The Daily Illini: Black History Edition 2023

THE DAILY ILLINI

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By The Daily Illini Editorial Board

The topic of this editorial is the product of two editorial board meetings that involved much debate and lengthy discussion about what the topic should be. Initially, we decided not to write an editorial at all, instead replacing it with an editor’s note about how the board lacked the qualification to comment on Black History Month.

But after a second, more reflective discussion, we realized that not writing an editorial would be a disservice to our job as journalists. It is of utmost importance to us that we do publish this paper without drowning out voices that need to be heard.

Inaction is action

Reconsidering staying silent

The old saying “inaction is action” applies here. The point of journalism has always been to shine a light on people and stories that the general public may not know about. The stories stemming from C-U’s minority communities are far too often overlooked and must be heard, regardless of the background of the writer holding the pen.

As you’ll see in this issue, our writers have once again worked to deliver a breadth of informative, thought-provoking and personal stories about the Black experience in the United States.

The need to be well informed is ever more apparent as the education of Black history is incessantly politicized and avoided in classrooms.

Black history has always been treated as a margin note in public school history classes. Remember high school AP classes? AP African American Studies was recently banned from the entire state of Florida. Erasure of history as a political maneuver is happening right now and sets a dangerous precedent, giving us more of a reason to amplify Black voices.

Other direct attacks on Black history, like the vilification of critical race theory and book bans, can be countered with good watchdog journalism.

Historically, journalism has been used to disenfranchise communities, yet we believe good journalism can do the exact opposite, and it has. Voice has no color.

Our job is to tell the stories of real people. It’s also our job to criticize society. Good reporting drives change. Or, at least, that is how it should be.

Being the University’s student newspaper, and by extension, the voice of its student population, The Daily Illini has a major responsibility to use its influence to speak up on injustices and amplify the voices of those belonging to marginalized groups.

With that in mind, we urge you to read on and listen to the Black voices we’ve interviewed and who have contributed to this edition of the paper.

Students reflect on Black voices, spaces at UI

By Ashleigh Kendrick Assistant Features Editor

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement had a firm grip on the nation’s attention. That summer, citizens took to the streets to protest the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and many others.

However, with the pandemic no longer at the front of the population’s minds, some students feel the University is no longer listening to Black voices and issues.

Arielle Capel, junior in LAS, said that due to the quarantine, society was forced to stop, and as a result, Black voices took center stage. However, as the pandemic drew on, people continued their lives as they were before.

“The world stopped, and that was when you could finally hear our voices,” Capel said. “But once the world started again, it’s no wonder that it’s become a lot quieter because everyone remembered their priorities.”

As people returned to their normal lives, Capel said she noticed the limited amount of spaces for Black students to voice their issues. Capel said there are safe spaces for Black students, but they have to be sought out.

“It can be found if you look for it, but you shouldn’t have to look for Black voices,” Capel said. “You should just hear them and acknowledge that they’re already there.”

Dacia Leaky, sophomore in LAS, had similar thoughts. Although she noticed the University trying to create spaces for Black students, she said she feels that the efforts are overshadowed by the University trying to not upset others.

“The University does try in a way that they feel is more digestible to everyone … because they don’t want to ruffle feathers,” Leaky said.

Leaky said she thinks of campus and the Champaign area as progressive and open to listening to Black voices, but does not see an effort being put toward change.

“I will say Champaign is a pretty liberal, progressive county, but in terms of Black Lives Matter, I don’t really see it as much as I should,” Leaky said. “It’s not really emphasized on this campus as much as it should.”

Capel also said she notices the University’s efforts as Black students have a cultural house, the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center, as a safe space. Capel said

BNAACC is one space on campus that acknowledges Black voices and issues. However, she wishes the rest of the campus would do the same.

“BNAACC is an amazing place to remember that Black lives actually matter,” Capel said. “The rest of the campus however, it’s very ‘I don’t see color’ and that’s fine and dandy, it’s just whether you see it or not I’m still Black — I’m still here.”

Leaky also mentioned the University’s efforts in regard to the dining experience as during Black History Month, the Ikenberry Dining Hall serves food from Black cultures. Still, Leaky said the efforts are underwhelming.

“At the Ike, (they) try to do like jollof and stuff like that, but they definitely could do a little bit more than just that,” Leaky said. “Like that’s just very basic.”

Capel said she views the few actions the University has taken to appeal to Black students do not feel authentic.

