Fall 2020
The only constant in life is change, transformation, and metamorphosis. This past year showed us how quick everything we’ve known can be swept right from under us and leave us in a space of uncertainty. I know that I, as well as many of yall, know this feeling personally. 2020 was an extremely rough year for the collective. From being in lockdown for months, an extremely high death toll, the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others by Killer Cops, political chaos, proud boys…AND I swear they put some nyquil into Daylight Savings this year. It’s been a lot. But, we’re here reveling in our metamorphosis. Transformation has always been something so beautiful to me, but while beautiful at the same time it was usually followed by an unsettled feeling. During all the self reflection time I’ve had during quarantine I realized that unsettled feeling stems from not fully living in the present and carrying anxiety from the past. Allowing myself to live in the present and detach myself from what I think “should” be the outcome gives a whole new freeing aspect to transformation. We chose Metamorphosis as the theme for this issue because it effortlessly describes how both the good and the bad lead us to where we are today. We’re here for the human experience and we’re riding the wave.
As I sit here on my laptop, a senior in college (crazy), writing my Editor’s Note for the publication I joined when I was only a sophomore, listening to Good Days by Sza on repeat (she put her foot in this), I just feel an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. I’m thankful for every moment that led me to this point, the bad that pointed me to the good, and for the attachments that had to be let go in order for me to be my best self. I’m thankful that the previous EIC’s have trusted Dassy and I to continue the legacy of Renegade on this campus. I am proud to have a team that was able to create during such a chaotic time and complete the vision while in a panoramic because we know that was not easy! (the impromptu shoots in my living room were my fav). Shoutout to us! Shoutout to everyone that helped! Shoutout to you if you’re reading this! Love
Covid.Cops.Confinement. 2020 was a whole lot by any measure, so please, give yourself a round of applause for making it to the end! It felt like I went through an infinite amount of changes this year, and I’m not alone in that. People across the world simultaneously blossomed and broke down during quarantine, and human beings transformed on a scale never before seen. Creativity abounded and people reinvented themselves on every platform imaginable, from Verzuz battles to TikTok to OnlyFans. But while we were all trying to secure the bag, our world was quite literally burning around us. 2020 tied 2016 for being the hottest year on record, forest fires burned millions of acres of land from Australia to L.A., and lockdowns have done next to nothing to stop the impact of climate change. We also witnessed a different type of burn that was no less powerful. While George Floyd’s murder was the catalyst for the activism that exploded over the summer, we been knew. We, Black people, have been under America’s proverbial knee since this nation’s inception, and the murders of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and countless others by the police could no longer be suffered in silence. For the first time, I and many others in my generation hit the streets to join protests against the physical threat of state violence and the inescapable menace of systemic racism. We took cues from our communities and amplified calls to defund the police, to allocate concrete resources to neighborhoods who actually needed them, and stop killing us because of our complexion.
We alsorecognizedthe importance of centering trans and non-binary people in this fight, as they have always led us in the struggle for liberation while also being the most vulnerable to violence inside and outside of our community. We’re a long ways off from anything resembling justice, but now that we’re here, we won’t ever be silenced again. Period. This year was marked by so much loss and pain, but we have proven to be resilient. Most of us know someone who was touched by coronavirus—or we were that someone. We lost role models in the entertainment, sports, and public service spheres, and our relationships have been put to the test as we have been forced to learn how to be alone together. So, we land on metamorphosis: a complete change in appearance, character, or circumstances. That basically sums up 2020 for the flawed mess of a year that it was. In this issue, we at Renegade have tried to encapsulate that sometimes painful, sometimes joyful process of evolving into a better version of ourselves. Because regardless of the path we took to get here, we’re here and thankful for the lessons we’ve learned along the way. As I look towards the future for better days, SZA’s album (please), I am grateful for what 2020 compelled us to do, for better or for worse: to grow. Y’all be easy,
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General Retrospective of the Past 6 Months Pandemic Perspectives Albums that made quarantine bareable
The Future of Performances Celebrities & Only Fans Buy Black Love & Quarantine
Protect Black Trans Women
Believe Survivors
Black Grief Black Lives Matter
Elections Student Spotlight Renegade’s Choice Physical Transformation
“Brothas and sistas are making their dreams into realities, and don’t think we haven’t noticed! Let’s shed some light on the movers and the shakers who may not always be headline makers, and the stories from a culture that is strong, creative, and daring. You may not have heard... but if you don’t know now you know.” THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
I am blessed and I know it.
When the pandemic caused the university to close, I knew two things: that I was grateful to have a home to return to, and that I had my classes to keep me occupied. In my opinion when something this grand causes just about everything to stop, it is good to have something to turn to, to keep oneself engaged. For those who no longer had that ‘thing’ to turn towards in order to fulfill them; the idea of being home with nothing to do freaked them out in ways they were not prepared for. Not only did I have something to involve myself with, but I knew it was something to work toward my degree. As a graduate student who did not come straight from undergraduate school, my brief experience in the ‘real world’ taught me a lot. The one lesson was the importance of a strong mind and deep faith. These times right now are a reminder why you need it and for me it has caused me to look at those two things all over again. As a graduate student you sign up for many things and one of those things is to accept the fact there is pressure; and the pressure was already there before the pandemic hit.
