The Bella Bulletin Newsletter: January 2022 Edition

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The Bella Bulletin

JANUARY 2022

APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN… For the 2022 BALI Summer Program. Find out how to apply in the pages to come!

Bali Announcements SUMMER PROGRAM APPLICATIONS

CHECK OUT… Our new Feminist Five as we highlight various books for Holocaust Remembrance Day, with a spotlight on Nobel Peace Prize winner, Elie Wiesel.

Open now! CLICK HERE TO APPLY Cohort 1: Tuesday - Friday, July 5th - July 15th, 2022

Cohort 2: Monday - Friday, July 18th - July 29th, 2022

FOLLOW @BELLAABZUGINSTITUTE


Table of Contents I.

Announcements…………………………………….….…..3

II.

Highlights of the Month…………….…………….……..…...6

III.

Feminist Five…….…………………………….......….….....7

IV.

Happy Birthday To……………...……………..……....…......9

V.

This Month in Women’s History …..……….………………....10

VI.

Enrichment Opportunities……..………...............................…..11

VII. Bella

Bulletin Staff………….………………..……...….….13

VIII. BALI

Staff…………………………….…………..........…..14


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Bali Announcements SUMMER PROGRAM APPLICATIONS

Open now! CLICK HERE TO APPLY Cohort 1: Tuesday - Friday, July 5th - July 15th, 2022

Cohort 2: Monday - Friday, July 18th - July 29th, 2022 5


Highlights of the Month

The long-awaited “2020” Summer Olympics this year has a spotlight on City the Council racism, and more This put January, New York will make specifically, misogynoir that is entrenched in and the Just days after ofkilled Homeland Sunday, January 9,the a Department devastating fire 17 history by inaugurating 31 female city-councilors. sports industry. First, Sha’Carri was Last month, horrific ofRichardson United States Security announced that they cleared the injured residents of images Twin Parks North West, an Up until60 now, the council has never had more than border patrol brutalizing Haitian migrants banned from the Olympics after a positive cannabis camp of 15,000, mostly Haitian apartment complex the Bronx. Parkscoming North 18 women sit on thein council, but Twin this immigrants next sparked widespread outrage. The atrocities test, even though it is not a performance-enhancing West, nicknamed Touray after Abdolie seeking inwillDelhave Rio,aTower Texas, horrifying year, lovingly theasylum council female majority. made by let the U.S. government against Hatian drug (and alone the fact that is many white athletes Touray moved in in the 1970s, home to a strong images werethis released of U.S.has Border Patrol Furthermore, year’s election made history migrants, however, extend far beyond the have been excused of much worse accusations). This Gambian community that is now reeling fromwith the Agents chasing Haitian immigrants on multiple accounts due to the diverse group of events of late September. Most of the past week, Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka stepped loss of not only parents, children, and issiblings, but horses and whips. This instance one in a candidates. Crystal Hudson will become the their first immigrants depicted in theevents photos surfaced down from members their Olympic tothat protect community and chosen family. The fire is long line of atrocities comitted by the U.S. Black openly queer city deported council member, late September were back toShekar Haiti physical and mental health. And as a result, these said to have been initiated by athe space that government dating toestablished firstheater influx of under Title 42. Titleback 42, Indian by the Krishnan will be the first American, Chi champion athletes have faced immense was turned on for several days, but the gravity of the Hatian asylum seekers in teh 1970s. After Trump administration, allows theinstances U.S. Ossé be of the youngest city council discrimination and judgment. These three fire is will a result deeper infrastructure issuesmember, and the the brutal “clearing” of the detention center government toothers immediately deport immigrants (among many atBronx. this year’s Olympics) begs and many more recent elects willactivist make systemic neglect ofofthethe As community that attempt to cross the border under the this September, the overwhelming majority the question of whether the Olympics andstated itsMany fans history by making the council more diverse. and religious leader Sheik Musa Drammeh at pretense ofimmigrants pandemic concerns. To tosupport of Haitian were forced travel care about their Black athletes beyond the rankfor choice of what asuggest public that funeral the voting victims,is part “If they livedhas in Haitian and Black migrants, consider donating to back to Haiti. entertainment and talent they provide. made running for office more not accessible to For all midtown Manhattan, they would have died.”

the Haitian Bridge Alliance and UndocuBlack. those interested in providing support to the New Yorkers.

impacted families, see @gambianyouthorganization on Instagram.

