2020-06-04

Thursday, June 4, 2020

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Demanding Justice, Demanding Peace Photo by Dominick Sokotoff

‘This is another pandemic’: protesters take to the streets in Ann Arbor CALDER LEWIS & JULIANNA MORANO Summer News Editor & Daily Staff Reporter

Saturday afternoon, hundreds of community members gathered at the University of Michigan Diag and marched through Ann Arbor in protest of recent incidents of police brutality against Black Americans that shook the nation. In his opening address to the crowd, Ann Arbor resident Myles McGuire, the sole organizer of the event, called it a “civil rights protest.”

“Here we are, putting our lives in danger during a pandemic to protest civil rights,” McGuire said. “Not equal — civil. We’re

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asking people to be civil. Asking.

We should not have to ask for civil fucking rights. We should not have to fear that our brothers and our sisters and our mothers and our fathers are going to be slaughtered by the ones meant to protect us and save us and help govern our communities.”

McGuire commented on the diversity of the crowd gathered before him, which was predominantly young and multiracial.

“We have to be in this together,” McGuire said. “This is not going to start and end with Black people. It’s not going to start and end with cops. It has to be done together.”

After asking the crowd “Are you with me?” McGuire invited protesters to follow him across the Diag towards the State Street shopping area. Protesters marched throughout the downtown streets, holding signs and chanting, “Hands up, don’t shoot,” “Black lives matter” and “No justice, no peace.”

Ann Arbor resident Kash Rai held up a sign reading, “Our skin

color is not a crime.” He said he wanted to send a message that law enforcement should treat all citizens equally, regardless of race.

“It’s mostly about white cops treating colored people less than they would treat another white person, such as a noise complaint,” Rai said. “It’s ‘Hey, shut this party down,’ to a Black person versus, ‘Can you just turn it down?’ to a white person, which I’ve experienced personally.”

Rasem Piromarm, a recent graduate of Caledonia High School, said he found out about the protest from his cousin who lives in Ann Arbor. Having grown up facing discrimination in his predominantly white township, Piromarm said he came as a show of solidarity, “All I grew up hearing was, ‘You’re a terrorist. You’re a bomber,’ because I’m Muslim,” Piromarm said. “It was like it was me against the world … And I relate so much to what’s going

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Thousands gather to protest racism in Detroit JASMIN LEE

Summer Managing News Editor

“No Justice. No Peace. No Racist Police.”

Over a thousand people gathered around the Detroit Public Safety Headquarters for the March Against the Police on Friday in response to incidents of police brutality across the nation.

As they were social distancing and wearing masks, people chanted “No Justice. No Peace.

No Racist Police.” People of all ages, races and backgrounds were present to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Wayne State University freshman Cameron Hawkins said he marched to fight for his life as a Black male in America.

“My greatest fear in the world is getting killed by a police officer and I don’t think that’s something that I should have to worry about,” Hawkins said.

Organizers from MetroDetroit Political Action Network, Occupy Detroit, Abolish ICE Detroit, March for Black Women Detroit, Progessive Caucus of the

Michigan Democratic Party and Detroit Anarchist Black Cross hosted the event and invited multiple people to speak at the rally.

Demands from the rally organizers included justice for Sha’Teina and Dan Grady El, the release of non-violent prisoners due to COVID-19, justice for George Floyd, freedom for the Los Angeles and Minnesota protesters, the discontinuation the use of facial recognition technology in law enforcement, immediate termination of employment and criminal charges for police officers that demonstrate excessive force, and an end to mass incarceration.

Jazmine Middlebrooks, an organizer from March for Black Women Detroit, spoke on the actions that need to be taken to handle racism. She said the best way for white people to be an ally of the Black Lives Matter Movement is to intervene whenever they encounter racism.

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2 NEWS

Thursday, June 4, 2020 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Demonstration in Troy: ‘We need to be where the silence is’ About 500 march in Metro Detroit suburb CLAIRE HAO

Daily News Editor

With the luxury shopping mall Somerset Collection as a backdrop and across the street from a boarded-up Saks Fifth Avenue establishment, approximately 500 predominantly young protesters of all races broke the typical calm of a Monday afternoon in the Metro Detroit suburb of Troy, Mich., chanting, “No justice, no peace, no racist police.”

Almost all donning face masks, they joined hundreds of thousands of people in major cities across the United States and across the world in peaceful protest of the killing of an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer, among other documented acts of police brutality. No Troy police officers were seen wearing a mask, though The Daily cannot verify every officer on the scene did not have a mask.

In its entirety, protesters were at the Big Beaver Road and Coolidge Road area for about four and a half hours and remained peaceful the entire time, though about 30 protesters who stayed at the end were told by Troy police officers they would be arrested if they did not leave the intersection. None of the protesters were arrested, though the Troy Police Department arrested one person, a 68-year-old male from Troy who intentionally struck a protester with his car. According to the Troy Police Department, the victim had no apparent injuries.

Troy is about a half-hour drive to Detroit. It is one of the many suburbs of Metro Detroit that grew wealthier from white flight in the mid-1900s — the mass movement of white families from cities to the suburbs in fear their property values would deteriorate as Black neighbors moved in — and is now the largest city in Oakland County, one of the richest counties in the country. According to 2019 census estimates, it is about 68 percent white — and just under 4 percent

Black.

Most of the protesters arrested in Detroit in the last several nights of protest there were from its suburbs. According to Troy protest organizer Marshele Parker, this move to protest in the suburbs of Detroit was an intentional choice among the organizers.

“We started seeing people on social media saying, ‘Why don’t we bring it to the cities that we actually know hurt us more than the city of Detroit?’” Parker said. “So that’s when we decided to all come to Troy. We decided to go to Somerset because it’s one of those big malls in Michigan. And because of the systematic oppression in place, the Black dollar doesn’t stretch that far, and when it does, it goes to their favorite mall such as Somerset with all the glitz and the glam.”

Somerset Collection was closed all day Monday in anticipation of the protest. In a statement to The Oakland Press, Somerset spokesman Peter Van Dyke said the closure was taken as a necessary safety precaution for everyone involved.

“Somerset Collection values and supports freedom of speech and peaceful protest,” Van Dyke said.

The event was organized by the Black Activist Movement Network, a new group formed by Parker and other Black college women: Rebekah Long, Cameron Simpson and Joy Mosley. For over two hours, the crowd of several hundred protesters, mainly students who lived in the surrounding area, walked around the Coolidge Road and Big Beaver Road intersection, then down Big Beaver Road towards the Troy Civic Center.

Many held posters denouncing police brutality and anti-Black racism, chanting as cars around them filled the afternoon with honks of support.

Among the suburbs, Parker said Troy was chosen as the site for their protest because of word-ofmouth about racist interactions with the Troy police.

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Students describe protest experiences

DOMINICK SOKOTOFF/Daily

As calls for justice fill the nation, read firsthand narratives FRANCESCA DUONG

Summer Managing News Editor

While the COVID-19 pandemic rages on and social life has come to a stall, cities across the United States are drawing passionate crowds demanding justice, peace and an end to police brutality against Black people.

George Floyd, a Black man, was killed in Minneapolis police custody on May 25 after a white police officer kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. Three other officers participated in the killing. A private autopsy confirmed the death was a homicide and a result of not only choking, but also pressure on Floyd’s back from the other officers who pinned him down.

While on a jog, Ahmaud Arbery was shot outside of Brunswick, Ga., after being chased by an armed white father and son, who believed he was a burglar, on Feb. 23.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the two assailants have been arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault. GBI also arrested William Bryan Jr., the person who filmed the viral video of Arbery’s killing.

In Washtenaw County, Sha’Teina Grady El was punched in the head multiple times by a police officer while her husband, Dan Grady El, was tased when both resisted being physically removed from the scene of a potential shooting.

These are only some of the recent crimes of racism and police brutality.

Robert Sellers, chief diversity officer and vice provost for equity and inclusion at the University of Michigan, released a statement addressing recent events against the Black community titled “I Am So Tired.” In his address, Sellers detailed his sentiments of being African American in light of recent events and ref lected on his parents’ guidance as a kid.

“What my recollections of my parents’ example did do was provide me with a perspective, a lens through which I can view and understand all that is happening now,” Sellers wrote.

“This lens reminds me that this struggle is not new, nor is it likely to be won in my life time.

Sadly, it is likely that more Black people will die before we become the country that remotely resembles the one described in our constitution.

This lens also reminds me that this country is MY country. My ancestors sacrificed their lives in building this country.”

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The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers.

Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office for $2 per issue. Subscriptions for September - April are $250, and year-long subscriptions are $275. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. Subscriptions must be prepaid.

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NEWS 3

5% of CARES Act funding awarded Out of 39,388 eligible students, the University reported 1,997 received grants ARJUN THAKKAR Daily Staff Reporter

Local incident in Ypsilanti sparks demands for change

Courtesy of Calder Lewis

Washtenaw Avenue flooded with protesters for Grady Els CALDER LEWIS

Summer News Editor

Only a woman’s cry stopped the march that halted traffic along Washtenaw Avenue Thursday, as hundreds of community members protested police brutality after a video surfaced of a white Washtenaw County sheriff’s deputy appearing to punch Sha’Tenia Grady El, a Black woman, in the head multiple times during an arrest early Tuesday morning in Ypsilanti Township. As the sobs of Ypsilanti resident Ann Diggins, Grady El’s sister, pierced through the crowd, protesters paused. The drum beats and chants of “no justice, no peace” and “Black lives matter” fell silent. Then, after a few moments in her niece’s embrace, Diggins and the marchers pressed on. With a national spotlight focused on race and policing in the wake of George Floyd’s death, Diggins said the recent incident in her hometown has not left her mind.

