About the Vanguard The Vanguard is the official publication of the Black Student Union and it’s members. It serves as our literary voice through submissions of art writing and self expression.
Get Involved with the Black Student Union The Black Student Union host weekly General Body meetings every Thursday at 6 PM in the Black Student Union Lounge (UU006). We are also currently looking for interns, if you are interested in interning for the Black Student Union please send a letter on intent to our S.A Representative Moriah Martindale at theunionsarep@gmail.com
Interested In Submitting to the Vanguard We are always looking for writers and artist contact our editor Khaliq Spruill at the Unionpub@gmail.com
Executive Board 2016—2018
Kayla Anderson……………………………….President Mone’t Schultz…………………………..Vice President Legan Bayambo……………………………….Treasurer Luidgi Michel…………………Educational Coordinator
Khalilah Suluki………………………………..Historian Prince Grant……………………Political Correspondent Khaliq Spruill………………...Publications Coordinator Jonah Liautuad………………….……..Public Relations Janelle A. Carr………………………………...Secretary
Moriah Martindale...Student Associative Representative
Anastasia Figuera SILK COTTON TREES Silk Cotton trees are regarded with a kind of awed reverence and fear. These are huge trees. It is reported to be very difficult to be able to find someone who will cut down a silk cotton tree as they are said to be the home of spirits and ‘duppies’ (Ghosts). To cut it down is to free them to roam the earth. [From the folktales of Trinidad and Tobago as well as other Islands in the West Indies] The truth is when I started writing this, I had planned some elaborate explanation of my background, where I’m from and what it meant to me. I planned to use it as some sort of ‘E.T phone home’ device to find myself and prove just how into my heritage I was. But the more I tried to go in depth about what it all meant to me, it was less description and just more internal feelings. The truth is when I started writing no matter what I wrote, I couldn’t give the culture and heritage the justice of writing something that embodied what it was or how heavily influenced I was by what I was raised on. None of the words I wrote seemed good enough. However, there was one thing I knew for sure, and that was that I can’t imagine how my life would be without it. I was so ready, I had this elaborate plan to talk about this country that my parents (and the rest of my closest family) were from; Trinidad and Tobago. I was so ready to explain that when I first started visiting as a little girl, that even though the air was different and sun seemed to shine differently in this country I had never been too, I had felt like I was home. I was so ready to explain that nothing could beat the feeling of going back to Trinidad, going back home, and seeing most of the people I hold closest to my heart and how it made me so happy and so complete. That sitting down outside in the ‘gallery’ during late humid summer nights in December, sipping on Shandy Carib and listening to my uncles’ tell their greatest stories were and still are some of the most memorable and most content nights of my life. .
.I was so ready to explain that seeing hummingbirds outside drinking nectar from flowers as we had breakfast was something I could never truly describe to someone who has never seen it. But, just to say that I’ve seen it on a regular basis when I’m ‘home’ was a privilege. I was so ready to explain that the wild life and even domestic animals are truly living on a different wavelength than those back here in New York or even in the United States of America arguably Instead, I think I’ll describe how the trees love the earth differently there. The earth is so much well - earthier; the leaves are greener. The trees stand tall and broader, often none of them stand alone. The trees are stronger; their roots are thicker. I couldn’t imagine how you could possibly uproot such strong trees with such heavy roots. Trees, that’s what I think of when I think of describing heritage and culture. Just like trees we ourselves, have roots. No matter how far we go from those roots we are still connected to it. When you try to uproot a tree or any plant for that matter, the roots always come with it. Even when you put trees in soil in new place, it begins to acclimatize itself but it’s roots are still attached the same as before it was uprooted. Finally, when you try to cut away those roots, the tree dies, it loses a part of what it truly was and can no longer survive. Our roots, are our culture and heritage, it’s always going to be with us. When we try to cut away our roots, we lose ourselves, we ‘die’ in the sense that we lose a key part of our being that makes up who we are, what we are and where we came from. Trees. That’s what I thought of late at night trying to figure out what I could write about culture and heritage when writer’s block wasn’t my friend. I thought of trees and roots, and this is the fruit that this idea has produced for me. I’d like to think that my roots, help make me a story teller or at least that’s what I try to be. But all in all, regardless to what, I know I can’t survive without my roots, my leaves would certainly die
Invisibility Matthew Lyttle I First learned about my super powers in elementary school The teacher would turn off the lights and everyone would yell “where’s Matt” I had become invisible Okay this wasn’t really a superpower but a curse at first I would lower my head in embarrassment and curse my dark skin
The skin gifted to me by my mother who's parents gifted it to her I spent elementary school pressed by the labels of midnight and darkside I resented this skin that had made me invisible One day my resentment took form as I told my mom I wanted to be light skin Her broken heart stared at me through her eyes She told me my black was beautiful just like her own
Her words soothed the sorrow in my soul This skin reflected the love and beauty passed down generations It told the stories of my families Ghanaian linage It made who I was visible in the light and darkness My dark skin was not a curse but my super power
Ashley Wells The Pretty Wish I never thought that much about being black I mean it was always there The dark skin and the kinky hair would stare back at me every day when I looked in the mirror But I didn't hate being black But I didn't love me What I did love was seeing all of those white performers on my tv screen Like Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne I wanted their straight blond hair, and blue eyes, and perfect little noses If I can look like them… all of my dreams will come true…. And every morning I looked in the mirror, and I found another problem Why couldn’t the flat iron make my hair just a little silkier? And why couldn’t my broad nose have that cute little point at the tip? Or why couldn't it at least not cover up half of my face? And one day, as I stared deeper into the mirror, all of the questions simmered down to one… Why couldn’t I be pretty? Because no little black girl with kinky hair and a big nose could ever be considered beautiful... right? I was only ever able to blend in. Not ugly enough to be bullied But not pretty enough to draw the awe of my all-black middle school Like the white girl did with her beautiful straw colored hair Enamoring everyone with her pale complexion and incredible way of making every teacher love her But why can't I be pretty? My parents always told me that it's ok to be black But I must always be sure that I look professional And yes, I have some curves now, but to make sure I cover them up Don't be one of those black girls.
And dreads are dirty, and braids aren't work appropriate And when am I getting another relaxer? Don’t put your job in jeopardy to make a statement. … And all I ever wanted was to be pretty Because one day I want someone to look me in the eyes and say “I love you” and mean it And one day I want to feel worthy of being loved And one day I want to be the most special little black girl in someone’s life But how can I be loved if I don't love myself?
Upcoming Events:
In a time as crucial as this please do not forget to vote tomorrow you can find your local polling place at https://www.headcount.org/find-yourpolling-place/ REMEMBER YOUR VOTE MATTERS