November 15' The New Generation of Feminists/ Latino Heritage Celebration

november 2015

volume 8 | issue 2

THE NEW GENERATION

OF FEMINISTS

table of contents 03

editors’ note

04

education

Abeke Teyibo teyiboabeke@gwmail.gwu.edu

sports WHY GIRLS REALLY ARE BETTER THAN BOYS

07

fashion MEET ACE’S FASHIONABLE, FORWARD, AND FEARLESS FEMINISTS

08

health opinion WHY CAN’T SUCCESSFUL BLACK WOMEN FIND MEN? WHEN BLACK BIRDS FLY

11

creative AN ANTI-FEMINIST MAKEUP TUTORIAL REMIND THEM

12

copy editor

Leslie Ogu leslie0523@gwmail.gwu.edu Victoria Akosile vakosile@gwmail.gwu.edu Hazel Cortez hcortez@gwmail.gwu.edu

layout

AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT AT GW

09

Nana Agyemang agyeman1@gwmail.gwu.edu

assistant editor

WHY IS IT CRUCIAL TO GET MORE WOMEN IN STEM?

06

editor-in-chief

culture WHY IS JORGE RAMOS A BIG DEAL FOR LATIN? LA FIESTASA: THE SHOW OF MANY CULTURES LUCY FLORES: LA REVOLUCIONARIA

Angel Veliz sdotfly@gmail.com | www.sdotfly.com

photography

Devan Cole devancole6@gwmail.gwu.edu Lauryn Hill lhill4@gwmail.gwu.edu Sydney Lawson sydneynlawson@gwmail.gwu.edu Joy Bullock joybullock@gwu.edu Milan Gary mgary@gwmail.gwu.edu

promotional team Erika Vidal erikavidal@gwmail.gwu.edu Nia Christian niachristian@gwmail.gwu.edu Fanta Kabia fkabia@gwu.edu Abenaa Nuamah sabenaa@gwu.edu

business manager Shynelle Kissi shynelle_k@gwmail.gwu.edu

_______________________

faculty advisor Professor Robin Marcus

_______________________

social media

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email | thenewace@gmail.com facebook | theacemagazine twitter | theacemag instagram | theacestagram The Ace Magazine is funded in part by a generous grant from Generation Progress, a national organization that works with and for young people to promote progressive solutions to key political and social challenges.

We’re looking for new staff!

Email us personally or at thenewace@ gmail.com if you’re interested in writing, reporting, photography, design, publication, or simply in helping out the premier publication of the multicultural community at GW!

editors’ notes

Here at the ACE Magazine, we advocate for those voices that usually don’t get heard and celebrate those individuals that don’t usually get attention. Everyone makes an impact in different areas, but not everyone is recognized for it. That was our goal in this release in regards to the Latino community and Black women in general, two underrepresented groups that don’t have their accomplishments and in luential actions discussed much. Whether it’s taking a leadership position or advocating for equal treatment, these two groups have done more than people give them credit. Throughout this issue, you will see stories about the impacts they have made and hopefully you’ll develop a new appreciation for them because it’s only right to give credit where credit is due. And their credit is long overdue.

- Leslie Ogu, Copy Editor

The Ace Magazine Mission: last issue

The Ace Magazine connects the multicultural community to the university at-large with contributions from student writers and faculty members. Since 2008, The Ace has sparked discussion between campus groups furthering our belief that “we all have similar issues no matter our color.”

education • sports • fashion • health • opinion • creative • culture

WOMEN + STEM = A POWERFUL COMBINATION

By Genevieve Montinar

Ebiasah. “We need to mentor young minds, encourage them in their interests, and be a face that they can relate and look up to.”

Preconceived notions of females being inherently incapable of understanding topics like science and math is a sentiment echoed by many. Associate Provost and Professor of computer science Rachelle Heller said “addressing the cultural stereotypes” in relation to STEM fields and “women’s role” in those fields are challenges women have to face, and in turn make it more difficult for them to participate in these fields.

“The biggest hurdle is making clear the huge variety of paths and pathways within STEM,” said Heller.

Fionnghuala Eley O’Reilly, a model and a senior systems engineering student, knows the challenge of dealing with the society’s perception of what women are expected to be when it comes to STEM firsthand.

W

e’ve all been there. You walk into a room where no one else looks like you, and instantly feel out of place.

The feeling is even more palpable when the place you are entering is one where you want to establish yourself as a strong and successful individual that is capable of accomplishing the work that has been given to you.

“When people find out (I’m a model) they are a little shocked and surprised,” said O’Reilly. “On top of that people stereotype about what they expect women in engineering to look like, so I think in that respect I never fit the stereotype when it comes to engineering,” said O’Reilly.

According to an article by Think Progress, women make up 25 percent of the engineering and math workforce, and just 13 percent of engineers. In a world where women make up 50 percent of the population, their presence should be better reflected in STEM fields.

This feeling is a reality for many women in the STEM workforce.

