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EDITED BY Noah Bressner
editor@bupipedream.com
PRISM
March 19, 2018
Voices of Binghamton
Kara J. Brown
prism@bupipedream.com
INTERNS Tykeem Banini
tbanini1@binghamton.edu
Daquan Taylor
dtaylor6@binghamton.edu
DESIGNED BY Cory Bremer
design@bupipedream.com
Jonathan Flores jflores3@binghamton.edu
Atsuyo Shimizu ashimiz2@binghamton.edu
Melissa Bernstein mbernst5@binghamton.edu
PHOTOS EDITED BY Kevin Paredes
photo@bupipedream.com
Sam Puerto
dpuerto1@binghamton.edu
COPY EDITED BY Bridget McCusker copy@bupipedream.com Sarah Molano
smolano1@binghamton.edu
COORDINATED WITH Joshua Gonzalez
vpma@binghamtonsa.org
PRISM is published monthly during the fall and spring semesters, except during finals weeks and academic breaks. The content of PRISM represents the opinions of its authors, and not necessarily the views of Pipe Dream.
Somya Pandey Ra’Vynn Waters is a sophomore majoring in nursing at Binghamton University. Waters is the second vice president of BU’s chapter of the NAACP. Additionally, she is a youth board member on the organization’s national board of directors. Waters got her start in the NAACP in her hometown in Rockland County, New York in 2013. Prism: What was the Binghamton University NAACP chapter like before, and what are you striving to be now? Ra’Vynn Waters: I am still learning about the Binghamton chapter right now, it was silent for about two to three years before last spring. Last spring, they got their name on campus and did a few things, such as raffles. This fall was kind of the big, “Alright, let’s get out there and start doing [general body meetings].” Right now, we are just doing [general body meetings], trying to see what the college campus is interested in and see how they take on our game-changers because as the NAACP, we have six game changers that are pillars of our organization. Those pillars are economic sustainability, health, education, criminal justice, voter registration and youth representation. With those game changers, we try to steer our [general body meetings] and make sure we hit those six game-changers throughout the years. For example, we did a [general body meeting] on colorism to educate people about the mental health and education about how the black community is interacting with each other. P: In what ways do you see the NAACP standing out from other multicultural organizations? RW: I think right now we are still trying to get over our intro year. A lot of us are, well, I am new, and a lot of us haven’t been on an eboard taking action. A lot of our e-board members are transfers, so they had last year where they got to interact and see the different clubs on campus and now everybody is on e-board.
Sam Puerto Ra’Vynn Waters, a sophomore majoring in nursing, recently became a youth board member on the NAACP National Board of Directors. Now, they are a part of a club and actually taking action themselves and not just attending the events. I think the club is definitely trying to make a name in that we want to have a political stance and make sure people get educated about health and making sure that everyone is getting a fair education both here and off campus, reaching potential kids that are trying to come to our school. P: Are there any other organizations you’re involved in besides the NAACP? RW: Yes, I am involved in Pretty Girls Sweat [PGS]; I am interning for them right now. I found them at University Fest in the fall. It was a great thing I ran into them, because I like working out and I knew the gym was an expense that I couldn’t pay. I was happy to see their table at University Fest and say this was a great organization, and I saw a promotion for the organization before, but it was just a shock to see that it was on a Binghamton University campus. Like, you would see it at Rutgers and other big campuses but you just don’t expect it to be at a SUNY school that not that many people know about. So it was nice to see PGS. I do attend other events, however,
NAACP and PGS are the two main organizations that I deal with. P: Do you see yourself continuing volunteer work once you’re out of school? RW: Yes, definitely. I would always think about what I can do in the future, on my off days, off hours and when I could volunteer and go do that. I will love to continue with Habitat for Humanity, and NAACP will not let me leave, so that’s not even a question. No matter if I am a nurse or a medical doctor, in the future I feel I still want to be an EMT, even if it’s volunteering in a local community because I just love that adrenaline rush — when you’re going to help somebody, when you’re flying down the highway — it’s something that is a part of me and I just love doing it. Anything I love doing now, and I would love to continue to do it and I don’t mind also maybe mentoring people in the future and just sharing my journey with them because not everybody has the most perfect journey and I just love to see that people just express themselves and show themselves to others. PRISM has edited the interview for length and clarity.