This experience put that pressure on a new level with short notice of everything. As someone that chose to live on campus to quickly move out once told to leave, to get back home and set up shop to start classes online within forty-hours of my return was insane, and took me about three weeks to adjust too. I am a late bloomer with swift change, so it takes me a minute to find my groove, but once I do I am able to function. Still, this experience added to that pressure and at times I wondered when it would all
Throughout the months of April and May, just about every twenty minutes or so, if I chose to pay attention, I heard the sirens. The more I began to understand COVID-19, the more I realized that every time I heard one of those sirens there was a strong possibility someone was riding to their death.
end. But thankfully the pressure died down long enough to gather my thoughts and digest the fact that whatever was going on in the world was not going to end by the end of the semester. To come to that conclusion was difficult, but later on it made sense. I am a few blocks in from a major highway, I live on the route to one of the two major airports that call New York City home - John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The year 2020 and this historical time have felt like a marathon of boxing matches. Had I known I would be in such an emotional and mental battle, I would have asked for boxing gloves last Christmas. However, it has also caused me to take a closer look at how I live my life and treat myself. It has also reminded me to make the time count by respecting it
My sadness is the same for every life that is now becoming known through the Black Lives Matter Movement for the wrong reasons. Yet like the protestors undeterred, I too am inspired to keep going after my goals, and not give up because too much is at stake, as well as doing so whilst being unapologetically myself.
By Ruhama Sahle While the necessity of productivity and improvement remains as is, this pandemic has unveiled that it took a major break in this cycle to help a lot of us realize that perhaps we haven’t been engaging in the right conversations with ourselves and perhaps all the strives to achieve success were building a version of ourselves that we didn’t recognize.
With the majority of the world forced to stay at home, these global conditions enabled us to pragmatize the fantasy of time that we have all spoke eloquently of before, “if I just had more time, I would get my life together.”
So it began, the waking up early, the working out, the journaling, the eating healthy. People even picked up new hobbies or revisited the old ones that their hearts had silently yearned for all along. We began to re-evaluate the actions we are currently taking- be it in school or with our careers, to ask whether those actions adhere to the individual we are and, more fundamentally, to inquire about who that individual is. It appears, in a time of unprecedented chaos, many were lucky enough to create a corner of peace. As many college students now recognize, one enters college as a mere teenager and leaves college as an adult. This stresses the profound levels of changes that one undergoes during the years of college. For that reason, we must acknowledge and be thankful for the introspection that we experienced during this past year, which has enabled us to realize a better sense of self.
While I usually have Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert and Young Thug on blast, the music I listened to during the whole quarantine period changed to mellow music that would keep me going. For me, there were some rough moments in quarantine where it didn’t seem sight; so these songs honestly kept me motivated to just take things day by day.
by: Habib Apooyin
Victory Lap, Nipsey Hussle I went back to this album every week during quarantine. Nipsey Hussle had a way about motivating his audience through his music, while at the same time talking about real things that Black people go through, and pushing for better. His title song ‘Victory Lap’ and ‘Young Nigga’ in particular kept me motivated to do home workouts and stay on top of schoolwork at times when I questioned the importance of everything that wasn’t my family’s health. This album, in my opinion, is a true classic album from an artist taken too soon.
Circles, Mac Miller I had a micro-fandom for Mac Miller in middle school that resurfaced during quarantine. I was hesitant to listen to his posthumous album - mostly because in those situations you never know what you’re getting since it's not the artist's vision being put out, but somebody else's. I was quickly proven wrong; the music on that album was nothing short of beautiful. Some of the messages on songs like Good News and were almost as if he was talking to his audience from the next life, and telling us he’s ok.
Free 6lack, 6lack 6lack has been my favorite artist for some years now, and my fandom started with listening to his debut album. His R&B sound is unique to me just because his tone is so monotone, The fact that he can also rap is a plus- which shows on the debut track ‘Never Know’. But when he is knee deep in his R&B music, like the song One Way is almost therapeutic for me. The fact that I could play the album to help workout and be productive, and also listen to it alone at night to think made it more enjoyable as I could play it in any setting.
The Juice, Volume II, Emotional Emotional Oranges is a duo R&B group that I learned about a couple years ago on a trip to LA, and revisited during quarantine. Their west coast alternative R&B vibe was always uplifting, and that was something I needed at times in quarantine. My favorite song from them named ‘Not Worth It’ always lifts me out of any type of mood, with the upbeat west coast style music. It also takes me back to simpler times pre-COVID where we could travel. My favorite track (in addition to ‘Not Worth It’) is ‘West Coast Love’ – it reminds me of my LA trip and an overall better time.