This summer, indigenous water protectors and allies have been Poland tirelesslyissued protesting the construction of In 2020, an almost-complete On 20, members of by Trans*, a resource LineOctober 3, a pipeline being built the Canadian oil ban ofyear, abortions; only permitting victims of This the United Nations Framework group for Netflix employees that are gender company Enbridge. The pipeline is being constructed incest, rape, or medical emergencies Convention on Climate Change (COP finally minorities and staged a 26) Earlier in January andallies, on the first day of Black History in Northern Minnesota even though it walkout violates access to safe and legal abortions. Many protesting Dave Chappelle’s comedy special addressed the detrimental impacts faced Month, several HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges several treaties made with thehealth Ojibwe people of the have accused the Polish government of “The Closer,” which features a copious amount by vulnerable communities as aisthreats result ofcross climate and Universities) received bomb forced area. Furthermore, the pipeline set tothat 200 taking ofcarbon the COVID-19 of homophobic and jokes. The change. Atadvantage the convention, preventative measures the cancellation ofand all university programming. The bodies of water itstransphobic footprint would walkout was intended to pressure the company pandemic to quickly and quietly pass the FBI has recently narrowed the perpetrators to six such as that cutting emissions and stopping exceed of methane all of Minnesota. The influx of to acknowledge the harm done by the special law. In response, the Belgian government juveniles who utilized sophisticated tech to conceal Enbridge workers into heavily Ojibwe discussed. territory hasMany also deforestation were and tothe include more LGBTQ+ films and TV shows funded 6 abortion organizations that will where threats originated. Some students report heightened COVID-19 cases and led to the assault of activists and policymakers in attendance, however, on the streaming service. Netflix co-Chief now invite people from Poland toForcome to that assumed racially motivated threats ofspecific these some indigenous community members. ways to report thatTed the convention lacked a more Executive Sarandos publicly stands by Dave Belgium andstopline3.org. receive safe andhopelegal kinds please have happened in the past, and they that help, see focus on health impacts with direct Chappelle andcontinue refuses to take the health-related special off of authorities will to investigate the issue. abortions.

solutions Netflix. that address health disparities.

Three months ago, the CDC announced that Steven Spielberg’s Westfree Side Story public has sparked vaccinated people were to enter indoor Crystal Hudson, Central Brooklyn’s newest city worldwide excitement. Saudi Arabia, the United places maskless fear has of contracting or A recent lawsuitwithout in Taiwan the potential This month, Canadian-backed oil company, council member, declared her mission to support Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait, spreading COVID-19. This month, however, due to to make historic change in Taiwan. This Endbridge, was pressured to shut down Line 5 in renters inbanned aof recent interview with City several the the Deltamovie variant of the virus however, have due toWatch. strict month,inoutbreaks aneed Taiwanese court approeved Xiao Michigan for several hours after water She is most particularly focused onwhich supporting seniors (the revealing ofher occurred in censorship rules around sexuality. The E’s request to change gender onprimary her ID protectors called Enbridge and halted the with rental assistance after the expiration of eviction Provincetown, Massachusetts, where ofWest the issue thatprove these countries have foundmost with without of gender-affirming surgery. operation of the pipeline from the protections onvaccinated) January 15th.CDC In announced thewithin interview, population is the that Side Story is the Xiao minorEcharacter Anybodys. In the Back inThe 2019, was denied this right, facility. construction and operation of Line 5 Hudson alsoindividuals criticized the complex paperwork and vaccinated can, in fact, contract original film, Anybodys portrayed as athreat tomboy andposed in response, she isenvironmental took her case straight has an immense to lack of communication froma government spread the disease. As result, it isofficials now that seeksNow, acceptance fromDespite the have Jets, but the to court. many activists that the Michigan community. thehope factinthat when those in need apply for rental assistance recommended that everyone, regardless of 2021 adaptation, Anybodys isprecedent portrayed as Xiao E’s caseneed will set and the state anda members of work the stating that government “We create systems The that vaccination status usetomasks indoors. Delta explicitly trans. Despite the censorship inthea abolish the that have states trans individuals Michigan community actively resisted for people, notlaw against Hudson has variant is near twice them.” as transmissible asalso themade first use andhave of adaptation the pipeline, Enbridge must gender-affirming surgery to handful ofconstruction countries, this ofofAnybodys significant strides in the first few months her term strains of COVID-19, yet less than half of the U.S. has exploited legalon in work order to change their gender theiron IDs. is monumental thanks toloopholes the in-depth and by halting developments Atlantic Avenue population istwo vaccinated. continue with construction. research donedidn’t by screenwritier Tony from Kushner, because they have proper input the Steven Spielberg, and iris menas, the community.

