Voice Magazine - Inclusion Spring 2017

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VOICE MAGAZINE Spring 2017

F s I e r u t u F e Th

e l a em

Inclusion

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The Team Editors-in-Chief

Joy Taylor

Secretary

Jasanna Sevier

Treasurer

Martha Ugwu

Matt Gamble

Photographer

Public Relations

Angelica Calderon

Micheala Felix

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Letter from the Editors Dear Readers, In New York City back in 1972, Labyris, the city’s first women’s bookstore was opened. It was the birthplace of the slogan, “The Future is Female”. The women who founded the bookstore and slogan were lesbian separatists who believed that lesbians should be separated from communities of men and heterosexuals either temporarily or permanently. To them, the slogan signified the openness and inclusivity that will hopefully develop in the future. They wanted important topics like rape, homophobia, and racism to be discussed, investigated and diminished from society. The saying grew popular and was designed on buttons and t-shirts worn by the community during protests and rallies. After vanishing for about four decades, the slogan was revamped for the times and quickly grew popularity as people are still passionate about working towards a more respectful and open country today.

As the founders of Labyris did, women today are interrupting the close-minded and exclusive cloud of ignorance that poisons institutions of society. At Rutgers, extraordinary women have transferred their energy into the projection of certain types of identities and cultures to the main conversation. The beginning of change starts with an idea and a push that forces one to act that spreads from person to person. Within this issue, we has featured just a small percentage of the women on campus that are the roots that will affect the future branches out.

This topic is very important to Joy and myself, both being black women here at Rutgers. We sought out Voice Magazine to be a platform for our voices and creativity. I started as a featured artist years ago and I was able to find my voice in writing and as a growing woman. Being able to ignite a conservation in homes that I could not reach with a piece of writing and then help others do the same is something that I will always cherish and hope to continue onward. Since I am graduating, I wish the best of luck to Joy who will be the sole Editor-in-Chief next year. She has the passion and dedication to continue to build Voice into a force stronger than imaginable. I would like to thank her and the rest of the team for not only dealing with me but for growing with me. I hope you enjoy this issue!

Jasanna Sevier, Joy Taylor

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TH S S SUE 08

Shawn Lawson: Raw Expression...Unfiltered Progression

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A Different Kind of American: Oliver Hakizimana

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Making a ReLITerate World

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Diversity in Media: The Story of Kimberly Hoyos

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The Non-Linear Healing of Nyuma Waggeh

Essay By: Mattias C. Uzoaru

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Senior Stories By: Einstein Albert Aswan Carbonell Darieana Laud

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Poems By: Sade Ford Matt Gamble Justin Hockaday Jelani Price

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Interview with: Miss Black and Gold 2017, Ronnie Brumant

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24 Featured Photographers: Angelica Calderon Wasiu Saba Jasanna Sevier Joy Taylor

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Shawn Crysis Joy Taylor

Raw Expression... Unfiltered Progression “You can shine to a few, but if you try to shine to the whole world, understand, that blood will be shed.” -Shawn Crysis

Minutes before his Unity Day performance, Shawn Lawson Jr. calmly awaits his turn. His relaxed presence makes it apparent that he has done this many times before as there isn’t a tense bone in his body. His natural control over the crowd makes way as the audience swiftly averts their attention as he captivates them with his orotund voice and catchy beat. The bass booms through the speakers and the show is on.

Halfway through the song, when the music goes out due to technical issues, Shawn doesn’t become discouraged or frazzled, instead he rocks the crowd with his words over the chitter chatter of the audience. Although his performance was cut short, Shawn leaves

with a smile, his kind attitude displaying his enjoyment not in the attention, but just doing what he loves.

Shawn Lawson Jr., stage name Shawn Crysis, is a writer, poet, rapper, and a performer who has always been actively involved in the Rutgers community, specifically through Verbal Mayhem. As a psychology major at Kean University, he has always had an interest in writing, poetry, and music. As he reminisces, Lawson says “Poetry came about in 6th grade, when I really liked this girl named Tamelia. I wrote ‘I feel like Halle Berry losing Isaiah, my emotions all over the place like a willy wonka elevator,’” and a poet was born.

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Although his writing died down for some time, he found himself back at it after his self-diagnosed depression once dropping out of New York’s School of Audio Engineering (SAE). “I wasn’t depressed,” he shrugs.

“Ya know, ya just be sad sometimes.” He decided to take a year off and found himself through self-help books, which prompted his interest in psychology.

Growing up in North Brunswick, Lawson says he had a beautiful childhood despite losing his mother at a young age. He was raised by his aunt and her husband whose company never allowed him to notice the absence. “There was always someone there,” he says.

“Someone being my aunt, my two cousins, my dad, not my biological father, but my dad being my aunt’s husband, it always just felt like a regular part of the day.”

Lawson credits much of his childhood for shaping him into the person he is today because it taught him how to handle certain emotions and put his energy elsewhere when need be. “I learned how to get away from the nonsense and sort of have my own sense of paradise” he says.

He finds this paradise in music.

Lawson has rhythm running through his veins and it has always been within him,. He did his first spoken word at Soul by the Pound, a quaint cool open mic

spot not too far from New Brunswick back in 2012. The crowd loved it, and showed Lawson how powerful his words can truly be. His inspiration can be derived from anything, like a random beat, a cool line in his head, or just casual conversation. As many morning routines consists of waking up with a motive to get something done, Lawson uses that time to write. “Best time to write is usually in the morning because I am fresh out of bed and nothing is really in my head. When I do get something in my head I try to run with it as rawly and unfiltered as possible.” he says.

The nature of sounds is one of Lawson’s favorite ticks as they put a feeling inside of him that he can’t get anywhere else, he explains. “I’ve become so in love with sound. It could be a shingle falling off of a roof, and I pick up on the rhythm it does, like dang, that sounds beautiful. Now how can I incorporate this with other sounds to make everything cohesive.” he imagines.

While being amazed by sounds, Lawson is interrupted by a Prince song playing in the background bringing a smile to his face. He brings his attention back and finishes his thoughts on sounds.

Lawson has plans to create an album titled Algo-Rhythm where he can travel all over the world and

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listen to sounds in their specific space and see how to orchestrate them while keeping the essence of what is inside of it. This is where all his creations begin.

As he sits in his room in front of his computer, he stares at the blinking cursor on the screen waiting for his thoughts to spew. Lawson’s top three things to write about are conscious awareness, women, and self.

“Recently noticing that I can affect people and have some type of change whether it be in my own family, the world, or the youth is why I write,” he says. As a writing coach in Newark, Lawson is amazed with how sharp kids can be with their tactful minds and understands that whatever he writes, the kids are watching. “We have to be mindful so that we can breed them to make change in this world.” he says.

One of Lawson’s biggest accomplishments is starting the poetry eClub at Kean University.“I wanted to leave some type of legacy, but after a while it no longer became mine, it became theirs.” he says. Lawson’s poetry club became a safe and brave space where many writers found expressing themselves therapeutic. “The first few days, we had people crying everyday, and that is when I realized this is surpassing everything I thought it would be.” he smiles.