“I haven’t slept in three days,” Diggins said. “Every time I fucking close my eyes, all I fucking see is that man putting his hands on my sister, and I just can’t deal with it no more. I can’t hold in my anger. I

tried and it’s not working. I’m trying to do this shit the right way, and it’s not working.”

Organized by the non-profit Survivors Speak, the protesters first gathered at the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office in Ann Arbor to listen to speakers for about two hours, then marched onto Washtenaw Avenue and a surrounding neighborhood. Police blocked off about a mile of Washtenaw Avenue, as well as both directions of U.S Highway 23 overhead.

Daniyal Grady El, Sha’Tenia’s husband, was tasered during the incident and also arrested early Tuesday morning. He said after he and his wife were released from the Washtenaw County Jail, the Taylor Police Department picked up Sha’Tenia to take her to Wayne County Jail on an alleged warrant.

“Taylor (Police Department) had no reason to come pick her up after she just been abused,” Grady El said.

“She should have been allowed to go to the hospital and take care of herself and get her wounds taken care of. And then for Taylor to send her to Wayne County, and have Wayne County wrap her up in their system is just ridiculous, especially during COVID-19. They’re not supposed to be bringing anybody new into the court system, into the jails, unless they’ve committed an actual crime.

And so it’s just a travesty going on the legal system right now.”

According to a Facebook post,

Sha’Tenia Grady El has been released from the Wayne County Jail as of Friday afternoon.

Grady El also expressed anger and frustration at his wife’s treatment in the initial incident.

“Those police officers had no right to do anything that they did,” Grady El said. “The abuse, the punishment that she took at the hands of that officer and whoever else was involved with those officers should be handled in a correct manner, and not being investigated by their own people. They need to be investigated from outside.”

Jason Robinson, a pastor at Reach Church in Ypsilanti, said Floyd’s death in Minneapolis and the incident in Ypsilanti Township provoked the community to demand a change in policing culture.

“If you have a culture where officers can step over that line, but there’s no repercussions, then it keeps happening over and over and over,” Robinson said. “But if you have a culture where people know the community will rise up, then officers will think twice about those moments of frustration, those moments of anger and just those moments of just downright racist bigotry in our communities.

So the goal of it is creating a culture where this will not be tolerated.”

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The University reported that emergency student funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act has been awarded to approximately 5 percent of eligible students as of Tuesday.

The CARES Act, which offered emergency grants to institutions of higher education to counteract the effects of the pandemic, provided $25.2 million to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor with the condition that at least half of the allocated funds be distributed to students for emergency financial aid. The act requires universities to report how many students received grants and how much funding has been distributed 30 days after accepting the federal aid.

Students at the University who were eligible to receive support from the CARES Act funding received an email with the application details in early May. The funds are intended to address COVID-19 expenses that arose after the outbreak.

The University published the current data on the Office of Budget and Planning website on Tuesday, reaffirming a minimum of $12,622,026 in emergency grants will go to students.

The page states $2,712,486 of the $12,622,026 has been awarded to students, about 21.49 percent of the total available financial aid. Of the estimated 39,388 eligible students, 1,997 have received emergency grants, which is roughly 5 percent.

Several other large universities have already distributed a larger percentage of their emergency financial aid to a larger percentage of eligible students. The University of California at Berkeley reported it distributed about 86.26 percent of its emergency aid mandated for students to 68.38 percent of eligible students.

Wayne State University disclosed

they distributed 41.34 percent of its CARES funding to 32.28 percent of eligible students.

At Michigan State University, CARES funding has run out because applications requesting aid “far exceeded available dollars and the funds are now exhausted,” according to MSU’s Office of Financial Aid. In an email to The Daily, University spokeswoman Kim Broekhuizen explained the administration is distributing the emergency funds with the intention of supporting eligible students from the winter 2020 semester through winter 2021.

“The act instructs institutions to award funding for expenses related to COVID-19 caused by the disruption of campus instruction and to do so for the duration of one year,” Broekhuizen said. “The University is making decisions based on the needs expressed by applicants, their eligibility for funds and the University’s need to provide funds to a potential large number of students over a long period of time. The process will evolve as the University moves through the next year.”

In an email to The Daily, Public Health student Anthony Dang said he applied to receive emergency aid in early May because his paid internship opportunity, which would have covered his summer expenses, was canceled and he was only receiving a stipend from a different internship.

Dang received nearly the entire amount in funding he requested and said it would help cover his rent.

“Now that I have funding I am extremely relieved about surviving for the rest of the summer,” Dang wrote. “I was currently looking for a part-time job to do in addition to my full-time internship, but stopped at the moment knowing that I have these emergency funds.”

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Ann Arbor, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Troy

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Thousands gather across Michigan to protest police brutality

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5 OPINION

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FROM THE DAILY

The history of policing and power of protesting

O

n Monday, May 25, George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer. This incident was a final breaking point and has galvanized outrage from communities all over the country, sparking protests and calls for justice across the United States.

T

he unjust death of Floyd is not an isolated incident by any means, nor is it unprecedented, nor should it be a surprise to anyone who has access to news and media outlets — this is a tale as old as time, one that has happened to an unfathomable number of intersectional Black citizens.

Closer to the University of Michigan’s campus, in Ypsilanti, Mich., protesters gathered on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 26, after a video was circulated showing a white police officer punching Sha’Teina Grady El, a Black woman, in the head multiple times.

Building awareness about and a consensus against these horrific, racist acts of violence has to be a priority. But doing so safely and effectively is important as a pandemic rages on and police departments continue to aggressively crackdown on those who speak truth to their power.

First, it is imperative to offer a historical context into the nature of policing agencies in America when wanting to approach conversations about the current Black Lives Matter protests occurring across America and around the world. The birth of modern-day police officers in America can be traced to a multitude of political, economic, legal and historical conditions. Most importantly, perhaps, modern policing departments can be traced to slave patrols and night watch groups, which were both maliciously designed to control the behaviors

and freedoms of minorities — most notably Black and Native Americans. In the southern colonies of the United States especially, origins of policing were rooted in racialized social orders and in the economy that so heavily depended on individuals that were enslaved. Slave patrols and night watches assisted wealthy landowners and maintained economic order by recovering and punishing both enslaved and freed Black individuals who did not adhere to white societal standards.

The vicious and abhorrent rationalizations of slavery and racism did not end after the 13th amendment abolished slavery in the U.S. With the rise of so-called vigilante groups who resisted abolition and Reconstruction after the Civil War, America continued to perpetuate deep racism, oppression and injustice toward Black Americans. Due to the traditions of slavery and racism that are, unfortunately, so deeply embedded within this country’s history, these vigilante groups felt it their duty to uphold the narrative that Black individuals were sub-human.

Coinciding with the onset of the second phase of post-Civil War Reconstruction, the most infamous vigilante group, the Ku Klux Klan, was founded.

Notorious for brutal campaigns of violence against Black individuals, “local law enforcement officials either belonged to the Klan or declined to take action against it.” Due to law enforcement’s involvement with the infamous group, Congress eventually passed the

Enforcement Act of May 1870 and two more Force acts — also known as the Ku Klux Klan acts — which acted to prohibit the assembly of groups with the intention of violating constitutional rights of minority groups. However, this legislation, along with many more legal events, has not suppressed the inhumane practices of racial abuse and oppression that have persisted in America.

Today, we are witnessing the continued perpetuation of racial injustices and violence from modern-day institutions against Black Americans. From being disproportionately affected by health inequalities that have been made most apparent during COVID-19 to repetitive injustices perpetuated by the criminal justice systems in America, it is clear that what has been done so far is not nearly enough. During this global pandemic, many disparities and corrupt systems have come to light — ranging from the exploitations of essential workers who are primarily POC to healthcare inequalities and biases to precariously unfair shortages of protective equipment for frontline workers — which has undeniably showcased where the values of our country’s leaders lie.

While our healthcare workers are “at war with no ammo” — forced to use expired masks and perform invasive procedures on COVID-19 patients without any personal protective equipment — local police forces tout a saturation of protective gear and riot gear when confronting

protesters. This disparity forces the financial hypocrisy of this country to light. In response to the jarring lack of PPE for healthcare workers, President Donald Trump stated, “the Federal government is not supposed to be out there buying vast amounts of items and then shipping … we’re not a shipping clerk.” However, he quickly changed tune when American citizens took to the streets to protest, mobilizing nearly a dozen federal agencies to “dominate” protesters.

Right now, it is most important to stay safe and keep friends, community members and loved ones safe as well. However, The Michigan Daily Editorial Board understands the boundless difficulties of doing just that when our country is fighting both the COVID-19 pandemic and racism. The fact that Black communities are having to gather in large numbers during a pandemic to protest their right to stay alive, all the while being disproportionately disposed to having higher rates of non-communicable diseases is not lost on us. This is why we, as an editorial board, encourage resourceful, respectful and safe protesting.

Because of the pandemic, many individuals who would normally opt to practice activism in person at protests are not able to. This may be the result of immunocompromised family members, personal health reasons, working essential jobs, etc. If this is the case, there are many ways to protest unjust, racially oppressive systems from home. Considering donating to bailout funds for protesters who have been arrested, boycotting organizations or businesses that continue to perpetuate racism or exploit Black creators, researching ways to stop offering funds to local policing agencies while simultaneously supporting Black businesses are some of the first steps one could make.

Social media right now is a huge platform for activism, information and resources. It is imperative, however, to utilize these platforms to the best of our abilities. This includes active interactions with the media while trying to educate yourself and/or others about current events and how we can move forward. It is very easy to be passive when dealing with social media activism, a term designated “slacktivism,” which can, unfortunately, block access to important, helpful information.