Currently, women make up 47 percent of the general workforce, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report, but when it comes to the field of STEM -- science, technology, engineering, and mathematics -- there is a disproportionately low amount of female participants; holding “less than 25 percent of STEM jobs,” the U.S. Department of Commerce states.

Even more staggering are the statistics for minority women in STEM. The American The biggest hurdle Chemistry Society reports that only 2.4 percent of minority is making clear women hold doctorate degrees the huge variety of in STEM fields.

“It’s important for women to get involved in careers that branch off from STEM because it diversifies that area of expertise in the workplace and promotes a more inclusive work environment,” said Tobi Owoyemi, a junior and president of the Multicultural Association of Pre-Med Students.

Research has shown that adding more women to the STEM field will help “create a more efficient economy” because men will not be the sole producers or benefactors in the area. Making sure that women and men are participating in STEM seems to suggest that as a whole, the economic system will improve due to more gender inclusivity.

paths and pathways within STEM.

“Women unfortunately are not encouraged to pursue their interests in these fields (STEM) when compared to men,” said Jacklyn Ebiasah, a senior and the president of the National Society of Black Engineers.

“I’d say the most challenging part would be that young girls aren’t generally pushed to pursue careers in STEM,” said Owoyemi. “They may not always be discouraged, but the time and effort used to encourage the pursuit of a STEM career for women certainly isn’t there on a large scale.”

By excluding women from STEM, it cuts out half of the country’s population from getting involved in an area that can make an impact on people and the world. Ebiasah said that more responsibility needs to be placed on everyone in order to change the dynamics of women in STEM fields.

“A culture shift needs to happen, and it starts with us,” said

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education • sports • fashion • health • opinion • creative • culture

WHY GIRLS REALLY ARE BETTER THAN BOYS

By Victoria Akosile

S

ince the beginning of time, sports has been an integral part in our society. It’s an event where history is made, superstars are born, and where fans can come together and rally behind their home team. However, sports is a field that is dominated by men, when more of the better athletes are actually the ones that can average 15 points per game AND have their eyebrows on fleek at the same damn time. Too often women’s accomplishments are overshadowed by the not so amazing efforts of men. But not anymore. I talked with some players of GW’s Women’s Basketball team and they had a lot to say about being a woman in the sports industry.

“There is definitely a lack of respect,” sophomore guard Mia Farmer says. “And when you do gain respect, they want you to look like men.”

The notion that women have to look like men in order to be considered equal to male athletes is an example of the unequal treatment between the two genders. Women have been given a stricter set of guidelines to follow if they want to be considered as serious athletes.

“It’s a contradiction,” sophomore forward Jada Matthews added. “They want us to look like women, but at the same time when we do look like women, we’re told that we don’t look like basketball players.”

The gender gap in sports extends far beyond the collegiate level, and into the realm of professional sports as well. In a report published by Politico, it was found that the U.S Women’s Soccer team was paid 40x less than the Fundamentally, Men’ soccer team. Despite the fact that the women were World we are better than Champions, beating tough teams a lot of men; but such as Germany and Japan, somehow a men’s team that is there is definitely ranked 33rd overall is worth a lack of respect. more.

In the case of Women’s Professional basketball, the numbers do not look much better. According to Vice Sports, Diana Taurisi-- an All-Star on the Phoenix Mercury roster was paid only $107,500 in the 2014 season. Despite leading her to team to a Finals victory, and being honored with the MVP award, league rules restricted

her maximum salary. Now, compare this to Dionte Christmas, a player who played 31 games averaging 6.4 minutes per game, and was waived by two teams in the first three months of the season.

Christmas was paid the league minimum of $490,180. Taurisi, who has made great accomplishments in the WNBA-- she was named one of the top 15 players in the league’s history in 2011-- is paid significantly less than her male counterparts in the NBA. “There’s definitely a biased towards acknowledging men’s achievements regardless of the level of their achievements,” sophomore Tyler Samuels says. “Women in sports achieve a lot of things, but it’s not paid as much as attention.”

“I feel we work just as hard as the guys. Just because we don’t jump as high or aren’t as strong doesn’t mean anything. Fundamentally, we are better than a lot of men; but there is definitely a lack of respect,” Matthews said echoing the words of her teammate.

Being a woman in sports should not mean that they are held to a different standard.

Women are able to offer a different point of view, and translate it to their actions on the court.

The lack of acknowledgement of women in sports also extinguishes the chance female athletes have to inspire the next generation of great athletes.

“I think a lot of us are good role models but we just don’t have a chance to be looked upon as one,” says Matthews.

