Griot Mar/Apr issue

THEBLACK/AFRICANAMERICANCULTURALCENTERPRESENTS
MARCH/
A P R IL
2 0 1 7
Editor:YasmineAmon
Designer:TinaNguyen
BHMKickofwith
Meredith&Vivian
BLACK
ExpressionofLoveby
RudyFrancisco
HISTORY
MONTH
DrippingMelaninhair
showbroughttheheat
?
-BlackHistorymonth2017kicksof
-MeetingIbramX.KendiandRudyFrancisco
-Studentmodelsstrutingtheirnewoutfitandhair
-Studyingabroadexperiencesrevealed
Who’stakingFaculty
-Introducingourfirstfacultystafspotlight SpotlightthisMonth?

lackhistorymonth
openingceremony
writtenby:allyjohnson
OnFebruary1st2017,theBlack/AfricanAmerican
CulturalCenterhosteditsannualBlackHistory
MonthOpeningCeremony.Duringthisevent,we
showcasedmultipletalentsfromarangeof
studentssuchassinging,dancing,spokenword,
andvisualart.Thesedeterminedstudentshave
beensuccessfulshowcasingtheirtalentswhile
alsopursuingacolegeeducationandtheofice
wantedtoacknowledgethose
accomplishments.

TheB/AACCoficehasbeeninexistencefor40
yearsandonthatdayweacknowledgedthatwe
arestandingontheshouldersofgiants.Meredith
Levert,thefounderofProjectGoandVivianKerr,
thefirstdirectorofB/AACC,previouslyknownas
BlackStudentServices,attendedandspokeabout
theirexperienceduringtheirtimeatColorado
Stateandwhatinspiredthemtostartthese
programs.

DaveionOliverandAlexisVonGwin,whowere
crownedMr.andMs.CSUintheFalof2016,
hostedtheOpeningCeremony.Students,stafand
facultymembersattendedanditwas
heartwarmingtoseeeveryonecometogetherasa
community.Thiseventwasveryeyeopeningfor
measayoung,AfricanAmericanwoman,who
wishestomakeapositivechangewithintheblack
community.I’mgratefulthatwecouldrecognizea
historicalmonthinsuchwayanupliftingway.

BeingBlack&religious
Writenby:ArisonStanfield
TheAdhanisafamiliarsoundtomanymilionsofpious
Muslimsandyetonethatiscompletelyforeigntotheearsof
manyAmericans.Yet,itwasthismelodiouscalthat
welcomedaltotheBlack&ReligioussesionhostedbyDr.
RayBlack.Formany,thiseventwasaspowerfulasitwas
uncompromising.Dr.Blackelegantlydrewinthecrowdto
participateandtowonderwhatitmeanstobeBlackand
ReligiousandwhyweunconsciouslyasociateBlack
rereligiousafiliationssolelywithChristianity.Fromtherehe
brokedownfactswithfiguresandanecdotesaboutthetrue
levelofreligiousdiversitywithintheBlackCommunity.
Thosewhoatendedthiseventwouldbehardpresedto
leavewithoutknowingthatChristianity,Judaism,Islam,
andHinduismalikearealequalyauthenticwaysto
practiceBlackfaith.Thehistoryofhowthesefaithsarived
intheblackcolectiveconsciousnesisawindingand
rangingone.Whilemanyofthesereligionsexistedinand
throughoutAfricasincetheirinceptions,itwasoftenthecase
thatthesereligionswereimposedbyoutsideforces.

Dr.Blackefortleslyelucidatedthislongandcomplex
historyforalinatendancewhilealsobeingcarefultoshow
thatregardlesofhowthesereligionscameintotheblack
community,thatmany,ifnotalofthem,playedan
importantroleincreatingtheenduringblackspirit.Further
Dr.Blackshowedhowthefinancialstabilityandgrowthof
thesefaithsbecamethebedrocksformanyofthecivilrights
heroesweknowandpraisetoday,namelyMartinLuther
KingJr.andMalcolmX.Furthermore,Dr.Blackshowedthat
thisfiscalsupportfromthehalowedhalsofreligiousfaith
couldbecomeabedrockonwhichtobuildindependentblack
runeducationalsystemsthatarenottieddownand
determinedbyfederalmandates.Alinal,thisdiscusion
wasofintenseyetenjoyableeducationandintheendwe
foundawaytounderstandBlackReligiosityinawaythat
gaveitanintersectionalandhistorictreatment.