“It feels too performative, and it

feels like they’re just trying to cover themselves from the reporters (and) the media the articles that are going to be written about them,” Capel said. “It doesn’t have the authenticity to convince me and probably the majority of the minority community.”

Manny Stewart, sophomore in LAS, said he thinks there are limited groups for minorities to voice their issues on campus.

“I feel like a lot of minority issues on campus aren’t represented by a lot of groups,” Stewart said.

Leaky said she wished the University would be more involved in creating spaces for Black voices, culture and people to thrive, as well as informing students on issues that the Black community faces in the nation. Leaky said the University should encourage Black students to utilize the Main Quad as a space to voice their concerns or protest.

“(The University) definitely could send out more emails, create more Black spaces, encourage us to go out

on the Quad and, you know, protest if needed or just talk about issues and stuff like that,” Leaky said.

Stewart said that if a group was created on campus with set values to hear Black voices and issues, he would be thankful.

“I think if there was a group on campus that had a select agreement of demands and such in which they can bring, I would very much appreciate it,” Stewart said.

Capel agreed and said Black and minority students alike have to push for the University to create safe and open spaces for students to express issues or concerns.

“We have to look up and ask them not only to do something but to lift up the voices that are saying things,” Capel said. “If their argument is that they don’t know what’s wrong, there are plenty of students willing to have the conversation and explain what’s going on.”

AMY SANCHEZ THE DAILY ILLINI

ACA hopes to gain traction post-pandemic

African Cultural Association brings cultural traditions, representation to UI

By Jessie Wang Staff Writer

The African Cultural Association is hoping to grow and revive traditions after COVID-19 stopped some of the organization’s momentum.

Zainab Umardeen, senior in LAS and president of ACA, said that because the African student population on campus is small, the club aims to connect students to their roots.

“A lot of us are natives from our countries, and we came to America as first-generation college students,” Umardeen said. “ACA provides resources, tools and people to serve the community.”

Ophelia Twerefour, sophomore in LAS, said her experience with ACA

has been positive so far because of the club’s welcoming environment.

“Your community makes you comfortable on campus … everyone’s just like a family,” Twerefour said.

Tayo Oriade, senior in LAS, agreed with Twerefour.

“I found joining clubs, whether ACA or the Black Student Union, a good way to find community,” Oriade said.

Abigail Aderinto, senior in LAS and treasurer of ACA, also added that the organization is not limited to African students.

“(ACA) brings people who don’t necessarily feel like they have a voice,” Aderinto said. “It’s not exclusive to Africans. It’s more of a social organization (with) different outreach programs.”

However, Umardeen said ACA has faced challenges bouncing back from the pandemic because the previous leadership graduated.

“This is our comeback,” Umardeen said. “We didn’t understand what ACA was like before we got here because we were freshmen, and we saw a few months before (COVID-19)

started and (then) had to leave campus. We’re trying to rebuild that, trying to bring back old traditions and old programs we used to have.”

ACA is in the midst of planning several events, including a Date Auction fundraiser in February and

Afrovybes, a showcase of different African cultural traditions through dance, acting and modeling held in late April.

Even though many ACA members are West African, Aderinto said that the organization represents all cultures in Africa by bringing awareness to different countries every week and staying updated on current events.

Umardeen agreed, noting that health care is a commonly covered topic.

“Vaccines coming to our countries was a big deal because we don’t have the best access to health care,” Umardeen said. “We’re all aware of that just because our parents are first generation straight from Africa.”

According to Godwin Olaleye, sophomore in LAS, ACA also frequently hosts guest speakers who discuss issues such as racial disparities and undocumented immigrants.

“It is a big part of ACA to tackle those bigger problems that the world is facing right now,” Olaleye said.

jessiew4@dailyillini.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF ACA

The executive board members of the African Cultural Association gather at their Jan. 23 meeting.

UI reacts to AP African American Studies ban

Florida Board of Education, governor reject pilot course

By Cecilia Milmoe & Matt Troher

Features Editor & Assistant Features Editor

National attention is growing toward Florida in the wake of the state’s Board of Education’s decision to reject a pilot high school Advanced Placement African American Studies class. The rejection of the course, combined with a larger national conversation regarding the teaching of history and social justice, has resulted in backlash toward Florida’s decision from educators, students and politicians.

Earlier in the month, the Florida Board of Education, backed by the support of Gov. Ron DeSantis, announced that it will reject the AP course on the pretense that the course pushes a “political agenda.”