As a kid, Lawson had many memorable experiences and feels that growing up in the diverse New Brunswick he was always exposed to many different people. He remembers dressing up for Halloween as a dark, figured goul one year at school only to find his good friend Chandra in her African dress. Lawson puzzled, questions his dear friend, “Is that a costume? That’s not a costume right?” She kindly replies, “Yeah it’s my African heritage, it’s my dress, ”she says. Lawson credits experiences like these for always exposing him to a culture unlike his own. Lawson laughs about a time when he used to think he was white. His Black and Puerto Rican roots, and lighter complexion prompted him to believe otherwise. “I used to see how white people got treated, and there were always white people on TV, so like why not? Why not associate yourself with something you constantly see?” he says.

These thoughts didn’t linger for too long. His 2016 album titled hangOn was a response to the social injustice and police brutality as an offer of solutions to make people aware and engage in some sort of action to

answer. Lawson explains his album as a “sense of urgency, pain, and a cry for unity so that we can stop the same reoccurring pain.” He questions why we can’t break away from our pain and sorrows wondering if it has simply just become who we are.

Lawson has also been getting more in touch with his Puerto Rican side in his new project called 203, which is a place where he grew up with his grandpa in New Brunswick, who is on his deathbed. “I have been so pro-black, I almost forget there is another side to me, although they do correlate, they are completely separate entities.” he explains. His song Bodega, is a tribute to his grandfather which he used as an outlet to release some of the emotions he has been suppressing with his grandfather’s sickness.

Lawson can be categorized as a hip hop activist as he uses his voice to make prominent statements to affect and inspire a community to say and do something.

Hip Hop Activism has been making a comeback with rappers like J.Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Mick Jenkins, Chance The Rapper, and Little Brother, to name a few. Lawson says, “It’s becoming the wave of what Hip Hop needs to be. You’ll always have your fun music, but there isn’t proper exposure.” Lawson believes that music of this content is not exposed due to how the world feels about black people and those feelings trickle down to silence this kind of music. “It’s just that nigga be quiet, you can’t be saying all of this, because you might start some shit.” he proclaims. Lawson says that although rap music is so loved and wanted, it’s also so hated.

11 There is a strong message that is to be carried through Lawson’s words, actions, and music. “You can really change this world, we are living in an age where you can do anything and affect someone’s life. You don’t have to affect a million, but just knowing you can affect one means you made a difference in the world. Not everything is so minuscule. There is always something you can do.” he expresses.

Lawson just wants his voice to have an impact on the people and he understands the backlash that could come with it, but also understands its liberation. “With activism comes being able to free yourself so that you are able to have your own voice and to not be afraid to share that with the world.” Lawson likes to spin it to you differently and knows that in his position he can have some type of change to this world and plans to do just that.

“What I hope people remember about me, is to just smile, smile through it all.” he smiles wide.

Shawn Lawson’s Thoughts on Inclusion: “You belong to a certain group, to other people, but you still exist outside of that group. Like Me being Black and being Puerto Rican and being a minority, no matter how I try to look at it, I am technically in that group, no matter what. But it is more so how can I make group A, form with group B and C in some type of spider web to figure out what is at the center. I feel like the inclusion part is segregation... it is segregation. We can see where it is all bittersweet with segregation. You being together with who you feel comfortable, but you aren’t comfortable enough to go out and see what else is different. I feel that it limits you in the spectrum of the world and the rest of society, but being a part of that group gives you free range in that group, the sky is the limit, but only in that group. It’s having the courage to expand out and not be secluded because of what society feels the world should be in order to thrive.”

Connect with Shawn Crysis Listen here: www.soundcloud.com/ ShawnCrysis Double tap here: @fat_fingerz

Hang On (2016)

Table for One (2015)

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orgoing F eRACEsure: Matthias C. Uzoaru Rutgers University

A Critical Analysis of Racial Identity, The Origins of Racialism and Embracing Genuine Inclusivity in the Modern World

Abstract Notions of advocacy towards diversity are everywhere. More often we hear about or read about efforts to think “equally,” to move beyond the limits of the “labeling” and to think in terms of singular harmony. Indeed, I would contend this narrative has good intentions, and would also hope it implies establishing respect for all human rights, however I would argue we must be cautious. In this philosophical analysis of race, I intend on delving into the concept of racialism, its origins and its implications in contemporary society. Likewise, through historical and empirically substantiated thought, I will explore the significance of race and identity, while in turn providing some objective approaches to addressing racial tension and explore concepts in which we should embrace race by its nature, rather than construct.

At a time of racial tension in the world, it would seem that the narrative of removing the “label of race” is the appropriate solution towards alleviating the issue. I would argue yes, but no. You see race is not the issue that affects our society, as many good intentioned (again, I would hope so) people contend it is. Rather, it is the characterization of race that is the issue. That is to say by conceptualizing and perceiving race as a label, we make ourselves susceptible to the already controversial issue that is race relations in society. Nonetheless being blind to race is something one could consider erasure, and evidently saying that something is no longer an issue just because we have willingly dismissed it, does not provide solutions. Instead of being “blind” to race and implementing the sense of erasure, it would be much more helpful if we reject the notion of race being a label. In other words, race is nothing more than a social construct and I would argue should not be the motivating factor by which we treat one another. Being black in no way makes me any more superior than someone who is brown. Hence the whole ‘light-skin v.s. dark-skin’ stuff although intended for humor is not very helpful, as it is a product of colorism.

Yes, figuratively speaking, race is in a way a label. However, this is only because we perceive it as so. In regards to achieving equitable inclusion of one another, we must do so while still being proud of our diverse ethnic backgrounds. At the end of the day, erasing race, whether unintentional or not, also erases cultural and ethnic identity.

To read more... visit www.ruvoicemagazine.com

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ADifferentKindofAmerican Matt Gamble When he lost his native home, Oliver Hakizimana never stopped moving onward with life, rebuilding a new home in a foreign land.

“Sorry that I’m a bit late, I had to get something to eat,” he said as he shuffled his bag containing a box of takeout. Food is serious to Oliver Hakizimana and many restaurants in the city of New Brunswick, New Jersey are very familiar with the tall and loquacious man. Whether it’s at Sanctuary or at Cookie Rush down Easton Avenue, Starbucks on George Street or Gerlanda’s on College Avenue,Oliver is a man who leaves a strong impression and revisits many places to maintain a strong bond with an extremely diverse set of people. Being an immigrant, he knows far too well what it is like to be a fish-out-ofwater. To him everyone is equal and worthy of attention.

In 1994, at the tender age of 9, Oliver was uprooted from his homeland of Rwanda and forced to flee to Zaire. He was a member of the Hutu tribe that fled the violence that engulfed the country after years of a civil war. The Rwandan Genocide holds the reputation as one of the most heinous acts in modern recorded history.

This event resulted in the deaths of over 800,000 Rwandans.

