voice magazine: the unapologetic issue (february 2016)

Voice Magazine

# Bl ackGir l Magic

# Car ef r eeBl ackBoy

For mat ion: Beyonce's Love Let t er

The magical bl ack women of r ut gers

FEATURING:

Tabl e of Cont ent s

2 | Voi ce M agazine | Tab le of Cont ent s

Fr om t he Edit or

Event s

Feat ur es

Ar t s and cul t ur e

Edit or ial s

4

5- 12

13- 25

26- 30

31- 35

BSU Opening Ceremonies Page 6

Cory Booker Visits RU Page 11

Magical Black Women at RU 0

Sister Souljah Visits RU Page 10

Formation: Beyonce's Loveletter Page 23

Dear America,

I am not going to

apologize for terrorism

Page 33

Race and Digital Feminism Page 8

Hometown Hero: J.Cole Page 28

Voice M agazine St af f 20 16

3 | Voi ce M agazine | St af f

Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor Public Relations /Treasurer

Chief Photographer Staff Writer

Staff WriterStaff WriterStaff Writer

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

BSU Opening Ceremonies Page 6

Dear America,

I am not going to

apologize for terrorism

3

4 | Voi ce M agazine | From t he Ed i t or

Dear Reader,

Welcome back! It?s nice to have you back again af ter a brief winter break hiatus. So much has happened since our last issue, i t would take several let ters so get i t al l down. The most important thing that has happened is that Voice Magazine is back in print ! If you?re physical ly holding a copy then I suppose you already knew. If you?re reading this digital ly, please go to your nearest Rutgers newsstand and pick one up. Thank you!

The theme of this issue is ?Unapologet ic?. Here we observe what i t means to be unapologet ical ly who you are in every sense. Our feature photo spread ?# BlackGirlMagic? and ?# Caref reeBlackMan? embodies this sent iment , as these Rutgers students ful ly embrace who they are without any threat to their femininity or mascul inity. Let?s be honest . We l ive in a world that wants us to apologize for who we are, whether i t be our race, nat ional ity, ethnicity, or even rel igion. Apologizing for who you are takes many forms. It?s beginning a heart fel t comment with, ?I?m sorry but? ?. It?s saying your long ethnic name to a new person, having them mispronounce it , and then saying, ?Yea, sorry it?s compl icated. Cal l me [insert monosyl labic name here]?. It?s toning down your ?loudness? so people don?t stereotype you. It?s apologizing when somebody wrinkles their nose at your ?smel ly? ethnic food. Readers! Apologizing for who you are means denying who you are. If you deny who you are then who are you? Be unapologet ic! Be you! Everybody may not accept you, but the people who matter wil l . And that , dear readers, makes al l the dif ference.

Stay unapologet ic. Stay unabashed. Stay unashamed.

Sincerely,

Ijeoma UnachukwuEditor-in-Chief

Thank you once again for choosing Voice Magazine, the one and only magazine of the minorities at Rutgers. We?re your voice, your megaphone and your platform. A special thanks goes to my staff, the National Association of Black Journalists- Rutgers Chapter staff, our wonderful advisor Kiyanna Stewart, and the select Rutgers administration and faculty who have continued to support this historical Rutgers publication. None of this would be possible without you.

f r om t he edit or

**Cover art by Jasanna Sevier. Photos on pg 5,6,14-19 by Joyy Taylor. Art on pg 26 by Matthew Gamble.

5 | Voi ce M agazine | Event s

EVENTS

raised their hands. ?How are we supposed to f ight for ourselves if we don?t even know what?s happening,? said Lawal.

Aside from speaking about the Black Lives Matter movement, Hamm talked about other issues such as high tuit ion rates and equality for students. Olamide Gureje was moved by Hamm?s statements on tuit ion.

?My biggest takeaway is to more so, stand up for what we believe in,? said Gureje. ?For me personally, the tuit ion rates are extremely high and they continue to go high?. Gureje said she realized the importance of taking a stand against high tuit ion rates.

Hamm urged the students to not only remain informed, but stay unif ied.

This classy event was decorated by Rutgers Alumna Imani Johnson of Events by Imani. The soundtrack of the night included our favorite throwbacks thanks to Show Case.

The Black Student Union hosted their annual opening ceremonies on Saturday, January 30th. Minority organizations convened to ring in Black History Month. This year?s theme, ?The Re-revolution?.

The ceremonies opened with a welcome from BSU president, Dionne Higginbotham followed by the Black National Anthem lead by the Liberated Gospel Choir.Several organizations including Douglass D.I.V.A.S., Black Lives Matter, Palestine Children?s Relief Fund, and the Mountain View Project gave presentations on people who have made great contributions to society that they thought should be recognized during Black History Month.