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PRISM
March 19, 2018
Barrio Fiesta to come to Osterhout Philippine-American League hosts 29th annual banquet
Tykeem Banini Join a couple of PALs this Saturday as they tell their story about what kept them together during their time at Binghamton University. BU’s Philippine-American League (PAL) is hosting its 29th annual Barrio Fiesta this Saturday, March 24. Established in 1989, PAL is an organization that does more than just highlight Philippine culture. “Our overall goal is to, of course, spread awareness of Filipino culture,” said Jehron Pura-Bryant, PAL’s cultural chair and a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience. “The running thing that we always want to achieve every year when we throw any events is, ‘How do we make this inclusive to everybody?’” Many students who participate in PAL are not of Filipino descent. Last year’s theme was Disney’s “Finding Dory,” in which the show took the audience through a story about a young woman trying to find her culture. This year’s theme is based on the American sitcom “Friends,” but also has some references to “High School Musical.” The story for this year’s show is about a group of students in their last year as Bearcats and how despite everything life presents them
with, they stick together because of PAL. PAL tells these stories through the show using skits, dances and singing. Traditional Philippine dances like the Sayaw sa Bangko and the Maglalatik will be performed during the show alongside modern dances like step and hip-hop. PAL Cappella will also be taking the stage, singing both the American and Philippine national anthems before the start of the show. During the show they will sing covers of popular songs. In addition to the student performances, PAL will also have special musical guest Anna Czarina Yso. Yso is a YouTuber who has gained a following by covering popular songs; her most-viewed cover is “Be Alright” by Justin Bieber, which has over 331,000 views. Every year during the spring semester, Barrio Fiesta is an experience that’s memorable for everyone involved. This sentiment holds true for James Musngi, publicity chair intern for PAL and a sophomore double-majoring in theatre and English. “Barrio Fiesta is this wild amalgamation of stress, excitement, discovery, exhaustion, failure, growth, tears, and bonding with people you come to love,” Musngi wrote in an email. “It is the journey of getting to know so many wonderful people and developing and devoting our performance talents together for this huge showcase that you get to have this crazy undefined experi-
ence that goes beyond what my words could even say.” The audition process for the show was open to all students. “We host two GIMs for Barrio every fall semester and there are dances where we require you to try out for,” PuraBryant said. “So for example we have PAL Cappella which is a singing group, you have to try out for that — [for] our more modern pieces we ask you to try out. For the cultural pieces we [leave] that for whoever is interested and since a lot of people usually want to sign up for the non-tryout pieces, it’s on a priority basis.” Chloe Reandelar, a sophomore majoring in human development, is a dancer and will be performing PAL Moda (modern dance) as well as acting as the main character in the skit, “Princess Pangit,” for this year’s show. “This show definitely isn’t something extremely regimented in terms of preparation, it’s all about enjoying and learning about Filipino culture as you go,” Reandelar wrote in an email. “I’ve personally never met anyone who’s regretted being a part of Barrio and I can’t wait for more students to join us in the future!” Presented in the Anderson Center’s Osterhout Theater, “Barrio Fiesta: The One With The Final Lap” will take place Saturday, March 24. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Presale tickets cost $6 and tickets at the door cost $8.
Provided by PAL Students perform at Barrio Fiesta. The Philippine-American League hosts Barrio Fiesta every year during the spring semester.
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PRISM
March 19, 2018
Student Support Services Over one-third of BU students are eligible for aid
Karen Benitez When Arleen Agama, currently a senior majoring in mathematics, was an incoming freshman, she received a letter in the mail inviting her to a summer program offered through Student Support Services (SSS). Not realizing it was free, she thought she couldn’t afford to go and put the idea aside. Speaking with an SSS counselor changed her mind. SSS is a part of the federal TRIO programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education. SSS promotes the personal growth and academic success of not only first-generation students, but also income-eligible students and students with disabilities. Income-eligible students, for TRIO, are students who meet the low-income standard of family taxable income not exceeding 150 percent of the poverty level amount. TRIO programs have been on Binghamton University’s campus since its first year, 1965, with the Upward Bound program. In the early 1970s, the SSS program was added. Many universities across the nation participate in federal TRIO programs to help first-generation and low-income students. To assist in the transition to the University, the SSS Summer Program is offered to incoming students who were invited to join SSS. It is a four-week summer program in which students attend an orientation, move in early and engage in workshops.