Born Sinner, J. Cole With J. Cole being my favorite rapper of this generation, Forest Hills Drive’s status as a classic is unquestionable. But Born Sinner from top to bottom is a more preferable listen for me. ‘Power Trip’ gets me every time, and ‘Crooked Smile’ provides me with serotonin no matter my prior emotion. The album as a whole provided me with pre-COVID nostalgia that was much needed.
by: Chris Ajao If there’s one thing that Syracuse University does right, it’s their concerts. Juice Jam, Bandersnatch, Mayfest, Block Party, Syracuse knows how to pull in incredible artists. Over the past two years, I have attended several concerts included artists such as Playboi Carti, Gunna, City Girls, Rico Nasty, Saweetie, and more. The rush of attending a concert in person is surreal and ethereal. Nothing can match the feeling of singing along with your favorite artist right in front of you; surrounded by thousands of people. However, when coronavirus hit, I was disheartened because I realized I wouldn`t be able to go to any concerts this year. However, musical artists found creative ways to hold live performances during the pandemic. Over the summer a new web series Verzuz was created by Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. Verzuz pits two R&B or hip-hop icons against each other with their best hit records in a live DJ battle. These battles were streamed via Instagram Live, making the performances accessible to most audiences. Artists such as Brandi, Monica, Erykah Badu, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, and more have participated in Verzuz. Listening to the battles was better than tuning into your favorite throwback playlist- it was a free concert. The live streams allowed fans to see their favorite artists interact with each other. One of my favorite Verzuz battles was DMX vs Snoop Dogg; their energy and their personalities meshed together so well.
Another platform that artists have used to stream music is Zoom. Recently, R&B artist Bryson Tiller held a surprise Zoom meeting to release his new album ‘Anniversary’. The Zoom meeting granted fans a new look at Bryson, as he`s usually a reclusive and secretive person. The meeting felt like you were talking showed more of his personality. During the stream, he revealed new music he’s releasing and shared his inspiration for the album. Last May, the University Union held a Zoom concert with Kaytraabout the concert because Kaytranada`s electronic funk is meant to be played in a club with your friends so you can get lit and this feeling during the concert. As I was back home in the bedroom, I found myself dancing carefree through my body. Reading my peers' comments in the Zoom stated they were dancing in their living rooms or rolling weed as if we were all at the concert in person. Kaytranada would periodically interact with the students, shouting out the university making the concert feel more personal. Smino hosted an immersive Zoom concert earlier in August. Smino took advantage of the homebound concert, and created a little set for the concert. His setup had LED lights and a projector playing the Boondocks in the background. This set paired with his vocals, made the concert more personal; as if we were getting an exclusive performance. The lockdown may have canceled in-person concerts, but it allowed artists to create meaningful and immersive performances for their fans.
Since then, various of other celebrities have joined the admired website including Tyga, Jordyn Woods, Blacc Chyna, among others (although Chyna might be the only one to sort-of get a pass, as she was a sex worker before fame, but that’s debatable).
By: Makeda Cheru With time and technology, all things are continuously evolving— including sex work. OnlyFans, the content subscription service, has and particularly so for sex workers. Although OnlyFans is technically a service for people to sell whatever content they want to their subscribers, it is primarily used for sex work. As the site became more and more popular, for many sex workers it has been their main source of income. However as with most popular platforms, soon enough trouble occurred: rich celebrities a service that was used primarily for working class people. The most major scandal to come from this happened when actress Bella Thorne joined the website and made one million dollars in a single day. Interesting how someone whose net worth is already dollars found the need to dominate this industry this way, when it’s not even her primary source of income. Bella makes bank by charging people $200 for nudes, but she only sent photos of her in sexy lingerie, thus causing an uproar of refunds. Her actions resulted in OnlyFans lowering the amount subscribers are allowed to charge and tip content creators, and the platform also decided to change their payment method from weekly to monthly.
There are a plethora of problems with this. Why do celebrities who are consistently making at least one million dollars a year, and have access to practically anything they need and/or want (given their celebrity status and connections) feel the need to create more revenue on a platform that is so clearly meant for sex workers, an already marginalized community? Celebrities already have a such a visible platform of their own that now when they join OnlyFans, they become the top earners, solely based on their celebrity status. In doing this, they steal opportunities from hard-working sex workers who actually earned those spots and most likely worked their way up from essentially nothing. The fact that celebrities view OnlyFans as a hobby whilst others are struggling to pay their rent and bills, reeks of class privilege. Also, the fact that the interest in cam-girls has risen is something many people couldn’t have predicted (considering the fact that we now have free porn online), so for sex workers to be able to be making a substantial amount from the comfort of their own home and laptop is a much easier and safer way for them to make money. In short, please do not indulge celebrities with extra funds on top of their fortunes, especially considering that sex work isn’t their main source of income. Trust and believe that it is not worth it to spend $200 on nudes from Bella Thorne whose net worth is valued at 25,000 times that amount. Spend your money wisely and ethically by supporting your local sex workers!
By Camille Daniels & Dassy Kemedjio
BY Valkyrie Hardy & Nana Ofori
(N.cont.) dining dates, or
intimate dates inside. I have respect for those who went on dates because it takes bravery to risk your life trying to find love during these times. That could be something funny to tell the grandkids in the future. Going on dates was definitely a weird experience at first, especially the first dates. All the pre-date jitters are in full swing because there’s new dynamics at play. On top of what do you like to do, what’s your sign, etc. there are new questions surrounding the coronavirus. Have they been tested for corona? Do they wear their masks? At one point in time do you take your mask off? However, once you get past that I think the dates you go on during a pandemic are more meaningful. In my opinion, there’s more effort and planning that goes into dating during a pandemic.