Consider the recent event of #blackouttuesday, where millions of Instagram users reposted a black square with the hashtags #blacklivesmatter, #blm or the aforementioned #blackouttuesday. This quickly clogged the media platform, which is an essential space for many individuals across the country to access real-time updates about protests or from friends or acquaintances, as well as spreading information about resources, safety and what changes are being demanded.

While anyone is free to post what they want, within guidelines, on social media platforms, it is important to pay attention to what Black individuals are saying during this time. If you sincerely want to support protesters and the Black community, it is necessary to examine your role in society and dig deeper into why these racial

injustices continue to persist. On social media platforms right now, there are many resources made available and accessible for individuals looking to expand their understanding of topics of anti-racism. This includes education about the differences between structural vs. individual racism; a graphic about how the murder of George Floyd was just the tip of the iceberg; “how to donate to BLM when you have no money;” and comprehensive lists of books, films and podcasts you can invest in for the sake of your own consciousness on the systemic issue and millions of other resources. While the previous examples were all thought-provoking or called for active participation while channeling support (even if that means you just have to go to YouTube or Google and type in the link), many posts are much more performative and allow passive, non-productive activism. While flooding feeds with trending posts may feel necessary to fit in or show your support for the movement, consider the content and the information that you are reposting and whether or not it is helpful to the audience you have on social media platforms.

Protesting, showing support and activism can all be done in many different ways, especially because of the methods of organizing and communication we have that past generations have not had access to. Some are protesting in the streets, some are educating themselves, some are donating, some are having conversations with family members and friends.

Now, we must begin to think about what we can all do moving forward and how we can channel productivity out of all forms of protest. How can we inspire those who are still opposed to the movement to join in?

Can we have documented motives going into each protest? What elected officials can we contact to demand reforms? How can we incite change in our communities?

These are all valid questions that constitute an institutionally complex, 400-year issue.

Every successful protest and resistance movement must adapt to address the unique circumstances into which it develops. Today that means meeting the demands of a pandemic that impacts everyone, but particularly exploits and ravages America’s most vulnerable communities. This means continuing to leverage social media campaigns, defunding corporations and communities that are against the cause — a cause that is simply justice and a recognition of humanity in those who built our nation. This means fundraising for organizations that fight for protesters and supplying resources to those who need it most. As we buildup to the 2020 election, that also means registering as many people to vote as possible and encouraging people to vote not just in a presidential election, but in their state and local ones as well. Galvanizing the spirit and power of the protests and converting them into political capital is crucial to passing progressive laws and policies that target corruption in law enforcement. Finally, speaking up about racial injustice, with friends, family and in every community is a must if America is to even begin to purge racism from its ranks.

6 OPINION

Thursday, June 4, 2020 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ANDREW GERACE | OP-ED

An open letter to prospective students

A

s you consider joining the ranks of the leaders and the best, I can’t, in good conscience, allow you to make the decision to come to the University of Michigan without taking the time to share this with you.

As someone who chose to come to the University, I know how exciting it is to envision yourself here. Scrolling through the websites and social media accounts, you’ll see game days, students in our esteemed research labs and photos of multicultural student groups on the Diag. However, what you won’t see is a university fulfilling its stated mission.

I decided to come to the University after attending Hawken School, a small private high school in Ohio. Most of the students who attended the school, like me, were white and entered the school unaware of the systems of oppression that affected the people of color in our community. Hawken took responsibility for developing our understanding of race, vulnerability and of every citizen’s responsibility to be an active member of society and an ally in the fight against issues they don’t directly experience. As a result of the institution’s efforts, I felt compelled to find a college where I could further develop my understanding and leadership on broader societal justice.

I decided to attend the University because I wanted to learn how to tackle these issues of privilege and racism at an institution whose mission is “to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.” As I’ve been attending the University for two years, there certainly have been moments where I have learned about race, being a global citizen and what real leadership looks like. Student-led initiatives like the Musical Theatre Department’s Color Cabaret create an environment of vulnerable, open and genuine discussion on race in society while simultaneously celebrating the diverse background of the student body. You may think this is because the administration at the University takes broad and resolute action to support the mission of the institution and foster diversity, equity and inclusiveness.

However, in times like these, when we need leadership the most, the University is teaching us that leaders wait until it is comfortable to get behind an issue, while the best stand silently by, afraid to upset the status quo.

After over 300 hundred people accessed an email template that I created to send a message to University President Mark Schlissel from the student body, Schlissel offered an obligatory message

that amounted to a general acknowledgment of work to be done against racism and violence, but failed to highlight any concrete accomplishments or cite any new efforts by the University to fulfill its institutional obligation. In 2016, The Michigan Daily reported on the proposed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals Schlissel mentions in his recent statement, saying “DEI will continue as a major focus of the institution throughout my presidency, beyond our initial fiveyear Strategic Plan.” Sabrina Bilimoria, who graduated in 2016 and was a Michigan in Color editor at The Daily, criticized the DEI plan which required more mental and emotional labor from marginalized students. She wrote, “There’s such a lack of understanding from Schlissel and many, many administrators as to a common way to talk to students without tokenizing them and asking minority students to do all the work.” Four years later, the University continues to put the burden on minority students to educate their white peers on race and allyship by remaining absent in the discussion. It is not Black people’s responsibility to teach white people how to understand race.

Understanding race is a fundamental component of citizenship and if the University actually intends to fulfill its mission, one driven by creating leaders and citizens, it should take steps to develop and lead these discussions to truly further intellectual diversity, equity and the teaching of racial justice for the entire student body.

Other universities across the country have already taken action to support Black students and the Black communities within their sphere of influence: The Manhattan School of Music pledged that “all performances will feature work by African American creators or those from the African diaspora,” while the University of California stated that, “As part of our commitment to find solutions to address these issues, the University of California will take immediate action to re-examine our own practices and ensure we implement the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force on Universitywide Policing that we established two years ago.” The University of Michigan, however, appears to be focusing more on continuing inadequate commitments than reexamining what these commitments fail to achieve and how to progress towards racial justice.

Read more at MichiganDaily.com Andrew Gerace is a rising junior in the College of Literature, Science & the Arts and the School of Music, Theatre and Dance and can be reached at agerace@umich.edu.

KEITH JOHNSTONE | COLUMNIST

Joe ain’t Black, but he needs us and we need him

“

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” — Martin Luther King Jr. In my columns, I attempt to stay facially neutral about my personal background when it comes to political issues, trying my hardest to give the untouched facts about an issue or political figure to lead readers to my conclusion, usually with a sarcastic comment or two along the way. However, with this column, I think my personal story is important because, when I watched former Vice President Joe Biden make his comments on The Breakfast Club, no matter how hard I tried, I did not see them through a journalistic, impartial lens. I did not see them as a liberal voter who wants to see progressive changes made in government. I did not see them as an American citizen who loves this country despite this dark era that we are all experiencing together.

I saw the comment as a Black man who has been made fun of for wearing my naturally curly hair inside of the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. I saw these comments as a Black man who never felt at home in the rich white suburbs where I grew up. For my entire life, people have told me that I do not belong, no matter where I am, that I am somehow less than human because of the color of my skin, and hearing a white man say that some people “ain’t Black” because of their voting patterns sickened me. Biden has no place telling anyone how Black they are for countless reasons, chief among them is that he ain’t Black and could never be. Until he has walked in the shoes of a Black man or woman, he cannot pass judgment on a single one of my brothers or sisters. Blackness is a much deeper issue than your vote for the presidency or the language you use or the music you listen to. In my opinion, the true measure of Blackness is how the world interprets you and how you interpret the world, and no vote can take this life experience away.

Your vote for the presidency may not define your Blackness, but it does define something much more central to your character. As my granny said, “it don’t matter whether you’re Black, white or Puerto Rican, as long as you’ve got heart,” and I believe that, at its core, heart is really what’s on the ballot this November. Sure, Biden has professed that his cabinet would “look like the country,” meaning having more diversity than the people in Trump’s cabinet like clammy-handed, lying, unqualified Ben Carson and Elaine Chao, the woman who gets to be Mitch McConnell’s wife. However, as a middle-class person myself, I understand the selfish arg ument that Trump lowered our taxes and brought unemployment, especially Black unemployment, to an all-time low.

However, these were results of the Obama Administration — of which Biden was a critical part — and its economic recovery plan after the financial crisis.

Also, a little thing called the COVID-19 pandemic — which has disproportionately burdened minority communities in part due to the Department of Health and Human Services g uidelines making it more difficult for people to receive health insurance — wiped out that record. Additionally, Trump’s administration has made it more difficult for both documented and undocumented immigrants, who have been proven to boost economic productivity, to enter this country. The administration has widened the latitude of prosecutorial sentencing discretion, and they have nonsensically tightened the already ineffective work requirements on food assistance while encouraging work requirements for Medicaid.

These discriminator y policies are all targeted specif ically at communities of color and, while I get the allure of a tax cut, I believe having heart means looking out for people beyond yourself, beyond even your immediate communit y, to look at the g reater good.

So, yes, if you vote for Donald Trump, you are still Black, but you show a fundamental disregard for your brothers and sisters, and you ought to consider the thousands you are robbing of opportunities before condemning them to the very life that our ancestors fought to prevent.

In the end, while extremely insensitive, #YouAintBlack is not a symbol of Biden or anyone in the Democratic Party taking our community’s vote for granted. In fact, I think it is quite the opposite. The mere fact that Biden, Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren have all been on the same radio show whose previous content includes Soulja Boy roasting Drake — which is by far the most savage thing I’ve ever seen — is a remarkable testament to how much Democrats value the opinions of Black voters in 2020. See, when voter turnout in the Black community fell in 2016, propelling us into the era of the pornstar president with perfectly normal-sized hands (wink wink), I believe the Democratic Party woke up to the fact that Black voters make this party what it is today and we could destroy it if we stopped participating.