andpoliciesandthattheseideasdonot
comefrom hateandignorancebutrather
from peoplewhoseethepolitical,social
andeconomicbenefitsofdiscrimination.
SomeofthetopicsKendisharedresonated
withme,personally.Oneissueaddressed
thattherearereallyonlytwoexplanations
fortheracialinequitiesthatweseetoday
andhaveseenthroughouthistory.Thefirst
beingthereissomethinginherentlywrong
withblackpeople,whichiswhytheyare
morecriminalandlazyandarearrested
andunemployedathigherrates.Thesecond
ideaisthatthereisracialdiscrimination
withinhow jobsaredistributedandhow
thecriminaljusticesystem treatsblack
people.Ifapersonbuysintothefirst

BEING BLACK& BI-RACIAL
WRITTEBBY:SELAM TEWHADE
BEINGBLACKANDBI/MULTI-RACIALWASADISCUSSIONLEDBYDR.
VINCENTBASILE.THEGROUPWASMADEOFAMIXOFPEOPLE,SOMEWHO
IDENTIFIEDASBI/MULTI-RACIALANDSOMEWHODIDNOT.THETALK
BEGANWITHEXPLORINGTHECHALENGESTHATCOMEALONGWITHNOT
ASSOCIATINGWITHONLYONERACE.FROMFAMILY,WORK,FRIENDS,AND
EVERYDAYSTRANGERSTHATQUESTION“WHATAREYOU?”CANBEA
CONSTANTANDCOMPLEXCHALENGEFORSOMEONEWHOIS
BI/MULTI-RACIAL.THISIDENTITYCANPOSEAPROBLEMFORSOCIETYASA
WHOLEBECAUSEOFTHECHECKINGOFABOXPROBLEM.SOCIETYIS
CONSTANTLYTRYINGTOCATEGORIZEPEOPLEANDBI/MULTI-RACIAL
PEOPLECANPOSEAPROBLEMTOTHISSYSTEM.WHENCALCULATINGTHE
DIVERSITYOFACERTAINGROUPWHETHERITBEANEWCLASSOF
COLEGESTUDENTSORWHOWASACCEPTEDFORALOANFROMABANKIN
APARTICULARYEAR,PEOPLEWHOHAVEMULTIPLERACIALIDENTITIESCAN
EITHERBECOUNTEDMULTIPLETIMESFORTHEDIFERENTRACIAL
IDENTITIESTHEYHOLD,ORBETOSSEDOUTOFTHECALCULATIONSAL
TOGETHER.WEDISCUSSEDHOW,INSUCHATUMULTUOUSANDDIVIDED
TIME,ITCANBEHARDTOHAVEFAMILYONBOTHSIDESOFTHEDIVIDEAND
FELINGSTUCKBETWENTWOWORLDS.HOWEVER,DURINGTHE

DISCUSSIONSWEWEREABLETOCELEBRATEANDDISCUSSTHEBEAUTIFUL
PARTOFLIFETHATCOMEWITHHOLDINGMULTIPLERACIALIDENTITIES.
BEINGABLETOEXPERIENCEMULTIPLEDIFERENTCULTURESISARARE
ANDSPECIALEXPERIENCETOHAVEINTHISLIFE.ASANETHIOPIANAND
WHITEWOMAN,IFOUNDITNICETOBESURROUNDEDBYPEOPLEWHO
SHAREDTHESAMEEXPERIENCESASMYSELFANDTAKEAMOMENTTO
CELEBRATEALTHATMAKESUSGREAT.BI/MULTI-RACIALINDIVIDUALS
HAVEEVERYTHINGTOBEPROUDOFANDCELEBRATE.

Dripping
Melanin
Everyyear,UnitedWomenof
ColorhostananualHair
ShowforBlackHistoryMonth
toshowcaseblackhairand
beauty.AfricanAmericanmen
andwomenhaveprided
themselvesontheirhairandthediversestylesthey
havecreatedwhethernatural,permed,braidedordreaded.
UWC’sgoalistocelebratethisjourneyandteltheuntoldstories
thathavecoincidedwithit.Thisyear
thethemefortheshowwas“Driping
Melanin”whichmeansbeingunapologeticalyblack.
Withalofthenegativitythatisbeingthrowntoward
peopleofcolor,particularly
blackpeople,UWCisgratefulto
haveanyoportunityto
showcaseandcelebratethe
beautyinwhatitrulymeansto
beblack.ThisyeartheshowwashostedbyShanon

Martin,theVicePresident,andmyself,
JhasmyneCoper-More,asthepresidentofUWC.
TheeventwasheldintheLoryStudentCenter
Theater,whichhelpsussetuptheshow
yearafteryear.IhavebenapartofUWC
sincemyfreshmanyearandtheHairShow
hasgotenincreasinglybeterineveryaspect.Ouratendance
numberhasgrown,thecompetitiveskilsetofthe
stylistshasincreased,andthe
overalenjoymentoftheeventhas
skyrocketedtogreatlevels.
Thisyearwehadthrestylistsparticipatinginthe
HairShow,andthoseladieswereTianaPorter,TaylorScot,
andCSUAlumCorineFenster.Theycompetedin4rounds
displayingnaturalhair,shorthair,up-dos,andclasicblackhair
andwerejudgedacordingtoprecision,artistry,poise,
creativity,crowdparticipation,andpresentation.Therewere6judgeswho
decidedthewiner.TianaPortertokthecakeandwenthomewiththe
grandprizeof$30!