"You can?t understand what?s going on around you unless you understand what happened before."

The highlight of the event was the keynote speaker, Lawrence Hamm. Hamm is a Princeton alum, activist, father of three Rutgers students (past and present), and much more. Hamm addressed the audience to encourage, educate, and bring fuel to the ?Re-revolution?. He spoke to the students about how to be in ?the f ight?, but most importantly, having patience while in the f ight because change doesn?t happen overnight. Hamm?s wise words resonated with the crowd, ?You can?t understand what?s going on around you unless you understand what happened before?.

Attendee Adeola Lawal was really inspired by Hamm?s address. She appreciated the knowledge that Hamm shared. Hamm asked the audience if they knew about particular events, that didn't receive much media attention, and very few people

BLACK STUDENT UNION OPENS BLACK HISTORY MONTH CEREMONIES by LaToya Dove


Bl ackbal l ed Author Lawrence Ross

kicked of f Black History month and the start of his tour, here at Rutgers University. The author t ravel led al l the way f rom Cal ifornia to give us a speech about The Black and White Pol it ics of Race on America?s campuses while promot ing the release of his new book, Blackbal led.

Ross is the author of 5 other books, including The Divine Nine: The History of Af rican American Fraternit ies and Sororit ies. He graduated with a B.A of History f rom the University of Cal ifornia, Berkeley.

Rutgers Greek Life was present in the audience, as Ross, a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated began his speech by get t ing to know his audience. He then went on to feel the crowd by having the audience make noise when their race is cal led, start ing with the black folks. By the t ime he came to say

the last race, white, the audience was almost si lent as if they weren?t proud to represent their race, which was the point he wanted to make. The start of his speech made some of the crowd squirm in their seats.

Ross highl ighted the recent incidents with Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) and their racist chant that went viral af ter i t was recorded on a bus at the University Of Oklahoma exploit ing their segregat ionist roots. He talks about how media played a major role in the handl ing of the situat ion by explaining that ?three izes equals a miss? inferring that when you minimize, t rivial ize, and steri l ize a situat ion it

becomes a dismiss.

These are the foundat ions of campus racism. Most high school students are not thinking about racism in col lege, instead they see col lege represent ing diversity and col lect ivity yet at American universit ies, students of color get a rude awakening.

Ross ended his speech by giving Rutgers students the fol lowing keys :

Ross leave us al l with a choice to make: Destroy white supremacy and racism, or perpetuate it .

?Race in itsel f is a biological nothing?

How to Stop Campus Racism:

1.Get Your Shit Together

2.Stop Doing Racist Things

3. Silence is Violence

4.We do not give a damn about

your black best f riend

5.Recognize the white privi lege you have, and

then do something about

i t .

6.Humble yoursel f and empathize

by Joyy Taylor


RACE AND DIGITAL

# FEMINISM her talk, Dr. Cooper explained that in this modern day and age, the vibrant act ivity of feminism is happening onl ine. With the emergence of social media and blogs, feminists today are producing more content than ever before. At the same t ime, budding feminists also have unprecedented access to feminist theory texts onl ine and get the most of their educat ion through digital media. However, there is a signif icant amount of women in the academy who are also engaged in feminist studies and part icipate in the f ight for equal ity. The radical , unmoderated form of feminism that is seen onl ine tends to have a st ronger focus on just ice, or issues beyond equal ity. The l iberal , academic form of feminism aims to achieve equal rights between men and women. As a resul t , the dist inct ion in these two kinds of feminism becomes more apparent and can cause tensions regarding the overal l percept ion of feminism in society. Therefore, the main quest ion becomes how we can address the two contrast ing sides of feminism and possibly f ind some common ground.

Dr. Cooper?s next point focused on the role of women of color in onl ine spaces. Their role is unique in that a majority of the t ime, they are seen as teachers, whose responsibi l i ty is to educate the community on the issues af fect ing their race. However, this can be a burden to women of color, who are forced into a

On February 15th, 2016, the Douglass Dean?s Col loquium series hosted an event featuring Dr. Brit tney Cooper, who is an Assistant Professor of Women?s and Gender Studies and Af ricana Studies. Cooper is also one of the co-founders of the Crunk Feminist Col lect ive blog and is current ly in the process of complet ing her f irst book Race Women: Gender and the Making of a Black Publ ic Intel lectual Tradit ion, 1892-Present . In