With the formidable roster that the women’s team has, one would think there would be no problem drawing crowds to all their home games. After all, last year the women’s team went 29-4 overall, 15-1 in their division, and won the A10 Division Title. Now let’s compare this to the men’s team that was 22-13 overall, 10-8, in their division, and finished in a three way tie for SIXTH place in the A10. As The Great HOV once said “Numbers don’t lie check the scoreboard,” and we checked it. The Women’s basketball team is just as good as the mens. For those that still can’t see the truth, I’ll just sip my tea while I wait for you to catch up with the rest of us already here in the reality.

education • sports • fashion • health • opinion • creative • culture

MEET ACE’S FASHIONABLE, FORWARD, AND FEARLESS FEMINISTS

By Abenaa Nuamah and Lauryn Hill

F

emale Positivity is one of those phrases that has come into existence through the constant gender and cultural movements. Meaning it has no actual definition other than what we make of it. Most commonly it is known as the support that females give to each other and how they receive it. Like many things, the view on female positivity varies from different places. On the West Coast it is welcomed as a great compliment for fellow women to acknowledge how well we slay the game whereas

FATUMA, GOUCHER COLLEGE, SENIOR “The older I get the more I see that girls don’t like to support each other. [Female positivity is] supporting each other. When I feel good about my outfit I feel like I can do anything. It makes me feel powerful.”

on the East, women don’t respond as well. They regard the girls wielding the compliments as “groupies” and perhaps feel like it’s a fake move to steal style. So ask yourself are these the types of things that divide us females from each other?

We asked some college women around DC a few questions regarding their styles and how they view the concept of Female Positivity.

KEIKO, GW, SENIOR

“I feel bad for guys, because they have a strict way they can dress. So as a woman, we have a lot more freedom in how we can dress and I think we should extend this out to other people too.”

SONNA, GW, FRESHMAN

KRISTINE, TAYLOR, KAILA, GW, JUNIOR

CLAUDIA, GW, FRESHMAN

ANNA, GW, FRESHMAN

GHITA, HOWARD, FRESHMAN

NATALIE, GW, FRESHMAN

“Growing up I saw a lot of women in pantsuits and professional outfits. That’s why I’m attracted to blazers and whatnot, because I want to dress like the woman I want to be someday.”

“[Female positivity is] embracing being a female, not restricted by societal standards. I wear clothes that I think looks good on me but I don’t wear what fits society’s standards of what they see fit for women to wear.”

“Female positivity is being able to love your body and who you are and for others to support that.

Confidence is contagious. I like to wear outfits that compliment my body shape and skin tone.”

FATUMA

KEIKO

SONNA

KRISTINE, TAYLOR, KAILA

CLAUDIA

ANNA

GHITA

NATALIE

“When I think about my personal style I think about it as if I am presenting my personality to others. Feminism is the ability for me to express my sexuality without being afraid of being retaliated against.”

“Part of feminism is having the ability to wear what you want. In high school I wore sweatpants sometimes and even leggings. But now being more professional, I think you can embody more confidence through that.”

“I go for the warm and comfy look. I like sweaters and stuff cause I’d rather be comfortable than to try and dress to fit other people’s expectations. I’ll wear what makes me happy. Not dressing for other people but for yourself and whatever makes you feel like you.”

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education • sports • fashion • health • opinion • creative • culture

BRITTANY, GW, FRESHMAN

“Everything I wear, I wear for myself. I don’t really care what people think of me. Just like wearing shorts in the summer, that’s my decision and not anyone else’s. Fashion expresses your own individuality and it empowers a person through their clothes because they have the choice to wear whatever they want.”

JASMEENA, GW, FRESHMAN

“If I like what I wear, then I am confident that day. It’s kind of like an extension of yourself.”

ISABELA, GW, FRESHMAN

NKECHI, GW, SOPHOMORE

“What I wear has to make me feel good, I should look good in what I’m wearing but I have to feel good in the clothes that I’m wearing because they are an extension of my personality, it’s like the very first thing somebody sees about you so they have to reflect that I am a strong woman, so they have to reflect the power that I see within myself.”

NKECHI

JASMEENA

MING MING

ISABELA

PILAR

LIZZY

YVONNE

MING MING, GW, SOPHOMORE

“My style is cute and casual. Girls should wear what they want to no matter what.”

PILAR, GW, FACULTY

“Feminism is shown by what you wear because you have the ability to wear what you want.

You are independent. I express womanhood through my fashion by the fact that I can be myself with it, it’s not under anybody else standards, it’s my own.”

‘[Feminism] is more of an attitude in how you handle everything that happens to you.

You don’t decide everything that happens to you, but you do get to decide how you handle it.

LIZZY, GW, FRESHMAN

YVONNE, HOWARD, GRAD STUDENT

“I am a very confident woman and I like to dress in whatever I feel like. Somedays I wear sweats and sometimes I dress up; I don’t feel the need to impress anyone but myself.”

BRITTANY

“I think women should wear what they want and embrace it as much as they can. Show the world who you are, ‘cause they want to know!”

education • sports • fashion • health • opinion • creative • culture

AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT AT GW

By Nkechi Okoronkwo

“P

eople often want to think of themselves as incapable of rape because they’re not a hooded stranger in an alleyway-but that’s not what the majority of rapes look like,” said Katherine Mendoza Wright, a sophomore.

campus that sexual assault is not to be tolerated. “[...] lack of consent knowledge is a huge part of contributing to rape culture. With drugs and drinking so embedded in sexual college culture, many people push boundaries without considering consent,” said Wright.