Maybe the Democratic Party learning that lesson is the one good thing to come out of the Trump era.

Look, at the end of the day, I got lucky. I was born into a family with two parents, two sisters and two dogs who have all loved and cared for me my entire life. Because of my ancestors’ sacrifices, I was born free and, because of my own actions, I have lived free.

However, not a second goes by where I am unaware that with one bad judgment call or one bad financial decision, that freedom can be taken from me and I could be left at the mercy of our government. Though I have not fallen victim to these circumstances, many of my brothers and sisters have and, for them, it is my duty to vote for a president who cares.

This is why I am Black, and I am voting for Joe Biden. If you have a heart, you should too.

Keith Johnstone can be reached at keithja@umich.edu.

Thursday, June 4, 2020 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SUMMER SERIES

On whiteness in ballet ZOE PHILLIPS Daily Arts Writer

It’s said that every theater is inhabited by at least one ghost, and contrary to legends propagated by Halloween, these ghosts do not like the dark. Thus, when the curtain falls and a theater’s house empties, an employee will leave a light — a ghost light — to burn onstage until the performers return. Across the world, ghost lights have remained on and untouched for months. But the lives of performers continue offstage, each day adding pressure to find performance spaces on digital platforms. What happens when the ghost lights keep burning and we’re left with a stage wholly mediated by posts, shares, comments and likes?

In a utopian alternate reality of a world without coronavirus, this week would have been quite historic for American Ballet Theater. Dancers Misty Copeland and Calvin Royal III were scheduled to become the first black artists at ABT to headline the archetypal love story “Romeo and Juliet” together. The casting would have been the newest in the ballet world’s glacially slow-moving progress toward a more diverse stage. Copeland recently told ABT Trustee Emerita Susan Fales-Hill that when social distancing necessities dissipate, the performance will have the potential to shift an audience’s perspective on black love, elaborating that “I just think it’s going to blow people’s minds just by seeing two brown bodies in this romantic, passionate young love that has nothing to do with the color of our skin.”

The specialness of this potential should not be minimized — quite frankly, the mere fact that ABT has two black dancers high enough in its ranks to cast such

major roles makes the company far ahead of many others. In 2015, Copeland became the first ever black female principal dancer at any major international company and since then, the success stories have been few and far between.

Ballet’s history is fraught with racial prejudice. For generations, the art form was emblematic of a white aristocracy that firmly denied access to audiences and dancers of color. It began in the courts of Italy and was later codified by King Louis XIV of France in the 17th century. These blue-blooded beginnings helped support an aura of elitism that continues to hinder ballet’s potential for growth from racial and socioeconomic standpoints. Today, ballet’s lack of diversity is fed by ugly stereotypes of black artists’ supposed lack of grace, and its expensive point of entry can make it hard for new talent to break these boundaries — one estimate projected that a dancer-in-training will need at least $100,000 before reaching the possibility of a professional audition. This reality creates a world that continues to exclude and oppress dancers of color.

This oppression is currently backlit by a country enveloped by protests against the recent murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Activists and Instagram users alike continue to use these crimes as platforms to talk about the importance of fighting racial injustice at every level — ballet may be far removed from police brutality, but the art form remains at the center of many systems of white privilege that also enable the perpetuation of racism in America and beyond. The layers of that privilege run far deeper than just casting, but the stage is almost always where choreographers, teachers and directors get their start. Changing the racial makeup of a

ballet’s performance thus has the longterm potential to shape the entire industry going forward.

Misty Copeland is perhaps the loudest voice in this fight today — even before her official promotion, Copeland’s status as a powerful black ballerina changed the landscape of ballet audiences. In 2014, she became a spokesperson for Under Armour and broke out of ballet’s insular bubble in a way that few dancers ever have. Copeland pushed the ballet community to see the importance of growth and became the face of ballet’s progressive fans. Nevertheless, she is not the only voice out there: ABT’s Erica Lal and Calvin Royal III, Houston Ballet’s Harper Watters, Washington Ballet’s Nardia Boodoo and Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Daphne Lee are all beautiful voices to listen to. Lee recently told her followers, “We could cripple this country. We could also elevate it in ways we haven’t done before.”

Copeland and Royal III’s performance of “Romeo and Juliet” would have been special for its elevation of ballet’s possibilities: They were both eager to show the world a new face on an old story. This excitement is melancholic in context of the uncertain future of live performance, but both express confidence that this groundbreaking show will happen one day. Their conviction is an optimistic reflection of how far the ballet world has come, yet the mere necessity of delaying such a milestone in 2020, especially this week, underscores how much further it needs to go.

In the wake of these events, ballet companies are also taking stances — Lincoln Center cancelled this week’s scheduled live streams in honor of the Blackout Tuesday media initiative under the growing hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused.

Last Sunday, ABT joined the also-growing #BalletRelevesForBlackLives initiative to address the racism lingering in the ballet industry. A réleve is a step in which the dancer pulls their body up onto the ball of their foot or the top of the pointe shoe.

The simple yet powerful step is the backbone of many of ballet’s most important movements. In essence, these companies are pledging to step up, to grow and to lift their world into a more racially equitable tomorrow.

The sentiment is quite beautiful: By hiring more black dancers, those dancers then have the opportunities to grow into choreographers, teachers and directors.

The pledge has the potential to change the future of this art form, but only if these companies follow through on their words. Just like a réleve itself, change requires strength that comes from long stretches of active perseverance — words and hashtags are only the trailhead of a steep road of effort. Also like a réleve, that road needs to become the backbone of this industry if real change is to be enacted.

Black lives and black dancers must matter today, tomorrow and forever to come.

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Dating via video chat GRACE TUCKER Daily Arts Writer

I sat in our firewood-scented Wisconsin cabin and stared at a Zoom video conference call meant to resemble my friend Stephany’s 19th birthday party. College friends, childhood friends, roommates and classmates were fit awkwardly together like puzzle pieces on my computer screen, patiently awaiting the birthday girl’s arrival. We made conversation and exchanged niceties like business colleagues might do, offering a “what’s everyone been up to?” when the silence grew to be particularly uncomfortable. Finally, Stephany’s sweet face entered the Zoom call and we launched into a timidly performed rendition of “Happy Birthday,” single voices freezing here and there as Zoom’s lag emphasized the inherently awkward nature of the festivity.

Like what many others in Generation Z, more recently labeled as “Generation Zoom,” have experienced, Steph’s birthday party was the umpteenth Zoom event I had attended since first submitting to self-quarantine in mid-March. Virtual cast reunions, get-togethers and club meetings meant that Zoom has become my new and sole place for social gathering. With other Gen Zers frequenting the platform to participate in religious services, movie viewings, club parties and even drinking games, college students have fully immersed themselves in this new form of digital socialization.

Seemingly overnight, self-proclaimed “quaranteens” traded in sweaty bar crawls and packed house parties for Zoom links and Facebook events.

Throughout the month of March, a new genre of Zoom-centered Facebook groups including one called “Zoom Hangouts for Self Quranteens” introduced such events like “4/20 on ZOOM” and “Zoom Bingo” to those searching for connection while quarantined. One Facebook event called “How many ppl can we get in a zoom call in a week” appealed to those lonely, socially starved Gen Zers searching for a place to meet new people, play drinking games and commiserate over COVID-19.

But on March 25, this desperate pursuit of human connection proved to extend beyond Zoom Bingo nights and virtual parties when students flocked to an online dating website called thezoomuniversity.com to find love. Co-founded

by USC graduates Leor Massachi and Daniel Newman, the initial idea behind the website was to organize video double dates to combat the “... unprecedented levels of loneliness” Newman and Massachi knew college students were experiencing during quarantine. After going viral on TikTok, the website attracted tens of thousands of users hailing from colleges all over the country. Soon, the website servers crashed and Massachi and Newman scrambled to meet the romantic needs of thousands of quarantined students.

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Thursday, June 4 , 2020 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

MUSIC REVIEW

SUMMER SERIES

Watercolor: a guide TRINA PAL Daily Arts Writer

Kip Moore’s earthy, varied ‘Wild World’ KATIE BEEKMAN Daily Arts Writer

Kip Moore entered my life the way most country singers did in 2011 — by singing about a truck. More precisely, “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck.”

For months on end the cheeky, feel-good track was playing every time I turned on the radio.

Successful follow-up singles “Beer Money” and “Hey Pretty Girl” ostensibly signalled Kip’s coming country stardom. Until, of course, they didn’t.

Nine years later, Wild World finds a contemplative Kip carving out a thoughtful plot of country music for himself outside of Nashville — a star unrealized, but a star nonetheless.

The new Kip Moore is gritty. In his current single “Red White Blue Jean American Dream,” Moore traces artists’ pilgrimages across America, but having grown out his hair and traded in baseball caps for beanies, it’s clear the former Nashville cookie cutter has gone on a self-actualization journey of his own. “Dylan went to New York, Cash went to Nashville / Mark Twain floated on the Mississippi Queen” he chants. I imagine an autobiographical addition to the song going like this: Moore went to Red River Gorge, Kentucky.

That’s where we find him in Wild World’s promotional documentary “7 Days at the Rock.”

While some clips could be mistaken for a luxury outdoors-wear commercial, I was stunned by how closely certain images resembled the texture I had imagined listening to Moore’s album. At one point, Kip sits in a rustic-looking rocking chair while sipping black coffee, strumming along to the sounds of the woods and playing for a cat called Boots.

