaper-esque personal ad reading, “ANDRO CREATIVE. Gently non-binary who will paint your likeness in landscapes, teach you to read clues left by lichens, and bake sourdough on weekends.”
pumpkin
Shirley Acuna Opinons Editor Fall is here, and you know what that means: the mass production of pumpkin-infused products steadily flooding the market are in their full glory. Every storefront is ready with holiday decorations, along with seasonal items that push the festive fall envelope, like pumpkin spiced Four Lokos, burgers or hummus. Whether or not pumpkin spiced Pringles are your thing, there is another natural cycle that seems just as pervasive during the holidays, and that is the celebration of consumption. The National Retail Federation (NRF), a private sector trade association and advocacy group, has the receipts on these trends. In a national survey conducted by NRF, 90% of 18 to 24 year olds celebrate Halloween, up from just 84% a decade ago. These consumers plan to spend $3.2 billion on costumes (purchased by 67% of Halloween shoppers), with an additional 29 million consumers who plan on purchasing costumes for their pets, $2.6 billion on candy (95%), $2.7 billion on decorations (72%) and $390 million on greeting cards (34%). These findings indicate that Halloween has significantly grown in popularity over the years, especially among young adults with disposable income.
Personals negotiates in queer culture and queer terminology; instead of fitting the complexities of queer identity and dating math into the binary of a simple swiping app, Personals was made for the WLW (woman loving woman) and trans experience and accommodates the search for friendship and for romance—both monogamous and polyamorous. Furthermore, there is a trendy sense of nostalgia to both the Instagram account and the upcoming app. The text-based newspaper style not only pays homage to an important part of queer history, but provides more space for nuance than a picture can. There is a sense of relief in the lack of images, with users being given total control over how they want to present themselves, something particularly valuable to the trans community. There are no pull-down menus that read “man, woman, or other,” or hitboxes to select one binary gender. All Personals has is a blank text box for you to describe yourself in whatever terms you please. Frankly, it’s liberating. The Personals brand has its fair share of struggle—like intellectual
spiced
It can be difficult to isolate exactly how Halloween morphed from its pagan roots, where costumes and candle lighting ceremonies served to ward off wandering spirits, to its present day iteration that celebrates the hyper-consumption of cheaply made goods and serves as a launching point for the continued encouragement of spending through Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Christmas. It is important to consider how these patterns of spending on decorations, face paint and even pumpkins have consequences outside of the benefit of consumers and retailers. Seasonal decorations that are mass-produced are so affordable upfront because they are sourced from companies with unfair labor practices and use cheap materials. The long-term effects of these items are just as environmentally damaging as they are cruel. According to environmental reports, an estimated 2,000+ tons of plastic waste are linked to costumes alone, most of which have only been worn once— not to mention the single-use utensils, decorations, and debris from wrappers of bulk candy that are generated. Halloween has elevated the consumption of plastic-derived items by way of synthetic fibers used in costumes and decorations. While unwanted costumes can be
COURTESY OF PERSONALSPERSONALS.US
property conflicts with a similar service called QPOC Personals— but overall, it has created a positive space online for queer women. It is undeniable that the Personals brand will make mistakes and run into problems in the future, but being the first service of its kind its presence is still valuable nonetheless. The growing cult of @_personals_ users proves that technology’s race forward has left behind a network of queer women who better navigate the intimacy of classified ads than high tech dating apps. Despite the high tech capabilities of Ragowski and other LGBTQ tech leaders, the way the
zero-waste
donated to prolong their use, this is not a sustainable alternative. Since the passing of the 1953 Flammable Fabrics Act, children’s clothing and other items made with highly flammable materials, like synthetic fibers such as rayon, are made flame retardant using a chemical coating. According to the National Institute of Environmental Sciences, these chemicals are associated with long-term negative health impacts, such as endocrine and thyroid disruption (immune system), reproductive toxicity, cancer and disrupting neurological function. The children toward whom this policy is directed are most vulnerable to these adverse health effects. The crux of the issue is that Halloween, like other end-of-theyear holidays, encourage these wasteful behaviors. This is because the holidays are deeply intertwined with our capitalistic system and its profit-driven objectives, with what seems to be at the expense of the environment, in order to participate in the holiday fun. Therefore, it is important to be conscious of the carbon footprint of our purchases during holidays, when we are at peak vulnerability. Practicing environmental consciousness during Halloween is important, because it is right on the heels of other holidays, most notably Christmas, that further manipulate our human wired need for