“I was just a kid,” Oliver says as he puts his fork down and his face becomes more solemn. He looks down to reflect on his past before returning to the conversation.

At Now at 32 years old, Oliver is a graduate student majoring in science education at Rutgers University of New Jersey and a longtime resident of Somerset, NJ. Impressively, he can remember all the details of his life from being a young child caught in struggle for his life to an awkward young adolescent adjusting to American society to a hard-working college graduate student.

Given the circumstances of his tumultuous life, Oliver had to mature early and develop an inner-strength to

overcome obstacles.“There was a sense of uncertainty, there was a sense of danger but there was definitely a sense of stability because everyone knew that all you had to do was live through it and stick together,” he says in a stoic tone.

Oliver’s journey was not an easy one. He and his family along with other refugees arrived in the town of Goma in Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of Congo) after fleeing from Rwanda. From Goma, Oliver and his family left for Nairobi, Kenya.

Oliver’s life in Kenya was what he describes as “pretty much in a transition phase.” Making permanent friends was not a priority for him as young boy who hoped to return to Rwanda. The urban backdrop of Nairobi was

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far different than what the young Rwandan was accustomed to, hailing from a small suburban neighborhood.

Oliver recalls many interesting experiences in Nairobi, like being able to buy many goods previously unavailable to him and living in a recently constructed mega-apartment building. The family had brought their savings with them during their flight from Rwanda and Oliver’s father found work in Kenya to help support the rent and other expenses.

“For some time, the Kenyan people actually did not like us very much,” Oliver admits as he takes another bite of his meal. However, the contempt that a number of Kenyans gave to him and other Rwandan refugees did not faze him at all. For him, it was simply being able to

live in peace and take advantage of all the opportunities that mattered most. Oliver placed a lot of emphasis on integrating into the foreign country’s society. He learned Swahili and English and according to him, he and other Rwandan refugee students “performed just as well or better than the Kenyan students.”

While it seemed like the Hakizimana family was finally stabilizing and succeeding in Kenya, this period was breached once another relocation was decided upon.

This time it was a conscious decision by the family to settle in the United States; there they would receive better opportunities and safety. A lengthy immigration

process kept them in Kenya for almost 3 years but on March 2, 1997, at the age of 12, Oliver arrived in the United States with his family and settled in the state of New Jersey.

The adjustment to life in US was a complex situation for Oliver and his family, despite the preparations they made which included his father and brother attending cultural competency classes courtesy of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). A major factor for the uneasy transition was due to economic constraints.

However this did not discourage him nor his family.

Oliver recalls, “I decided to do the best I could and live with whatever means I had. It was not easy because we did not come here with a bucket of gold, we came here with nothing.”

Spending his childhood years as a refugee hardened him into a person who feels very little attachment to material objects and physical places. A philosophy of pragmatism left Oliver with no fear of abandoning his current home, a fear he claims that many Americans have. In Oliver’s mind the US is “still just another place to live” and he has no qualms about leaving to another land to start his life over. He is a drifter type and seems adept at adapting to many different environments.

Oliver considers himself to be a universal spirit. He does not limit his existence to national origin nor does he

15 of differences. Whether they are they are young students, the elderly, the homeless, the wealthy, the working class, he willingly befriends and enjoys the company of many.

To him labels are limiting and he expects everyone to just be themselves, and even saying that there is “no need to categorize”. He is a man who has compassion for all and does not show many prejudices. All he expects is to receive the same respect that he gives to others.

group himself with others on the sole basis of skin color.

His perspective is that “the US is very much obsessed with grouping people, and they group people based on origin, race, gender, gender identity and all the other XYZs: income brackets. You tend to find people from one group rarely hanging with people from another group and when they do it seems to cause conflict.” Oliver says that he feels a kinship with many people regardless of their origin, especially with fellow immigrants due to the fact “they have a whole different perspective on living here than native-born Americans.”

Despite being initially introverted, Oliver grew into a person who is always curious and does not hesitate to converse with people who interest him. His life experiences had led to him developing confidence and to stop worrying too much about awkward encounters. According to Oliver, a complete stranger is his favorite type of person to engage in discourse with regardless of whether they seem approachable or not.

Many of the urban dwellers of George Street in New Brunswick, NJ have grown familiar with Oliver. The area is one of his favorite spots to be due to the many restaurants, musical venues and bars available. A good friend of Oliver, is John G. Sabin, a hearty saxophonist who performs daily on the streets. John says that Oliver “respects people. He talks to many people of all types.

He respects people no matter what their opinion is or their class of life.” John and his wife have been friends with Oliver for two years, spending a lot of time with him, and even helping Oliver with his driving.

In many ways, Oliver became an ideal American citizen, one who is tolerant and accepting of all people regardless

Today, Oliver spends his time working on his degree and volunteering as a tutor at Rutgers University. Volunteering for Oliver stems from his very personal beliefs in altruism. “I put helping others ahead of helping myself,” he explains. Oliver desires to become a high school science teacher one day, and education is something that he holds very dear to his heart. Knowing the impact that education has had on him, he “hopes to pass it down to others.”

After finishing his meal, Oliver decides to go to Cookie Rush, a New Brunswick-based bakery where he is warmly welcomed by the staff. Server Emily Newton touts Oliver as one of her favorite customers. “He’s real social and makes everybody laugh and smile and he always orders a cookie sandwich with chocolate ice cream,” she says. As his friend John Sabin says, Oliver Hakizimana is “a man of habit”.

Overall, being an immigrant has changed Oliver a lot, his unusual circumstance of spending periods of his formative years in four separate countries, Rwanda, Zaire, Kenya and the US has made him extremely flexible in interaction and adaptable to new environments. “My immigrant background helps me fit into many social groups in the US,” he claims.

However, Oliver has some criticism for American society which is mainly his belief that the dynamics of the US culture do not fit within the idea of egalitarianism. He says that while “all Americans are equal under the Constitution we still create a hierarchy”.

Oliver closes with one piece of advice for the country and that is that “Americans should be more approachable, willing to engage in conversations, and open-minded about each other’s ideas”. While for him, everyone is worthy of equal attention, he feels that it is an ideology that others are in desperate need of as well.

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Making a ReLITe Meeting at the Verbal Mayhem Grand Slam and becoming friends preparing for CUPSI (College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational), Dena Igusti and Marwa Adina had an idea and made it happen. Founding ReLITerate Word, a literary magazine of local poets, Dena and Marwa didn’t want to just give artists exposure, they wanted to give back. Dena explained that they “were not only struggling with exposure but also whether we were actually putting an impact in our communities. We decided to create a literary magazine that does both.”

nect with an unthinkable variety of organizations and research any topic imaginable, there should not be any reason to say anything is impossible.

“Can we actually make this happen?” Marwa reflected back the developing stages of the magazine the summer before their sophomore year. Uncertainty and insecurity stops most of the ideas before they have a chance but Marwa and Dena did not let that hinder their dream.

They started a Facebook page immediately and with their friends and connections at Verbal Mayhem and CUPSI, the support spread wide. From the page, they have been able to obtain submissions of poetry from all over the area, get people to judge the poems in order to be accepted, and attract people to buy the publications.