And yet, Kip Moore is no Tyler Childers.

Despite planting roots in Appalachia, Wild World’s sound is recognizably mainstream. With crisp production that favors electric guitar riffs and arena-ready drums over fiddle solos, there’s no mistaking Kip’s music for Americana. But his raspy voice and use of recognizably real instru-

ments means Moore doesn’t sound pop either.

Instead, Kip’s country music lands closer to rock.

Still, Wild World’s earthy tones aren’t accidental, but align with the richness of its stories.

“Janie Blu” outlines the trappings of a strained relationship and addiction. “Southpaw” serves as Moore’s “gunslinging” mission statement. “Fire or Flame” watches Kip wrestle not with faith, but his inclination to ramble toward the light and trouble.

“He took my hand, I shook it free” he smirks.

And those are just the first three songs. “It’s a wild world,” Moore claims in the title track, so he promises to “stay wild” too.

Rock climbing, surfing, skateboarding — “7 Days at the Rock” shows how dedicated Moore is to keeping that promise. What it fails to show however, is any desire Kip might have to get back to the top of the country charts. The hopeful “She’s Mine” and rollicking “South” both reveal glimmers of the Kip we met in 2011. These songs have the kind of bouncy, up-beat production and sing-along ready lyrics that once upon a time would have made for country radio gold.

Near the end of “7 Days at the Rock,” Moore starts singing unaccompanied while staring solemnly into a fire pit. “Payin’ Hard” details his regret about lost love and lost time with his late father from playing shows instead. “My life’s a credit card / play now, pay later and I’m payin’ hard” he whispers, presumably to himself, his voice cracking alongside the fire. As sentimental as it sounds — it works. Moore’s quasi-outsider status makes his lows feel more relatable than those of his hitmaker peers.

The landscape of Moore’s Wild World is practically devoid of trucks, beer and explicitly “pretty girls.” But that’s not why I was so taken by it.

Country radio is a finicky beast and it made Moore a different kind of outlaw. He was spit out of the Nashville scene just as quickly as he was taken in.

Lucky for us, some things grow better in the dark — Kip Moore is one of them.

Wild World Kip Moore MCA Nashville

This piece is part of a series on “Art during COVID,” an exploration of art forms to keep our idle minds creative during this pandemic. With many of us at home, our minds have ample time to wander, wonder and create. This series highlights accessible and immersive art forms to both produce and consume during the pandemic months and beyond.

How do we show our gratitude for the world around us?

It’s a question that’s been on my mind recently. As spring reaches its full force, the world begs for my attention. I can admire the deep pink eastern rosebuds, the velvety white crabapples, the comforting pale lilacs, but how do I give back?

For most of my life, this exchange with the world has felt one-dimensional: The Earth provides food, shelter, air, water, beauty, and all I can do is admire in response. I do plenty to advocate for the Earth on a macro scale — recycling, composting, repurposing. I believe this is easier to do: With some effort, anyone can do their part to reduce their carbon footprint. But what about showing gratitude for the Earth on a micro scale? How often do we thank a tree we pass for giving us clean air and water, or think of the life behind a flower before planting it in our garden? These small-scale interactions make up the bigger whole — ecosystems and biomes — that we tend to focus more on. We can’t truly love our planet without paying attention to the little things.

Watercolor is one of my humble attempts to show my appreciation for these small wonders. Painting a tree, a leaf, even a blade of grass, shows the world that I’m thinking about it and listening to its calls. Of all wet and dry art forms, the effortless contours and gradients of watercolor makes it my favorite for representing the natural world. It’s fast, fills up a space quickly with color and begs us not to overthink our strokes.

It’s raw. It’s natural.

As quarantine leaves us with large pockets of empty time, watercolor is an undemanding way to fill that space with color and life. Representing a living form that’s not your own reminds us that we’re not truly isolated when life beckons us from all directions. Yet, for all its benefits, watercolor can be one of the most intimidating art mediums for beginners. I remember agonizing over where to place colors, confused by how much water was too much and how much was too little. It would be insulting to reduce watercolor to a science, as there’s no correct method, but the steps below

can be helpful to get started.

Watercolor doesn’t demand much. The paints come in two forms — in tubes or in a pan. If you’re painting on the go, portable palettes offer a generous array of colors, complete with a water brush and mixing compartments. My Reeves watercolor set has served me well over the years, but any set is fine, coupled with watercolor paper and a brush.

Pick a subject, but not just anything.

Pick something with meaning to you, a form that you could spend at least a paragraph describing. I inevitably draw my inspiration from the environment, oftentimes while sitting on my driveway. Yesterday, I painted the maple tree in my yard whose branches gently touch the roof of my car. Maple trees weave together my relationship with Michigan and my infatuation with the fall colors of our deciduous landscape. Pick something that feels like home.

The first streak of color feels glorious. I like to wet my brush, dab on a little color and glide it across the page. Watercolor fills up space easily and doesn’t give you much time to think. I focus on the bigger picture instead of worrying about each individual brush stroke.

I liken this to zooming out my perspective, trying to represent a general shape first before painting fine details. I lose myself in the immediate satisfaction of color breathing my image to life. I let the excess water spill over slightly, which gives me a base to continue building color.

I let my first layer of paint dry before piling more on top, making each layer progressively darker than the last. Shading adds depth to your work; pools of black and slashes of white make an image seem real. I find it helpful to pick a direction of light — the upper right corner of the page, for example — and paint everything closer to this point lighter, as if the light was hitting the object. Everything farther away should be darker, in shadow.

Once I start adding other colors to the mix, it’s aimless to try and describe a methodology. There are no rules.

When I succumb to the power of watercolor, I feel connected to the Earth, grounded to my colors, clear in my mind.

It’s my way of acknowledging the small lives around us — the beetle climbing over mounds of earth, the peonies in full bloom, the branches shimmering in the light. I paint from a place of intangible gratitude, giving thanks and remembrance to our Earth. If your paintings come from a place of love, you’ve succeeded.

Thursday, June 4, 2020 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Ok, America. Prove me wrong.

ALEXANDRA OWENS MiC Guest Writer

At the turn of the 2010s, the ingenious use of social media by young activists during the Arab Spring set the world ablaze. In the blink of an eye, young people transformed social media from a prom picture party hub to an outlet of revolutionary information.

Via fledgling platforms like Facebook and Twitter, users shared demonstration sites, tear gas remedies and even tips to avoid identification by authorities should one choose to participate in civil disobedience.

With its unprecedented ability to deliver not only crucial information, but also the sights, sounds and unmistakable aura of social upheaval to the palm of any user’s hand, social media seemed to be the last missing link to achieving real global equality.

In case you missed it, the 2010s were not quite the pax romana we hoped they would be.

Just shy of a decade after the events of the Arab Spring, social media’s stature as a beacon of hope, a catalyst of universal change has undergone quite the reversal. As Generation Z came of age over the course of the 2010s, we watched in real time as the sanctity of information found and distributed on social media was forever compromised. In addition to issues with misinformation, overwhelmingly, the outward facing nature of these platforms spawned a culture of normalized “slacktivism,” wherein the cultivation of the image of being “woke” by privileged groups has taken precedence over the actual substance of the societal issues which predicates such activism.

The issues most often co-opted for social clout are related to the continued extrajudicial murder of countless Black Americans. But, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise for a country which enjoys its temporary forays into Black

culture more than Miley Cyrus.

More so than any other instance of Black-led rebellion seen in the previous decade, the most recent uprisings beginning on May 26 have been characterized by a suspiciously high amount of white endorsement and participation.

But, these were not the usual white allies — these were white moderates. In the past week, my social media feeds have been flooded with the feverish reposting of artist’s renditions of the deceased, text posts demanding accountability on the part of all nonBlack Americans and of course, the black tiles. Although an increased awareness of the horrors of police brutality appears, superficially, to be indicative of promising social progress, I cannot help but shake my suspicions that these displays — like most things on social media — are just a part of a facade.

While my skepticism could be misconstrued as a selfish attempt to “gatekeep” who can and cannot

MICHIGAN IN COLOR 9

be politically active, in reality, this cynicism is a byproduct of coming of age in the span of years separating Trayvon Martin from George Floyd, Ferguson from Flint and Obama from Trump. Through these years, time and time again in school, and even in some social situations, I was looked to by my non-Black peers to rationalize why “all lives” and “blue lives” did not matter and why violence sometimes could be the only appropriate answer. And with each repetition of this cycle, with every new Black life taken prematurely, the same peers still refused to educate themselves any further than the information that was already laboriously spoonfed to them by young Black people like myself, just clamoring to make their people’s humanity known.

As I observed the same people who were once “so concerned” with educating themselves retreat back to the comfortability of their privileged existences at their convenience, I began to see my

efforts to inform had not just fallen on deaf ears, but actually replicated the existing system of Black subjugation to whiteness — where still, Black labor is readily substituted in the place of white effort.

Although many white Americans — particularly Gen Z’ers too self-righteous to recognize their own similarities to their Boomer grandparents—are quick to ridicule the glaring hypocrisies of attempts to appear “of the people” by a Kendall Jenner or Gal Gadot, significantly fewer conversations are being had regarding the abruptness with which they themselves hop on the bandwagon of social responsibility, only to retreat back into the complicit silence of their “normal” existences once their friends stop posting Instagram stories, hashtags stop trending and the media moves on...