DeSantis has criticized the course’s curriculum that, in part, focuses on intersectionality and Black queer studies, stating in a press conference that “we don’t believe they (students) should have an agenda imposed on them. When you try to use Black history to shoehorn in queer theory, you are clearly trying to use that for political purposes.”

According to the course’s current overview developed by the College Board, only one course topic out of 102 focuses on “Black queer studies.”

Other objections for the course cited by the Florida BOE were centered around the course’s final unit, titled “Movements and Debates.” The unit, which focuses on contemporary issues regarding race in American society, includes the potential reading of texts from authors and scholars such as Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, TaNehisi Coates and Kimberlé Crenshaw.

The move from the Florida BOE comes months after the Florida State Legislature passed the Individual Freedom Act — also known as the “Stop W.O.K.E. Act” — which prohibits the teaching of certain concepts regarding race. According to a pamphlet distributed on DeSantis’ website, the act “codifies the Florida Department of Education’s prohibition on teaching critical race theory in K-12 schools” and “prohibits school districts, colleges and universities from hiring woke

CRT consultants.”

On Jan. 25, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker sent a letter to the College Board, criticizing what he called “political grandstanding” by DeSantis.

“One Governor should not have the power to dictate the facts of U.S. history,” Pritzker wrote. “In Illinois, we reject any curriculum modifications designed to appease extremists like the Florida Governor and his allies.”

The AP African American Studies course is currently in development with the College Board. The course is being piloted in 60 high schools across the nation for the 2022-23 school year with plans to expand to hundreds of schools by the following academic year.

The first AP African Studies exams are planned to be administered in spring 2025.

The banning of the AP African American Studies course, alongside broader legislation such as the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, has fueled a broader conversation about the politicization of education and the role of social justice in the classroom.

College Board is an educational nonprofit that develops and administers Advanced Placement courses designed to give high school students college-

level class experience. A high enough score on a standardized test at the culmination of an Advanced Placement can be used to earn college credit. Current AP courses cover a wide breadth of subjects, from art history to biology to United States government.

Recent debate about social justice education has focused around critical race theory, or CRT. Initially conceived as an academic framework that examines how institutions shape and are shaped by conceptions of race, CRT has become a central phrase in the broader cultural debate over social issues, symbolizing different things for different ideologies. Some conservatives have characterized CRT as “false” and “anti-American” and have used it to symbolize a leftward shift in education.

Emily Knox, associate professor in Information Sciences, researches intellectual freedom and censorship. Knox explained how CRT has been used by the public to characterize new ways of thinking about American history.

“What people are talking about now with (CRT) is really not (what it was conceived as). It’s actually a way of talking about how we talk about our history — especially the painful parts

of our history,” Knox said. “(CRT) is really much more about a less triumphalist idea of the American project, and it’s basically just a label that’s been put on new ways of thinking about our history and society.”

Knox also emphasized that part of the problem is the assumption that the study of history is supposed to be apolitical. Knox said all history is inherently political and so is the teaching of that history.

“All curriculum is political, and so is AP African American Studies,” Knox said. “It’s saying that it’s important for people who are considered to be educated to know about African American history, and we’re going to teach all different aspects of African American history. There’s an idea that we can somehow teach African American history without it being divisive, and I don’t know if that is possible. How do you teach about owning other people without it being something that is a painful reckoning with the past?”

Chrissy Kim, sophomore in LAS, is a member of the Society of Minority Students in History and plans to pursue a career as a high school history teacher. Kim said there is room for improvement in the way U.S. history is taught.

“Even though it’s history, it doesn’t mean it’s confined to the past,” Kim said. “It’s shaping how we view the world and its systems. Especially with (the history of) marginalized groups, those are histories and realities that they still grapple with, so ignoring it and avoiding it doesn’t make it any less real or true.”

Asif Wilson, assistant professor in Education, researches justice-centered pedagogies and teaches a class called EDUC 202: Social Justice, School, and Society. A portion of Wilson’s research focuses on the historical forces of social movements and how they can be taught in the classroom. Wilson noted that the section of the course that the Florida BOE singled out focused on social movements, which he said were the most likely to inspire concrete change.

“It wasn’t that they don’t want Black history taught, they don’t want a particular type of Black history taught because it’s dangerous,” Wilson said. “For me, social movements are dangerous to the status quo because they actually run the potential of transforming space, transforming minds, and that is not necessarily a reproduction of the status quo.”

SEBASTIAN HOLT DAILY ILLINI

Natural hair community expresses frustration with Mielle Organics

By Cecilia Milmoe and Ashleigh Kendrick

Features Editor and Assistant Features Editor

Within the natural hair community, finding the right hair product that works with one’s hair can be a difficult and time-consuming process. With the risk of damaging one’s hair by using the wrong product, the stakes are high.