“Through the summer program I met a lot of students,” Agama said. “Also, we went through a bunch of workshops there and they encourage us to be really active in the Binghamton community.” According to Stephen Rebello, assistant director and academic counselor for SSS, one-third of the undergraduate student population at BU is eligible for SSS. “Programs like ours try to level the playing field,” Rebello said. “We try to give students that information that may be missing, if they didn’t have a parent who went to college, and we try to help them make those connections so that they get the same opportunities that their peers have.” The TRIO programs arose around the time of the civil rights movement. Legally, TRIO programs were signed into law from the Higher Education Act of 1965 under Title IV. The programs were founded to help students overcome financial, social and cultural hurdles to higher education. BU currently has six TRIO programs — Upward Bound, Upward Bound Rural Schools, Educational Talent Search, SSS, SSS—STEM and the McNair Scholars Program. The Upward Bound, Upward Bound Rural Schools and Educational Talent Search programs focus on high school students and introducing them to higher education as a future. According to Rebello, these programs present the students with the skills necessary for academic success in higher education and help them through the college application process. The McNair Scholars Program focuses on helping undergraduate
Kara Jillian Brown Oscar Rosas, a freshman majoring in business administration, talking with Arleen Agama, a senior majoring in mathematics and a student worker at the Student Support Services Office. students, with junior standing or higher, search and apply to doctoral programs. According to Rebello, the goal of the McNair Scholars Program is to introduce students of underrepresented backgrounds into Ph.D. positions and serve as inspiration for future applicants with similar backgrounds. “I think that oftentimes, because students do well academically, the assumption is that they can excel regardless of the situation they are thrown into,” Rebello said. “But even if a student is very competent academically, there are often other struggles that people are unaware of.” Along with academic advising, students involved with SSS also receive other services such as career coaching, personal counseling and free tutoring. To accompany these services, the office of SSS also arranges workshops and seminars. These workshops
and seminars cover a multitude of topics ranging from computer literacy to time management. Oscar Rosas, a freshman majoring in business administration, said his time at BU would be different without SSS. “Without SSS, I wouldn’t have the friends I have right now,” Rosas said. “I’m [in the office] everyday, for hours at a time.” Agama also felt that SSS has developed her social circle. “I probably would’ve stayed in my room more often,” Agama said. “I would’ve not gone to as many events and I just wouldn’t have as many friends.” According to Marty Wygmans, executive director for SSS and project director for TRIO, SSS is federally funded for a maximum of 520 students, but currently around 700 BU students use the program’s resources. The program funding enrollment cap may be why eligible students are
not automatically enrolled. Each semester, the SSS office receives information on new income-eligible students from the Financial Aid Office and invites them to apply for the program. Students who wish to use the resources available from SSS must then take the initiative to apply online or at the SSS Office. If accepted, the office will provide you with a counselor to meet with and information on their programming. “We have an office philosophy that we want to help every student that walks in our door,” Wygmans said. “Even students who aren’t eligible, we work with them until we can find a place for them so that they have advocates and people who are working with them.” Rosas thinks that anyone who is eligible should apply. “If you get the email, do it,” Rosas said. ”I have no regrets about joining.”
PRISM
March 19, 2018
Up-and-coming poets of color Multicultural artistic expressions
Daquan Taylor Poetry is a language that helps people communicate everything from intense emotions to smaller daily struggles. Specifically, within the multicultural community, shared experiences often lead to similar emotions. Not only do the lives of people of color matter, but so do their feelings. Here are some upcoming and prominent poets of color.
Denice Frohman According to her official website, Frohman is an award-winning poet, performer, educator and writer. The focal point of her work is racial disparity, identity, sexuality and celebrating the Latinx culture. Frohman uses her voice to vividly detail her experience as a member of the Latinx and LGBTQIA+ communities. Her memorable phrases are fused with strong passion. In “No Child Left Behind,” she says, “The first time I read a book by a Latina author was in college … It had been 18 long years of textbooks filled with everything but me. For the first time, my body knew a world that can hold it.” One of her other spoken word pieces is “A Queer Girl’s Ode To The Piraguero.” Aziza Barnes Barnes’ unapologetic personality shows her strong pride in her black heritage. Her blunt, powerful words take on topics of microaggressions perpetrated by non-people of color, as well as racial and gender stereotypes. Barnes is the winner of the 2015 Pamet River Prize. She published her poems in her book “i be, but i ain’t” from YesYes Books in 2016.