7 | Out door M agazine Oct 20 16

by Martha Ugwu


This can be a burden to women of color, who are forced into a

posit ion of having to prove why their movement is legit imate,

which only gets in the way of any progress being made.

feminism seems to only benef it white women and forgets to include the needs and concerns of minorit ies, who have to work twice as hard to get nearly as much recognit ion. Also, the existence of compl icated sol idarit ies raise some issues because of the lack of mutual ity in the protest ing of racial injust ices. In many cases, women of color are expected to support white feminists in their protests but never receive the same kind of outreach when similar events happen in their own community. At the same t ime, crit iques by white people of prominent social movements by people of color also creates some host i l i ty due to the fact that people of color are held to a dif ferent standard than white people when it comes to social act ivism.

Final ly, the debate about f reedom of speech and to whom this const itut ional right extends to has also come under f ire because there seems to be conf l ict ing views of what can be said under this rule and the level of consequences that should be handed out . Dr. Cooper emphasized that f reedom of speech is important for everyone; without i t , no one would be able to speak their mind f reely as we do now. However, just if ying hate speech by invoking the f irst amendment undermines the ef fect words can have and the accountabil i ty of what we say in publ ic spaces, especial ly on social media. Essent ial ly, f reedom of speech does not mean that people wil l be locked up for of fensive speech, but of fensive speech does come with consequences that should not be ignored. Speech that is harmful or of fensive should not be tolerated because it does not benef it anyone and only perpetuates the hateful bel iefs that cont inues to plague minorit ies in society.

posit ion of having to prove why their movement is legit imate, which only gets in the way of any progress being made. According to Cooper, al l ies who are seeking to help minorit ies with their cause should put more of their energy into service as opposed to passive support . This means act ively part icipat ing in events that are organized by minorit ies and elevat ing the voices of those who are of ten suppressed or ignored. In addit ion, the not ion that women of color should civi l ly engage in discourse in order to be taken seriously also hinders the progress of movements because it takes away at tent ion f rom the important issues that are more relevant to minorit ies and creates an atmosphere where women of color cannot express their t rue feel ings out of fear of being labeled ?angry,? and ul t imately looked down upon by society. To help prevent this f rom happening, the st igma that women of color who speak out against discourse and other forms of unfair t reatment are angry, irrat ional people should be torn down and taken out of popular bel ief .

One of the major problems associated with modern feminism is intersect ional ity. Dr. Cooper pointed out that the relat ionship between dif ferent populat ions of feminists is a compl icated one, mainly because the dynamics that exist between feminists f rom dif ferent racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. For example, a popular assumpt ion today is that white feminism usual ly overshadows the needs and


and also their futures, whether that be for individual success or for social activism. ?I set my mind this way: what I want to learn is what I need to learn to become useful. Not what they require me to do, but what I require of myself and what I need in order to bring something back to my people that will help us break out of the current condition that we are in,? said Souljah.

The activist spoke on the importance of educating yourself when taking on injustice and the need for plans of action when getting things done as a collective. She was not afraid to crit ique today?s college students either, as she remarked that they are too individualistic and get too caught up on their own rise to success that they forget about their communities that need help. Souljah, who helped lead the anti-Apartheid movement at Rutgers in the 1980s, said, ?I am not advocating fear but I am advocating organization, intell igent planning, follow through study and sacrif ice... When you sacrif ice, all things that stimulate your own desires- that?s going to the party, going to the game, you?ve got to cut back on some of those things.? On that rainy Tuesday night, Sister Souljah inspired all of those who came to hear her speak and left, with the students, some of her wisdom in what it means to be truly ?useful? in today?s society.

9 | Out door M agazine Oct 20 16

SISTER SOULJAHBusch student center?s Center Hall was humming with quiet chatter and excitement as over 200 people had gathered to hear Sister Souljah speak. There were people gathered in the front corner of the room and taking seats on the steps and f loor because all the chairs had been f il led. She was dressed in all black, her dark hair swept into a high bun and her piercing eyes observing the crowd, as she sat waiting to give her speech. In celebration of Black History Month, the Africana Department, in participation with the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, hosted a talk with Mayor Ras Baracka and the inf luential Sister Souljah on erasing the color l ine in society.Although people of various ages, t it les and backgrounds congregated to hear her talk, Souljah?s address was for the black students in the room and focused on the responsibil ity that they held as community members, social activists, students and individuals. The author, who hailed from Rutgers University herself , opened her speech describing her humble beginnings in the projects of New York, her family?s move to New Jersey and her experience as an undergraduate student at Rutgers.