V: Texting, has it improved? N:Communication is already
an essential skill when it comes to “talking” to someone, but these trying times have made it difficult to find love, express love, spit game, and have flings or entanglements without being able to go outside as often. Despite things being difficult, if you want someone, GO FOR IT! Text him or her as often as possible. Play iMessage games. Fall asleep on FaceTime with them. These are ways to gauge and maintain someone’s interest.
V: The world literally shut
down and everyone was forced to stay inside. With this in mind everyone was on their best behavior in the DMs. Not only was I getting texts back, I got double and triple texts. Beyond that I was having more substantial, deep beneath the surface level conversations. I don’t think I would’ve been able to have those conversations if it wasn’t for the universal pause button the pandemic gave us.
Q: What was it like going on dates? N: I had to contemplate,”Is this
person worth risking my life for?” Nine times out of ten, the answer is usually no, especially if you’re in a red zone. I guess at some point over the summer we all said to ourselves,”Damn, I’m not letting Covid get in the way of me being with this person.” Lots of people in New York City posted their Central Park picnic dates, outdoor...
Q: Do expectations change because you’re dating in a pandemic? N: I’ve noticed that people are
generally more honest with their intentions with someone worthwhile. Although the pandemic brought on hardships, I think we all reflected on how we could improve as people. When we think about what to expect from another person during a pandemic, I think we should be understanding.
V: From my experience people
are much more upfront about their intentions during a pandemic. There’s just so much going on in everyone’s lives during a pandemic that I don’t think anyone is trying to waste their time whether they want to be in a relationship or not.
Q: Do you think it’s possible to find love during a pandemic? N: Rihanna once said we found
love in a hopeless place. Corny, I know. But in these unusual circumstances, love does seem harder to find. Love is unique to everyone and everyone finds it differently. While some might find it difficult to interact with people during quarantine, others may have used the pandemic to get even closer with the person they want. The pandemic has only changed up how we date, but the desire and will to love has not changed. I’m personally taking my time when it comes to love, but I do see myself finding love in this hopeless place.
V: I think anything is possible
and I think a pandemic is the perfect place to find love. People are drawn to each other through times of struggle, so I could see how people could find love in a pandemic. A lot of people were working on themselves and growing and being able to do that with someone else is a beautiful thing. Sadly, I haven’t found love in the pandemic but it’s not over yet…
By Guerdyna Gelin
In 2020, a surge in violence against Black transgender women and non-binary people was deemed an epidemic. Since 2013, we have lost 163 transgender lives, most of whom are Black or Latinx people. 2020 is now “tied as the deadliest year for transgender and gender nonconforming people,” reported CNN. According to Human Rights Campaign, there were at least 33 transgender or gender non-conforming deaths in the year 2020 alone. Out of the 33, 18 were reported to be Black transgender women. We mourn and remember them as Brooklyn Deshuna, Felycya Harris, Mia Green, Aerrion Burnett, Kee Sam, Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears, Queasha D. Hardy, Dior H. Ova, Bree Black, Shaki Peters, Merci Mack, Brayla Stone, Riah Milton, Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells, Lexi, Nina Pop and Monika Diamond.
All black women must be protected, regardless of their gender. As a whole, Black women are underrepresented and lack access to opportunity, resources and privilege in white America. All black women must be protected, regardless of their gender. Black transgender women are women just as cisgender white women are women. In order to decrease the violence against Black transgender women, there must be an increase in access to safe, affordable housing, policies that protect transgender people from discrimination and increase economic opportunity, and improved police training, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality. Since Black transgender women can be seen as a threat to society and are demographically at high risk for being victims of of violence and discrimination, having access to equal opportunities would diminish the fear for their lives. Systemic racism in policing must also be acknowledged. Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, the deputy executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality, said we must fight to “improve policing and hold police departments accountable for their failure to protect transgender people.” This starts with police holding themselves accountable for the years of damage they have created and reforming the system as a whole. Those who identify as queer tend to live in the shadows of those who are not becuase of the high stigma placed around them. They can feel limited to be who they truly are out of abundance for societal norms and their lives.
In American society it is hard to encompass both queer and Black identities. Those who are both can feel an obligation to choose between their race and queer identity. We must all do our part to recognize all facets of one’s identity and not place value on identities that lie in whiteness and devalue marginalized identities. When asked about diversity of both queer and transgender lives, Laverne Cox, a Black transgender activist and actress, said, “we need more queer and LGBT perspectives in black organisations, so we are not getting myopic. She also said, “It is those trans folks we must continue to lift up, get them access to healthcare, jobs, housing, safe streets, safe schools and homes for our young people. We must lift up the stories of those most at risk, statistically trans people of color who are poor and working class.” Although Cox said this five years ago, it’s important to take note of how these societal issues are still prevalent today. The emergence of documentation and awareness of violence against Black transgender and queer lives requires us to push for change before more lives are lost.