Javon Johnson This professor and director of African American and African Diaspora studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas uses his artistic creativity to show the essence of black magic. His poems unpack political, social and economic issues within the black community. Johnson also empowers and celebrates black joy in his work. Some of Johnson’s work includes the spoken word “Baby Brother” and “Black and Happy.” He published the book, “Killing Poetry: Blackness and the Making of Slam and Spoken Word Communities,” in 2017. Hieu Minh Nguyen As a Vietnamese-American poet, Nguyen details the emotional hurricanes of his daily life. He uses his platform to connect with people who may have dealt with issues ranging from fat-shaming to being a first-generation American. Nguyen is the author of “This Way to the Sugar,” published in 2014. He also has a collection of poems titled “Not Here” that is set to be published and released in April 2018. Nguyen also participates in various spoken-word poems as well that can be viewed on YouTube. Fatimah Asghar Asghar is a national poet, educator and screenwriter. Publications such as Poetry Magazine, BuzzFeed Reader, Teen Vogue, The Huffington Post and the Academy of American Poets have featured Asghar’s work. She is also a member of the multicultural Dark Noise Collective. Her book “After” was published by YesYes Books in 2015. She is also the writer and co-creator of the web series “Brown Girls,” which aims to show the spirit of women of color. Her first book of poems, “If They Come For Us,” is set to be released this summer. Jamal Parker A two-time International Poetry Slam champion in 2015 and 2016, Parker is one of the most prestigious upcoming poets. He explores themes of love, black struggle and black boy joy. His words will leave you overflowing with immense emotion: “I witness my own blood pour in my dreams.” Parker has published poems such as “and in this nightmare a white supremacist tried to kill me” and “Reading.”
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PRISM
March 19, 2018
ASO returns to the runway This year’s theme is ‘Coming to America‘
Aimee Montanez This weekend, Zamunda is coming to Binghamton. The African Student Organization (ASO) is hosting its annual fashion show on Friday, March 23. This year, the title is “Threads from the Motherland: Welcome to Zamunda.” In past years, the fashion show has highlighted the beauty of both traditional and modern African fashion, but this year, it’s also taking a look at its cultural impact in the United States. “This year’s theme is ‘Coming to America,’” said Fatima Kane, president of ASO and a senior majoring in political science. “We want to demonstrate the African culture in America and its influences in this country.” ASO took inspiration from the 1988 movie “Coming to America.” In the movie, Eddie Murphy plays Prince Akeem from the fictional African country Zamunda. Akeem finds out that his parents have arranged a marriage for him and then goes to New York City to find someone who will love him for him and not for his money. The romantic comedy features a wide range of African fashion, and “Threads from
the Motherland: Welcome to Zamunda” strives to do the same. “We want to show that African culture doesn’t get lost in America,” Kane said. “African clothing is inspirational and has an impact here.” Khaliq Spruill, a senior double-majoring in political science and English, is excited by the theme. “I like the theme. ‘Coming to America’ is like, top-five movies, especially for black people,” he said. “I’m most looking forward to the walks, I feel like that differentiates fashion shows.” The show will showcase the works of upcoming young fashion designers from New York City. ASO has hired African and U.S. designers for this year’s show and current students at the University will be modeling. Janelle Carr, a senior majoring in biochemistry, is looking forward to seeing what the different designers bring, and how they’ll connect with the theme. There will also be a live performance by Uyai Nnua, a group that performs traditional African dance and song on campus. They have collaborated with Samuel Elikem Kwame Nyamuame, visiting assistant professor of music and theatre at BU. The money raised from the show will fund the organization’s new scholar-
ship, which Kane said will be awarded to a student to highlight their hard work in the community and their commitment to promoting diversity. According to Spruill, the fashion extends past the runway, and he’s ready to show off his look. “ASO fashion show is always lit,” he said. “There’s a
lot of good outfits out there but you have to be the best one.” The show will take place in the Mandela Room in the University Union and the doors will open at 7 p.m., with the show starting promptly at 8 p.m. Tickets will be $10 if purchased before the show and $15 at the door.
Pipe Dream Archives Students participate in the African Student Organization’s annual fashion show. This year’s show was inspired by the 1988 film, “Coming to America.”