transmasculine non-binary actor who plays Anybodys.

Next month, the Supreme Court will take up two lawsuits against Senate Bill 8, a Texas In response to financial difficulties brought on by the abortion law that can ban abortions at as early COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC established a This6 weeks month, as intoCalifornia pregnancy, Governor well beforeGavin many moratorium that protected Americans from After a 20 -year career in the high court of Lahore, individuals find out that they are pregnant. If Newsom established a three-year evictions. Justice This month, even though thehistory pandemic Pakistan, Ayesha Malik made by passed, Senate15, Billtransformational 8,will would eliminate 85%-90% pilot-program that record data about the On December author, poet, and its subsequent obstacles are far from becoming Pakistan’s financial first female judge appointed to of abortions in Texas. The two lawsuits made gender and sexuality of victims of violent and professor, bell hooks died at age 69. hooks over, the Supreme moratorium many Pakistan’s Court.was Maliklifted, has spent her career against the billthe were made by leaving the federal deaths. While pilot-program is limited to published 30 books in her lifetime, and was best Americans the in the lurch for affordable housing. defending rights ofawomen in Pakistan. Last With year, government and collection of abortion six counties, advocates areLove: still that known for herthe works About New Visions, the moratorium lifted, many the she prevented legalization an hopeful unnecessarily providers and advocates. AsAmericans ofofnow, it across is unclear this landmark bill will be the first step in country owe test” months ofsome past-due rent with little invasive “virginity that lawmakers wanted Ain’t anow Woman?, and Feminist Theory: From what I the Supreme Court’s decision will be. addressing the increased violence by no support. This already very present issue has to use ontoknown women who had reported cases of rape or Margin Center. hooks dedicated her faced time as a What is now, however, is that the court the LGBTQ+ community. So far, Santa been by the and not sexual assault. arepandemic that Malik’s professor and writer tohopeful making herwill work will exacerbated not be aMany discussing abortion rights Clara, Los Angeles, Stanislaus and Fresno dissolve unless established, permanent change is position on the supreme court will pave the way for themselves, butallrather, how SB 8 will be “healing” above else, making her loss all the made byimpactful thehave federal government. more female judgesagreed the court counties to participate the enforced. more toand allinfluence those thatsupreme she in healed to make more women-centered decisions. program. through her writing.