With the new mandatory sexual assault training for incoming freshmen, it’s clear to see that GW administration is beginning to make efforts to address sexual assault on campus. And rightfully so, considering that an astounding 95% of sexual assault cases are not reported on college campuses. Although these issues are beginning to be addressed at the administrative level, it is also apparent that a number of students are unfamiliar with the services GW actually provides to victims of sexual abuse.

It is important to remember that with 85% of assaults taking place while the victim is incapacitated due to drugs and alcohol, consent cannot be given while under the influence.

“Most of the information I know about dealing with sexual assault on campus actually comes from a student group, Students Against Sexual Assault,” said Wright.

“Universities reflect the culture of a country—they are not isolated pockets of equality and freedom and justice. The students at our university were raised in rape culture and bring those ideas to our campus. As long as colleges and universities subscribe to the larger cultural norms of our country, rape culture at GW will persist hand in hand with the United States’ larger rape culture,” Courtney said.

GW’s SASA is an advocacy group dedicated to generating awareness about the seriousness and pervasiveness of sexual assault on campus. They bridge the gap between administration and students by not only helping direct survivors to services, but also creating a community of survivors and supporters.

Sexual assault is a sensitive topic, but it is one that needs to continue to be addressed on campus and in multicultural spaces. As allies we need to be less comfortable accepting sexual assault as a fact of university life and be more comfortable fighting against the concept of rape culture.

“SASA works really hard to spread knowledge of both US service as well as DC resources for survivors all across our campus. As a student org, we offer self care events at least once a month for our members, hand out self-care kits [...] and our board holds office hours throughout the week for people to come talk, ask questions, or seek help. In terms of prevention, we do workshops all across campus for sports teams, greek life, other student orgs, and anyone else at all who is interested in receiving our training,” said Lauren Courtney, SASA’s Director of Policy and Community Outreach.

1 in 5 women are survivors of completed or attempted sexual assault while in college

1 in 16 men are survivors of completed or attempted sexual assault while in college

However, in comparison to SASA, some sexual assault services and prevention resources that are offered through GW may not be very well known to, or available to minority student populations.

Specifically within the Latina GW community, there are certain stigmas that prevent some survivors from getting the help they need.

Only 5% of assaults are reported, 2% to the police, 3% to friends and/or administrators on college campuses

“Sexual abuse and abuse in general are things very common among Latino relationships, but sadly, not enough victims are able to speak out on it. In my opinion, this type of behavior is tied to the machismo system embedded in Latino culture since its colonial days,” said Ivette Headley, a sophomore.

At the heart of these cultural norms both in the greater GW community and the Latino community, there seems to be an emphasis on what women should do to prevent themselves from being assaulted, rather than what can be done to convey across

95% of sexual assaults are not reported on college campuses

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education • sports • fashion • health • opinion • creative • culture

WHY CAN’T SUCCESSFUL BLACK WOMEN FIND MEN?

By Fanta Kabia

“O

h you’re so beautiful. Why are you still single? Is there no one to your liking?”

These are the types of questions that as single black women, we find ourselves faced with all the time. To these questions, the usual responses are that “times are different”, and “these men just aren’t looking for the same things.”

The approaches to love as a successful black woman vary. Some are unwilling to adapt and settle for anything less than their visions and their standard of what they deserve. Others are keen to behave as if finding love does not concern them and are merely content with just having a roster of men to talk to that they don’t actually feel any real connections with. It seems as though in this generation, it has become conventional to not want anything to do with each other. If we can hardly define or admit that we have more associates than friends, then it is a lot harder to figure out whether the guy we are seeing or talking to is either: A) serious about building a relationship or B) merely looking for temporary fulfillment. With all of the new labels and titles in place in our society, it is simply just harder to know where you may stand with someone.

There’s a lack of motivation in a world of distractions. We are in a constant battle with technology which makes everyone and everything so much more accessible. We all know how this may be a pro and con. Times have changed. No one aspires to share themselves holistically anyway, and it has become the norm to oneself for comfort as a defense mechanism instead of opening oneself up to hurt and disappointment. Although the hurt is not a favorable alternative, it should not be okay to just not be willing to open oneself up to the possibility of love. In the case of a black woman finding love, some may say that it has led to a newfound lack of effort and the absence of actual courting. And we are not taking a form of action either. This may not apply to all, but why mentally limit ourselves to just our own when our counterparts are not doing the same. That is just depriving ourselves of opportunities and prospects that may be much more beneficial for us. And by no means should we have to modify our potential for any guy out here, as some of us may complain has been occurring.

Speaking with a couple of my peers, I encountered varied responses that mostly varied based upon relationship status of single to in a relationship.

____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

“Society has a weird obsession with black women’s bodies but their lives are not valued. They don’t receive the love

that women of other races get, even from black men sometimes.”

