Black Anteaters

Blurb #3: Executive Secretary

Mon, 06 May 2013 10:30:00 -0700

Hey there chicken tenders!!! I hope week six is going well for you all and that everyone is not too stressed out yet. In times of stress, I recommend dancing and food; they’re quite soothing.

Anywho…. for those of you who don’t know me and are not acquainted with me, my name is Rashida Blade and I am your current Secretary Chair for BSU! I am a fourth year transfer student, so officially this is my second year at UCI. I am a double major in African-American Studies and English with a minor in creative writing. So if any of you need guidance or some editing done with writing papers, I am more than willing to lend a helping hand!!! I have a lot of goals when it comes to my future, one of them being going to graduate school to get my M.F.A [Masters in Fine Arts]. Working as an editor with a magazine and eventually creating my own is something I strive to do, as well as, and hopefully writing [at least one] best seller. I’m also very passionate about people, especially black people, so I would love to always be a part of non-profit organizations, both on and off campus.

All of my classes have been a challenge to me, which I enjoy because I like being challenged, but the one that has impacted me the most was Dr. Tiffany Willoughby-Herard’s African-American 40C class. One of the most impactful things about that class was the moments of silence we would have before each class in memory of someone that may have been “forgotten” in the black community, who was murdered by hate. That really touched me and reiterated my reasoning for the path I want to follow in life.

My duties and responsibilities, for my position, are all about organization and being on top of things. I’m in charge of taking notes for every board meeting that we, as an executive board, have, making sure to keep track of all the vital points that are discussed so we can look back at them for reference and for those unable to attend a meeting. Also, it’s my responsibility to keep a roster of the people who attend the Black Student Union meetings, people’s emails, years, whether they have paid or not for events/membership. We also keep binders with information regarding our positions, as executive board members, and it is my job to make sure everyone has their binders ready to pass down to the next board team. Overall, the secretary keep things organized and filed for the constituents and executive board.

Hit me up: rblade@uci.edu [&if you want the digits email me or ask in person…. I just don’t want to post it so creepers can’t snatch it]

As a black student here at UCI I just don't think the BSU is approaching all of this correctly. I don't think anybody is in the right in response to this act

Wed, 01 May 2013 17:55:06 -0700

Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. Although, it’s important to note that “this act” is not our concern or issue. Best wishes.

thespeakingspook: UCI Rally against campus...

Wed, 01 May 2013 17:54:04 -0700

thespeakingspook:

UCI Rally against campus antiBlackness
5/1/13

Thank you for everyone who came to support!

Ordinary Revolutionary.: UCI RALLY DETAILS!

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:11:04 -0700

Ordinary Revolutionary.: UCI RALLY DETAILS!:

thespeakingspook:

for those interested!

who: the UC Irvine Black Student Union, those in solidarity, and allies
what: a rally!
when: TOMORROW, MAY 1ST 11-2
where: UC Irvine, on the anteater in front of Langston Library
why: overall, the rally is to continue to gain visibility of the antiBlack violence…

touchofpoetry: (Sorry for the photo quality) In solidarity with...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:10:28 -0700

touchofpoetry:

(Sorry for the photo quality)

In solidarity with my second family, the BSU of UCI. Antiblackness is ubiquitous.

Help us fight.

Ordinary Revolutionary.: THIS IS THE CALL TO HELP BSU AT UCI!

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:29:40 -0700

Ordinary Revolutionary.: THIS IS THE CALL TO HELP BSU AT UCI!:

thespeakingspook:

TO THOSE ASKING WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP:

1) WE NEED LETTERS IN OUR (BSU) SUPPORT SENT TO UCI! We need everyone to write letters to either/both the UCI Student Affairs office and/or UCI Chancellor Michael Drake’s office demanding that action be taken in response to antiBlack violence that has…

antiBlack violence

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:39:11 -0700

antiBlack violence

How did the Monday meeting go?

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:38:45 -0700

The Monday meeting was fantastic! There was a lot of great conversation, suggestions, and ideas for the future.

"WHILE THERE IS RACISM, WE WILL NOT REST"

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:32:29 -0700

"WHILE THERE IS RACISM, WE WILL NOT REST":

thespeakingspook:

Video from 4/18 at UCI. Took place in the Multicultural Greek Council meeting.

Here's an article of the recent antiBlack violence from the BLACK perspective!

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:32:13 -0700

thespeakingspook:

some of you all have seen or heard the story of what’s happening at UCI from different news outlets. as im sure many of you all can guess, (and what im now really seeing and living) the media is EXTREMELY biased (as are we, of course, but truth is most often found within the story of the victim)!!

Here’s an article written from an amazing theorist and friend, John Murillo III, a grad student at Brown University.

http://outofnowhereblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/27/freeze-flame-black-fire/

FOR THOSE SUPPORTING US AND WONDERING WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:32:00 -0700

thespeakingspook:

PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR A “TIPSHEET” WE WILL SEND OUT WITH SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO HELP OUR CAUSE OF EXPOSING ANTIBLACKNESS!!!

