FOGHORN ISSUE 14 FINAL

SF FOGHORN
EST. 1903
NEWS
04
HBCU
partnerships come
to San Francisco.
PHEBE BRIDGES
Staff Writer
Nearly 1,000 students, faculty, alumni and community
members poured into the War Memorial Gym on Tuesday,
Feb. 6, to listen to the Silk Speaker Series conversation between
Sterling K. Brown and Dr. Clarence B. Jones.
Brown, 47, is best known for his role as Randall Pearson
in “This Is Us.” He was recently nominated for an Academy
Award for his role in the new film,“American Fiction.”
Brown shared the stage with Dr. Clarence B. Jones. Jones,
93, co-founded USF’s Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice
with Jonathan D. Greenberg in 2019. Jones worked alongside
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as his speechwriter and legal
counsel, and is credited with writing the introductory paragraphs
to King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
The talk was sponsored by the Institute for Nonviolence
and Social Justice and the Silk Speaker Series. It was titled
“Leadership and Legacy,” and moderated by Associate Dean
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
SFFOGHORN.COM
SCENE
05
USF and UC
Berkeley African
Clubs unite for a
day of play.
@SFFOGHORN
THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024 • VOL. 121, ISSUE 14
OPINION
09
Stephanie Sears.
“I am so honored and absolutely excited to moderate this
conversation this evening,” said Sears. “Dr. Jones and Sterling
are two men who span different generations, different fields of
professional life, yet who have common experiences and some
really interesting synchronicities that bring them together.”
Brooke Schneider, a junior English major, said, “Both of
the speakers had such a beautiful and deep connection to music
and the performing arts…[it] helped their fight for justice
in different ways.”
Jones attended a summer program at Juilliard, and Brown
attended Stanford, studying acting, and New York University’s
Tisch’s School of the Arts.
Brown said that legacy was central to his fight for justice.
“I think I’m keenly aware with everything that I do that I walk
upon the shoulders of giants,” he said to the crowd. “I think
with each step I take, it’s with the knowledge, the humility, of
knowing I could not be here if it wasn’t for you,” Brown said in
reference to Jones.
FOGPOD
Black Politicians
Perpetuate White
Supremacy.
SPORTS
11
The NFL needs
to revisit its DEI
initiatives.
2024 Black History Month Issue
The Silk Speaker Series has been housed at USF since 2017. From left to right, Jonathan D. Greenberg, Stephanie Sears, Sterling K. Brown, and Dr.
Clarence B. Jones. Photo by Samantha Avila Griffin / SF Foghorn.
“LEADERSHIP AND LEGACY” ON THE HILLTOP
Sterling K. Brown and Dr. Clarence B. Jones in Conversation

02 03
THURSDAY
FEB. 15
2024
STAFF
Editor in Chief
MEGAN ROBERTSON
mrrobertson2@dons.usfca.edu
News Editor
NIKI SEDAGHAT
nisedaghat@dons.usfca.edu
Opinion Editor
CHISOM OKORAFOR
cokorafor@dons.usfca.edu
Scene Editor
INÉS VENTURA
ipventura@dons.usfca.edu
Sports Editor
CHASE DARDEN
cbdarden@dons.usfca.edu
Photography Editor
SAMANTHA AVILA GRIFFIN
svavilagriffin@dons.usfca.edu
General Reporter
PHEBE BRIDGES
pjbridges@dons.usfca.edu
General Reporter
ELINA GRAHAM
emgraham@dons.usfca.edu
415.422.5444
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STAFF EDITORIAL
BLACADEMIA
USF’s Solution to the Black Education Gap
USF has been a frontrunner in
extending education to Black people.
Since the 1950s, Black students such
as Bill Russell have left their legacies
on the Hilltop, and Black activism
has been a campus staple since the
‘60s, with the formation of the USF
Black Student Union.
However, despite decades of
progress towards equalizing access to
education around the United States,
it is critical to acknowledge that education
remains a struggle for Black
Americans. More needs to be done to
bridge existing racial education gaps,
and USF provides a roadmap for how
to do it.
Less than 200 years ago, anti-literacy
laws prohibited Black people
from reading and writing. It wasn’t
until 1867 that these laws were lifted,
but even then, education wasn’t
an equal right for Black Americans.
For decades, schools were legally segregated
between white and non-white
students, with non-white students
getting the short end of the stick. Although
this history may seem distant,
Ruby Bridges, the first Black child
to integrate into an all-white public
school in 1960, is only 69-years-old
today, younger than both Donald
Trump and President Joe Biden.
The legacy of Black exclusion
from academia is still alive, too. The
U.S. public school system remains
highly racially segregated. Majority
Black school districts consistently receive
less funding than their majority
white counterparts. Black students in
these underfunded areas do not always
have equal access to academic
support like college preparatory resources
and tutoring.
In addition to this, Black students
are taught and disciplined differently
than their non-Black classmates due
to pre-existing racial biases held by
teachers and administrators. According
to the American Psychological
Association, Black students are more
likely to be punished with suspension
and expulsion, less likely to be in gifted
programs, and met with lower expectations
from their teachers.
These problems don’t disappear
after high school. Black students face
many barriers in the college environment,
leading to nearly half of all
Black students contemplating dropping
out. In the 2010s, Black college
enrollment declined by a whopping
22% nationwide.
Barriers such as high tuition
costs, food access and housing complications
hit Black students especially
hard. Discrimination faced in
colleges only adds to their stress.
To help alleviate this, universities
should strive towards creating
a more welcoming environment for
Black students. USF’s Black Achievement
Sucess and Engagement (BASE)
Initiative provides a good framework
for how universities around the nation
should support their Black students.