AMIE IDRISS, 2018

“If society doesn’t see us as beautiful then black men won’t. We have to fight for them. And since for reason, the strength or power that walks hand in hand with a black woman is intimidating to men too. We are not submissive.”

GAMI-LOU BELI, 2018

“There are a lot of standards and expectations put on us. In addition to judgment that makes it hard for black women to find relationships with good men.”

LAUREN BELL, 2018

“Yes to an extent it’s hard because people tend to discount black females when looking for love but if you vibe well with someone and you both are open to something else then a relationship could happen.”

ABENA AGYEMAN, 2018 ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ This perception of not being valued and overlooked by men that have certain bias is the root of a lot of the insecurities when it comes to being a successful black woman and finding love.

education • sports • fashion • health • opinion • creative • culture

WHEN BLACK BIRDS FLY

By Ivette Headley

“F

eminist: the person who believes in social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.” – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The first time I heard these words was December 2013 when Beyoncé took the world by surprise and dropped her fifth album.

Within that magnificent visual album she recorded what became the next great pop culture female anthem, “Flawless,” and used a segment of Adichie’s speech to drive her empowerment message home.

Despite the eloquence of Adichie’s words, most people will not recall exactly what she said in that hit song. Instead, what most people remember is the hook “I woke up like this, I woke up like this. We Flawless.” Now without wanting to take away from the song, it is worth noting that the meaning of “I woke up like this” and consequently its relation to the standard definition of feminism (as presented by Adichie) is inherently different from woman to woman. In other words, while these words may unite women on the surface, the feminist experience becomes complicated when race, class, and ethnicity are taken into consideration. So, while girls and women around the world sing enthusiastically “I woke up like this…We Flawless,” who exactly is “we” for that particular woman?

For all the feminists out there- from Sojourner Truth, to Bell Hooks and beyond- Women of Color have been an integral part of the American Feminist narrative in all its waves. It’s time that our voices are heard.

significant strides in bringing important issues to the political forefront, issues like reproductive rights, sexual harassment/assault, and equal pay just to name a few, it has ignored the intersection of race and gender that shapes the personal narratives of millions of women of color. It has failed to recognize and address how something like equal pay, for example, is twice the battle for a woman of color.

“I live in a very competitive world and being a woman of color I feel as if I need to work twice as hard to get [to] half of where I want to be,” said Jamila Vizcaino, a sophomore.

Abril Castro, another Black and Latina sophomore shares that “as a woman of color, I understand that society does not value me twice… I understand that… I have a higher chance of being paid less than my white and female peers.”

“Going to school at a PWI (Predominantly White Institution) I have sometimes felt like my culture and even where I come from was not understood,” said senior Yessenia Gonzalez.

When it comes to the pay gap, the United States ranks 65th in wage equality for similar work, and this gap is only worse for women of color. According to the American Association of University Women, in 2013 Hispanic/Latina women earned 54% of what white men were paid and African American women earned 64% percent, whereas white women were paid 78% percent of what white men earned. It’s the 21st century, and yet women of color still must put in more work and remain largely unrecognized compared to their white counterparts. Feminism, an ideology that became widely known here in the United States nearly 50 years ago, has yet to create a holistic mainstream approach- one that acknowledges and speaks to the plight of all sisters.

What does it mean then for a woman of color to say “I woke up like this?” To say “I woke up like this” and then pursue the basic feminist ideals?

Tia Brown, a senior, observes how “as a woman of color, my identification as [a] feminist has contributed to my awareness of being part of a double minority: both black (or simply not white in many cases) and woman…. Because I belong to two groups facing levels of oppression, I think it is also difficult to always subscribe to the ideals of feminist leaders who don’t experience the racial component of discrimination.”

Women of color being oppressed on two different fronts is nothing new and yet their stories of struggle remain largely untold and unaddressed. Even at a politically active school like GW, just how diverse are the voices that are heard? How often do organizations like the Student Association or the Feminist Student Union accurately capture the voices of minorities, namely women of color?

It’s almost 2016, and while the white birds of this nation have soared to significant heights compared to past decades, our fellow black birds have barely been able to take flight. The feminist movement can only be deemed successful when black birds fly too.

Thus, though mainstream feminism in the United States has made

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education • sports • fashion • health • opinion • creative • culture

creative work An Anti-Feminist Makeup Tutorial Irene Mutwiri

His lips lined with venom, he said, “Must be that time of month again.”

I caught the eyeshadow of doubt in his gaze when I said, “Irrelevant.”

He penciled in his eyebrows with a shade of disdain and furrowed them But he forgot to conceal the blemishes in his argument For when he said, “Why else would you be giving me a hard time, then?”

I said, “Because, my dear, it’s your turn to listen.”

Remind Them Chioma “Chi Chi” Aneke

We teach girls to shrink themselves, To make themselves smaller, We say to girls: “You can have ambition; just remind others that they will not take it away from you.”

We also say to girls: “Don’t feel bad that your precious face, big lips and boisterous laugh makes others uncomfortable.”