Thisyearalsoarosetheideatogivea
platformtolocalaparelbrandsfromtheDenver
MetroandNorthernColoradoarea.Thisyearwasthe
firstimethatfivelocalbrandspresented
theirlinesduringtheshow.Brandsalsohad
theoportunitytoseltheirmerchandiseand
networkwithfelowbrands,colegestudents,andcommunity
members.WehadManimal,Y1FOriginals,Crafty
Colective,ConesColective,and
BlackShepMob.Althebrandsare
curentlybeingrunbyyoung
peopleundertheageof25.Thiswasanamazing
oportunitytoshowaltheamazingworkthatyoung
peopleofcolorareinvestedin.Again,withthecontinuedhelp
andsuportofsuchphenomenalanddedicatedmembersof
UnitedWomenofColor,theBlackHistoryMonthHairShow
wasasucesandwilbebacknextyear,bigerandbeter.

BEINGBLACKANDALGB

BeingBlack&aFeminist
Wrienby:TriciaAlexander
“Wedon’twantanyblackwomentoatend”arethewordsthatwere
spokentoIdaB.Wels,ablackfeminist,byoneofthepionersofWhite
Feminism.WhatisnowknownasFirstWaveFeminismwasfocusedonthe
rightsofwhitewomen.Theyfearedhavingblackwomenralywiththem
becausetheybelieveditwouldreframethefeministmovementtobeabout
therightsofblackpeople,duetoracialtensionsinthetwenties.
CuCurently,theFeministMovementisknowntobeThirdWaveFeminism,
whichcalsfortheinclusionofalwomenofcolor.Itisimportantto
notethatbeingBlackandFeministdoesnotautomaticalymakesomeonea
BlackFeministandthattherearediferentphilosophiestoBlackFeminism.
Thefacilitator,CoreyEvans,informedusshewouldbespeakingfromthe
perspectiveofdecolonizingthemindbyusingphilosophiesbyPatriciaHil
ColinsandKimberlyCrenshaw.Colinsbelievedinordertodecolonizethe
mimind,theopresedandtheopresormustchecktheirprivilegeandse
howtheiridentitiescentertheminthepowerstructure.Thisisparticularly
afocusforblackwomen,asweoftencatchourselvesfedingintothe
patriarchalsocietyinAmericaandsuportingblackmenmorethan
ourselves.Crenshawcoinedthetermintersectionalityin1989todescribe
howblackwomen’sisuesoftengounoticedinmovementssincetheydo
notfitintotheframeworkofjustBlackisuesandjust

women’sisues.Theparadoxoftheblackwoman’sexperienceisthatsheis
viewedashavingadualadvantage,particularlyinacademiaand
employment,sinceshehastwomarginalizedidentities.Thisideaisknownas
doublediscrimination.BlackFeminismalowsforblackwomentocreate
theirownframeworkandcombatthewaysinwhichtheyarevictimized.
Insteadofwaitingforthetrickle-downefectofsocialjusticetoreach
them,theydecidedtocreateamovementthatalowsthemtobesenand
heard.

BlackHistory MonthRealTalk

STUDYING
ABROAD
Writenby:YasmineAmon

DemiFlores:Spain
4thYearstudyingHumanDevelopmentandFamilyStudieswithaSpanishMinor
“Myadvicewouldbetorealyliveinthemoment,alowyourself
tobepresentandevenifit’snotwhatyouexpected,tomake
thebestofitandlearnalyoucanwhileyou’reinanew
environment.Alsotobefamiliarwiththelanguage,ifnotyour
experiencemaybelesenjoyableanditwilbedificulttonavigatethroughthecountry.”

DestiniHal:SemesteratSea
3rdyearstudyingInterdisciplinaryLiberalArtandtraveledto13countriesduringSemester
atSea(France,Germany,Grece,Italy,Spain,Moroco,Senegal,Brazil,Trinidad,Peru,
Ecuador,andCostaRica)
“Mymostmemorableexperiencewhilestudyingabroadwas
ridingcamelsthroughtheSaharaDesertinMoroco.Whilein
Fez,Moroco,somefriendsandIdrovesevenhourstothe
SaharaDesert,thenrodeoncamels,travelingtoasmal
Berbercampinthedesert.Wethenhadacelebrationwiththe
Berberpeople,whichincludedsinging,dancing,fod,andmint
tea(theBESTteaofmylife!)Westayedupalnightonthe
sanddunes,lokingupatthestars,andtalkingabouttheories
oflife,andmakingittothisbeautifulplace.Welaughedwith
localsandembracedtheircultureandtheland.Itwasatruly
humbling,andlifealteringexperience.”