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entrification of Thrifting iana Snyder
ent years, thrifting has taken the Nation by storm by becoming one of the most popularized ies among Generation Z. Why is that? Well, to put it simply, Gen Z seems to care more about vironment. Shopping sustainably has become one of the many ways this generation aims to at climate change. It is no secret that fast fashion is not only disastrous for the environment, so responsible for making up a large proportion of child labor around the globe. So what are ernatives, if not fast fashion? xtremely expensive alternative is sustainable fashion brands. This includes shopping from such as Reformation and Everlane, which a lot of us students simply cannot afford. Believe ot, shopping sustainably can sometimes be considered a luxury in itself. So, what’s a cheaper ative you may be asking? That’s where thrifting comes in. Thrifting has opened the doors to a o-new wave of sustainable fashion, one where thousands are able to buy long-lasting clothing ecent price. I mean, where else could I possibly buy a vintage Prada skirt for only ten dollars?
nly is thrifting a cheaper way of shopping, but also a more environmentally friendly way too. ng uses less resources, keeps plastic out of landfills, and emits less pollution than fast fashccording to Vagabondary, “the average American throws away 81 pounds of clothes PER That adds up to around 26 BILLION pounds of clothing going right to landfills.” Thrifting is ne of the many ways we recycle. Thrifting is not all good though, the recent increase in popuhas brought its own problems. was once seen as something taboo and looked down upon, has now completely transformed e latest trend; one that privileged consumers and the fashion industry can’t help but capitalAs thrifting continues on an upward trend, it attracts more and more people. This has ultiy led to the gentrification of thrifting: the middle and upper class flooding thrift shops, beit is “trendy”, leaving the lower classes who thrift shop, because they cannot afford anything with nothing. There are two main ways that this happens.
s the wealthy literally buying all of the clothes there because thrifting is “sustainable”. And, ut even realizing it, this begins to have a knock-on effect on low-income thrift shoppers. This the poorer individuals, who have been thrifting for years -way before it was even a “trend”ardly any options. econd way this gentrification happens is an increase in the price of the clothing in these thrift . Now to help understand this, here is a quick lesson in ECON 101: as demand increases, so price. This is the case when it comes to thrifting; the middle and upper class buying lots of s raises the demand, which stores inevitably capitalize on by increasing their prices. This s it even more expensive, and puts thrift shopping even further out of reach for the lower s. This has been the case in recent years. Danica Hooper perfectly captures how Goodwill is e example of this capitalization in her article on StyleCircle: “a t-shirt that was once $3 is now at $4 difference may not be a big deal to middle and upper class people, but if you are from a come family and want to buy 5 t-shirts for your relatives, your new total would be $35 instead , which is a 134% increase”.
ile thrifting is indeed sustainable and environmentally friendly, we can’t exactly say it’s ethical. n, is it ethical to take clothes away from those who need it most? That’s up for you to decide.
Believe Survivors by: Madison Tyler
The summer of 2020 will go down in history as a time of protest, revolution and uprising, and this extends to the historically suppressed subject of sexual assault. A prominent example was when an Instagram account by the name of SpeakOutCuse started to post women’s stories of surviving sexual assault while attending Syracuse University. In addition to being a platform for survivors to tell their stories, the account also posts crucial resources for survivors. Speaking out anonymously on social media through accounts like these has become more popular since the #MeToo hashtag went viral in 2017 and launched into a groundbreaking movement. For some survivors who’ve been silenced or ignored by their family, friends, or law enforcement, speaking out and connecting with other survivors online is one avenue to justice, one way to be truly heard, and perhaps the beginning of a path to healing.
assault is already hard enough as it is, taking into account society’s default to either blame women or not believe them at all, but a new rule that 2020 has made it even harder for women to come forward. The Washington Post reported that former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos replaced an Obama-era rule under Title IX that provided protection for sexual assault survivors on college campuses. Title IX is a U.S. law prohibiting sex discrimination at federal funded schools.
According to the Washington Post, the new rule expands the rights of the accused by creating a judicial-like process that gives the accused rights to a live hearing with multiple panel members and to cross examine accusers, which was not previously allowed. It also sexual assault and bars schools from allowing one person to both investigate and judge complaints. Women’s rights activists have argued the new rule will discourage those who have coming forward with a complaint, and the rule
And to my people, let us start protecting and believing Black women the way we do Black men.
There is no doubt that if this goes unchecked and unaddressed, this on Black women and women of color on college campuses across the country. There are various unique social, cultural, and political barriers that prevent Black women from coming forward with their stories much less reporting them. According to a report on sexual violence and Black women from the National Organization of Women, on average one in three women are victims of intimate partner violence of sexual assaults. If those numbers aren’t alarming enough NOW also found that for every only one reports her assault. The deep rooted history of the sexual violence against and hypersexualization of Black women and girls has resulted in a society that does not view Black women as victims. Moreover, Black women must live within the sociopolitical contexts of misogynoir, police brutality and mass incarceration. Thus forced to choose between racial progress and their gender progress. Time and time again, the protection of Black men is placed before the protection of Black women.