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A brief Black and A/PIA history under white supremacy CHERYN HONG

MiC Managing Editor

On May 25, the Minneapolis police officers Derek Chauvin, J Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane arrested George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man accused of buying cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin, who spent almost nine minutes kneeling on Floyd’s neck, was charged with third degree murder and second degree manslaughter. The three other officers who were complicit and silent during the arrest were fired but not arrested. As of today, Chauvin’s charge got upgraded to second-degree murder, and the other three were arrested and charges with aided and abetted murder While many have been protesting Chauvin and the Minneapolis police department who have been known to tolerate racism, Tou Thao, the Hmong officer who also has a history of involvement in useof-force incidents, has become the symbol of Asian-American silence in anti-Blackness sentiment in America. Thao has resparked the ongoing discussion of minority

tensions and relations, especially between the Black and Asian community.

When Asian Americans first began to immigrate to the United States, they were also a large target for white supremacy, as the government passed racist legislation such as the Chinese

Exclusion Act, fueled the antiJapanese movement in the early 1900s and repeatedly refused to grant citizenship to Asians who don’t fit the “white” requirement.

However, as time went on, the white supremacy transformed. As fear that anti-Asian racism could jeopardize the country’s world

COLLAGE BY HIBAH CHUGHTAI

leader status and impeded imperial expansion, white liberals sought to efface Asian exclusion legislation during and after World War II. The government believed there would be a geopolitical payoff in return for recognizing Asian Americans as “model” citizens, thus a mixture of geopolitics, the Cold War and the

civil rights movement gave birth to the “model minority myth.”

Between 1940 and 1970, Asian Americans surpassed Black Americans in average household earnings, and also closed the wage gap with whites. This was because at the beginning of the 20th century, Asian Americans were depicted as threatening, exotic and degenerate.

However due to the model minority myth, newspapers glorified Asian Americans as industrious, lawabiding citizens who were docile and never complained. This wasn’t a special tactic, as many minorities in the U.S. attempted to combat racism by portraying themselves as upstanding citizens capable of assimilating themselves into American mainstream culture.

Chinese Americans promoted their obedient children and traditional family values, Japanese Americans referred to their wartime service and, while Black Americans also made similar appeals, postwar America made it convenient for political leaders to solely listen to the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders community.

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Thursday, June , 2020 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

The Arab/Muslim role in dismantling AntiBlack racism MAYA MOKH

MiC Staff Writer

I address my community not from a place of guilt, as I, too, have been there and found it to be unproductive and paralyzing. I address my community from a place of love and urgency.

We non-Black Arabs, especially those of us with proximity to whiteness, have played an immense role in the anti-Blackness and colorism which pervades our communities and contributes to the degradation of Black people. Those of us who live in Dearborn are especially separated from Detroit by just a few miles and a lifetime’s worth of oppression, subjugation, ignorance and stark difference in worldviews. We Arabs and Muslims need to stop playing the “we’re all minorities” card and get to work.

It should not take Black people dying for us to care about Black lives — anti-Black racism is what this country was founded upon and has its roots in every corner, every system, every institution and structure. And it does not start or end with the United States.

The roots of anti-Blackness in Arab communities can be traced to the Arab Slave Trade. Its effects are still prevalent with the corrupt system of domestic work in the Arab world, akin to modern day slavery. The branches can be seen in the lingering and ever-present anti-Blackness many of our communities harbor, which Susan Abulhawa also details in her article, including the idolizing of lighter skin and European beauty standards.

Another branch is the colorism which exists in our own communities, reverberating the harmful message that lighter is better. Additionally, especially for Arabs and Muslims in Dearborn, racism can be seen in the interactions between us and Black people in our community, the use of Arabic racial slurs, the way gas station and store owners treat their Black customers, the stark division drawn between Dearborn and Detroit and the villainization of Black people beginning with the older generation and trickling down into ours and the ones below us. It can be seen how even Black Arabs and Muslims are treated in our very own communities. There is a certain superiority complex among lighter skin, Levantine Arabs.

What’s very disheartening is the fact that many Arabs and Muslims are able to vehemently denounce Israel and the IDF’s abusive treatment of Palestinians, empathizing with and raising awareness for the Palestinian struggle. Yet they fail to realize that American police are often trained by the IDF, adopting their brutal techniques and

militaristic nature. They fail to realize our struggles are intersecting and how we are hypocrites if not standing with our Black brothers and sisters in their fight for justice. The same government we criticize for its treatment of us, we must criticize for its ongoing and inhumane oppression of Black people since the inception of this country.

The same way we denounce the War on Terror, we must denounce the War on Drugs and recognize its role in destabilizing the Black community, beginning a system of criminalization and subjugation.

I attended a Facebook Live event by Muslim nonprofit Wasat, “The Way of Iblis: Racist Violence and Capitalist Excess” which is part of a series called “Breaking the Idols of Our Time.” Dr. Bilal Ware began by speaking about God’s love for humanity which is proven throughout the Qur’an. He explains that in the Qur’an, as well as the Bible, God creates through speech.

“He has only to say unto a thing: Be, and it is” but “humanity is made with a caress, and animated with a kiss, in contradistinction to other things that are made with speech” He then goes on to discuss the origins of racial violence from an Islamic perspective, beginning with the fall of Satan for refusing to bow down to Adam due to arrogance and feelings of superiority. This arrogance was rooted in bodily composition and origin, as Satan believed he was superior to Adam because he is made of fire, while Adam is made of clay. The fact that we as human beings, all made of the same fragile and fleeting bodily composition have created a hierarchical system that ranks some above others and treats them accordingly is evidence of sickness of the heart.

But that sickness, whether we are aware of it or not, lives on in fragments of various sizes, in our hearts and our communities, and it is on each and every single one of us to spend our lives eradicating that sickness where we see it. This includes but transcends intrapersonal and interpersonal racism and goes back to the origins — the laws, policies and corporations which keep it in place and how we are contributing to them. The resources to learn about these origins and how we can do our part are endless and we need to be reading and watching relevant content, not solely relying on social media to educate us with brief stimuli we are likely to soon forget.

The other “Satanic force” Dr. Ware refers to its capitalist excess — America’s insatiable obsession with greed and wealth.”

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A Native perspective on political resistance and force ANA MARÍA SÁNCHEZ-CASTILLO MiC Staff Writer

With the tribal erasure of the sovereign Native state we saw the beginning of a long series of United States law infringing on the basic human rights of Black and Native Americans. It is fitting that this conversation starts from a place of shared resistance. The concept of civility must be deconstructed and the illusory security of the American police force must be illuminated.

Now and in the upcoming weeks, I intend to frame the police state as a continuation of Black and Native American genocide and enslavement. I hope the intertwining histories can help to tell a story which weakens the foundation of the white institution and propels the correct narrative of Black and brown lives.

Don’t talk of the success of civility in the same breath as genocide and murder.

The loss of Black lives is an afterthought second to the vehicles of protest, so since when was it a priority to take the moral high ground? Why is it that the oppressed are expected to be passive at the hands of brutality? When history has only given result to those who have a greater capacity for violence than the oppressor.

White institutions continue to run productively and efficiently despite nonviolent resistance. Institutions such as the police force, prisons, and universities work to dismantle Black power out of fear that the white grip on enslavement will loosen along with the position of white supremacy. These institutions operate under systems that grew from the colonial history of violence, looting of sacred objects, ransacking of lives and the stripping of physical and psychological dignity. Institutions of the sort must be destroyed along with all functions that uphold them. As for people shifting the focus off of murder and onto the destruction of goods, understand these goods are symbols of violence and oppression, the capitalism which killed and destroyed livelihoods without ramifications. Police stations and luxury stores have become mocking symbols of the material interest of the white institution, and have been protected at the expense of Black lives and Black and brown liberation and equity, their destruction holds incredible political weight.

Don’t talk about the success of nonviolence.

It is few and far between the reckless and excessive displacement and war on Black and brown lives.

I come from the Lipan Apache tribe of Texas. My people died warriors, fighting in defense of the land and ideals we grew from.

My people were murdered, their country lazily blundered to build white industries stained with Black blood on the bones of the Indeginous.

We are alive today because of the revolutions that came before us and because of the blood lost fighting for the honor of the land pillaged by white colonizers or mass murderers. The fact of the matter is the United States was designed for things to operate on oppression - the system is working as it was intended to, it is not broken, the goal is to break it. Issues we see now have endured hundreds of years of movements and have cost the lives of millions upon thousands.

This is obvious and those extreme numbers must be answered with extreme action.

As consequences to enduring oppression Benjamin Ginsberg explains how, “looters deviate from the norms [of white violence] because they have reached the limits of their endurance and in giving bent to their normally suppressed rage strike out indiscriminately”. It is horrific to see a normalization of state violence while criminalizing the suppressed anguish of Black and brown communities, but we must not be deterred.

The battle takes place on the ground and virtually. Linked are organizations accepting donations to release freedom fighters and support the Black Lives Matter movement.

Crowdsourcing is being matched by major companies and has the potential to make a major impact in continuing the momentum towards liberation and a just state. Your dollar holds an influence as does your vote and both are integral efforts. Email the Minneapolis Police Department and demand George Floyds murderers be charged to the fullest extent. Sign as many petitions as you find productive, such as the Justice for Floyd petition. No one is asking for everyone to take the stance of getting on the front lines protesting, risking bodily harm, but in order to avoid scattering the reach of efforts it’s important to remain unified in resistance.

Validate and uphold the efforts of other freedom fighters. Fight whether it be physically, virtually or both, find a vehicle to join efforts and press the gas full speed.

As a culmination of the cries of the warriors that came before us, we are a million souls on fire, a fire that courses through our veins, a fire we must light the streets with hopefully this fire burns the path to justice.

Some people may just want to watch the world burn, some are upset to see their communities destroyed, the bottom line is people are angry for one reason or another, and tired of explaining why everyone should be.