BASE has many resources to
help Black students flourish, such
as scholarships, the Black Resource
Center and the Marshall-Riley Living
Learning Community, among others.
It’s working. According to their
website, USF’s graduation rate for
Black-identified students is 71.4%, in
comparison to the national average of
just 40%. The program boasts a nearly
20% increase in Black students in
only two years. Through BASE, USF
has created a successful model to
support Black students. Other universities
should follow suit.
Education can be a welcoming
space for Black people. Educational
institutions just need to invest in cultivating
it.
Editor’s Note: Foghorn Opinion
Editor Chisom Okorafor is a member
of BASE’s Black Scholars Scholarship
Program.
The Marshall Riley Living Learning Community on a historical field trip. Photo from @baseusfca
on Instagram.
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
Chase Darden (left) told Sterling K. Brown (right), “my dad said [you’re] the next
Denzel Washington.” Photo by Samantha Avila Griffin / SF Foghorn.
“You’re talking about Paul Robeson, and Lorraine Hansberry, and
James Baldwin, and Sidney Poitier, and Harry Belafonte, etcetera. I
could not be here if these individuals had not forged the path for it to
be easier for me. I have a responsibility to make it a little bit easier for
anybody that comes after me.”
Aniya Williams, a sophomore media studies major, said she enjoyed
“[seeing] how Dr. Clarence came to be and his motivations behind
his activism, and also knowing that he inspires Sterling K. Brown,
who is of an entirely different generation.”
Williams was one of approximately 20 students who attended a
small, pre-event Q&A session at Lone Mountain’s Studio Theater with
Brown and Rev. Dr. Ronné Wingate Sims.
Sims is an ordained Baptist minister and member of the University
Ministry staff. She moderated the Q&A session with Brown, focusing
on what it’s like to be a Black man working in the entertainment
industry. After their discussion, students asked Brown questions.
“[Brown] coming to sit with me and my friends, who are also of a
different generation, shows how we have to have this callback to past
generations and take in what they say,” Williams said.
Foghorn Sports Editor Chase Darden was particularly keen to
meet Brown at this event, being that. Brown’s first-Emmy win in 2016
was for playing the editor’s father, Christopher Darden, in “The People
V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”
“It was funny because when I told him who I was, he looked at me
as if he saw a ghost,” Chase Darden said.
During the central talk, the two men spoke about their experiences
with education. Jones said, “As a result of the education I got from
those Irish Catholic nuns, ages 6 to 14, I am, have been, committed to
the pursuit of excellence… the pursuit of knowledge.”
Brown spoke to his own experience in university. “It gave me confidence,
in terms of what I wanted to do. I knew I had talent… I wanted
to have a set of skills I could take from role to role.”
In the talk, Jones reflected on his friendships with Jewish students
while attending Columbia University, their relationship strengthened
by discrimination both of their communities faced. While sharing anecdotes
about the discrimination both groups endured, Jones repeatedly
used a slur historically used against Jewish people.
In the following days, a commercial starring Jones aired during
the Super Bowl by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. According
to CBS News, the 30-second ad cost approximately $7 million dollars.
The Foghorn requested a comment, about the phrase and advertisement,
from Jonathan D. Greenberg, co-founder of the Institute for
Nonviolence and Social Justice. Greenberg acknowledged the request
but did not reply in time for print. Should the Foghorn receive a comment,
you will find an updated version of this article on our website.
Jones’ last piece of advice for students was to “read, read, read,
read, read.” This stuck out to sophomore sociology major Mecedes
Lindsay. “I think [picking] up physical media is a lost art… I’m excited
to hear what stories and interactions [Jones] had with some of the
people I look up to.”
Board of Trustees member Adam Swig told the Foghorn that the
Silk Series “is an opportunity to hear from some of the greatest voices
out there. Dr. Jones is an American treasure. He’s living history. He is
the record of truth, and we all need to listen to the truth-speakers.”
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, News Editor: Niki Sedaghat
Performing Arts and Social Justice students were given priority to reserve tickets for the pre-event Q&A conversation with Rev. Dr. Ronné Wingate Sims (left) and Sterling K.
Brown (right). Photo by Samantha Avila Griffin / SF Foghorn.
NEWS

04 05
THURSDAY
FEB. 15
2024
NEWS
HBCUS MAKE WAY TO DOWNTOWN SF
NIKI SEDAGHAT
Staff Writer
Historically Black College and Universities
(HBCUs) partnerships are coming
to San Francisco this summer. At their
third annual conference, “Dreaming Forward:
Black to San Francisco,” on Feb. 1,
The City’s Dream Keeper Initiative invited
the public to engage with City officials
and stakeholders on accomplishments and
hopes for future projects.
Partnerships with HBCUs were at the
forefront of these conversations. These initiatives,
which would begin this summer,
have the support of Mayor London Breed.
“Black 2 San Francisco” is one such
initiative led by the Human Rights Commission.
It is piloting a program where
major HBCUs around the nation will have
programs Downtown during the summer
months. While the universities have yet
to be confirmed, possible partner schools
include: Howard University, Morehouse
College, and Tuskegee University, among
others.
The long-term goal of these partnerships
is to establish permanent San Francisco
HBCU satellite campuses, according to SF Govs. Feb. 2 press
release.
HBCUs are institutions created from 1837 to 1964 in the era of
legal segregation, with the intention of providing higher education
access to Black Americans, according to the National Center for Education
Statistics. There are now more than 100 HBCUs across the
United States, and while they remain predominantly Black, students
of all races are able to enroll.