Dena emphasized that there will always be someone out there to support an idea and contribute advice or monetary needs and the technology and information at our disposal is something of privilege that shouldn’t be ignored or underestimated. In an age where we can con-

With an idea conjured up in a night, Dena and Marwa were able to create their own publication, print and sell copies for three dollars each, and within three weeks, raise two hundred dollars. The proceeds from ReLITerate Word were donated to Baton Rouge for post-flood rebuilding. Marwa explains:

“We felt that is the reason why we are doing this. For narratives that aren’t getting exposure, we want to give it back to them. For our second submission, which is what we are still working on, for Women’s History Month, we are giving care packages for homeless women in our community. A lot of people forget that they are people and have histories and narratives so we don’t want them to be erased.”

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ITerate World

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Jasanna Sevier

we need more access to understanding one another. Platforming a creative thought while giving back to the communities in need is spark of ingenuity that propels us forward. An idea is the first step and as these two women have shown, once you start moving to take the next step, you don’t stop.

Marwa’s advice for anyone struggling in molding an idea into a reality:

Their own narratives are important for them to present and showcase to society. Although they grew up with different backgrounds, Dena surrounded by powerful women like her mother being one of the top engineers in her field and Marwa in a male-dominated environment, they share Islam, which initially connected them. Both non-hijabi and non-Middle Eastern muslims, they check the stereotypes that have ill-represented one of the largest religions in the world. Dena’s Indonesian culture and Marwa’s Morrocan culture adds to their unique voices that has been raised by their own platform of ReLITerate Magazine and by writing for MuslimGirl.

This is only the beginning of the magazine. They anticipate continuing the magazine post-college and increase growth every issue. Dena’s goal is for the magazine to be recognized as a government charity and that they will sell enough issues to be able to support long term causes with larger donations.

“Just go ahead and do whatever you want to do. For us, we just made the Facebook page.

We had an idea and we just started it. We did not even know who was going to support us.

Just start something and watch it grow. If it’s not growing, reach out to people that can to give you another angle or make it bigger or get funding for something. Don’t hinder your own self. Empower and support yourself first.”

Visit Marwa and Dena’s publication website to learn more about ReLITerate Word, how to submit poetry and donate at https://reliterateword.wordpress.com.

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Diversity in Media:

The Story of Kimberly

Martha Ugwu Today’s media has a representation problem, both in content and in the workforce. The media industry has always been a very white, male dominated field.

Although women and minorities represent more than half of the nation’s population, they still struggle with equal and diverse representation in media. Gloria Steinem, a well-known feminist, journalist, and activist who also co-founded the Women’s Media Center once said, “When men and women turn to or on the media, yet fail to see women in our true diversity, there is a sense that all or some women literally don’t count. It’s crucial that the media report and reflect, not conceal and distort.”

Over the years, there has been several organizations and initiatives created to highlight the diversity problem and tackle it head on, such as The Women’s Media Center, the Media, Diversity, and Social Change Initiative, and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media. These organizations publish reports of the research they’ve conducted, which illustrate the struggles that women and minorities face in the media industry.

While progress seems to be happening in broad strokes, the change still isn’t significant enough to rule out media’s representation crisis. Therefore, many advocates for change emphasize the need for more public engagement about the issue, increased public criticism of gender and racial discrimination in media and more support for content created by and featuring women and people of color in media.

The future of women and minorities in media seems uncertain right now, however there is no denying the existence of a younger generation of crusaders for diversity in media. Rutgers University has its own fair share of ambitious creators that strive for a better future for marginalized groups in media. One such visionary, Kimberly Hoyos, wants to use her efforts to amplify the voices of others.

Kimberly Hoyos is a 21-year-old, Latina filmmaker from Parsippany, New Jersey. She is a first-generation American born of immigrant parents with familial roots in Colombia. The Rutgers University junior is currently earning a degree in Journalism and Media Studies with a minor in Gender and Media. She is also earning a film certificate through the Mason Gross School of the Arts.

Her work experience includes being an intern at NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”

Hoyos is the founder of The Light Leaks, an online community for female and nonbinary filmmakers. Launched in February of 2017, the website provides marginalized filmmakers with an inclusive space for support, educational resources and a platform to showcase their talents. The site also features pieces from contributing writers and monthly interviews and think-pieces from female voices in the film industry. Hoyos devotes countless hours to building her own website, along with juggling her daily activities. Her dedication to her work comes from her passion for better representation for women and minorities in media, which she first discov-

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ered through her education at Rutgers, particularly on social issues.

Despite several setbacks she’s faced in the past, such as feelings of self-doubt and fears of discrimination, Hoyos stays motivated through the support of her friends and family and constant reminders of her worth.

In the future, Hoyos hopes to evolve The Light Leaks into her own production company for female and nonbinary filmmakers. Down the road, Hoyos wants to be remembered for being a good person and for her work to be used to and amplify the voices of others and make a better future. For the time being, she is working on two film projects, one about a student suffering from PTSD post sexual assault and the other is about the power of female friendship.

misogyny. That’s not okay, it’s misogynistic. I want to say a lot of it has just been a lens on my own work, but just in regards to who I’m going associate with, especially in film. I feel like I can count my male film friends on one hand maybe, just because there are a lot of men I know in classes who don’t understand that the structure is benefiting them and don’t understand that the stories that they are pursuing are not reflective of us as a society. It’s affected how I operate in my work, how I feel in an environment and if I feel comfortable or not in that environment, and also who I will associate myself with.

The following is a transcript of an interview conducted

by Voice Magazine with Kimberly Hoyos, which has been edited down for space and clarity.

KH: I think, definitely, it’s better in indie filmmaking than in mainstream film, just purely because there’s also more women in independent film than there are in mainstream film. I think it’s getting better in broader strokes… I think this year has been great in that there has been more diversity on the screen… I’m so happy, but those things have to be more normalized, and for it to be normalized, it has to happen until it’s fine. Even if we’re looking at the numbers, the number of female directors in mainstream directing roles at least matches 1998. In between, it’s been going up two percent and going down three. It’s not anything that’s steady progression. So even if we’re seeing black women on screen, that does not mean that there’s a black female director behind it. I think that’s a big thing also, we have to push for diverse stories by creators that reflect that diversity.

VM: As an aspiring filmmaker, have you face any struggles in developing yourself and your work based on your racial and/or gender identity?

KH: I started doing film when I was 16, so for the first three years of me doing film, I didn’t have words for the things that would happen to me… There were things I just didn’t realize and a lot of the things in film came down to classes. Me being in classes and hearing a male student pitch about how a girl didn’t want to date him, and at the end of it she was just alone, she gets embarrassed, or something awful happens to her, and that’s

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VM: How do you feel about representation in film today? How about in media?

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It’s a two way thing. Even if we have it on screen, that does not mean it’s happening behind the screen… I feel that it’s in all parts, and us as consumers, we have to be able to see media, understand it and consume healthier media.

