II. Highlights of the Month

The long-awaited “2020” Summer Olympics this year has put a spotlight on the racism, and more specifically, misogynoir that is entrenched in the sports industry. First, Sha’Carri Richardson was banned from the Olympics after a positive cannabis test, even though it is not a performance-enhancing drug (and let alone the fact that many white athletes have been excused of much worse accusations). This past week, Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka stepped down from their Olympic events to protect their physical and mental health. And as a result, these champion athletes have faced immense discrimination and judgment. These three instances (among many others at this year’s Olympics) begs the question of whether the Olympics and its fans care about their Black athletes beyond the entertainment and talent they provide. This summer, indigenous water protectors and allies have been tirelessly protesting the construction of Line 3, a pipeline being built by the Canadian oil company Enbridge. The pipeline is being constructed in Northern Minnesota even though it violates several treaties made with the Ojibwe people of the area. Furthermore, the pipeline is set to cross 200 bodies of water and its carbon footprint would exceed that of all of Minnesota. The influx of Enbridge workers into Ojibwe territory has also heightened COVID-19 cases and led to the assault of some indigenous community members. For ways to help, please see stopline3.org.

Three months ago, the CDC announced that vaccinated people were free to enter public indoor Just days after the Department of Homeland places maskless without fear of contracting or Security announced that they cleared the spreading COVID-19. This month, however, due to camp of 15,000, mostly Haitian immigrants several outbreaks of the Delta variant of the virus seeking asylum in Del Rio, Texas, horrifying (the most revealing of which occurred in images were released of U.S. Border Patrol Provincetown, Massachusetts, where most of the Agents chasing Haitian immigrants with population is vaccinated) the CDC announced that horses and whips. This instance is one in a vaccinated individuals can, in fact, contract and long line of atrocities comitted by the U.S. spread the disease. As a result, it is now government dating back to the first influx of recommended that everyone, regardless of Hatian asylum seekers in teh 1970s. After vaccination status use masks indoors. The Delta variant is near twice as transmissible as the first the brutal “clearing” of the detention center strains of COVID-19, yet less than half of the U.S. this September, the overwhelming majority population is vaccinated. of Haitian immigrants were forced to travel back to Haiti. In response to financial difficulties brought on by the In 2020, Poland issued an almost-complete COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC established a ban of abortions; only permitting victims of moratorium that protected Americans from incest, rape, or medical emergencies evictions. This month, even though the pandemic access to safe and legal abortions. Many and its subsequent financial obstacles are far from have accused the Polish government of over, the moratorium was lifted, leaving many Americans in the lurch for affordable housing. With taking advantage of the COVID-19 the moratorium lifted, many Americans across the pandemic to quickly and quietly pass the country now owe months of past-due rent with little law. In response, the Belgian government to no support. This already very present issue has funded 6 abortion organizations that will been exacerbated by the pandemic and will not now invite people from Poland to come to dissolve unless established, permanent change is Belgium and receive safe and legal made by the federal government. abortions. A recent lawsuit in Taiwan has the potential Last month, horrific images of United States to make historic change in Taiwan. This border patrol brutalizing Haitian migrants month, a Taiwanese court approeved Xiao sparked widespread outrage. The atrocities E’s request to change her gender on her ID made by the U.S. government against Hatian without prove of gender-affirming surgery. migrants, events of however, late S extend eptember. far beyond Most of the the Back in 2019, Xiao E was denied this right, immigrants depicted in the photos that surfaced and in response, she took her case straight late September were deported back to Haiti to court. Now, many activists have hope that under Title 42. Title 42, established by the Xiao E’s case will set a precedent and Trump administration, allows the U.S. abolish the law that states trans individuals government to immediately deport immigrants must have gender-affirming surgery to that attempt to cross the border under the change their gender on their IDs. pretense of pandemic concerns. To support Haitian and Black migrants, consider donating to the Haitian Bridge Alliance and UndocuBlack. On October 20, members of Trans* , a resource This month, California Governor Gavin group for Netflix employees that are gender Newsom established a three-year minorities and allies, staged a walkout pilot-program that will record data about the protesting Dave Chappelle’s comedy special gender and sexuality of victims of violent “The Closer, ” which features a copious amount deaths. While the pilot-program is limited to of homophobic and transphobic jokes. The six counties, advocates are still hopeful that walkout was intended to pressure the company this landmark bill will be the first step in to acknowledge the harm done by the special addressing the increased violence faced by and to include more LGBTQ+ films and TV shows the LGBTQ+ community. So far, Santa on the streaming service. Netflix co-Chief Clara, Los Angeles, Stanislaus and Fresno Executive Chappelle Ted and Sarandos p refuses to ublicly stands take the speci by al Dave off of counties have agreed to participate in the Netflix. program.