University of San Francisco, along with other Bay Area universities
will support the initiative. USF will offer housing, San Francisco
State University will provide classrooms, and the University of
California, San Francisco will provide an array of support services to
students.
“It takes a village to help people, and historically black colleges
and universities have historically not gotten the support that they
needed or that they deserve, have not gotten the help required to run
at maximum efficiency,” said Maxwell Edmonds-Drati, junior politics
major.
On Sept. 18, 2023, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona
and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack sent letters to 16
governors that revealed a $12 billion disparity in funding between
HBCUs and non-HBCUs.
“Unacceptable funding inequities have forced many of our nation’s
distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities to
operate with inadequate resources and delay critical investments in
everything from campus infrastructure to research and development
to student support services,” stated Cardona in the letter.
San Francisco taking the initiative to support HBCUs has been
received well by many USF students. Edmonds-Drati, who is also the
Community Outreach Liaison for USF’s Brother Connection, said, “I
actually think it’s a really smart move. And I think it’s something that
we need to do…because it would bring diversification to the city of San
Francisco which has lost a significant amount of Black people.”
According to CalMatters, there has been a 43% decrease of the
Black population in San Francisco from 1990-2018. This mass urban
exodus comes at the result of rising costs, leading to disproportionate
rates of eviction.
The San Francisco Human Rights Commission strives towards “racial solidarity, equity, and healing” by working on
city anti-discrimination laws, according to their webpage. Photo from @Bayviewmagic on Instagram
In an effort to incorporate academics in revitalization efforts of
Downtown and the overall economy, City leaders and institutions believe
this program will be a step towards filling vacancies in Downtown.
“By bringing HBCUs to our City, we can not only create a connection
to empower our next generation of leaders, but we can also
contribute to the revitalization of our City,” said Breed in a Feb. 2
statement.
Also included in the Feb. 1 conference discussions were: the City
Attorney’s Office, Department of Environment, San Francisco Unified
School District, Office of Economic Workforce and Development, and
the Department of Police Accountability.
“After many years of planning, and months of seeding and working
to create meaningful partnerships, all the stakeholders are together
to explore how we can connect San Francisco to the incredible talent
that has historically been cultivated and supported by HBCUs,”
said Executive Director of San Francisco Human Rights Commission,
Dr. Sheryl Davis, in the same statement.
“Our local higher education partners have been actively involved
and are central to this project. These efforts have been a long time
coming from both community conversations to design the Dream
Keeper Initiative and recommendations from the Reparations Advisory
committee. I am heartened to see where the work goes from here,”
Davis continued.
The African American Reparations Advisory Committee is an advisory
group for the board of supervisors, the mayor, and the Human
Rights Commission to create a Reparations Plan to address inequalities
in the City.
“I feel like we don’t really have a space for us, in society unless we
create spaces that we had to fight to get created. So I think HBCUs
offer this really unique place where we can just be ourselves and enjoy
our culture,” Edmonds-Drati said.
The Foghorn will continue to report on updates to USF’s involvement
with this initiative.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, News Editor: Niki Sedaghat
CREATING A “VILLAGE OF LOVE AND
JOY” AT ASA’S FIELD DAY
ELINA GRAHAM
Staff Writer
USF and UC Berkeley Unite from Across the Bay for a Field Day
Surrounded by pickup ball games and enthusiastic children in the
Fillmore’s communal James P. Lang Athletic Field, members of USF’s
African Student Association (ASA) played games and enjoyed the sun
during their Field Day event on Feb. 10. Planned in partnership with
the University of California, Berkeley’s Nigerian Student Association
(NSA), this event marked ASA’s first collaboration with an organization
from outside of USF. The goal of the event was to unite two Bay
Area African culture clubs and find a unique way to honor Black History
Month.
“We really wanted to bridge the gap between Black students and
African students on campus,” ASA President DaAujana Florence said.
“Though we may have different ethnic and cultural identities, we are
all Black students, so it’s important that we support one another in our
mission to create safe spaces for Black faces and voices.”
Co-hosting with UC Berkeley’s NSA was important to Florence.
“We also wanted to let other Black organizations at other universities
such as Berkeley know that we see them and we appreciate
them,” she said.
Attendees enjoyed pizza and games, including tug of war,
giant Jenga and soccer, under the clear blue sky. All activities
were teamwork based, promoting collaboration and friendly
competition, as well as encouraging players to get out of their
comfort zones. “My favorite part of the event was creating
fellowship with other students on campus,” said USF senior
advertising major Dominic Jaikaran.
Florence hopes to see more intentionality in the celebration
of Black students on campus, as well as an increase in
diverse connectedness across the Bay. “When thinking about
the Bay Area, all of the possibilities can be a little intimidating
at times,” said Florence. “However, I think that the way we
have started in building a strong bond within our own community
first, and now branching out and welcoming others into our
community, is the best way that we see to continue to move towards
inclusivity and mass representation.”
USF junior biology major Matty Mboweni said, “I thought it was a
lot of fun!” Mboweni, who is also ASA’s events coordinator, said, “We
were able to play soccer games and some dodgeball games as well…
It was just nice after a long stressful week to just hang out with some
friends.”
Florence said, “We wanted to allow our members to celebrate
their Blackness in a unique way, and we thought the best way to do
that was to intentionally share space with other African students in an
effort to create our own little village of love and joy.”