Do not try to shrink yourself.

It won’t work.

You should aim to be successful, aspire to crack out of society’s expectations and predictions, Because black don’t crack and neither do your eggs, So when society reminds us to not put them all in one basket, Remind them that they already did.

I am a minority, a female and somebody’s daughter, And should not be subjected to these overflowing and gazing stares like tap water, We are underrated. In a patriarchal society Disregarding our sons and double teaching our daughters,

That they are the beginning and our futures in the future, Remind them that there were people than just our Founding Fathers, Remind them that our efforts are not emasculating, So when someone says the word feminist don’t get all defensive, Remind them that we are stronger than our tears and menstruation and that they are stronger than your conversations about your infatuating imaginations.

Remind them that this is not a warning, but a mini manifesto that we can manifest more than you’ll ever know, Because this is more than a little girl being told she can’t play with the boys, Because this is not about hitting on women, but hitting on the injustices that hurt even more, Because this is not just history, this is about her-story too.

In the words of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “Feminist: the person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes”, And is not afraid to make them happen on her own.

education • sports • fashion • health • opinion • creative • culture

BLACK LATINAS MISSING IN MAINSTREAM MEDIA

By Lisbeily Mena

A

fro-Latina means a Latina of African descent; which refers to African ancestry as opposed to European ancestry. What do you think of when you think of a “Latina Woman?” Don’t tell me a thick accent, long hair, big ass having Sophia Vergara looking female. You’re missing all the rest of us. There are so many women that are considered Black/Afro-Latina. But for some reason, they’re forgotten when it comes to novellas, movies; actually to be honest, we’re always forgotten. Often-times, Afro-Latina, or Black Latinas are overlooked.

“People always make assumptions on what Latinas look like, and it’s not what I look like so when I tell them where I’m from they never believe me,” says Erika Vidal, a Latina with darker skin and curly hair.

I think they’re underrepresented; I haven’t seen any black looking Latinas in the media except for

Zoe Saldana. According to Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr, in “Black in Latin America,” there were 11.2 million Africans that we can count, who survived the middle passage and landed in the Americas. Less than 500,000 came to the United States. The rest of them went to the Caribbean and South America. The difference between Black Americans and Black Latinas was just a stop on the slave ship. Like I said, there’s a large amount of Latinas of African descent. The intersection between Black and Latino identity runs deep. However, the Afro-Latina experience remains vastly invisible in our Mainstream Media.

There is an evident underrepresentation of Black Latinas in the media. I noticed when I googled “Latina” in google images. I was disappointed, but not surprised. Through 7 pages I did not see a single dark-skinned woman. I only saw two girls with brown skin and curly hair. When I go back to the motherland, all I see is darker skinned women with dark and curly hair. Let’s bring it closer.

There’s Black Latinas everywhere! I know you know a dark Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, etc. or you know somebody who does.

When asked what Latino women see when Black Latinas are portrayed in the media they responded: “You don’t.” You don’t see them,” says Renangie Alcantara-Polanco.

Vidal says, “I think they’re underrepresented; I haven’t seen any black looking Latinas in the media except for Zoe Saldana.”

Jamila Vizcaino says, “even in pageants, a lot of the winners have been fair-skinned. When I watch Nuestra Belleza Latina, I only ever see fair-skinned contestants.”

Yessenia Gonzalez says, “Even in Colombia, they are so negligent of the racial spectrum, we do have darker complexions, but even then, there’s a neglect.”

Being Black and being Latina can be intersectional, but never seen as such.

Alcantara-Polanco says, “me being Latina affects how I am at home and what I eat, but me being black affects how society sees me.”

When people think of Latina, they think: “light skin, curly hair but not too curly, big boobs, super sexy, big butt, and salsa dancing girl emoji.”

Victoria Gonçalves considers herself a WhiteLatina, because she says, “when people look at me, they think I’m white.” She says “it’s important to recognize that I have white privilege.”

White Latinas are preferred in main stream society, and Black Latinas, unfortunately have been ignored in the media for a long time.

Being Black and being Latino are not mutually exclusive. With that being said, there are so many Black Latinas; but they are somehow still missing from mainstream media. Latino Heritage Celebration Month is a time to recognize the many contributions of all Latinos in the United States, however, Black Latinos feel left out of that community. We are seeking recognition.

“We are here, we are beautiful, and we can contribute to Latino and American culture just like anybody else,” Arzu said.

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WHY IS JORGE RAMOS A BIG DEAL FOR LATINOS?

By Dominique Bonessi

“‘If you don’t like something, say it!’ It really shocked me. It was the first time I heard an authority figure say that,” said Rebecca Sanchez, a sophomore in the Elliot School of International Affairs.

Sanchez and other students attended the conversation with Jorge Ramos, the Mexican-American host of Univision’s Al Punto, this past month at the School of Media and Public Affairs Many Latino students like Sanchez, who is Mexican-American, easily identified with Ramos while he addressed his run-in with Donald Trump, the line between journalism and advocacy, and the Latino vote in the upcoming elections.