For many Black people, Mielle Organics has been that right product. Founded by Monique Rodriguez, the CEO of the company, the product in the past has been dubbed “FUBU” — for us, by us — by the Black community. However, recent developments have changed this.

On Dec. 27, TikTok influencer @alixearle, a white woman, released a sponsored TikTok where she promoted Mielle’s rosemary oil — a product very popular within the natural hair community. The video was flooded with comments like “IF YALL SELL OUT THE MIELLE

OIL I WILL RIOT.”

Following this TikTok, Mielle announced on Jan. 11 that the company had been sold to P&G Beauty.

Many within the natural hair community were upset at this turn of events. Jada Powell, junior in LAS, expressed her disappointment.

“This is a product that usually African American people use. Of course, other people can use it,” Powell said. “But now, since it got brought mainstream, a lot of us in the Black community knew, ‘Oh, it’s gonna be gone.’ It’s gonna be off the shelves because somebody else who is mainstream to a different community has now put this product in the forefront.”

Kayla Henry, senior in Media, expressed similar disappointment.

“I’m disappointed for a lot of Black women because a lot of us, we found out about the product first. We were using it, and then it feels like it’s all gone now,” Henry said. “When I went to the store, I couldn’t find any of those products because people have been buying them up. It’s frustrating because their products really work for my hair.”

Arianna Williams, senior in Media, said this is something that has become common.

“I just feel like it’s just another situation of people coming in and taking over something that belongs to another group of people, which is something that commonly happens,” Williams said. “I feel every time we can never have something of our own.”

Powell said she was frustrated that Mielle reached out to a white influencer to get more success.

“This is one of our staple products,” Powell said. “(There’s) nothing wrong with sharing it, but a lot of times, we’ll have different products that we’ll have, and then a company will reach out to white influencers or just get the backing of a white company. We know as soon as they start reaching out to other people for consumer purposes that they don’t really necessarily care about us, and that it’s not really for us anymore.”

Powell, Williams and Henry all said they like using Mielle’s products and that the products really work for their hair. However, Powell and Henry both expressed concerns about changes in the ingredients that could be used now that the company has been sold. Henry said she is worried the product won’t work for her hair anymore.

“It’d be very disappointing to buy a product for my hair that doesn’t work because it’s like, ‘Oh, well, we didn’t put those ingredients that we originally put in the original product,’” Henry said.

A similar situation happened before. In 2017, Sundial Brands, which sold the natural hair care product Shea Moisture, was sold to Unilever. Following this, the formula was changed, leaving many saying that the product didn’t work for them anymore.

Powell explained the dangers of using faulty hair products.

“(It can cause) extreme damage, which is not fun at all, especially for Black women,” Powell said. “It’s something that we carry very near to our hearts — our hair. Using faulty products could ruin our hair completely and can change its texture, and for a lot of us that can be embarrassing. A

lot of us don’t want to wear our hair if it’s damaged or if it has heat damage.”

Williams said that products made by Black companies know what works for Black hair.

“People within our culture know what is needed to go in our hair to help me grow or to make our hair stronger,” Williams said.

While Powell and Henry both said they were happy that a Black-owned business has achieved success, they expressed frustration with what this success means for Black women. Powell said that she is upset that this means it will be less accessible.

“Although you’re kind of happy for the company that started from the ground up and a Black-owned business reaching success, it’s like you hate that the success point has to be reaching a wider audience to where we are no longer necessarily accessible to these things,” Powell said.

Powell also said that while there may be other available products to use, it is frustrating to have to search for them.

“It’s just so hard to find a brand that

you really trust,” Powell said. “I feel like that’s a hard thing for our community because it’s like once we finally establish trust with a brand, it’s hurtful when you can no longer trust them. Because then you have to go on the hunt for what brand is not necessarily just out trying to take your money.”

Henry said that while Mielle’s products will no longer be as accessible, there are still several to choose from, specifically pointing out the brands Curls and tgin.

“There are some other brands that are still Black … It’s not the end of the world for Black-owned products,” Henry said. “There are still some, and I really hope that people go out and support these products because they need all the support they can get because they’re really good at products, and they really help our hair. I really hope that in the future, we do not see that all of the products have been sold away.”