connection—such as linking family and friends to making purchases. That being said, I don’t hold anything against Halloween. I enjoy the collective suspension of belief that is in the air—where everything feels fantastical yet so commonplace. This sentiment can be observed when people transform themselves through full costume and emulate their idols, try on an alter ego, or explore the boundaries of identity. Inversely, I value the acceptance that is practiced by others who are comfortable in their own skin, who maybe aren’t dressed up but are not judging others based on what they are wearing—or even better, celebrating others for their self-expression. The pressure to conform to gender stereotypes and their accompanying idealized standards of beauty is hyper-saturated in our media consumption. While these standards vary from community to community and country to country, they still involve weaponizing the feeling of inadequacy for not measuring up. The good news is that as a society, we do not have to wait 365 days in order to dare to wear what makes us feel most empowered, silly, or in short— alive. This reality is in tandem with the obvious fact that others do not have to tear people down in order to make themselves feel secure. The rise in the participation of Halloween does not have to
queer community cherishes our history has made impossible that we would abandon the simple personal ad, and the sense of ownership they bring by allowing queers from the 1970s to 2019 to describe ourselves in our own terms.
Halloween automatically equal an increase in single-use, fast-fashion costumes. It can shift just as readily as it has become a focal point of consumption through repurposing currently owned clothing for costumes, participating or creating clothing/ costume swap parties, shopping at second-hand stores for select items that will be incorporated into your wardrobe, and buying items made from recycled content whenever possible. There’s a wealth of zero waste resources available online that can help minimize our collective impact on the planet— which seems like a great reason as any to celebrate pumpkin spice season.
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
10.29.19
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Tampon taxes need to end, period ari fitzgibbon staff writer
On Oct. 19, rallies took place across the United States to mark the first National Period Day. This event was created by the nonprofit Period.org in an effort to address the financial and social barriers experienced by people who menstruate. Chief among these barriers is the tampon tax. The term “tampon tax” refers to the value-added tax that menstrual hygiene products are subject to when purchased at the register, which can add up to nine percent of the cost of products. Items that are classified as basic necessities, including groceries, medication, sunscreen, band-aids and condoms, are exempt from value-added tax—yet period products don't make the cut as a basic necessity. Tampon taxes are a significant contributor to the larger issue of "period poverty," or the inability to access adequate menstrual products. The impact of period poverty is heaviest on young people getting an education and those living below the poverty line. Students on-campus can purchase menstrual products in the Tea Shop and in the vending machines outside of Rothwell Center. For $2, a student can buy
a two-pack of unscented Kotex tampons at the vending machine, while in the Tea Shop, an eightpack of Tampax pearl tampons costs $4.89 and a twenty-pack of Seventh Generation organic cotton tampons costs $9.58. It is advised to change a tampon every four to eight hours depending on menstrual flow— therefore, tampons become costly as cycles last between two to eight days. Studies concentrated on the United States estimate that one in four teenagers have missed school due to a lack of period protection, and 46% of low-income
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menstruators have had to choose one or more times between buying food and period products. Governmental assistance programs like Medicaid and SNAP cannot be used to purchase menstrual hygiene products, and food banks and shelters say tampons and pads are some of their most frequently requested items. Currently, 11 states have ended the tampon tax (Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island); five states have no sales tax for any product (Oregon, Montana, Alaska, New
Hampshire and Delaware); and a handful of other states have introduced legislation to end tampon taxes. California’s fight to end its tampon tax kicked off in January of 2016, when California Assemblywomen Cristina Garcia and Ling Ling Chang introduced a bill to remove it, arguing that the tampon tax constituted “regulatory discrimination.” While both houses of the California State Legislature voted to approve the bill, it was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown, who objected to the perceived potential loss of revenue. In 2017, the state legisla-
Alyana Willis Assistant health & wellness
