THE HIGHLANDER
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
est. 1954
FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2018
VOL. 66, ISSUE 18
ASUCR appoints new chief justice
EVAN ISMAIL Senior Staff Writer
JIMMY LAI / HIGHLANDER
Allegations of anti-blackness plague UC-wide diversity convention ANDREAS RAUCH Senior Staff Writer
On the weekend of Jan. 26-28, UC Riverside, in conjunction with the University of California Students’ Association (UCSA), hosted the 30th Annual UC Students of Color Conference (SoCC), bringing together students from a variety of backgrounds to discuss issues faced by minority students across the UC system. The three-day event, consisting of workshops and presentations by student and leaders within communities of color, drew criticism, however, from African-American attendees who are accusing organizers and other participants of displaying anti-black sentiment and behavior. In
a statement sent to the Highlander on Wednesday, Feb. 14, the aggrieved students, organizing themselves as the Black Caucus, cited that conference seminars suffered from a lack of awareness of issues faced by black students in the UC system and resulted in a hostile environment not conducive to the discussion of the aforementioned challenges. In the 10-page document, the complainants detail what they observe to be continuing patterns of ignorance of these challenges within the UC system. In one instance, during a meeting focused on women’s issues during the SoCC, the release cites a lack of understanding and investment on the part of conference organizers to ensure that issues faced
by black women were properly discussed. “Black women who did not previously volunteer to do labor for SOCC,” says the document, “happened to be the main folks leading the caucus and the only ones moving the conversation forward.” During the men’s caucus meeting, a conference designed to address the concerns of men of color, a similar lack of attention given to black men’s concerns with the UC system left many black students feeling “overlooked and disrespected,” according to the document. After multiple attempts to address racial hierarchies within communities of color, several attendees, feeling frustrated with the lack of cooperation, felt forced to leave the conference.
The public statement also highlighted perceived non-inclusivity toward trans and gender non-conforming students, which, according to the authors, manifested as “the use of gender binary language” and caused “a wave of discomfort for black trans and gender non conforming (sic) students.” Attempts to rectify this by adhering to gender-neutral language went unheeded, and the allegedly hostile and unaccommodating environment was exacerbated by a lack of gender-neutral restroom facilities, which, in one case, forced students “to enter the women’s bathroom, thus invalidating their gender identity,” claims the document.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 21, ASUCR held their twelfth senate meeting of the academic year in the senate chambers, HUB 221. ASUCR President Aram Ayra presented his nomination for chief justice of the ASUCR Judicial Council, Jo Gbujama, a fourth-year philosophy law and society and ethnic studies double major. Gbujama, who served as chief justice last year, was nominated by Ayra because of the resignation of Casey Thielhart, who stepped down in order to run for vice president of campus internal affairs in the 2018 elections. Ayra explained his process behind selecting the new chief justice; he originally sought Vice Chief Justice Matthew Whiles, a fourth-year history major, but Whiles declined the position due to other commitments on campus. Ayra briefly considered nominating 2016-17 Vice Chief Justice Hayden Jackson, a third-year political science major, but Ayra and Jackson decided against it due to a potential conflict of interest stemming from Jackson’s position as Ayra’s current chief of staff. “Jo (Gbujama) is ready and willing,” said Ayra during the meeting, “He’s had previous experience on judicial council so he’s been through the wringer a few times and seen us at our lowest points and (has) gotten us through that.” Gbujama was approved unanimously, 13-0-0, in a closed ballot vote.
► SEE ANTI-BLACKNESS, PAGE 4
► SEE ASUCR, PAGE 4
Winter SOULstice 2018: Who brought the soul? SARAH BAZZY Contributing Writer
Winter Soulstice is an event that comes to UCR once a year courtesy of ASPB, a time for all the R&B heads on campus to come together and sing their hearts out for one night. It’s more low-key than any of the other concerts, being held in the Student Recreation Center (SRC) and lacking the large-scale advertisement that other mini-festivals have. This makes the concert more intimate and, consequently, less rowdy than HEAT (R.I.P.), Block Party or Spring Splash, which is ideal for sultry R&B. This year, ASPB chose three artists — Kyle Dion, Marc E. Bassy and H.E.R. — to get everyone in their feelings. All three artists’ styles are rooted in R&B but have distinct features: Dion has a sultry, funky flare; Bassy is pop-oriented; and H.E.R. offers a raw, intimate passion. The mixture of these R&B styles resulted in one smooth night. “The night was a twelve out of ten for me,” said Allison, a first-year. Every act had something to bring to the table but the question is, who brought the most soul? ► SEE WINTER SOULSTICE, PAGE 12
BRI CHEW / HIGHLANDER
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