ANGIE ORDONEZ THE DAILY ILLINI

Professors break down media’s role in activism

By Kylie Corral buzz Editor

Activism has had its mark in making and breaking human history. Activism can take many forms and come into existence through a lot of avenues, but the aim in each instance is the same: to fight oppression, protest for what is right and change the world for the better.

In Black history, activists have existed for decades before the Civil Rights Movement, a period in history known for bringing an end to legal segregation that caused the mistreatment of Black people across the country, led by wellknown names like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks and others.

But in the 21st century, the introduction of mass media has provided another way for activists to continue fighting in movements such as Black Lives Matter.

Dr. Brooklyne Gipson, assistant professor in LAS, teaches classes on race and digital studies.

Gipson said that in both her undergraduate and graduate-level classes, she discusses how the social hierarchy of race in the United States intertwines itself in the digital side of society and how it might reinforce racial hierarchies. She added that activism and identity often intersect with her studies.

“When I was an undergrad, I was a history major. I majored in history and African American studies. So, I have that thinking that there’s actually nothing new under the sun,” Gipson said. “I know that media evolves and we interact with media differently over time, but the ways that we engage with it are very similar, right?”

She added that in the past, the Black Panther Party was known for activism through poetry, where they would go to open mic nights to have their voices heard and messages spread.

“I think one thing we don’t talk about is the way previous generations actually manipulated media in the same way we do today,” Gipson said. “We think about hashtag activism and how we’re using social media and all these platforms to garner support, but we don’t talk as much about how some of the civil rights leaders were also manipulating media. If we think about someone like Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, they were doing that at the time when broadcast news medium was a new thing.”

Activists used other techniques such as crafting their lines to be “punchy”

and understandable for news broadcasts. The Black Panthers would often take copies of their paper and put them in the San Francisco Chronicle.

“So, there’s all these ways that social justice movements have always co-opted and told counter narratives in mainstream media. It’s just that today, the tools that we have available allow those messages to move further and faster … Most people from marginalized groups are typically extremely resourceful and creative. We will always figure out a way to get our messages out,” Gipson said.

Leonard McKinnis, assistant professor in LAS, wrote a book titled, “The Black Coptic Church: Race and Imagination in a New Religion.” McKinnis said that the media has shed light on quite a few things within the realm of activism such as communication and safety.

“What (the media) also does is allows these activists to quickly move information like, for instance, where a protest might be manifesting or areas where protesters should not go. It allows us to keep an open information

highway available for communicating if we’re in trouble,” McKinnis said.

McKinnis was peacefully protesting in St. Louis after the verdict of the Michael Brown case. At one point, his group was confined to a synagogue and threatened with being arrested if they left. McKinnis said he and many others took to social media to let everyone know what was going on.

“I think on the one hand (activism is) strengthened in the sense that we can communicate with each other, but it’s also weakened because everyone knows where we are at all times … It (becomes) public consumption for those who are not friends of the activists,” he said.

McKinnis said the media serves as a significant way that activism is presented, also moving towards protecting our society and protesters more.

“I want media to tell the story of the rich history of activism,” McKinnis said. “There are all sorts of unspoken heroes who are part of this — this very social, democratic tradition of human transformation. I believe that media outlets, as we get closer to things like

Black History Month and other events, showcase heroes and heroines of our society. We ought to tell that story and tell the story of those individuals who literally put their bodies on the line for the American democratic experience.” Gipson said she hopes people start leading others with more love.

“We can just do our best to lead with love, have compassion for one another (and) hold each other accountable,” Gipson said.

McKinnis said he hopes media will play a role in advancing society in the future.

“I think media should be clear that we play a role in advancing our society,” McKinnis said. “Part of that role means calling a spade a spade, calling a lie what it is, being courageous (and) being bold about what truth is and why truth is important ... The only way to arrive at the world that we want to live in, that is free and that has a basis of human love, is (by having) courage from a media and journalistic standpoint.”

ANGIE ORDONEZ THE DAILY ILLINI

Spurlock Museum to remodel Africa exhibit

By Fiza Dahra Staff Writer

The Spurlock Museum is set to remodel the permanent Africa “Looking Forward, Looking Back” exhibit. The remodeling of the exhibit is being funded by Chancellor Robert J. Jones’ Call to Action to Address Racism & Social Injustice Research Program. The program is providing the museum with $75,000 in funding.

According to the call to action, “This shift acknowledges the questionable ways the museum came to own some objects, the erasures of history and the implicit use of racial stereotyping in describing objects.”

Monica M. Scott, the museum’s manager of Community Engagement and Programs, said she notices that Africa is seen through only “one frame of reference.”