VM: What contributions do you want to make towards creating a more inclusive environment for women of color in film?

KH: With the Light Leaks, my aim is just to educate young people as a whole as to what they have at their disposal, to give confidence to those younger, female and non binary filmmakers to create whatever work they want to create, and to understand that, yes, the industry isn’t created for them, but also see that their work is valid and their stories can be heard if it’s spread through the power of the internet. My biggest contribution would be to educate others on how things are now and what could be done to change it, and show that young people do have a presence and do have a responsibility to make it better.

VM: When did you first discover that diversity was very important to you?

KH: When I was 19. I was doing a research paper for my Knowledge and Power class freshman year and it was about female directors… I was looking up statistics and had no idea how horrible the numbers were, and I had a breakdown. Then I was like “No, this is my new thing, this is my passion,” and I realized that it fit into so many points in my life growing up of things I wanted to be different… I remember as a kid, I hated Selena Gomez. She was just so whitewashed on television, like she had a quinceanera on Wizards of Waverly Place because she had to. I saw her and wanted her to be someone who looked and sounded like me on television, and she wasn’t. I realized that in middle

school, but didn’t understand that it meant representation. I didn’t realize that when I saw Adrienne Bailon as a Cheetah Girl speaking Spanish and I was happy, but I didn’t understand why. All of things came together when I did that research paper, saw the numbers, and realized what media representation meant to me all my life and what it would mean for people like me and unlike me.

VM: What encourages you to continue to strive for better representation and diverse stories?

KH: I look around and I’m just scared. I look around and I see all the different kinds of people that exist and that I know of and I think that none of us are on television, none of us have a space, none of us are seeing our stories told, or they’re being told by someone else… When I think about representation, I also think about the election and how I shut down for three months after it. I just didn’t find any worth in my work because I felt like nothing I do matters in this. I had to come to this realization of my own identity and think “This is the way I’m going to make a difference as an artist.” I’m just going to use my voice to just zone out and create change for all the people who would rather us be silent. I think that’s been a lot of it all, wanting to resist in my own way and trying to amplify voices that aren’t being represented in government, in policies, in lawmaking or anything.

VM: Do you think that there’s any specific methods or any specific tactics that can done to really get the message across that there is need for better representation?

KH: I think what happened with Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” opening weekend was a great showing of that.

Filling the box office with numbers and showing that

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diversity on screen is also what makes money, because at the end of the day, distribution companies and production companies, they just want money. It’s been seen that diverse casts pull in more money. Fifty-one percent of ticket-buying moviegoers are women. So, if all women just consumed healthier media, went to films with female leading roles, a female director, a black director, a south Asian director or just anything that was diverse, we would show the moneymakers in Hollywood what’s actually wanted to be seen on screen. If we boycotted shows that were whitewashed, if we watched diverse casts, if we supported things on social media. I think it’s a matter of authorship, just knowing who’s creating what and for what reasons and seeing things and supporting artists who are actually making a change in those regards.

VM: With any of the projects that you’re doing, would you want your work to be received that way?

Would you want other filmmakers to be able to have their projects recognized as worthy or valid?

KH: I do hope people see my work and think, “Oh this is a young Latina who edited this, wrote this and directed this.” I hope my identity does play into the fact that I am filling these other roles. I hope that people see my work and think, “Oh, this is a very fleshed story of female characters” or “Oh, this is a very interesting tale on a rom-com,”if I wanted to do that. I want there to be, for any creator, no obligations to create one kind of story. Just because I’m a Latina, doesn’t mean every story I do is going to be about my parent’s immigration. I want the freedom to be able to do a stupid rom-com and have it be heteronormative if I wanted to, or to be able to write a breakup film and have that be a gay couple. I

want there to be that duplicity for everyone, that there’s that freedom for everyone to create the thing you want to create. I know that’s easier said than done to not be trapped by your identity because there is no way to disassociate yourself from who you are, but I also do believe there is great strength with playing into things that people may not believe your identity fits into.

VM: What is one piece of advice you would give to any aspiring filmmaker who is really scared that their work won’t be received well or taken seriously?

KH: Just do it. If you’re waiting to be taken seriously, you never will be. You are the first person who has to believe in yourself, you are the first person who has to go out on a limb and make your own website or put filmmaker in your bio. I remember the first time I put filmmaker in my Instagram bio, I was like “Wow, everyone’s going to think I’m so self-centered,” but I was also like “No, f*** yeah, I’m a filmmaker.” That’s what I do, that’s what I love to do, that’s who I am. I feel like a lot of it, with any artist, is just knowing yourself and thinking “This is my passion, this is my life, this is what I devote my time to, this is who I am.” I feel like the first step is knowing who you are and what you do and believing in that, then go from there.

For more updates on Kimberly Hoyos, check out her twitter and instagram pages @kimhoyos, as well as her website, thelightleaks.com.

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The Non-Linear Healing of Nyuma Waggeh Jasanna Sevier

Volunterablity is unsettling and uneasy. There is a dam in throat that stops the real feelings and issues to be said and the result is insatisfaction. In our society, it is normal and desirable to feel the best we can but the risk is never being able to clear the avoidance that piles up. In a female driven future, this act sheds away. The only way for topics of unease to be discussed, approached and answered is for more and more people to clear the way. Dams must be broken for a healthy river to flow.

One Rutgers student has put this into action. Nyuma Waggeh, currently a junior majoring in Africana Studies and minoring in English, saw and is reaping the values of being open and honest with herself and others about her story.

Voice Magazine had the privilege of sitting down with her and listening. Topics that have been depicted as a taboo in our society happen daily and yet no one speaks up about it. Shows and movies have been made and profited off of serious situations like depression, alcoholism and sexual assault, however, if the conversation ends there, the steps to decreasing occurrences are unachievable. As a platform for voices on campus, Voice Magazine has presented an excerpt of the interview with Nyuma with hopes to bring the conservation to real life.

How did that affect how you are today and how you maneuver through obstacles?

My childhood taught me to be resilient because I’ve been through many obstacles ever since I was a young kid. I was in special education, I had behavioral issues as well as having a speech impediment. I was going through issues of incest when I was a young child but I never talked about it because with my family, we never really talked about issues. We were a bit dysfunctional in terms that we never discussed our feeling and we wanted to seem self-sufficient. For me, that manifested in growing up to be the typical angry teenager and not knowing how to express myself. Luckily, I did find writing but that was not enough because I did not know what I was feeling.

By 16, I started coping with unhealthy methods like drugs and alcohol to be able to escape before I really knew what escapism was. For me it’s been a long journey of not trying to people-please but to accept myself for who I am and to find my self-worth. For me, my self worth was involved with the people that I loved that were toxic and academia because I could see those things. The better I did in school, the better I felt about myself but there are also downsides to that.

When you do bad, you feel bad about yourself. I had to find a balance. This semester was crucial for me in realizing that my self-worth should be intertwined with my spirituality and being connected to the god of my understanding. My self-worth should not be tied up with materialistic objects to make myself feel better because those only fill a void temporarily.