ASA has more events planned for the semester, including a screening
of the Nigerian and Congolese love story, “The Wedding Party,” on
May 5. Tickets will be available soon and more information can be
found on the club’s Instagram page, @asaofusf.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Scene Editor: Inés Ventura
While not a typical field day activity, Dominic Jaikaran (left) and Michael Ossie
(right) are focused on their game of giant jenga. Photo by Veston Smith/ SF FOGHORN
The African Student Association was established on USF’s campus in 2018. Photo by
Veston Smith / SF FOGHORN
SCENE

06 07
THURSDAY
FEB. 15
2024
A FOODIE’S
ROADMAP TO THE
TENDERLOIN
delicious vegan options, Golden Era Vegan Restaurant serves blends of
Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, Indian, and Thai cuisine under the
ethos of a plant based diet. Right across the street from them is Gateway
Croissant, home of doughnuts as golden as the avenue it lives on,
with pastries ranging from simple muffins to delectable churros. The
owner serves each individual with humility and neighborly familiarity.
Hidden under scaffolding, Spice of India could easily be missed,
but certainly should not be. If you’re craving spicy samosas or a refreshingly
tangy drink like the recommended mango lassi — which
owner Madina A. claims is so good she “could have it in an IV drip to
[her] soul” — this is the place to be. Beyond savoring the comfort of
her food, it was a joy to hear Madina fawn over the process of cooking.
A small family and women-owned business, Madina offers a familiarity
and friendliness akin to the other Tenderloin haunts. Something
about hearing her describe the balance of flavor notes and ingredients
in her mango lassi gives a deeper glance into how much more these
places are than a quick bite.
Food just scratches the surface of the impact immigrant families
have had on the Tenderloin community. Had I not heard Leah describe
the area’s rich history, I might not have found these four delicious
manifestations of that rich cultural blend that lives there. In Laxamana’s
words, “the ongoing work is to peel away the counter narrative…
what are you gonna do instead of talking about it?”
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Scene Editor: Inés Ventura
A Resident’s Recommendations
for Cuisine & Counternarratives
The Faithful Fools hosts “street retreats” several times a year for community members to spend time
connecting with each other and the neighborhood. For more info, visit faithfulfools.org.
Photo by Samantha Avila Griffin/ SF FOGHORN
SCENE
REMI BRANDLI
Contributing Writer
GATEWAY CROISSANTS
390 Golden Gate Ave
Open 24/7
I’ve often heard the Tenderloin contextualized as the butt of
a joke, a catalyst of horror stories and generally a place to avoid.
Yet, according to SFPD statistics, the Tenderloin in 2023 was the
location of less than 1% of crimes in the city, only a recorded
2,847 out of 50,529 total. There has also been a 10.1% decrease
in crime in the Tenderloin, while crime in the Richmond district
increased 1.3% in the past year.
To see for myself, I went to the Tenderloin and spoke with
The Faithful Fools to learn more about the neighborhood’s rich
blends of culture.
The Fools are among many nonprofits that provide services
such as arts and education programs, essential worker support
and survival resources for residents. Founded in 1998 by Kay Jorgensen
and Carmen Barsody, the Fools have built their legacy
around their ground-level exposure to the realities of poverty
and life on the streets. I first was connected with the organization
in the fall of 2022 through USF’s Honoring Our Queer
Religious Elders class.
Leah Laxamana, co-director of the Fools, is a longtime resident
of the Tenderloin, referred to as the “TL.” Laxamana is
aware of the harsh realities existing in the Tenderloin. “The reputation
precedes itself,” she said. However, she said, “Crime and
violence, they happen outside TL. There’s nothing special here
that doesn’t happen anywhere else, what happens here is there’s
no secrets — this is life unedited.”
The essence of the Fools’ philosophy is based in gradually
increasing meaningful interaction within the Tenderloin, or
“finding different access points based on peoples comfortability,
and then challenging that,” in Laxamana’s words.
Referencing a Korean tapas restaurant around the block,
Laxamana told me about the vast cultural blend of her neighborhood
from the high volume of immigrant families. The Tenderloin
is “a food haven,” Laxamana said. The best way to become
acquainted with the neighborhood is to “eat your way through
the TL,” she said. So, I ate.
Around the corner from the Fools is Z Zoul Café, a Black
family-owned, Sudanese restaurant.. The 6-year resident has a
similar outlook on the neighborhood as the Fools. “It’s not all
about Tenderloin — there is Tenderloin in each city in the world,”
said owner Aref Elgaali. Elgaali has also been the co-founder and
president of the Tenderloin Merchant and Property Owner’s Association
(TMA) since 2019.
One of the few Black-owned restaurants in the area, Z
Zoul offers the cuisine of Sudan with a view of vibrant buildings
surrounding the restaurant. Elgaali’s wisdom pairs well
with the food — if you can trap him into a conversation while
ordering, that is. Upon walking in, I was greeted with a warm
aroma of cumin and garlic. For $12.75, you can enjoy Elgaali’s
highly recommended Chicken Shawarma wrap, and chase it
down with his reflections about the greater community. Egaali
recalled, “if you came [during] APEC and you see the Tenderloin
— it’s different. They cleaned it up.”
Down a few blocks from Z Zoul and the Fools, Larkin
street is stacked with restaurants rich in flavor, celebrating
culture with a ‘service with a smile’ mentality. If you’re seeking
After Proposition G was
passed in 2007, chain
stores found it difficult to
open in the city, which is
why you won’t see recognizable
donut spots like
Yum Yum Donuts or Krispy
Kreme on the streets. Photo
by Samantha Avila Griffin/
SF FOGHORN
Wondering how to get to the Tenderloin? Hop on the 5 Muni line and ride for
15 minutes (or 9 stops),hop off at McAllister and Leavenworth, and walk for
about 9 minutes up Leavenworth towards O’Farrell St.