Read more at michigandaily.com

Thursday, June 4, 2020 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Dear

MICHIGAN IN COLOR 11

, it’s time to address our anti-black racism

JENNY CHONG MiC Staff Writer

“Are you sure you want to go to school there? Isn’t it near Detroit, which is full of dangerous black people?” said my Chinese dad after I had gotten accepted to the University of Michigan last spring.

My dad was not supportive of my decision to enroll at the University for a few reasons — one of them being his perception of Michigan as a crime-ridden state overflowing with violence among the black community.

I told him, “Actually, the University isn’t that close to Detroit, and

the black population at the school is less than 5 percent.”

“Oh, of course there aren’t a lot of black people attending. They’re too lazy to get in,” he responded.

Appalled at the words that had just come out of my dad’s mouth, I expressed my disgust. “That’s racist. You shouldn’t say that,” I said, leaving the conversation at that without reading into his anti-black racist statements.

Unaware of it at the time, I had enabled my dad to continue believing his racist behavior was acceptable by not speaking up. In being silent, I was also at fault for subconsciously perpetuating anti-black

racism. One year later, in the wake of the recent violence and brutality against members of the Black community, I am reflecting on the past in an attempt to unearth my internalized anti-blackness and learn how to be an Asian-American ally.

On May 25, George Floyd, who was a 46-year-old black man died in the custody of four Minneapolis police officers, among them, Tou Thao, a Hmong-American. In a video of Floyd’s arrest, Thao is seen looking on as his partner, Derek Chauvin, holds his knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.

Read more at michigandaily.com

A statement from the Black Student Union The Black Student Union at the University of Michigan would first like to extend wholehearted condolences to the families of recent victims of police brutality: Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, David McAtee and Tony McDade. However, our concerns and expressions are not limited to these victims as there have been countless instances of police abuse for as long as this country has existed. The most well-known are those from the past decade, where we have witnessed many unjust murders of Black folks at the hands of police. To name a few: Gabriella Nevarez, Mya Hall and Atatiana Jefferson. So, the questions we should ask ourselves are: How is it already 2020 with things having not substantially changed for the better? Also, how can we implement reform such that we do not find ourselves having this same discussion with our children?

Something has to give. It is time

to bring those in positions of power to the table and demand that they affect change. This includes government officials who are elected to serve their constituents and the people in charge of our criminal justice systems. We are tired of performative acts that create the illusion that people care — it is time to take this seriously. Actions show us more than any amount of characters in a letter or words in a prayer. We condemn excessive police force targeted at those protesting the slaughter of Black bodies and believe they should be given the same privileges to peacefully protest as those who protested stay-at-home orders. Moreover, the deployment of military forces by President Donald Trump’s Administration, which is designed to disrupt those protesting the unequal treatment of Black folks in the U.S., is just another policy intended to set back this crucial movement.

Additionally, we are disgusted by

PROVIDED BY BLACK STUDENT UNION

the way the media and our nation’s leaders have promoted the narrative that protesters are “thugs” who only intend to destroy property. Most protests around the nation have been non-violent displays of solidarity amongst oppressed, angry and empowered Black Americans and their allies. These overt displays of opposition to the forward progress of our cause are evidence of systemic and institutionalized racism and we will not tolerate it.

To make matters worse, Black Americans must deal with the trauma of police brutality in the midst of a global pandemic. The irony of the current state of our country and world is not lost on us.

Although the pandemic and police brutality may seem unrelated individually, the impact that both have had on the lives of Black Americans is rooted in the same issue: systematic inequity and discrimination.

At this time, we want to extend our deepest condolences to our community members and families who are mourning lost lives and suffering from increased health complications and associated costs. We encourage everyone to stay updated on the symptoms of COVID-19 and how it is spread.

No matter how you choose to respond to current events, you should feel empowered in whatever decision you make. Based on a history of student activism, we are confident that you all will make the best decision for yourselves and the larger community. The BSU will support you regardless of your response to current events.

GRAPHIC BY MAGGIE WIEBE

A Yelp review of America SOFÍA C. BISHOP MiC Guest Writer

I’ve heard some rumors about this place. Apparently, the owners don’t even own the land on which this restaurant sits. The service here is terrible. The ambiance is lackluster. Let me correct myself: the atmosphere is hostile. Don’t get me started on the food. Their weekly special of cultural appropriation comes with two sides: fearing people of color and the denial of white privilege. Sometimes, if we’re lucky — and it’s in season — they’ll add racial profiling onto the menu and a free dessert. Imagine having reverse racism a la mode with a brownie. Yummy right? This place has been here for what feels like centuries. Some people dragged my ancestors here because they just had to try it. I didn’t like the taste. I wanted to send it back. First, I tried speaking to other patrons. Maybe they would see something wrong with this restaurant. They said the food tasted great! Most of them are regulars and thought I was outrageous for my negative review. I tried speaking to the managers.

They ignored me. They didn’t bother to hear or see me. If I ever decide to go to this restaurant again, it’ll be a curbside pickup. Oh, and no tip. All in all, I’d give it no stars.

There are so many names to say.

George Floyd, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Freddie Grey, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, or Philando Castile to name a few. Another year, another month, another day and another unarmed Black man and woman killed. To

wake up every day, seeing these names, seeing graphic videos of their death, is traumatizing. When we urge others to say their name, it is because they can no longer say it for themselves and because someone decided that their life had no value. Graphic videos, however, create an unimaginable amount of pain and perpetuate inherent trauma. How many more names are we going to have to say and scream until someone can finally see that this place is not safe? How many more brothers, husbands, fathers, mothers, daughters and granddaughters have to die? How many of our children across the diaspora need to grow up and have “the talk.” Not the birds and bees, but the “Here’s what you do when you interact with the police, are profiled or when someone determines your skin color is a threat.”

That makes the birds and the bees easy in comparison. How do you tell your teenage Black son, “Don’t wear that hoodie, wear bright colors when you go out with your friends and don’t move your hands off the wheel when you’re stopped?” Or your Black daughter, “Limit your passion because they will perceive you as angry. Remember to work twice as hard, because you will only be given half.” What does that say about America?

What does the silence from others say? The silence from others tells me that they do not value my life or the lives of others who look like me.

Read more at michigandaily.com

1 SPORTS Red Berenson appointed special adviser to Big Ten commissioner Thursday, June 4, 2020 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

BAILEY JOHNSON Daily Sports Editor

When new Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren visited Yost Ice Arena in February, he was on a mission.

Warren set a goal to see every team at every Big Ten institution play at least once in the first year of his tenure, so watching the Michigan hockey team take on Wisconsin on Feb. 7 was just a step along that path. But Warren had a second goal that day: Get former Michigan coach Red Berenson to join his staff as a special adviser for hockey operations.

At 80 years old, three seasons removed from his retirement after 33 years behind the bench for the Wolverines, Berenson attends nearly every home game and can be found holding court from the first box on the right. That night, Warren joined him.

“He made it a point to corner me and we sat down and talked,” Berenson told The Daily. “He said he really felt strongly about Big Ten hockey and hockey in general. …

He said he just loves hockey and he wants to see the Big Ten conference get better and he wants me to be his special adviser and work with him

in trying to make the conference better.”

A few weeks after their conversation at Yost, Berenson signed on and began his role as Warren’s special adviser on hockey, as first reported by Todd Milewski of the Wisconsin State Journal.

Two weeks later, the remainder of the college athletics season was canceled. There have been no decisions made about next season, which changes things for Berenson.

It’s a rule-change year for college hockey, which only adopts rule changes every other year, so ordinarily, this summer would be filled with meetings and conferences among Big Ten coaches and coaches across the country — exactly the kind of meeting Berenson would attend. Now, those meetings have become conference calls, but discussions haven’t slowed down in the slightest.

“Everyone’s working from home, but it’s amazing how they’re still inspired and invested in the upcoming season,” Berenson said.

“Whatever the conversations have been about rules or overtime or whatever it’s been, the coaches are all over it. It’s been really good.”

Berenson’s role currently

involves being on just about every conference call that happens in college hockey — whether it’s with Big Ten coaches, coaches across the league, other Big Ten administrators or commissioners of other leagues that sponsor hockey.

Once a week, he has a call with Warren to stay up to date on the rest of the Big Ten and update Warren on what’s happening on the hockey side of things.

And despite taking on this new role, Berenson is continuing to work for the Michigan athletic department as an adviser to athletic director Warde Manuel — though he’s technically retired.

“I enjoy it,” Berenson said. “I really do. I can’t say that I miss coaching. I don’t miss coaching, but I enjoy the games, I enjoy the environment. I love going to Yost.

I know all the coaches around the league, and they’ve been very receptive to my coming on board.”

Since the Big Ten began sponsoring hockey in 2013, there have been a myriad of criticisms of how the league has handled the sport. Everything from TV presence to team performance has come under fire, and Berenson is taking on the task of dealing with

those concerns.

“My goals are whatever’s best for the conference, but I’d like to help it grow in the right direction,” Berenson said. “You’d like to see the teams do well. You’d like to see the chance of expansion. I would be a big promoter of expansion, particularly within the Big Ten. For example, there were rumors Illinois might be interested in adding hockey, and then this virus hit. …

I’ll stay close to Steve Piotrowski, who’s the head of officials, and in terms of officiating and just making the conference better. “…I want to improve the game and then improve the communication with the teams and the coaches. If there are things we need to address as a conference, they can work through me. Kevin and I have a good line of communication, so I think that’ll help where you’re not dealing with non-hockey people.”

With Warren as the commissioner, the Big Ten intends to put a greater focus on hockey — a contrast to how things where handled under previous commissioner Jim Delany, who focused primarily on football and basketball.