How did the substance abuse start and where do you think it stemmed from?

I always felt like an outcast and always felt like I wanted to belong. I had a set of friends and we would all hang out together and we had older friends, a lot older than us, that were a bad influence. They weren’t in school, barely working, gang members, strippers and things like that. Those were kind of our role models. Even though we did well in school academically, we were, in a sense, living a double life. I would present myself one way to my family as being the oldest.

The first time I had a drink was when I was 16 at my best friend’s birthday party. I was the last one standing and it felt amazing. I would outdrink and outsmoke everybody and I was finally okay with myself. I knew at a really young age that I didn’t like myself very much and I didn’t understand why. One of the things that I tried to figure out about myself was my sexuality so I would experiment with boys and girls.

If I could figure out this piece of myself then maybe I could understand why I don’t like myself. When I picked up my first drink, I finally found a time where I was comfortable with myself that I don’t have to pretend to be anyone else and thought ‘I want to feel like this forever’. I think that’s what

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led my substance abuse to a downward spiral. At first it was fun but it was always excessive from the very beginning to the very end. It got to a point when I didn’t realize I didn’t have control over it anymore. From my understanding of a typical alcoholic, it wasn’t me. I was in school, I’m a first generation college student, I was doing well academically, I had internships, I was working. I was all around in my definition of being successful. I couldn’t fathom being an alcoholic because I had all these things going for me. But I had to think about how I felt internally. My active addiction lasted about four years and on the inside, I was miserable. I used to get really suicidal and thought about killing myself 3-5 times a day. I thought that was normal when you’re an adult and you just had to fake it through.

Do you think that how therapy is deemed negative played a part in that as well?

Definitely. I started going to therapy my freshman year of college but before I didn’t have access to therapy. Especially in the black community, we didn’t go to therapy. We go to church or go to the mosque, we pray about it, or we just try to tough it out. It got to the point of me having anxiety attacks in class and it kept coming so constantly, I didn’t know what to do. That was the first time I sought mental health treatment. It just so happened that the person I was seeking out was also a drug and alcohol abuse counselor. He was the first one to ever point out to me that I was an alcoholic. In the long run, it has made a huge difference now that there are people in my life that care about me more than I care about myself.

Do you think that there are a lot of people on campus that might be considered an alcoholic based on any criteria?

There’s not necessarily any criteria. What I had to ask myself was ‘When I take that first drink, can I stop after that? Am I able to control it after that?’ If the answers to those questions are both no then consider seeking mental health treatments, hitting an AA meeting or doing some real self reflections.

Social drinkers have one or two and then stop. That was an exception if I ever did that. As we say in the program, One drink is too many and a thousand is never enough.

that affect you emotionally?

I was sexually assaulted while I was down at Rutgers Camden with an ex-partner of mine. It was hard because it was already emotional and verbal abusive behavior before it got physically violent. I didn’t realize that I was being gaslit. He would never acknowledge my feelings, always blaming me for the issues. I didn’t realize that I was dealing with an abuser. In the end, I ended up being diagnosed with PTSD. The first week after it happened, I was scared to leave my room, I was scared to run into him on campus because Rutgers Camden is so small. The first person I reached out to was my counselor. He was the first to point out to me what was going on because I didn’t want to believe it. I am also an incest survivor so I didn’t want to believe that it happened to me again. It took a very hard toll on me. MY drinking slowly spiraled even further after that and so did my depression. I thought that a geographical change would be my solution to the problem. ‘Maybe if I get away, everything would be okay.’ I went to Spain for a little bit but I didn’t realize that I was running from myself. There’s only so far you can run without yourself catching up to you.

I remember sitting in the bathroom at 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning struggling to open bottles of wine. I would wake up with a hangover, throwing up.

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“The biggest and most important lesson I’ve learned from this is that healing is not linear. What has really helped me is sharing and being open about it and a lot of therapy.”

“These topics are taboo. This culture needs to talk more about drug addiction and sexual assault. We live in a rape culture.

We need to stop victimizing victims and start holding rapists accountable.”

For people in similar circumstances, what advice would you give them? What are the first steps?

The first step is surrendering and admitting you have a problem. You cannot seek the solution if you don’t realize you have a problem in the first place. When I was in active addiction, the first two years, I didn’t know I didn’t know. I thought I was fine. Everyone around me all drank excessively so I thought that was the social norm. I got to a point that everything that I was doing to cope wasn’t working anymore.

At that point, it was simply maintaining.

How was your experience with sexual assault and how did

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TICKING CLOCKS Justin Hockaday

Ticking Clocks This script Is indicative of my pen Sweating split potent strains on po’ tenant’s brains, Spilling ink like blood staining shoestrings.

Murder.

Five o’clock news scenes. .45 Glock or a noose seen.

5 clocked shots ticked, Threaded through new seams, Neighborhood watch off the clock knew schemes.

But. That ain´t even what´s odd to see, It´s that to some, This odyssey don´t even seem obscene.

OATMEAL Justin Hockaday

Oatmeal Everyone had a glimpse Into Dorothy’s porridge To not be, Too… Different.

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Dear Sis Sade Ford

To all my girls growing before my eyes Dear sis, keep your head up I’m not worried about you at all Dear girls, I’m afraid to see you grow my hands aren’t large enough to shield your eyes from the sun, hot like iron.

Please don’t fly too high your wings might melt your way too good to be true I’ve been choking down warnings and kissing your pride in hopes that your self-esteem won’t be teeming with doubt. Like mine was.

Sinking my soul in insecurities But I realize that all I have done is mandate your mistakes, and I’m just bad for you.

People placed me on a pedestal, and told me how to pose and play polite, While you were told how pleasing you were to the eye. You were too wild and I nurtured the animal in you.

Dear girls, please be wary of the world.

Dear girls, be wary of boys masquerading as men, marriage, misogyny, you know that mentality Dear girls, be wary of girls shadowed by insecurity, shattered glittering glass menageries, Of corrupt castles, cuffs, chaos, creeps, creatures of the night, knives, knowledge, notches engraved on bed posts, pride, promise, peer pressure, pent up frustration, foundation, friends, fists, fear, fear nothing my girls be brave.

I just want the best for all of you.

Not empty love or broken dreams Not windows without curtains to keep them covered.

Left wide open and vulnerable I don’t want the world to tear you apart or for stress to drown you Not for the silence to make you think you’re deaf Or for wrongness to find you, For hope to be lost between crippled hearts.

I want my girls to be brave, boss, bad, Not beaten, broken, sad.

To all my girls growing before my eyes, your moving at light speed, and I can’t follow you everywhere, anymore Catcalls can’t cajole you, don’t hurt you, keep going.

Men might mistake you for more than you can ever be Or for less than what you are, Queens.

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My girls, form your own idea of a lady and success, Stop trying to please everyone else.

Your earnestness scares me and I’ve been there Had the pressure of eyes upon me.

You’re too wild, Too wild, Too wild, Had circles of doubt taking their hold on me.