Titled Writer Akwaeke All Night: About after Karla The Love: her Emezi’s Cornejo novel able-bodied, Newfourth isVillavicencio Visions only book, identical 100 is perhaps was pages “Dear on twin’s one DACA inSenthuran: of length, nickname bell when hooks’ but she AThe decided Black its most Pretty impact famous Spirit toOne: write has Memoir,” works. Onabout been Life, It Pop being provides is long-lasting. Culture, a undocumented collection this Disability, Elie perennial of Wiesel essays for and question the engages Other that first cumulates time Reasons with in some using a definitive to ofher into Fall hisown most in an answer. Love name. argument poignant with Yes, It was the Me themes that right author is an challenges after inhonest, seems Night. the challenging, election to say, include society’s These we ofimage 2016, and are monsters. hilarious father/son of thewhat day collection she But love relationships, realized only is. hooks ifof monstrosity the essays writes, death, story that she’d “The isand detail defined tried word theKeah as loss to‘love’ the steer Brown’s ofexplicit isreligion. clear most life, refusal ofoften love, was The and the to pop-culture defined values only abide that one asbyahe she the noun, obsessions. and wanted binaries his yet…we family tothat As tell. would hold her surround So quote dear all shelove start wrote below us. better to Inher confirms, fall a world immigration ifapart we predisposed used almost Keah itBrown lawyer’s as soon a verb,” to uses phone as queer The the an Pretty number villainy, idea novel that, One begins. on “Dear on to herits push Eventually, Senthuran” hand own,past inhas Sharpie Eliezer left the claims aneed and legacy. realizes monstrosity embarked for her that as cerebral-palsy in onathis aspace trip new across ofworld, intentional tothe be it’s country agoing source rejection. to to tell be of inspiration and instead encourages the an stories incredibly her readers of her hard fellow totask see undocumented to herremain disability theasperson immigrants—and just one he of washer and many tocare find other for thehis hidden interesting fatherkey as andher to powerful own. traits and accomplishments he’d The like book to.is (including a metaphysical her love journey for cheesecake!) told through The IgboPretty cosmology. One has Emezi, received who grew up praise from in Aba, well-known Nigeria,artists invitesand thewriters readerlike to Roxane “imagine Gay, being Lenaogbanje, Dunam,like andme.” Deepak Divine Chopra. spirits born to human All About Love contains 13 chapters that expand society’s limited understanding of “love” as a merely romantic mothers, Looking beyond ogbanjethe areflashpoints liminal deities of the in border constant or the transit. activism In order of the to DREAMers, rejoin the spirit Cornejo world, Villavicencio they die over explores and concept contain concepts of clarity, journey justice, honesty, spirituality, values, The booktoNight follows the terrifying of Eliezercommitment, Wiesel and his familyfrom their greed, home community, in Sighet in The Pretty the over lives again,ofOne deliberately thealso undocumented—and unpacks leaving Keah theirBrown’s human the viral families mysteries social bereft. media of hercampaign own life.#DisabledandCute. She finds the singular, Initiallyeffervescent a personal mutuality, loss, healing, destiny (asconcentration hooks namescamps the chapters). In these during chapters, she War makes Hungarian romance, Transylvania through theand ghettos and of the Holocaust World II. hashtag posted characters across bythe Brown nation to celebrate often reduced her personal in the media journey to with political self-love, pawns#DisabledandCute or nameless laborers. has transformed The stories connections between wethat learnsomething as childrenlike andthe how they impact our perspective of love adults and While at first, no onelessons believed murder of innocent men, women, andaschildren as into she In context tells an online are andnot content, community deferential “Dear of Senthuran” or disabled naivelypeople inspirational is molded celebrating by but departure themselves show the and what love, and proving itmagic, requires. heartbreak, thatThe “being bookinsanity, disabled is structured and unpacks that we expected know how loveproven despite theBefore absence of instructions in possible, the the fraught ravings idea of Moishe theare Beadle, Elie’stoteacher, are to soon true. being transferred to being vulgarity as a series cute that ofaren’t infuse letters the mutually from day-to-day the author exclusive.” lives to of their Like herfriends, subjects. most lovers, online other content writers, created divine by and Black human creators, family.however, In them society. All About Lovethe is just one family example of howtobell writing beautifully heals its readers. concentration camps, Wiesel is forced livehooks’ in a ghetto within their own village. #DisabledandCute Emezi recounts episodes is occasionally in their life, referenced from their without gender crediting confirmation Keah Brown. surgeries So to to all purchasing of our lovely a home BALI (a readers place that might they call their want“godhouse”), to contributetotobetrayal the hashtag, at the make hands sureoftoliterary tag hermentors. @Keah_Maria! Each letter chronicles a tension — between Western constructions of gender and “people like me: embodied but not human, terrified that