The most recent and infamous clip of Trump kicking Ramos out of a press conference after releasing his contentious immigration plan, an insult to the U.S. Latino community. Latinos responded on social media to Trump’s brash treatment of Ramos, furthering fueling their likelihood to turn up at the polls in the upcoming primary elections.

“There is a new rule in American politics: you cannot make it to the White House without the help of the Latino vote,” said Ramos.

This election season 60 million U.S. Latinos will have the ability to vote and for the first time in history we have two Latino presidential candidates, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.

Steven Roberts, Professor of Media and Politics in SMPA, said that in the last election 71 percent of the vote went to Democrats, but says that how Latinos will vote in this election is not clear cut.

“In the last election Mitt Romney won 98 percent of the white vote. That was 10 percent more than Reagan in his candidacy,” said Roberts. “But Romney didn’t win because of the difference in the rising power of the Latino vote.”

It was without question that Trump’s antics from comments about immigrants to the battle with Ramos energized the Latino community to stand up and vote for the candidate that has their interest in mind. But as Roberts says, whether that means a higher voter turnout or more civic engagement on behalf of Latinos is still questionable.

“I think he [Trump] really helped people say, ‘I definitely don’t want this guy as president, so I better go out and vote,’” said Sanchez, referring to America Ferrera’s open-letter to Trump on The Huffington Post. If the face of the Republican Party or any party for that matter is hostile towards the Latino population, it makes it more difficult for them to win the vote.

“No Latino is going to vote for a candidate that says, ‘I’m going to deport mother, father, and your friends,’” said Ramos. He added that in order for Republicans to win the Latino vote they need to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Sanchez identified with Ramos and offered a story of her own.

When Sanchez was ten-years-old in Arizona with her cousins from Mexico, they were pulled over by the police while driving. Arizona had just passed the law stating that police had the right to ask any suspicious immigrants for their migration papers.

“They kept pestering me for my papers,” said Sanchez. “They thought I was Mexican too just because I was around Mexicans and looked like one. I didn’t even speak Spanish at that time.”

Frank Sesno, Director of SMPA, noted that Ramos pushed the line between advocate and journalist when he questioned Trump.

Ramos said that in order to challenge a person in power you have to establish why you are challenging them.

“As a journalist, I have the responsibility to challenge people in power,” said Ramos. He added that there are six areas when it is O.K. to push back on power: discrimination, racism, corruption, public lies, dictatorships, and human rights. Ramos viewed Trump’s immigration policy and plan to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants as a direct attack on human rights and spreading a false narrative of the Latino community.

Silvio Waisbord, another SMPA professor from Argentina, said that Univision has been a supporter of immigration reform not because they lean towards one political party or another, but because the people who work for the company believe advocacy of the issue is necessary. Waisbord added that Ramos made clear he is a journalist with a position, but he may not see himself as a mouthpiece for the Latino community.

Daniela Mora Savoviz, an international student from Columbia, said that from an international perspective, Latinos from Central and South America are looked down upon and seen as a problem.

“When I’m in an airport with my passport most of the times they assume I am a narco [drug trafficker] just because of my country of origin,” said Savoviz. She said she hopes that as Latinos gain a larger foothold here in U.S. politics, maybe it will change the false narratives.

“No one is illegal,” said Sanchez quoting Ramos. “I’ve always heard the term illegal used by the media and even people in my family.”

Ramos explained to students that no human is illegal, but simply undocumented. Recently, journalism organizations like the National Hispanic Journalist, have asked media outlets to substitute the word ‘illegal’ for ‘undocumented’.

“It is difficult for the American society to pay regular attention to these issues,” said Waisbord. “Depending on the circumstances, Latinos come and go in the mainstream media whether that be politically or otherwise. That is the society we are living in.”

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LA FIESTASA: THE SHOW OF MANY CULTURES

By Sofía Navas Sharry

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inner, dance, and drinks: the combination for a perfect night out. If you were at the 20th Annual Fiestasa Celebration, you got all of that and more. In years’ past, the Fiestasa Celebration was a party to dance the night away. However, this year, we got to see a plethora of performances that showcased a few of the many cultures that exist in Latin America. From Peruvian Marinera to skits performed by the Fiestasa Committee, it was nothing short of a jam-packed evening of fun and food.

Latino Heritage Month started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Ronald Reagan. Since its induction, it has expanded into what we now know as Latino Heritage Month, spanning from September 15th to October 15th. The date of September 15th holds significance because it is the independence day for Latin American countries such as Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.

They then went on to have some veteran performers take on the dance floor by

Latino Heritage month themselves, with the “is a time to learn, most memorable song reflect, and appreciate my culture. It’s great to being a Salsa rendition see the progress we’ve of “Trap Queen.” had as a comunidad, and motivating to continue overcoming challenges,” said Jackie López, one of our own Colonials from México.

For the last 20 years, at the end of each Latino Heritage Celebration here at GW, Colonials have come out to celebrate at Fiestasa.