Suffocating me, like scarves serenade me with their choke hold in winter Or necklaces that have the words best friend Or my own name being scraped between someone’s teeth Mixed with the pleas for me to get on my knees or walk more slowly I too have been crushed by the captivated gaze of men who think they have something for me Been slandered by politicians who think they own me Shamed for my body, boobs butt and all Shamed for being emotional, bold, or withdrawn Dear sis, I remind you to keep your head up, Because not only are we women we are black, And not only that, but we are beautiful and cruel and judged, And we love with all our hearts And sometimes we crave more than the men in our lives can offer, Most times we are scorned by our own.

We are too wild to tame and so they will name us unstable, unable, baby mama to be, unteachable, unreachable, gold diggers, consumed by our greed.

And for all they speak we are products of society.

And for all of our good deeds our glory is stolen.

And as I weep I say to you To all of my girls, growing at light speed Beautiful, mature, women, girls, ladies, leaders, before my very own eyes Dear sis, cuz, all my loves, Keep your head high, Eyes wide open And I promise to keep you close.

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Rose Jelani Price

i met you when i was 18 you’ve been on my mind since you hit me i ran all through the halls to hit you back i never got my hitback, by the way we stole the dance studio it was ours i was sick you held my tummy i was sick still you were with me in the boys restroom my room was a mess you cleaned it you taught me how to whine we talked about about boys we talked about boys for days i was safe but then i left i couldnt you reach you, you were across the sea i couldnt touch you i couldnt see you i couldnt feel you i was hurt for so long you coudnt hold me this time i couldnt hold me this time then i met some one else rose she looked just like you

she’s from the islands too she was warm just like you she let me love her just like you but she wasnt you but i wanted her to be you for so long i wanted you here i wanted to be home again but i wasnt im making a new home now its so hard rose its so hard but i love you i know that now im sorry i was mad im sorry that i cursed your name i just couldn’t feel you i couldnt feel anything but i wanted to feel you you love me im sorry i forgot it i love you i feel you now

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Joy. Jelani Price

I loved you once atleast, i think i did i wanted to love you i wanted to place my heart in your hands but i didn’t even know where your hands were and you didnt know where my heart was yours was the only touch I knew and oh i knew it so well it felt so safe safer than anything in this whole world but we weren’t safe we couldn’t be because you hated me you couldnt love me you weren’t allowed to love me you didn’t let yourself love me or be loved by me so you hated me and everyone else had to hate me too i want you know something i know self love now i found it and its amazing you couldnt have known it then you dont know it now but i wish you could im free now you’re free remember that

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Disobedience Matthew Gamble

Sharp black eyes pierce at my heart An arrow through my childish ego “Boy tell the truth!” the eyes speak “I’m sorry Mama” I thought I learned from the past to always listen to Mama.

I look back when I was a little devil boy Out in the green ocean speckled with yellow fragrant clouds I see Mama and Aunty collecting sticks for the wood stove “Don’t go too far, baby” Mama says I open my eyes to see nothing but fuzz and scarlet I burned my eyes from the blazing sun and flounder on top of a hornets nest “I told you, child, not to go too far” I’m burning, forcing down the glass of water Weeks later, I’m up and healed.

Flittering around the wooden table and bench out in the yard.

“Baby, quit that runnin’ now!” Mama yells I open my eyes and iron is all I taste My face is brown and red as I look into the mirror.

It stings, the alcohol rag.

“I told you not to run baby, you ran yourself into a tree” “That boy’s a stubborn fool” Daddy says “Don’t talk about my baby that way, he still growing” Mama says warmly On the table in the kitchen is a pitcher of sweet tea and a basket full of butter biscuits.

“Do not touch that!” Mama yells, “They for company!”

“But Mama, I’m hungry” “Go and eat some of the crackers in the cabinet, now get now” I wake up in a hospital bed, Mama and Daddy have red eyes and wet cheeks.

I found out, I slipped holding the sweet tea pitcher and slit my side open.

Sewed back together, I finally learned to listen to Mama.

Night Walk

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Matthew Gamble

Blue Curtain draped so wide over me Pierced by the needled branches of nude fall Trees wooden arms ripping into smooth marine blanket Clashing a black silhouette against the utter sublime Dark shadows of earth and nature and it’s creatures All wishing to touch a dark star filled ocean above

Path of Light Matthew Gamble

Trail of angels Exuding their auras Giving us the man The keys of salvation Exit the material realm Open the door to the heaven Which exists in our heart Blackness and iciness surrounding The angeli flutter To alert us the man We still can be saved If we stay aware And follow the trail

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Say it with your chest Michaela Felix In fashion’s long history, its use for political expression has long been on its coat tails. From donning clothing deemed for men to advocate for feminist issues to embracing natural hair to fight for black rights, fashion has been a way to communicate a message to the public that the individual is not going to back down.

Fashion activism in our modern day now consists of wearing a t-shirt that states “#BlackLivesMatter” or a hat with a fist in the air, both relaying a message implicitly stating solidarity to a cause.

This past fashion season, designers sent models marching down runways with a message for their audiences as a reply to the current political climate.

In addition to the big, pink “Fashion Stands With Planned Parenthood”

pins marking the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s partnership with Planned Parenthood, designers let their stance be known from Dior’s “We Should All Be Feminists” tee shirts to Public School’s “Make American New York” dad hats, taking a cue from President Donald Trump’s famous campaign slogan “Make America Great Again”.

Designers are usually silent when it comes to political matters and with this current political climate, many have been using their platform by dressing the masses as a way to communicate a single message: There is strength in numbers and inclusivity is what is needed to thrive in this new climate.

Activism in this level of fashion does not come cheap. The Dior “We Should All Be Feminists” tee that

references the essay by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will run you about seven hundred dollars, with the proceeds going towards The Clara Lionel Foundation, the nonprofit organization founded

by Bajan-born singer Rihanna that supports and funds impoverished communities globally with various programs including health care and education.

Rutgers University student and co-fashion director of Trim Magazine Anna Wang appreciates the fact that brands are using their agency to promote political activism and philanthropy.

“Their use of increasingly diverse models, despite some instances of cultural appropriation in collections (see: Marc Jacobs yarn dreadlocks during his Spring 2017 show last September) and editorials, is also adding more dimension to the industry. The fashion industry has always been on the more inclusive side, but it has become such an influential voice in recent days and I definitely think that it is a positive effect”, says Wang.

The higher price tag usually means public figures will be able to afford to wear them, such as Rihanna wearing Dior’s slogan tee, bringing awareness to a greater issue Wang adds.

As a woman of color with a strong interest in fashion, Wang also recognizes other designers for their work in promoting a message of inclusivity to the public.

“I’m a big fan of Opening Ceremony and their diverse selection of small designers from all sorts of different backgrounds. They recently had their ‘Pageant of the People’ which celebrated cultures from all over the world. OC was able to use their platform to bring awareness to multiple social issues”, Wang explains.

Ultimately, whether you drop the seven hundred dollars for a Dior slogan tee or DIY it yourself, the message of change will still be emblazoned on your chest for the world to see and for others to hopefully answer the calls to action in the world.