As we transition into a new administration and political climate in 2021, hopefully the newly-installed leaders will not only repeal DeVos’s Title IX rule, but will also implement rules and systems which protect Black women and make justice for Black women who’ve survived sexual assault possible within our institutions, not only in an online space. And to my people, let us start protecting and believing Black women the way we do Black men.
Black Lives Matter, Now and Forever By Dassy Kemedjio It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains. These words by the revolutionary Assata Shakur, a woman wholly dedicated to our liberation, became our rallying cry this summer. As I marched alongside my people, our chants resounded throughout the streets of the downtown of my city, echoing all the way to the precinct. And what a beautiful sight it was— people of every shade of melanin under the sun. Children of the diaspora, whether our ancestors had been forced into chattel slavery or if we were newcomers ourselves to this strange country called America. Some call it Amerikkka. Some call it the land of the free, but for us that’s never been true.
For us, we would consider it lucky to make it through life without being constantly informed that our Blackness is somehow a curse rather than a blessing. If we lived our lives without having to deal with police brutality, microaggressions, redlining, colorism, and all of the intentionally-designed components that make up institutional racism, we would be the luckiest people on earth. But of course, we live in this strange country called America. A country built on the backs of enslaved peoples, a country whose police forces originated with slave patrols, and a country that to this day refuses to truly hold itself accountable for its history written in blood. Our blood. And the truth is, the past isn’t even the past because we’re still living it, all of it—the trauma, the cycles of violence, the death—and the United States doesn’t seem to give a damn. Enter Black Lives Matter. This global movement was launched in 2013 by three phenomenal Black organizers—Patrisse Cullors, Alicia
Garza, and Opal Tometi—in response to the acquittal of the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. The following year, the movement exploded because of the acquittal of a Ferguson, Missouri police officer who murdered 18-year-old Michael Brown. I was in middle school when they were killed, these boys who had their lives stolen before they ever had a chance to live it. I remember the uprisings in Ferguson after the acquittal, and what struck me was how the media portrayed these outpourings of not only anger, but of grief. Black Lives Matter protestors were depicted as a violent, self-righteous mob that needed to be put down by the local police and the National Guard. The movement was controversial, as if Black people asking not to be killed and brutalized by police was inherently a debate. Much to the disappointment of white supremacists, our lives are not up for debate. Flash forward to May 25, 2020, a
day that is all too familiar and all too painful for Black America. 46-year-old George Floyd, known as Big Floyd in his community, was murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin who knelt and his neck for eight minutes and forty-six seconds, despite Floyd’s repeated cries that he couldn’t breathe. The reason for the initial arrest? Floyd was accused of paying with a counterfeit $20 bill. Twenty dollars. To Chauvin and the three other officers who watched and allowed this lynching to happen right in front of them, that’s what Floyd’s life was worth. For eight minutes and forty-six seconds, they all made the choice to not only disregard his humanity, but to publicly flaunt their decision in front of his community. So naturally, the people of Minneapolis let their feelings be known in the same way: very publicly. After the protests began the next day in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, in the coming days and weeks people across the nation and eventually around the world organized demonstrations. According to the New York Times, an estimated 15 million to 26 million people in the United States have reported going to a protest since the death of George Floyd. This energy translated even more on social media since according to the Pew Research Center, #BlackLivesMatter was used about 47.8 million times on Twitter between May 26 and June 7, 2020. Now, we’re all aware of the power of Black Twitter, but this surge of support indicated that this summer, BLM officially went mainstream. But wait, there’s more.
Not only was Black Lives Matter trending, but for the first time in my lifetime, leftist policies were gaining more and more attention. Organizers were advocating for divestment from the police, and political messages like ACAB (All Cops Are Bastard) were not uncommon to hear at protests. Discourses were being opened up around reimaging public safety and community mutual aid, and the work that activists had been doing for decades was being put in front of city councils and state legislatures. The summer of 2020 truly radicalized my thinking about the way many structures in our society are rooted in systemic racism. You can know your whole life that being Black puts you at an automatic disadvantage, but taking the next step to reclaim your power and actually confront these barriers is something else entirely. There’s so much to learn from this summer, and from this year in general. First off, respectability politics will not save our people. MLK said “a riot is the language of the unheard,” and I’m inclined to agree. Property is not and will never be worth more than human life, and we must acknowledge that we have come a long way from the Sunday-best protest style of the Civil Rights Movement. We have to admit that we live in a country where violence is forced on Black people everyday, both physically and structurally, so there’s no room at all for the judgement of people who are not protesting the way their ancestors did. Also, please read the room with how you engage in BLM. Ask yourself: is your activism performative? Because if so, that’s not what we need. We don’t need the
black square posted one day then your feed to go back to normal the next. We don’t need you to act like you’re for the culture then it’s quiet when your racist uncle starts ranting about when this country was supposedly “great.” And we definitely don’t need you to treat this movement like a summer fling, then move on to the next trend just because we have a new president. Because guess what? We’re still here, we’re still Black, and we’re still fighting for our lives. So to whom this applies (read: white people who just discovered racism), Google is free and our CashApps are always open. It isn’t so far-fetched to imagine how the Klan terrorized Black people across America with mob lynchings when white supremacists have been thriving for decades, especially since they’ve been legitimized by Number 45. The time for being shocked is long gone, and the time to act is now. We know too many of our people who have been killed by a system that claims to be there for our protection, when the reality is the opposite. We can’t go for a run without being killed. We can’t play with toys without being killed. We can’t sleep in our homes without being killed. We can’t be Black without being killed. That’s why we must uplift each other, each and every one of us. Black Lives Matter means Black queer lives matter, Black trans lives matter, Black immigrant lives matter, Black disabled lives matter, and Black children’s lives matter. If you’re not for all of us, then you’re not for any of us. All Black Lives Matter.