“I think we get a tendency to pigeonhole the continent, and we look at it only from one frame of reference. But that’s unfair to all of the people, to all of the cultures, to the history, to the contemporary life and culture of the people in Africa,” Scott said.

Scott is the program leader for the remodeling of the exhibit and started working at the museum in 2017.

“So much has changed over that time: how we talk about objects, how we talk about cultures, how we pres -

ent information, who is included, and so I thought it was necessary for us to revisit some of our permanent galleries,” Scott said.

According to Scott, “one of the challenges Spurlock Museum has, especially being a museum of world cultures, is identifying and providing information and context around the diversity of cultures, not only in Africa, but also around the world,” Scott said.

Africa is a large continent, and Scott said that attention should be brought to all of the many things happening inside it.

“Africa is a huge continent, and sometimes it’s even weird to just say

Africa as if it’s monolithic — it’s not. There are so many different conversations that are happening on the continent that we don’t know anything about,” Scott said.

The museum aims to have surveys released for visitors, which will allow them to receive feedback regarding the galleries in the museum.

After redesigning and reinterpreting the galleries, the museum will produce a final report that will aim to inspire other museums to recognize the importance of this process.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SPURLOCK MUSEUM WEBSITE

The Spurlock Museum of World Cultures has housed “Looking Forward, Looking Back,” their Africa exhibit, since the museum opened in the late 1990s. Due to Chancellor Robert J. Jones’ Call to Action to Address Racism & Social Injustice Research Program, however, the exhibit is set to be reinterpreted and redesigned.

Finding familiarity in student organizations

By Lisa Chasanov Staff Writer

Representatives from various registered student organizations gathered on Jan. 23 and 24 at the Illini Union for the annual Spring Involvement Fair.

The event hosted RSOs, ranging from cultural and academic organizations to club sports teams, presenting students from all backgrounds with the opportunity to develop professional skills, explore personal interests and find a community.

According to a 2020 research paper funded by the National Science Foundation, “a brief social-belonging intervention in college improves adult outcomes for Black Americans.” The need to find community on campus can feel even more pressing for Black students than because of a phenomenon called “belonging uncertainty.”

David Sullivan, a senior in Engineering attending the fair on behalf of the National Society of Black Engineers, said feelings of “belonging uncertainty” are sometimes caused by a lack of Black community in the classroom.

“It might seem obvious on the sur-

face, but something that a lot of students in my organization notice is that, in almost all of their classes, they might be one or two of the only Black engineers,” Sullivan said. “There’s a sense of loneliness that comes with being a Black student in Grainger. There aren’t a lot of people to relate to in the college, and that’s a challenge.”

Sullivan went on to recommend that

students facing these challenges take advantage of events like the Involvement Fair or Quad Day and try to speak to other Black students in their college.

“The Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center is a great resource with tons of connections to Black organizations,” Sullivan said. “There are so many other Black RSOs. Find a place to hang out and meet other people who

are in a similar situation to you.”

Jada Allen, junior in LAS and founder of The Commu.n.i.t.y, a new Black RSO on campus, said her goal is to help students navigate being part of a multicultural and diverse community.

“Generally, people tend to find their groups, then they stay with them, but I want to break that apart,” Allen said. “I want people to, you know, get out there more and learn things from different people. Staying with the same people doesn’t push us to grow as human beings.”

According to Karsyn Williams, sophomore in Business and member of an RSO called Women of Color, it is important to find a place on campus that respects your background while also reaching academic and professional goals.

“Get involved with Black RSOs, but also with other academic clubs,” Williams said. “Learn while you build community, because that way, you’re making sure that you fill your cup in every way.”

lisamc3@dailyillini.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF @THECOMMU.N.I.TY_UIUC INSTAGRAM

Members of The Community pose for a photo during the involvement fair on Jan. 23.

“OPPOSITE DAY” BY BRIAN THOMAS & BROOKE HUSIC

ACROSS

1 Cat’s attentiongetter, maybe

4 Car once advertised as a “well-built Swede”

8 Endpoint for some boots and skirts

13 Like cookies soon after the Cookie Monster spots them

18 Equine parent

20 Anti-censorship org.

21 Provençal mayo

22 Only just

23 Drill sergeant, perhaps?

27 New York, for one

28 Lubricate

29 Return

30 Audrey Hopburn letters

31 Distribution parties

34 Ellington composition

35 Inning’s trio?

36 Collective action by society women?

41 French bread?

43 Part of an underwater forest

44 One-eighty

45 Movie trailer?

47 Pick up

49 Farm bird that never topples?

55 Wrath

56 Honeycomb unit

57 Rep. from the Bronx

58 WWF, e.g.

59 Mountain goats’ terrain

62 Temperamental

63 Org. with the largest-circulation magazine in the U.S.

65 Corner store

66 Amendment proposed by a technophile?

70 Cut and paste, say

71 Ibex range

72 Drops

73 Invite for

74 Gretchen of “Boardwalk Empire”

75 La Liga cheer

76 Contact

77 Carol contraction

78 Like a typical ride on a mechanical bull?

83 Some Japanese TVs

86 “I don’t care!”