“Without memory, there is no culture. Withoutof memory, thereherbswould be noto cleanup after Miami, we enterthe theeuphoria ubiquitous offer medicinal triumph and some sense of 9/11. it all.”In But also between andbotanicas, heartbreakwhich love, professional andpotions personal those whose statusno blocks them from anyfuture." other healthcare options. In artificial, Flint, Michigan, we learn of demands for failure, the finality of lifesociety, and death. proves these while establishing the very real civilization, noEmezi ― oppositions Elie Wiesel

In New going York, we meet the undocumented who were into theBlack federally funded Zero they’re mad, unable to talk about it,workers and estranged fromrecruited the Indigenous realities thatGround might make

state ID in order to receive life-saving cleaninwater. Connecticut, Cornejo Villavicencio, childless by choice, solitude and weight of being uninterested them.InIncrementally, the chapters inch closer and closer to a finds familyreality. in two“There teenage whosebright fatherand is inbrilliant sanctuary. Andthey through alldoesn’t we see make the author grappling frightening is girls something in me,” write.it“It me feel special. with the biggest questions It makes me terribly alone.”of love, duty, family, and survival.

In her incandescent, relentlessly probing voice, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio combines sensitive reporting and powerful personal narratives to bring to light remarkable stories of resilience, madness, and death. Through these stories we come to understand what it truly means to be a stray. An expendable. A hero. An American.

“I don’t mind being an inspiration if it is for a valid reason, such as admiring how many slices of pizza I ate, an essay or an article I wrote, my clothing choices, or how quickly I can learn the lyrics to songs. As long as the inspiration doesn’t come with pity or self-congratulatory pats on the back, I am all for it. Let my love for cheesecake inspire you the Elie Wiesel (1928 - 2016) was a Romanian-born Jewish writer who became way it will one day inspire a nation. At you cantosaytell youthem were there first. Wiesel― “People can do spectacularfamous things if least you aforget it’sHolocaust. impossible.” for providing vulnerable account of the grewAkwaeke up in a - Keah Brown small Hasidic community in Sighet. In 1944, the Germans invaded and Wiesel Emeki, Dear Senthuran: A black Spirit Memoir and his family were to Auschwitz, where mother and one actress, of his sisters In addition to being antaken author, Keah Brown is a his notable journalist, and “The twisted inversion that many children of immigrants know is that, at some point, your parents Akwaeke Emezi is ahas Nigerian Tamil writer artist, best were killed. The next year, lgbo after he and fatherand were sent to apublications slaveknown labor screenwriter. Brown written for and and beenhisfeatured in video established

become your children, andand your ownandpersonal American dream becomes making sure forcamp, their 2018 debut novel Freshwater. Featured the1945. cover of TIME as his father died Wiesel was freed inon April After escape, including Essence, Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue. Keah Brown is Wiesel’s alsoMagazine featured in

a Next Generation Leader (June 2021) for their debut memoir DEAR SENTHURAN, he settled in France and worked a journalist. In 1956, migrated to the United States and taught both they ageasBurke and die with dignity inhea transformative country that has never wanted them.” Tarana and Brené Brown’s anthology You Are Your Best at Thing. Emezi (b. 1987) is an artist and writer based in liminal spaces. City College of New York andAkwaeke Boston College.

― Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, The Undocumented Americans