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Reflections All photos courtesy of Jasanna Sevier Check out our instagram and twitter for performances Follow @theyoungpicassos for updates!

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Black Student Union presents

Opening Ceremony

All Photos Courtesy of Joy Taylor To see more visit www.joyyamaya.com Follow @RUBSU for updates

Twese Fashion Show

All Photos Courtesy of Wasiu Saba, Siu’s View To see more visit www.siusview.com Follow @rutwese for updates!

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Miss Black and Gold 2017

Ronnie Brumant What was your most rewarding experience from the pageant?

RB: Prior to knowing the theme of this years Alpha Gala/ Miss Black and Gold pageant was going to be “Black Girl Magic�; my platform was already going to be based on the not only the struggle black women face but our beauty as well. Being able to invoke raw emotions in the audience members was the most rewarding experience from the pageant.

Most nerve wrecking experience?

RB: My most nerve wrecking experience was during the days leading up to the show and having doubts about my performance in each segment of the show.

Biggest lesson you learned?

RB: The biggest lesson I learned was that by me giving it my all during every group or solo practice and on the day of the Miss Black And Gold Pageant, I was already a winner no matter what the outcome would be.

What do you hope this title brings to others around you? How will you use your platform to inspire?

Major:

Communication with a specialization in Public Relations with a Minor in Entrepreneurship

Hobbies:

trying new restaurants, watching natural hair/ makeup tutorials on YouTube, going on adventures with loved ones

RB: I hope this title empowers others around me to never give up on their dreams and remember that with God all things are possible. With this new platform I will focus on developing campus wide events that uplift all women of color, reminding them that they are all queens!

What are you looking forward to as Miss Black and Gold?

RB: I am most looking forward to competing in the state division of Miss Black and Gold

41 Photos of the Delta Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Miss Black and Gold Pageant 2017

All Photos Courtesy of Joy Taylor To see more visit www. joyyamaya.com

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Unity Day 2017 Unity Day 2017 was definitely one for the books as the energy of the crowd was immesurable.

With a slight location change from previous Unity Day celebrations, which usually happen on the Busch Campus, the vibes were incredible anyway. The large crowd made their way to Livingston Parking Lot 101as they were in for a great show.

The Rutgers Black Student Union did quite an amazing job getting a popular artists that enticed the Rutgers community. PNB Rock is an up and coming R&B artist fom Philly. The show featured local artists,

All Photos Courtesy of Joy Taylor Special Thank You to the Black Student Union for the amazing event and the awesome press pass!

as well as BSU’s annual DJ competition.

A younger crowd was present early in the day ensuring they’d get a good spot to see PNB Rock. The philly artists took the stage around 8pm and the crowd went absolutely wild as they had been anticipating his appearance all day. His debut single “Selfish” had the crowd singing at the top of their lungs, swaying side to side in cohoots with the artists.

The energy was amazing. Can’t wait to see what this organization pulls off next year!

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Senior S

Stories

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Einstein Albert Rutgers that are beyond your control, but don’t fear, create the right circumstances and the results will follow.

Rutgers is a place of highs and lows, epic failures and even more epic successes. Your deepest regret is that your can’t comprehend how influential your successes are to others.

Dear Young Einstein: College is the most unique time of your life. You did your first couple of years at community college and I know you will feel like that you don’t belong, that you’re smarter than everybody else. Humble yourself. Your confidence is weak at this point and you’ll end up going to Rutgers to develop it further. You survived a lot but you are failing to see the big picture. How could you do that to yourself? Young Einstein, I ask that you honor your blossoming legacy. Please be strong. You are young but your are destined for great things. Make the most of your opportunity. Use it to change and inspire as many people you can. Do not waste it all on fast cars, fast money, fast women and a pursuit of a self-destructive lifestyle.

Speaking of Rutgers, you will be tested emotionally. You will leave, but that time outside of Rutgers will define you emotionally. Invest your mind in the education that you’re receiving here. Expand on this knowledge; for your potential is immense. There are things here at

Finally, your next steps are to pursue a speaking career, get into politics in Haiti (end poverty there too), become an actor and an entrepreneur, and a professional MMA Fighter and professional wrestler. The most powerful tools that your have are your mind, body and soul. It’s very important that you chase these dreams. You won’t fail because you did not work hard enough; that will not be the reason. Your confidence and intensity will carry you through anything when all else fails. Ask yourself this, “What do you want to do?” You can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pocket. Trust yourself, I’m begging you.

Whoever else is reading this, do not shortchange yourself. You have beautiful experiences the will mold you.

There is no substitute for hard, honest, ethical work.

When you reach the top of the mountain, it’s your job now to help someone get to the top as well. Each time you’re out partying, there’s someone who’s getting stronger, smarter, and faster. I grew up in poor in Jersey City and my motivation was to never be that poor again. Find that motivation and let it consume you.

Sincerely, Present & Future Einstein Albert

Rutgers University Commencement 2017

Steven Van Zandt Steven Van Zandt, also known as Little Steven, is an international musician who is most recognized as Bruce Springsteens guitarists in his E Street Band. Zandt is also an actor, writer, producer and a human rights activist. Zandt played Silvio Dante in HBO’s Sopranos, and in the 80s organized Artists United Against Apartheid, to protest racial segregation in South Africa. He will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Rutgers University.

Darieana Laud Dear Freshman Darieana, These next few years is going to be tough. You are going to need to resist peer pressure to the full extent.

You are going to think that daging instead of going to class is cool. You’re going to think that being out until 4 am walking on college avenue is fine when you have to get up at 7:30 am to catch a bus to livi for a 8 am human biology class.

Here’s what you need to expect: Expect that the amount of effort that you put in is what you’ll receive, expect that there are some days where you’ll have to say no to friends to go to class, expect that there are some days where you’d have to skip class to study for another class and lastly, expect having fomo when you miss a football game because you have to work on weekends.

I think you’ll be fine as long as you understand how to manage your time and follow through with your priorities. The next few years is going to be difficult

but it will also be the best time of your life. Oh, don’t forget to rack up as many internships as you can because that’s what employers are now looking for.

PS. You’re going to feel old before graduating because the song that’s playing non-stop on the radio right now is by Kodak Black and he’s only 19 years old.

Hope you get an amazing job after graduation, 2017 Darieana Laud

Aswan Carbonell Dear Freshman Self, My first advice is to not worry so much.

Actually, go out and have fun and be in the wrong places at the wrong times. You see more life that way. You get to learn and actually experience what it means to live. It may get really dark, scary and at time you might feel confused. But, guess what? Well, you’re about a month away from something you never thought possible. That’s right, you’re graduating. I told you everything was going to work out in your favor. Your drive and charisma to continue onward has been quite admirable. I commend you on the long, sleepless nights and those dreadful tiresome days you had to face. Keep on moving and carrying out your agenda and do it oh so eloquently. Just because you may not see results right away always remember to fall in love with the process and never compromise your dreams for stability.

Love always, Your future self

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