Although Colonial Invasion coincides with the wrap-up party, the event was not short of performances nor guests.

The night started off with two Peruvian performance groups. The first was a Marinera group, Sentimiento Peruano, with the nights smallest and arguably cutest performers. The two young girls and two young boys danced with so much energy and rhythm, many were left questioning their own dancing skills. The next group was Grupo Etnia, who played traditional instruments such as the zampoña (what you may know as the pan flute). To quite a few

South American Latinos, the music brought back images of their native countries.

“I thought it was very moving when they played ‘El Condor Pasa’.

I remember going to Peru three years ago and actually seeing the condors pass over Colca Canyon. I always regard that as a big cultural moment in my life and whenever I hear the song, I think about being in the mountains in Peru,” said Tiffany MendozaFarfán from Perú.

Dancing is a large part of Latino culture, and Fiestasa was anything but shy of that. GW’s very own Fuego has grown considerably in the last year, and started with a bang of several couples lighting up the stage. They then went on to have some veteran performers (Yessenia Gonzalez, Steve Hamburgo, Joshua Nuñez, and Vanessa Balladares) take on the dance floor by themselves, with the most memorable song being a Salsa rendition of “Trap Queen.”

In addition, we also saw Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Georgetown in beautifully detailed embroidered traditional dress showcase the Chiapaneca dance, a culture specifically from the state of Chiapas in México. GW Tango also presented the sultry dance of Argentina, with [the woman] wearing the traditional Tango dress of a red backless dress with a ruffle down the middle (and for anyone who may be interested, GW Tango is a non-audition group). In between performances, La Fiestasa Committee would transition with skits written and performed by them, showcasing different culture from different regions of Latin America.

The night’s performances ended with the dance group Xola, who showcased Afro-Caribbean culture through dance. They, along with all of the other performances, were lively, energetic, and quite beautiful.

While Fiestasa ended on a high note, it is important to understand that Latinos still have their challenges with oppression. Our women, on average, are paid 58 cents to every dollar made by men, there is political unrest in a number of Latin American countries (many caused by U.S. intervention), and there are 11 million people who are citizens of this country in every way except for when it comes to their papers. Latino Heritage Month is not only here to celebrate our culture, but to remind the whole country that we are not your hot tamales, we have a voice, and we are here to stay.

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LUCY FLORES: LA REVOLUCIONARIA

By Allison Bejar

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s a high school dropout, former gang member, and politician, Lucy Flores has defied, and continues to challenge the odds stacked against her. Growing up in Northeast Las Vegas was not easy for Flores. When she was nine years old, Flores was abandoned by her mother and expected to take care of her younger siblings. Although there was a community college only three blocks away, pursuing higher education was not an obvious path. The only people she could look up to were local gang members, which caused her to drop out of high school, and end up in a juvenile detention center.

But Flores proved to be the epitome of resilience. She is now the first Latina to be elected to the state legislature in Nevada, and is currently running to be Nevada’s first congresswoman of color.

Following the theme of Revolucionarios, Latinos Rising, it is no surprise that the Organization of Latino American Students (OLAS) chose Flores to be this year’s Latino Heritage Celebration keynote speaker.

We have so much potential as a Latino community to get together and work on the similarities that we do have.

But rather than do that, we tend to emphasize our differences.

According to OLAS President Victoria Gonçalves, “Lucy Flores in everything she’s done, in her career, is really revolutionary. We wanted to make sure that we had somebody that was able to speak to what the theme of the month was and really give a message that would inspire people to be revolutionary.”

With 30 percent of all entering freshmen being first-generation college students, Flores addressed

the importance of education amongst Latino youth. Despite her troubled past, she used education as a guiding light to her future.

After earning her GED, she pursued a degree in law from the University of Southern California to advocate for voices that often go unnoticed.

For Maria-Fernanda Palomares, President of the Gates-Millennium Scholars Chapter at GW, being a first generation college student means “giving back and having to continually seek an improvement in education for those who do not have access to it.”

Palomares, alongside her friends, started a non-profit organization called A Better Hand for high-schoolers who are going to be the first people in their family to attend college. It shows them how to alleviate some of the financial pressures associated with the college application process.

For Darcy Gallego, President of Por Colombia, being a firstgeneration student can also be considered a dividing factor among Latinos, “it’s whether you’re international or first generation. It comes down to how Latino you are. Are you Latino enough?”

Like Flores, she believes we must find common ground within our community, “We have so much potential as a Latino community to get together and work on the similarities that we do have. But rather than do that, we tend to emphasize our differences.”

Palomares, Gonçalves, and Gallego are putting Flores’ advice to practice. They are providing mentorship, bridging gaps within our community, and raising their voices. Although Latinos represent 17 percent of the United States’ population, we are constantly portrayed as nothing more than minorities.

But as Flores said, “Latino empowerment is more than labeling a month...Our nation is one of immigrants, and we are building it up.”

#FLORESFORPRESIDENT2020