SPICE OF INDIA
The Elaagi family migrated to the U.S. in 2016, and opened the Z Zoul
cafe after realizing that the city was missing an authentic Sudanese
restaurant. Photo by Samantha Avila Griffin/ SF FOGHORN
The mural (to the right) shows an artist replica of the owner’s mother.
Photo by Samantha Avila Griffin/ SF FOGHORN
GOLDEN ERA VEGAN
RESTAURANT
448 Larkin St 395 Golden Gate Ave
10a.m. - 12 a.m. Sunday - Saturday
Sunday - Saturday 11a.m.- 7:30 p.m.
Z ZOUL CAFÉ
295 Eddy St
Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m. -
7:30 p.m.
Sunday 12 – 6:30 p.m.
Saturday 12 – 7:30 p.m.
SCENE

08 09
THURSDAY
FEB. 15
2024
BLACK FACES, WHITE SYSTEMS
How Black People Can Uphold Oppressive Systems
SCENE
Daleyn Brown (shown above) was behind USF’s first Black student music showcase which will take place again this April. Photo by Kaleb Martinez/ SF FOGHORN
POETS POP-OFF AT LYRICIST LOUNGE
INÉS VENTURA
Staff Writer
“Who’s voice is important to you?” It could be that of a friend,
your mother, or the oppressed. For poets who took the mic at last
week’s Lyricist Lounge on UC 4, it was all of the above.
The Intercultural Center hosts monthly Lyricist Lounge nights,
where students have the opportunity to take to the stage, show off
their poetic material and tap into their artistic sides. This month’s
rendition was in honor of Black History Month.
The UC 4 lounge was transformed into a poet’s sanctuary with
dimmed lighting and a makeshift stage — featuring a black curtain
and paper made tree, which performers stood under as they recited
their work. Titles of the night’s performances included “A Letter to my
Future Daughter” and “A Village Called Perth.”
Mikayla Bell, who performed “I’m Not a Love Poet,” is a fine
arts major with a minor in African American studies, but outside of
schoolwork she puts her pen to paper and creates poetry whenever inspiration
strikes. “I really like open mics and the intensity of the small
crowd, especially the callbacks — it’s nice to hear from the crowd.”
Audience members showered performers with snaps after every
act to show support. If a poet was giving new material, the audience
would call “new shit,” or “old shit,” for material that wasn’t new to the
performer’s ears, but was to others.
On what inspired her not-a-love poem, Bell said, “It was not about
the person, but just how I love, and showcasing that infatuation and
carelessness.” She continued, “That’s why I think poetry is really cool,
because you can document raw stages of your own mind in your own
words. So like, at the time, I was really in love.”
In his welcome speech at the opening of the event, Delayn Brown
said, “The goal of tonight is to find our voices… especially Black
voices.” Brown, a senior international business major and music minor,
works in the Intercultural Center and organizes all the Lyricist
Lounges of the school year.
“I think it is very important that this is a student planned event,
because of the possibility of collaborating with other organizations,
and because students like to see other students, instead of a teacher,”
Brown continued.
Brown ended the intimate evening by leading the audience of
around 20 people through a practice called Isaang Bagsak. The term,
meaning “one down” in Tagalog, is the name of a practice adopted
from anti-martial law activists in the Philippines. It starts with a community
member clapping at a slow tempo, then more people join in
as the pace picks up, until eventually all members of the community
are clapping together in a loud, powerful unison that you could feel in
your chest. The sentiment behind the practice, according to Brown is
“when one falls, all fall. When one rises, all rise.”
Follow the Cultural Center on Instagram @ccusfca to learn more
about other events taking place for Black History Month, and the rest
of the semester.
Editor’s Note: Foghorn Opinion Editor Chisom Okorafor performed
at the Lyricist Lounge.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Scene Editor: Inés Ventura
Mikayla Bell (shown above) is no stranger to open mic nights, she has been on the
poetry scene since her time back home in Stockton, Calif.
Photo by Kaleb Martinez/ SF FOGHORN
CHISOM OKORAFOR is a
sophomore politics major.
The political elites are
diversifying. But the systems of
power they represent are staying the
same.
Black people can, and do, act as
agents for white supremacy. They
should be called out just as fervently.
In the wake of the 2020 Black
Lives Matter protests, the promised
defunding of the police from cities
including Minneapolis, Los Angeles
and Seattle, never really manifested.
Rather, even in Mayor London
Breed’s San Francisco, police
budgets actually increased — to the
tune of millions of dollars, largely
to implement “reforms.” These
measures included mandatory body
cameras and civilian review boards;
things that don’t address the fact that we’re spending increasing
amounts on cops rather than addressing the socio-economic factors
that cause crime in the first place.
For example, in New York City, under Mayor Eric Adams, every
city agency is facing painful budget cuts. This includes the libraries in
America’s largest city, which have had to shut down on Sundays. But
by “every city agency,” Adams is of course excluding the police, who
will be expanding by 600 officers this year. Lord knows how, given that
the ever-expanding force of the NYPD cost the city an additional $100
million in overtime only part way through Fiscal Year 2023.
Of course, a favored solution to police violence is hiring more
diverse cops in hopes that a Black cop behind the gun will be less likely
to pull the trigger on Black civilians. Here’s the problem: according to
the American Association for the Advancement of Science, it doesn’t
work. Black cops are no less likely to shoot minorities than their white
counterparts. In fact, despite all the reforms implemented, 2023 saw a
record number of police homicides. Let’s not forget that in Jan. 2023,
five Black police officers fatally brutalized 29-year-old Tyre Nichols.