JoelEshun:Prague,CzechRepublic
4thyearstudyingComputerScienceandminoringinBusinesAdministration
“Iwouldgobackbecauseofthefrespiritandfriendlinesofthe
people.Ienjoyedthehistoricalaspectofthecities,andtheculture
thatwaspresented.OneofthereasonsIwanttogobackishow
costefectivePraguewasandIwoulddefinitelyrecommend
travelingtheretoanybodywhoisinterested.”
ShaylaMonteiro:Jamkhed,India
5thyeardoublemajoringinInterdisciplinaryWomenStudiesandSocialWork
Howtoreconectmyspiritwithmybodyandcontextiseverything!

NaStassjaBarker:Spain
3rdyearstudyingCommunicationswithaSpanishminor
“MytripimpactedmySpanishminorandfuturecarerchoices
agreatdeal.WhilestudyingabroadIalowedmyselftobecome
immersedintheculture.Thedailytutorialsandconversations
helpedenhancemyconversationalstyleandpronunciationby
speakingonlySpanishforawholemonth.BystudyingabroadI
wasabletopracticemyspeakingwithindividualswhoarefluent
inSpanishwhichhelpedmetobeterunderstandwhatIneded
toworkon.Aftermystudyabroadprogram,Idecidedto
retakeLSPA200whichhelpsstudentstounderstandSpanish
aswegointoourhigherlevelclases.Mystudyabroadtriphas
impactedmyfuturecarerbecauseIamnowmoremotivated
tobebilingualandfluentinSpanishandbecomeaSpanish
translator.”

BrianaDaniels:Ghana
3rdyearmajoringinHealthandExerciseSciencewithaconcentrationinSportsMedicine
“Ididalotoffirst-timerswhileinGhana.Itriedrealsugarcane
andhadatothachefortherestoftheday.Itriedmanydiferenttypesoffods,includingthefreshestcoconutwater
youwileverhave,banku,fufuandredred.Ibargainedmyway
throughahugefodmarketandmanycraftmarkets.Iwalked
on7ropebridgesintheKakumNationalForestthatwere160
ft.intheairandwobledeverytimeyoutokastep.Ivisited
twoofthethreslavecastlesthatwereusedintheSlave
Trade,visitedtheslavemarket,fedamonkeyinmyarms,
swamintheAtlanticOcean,andmetafamouspoetwhoonce
hungoutwithMayaAngelou.GhanawasanincredibleexperienceandIwouldrecommendvisitingtoanyonewhoiswilingto
learnthecultureandunderstandtheamazingcountry.”

ShannonMartin:WesternEurope
4thyearstudyingAparelandMerchandisingwithaBusinesandTechnical
CommunicationsMajor.TraveledtoFrance,UnitedKingdom,NetherlandsandBelgium
“BeforeIstudiedabroadIfelikeIlokedatlifethroughtunel
vision.IhadrarelybenoutofthestateandIhadbensoaccustomedtothecultureandthewaywedothingstothepoint
Ithoughtthatwastheonlywaytolive.Duringmytimeoutside
thecountry,Iexperiencedworldlyisuessuchastheatacksin
Belgiumforcingustoleavewithin24hours,theflodsinParis,
andtheatacksandstrikesthatweretakingplaceinthe
CharlesDeGauleairport.It’snoteverystudentsidealvisionto
goacrostheworldandwindupinsuchsensitiveandfrighteningsituations,yetformeitwassortofrefreshing,notinthe
waythatitwaspositive,butinthewaythatitsparkedalightin
me.Irarelypaidatentiontoworldnewspriortothistrip

ShannonMartin:WesternEurope
4thyearstudyingAparelandMerchandisingwithaBusinesandTechnical
CommunicationsMajor.TraveledtoFrance,UnitedKingdom,NetherlandsandBelgium
becauseasselfishlyasitsounds,itwasn'tdirectlyafectingme.
TheonlythingsthatIknewaboutwerethethingsthattheUS
newschosetocover.Buttobeinthesecountrieswhilealthis
wastakingplaceandtofelthefearandagonyofthecommunity,andtosealtheseunfortunateeventsunfoldbefore
myeyeschangedmyviewsoflifeandmademerealizehow
importantworldnewsis.”