The Election of a Lifetime By Fawaz Okoya “We did it, we did it Joe, you’re gonna be the next president of the United States.” November 7th marked a historic day in the nation's history. Over 159 million Americans reportedly voted in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, making it the largest total voter turnout ever recorded. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris racked in over 81 million votes, winning the popular vote as well as the electoral college vote. Harris made history as the first woman and the first Black American and South Asian American to be elected Vice President. It was also a historic time for the 117th Congress which recorded a total 141 women, 51 of which being women of color. Despite all these historic moments, this election was also one of America’s most controversial and consequential elections.
At the hands of Donald J. Trump and several of his Republican colleagues, claims of widespread vote rigging and voter fraud were falsely reported since the election results of November. Trump made baseless assertions of political corruption, machine tampering, and mysterious votes appearing out of nowhere which all apparently led to Biden being able to steal the election. These claims were spread to millions of Trump’s MAGA, Proud Boy, and white supremacist followers who wholeheartedly believed every word uttered by their delusional president, even after these same voting fraud allegations were refuted by a variety of judges, state election officials, and his own administration’s Homeland Security Department. Trump’s consequential rhetoric would lead to an incitement of insurrection on January 6, 2021, the day Congress was tasked with certifying the 2020 electoral college votes. A day that led to the death of five Americans, both rioters and officers. A day that surprised the entire nation except for Black Americans, who have seen first handed the privilege of white supremacists and the country’s inability to condemn their actions until now. How could anyone be surprised by the events of January 6th when Trump told his Proud Boys to stand back and stand by? Again, he encouraged his followers to “fight like hell” on the morning of the insurrection and stated that these things, in reference to the domestic terrorism taking place at the Capitol building, “happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously and viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly and unfairly treated for so long.” With Confederate flags, nooses hanging from makeshift gallows, and Camp Auschwitz sweatshirts parading throughout the Capitol building, it would only make sense that Trump’s incitement would lead to his current impeachment. 1460 days in office and he has two impeachments to show for it. With Trump’s presidency barely behind us we now have to look at the nation's future under President Joe Biden. How can Syracuse Alum ‘Sleepy Joe,’ and California’s ‘Top Cop,’ Kamala Harris put the nation in order and commit to reconciling such a divided and polarized country? What can we expect for social justice for Black Americans when Biden’s history with the 1994 Crime Bill and Harris’ reputation as California’s attorney general precede them? Will the Biden administration be able to appropriately tackle the global pandemic that has now exceeded 25 million cases in the United States? It has been reported that in Biden’s first 100 days we can expect a new vaccine distribution plan spearheaded by a new coronavirus task force, a reversal of Trump’s corporate tax cut, a stop to the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border, increased police and criminal justice reform, and a reversal of Trump’s transgender military ban. Many Americans still hold that with all these immediate changes, the nation will stay just as divided under the Biden administration, or as Black Twitter coined, a return to, “regular racism.” While I believe that President Joe Biden will be a far better president than Trump was, I don’t believe that he will be able to save America as many progressives hope. Biden can’t make fascism go away nor erase the country’s long-standing racial divide rooted in capitalism. Hyper-nationalism will not be enough to hold this faux ”democracy” together as we plunge deeper into economic and ecological collapse. We can’t let the policy realm of Biden’s presidency be our sole source of resistance because as individuals and as communities, we have nearly unlimited power to do this for ourselves. If we stray from these paternalistic ideologies that are centered on the idea that individual politicians will transform society for us, we can refocus our efforts on systemic solutions rather than fixating on flawed individuals.
by: Dassy Kemedjio
by: Amer Mousa
Adore
Metamorphosis in my opinion is when you transform, and I’m not talking about just physically, but spiritually and mentally. It’s when you change from living for the approval of others to only living for you and your happiness.
Ashley
My version of transformation is fully allowing myself to finally be the things I never thought I could be.
Ares
Metamorphosis is a slow and everlasting development, but a fulfilling one nonetheless. It comes when you begin to recognize it in all your senses. How you control your breath. How you choose to act upon feelings. How you see life. How you see yourself. And its important to recognize that 1) the reality of evolving is not limited to joy and euphoria. You may also experience hardships and dry periods. 2) There is no tangible otherside. its always the present. When you slow down and shift your focus, I’d hope you can see how beautiful it can all be.
Bushra
Metamorphosis in my opinion means unraveling another layer of myself and appreciating it wholeheartedly. It means doing things for myself, things I only dreamed of doing because of the limits I placed on myself. Metamorphosis is being afraid of and in love with yourself at the same time.