Black or not, cops are cops.
That includes former California “Top Cop,” Vice President
Kamala Harris. Lauded as the popular, efficient counterpart to Joe
Biden’s stale old white man-ness, Harris impressively manages to be
neither popular, nor efficient. As of Jan. 2024, Statistica found that
53% of Americans view the vice president unfavorably. Her image
is consistently harmed by the fact that nobody seems to know what
she’s doing half the time. Her most recent role has been wagging
her finger at Israel’s attempted ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.
It’s important for the Biden administration to appear like it at least
cares a little about the people of Gaza as increasingly important voter
demographics like young voters of color identify with the Palestinian
struggle. But, as Harris made clear, they’re still going to keep funding
Israel’s crimes, no matter what young voters of color think.
The vice president isn’t the only Black face in the Biden
administration defending the legitimacy of oppressive systems. Two
Black Americans have recently gained notoriety acting as ambassadors
to the United Nations: Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Robert Wood.
Deputy Ambassador Wood vetoed the UN Security Council resolution
on a ceasefire in Gaza, a measure that could’ve stopped the slaughter
in early December. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield did the same on
Oct. 18. Their votes have garnered international outrage.
It’s especially insulting because of the long history of Black-
Palestinian solidarity, which continues today. The Movement 4 Black
Lives states on their website, “we remain ever-vigilant in our solidarity
with Palestine, knowing the fates and futures of our people are linked.
For the Black liberation movement to succeed, the Palestinian freedom
struggle must survive.”
Moreover, much has been said about the plight of the Black
billionaire. In 2022, Black Enterprise condemned the fact that out of
nearly 3,000 billionaires in the world, only 15 are black. I’m not sure
why — it’s not like a more diverse billionaire class has anything to do
with the rest of us. The richest Black person in the world is a Nigerian
man named Aliko Dangote, the owner of an oil refinery. As a Nigerian-
American, trust me, the trade-off the oil industry has made in Nigeria,
reaping short-term profits for long-term health risks, environmental
devastation and fossilizing systems of neo-colonialism and repression
have not been worth it for one more Black billionaire.
However, despite Black people being increasingly allowed into
the oppressor class, we’re also still on the ground fighting injustice,
just like we’ve always been. The Black communities of Atlanta are
still resisting Cop City — a plan to destroy an old growth forest to
build a military-style police training center— despite state repression
from their Black mayor and district attorney. Afro-Palestinian Lama
Jamous is the youngest journalist in Gaza at 9-years-old, raising her
voice to advocate for Palestine. Black people in the U.S. are heeding
her call. Author Marc Lamont Hill is spearheading the movement for
Black churches to oppose the president’s cynical use of a tragic event
at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston to
launder his reputation among Black folks.
All over the world, Black activists know which systems are in
the way of liberation. Whether it’s Missouri Representative Cori
Bush camping out on the steps of the Capitol to extend the eviction
moratorium, or South Africa dragging Israel to the International Court
of Justice for war crimes and genocide, we won’t let the changing faces
of oppression obscure the reality of the fight for freedom.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Opinion Editor: Chisom Okorkafor
According to the Guardian, under the leadership of Mayor Adams, misconduct
complaints against the NYPD hit an eleven-year high // Photo from @nycmayor on
Instagram.
OPINION

10 11
THURSDAY
FEB. 15
2024
OPINION
POLLUTION IS KILLING BIPOC COMMUNITIES
ISAIAH RAGLIN is a sophomore
public health major.
What I learned from Mobile, Alabama’s Africatown
Breathing in and breathing out
are familiar functions of everyday
life. These rituals are essential to
maintaining the human condition.
But, for some members of Black and
Brown communities, environmental
changes have made it so these simple
actions can shorten a life, rather
than maintain it.
It is important for us to
acknowledge how environmental
racism impacts communities of
color, and demand accountability.
American singer and civil
rights activist Harry Belafonte said,
“Although slavery may have been
abolished, the crippling poison of
racism still persists, and the struggle
still continues.” Racism has taken its
shape in many different aspects of my life as a Black man. One form
of racism that I have become increasingly aware of is environmental
racism. Throughout the country, communities of color have had
adverse experiences with water and air pollution, as well as other
environmental risk factors.
Last winter, I had the privilege of going on an immersion trip with
the Marshall-Riley Living-Learning Community. One of the places
we visited was the once-beautiful Africatown in Mobile, Alabama.
Africatown is where the last slave ship to the United States landed, and
today it has a 98% Black population, keeping with the trend since its
establishment. The town’s once blue skies are now filled with smoke
from paper factories and power plants, and its formerly clear river
flows with polluted water.
On the trip, we spoke with Major Joe Womack, who has been
a resident of Africatown his entire life. He shared with us the
governmental practices that intentionally target his predominantly
Black neighborhood. “People born after 1945 usually don’t live past
65 [here],” the retired army officer told us. During the talk, he
explained to me that both the city and state government are
doing nothing to address the pollutants prevalent in the area.
From using people’s land for power plants, to polluting their
water — the Black neighborhood has become a health hazard.
Studies have proven that areas impacted by environmental
racism are catalysts for a multitude of health issues at high
rates, such as cancer and nervous system complications. As the
Guardian reported in 2018, although localized cancer data has
not been collected by the state of Alabama in Africatown, locals
describe a concerning trend of “many longtime residents dying
before the age of 65, very often from cancer.”