In an age that is dominated by social media, false information has been spreading like a wildfire. An increasing amount of body dissatisfaction in teen girls due to social media has been on a rise. Author Richard M. Perloff reports in his article, “Social Media Effects on Young Women’s Body Image Concerns,” that following of social trends to the detriment of women’s health has been at a constant rise since the production of the Barbie doll in 1959. Perloff writes that the following of lifestyle trends is due to an individual not wanting to stick out, and instead assimilate into mainstream society. In a society where social media influencers’ lifestyles are seen as a social norm, their misinformation is seen by everyone. A 2019 research article, “Trends in the diffusion of misinformation on social media,” found that major social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook produce the most false information, now most commonly seen in self-help trends. Many studies have shown that while drinking water can help moisturize the skin, it is not the end-all cure for acne. In an article for FacingAcne.com, “The Secret Cure for Your Acne,” author Megan Griffin states that dry skin can be a major problem with acne. “Dry skin is usually tighter skin that locks bacteria inside pores that form tiny red pimples,” Griffin said. “Moisturizing dry skin opens pores and lets them drain, minimizing the
ture passed AB 10, a bill which requires public middle and high schools where 40% or more of students are below the poverty line to provide free menstrual products in some restrooms, and in June 2019, menstrual products were exempted from sales tax in the state budget. However, this exemption will only apply for the budget’s two-year duration. While these legal protections constitute definite steps in the right direction, more progress must be made before the needs of Californians who menstruate are adequately met. There is no shortage of organizations working to dismantle tampon taxes and end period poverty. To join the fight against menstrual inequity, you can sign petitions or donate to the cause on the websites of organizations like Period.org, the Homeless Period, or Freedom4Girls. You can also join a local chapter of Period.org or start your own chapter to work towards menstrual education, menstrual product distribution, and more equitable menstrual policy in your community.
What’s the deal with water? editor
Many online influencers claim that drinking more water is how they solved all their problems, from weight loss to acne. While many of these social media influences are not doctors, why are they so popular? And is there truth to their claims?
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formation of pimples. Moisture, however, is not necessarily the same thing as water.” The same can be said when social media influencers state how just drinking water helped them lose a few pounds. Not only have influential Twitter users been reported tweeting about water, but major new sources too. CNN’s “Trying to lose weight? Drink more water” received major backlash from readers for its claims. Nutrition expert Adda Bjarnadottir, M.S., said while it is important to regularly drink water throughout the day, it’s not the magic bullet for weight loss. If losing weight is the goal, a study done by Harvard Medical School found that long-running weight management programs gave the participants the results wanted. Another Harvard Medical study, titled “How much water should you drink,” concludes that many Americans are actually not drinking enough water. Key signs of dehydration are weakness, low blood pressure, dizziness, confusion or urine that is dark in color. They advise that a good rule of thumb is to drink 32–48 ounces a day. Drinking water is crucial for the human body, as it ensures that all critical organs are working in tip-top shape. If you are concerned about acne or weight management, consult a professional who can safely guide you to your goals.
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HEALTH & WELLNESS Get your flu-shot today! Vera Health Services The Vera Health Center is a great resource on campus for health care! The doctors at the center can also refer you to specialists off campus! If you’re feeling ill or want to prevent getting ill, visit the Health Center today! (located in CPM 117) The Vera Health Center is offering free and reduced cost flu shots for the rest of October! Many places like CVS and Walgreens offer free flu shots with most insurance and some offer a five dollar gift card! VERA HEALTH HOURS MON-FRI
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
WEEKENDS
CLOSED
Note: The health center is closed on the following dates: Thursday, Nov 28 closed: Thanksgiving Day Friday, Nov 29 closed: Thanksgiving Holiday Thursday, Dec 19 closed: Mills Winter Closure
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The Campanil Crossword Down 1. Last name of keynote address speaker at ethnic studies Celebration 2. The Wells cafe in North Oakland may be a symbol of 4. A Jewish holiday also known as 6. Last name of East Bay Calif. Assemblyman 7. Alternative to Halloween decororations and costumes 8. One sign of dehydration
Across 3. Organization hosting literary event in San Francisco 5. Public schools provide menstrual products due to this bill 9. Non-profit in San Francisco supporting people of color and immigrants with their businesses 10. Political candidate who brought the most heat 11. “Mills staff ___!” 12. A chant about the deities living in Mauna Kea mountain. 13. Upcoming dating app for LGBTQ+ community
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