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PRISM
March 19, 2018
‘Smart People’: a comedy about race A conversation with the cast
Kara Jillian Brown “Smart People” is a play that ran in Studio B/Gruber Theater in the Fine Arts Building March 9 through March 11. The comedy of manners is set in the days leading up to former President Barack Obama’s 2008 win. Following four Harvard University graduates — psychologist Ginny Yang, actress Valerie Johnston, surgeon Jackson Moore and neuropsychiatrist Brian White — the story shows how the group navigates discussions about race, prompted by White’s research that the brains of white people are predisposed to racism. Godfrey L. Simmons Jr., a senior lecturer in acting at Cornell University’s department of performing and media arts, directed the play written by playwright Lydia R. Diamond. PRISM sat down with the cast to find out how they prepared for their roles, what they learned from the experience and what they hoped audience members took home.
PRISM: Focusing on your characters, Anna, as an Asian American, how were you able to relate to Ginny? Anna Jiang: The one thing that I never really appreciated about Ginny was how mean she was to customer service. I shop a lot and buy too many things, but I’m never mean to customer service. But everything else — I mean I agree with most of her statements about how to deal with the problems that Asian Americans are facing, and I feel like the more I read the play, the more I was kind of saying in my mind like, “Oh, this is me, minus the customer service bit.” P: Brian, coming in to play the liberal white guy, I think he saw himself as the essential ally. How did you feel about playing this role? Brian Dailey: Ally is one way to put it. I think that it’s important to recognize that by the end of the show we don’t, we’re not necessarily fond of this character. The lexicon of Brian White is vit-
riolic and harmful and rightly called out. He doesn’t approach the audience, though, in your classic high-collared, caped supervillain way, but he’s unfortunately just sort of this quintessential character that represents an unfortunate subset of our population that is sort of misled about how to start a conversation like this. So I think, more or less, I was just profoundly interested. P: Monique, being from Jamaica, and having Valerie dealing with a lot of stereotypes associated with a black woman living in America, were there certain things that you felt you didn’t necessarily understand? Monique Nugent: I feel like I unfortunately have had experiences that helped me to grasp where she’s coming from with certain things. It’s kind of like certain experiences did give me a framework for Valerie, but then I also appreciated all the research that we had to do for our characters to learn more about why they’re doing
what they’re doing or what we think would happen in the moment from their perspective. P: And then, Elijah, you had to play a character that was always fighting the stereotype of the easily angered or aggressive black man. Is that something you were able to relate to? Elijah Michael Fremont: Well, I definitely know the stereotype. And I think it comes into play a lot when dealing with authority. There’s a way to disqualify a black man’s perspective by writing it off as angry or somehow violent in that way and I think approaching Jackson’s role — I’m not an angry person, I’m actually pretty calm most of the time — so I just feel like there’s a certain way that he was not seen as respectable or credible in many ways. P: What kind of research did
you all have to do? MN: I wasn’t in the country at the time when Obama first won, I was actually still in Jamaica and I was in high school [Nugent came to the U.S. at age 16]. For my research, I had to speak to someone who actually went out and went door to door to campaign for Obama. He mentioned that a lot of African Americans at the time didn’t feel OK with going campaigning because they didn’t want to scare people in the community. And I feel like as Valerie, it’s the same thing we heard what she said to Brian: “You can imagine how fun New Hampshire was for me, like when I was trying to campaign for him.” In New Hampshire, being a single black female walking around door to door, I can just imagine how scary that would be.
Provided by Binghamton Theatre Department Actor Brian Dailey, a senior majoring in economics, played Brian White in the play “Smart People.” Actress Anna Jiang, a senior double-majoring in business administration and theatre, played Ginny Yang.
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AJ: I researched stereotypes for Asians. And you know, growing up, I just fit the stereotype of doing well in school. I just actually was not aware of a lot of the other things that, you know, people associate with Asian women like the whole like, you know, being a sex vixen or just being somebody who takes advantage of the man you know, uses her husband for money. I always just heard, you know, “You’re Asian, you’re supposed to do well in school,” and I was just like, “OK, I guess I’ll do that.” And so I didn’t really recognize that because I fit the stereotype, but I didn’t recognize how the stereotypes affected people who didn’t fit. P: So transitioning into that dinner scene where you all come together at the end and have the discussion concerning Brian’s work, is there anything in particular that really stood out about that scene? EMJ: One of the moments that was important was when we look at Jackson and Valerie’s relationship and how it comes — like, although it is pretty rough, it comes together in that scene a little bit. And the way that happens is through a shared experience of being black. That whole inside joke that goes on between them is something that allows them to reach each other on sort of an emotional level and that’s what
Provided by Binghamton Theatre Department Actress Monique Nugent, a senior majoring in sociology, played Valerie Johnston in the play “Smart People.” Actor Elijah Michael Fremont, a junior majoring in Arabic studies, played Jackson Moore in the play.