The main polluter has been identified by locals as
International Paper, the largest paper company in the world.
Though their Mobile factory closed down, the improper disposal
of its waste has caused soil and water pollution. In 2018, the
residents of Africatown filed a lawsuit against the paper giant,
alleging the company had been polluting the air, ground, and
water, and when discovered, had tried to hide this fact.
International Paper isn’t the only polluter. Kemira Water
Solutions, which finished expansion in 2020, created a new
chemical unit in the area which creates Bio-Acrylamide, a
highly toxic chemical which has been proven to cause nerve
damage and different cancers according to the World Health
Organization. According to the environmental organization
Africatown C.H.E.S.S., the site has already caused damages: in
a 2018 incident, a chemical tank overheated and threatened to
explode, forcing Africatown residents to evacuate.
Womack is not alone in his dismay for the government’s
handling of environmental pollutants. The Mobile Environmental
Justice Action Coalition, founded in 2013, works with Africatown
residents “to defend the inalienable rights to clean air, water, soil,
health, and safety; to promote environmental justice; and to take
direct action when the government fails to do so, ensuring community
self-determination.”
Their work has started to pay off. In 2022, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) struck down a permit for a chemical plant
near Africatown. The agency argued that Alabama was not being
fully transparent on questions of air pollution, failing to meet its legal
requirement. To reach its conclusion, the EPA relied on work done by
the Mobile Environmental Justice Action Coalition. While a victory,
there is still a long way to go to fix the environmental racism that is
literally shortening Black folks’ lives.
This blatant disregard for human life is a prime example of how
neglecting to resolve unhealthy environmental conditions in Black and
Brown communities is just another nuanced form of the same racism
experienced by our ancestors during the Civil Rights Movement and
prior.
In terms of environmental racism, we have been met with an issue
that is virtually inescapable for many. Depending on where you live,
it’s dangerous to walk outside and take a deep breath because of the
polluting forces in your community.
For me, going to Africatown and seeing how environmental racism
painfully alters the lives of my people was jarring. What’s worse is
knowing the same phenomenon is repeating all across the country:
from Flint, Michigan to “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana, and here in San
Francisco in Bayview-Hunters Point.
Racism in America pollutes the very air we breathe. Addressing
environmental racism will be a long, complex process. The first
step, though, is to acknowledge its existence. Then, we can demand
accountability.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Opinion Editor: Chisom Okorafor
Graphic by Sophie Reichert / GRAPHICS CENTER
THE NFL IS LIVING IN THE PAST
The league needs to do more to address the lack of Black head coaches
CHASE DARDEN is a senior
media studies major.
The National Football League
(NFL) is no stranger to issues with
inclusion. In February 2022, a Black
former head coach sued the league,
claiming it was “rife with racism,”
particularly in their hiring practices
for head coaches.
The NFL is ancient in Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts
and needs to better tailor their
initiatives to align with modern
inclusion practices.
In the NFL’s 104-year history,
only 25 out of 524 head coaches have
been Black. Three of those Black
head coaches were hired in just the
last two years, and two in the last
two months. The number of teams
with a Black head coach currently
stands at six out of 32 teams, which is sadly a record-high number for
the league.
As an avid sports fan and journalist, I rarely see the sports world
analyzed from a lens of social justice, or leagues being held accountable
for their unjust practices. More importantly, as a Black man, I see how
far behind the NFL is concerning awareness and sensitivity of social
justice issues in comparison to its counterparts.
In June 2023, the NFL was made up of 56.4% Black players, but
roughly 5% of the teams were headed by Black coaches. In comparison,
the National Basketball Association (NBA) is made up of approximately
70% Black players, and Black head coaches lead more than 50% of
teams. The difference in the ratios paints a sad picture of professional
football.
The NFL has made efforts to increase the diversity
in upper-management positions by instituting
the Rooney Rule in 2003, which requires teams to
interview at least one minority candidate for coaching
and executive positions, and further incentivizes them
with draft pick compensation if they are hired.
Incentivizing diversity? I’m sure whoever came up
with this rule thought it was genius, but it seems more
like giving teams a cookie for doing what’s right.
The Rooney Rule is ineffective, a “sweep it under
the rug” solution. Sure, on a surface level, there has
been an increase in Black head coaches, but again, that
increase is literally six people — still vastly underrepresentative.
With this line of thinking, minority coach
candidates are simply a box to be checked off. Rather
than leveling the playing field, the rule makes Black
candidates appear to be in the conversation just
because they have to be.
The Rooney Rule is like when your parents make
you bring your younger sibling to hang out with your
friends. Yeah, your younger sibling is happy to be
around the big kids, but in reality, you dread their
presence and don’t want to piss off your parents. Black
candidates for head coach positions can rise to the top
through less dehumanizing means.
The NFL dominates other American sports
leagues in viewership by a large margin, with ESPN
reporting that the league averages 17.9 million viewers
per telecast. This week, the NFL set the record for
second most watched telecast of all time with 123.4
million viewers for Super Bowl LVIII, following only the Apollo Moon
Landing in 1969. As of the most recent data available, the NFL earned
$18.6 billion in revenue in 2022. A large portion of this sum comes
from the efforts of the Black players, and even more so their coaches,
who appear on our screens every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday. It
is unacceptable that the league does not do more to even the ratios of
Black players to coaches.
The most sought-after coaches are those who are experienced and
of a winning pedigree, but there is no way to gain experience without
giving the community access to the tools needed to do so. Starting at
the executive level is backward, the league should repeal the Rooney
Rule and focus on organically changing the league culture.