Dashawn
Metamorphosis is simply investing time and energy into yourself, ultimately becoming the person the universe wants you to be!
Dassy
Metamorphosis to me is not knowing exactly what lies between your old self and your new self, but still taking that leap and embracing the unknown in order to grow. It’s scary and sometimes painful, but its result is always something beautiful.
Erica
To me, metamorphosis signifies growth; evolving into the person you are meant to be.
Estheralice
To me, transformation and/or growth means to be patient, to trust that I am making progress and am heading in the direction I’m destined to go in. It is about being kind to myself on days where I don’t see or feel that progress, and to constantly feed great energy to the process of transformation.
Fawaz
Metamorphosis for me has less to do with physical change but more about awareness. As I develop, I see that I’m becoming more aware of the person I want to be and taking notice of the life I’m currently living, appreciating every aspect, experience, and person that makes its way into my journey.
Haniyah
Change. Whether it’s a change in attitude, perception, physic or style, to me, metamorphosis is a shift in energy. It’s a change that brings on a different type of glow.
Ife
When I think about metamorphosis, I think about the trials and errors, mistakes and accomplishments I’m constantly going through. I always find myself questioning myself on why certain things are happening, like “why me?”, but why not me is what I have to constantly remind myself. That even through the ups and downs, everything that I’m experiencing is preparing and framing me for a better version of myself. All of my experiences shape who I am whether they’re in my favor or not, everything happens for a reason.
Jonah
Metamorphosis is more than growth, it’s altering your sense of self. To look at yourself from a different point of view and become something new. It’s a rebirth.
Madison
To me, metamorphosis means taking the time to reflect and then stepping outside of my comfort zone to make room for the woman I dream of becoming.
Makeda
My understanding of growth and/or transition is learning and recognizing your needs, and then listening to them when you’ve outgrown a situation in life. It’s about keeping your peace as well as being self-aware about how you can affect other people’s energy and peace.
Noor
My version of metamorphosis is falling in love with the idea of transformation and betterment, striving to live life with purpose every day, and unlearning and relearning life’s lessons.
sarah
working to be the best possible version of yourself for both you and the people you surround yourself with. you can’t change without recognizing who you are, what you stand for, and your own weaknesses.
Zoe
Growth is a tricky thing. Everyone is trying to better themselves and become the perfect version of themselves. It’s something that many people long for, especially in a period like this. Learn a new skill, exercise more, start investing or even learning a new language; the pandemic brought around the idea that you constantly have to do something to better yourself as a person because you “have all the time in the world now.” In the past year, I’ve come to learn that growth for me is about who I am and who I hope to become. I’m not perfect and I’m going to make mistakes but it’s a process of learning and unlearning things. Growth isn’t constantly going up, things will happen along the way, but as long as you acknowledge the you of yesterday and who you are today, then you’ll be alright. I am who I am with all my faults but also the wisdom that follows me. That’s growth for me. As I said, it’s a tricky thing.
BY BERRI WILMORE
I wore a uniform to school every day for the first eight years of my education. Every morning, I would wake up, and put on the same thing: A pair of khaki pants, a white collared shirt, a black belt, white socks and black shoes. No unnatural hair colors, no visible logos, and under no circumstances were my shoulders ever to be exposed. When I moved to a county that didn’t have these uniform requirements, I was excited about my new sense of freedom. Instead of dressing to the nines everyday, I still found myself way too insecure to take any liberties with my sense of fashion. There were clothes that I loved, and styles that I admired, yet I always found myself too afraid to indulge. It’s a thought we’ve all had: I like it, but I just couldn’t pull it off. That one thought
(cont.) has prevented me from trying new things with my look. Why though? Where do these ideas come from, and how can we learn to combat them? The way I understand it, Black women and femmes hold the most original and unique minds that this world has to offer. In every sense of the word, we are the blueprint. The style, vernacular, and culture created by Black women and femmes is routinely replicated and reproduced to be consumed by the masses. Yet somehow, we are the same people also heavily restricted by societal expectations. “Don’t be too loud, be articulate, slick back your hair, lay your edges.” These expectations are set in place to restrict Black women, because we will always be perceived as too dark, too ghetto, too loud, too Black. In this white supremacist of a world, being Black is a societal offense. And the only way to beat the case is through respectability politics - a school of thought that racial progression is attainable through conformity to mainstream standards of appearance and behavior.
Granted, when it comes to things like getting a job or applying for a loan, respectability politics are often necessary in order to survive. But, while we’re still in college and have a certain level of freedom with the way we look, so I ask you Reader, What is one thing that you’ve always wanted to do to your look? Throwing caution to the wind, not caring about what friends, family, or employers will think...what do you want to look like? Since there are so many expectations placed on the way Black people present themselves, one way that we can fight these regulations on Black aesthetics is by showing up completely authentically. Do you, boo. Get those bright blue box braids, break out that jacket that you bought, but were too nervous to wear, bleach your eyebrows, shave your head, take that leap of faith and become the person you’ve always imagined yourself to be.
I DAre you!