“The thing that really inspires

FILE PHOTO/Daily

Red Berenson named adviser to Kevin Warren.

me is Kevin’s passion for hockey,” Berenson said. “It’s not like he doesn’t know anything about hockey. He knows a lot about hockey, and he cares about hockey.

I don’t know that we’ve had that passion, necessarily, coming out of the Big Ten office for hockey.

It’s been a conference maybe driven strictly by football or some basketball, but it sounds now that he wants hockey to get better.”

After playing every minute last season, Marc Ybarra has more in the tank LIOR KOLTON

Daily Sports Writer

The final whistle blew against Wake Forest in the Sweet Sixteen, ending a long race for the Michigan men’s soccer team. The 3-1 loss capped off a full season of playing time for then-junior midfielder Marc Ybarra, who quickly pivoted towards

the next race for a national and Big Ten title — a mountaintop he’s strived to reach since claiming it his freshman year.

Ybarra started in midfield for all of the Wolverines’ 22 matches and never left the field, the only Michigan player to do so — a testament to his consistency. This statistic encompasses Ybarra’s character:

MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily

Rising senior Marc Ybarra playing in last season’s NCAA tournament.

A workhorse midfielder, a devoted teammate and a player who is always looking to improve, no matter how many miles are on his cleats.

Growing up as a hometown kid in Ann Arbor, Ybarra — the youngest of four siblings — drew inspiration from his older siblings on the soccer field.

“I look up to my brother, Matt Ybarra, who played at Detroit Mercy from 2011-2014,” Ybarra said. “We both play similar positions and he was a captain. He played all the time, and I looked up to his work ethic.”

Marc credited the growth of his game to not just Matt, but all three of his siblings.

“It extends even more than my brother. I’m the youngest in my family, and all three of my siblings played soccer growing up,” Ybarra said. “I had those mentors, and the support of older people than myself.”

“I’m always supporting attackers and supporting defenders. For me, consistency is always being there. Showing up and being there

everyday.”

There are two factors that allowed Ybarra to stay on the pitch all season: good health and trust from the coaching staff. Michigan coach Chaka Daley could always count on Ybarra to be healthy and impact the starting 11.

Ybarra’s consistency doesn’t end after the final whistle is blown. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ybarra is helping his fellow midfielders, defenders, attackers and future teammates.

“This team is the first time I have had to embrace that role. Now going into my senior year, I’m reaching out to incoming freshmen,” Ybarra said. “It’s been a different role, but it’s good to be confident that when I leave after next year, the other guys that I am having conversations with will fill the same role I had.”

The stay-at-home orders have struck uncertainty in how Michigan will prepare for the upcoming season.

Even without spring matches and in-person practices, Ybarra and the

rest of the upperclassmen stayed true to their leadership. Communication plays a key part in Ybarra’s game, both on and off the field — Ybarra is a U-M Leadership, Excellence, Achievement, and Diversity (LEAD) Scholar. In order for the team to develop as much as possible at a distance from one another, Ybarra’s mentorship to the underclassmen and new recruits is essential for success next season.

“We have had a couple calls with the whole team,” Ybarra said.“I think the older guys have taken it upon themselves to reach out to a couple specified players, especially the incoming guys. We’ve been reassuring that they can reach out with anything they need. More of delegating between a couple guys each making sure we’re all in touch and ready to go in the fall, hopefully.”

After playing nearly 2,000 minutes in 2019, Ybarra’s mind does not want to keep count. He is solely focused on the most important team goal: winning.

Amidst crisis, ‘M’ adjusts its recruiting DANIEL DASH

Daily Sports Writer

As the Michigan football team adjusted to a new norm in early March, coach Jim Harbaugh and director of recruiting Matt Dudek found themselves working on a new playbook.

With the Wolverines’ spring practice slate wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Harbaugh and Dudek turned their attention toward preventing Michigan from missing a beat on the recruiting trail.

According to running backs coach and special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh, that gameplan boiled down to four questions: How long will this last? How is it going to impact recruiting? How are we going to separate ourselves, be different and do a great job? What’s the day-to-day plan?

So far, the playbook is paying dividends. Michigan has secured commitments from a trio of fourstar prospects — linebackers Junior

Colson and Jaydon Hood and defensive lineman Kechaun Bennett — in the last week alone, propelling its 2021 recruiting class to a No. 5 national ranking, per 247Sports.

“All of it goes back to the beginning of this whole deal,” Jay said in a teleconference Friday. “It all started with that and (Harbaugh and Dudek) presented an awesome vision and we all bought into it and really stuck to it day in and day out. All these coaches do such an awesome job connecting with players, with high school coaches, finding ways to keep things interesting.

“I think as time goes on, some of these players, they’re getting a little bit bored of being recruited the same way. They can’t go on campus (and) there are certain things they’re just not able to do, so the staffs that have been able to keep things engaging are feeling the benefits there.”

Even without a chance to host prospects in person, the Wolverines continue to round out their 2021 recruiting class. Michigan has received 14 pledges during the

NCAA’s extended dead period, surpassing other Big Ten programs Penn State, Minnesota and Iowa in the national team rankings.

The pandemic has challenged the Wolverines, like every other team, to think outside the box. And in a time like this, the more creative a program is, the more successful its recruiting is.

“You’re finding all creative ways (to recruit),” offensive coordinator Josh Gattis said in a teleconference on May 14. “Whether it’s virtual visits, whether it’s virtual meetings, FaceTimes, you’ve got to be as creative as possible to be able to showcase your university and program in these times when they currently can’t come visit.”

Added Jay: “(Recruits) are able to do the virtual tours, they’re able to see things on Google Maps and streetview. They’re able to reach out to players and talk about things, ‘Hey, what’s it like day to day?’ … You have to gather all the information you can, talk to all the people you need to from each school — the

Thursday, June 4, 2020 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

players, the staffs — you go on the virtual tour, you do virtual visits and all that stuff and you make the best decision you can.”

With visits currently paused through the end of July, Michigan stands to benefit from previously hosting a handful of top targets. But for the prospects yet to step foot on campus, especially those who would need a long-distance trip to make it to Ann Arbor, the pandemic has

Daily Sports Editor

In his first semester at Michigan, Blake Corum had a 4.0 GPA and ran a high 4.4 40-yard dash in the Wolverines’ spring tests.

With stats like that, it’s no surprise the hype is only building for the four-star freshman running back. Corum joins Michigan’s most crowded running backs room in years — and though the Wolverines return four backs with significant playing experience, it’s clear the coaches also prioritize getting Corum on the field.

“Blake Corum is as fast as advertised,” offensive coordinator Josh Gattis said in a teleconference May 14. “… Just an exciting kid, just a tough, physical kid. I’ve known Blake since his ninth-grade year in high school. Just excited about that kid and his maturity, leadership he already brings. He brings a toughness, mentality. He’s got a great skillset, he’s a physical runner. People look at him as an

undersized guy because of his height, but the heart, the strength and the speed that he brings, he packs a punch. So we’re really excited about him from that standpoint.”

As an early enrollee, Corum was one of the players hurt most by the lack of spring practice, robbing him of a chance to grow acclimated to the competitiveness of college football. If he hopes to see the field in 2020, he’ll have to

do so without the extra semester of training he thought he’d gotten.

That’s not to say it can’t be done.

Sophomore Zach Charbonnet missed all of spring ball in 2019 with an injury and still took hold of Michigan’s starting job in the fall, and though this is a different situation, the Wolverines’ coaches are confident. Running backs coach Jay Harbaugh described Corum as someone who went all-out at everything.

FILE PHOTO/Daily

Runnings back coach Jay Harbaugh is operating with an abundance of talent.

created additional obstacles.

In those cases, the Wolverines’ staff has leaned on its new recruiting playbook. And with recruiting still in a state of flux, Michigan’s answers to those four questions have made all the difference.

“These recruits, they’re going through this whole thing (and) like everyone else, they’re having to adapt,” Jay said. “I think that’s kind of the way recruiting is right now.”

COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS

Recruiting coordinator Matt Dudek is innovating recruiting.

Freshman Corum adds to loaded running backs room ARIA GERSON

SPORTS 1

Despite only being able to meet with the rest of the team over Zoom, Corum has made the best of the situation without making excuses, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed. And though he didn’t get to participate in spring ball, Corum did get a taste of campus life and participated in winter workouts with the team before the COVID-19 shutdown. “(Corum) did practice with us, so he’s done it a little bit at least and even though he missed spring, he’s a guy who will walk through things on his own,” Harbaugh said in a teleconference Friday. “He played against great competition in high school, so I would expect him to transition well in terms of the speed of the game and everything” When Michigan takes the field again, Gattis sees in Corum a skillset that will allow him to play all over the field, taking handoffs, running routes out of the backfield and making plays in space. His strengths are similar to those of fifth-year senior Chris Evans, giving Corum another running back to learn from once he comes back.

Corum still faces an uphill battle for significant playing time, both because of the pandemic and because the Wolverines’ top two running backs last year — Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins — still have three years of eligibility left (though Haskins will be draft eligible next year and Charbonnet in 2022). But if the coaches are to be believed, Corum will make the most of his stiff competition.

“Blake is awesome, you know,” Harbaugh said. “ … He just goes hard at every single thing he’s presented with. I think he got a 4.0 or close to it his first semester.

He’s on time for everything virtually, he turns everything in, he takes tremendous notes, he asks questions, he’s just a junkie for football, but also for everything. He’s very binary. It’s like, all in or he’s not into it. So I think that that will serve him really good in terms of getting through this without it being a setback for him.”

There’s no way to know how Corum will look when he steps onto the field for the first time.

But the coaches believe he can force their hands into playing time right away, even at a crowded position. For Michigan, it’s a good problem to have.