Thank you!

thespeakingspook: My personal experience at UCI: As cochair of...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:31:46 -0700

thespeakingspook:

My personal experience at UCI:

As cochair of BSU, or any political org focused on the empowerment of Black bodies, passion is a necessary quality in order to do well and truly help the community. The issues that we are addressing are not unique and are nothing new, but it doesnt stop the matter from being important.
While here at UCI I have had my own fair share of micro and macroaggressions, and im deciding to share one today.

Last year, I was waiting at a campus bus stop to take a shuttle back to the house i live in. I was talking with a friend of mine and in no way interacting with the other individuals also waiting. As if it matters (but we know it always does), that day I had decided to wear a crop top shirt. I dont remember my bottoms.
In the middle of our conversation, a white womyn also waiting at the stop begins yelling, addressing myself. I can longer remember the order of her words, but she continuously shouted statements like “you nigger-whore! Why dont you go back to your nigger-pimp bitch! You nigger-bitch. Half naked. Go put some clothes on. Slut…” And things of the like.
I didnt know what to do, and i still dont. I thought, “fight”, but i also thought, “youll be the one arrested”. I thougt, “scream back”, but theres nothing i could say to this white womyn that will measure to the damage she had just caused me.
So i stood, dumbfounded, looking around at the 30 people also at the stop. I wanted someone to help me. Some were looking, others acted like they didnt hear. No one said anything.

So i went home, embarrassed.

This is one of many. My story is not special. This is the sort violence we are facing while the university claims “diversity” and caring about “all” of its students. I fault the university, i fault the students, i fault every bystander. This needs to stop.

“While there is racism, we will not rest!”- UCI BSU

thespeakingspook: JUST THE BEGINNING!BSU AT UCI WILL NOT STAND...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:31:02 -0700

thespeakingspook:

JUST THE BEGINNING!
BSU AT UCI WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS ANY LONGER!

today, we are wearing all Black and various statements of antiBlack violence in response to
1. the video
2. the greek movement to support each other by wearing their letters (done yesterday)
3. the generalized dishonor occurring on the Black body every day as a student.

Ordinary Revolutionary.: The OFFICIAL UCI Black Student Union Statement - PLEASE CIRCULATE!

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:30:43 -0700

Ordinary Revolutionary.: The OFFICIAL UCI Black Student Union Statement - PLEASE CIRCULATE!:

thespeakingspook:

University of California and its affiliates,

We, the Black Student Union, will no longer stand for the continuous disrespect of our community.

How many of our freshman will have to move out of their dorms due to racial harassment?
How many times will we be disrespected and demonized for…

thespeakingspook: My cochair, ria, and i talking with ABC...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:30:28 -0700

thespeakingspook:

My cochair, ria, and i talking with ABC news.
UCI! DO YOU HEAR ME NOW?

this newslady was biased as fuck btw.

AntiBlackness and Greeks at UCI

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:04:49 -0700

thespeakingspook:

HELP ME GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT WHAT IS OCCURING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE’S CAMPUS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bEz9RTsie8&feature=youtu.be&t=45s

The above link goes to the most recent anti-Black tactic used by students on my campus. The linked video is a sort of extra to the original video that the fraternity LAMBDA THETA DELTA made in order to promote their frat. One of the Asian members wears Blackface in order to depict Jay-Z while singing Justin Timberlake’s ‘Suit and Tie’. Note, ignorance is NOT the “reason” here. They tagged the video with a disclaimer saying: “not intended to be racist”. Meaning, they knew it was racist and offensive, and didn’t give a fuck.

I am the Cochair of the Black Student Union at UCI. Since my cochair and I have had this brought to our attention, we have organized an impromptu rally which occurred only a few hours after we originally saw the video:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151606423170170

During the video we collectively shout “While there is racism, we will not rest”. This video is taking place when our group of around 60 entered into the meeting of the “Multicultural” Greek Council. During our intrusion, my cochair, two other prominent community members, and myself, shared a short list of grievances with the Greek community. Afterwards, we entered into another space which harbored the actual perpetrator. We did not speak to him or harass him, only entered the space and repeated the same actions to let him and everyone he’s working with that THE BLACK COMMUNITY AT UCI IS HERE! AND WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS ANY LONGER!

Administration on our campus has expressed that it seems difficult to establish any official punitive policy for racist and antiBlack actions such as this. Let me now direct you to other examples of Greek antiBlackness:

LTD: previous uses of Blackface and racism from the same frat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Y7-jqNwJk&feature=youtu.be&t=2m20s

Pi Beta Phi: “Most Like to Go Black and Never Go Back” Award

Alpha Phi: “Big Slave Driver” and “Little Slave”

Chicken and Waffles SERVED BY THE SCHOOL for MLK Day:
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/27/local/la-me-0127-uci-mlk-20110127

The list continues on.
PLEASE! Bring awareness about UCI’s hesitation and historical failure to protect its Black students. Previous attempts to “educate” and “forgive” are not enough anymore. HELP US GET SOME SORT OF JUSTICE.