87 Terr. divided in 1889

88 Kiwi-shaped

90 Color of Montana’s flag

92 Endure within a group of peers?

97 __ carte

98 “Hair Love” voice actress Issa

100 Strapless bralette

101 “__ Lasso”

102 Passing remark?

104 Slides (over)

107 Hides in plain sight?

109 Death and taxes, per Benjamin Franklin?

114 Contributed

115 French 101 verb

116 Ziggurat level

117 Shoestring catch?

118 Creates a Maillard reaction on a steak, say

119 Gave back, as land

120 Be worthy of

121 Nestlé’s __-Caps

DOWN

1 Nintendo : DS :: Sony :

2 Measure typically given in knots

3 Like some data

disks

4 Chili-based Vietnamese condiment

5 The “A” of LGBTQIA+, for short

6 The “A” of 30-Across

7 __ cord

8 Maximally vanilla

9 “Howdy there!”

10 Cyclotron particles

11 “I’m rubber, you’re ”

12 That guy

13 Fired up

14 Prefix with Mexico

15 BOGO deal

16 Weatheraffecting Pacific current

17 Politburo nos

19 Noblezada of “Easter Sunday”

24 Bumping heads

25 Drops the ball, say

26 __-free plastic

30 Brief “Beats me!”

32 Fit of pique

33 Great Basin native

34 Sends off the soccer pitch

37 Far from relaxed

38 Color TV pioneer

39 Offline, briefly

40 Kenan’s “Good Burger” co-star

42 Sch. that competes against Notre Dame for the Jeweled Shillelagh

46 [Crossing my fingers!]

48 German “first”

49 Bright shades

50 Ye Shoppe

51 Eschew a co-pilot

52 Real talent

53 Wading bird

54 “Au contraire!”

56 Member-owned grocery

59 Espresso froth

60 Free from

61 Fleet of foot

62 Chemistry class model

63 Filling with wonder

64 Children’s song marchers

65 Text in a long-distance relationship, maybe

67 Tibia neighbor

68 Spilled salt, to some

69 Thinking a song is about oneself, say

75 Music store supply

77 Roll the dice, say

79 Pacific Northwest sch.

80 Hawaiian for “white”

81 Texting tech

82 “If we must die, O us nobly die”: McKay

83 Herb used in some smudging rituals

84 Big hands?

85 Word in an Arthur Miller title

87 RPG with a 20-sided die

89 Acid initials

90 Strawberry

91 Highfalutin

93 “All __!”

94 Rolls in yoga class

95 In the office

96 Word after rage or force

97 __ frescas: fruit drinks

99 Passover’s month, often: Abbr.

103 Even once

104 Back up

105 Graceless one

106 Four Tops singer Benson

108 Some laptops

110 __

2022 sees drop in Black student enrollment

By Aidan Sadovi and Michael Bales Assistant News Editor and Staff Writer

The number of Black students enrolled at the University declined in 2022 for the first time in eight years, according to self-reported statistics from the Division of Management Information.

“Black student enrollment has been positive for a very long time,” said Sean Garrick, vice chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at the University. “I think we’re still trying to figure out exactly why there was a decrease.”

In 2021, 3,833 Black students (6.8% of the student body) were enrolled at the University. In 2022, there were 3,686 Black students enrolled (6.5% of the student body).

“Even if (the number) goes down by 10 students, it’s significant,” Garrick said.

Garrick cited effects from the pandemic and the application process as possibilities of what was responsible for the change, but the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is “still trying to get an exact sense of why or what was responsible.”

In 2021, according to Inside Higher

Ed, 4.4% of Black students had canceled their future postsecondary education plans due to the effects of the pandemic, compared to 2.3% of all students.

Although the exact reason for the decrease is unknown, the end of such trends is something the OVCDEI takes note of.