PRISM
is able to bring those two characters back together. P: And do you feel like having that shared experience between two African American characters was intentional on the playwright’s part? EMF: I think the fact that she has this black man and black woman working to try and figure it out. Even if it may not be perfect, it is no mistake at all. What that speaks to, is like even though we have these struggles of our own, we still have a shared experience that can unify us for the better. And we can. It may be hard for me to be a black man and move through this world on my own, as for you as a black woman, but if we do it together it will be a little bit easier for the both of us, and I think that she actually absolutely had intentions behind that.
P: And even in this shared experience through blackness and black versus white, we also had Ginny as the Asian. How do you think the playwright was able to really capture that idea of Asians and the model minority being seen on the outside of conversations about race and racism in America? AJ: So the big thing right now, the conversation is the black and the white, and as a model minority, we don’t speak out and we just kind of let that happen. I was not even aware that I was allowed to be a part of the race conversation because nobody ever asked me to be a part of it. It wasn’t until I read this play and started working on it that I was like, “Oh my goodness, I am also allowed to have a voice and I should also be able to speak up.” And I realize I didn’t mind that I wasn’t a part of
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the conversation, but there are people who do. P: Is there anything you want people to understand about this play that we didn’t discuss? BD: I think it was Thoreau who said something like, “I see men everywhere hacking at the branches of evil but none hacking at the root,” and I think that this what Lydia Diamond meant. I think that message that we also hope promulgated was to, quite literally, set a stage for a conversation. And while there were those moments that you definitely want people to just be rendered speechless, you also want to ensure that not only does the audience laugh, but that their car ride home wasn’t a silent one. PRISM has edited the interview for length and clarity.
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March 19, 2018
BUJA builds bonds The club is to host its annual Japan Night Sunday
Sarah Molano After last year’s Japan Night centered around the theatrical, the Binghamton University Japanese Association (BUJA) is focusing on a more personal aspect for this year’s show — the theme of “kizuna,” which means “bonds.” Japan Night is BUJA’s biggest showcase of the spring semester. It’s a night for food, friends and appreciation of Japanese culture. The event switches its theme up every year, with past events utilizing themes like “yuku haru,” or “graduation,” and “geki,” which means “theatre.” Last year’s “geki” theme featured a theatre performance composed of singing, martial arts, dancing and acting. The banquet-style event incorporates performances that showcase and celebrate Japanese culture interwoven to create a storyline. This year’s Japan Night will include a Japanese fashion show, displaying changes in Japanese fashion over time from traditional to modern styles, a traditional dance presentation called “Soran Bushi” and a video story that will be playing throughout the show. There will be individual performers, in addition to performances from groups like martial arts clubs Aikido and Chanbara. Mercury Li, a member of Chanbara and a senior majoring in Japanese studies, said that
this year’s kizuna theme is especially significant to the people who have spent the year collaborating to organize the event. “I think it’s something more valuable than just friendship, when you get to work hard together to achieve a goal and really make it,” Li said. “It’s not only about the things we do, but also the bonds we made on the way.” Aside from the performances, the event’s atmosphere and decorations are also curated by BUJA’s Executive Board and general body members. The Mandela Room will be decorated with Japanese scenery from various locations like Osaka, Tokyo and Okinawa, designed to immerse attendees into the culture and create the feeling of traveling throughout Japan. “The great thing about Japan Night is that we also show the audience all of the hard work our general body members put in throughout the year, through the decorations around the room as well as the performances,” said Corinna Ronen, event coordinator for BUJA and a sophomore majoring in biology. Toshihiro Yatomi, the president of BUJA and a senior majoring in business administration, said that this year’s Japan Night is focusing on the theme of kizuna because of the strong relationships not only between its 16 e-board members, but also between the e-board and the club’s general body members. He said those bonds are exemplified by the increased involvement of general body members in the show. “One thing that makes this
Provided by BUJA A performance from BUJA’s previous Japan Night. Japan Night is a banquet-style event that showcases and celebrates Japanese culture. Japan Night special and something different from other years is that we’ve got a lot of general members for the stage performances,” Yatomi said. “This year, more than 40 general members are going to participate in the banquet as either performers or volunteers.” For Yatomi, the idea of bonds has been central to his experience at BU as an international student. He said that BUJA made a home for him and has helped bridge the gap between all different types of students in the club.