My cochair and I have been repeatedly harassed and demonized by both the Greek and nonBlack UCI community since our actions. I stand by what we have done. BLACK STUDENTS DESERVE TO FEEL PROTECTED WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS.

While i know we will never put a total end to antiBlackness, we can make a statement and let our UCI community know that we will not stand for it. Not anymore.

Please spread the word.

We’re not the first, nor the last, campus to deal with antiBlackness and racism. But we will not tolerate it any longer. Resist with me.

Black Wednesday

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 06:30:40 -0700

Hello Community, hope your week is going well so far!

Today is Black Wednesday! We will be out on Ring Road from 11-1:30 today. Be sure to wear your BSU shirts or wear Black to support!

Also, be sure to vote in ASUCI elections this week, and to especially vote for SOAR!

Weekly Blurb #2: External Outreach

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:23:14 -0700

Happy Week 3 everyone! I hope you have enjoyed learning a little about
your BSU Board and a little more about their roles in the community!
This week you are going to learn about what my role is in the this
organization and what my role is in the community as External Outreach.

For starters though! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is
Ayana Baines and I am a 2nd year Sociology major. I want to add on a
major in Political Science and become a civil rights attorney for
African-Americans. My role in the is organization is outreach to high
school students. The organization which heads it is called S.T.O.M.P.
(Students Tutoring and Outreaching to Minority Participants). Our
volunteers become tutors and mentors for the high school students. Our
job is to help prepare them for college and possibly recruit them to UCI
Irvine. I also outreach to local colleges and universities for
collaboration on events. Does any of this sound appealing to you?? Well
apply to be on board next year in the 2013-2014 school year.

A goal of mine is to leave a legacy behind when I graduate from UCI. Some
of my accomplishments have been following through on anything I have set
my mind too and getting A’s in three challenging classes. Sociology 161W
an upperdiv writing class,(Sociology of Gender), History 40C, and Physics
20B (Cosmology). If you are taking any of these classes feel free to
contact me! bainesa@uci.edu
Enjoy your week!

BSU Monday! & other opportunities!

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:17:00 -0700

Hello community, hoping your weekend went well and best wishes for your upcoming week!

As usual, there will be a BSU meeting tomorrow at 5pm in the CCC Ring Room! And make sure to come with us after the meeting for the CCC’s quarterly community dinner after our meeting!

Also, if you are interested in signing up for a course to learn about your cultural background, and communicating with others, sign up for the Sankofa Project - University Studies 42 - Course Code: 87700! Sankofa means to reach back and gather the best of what our
past has taught us, so that we can achieve our full potential as we move forward. For any questions, E-mail Dr. Zahra Ahmed with questions at ahmedz@uci.edu

Lastly, if you are a graduating senior looking to be involved in working in grassroots organizing, apply to be a Assistant Canvass Director
to run field campaigns on behalf of issue based organizations like Oxfam America, ACLU, The Nature Conservancy, and the Southern Poverty
Law Center. You can apply by emailing: mvelarde@grassrootscampaigns.com

See you all tomorrow!

Weekly Blurb #1: Co-Chairs

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:52:59 -0700

Hello community, as an introduction to our positions and elections at the end of this spring quarter, we will post weekly blurbs here about our positions this year in BSU.

To begin, here is a word from our cochairs this year - Ainaria Johnson & Kala Lacy:

In BSU we serve as Co-Chairs. With the help of our board we plan meetings, and events, delegate tasks, serve as official representatives of BSU, and read a lot of emails! We also often meet with our advisor Tammy, in Student Life and Leadership (you should meet her if you haven’t!), and other influential faculty and staff members. We meet with the Black Leaders On Campus a few times a year to plan events like the Black Family Outing (a picnic for all Black students at the end of the year) and the Fall Harvest.

From Ria:

I’m a 4th year Senior with an African-American Studies major with minors in Education and Women’s Studies. My goal this quarter is to get a 4.0, Study buddies where you at!?

My successes at UCI have included getting an A+ in my first class and starting on the UCI Club water polo team as a freshman. My favorite class was a Women’s Studies class called HIV/AIDS with Professor Kim, as a second year. When I took this class I was a bio major but this was my first experience of critical thought. Learning about women in a conversation with HIV/AIDS really opened up my eyes and let me think about the world in a new way.

In college, I’ve learned that I shouldn’t be shy to ask for help. There are so many resources right at your fingertips, you just have to ask. Also, I’ve learned that when looking for love, it runs away from you, so take your time.

ainariaj@uci.edu 7085167084

From Kala:

What’s gucci! My name is Kala Lacy and I’m a third year Psych and Social Behavior major with an African-American Studies and French minor. While here, some of my major accomplishments have been being elected as BSU
Co-Chair, of course, various recognitions from Black faculty and staff, and becoming a research assistant for a lab on campus studying prison populations.

So far, I’ve learned a lot about self preservation in the form of
expression. For me, that means actually speaking about things that matter to me.

I’ve also learned a lot about social politics and what I believe
about the world and how it operates from my perspective.
Feel free to hit me up anytime! mlacy@uci.edu