Karla Cornejo Villavicencio (born 1989) is an Ecuadorian-American writer and the This, however, is just the beginning for Keah Brown. In 2022, she will publish her first children’s book, titled Wiesel was encouraged Americans to write about hisShe experiences the Holocaust by French François author of Thefirst Undocumented (2020). has writteninabout her experiences as annovelist undocumented Sam’s Super Seats. Illustrated by Sharee Miller, this upcoming book will follow a young girl with cerebral palsy A Nationaland Book Foundation '5 Under 35'States. honoree, Emezi was born in Umuahia andfor raised in Aba, Nigeria. They Mauriac, theEcuador very firsttostory he wrote was his world-renowned novel Night (1956). Wiesel went on toAward write immigrant from the United In October 2020 it was shortlisted the National Book as she goes back to school shopping with her best friends. Though more information has yet to be released, The Town Beyond theThe Wall (1962), Souls on Fire (1972), and many others. of MADE Wiesel’s were named one of New Hollywood Guard: WritersThe by Testament Vanity Fair (1980), and their romance debut All YOU A for Nonfiction. Keah Brown is also set to publish a book geared towards young adults in the next few years. Brown has big novels explore different layersBEAUTY of the Holocaust and more question howwith suchthe awful events canselling come to to FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR is forthcoming frombroadly Atria Books in 2022, screen rights dreams when it comes to television, many of which have already been accomplished, but for now, we should be. Wiesel’s work is cherished for the thoughtful and somehow beautiful way he describes the loss of Amazon Studios a seven-figure deal with executive producer. debut poetry collection all take the time toinread her extensive works andEmezi wait toassee what she does next!Their Cornejo Villavicencio was born in 1989 in Ecuador. When she was four or five, her parents her across to the innocence in such a terrifying experience, and for this reason, Night is still a staple found inbrought classrooms CONTENT WARNING: EVERYTHING is also forthcoming Copper Press 2022 and their sophomore United States. She on has brother. family lived in from thethe New YorkCanyon borough of in Queens. Sheappointed graduated the country. Later ina his career,The Wiesel was awarded Nobel Prize for Peace and was asfrom the YA novel in BITTER is willbelieves be published in February 2022undocumented by Knopf Books. Harvard 2011 she ismemorial. one of the first immigrants to do so. As of September 2020 first chairman of and the US Holocaust she is a PhD candidate in the American studies program at Yale. She was an Emerson Collective fellow.


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Women’s History of the Month: January Fanny Wyoming Farmer’s is the first territory cookbooktoisgive published women theinright which to she vote.standardized December 10, 1869 cooking measurements.. January 7, 1896 Mary McLeod Bethune creates the National Council of Negro Nellie Tayloe RossWomen. is inaugurated as the first

woman Governor December 5, 1935in U.S. history (Governor of Wyoming). Pearl S. Buck receives the Nobel Prize for Violette Neatly Anderson is the first black Literature for The Good Earth. woman to practice law before the U.S. December 10, 1938 Supreme Court.

January 5, 1925

January 29, 1926

Capt. Annie receives the first Purple Hattie WyattFox Caraway (D-Arkansas) is the Heartwoman awarded to a woman for Senate, her service first elected to the U.S. while under at Pearl becomes the attack first woman toHarbor. chair a Senate Rosa Parks refuses to give up her Amelia Earhart makes the first solo seat on a bus to a white person; her flight from Hawaii to North America. arrest sparks the modern civil rights January 11, 1935 movement in the US.

December 7, 1941 Committee and the first to serve as the Senate’s presiding officer. January 12, 1932

December 1, 1955

Marian Muriel Siebert Anderson becomes is the first the first African American woman to woman own a seat to sing on the at the N.Y. Stock Metropolitan Exchange. Opera. January December 7, 1955 28, 1967

Margaret President’s Chase Commission Smith (R-Maine) on the Status startsof her Women tenure is established in the Senate, to examine where she stays in discrimination office until 1973, against became women theand firstways woman to eliminate to serve it. in both the House and Senate as she served in the December 14,previously 1961 House (1940-49). Judith Rodin is named president of Univ. January 3, 1949 of Pennsylvania, the first woman to head Pauli ordained as the first an IvyMurray Leagueisinstitution. female African American Episcopal priest. 14

December 17, 1993 January 8, 1977


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Bella Bulletin Staff Wilma Abam-DePass Co-Editor-in-Chief School: Mount Holyoke College BALI Class of 2017 Contact Info: Wilma@depass.com

Zoe Donovan Co-Editor-in-Chief School: Brown University BALI Class of 2017 Contact Info: zoezoedonovan@gmail.com



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