“Even though we grew up in the different places and have different backgrounds, we always help each other and work really hard to make our events amazing,” Yatomi said. “As for me, as an international student from Japan, BUJA is always the place where I learned many important things and made precious friends, and I always feel like we are connected as a strong ‘bond.’” Ronen said she hopes that Japan Night will provide students of all backgrounds the opportu-
nity to educate themselves on Japanese culture. “Japan Night is a good chance to broaden your horizons by experiencing the food, music and perspectives of another culture,” Ronen said. Japan Night will take place on Sunday, March 25 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Mandela Room in the University Union. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $7 or at the door for $10. The ticket price includes a meal catered by Kampai Japanese Steakhouse in Vestal.
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March 19, 2018
‘The Three Amigos of Cinema’ How Latin American directors champion inclusion
Steven Gonzalez Latin American directors are creating films that are receiving more recognition than ever. Guillermo del Toro won best picture and best director at the 90th Academy Awards for his film “The Shape of Water.” This win not only makes it easier for inclusion of Latin American talent, but also pushes for a higher appreciation of world cinema. World cinema is a term for films made in nonEnglish speaking countries. Films have always existed outside of the Hollywood machine, but they aren’t given the same recognition. Now, technology has made it easier than ever to distribute films across the world, allowing us to hear unique stories told by foreign directors. Oftentimes these refer to European films, French ones in particular, but del Toro’s win makes a case for Latin America and pushes for a view of cinema without borders. This marks the third time a Latin American has received the award for best director. The other two directors happen to be del Toro’s friends.
Known as the “Three Amigos of Cinema,” Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Alfonso Cuarón and del Toro have known each other for most of their careers. The three hail from Mexico and they frequently go to each other for input, as Cuarón put it in an interview with the Los Angeles Times: “There’s no film I do that doesn’t go through them, their eyes and their hands.” Despite their connection, each has developed their own unique style. Iñárritu is known for his complex stories, del Toro for his dark fantastical backdrops and monsters and Cuarón for his science-fiction films. Together they hold nine Oscars. Cuarón was the first Latin American to
win the Academy Award for best director in 2014 for “Gravity.” This was followed by Iñárritu earning best picture and best director for “Birdman” and best director for “The Revenant” in 2015 and 2016, respectively. The success of the group marks a gradual shift in the world of cinema. This year’s Academy Awards also saw Oscars for “Coco” and “A Fantastic Woman.” “Coco” was co-directed by Adrian Molina, had an all-Latino cast and based its animation off Mexican culture. “A Fantastic Woman” by Sebastián Lelio was the first Chilean film to win an Oscar. However, film still has a long way to go — it’s no secret that inclusion
of minorities on screen has been an issue. A 2016 study by the University of Southern California found that out of the top 100 films of the year, only 3 percent of the speaking roles went to Latinos. Latinos comprise roughly 18 percent of the U.S. population. And if we keep it in terms of Hollywood, 47.7 percent of Los Angeles is Latino, so it’s not like there’s a shortage of us. The media has a lot of influence on people’s perceptions, and sometimes the only exposure people have to minorities is through what they see either on television shows or in the news. From a young age we develop ideas of others and ourselves from what media tells us, and if you see
the same group of people typecast over and over as criminals, you’d probably find yourself apprehensive to them. Specifically, as a person of color, if you grow up seeing all the heroes as white men and the occasional woman you may start to crave the complexion yourself. But despite marginalization, our voices remain loud. Receiving recognition for our art is one of the steps toward inclusion and regaining control over how we are perceived in society. More importantly, we regain control over how we perceive ourselves, from the child smiling ear to ear because their favorite movie hero looks just like them to a student inspired by a director with the same brown skin as him. Del Toro summed all these points up in his Oscars acceptance speech. “I am an immigrant like many of you,” he said. “The greatest thing that our art does is erase the lines in the sand. We should continue doing that when the world tells us to make it deeper.” The “Three Amigos” have chipped away at borders to receive worldwide praise for their wonderful films. In a market that prefers Eurocentric Photo by Eric Jamison/Invision/AP films, they boldly shout Guillermo del Toro, left, and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu attend the Governors Ball that Latin America is here after the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. to stay.
Kojo Senoo Your Mystery Guest, a female hip-hop duo from Montclair, New Jersey, opened for Yaeji in the Binghamton Underground Music Presents concert on Saturday, March 10.