This January, New York City Council will make history by inaugurating 31 female city-councilors.

This month, Canadian-backed oil company,Up until now, the council has never had more than Endbridge, was pressured to shut down Line 5 in 18 women sit on the council, but this next coming Michigan for several hours after water year, the council will have a female majority. protectors called Enbridge and halted the Furthermore, this year’s election has made history operation of the pipeline from within the on multiple accounts due to the diverse group of facility. The construction and operation of Line 5 candidates. Crystal Hudson will become the first has posed an immense environmental threat to Black openly queer city council member, Shekar the Michigan community. Despite the fact that Krishnan will be the first Indian American, Chi the state government and members of the Ossé will be the youngest city council member, Michigan community have actively resisted the and many more of the recent elects will make use and construction of the pipeline, Enbridge has exploited legal loopholes in order to history by making the council more diverse. Many continue with construction. suggest that rank choice voting is part of what has made running for office more accessible to all New Yorkers. Next month, the Supreme Court will take up two lawsuits against Senate Bill 8, a Texas abortion law that can ban abortions at as early as 6 weeks into pregnancy, well before many This year, the United Nations Framework individuals find out that they are pregnant. If Convention on Climate Change (COP 26) finally passed, Senate Bill 8, would eliminate 85%-90% addressed the detrimental health impacts faced of abortions in Texas. The two lawsuits made by vulnerable communities as a result of climate against the bill were made by the federal government and a collection of abortion change. At the convention, preventative measures providers and advocates. As of now, it is unclear such as cutting methane emissions and stopping what the Supreme Court’s decision will be. deforestation were heavily discussed. Many What is known now, however, is that the court activists and policymakers in attendance, however, will not be discussing abortion rights report that the convention lacked a more specific themselves, but rather, how SB 8 will be focus on health impacts with direct health-related enforced. solutions that address health disparities. Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story has sparked worldwide excitement. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait, however, have banned the movie due to strict censorship rules around sexuality. The primary issue that these countries have found with West Side Story is the minor character Anybodys. In the original film, Anybodys is portrayed as a tomboy that seeks acceptance from the Jets, but in the 2021 adaptation, Anybodys is portrayed as explicitly trans. Despite the censorship in a handful of countries, this adaptation of Anybodys is monumental thanks to the in-depth work and research done by screenwritier Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg, and iris menas, the transmasculine non-binary actor who plays Anybodys. On December 15, transformational author, poet, and professor, bell hooks died at age 69. hooks published 30 books in her lifetime, and was best known for her works About Love: New Visions,

Sunday, January 9, a devastating fire killed 17 and injured 60 residents of Twin Parks North West, an apartment complex in the Bronx. Twin Parks North West, lovingly nicknamed Touray Tower after Abdolie Touray moved in in the 1970s, is home to a strong Gambian community that is now reeling from the loss of not only parents, children, and siblings, but community members and chosen family. The fire is said to have been initiated by a space heater that was turned on for several days, but the gravity of the fire is a result of deeper infrastructure issues and the systemic neglect of the Bronx. As community activist and religious leader Sheik Musa Drammeh stated at a public funeral for the victims, “If they lived in midtown Manhattan, they would not have died. ” For those interested in providing support to the impacted families, see @gambianyouthorganization on Instagram.

Earlier in January and on the first day of Black History Month, several HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) received bomb threats that forced the cancellation of all university programming. The FBI has recently narrowed the perpetrators to six juveniles who utilized sophisticated tech to conceal where the threats originated. Some students report that assumed racially motivated threats of these kinds have happened in the past, and they hope that authorities will continue to investigate the issue. Crystal Hudson, Central Brooklyn’s newest city council member, declared her mission to support renters in need in a recent interview with City Watch. She is particularly focused on supporting seniors with rental assistance after the expiration of eviction protections on January 15th. In the interview, Hudson also criticized the complex paperwork and lack of communication from government officials when those in need apply for rental assistance stating that “We need to create systems that work for people, not against them. ” Hudson has also made significant strides in the first few months of her term by halting two developments on Atlantic Avenue because they didn’t have proper input from the community. After a 20 -year career in the high court of Lahore, Pakistan, Justice Ayesha Malik made history by becoming Pakistan’s first female judge appointed to Pakistan’s Supreme Court. Malik has spent her career defending the rights of women in Pakistan. Last year, she prevented the legalization of an unnecessarily invasive “virginity test” that some lawmakers wanted to use on women who had reported cases of rape or sexual assault. Many are hopeful that Malik’s position on the supreme court will pave the way for more female judges and influence the supreme court to make more women-centered decisions.

Ain’t I a Woman?, and Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. hooks dedicated her time as a professor and a writer to making her work “healing” above all else, making her loss all the more impactful to all those that she healed through her writing.