“We have to make sure that we are making ourselves and the institution available to students from a variety of backgrounds,” Garrick said. “Whether we’re talking about in-state or just out-of-state, international students and so on.”

As far as taking a look inward for possible causes of the decrease, an element that Garrick thinks must be considered is the reputation of the University.

“If you have students who, as a whole, just say that the student experience isn’t that great, then I imagine they have either siblings or friends or family in their communities, and they’re sharing those opinions,” he said.

This semester, the OVCDEI will be conducting a “campus climate survey,” which Garrick said will “survey all students to get a sense of how they feel wel-

comed on campus, how they feel that they are respected and/or otherwise seen on campus.”

“Those types of things can really help us get a deeper sense of what the student experience is truly like,” Garrick said. “You could factor into things such as applications and enrollments in sub-

sequent years.”

Finding the results of such surveys and creating an inclusive environment are among the goals of the OVCDEI. “Students want to feel as if this is their campus,” Garrick said.

SEBASTIAN HOLT THE DAILY ILLINI

Takekawa leads Illini to 2-0 Big Ten start

Senior earns three event wins against Nebraska

By Theo Gary Staff Writer

When senior Mia Takekawa stepped up to the bars, the crowd gathered in Huff Hall knew a winner was in front of them. Like the rest of Illinois women’s gymnastics on Saturday against Nebraska, Takekawa won, scoring a ridiculously high 9.950 on bars. The Illini, similarly, beat the Cornhuskers by nearly a full point, 196.700 to 195.800.

Illinois swept Nebraska in all categories on Saturday. Senior Mia Townes had the best vault, a 9.900. Junior Abby Mueller was best on the floor, finishing her routine with a 9.900. But Takekawa really had the best afternoon in Huff Hall, finishing an all-around first with 39.525 points and wins in beam (9.925) and bars (9.950).

For Takekawa, who has been an Illinois standout all season, the key to success isn’t just the physical repetition — the margins are so thin — it’s about the mental aspect and preparation to relieve pressure.

“It’s a lot of mental and mostly confidence training, versus the actual physical training,” Takekawa said. “Doing the pressure simulations in practice and doing a lot of mental routines and just being able to calm myself down and breathe right before I go.”

When Takekawa landed that 9.950 — the highest score of anyone in any category, tying her top career score — she was met with massive celebration, not just from the fans, but from her team.

“I think, even if you think that your routine was good, if the vibe of the team is not great, it can really affect the person performing, and it affects me definitely,” Takekawa said. “So, having a really positive environment from the audience and my own team is really helpful.”

For Takekawa, bars were her best category. But bars was excellent for the team as well, an overall 49.175, .650 ahead of Nebraska.

“Bars was a really great day for us,” Takekawa said. “I think being able to get a lot of those landings and handstands was really good.”

Despite the thorough win, junior

Takekawa on preparing for meets

Caitlyn Ewald fell while on bars, but that did not rattle the Illini.

“We did have a fall, but I feel like one of our strengths is being able to have a mistake in a lineup and not let it affect the people afterwards. So we didn’t have to count that score and

let it affect our overall team performance,” Takekawa said.

So far, the Illini have beaten two projected bottom-half Big Ten programs in Nebraska and Rutgers. Keeping that 2-0 start going is quite a tall task going into serious Big Ten

competition.

“We’ve set score goals throughout the season, and we’re increasing our score every time in the last few meets out, which is really important for momentum,” Takekawa said. “Just to have confidence as we go into the week of practice that we don’t really need to restart and rework everything. It’s really just getting confidence in small numbers, as we head into those harder competitions.”

tgary3@dailyillini.com

SIDNEY MALONE THE DAILY ILLINI

Senior Mia Takekawa competes in floor exercise at a meet against Rutgers in Feb. 2022. On Saturday, Takekawa finished with a 9.950 on beam, placing first.

“It’s a lot of mental and mostly confidence training, versus the actual physical training.”

KRANNERT CENTER

FEBRUARY-MARCH

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5:00pm Krannert Uncorked with the Chip McNeill Jazz Quartet // Marquee FREE

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6:00pm Carnaval! // Lyric Theatre @ Illinois

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7:30pm The Queen’s Cartoonists // Marquee

THU FEB 23 – SAT MAR 4

7:30pm The Royale, written by Marco Ramirez // Illinois Theatre

FRI FEB 24

$10 TICKETS FOR STUDENTS

7:30pm Illinois Wind Symphony // School of Music

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10:00am Jabari Dreams of Freedom, written by Nambi E. Kelley // Marquee

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