In the NBA, when there is a head coach opening, the NBA
commissioner, deputy commissioner, or Executive Vice President will
contact teams offering resources to ensure a diverse hiring process,
which includes a database of more than 400 coaches within the league
and its affiliates. The NBA also has a program that helps former players
start working towards a career in coaching.
Though it is a longer process, programs like these provide a
generational solution rather than temporary ones. Bringing coaches
up from lower-level coaching roles, then to coordinating, then
head coaching, and then to executive positions gives them a better
opportunity to gain the knowledge to succeed for a longer amount of
time.
The NFL is getting lapped on diversity, and without addressing
these issues soon, the league will find itself not up to modern ethical
standards.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor:Jordan Premmer, Opinion Editor: Chisom Okorafor,
Sports Editor: Chase Darden
Super Bowl LVIII brought in over 123 million viewers, becoming the most-watched telecast of all time.
Photo courtesy of @NFL/Instagram
SPORTS

12
THURSDAY
FEB. 15
2024
DONS AND BRONCOS BRAWL ON THE HILLTOP
Six Players Ejected in Comeback Win vs Santa Clara
JORDAN MARALIT
Staff Writer
SPORTS
In an electric game on the Hilltop, the Dons prevailed winning 71-70. Photo courtesy of @usfdonsmbb/Instagram
On a cold Saturday night on the Hilltop, the Dons
faced their conference rivals, the Santa Clara Broncos,
in a thrilling 71-70 victory. However, the game
took a turn when the Broncos and Dons got into a
brawl in the second half.
The altercation took place with 11:51 left in the
second half with the Broncos holding a 50-46 lead.
Things got heated after Santa Clara forward Camaron
Tongue was called for an offensive foul while
setting a screen on Dons forward Isaiah Hawthorne,
who fell to the floor. While the players
surrounded Hawthorne, guard Marcus Williams
came behind Tongue and threw his left shoulder
into Tongue’s right shoulder, which caused
Tongue to fall to the floor. The incident escalated
as Hawthorne and Broncos guard Carlos Marshall
Jr. started to press against one another, and soon
benches began to clear. Broncos center Christopher
Tilly threw a towel where the fight took place.
After a lengthy review from the officials, each team
had three players ejected. For the Broncos it was
Marshall Jr., Tilly, and guard Jalen Benjamin. On
the Dons’ side they lost Hawthorne and Williams,
along with guard Robby Beasley who made his way
into the mix.
Santa Clara head coach Herb Sendek and USF head
coach Chris Gerlufsen were both called for technical
fouls. After the game, Gerlufsen reflected on the
brawl saying, “Some unfortunate stuff happened in
that second half that I’m not proud of. To have three
guys ejected from the game is not smart, and we
need to be smarter in those moments because it’s
too important.”
The fight garnered many student reactions, with
many questioning what was happening.
Sophomore design major Caitlyn Asano, who plays the flute for the
Dons Marching Band, said, “I thought it was just a mini fight or someone
tripping over another player but once adults got involved it felt like
hell broke loose, especially hearing everyone’s reaction.”
She added, “I was confused and flabbergasted for a bit until the students
started cheering for us and my spirit was bigger than ever.”
Junior entrepreneurship, innovation, and accounting major Moses
Tsai was a spectator when the fight took place. He said, “Once the
fight broke out, I was really shocked that it happened and at the same
time, it was energizing to see the fans of Santa Clara and USF going at
each other at an instant.”
Senior advertisement major Dominic Jaikaran had a different way of
viewing the situation. “I thought that the player in Santa Clara intentionally
drove his shoulder into the USF basketball player. The player
was knocked down and I felt it was a cheap shot,” he said.
He added, “The fight gave me a rush of excitement because I have never
seen a fight in a college game in person before.”
The scuffle was shocking for the crowd to see, even Broncos viewers
were startled. Santa Clara student and senior Communications major,
Thomas Dunn said, “When the fight started, I wasn’t initially sure if I
was believing what I was seeing. In all the years I’ve attended, covered,
and broadcasted games, I had never seen anything like it.” Dunn is the
Sports Editor for The Santa Clara and the Sports Director for KSCU
103.3FM. He added, “This poured kerosene on the fire of this rivalry”
While the fight was one of the memorable moments in the game, the
Dons secured the win with a comeback run. The Broncos had the largest
lead of the game in the first half with a 22-0 run over the first six
minutes. The lead started to dwindle after guards Barry Wang and
Mike Sharavjamts cut the lead to 36-23. The Dons closed out the first
half with baskets from guard Malik Thomas, and a Robby Beasley
layup ended the half with a Broncos 39-29 lead.
As the second half started, USF opened up with a 9-2 run, punctuated
by Ryan Beasley’s three-pointer. In addition, Sharavjamts cashed a
huge three-pointer to make it a one-possession ball game.
The Broncos delayed the comeback as they extended their lead immediately
with a 8-2 run, with 3:27 to play. Although both teams took
advantage of the double bonus, the Broncos still led 68-61 with 1:25
left to go. Mogbo converted an and-one poster dunk to cut the lead to
four points.
The last minute of the game was a free-throw shootout between the
two teams but a couple of clutch free throws led the Dons to victory.
Mogbo sealed the win, utilizing his effort on the offensive glass
while the Dons trailed 70-69. He then made two free throws, giving
the Dons the win. This marks the 234th matchup between the Broncos
and Dons at the Hilltop.
The next home game will take place on Saturday, Feb. 24th against the
Pepperdine Waves. Students can attend home games for free on their
One Card.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel, Managing
Editor:Jordan Premmer, Sports Editor: Chase Darden