?It doesn?t make any sense to be at such a wonderful place lost and confused, when this is the exact place where you can gain the knowledge that you need in order to become conscious and aware, to liberate your mind, to cleanse out your emotions, to claim your history


by Aaliyah Roulhac

With his charismatic nature and sense of humor, Sen. Booker provided life lessons that we should all incorporate into our daily l ives. Considering the racial turmoil that is affecting our nation today, he talked about his dream to unite the American people through the ?power of kindness.?

Ruth Mandel, Director of Eagleton, introduced Sen. Booker and his long-time friend Bobbi Brown to the audience of over 350 people. Bobbi Brown is a professional makeup artist and the founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. Director Mandel thanked Sen. Booker for partaking in the year-long celebration of Eagleton?s 60th anniversary. In an informal conversation style, Brown asked her good friend questions about his impactful relationship with his late father, his 7-year mayoral career, and his hopes of ?f inding the common ground? through a bipartisan consensus.

United provides inspirational stories about his personal l ife and polit ical career that has shaped him into the person he is today. The f irst few chapters sets the stage for a few of Senator Booker?s heroes, one including his late father, Cary Booker. Senator Cory Booker mentioned how much of an inspiration his father is in his life today. Having grown up in poverty to a single mother, in North Carolina, his father, was able to beat the racial and socioeconomic odds. Cory Booker reminisced on his father?s humor. As told by Senator Booker, Cary Booker joked, ?Don?t tell people I was poor. Don?t l ie to them! I couldn?t afford to be poor. I was just po?! P-O! I couldn?t afford to be poor!? Fortunately, the activism of the Civil Rights Movement allowed him to attend college and gain the opportunity to be one of the few African Americans to work in corporate America.

Even as a New Jersey celebrity and social media social media connoisseur, he talked about the dif f iculties he faced in his elected positions. As a mayor, Sen. Booker lived in an affordable housing unit called Brick Towers. He recounts his experience of l iving in a low-income community. He explained that if he wanted to make a positive impact in Newark, he needed to see how detrimental the negative effect was on the city. During his mayoral career, he took extensive efforts to combat the city?s crime and corruption, reduce the unemployment rate, and increase economic development.

As the crucial theme in his book, Sen. Booker reiterated the ?power of kindness? in the book talk. ?You see heroism every day,? Sen. Booker claimed. He exemplif ies this theme through the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. With so many people left homeless, many New Jerseyans opened their homes to other New Jerseyans that were displaced because of the storm. ?As much things as I have done as an elected off icial, they fail in comparison to what ordinary cit izens do out there every single day,? Sen. Booker noted. The ?power of kindness? ref lects the ordinary people that do the extraordinary things for other people in their communities. In reference to the Hurricane Sandy heroism, Sen. Booker said, ?My hope for our country is that we don?t just see that during times of crisis, but we manifest that for dealing with the unfinished business of addressing justice in this country.?

Sen. Booker expressed his concern with the American criminal justice system. He stated the criminal justice system is ?broken.? Criminal justice reform is a pressing issue that should not be taken lightly. In fact, Sen. Booker explains that the drug war targets certain communities. Even though white males sell more drugs than black males, black males in low-income areas are specif ically targeted. This f lawed criminal justice system enforces the law for the African American and Latino community, but sometimes disregards that same law for the white population. ?We have a system that treats you better if you?re rich and guilty than if you?re poor and innocent,? says Sen. Booker.

According to Senator Cory Booker, f inding a common ground and advancing the common good can be achieved with empathy and unity. Even with the problems that this nation is currently facing, Sen. Booker hopes that the American people can unite through the ?power of kindness? to f ind possible solutions.

CORYBOOKERIn honor of Black History Month, New Jersey?s f irst Af rican American senator, Cory Booker, came to speak at Rutgers University at the Douglass Campus Center on February 16, 2016. Hosted by the Eagleton Inst itute of Pol it ics and the Barnes and Noble at Rutgers University, Cory Booker spoke about his book, United: Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good.

by Juliana Odame Labi


The Af ricana Studies Program at Rutgers Camden invited the Nat ional Coal it ion of Blacks for Reparat ions in America (N?COBRA) to speak students Thursday night . Professor Mahdi Ibn-Ziyad int roduced the topic of reparat ions being passed due toward Af rican Americans.

The class was spl it up into f ive groups and each had a student leader. Each group was assigned a topic to discuss, and one of the feature topics was ?Reparat ions to Af rican Americans have already been paid.? The group shared that reparat ions have not been paid. ?Welfare was not created based on race, so it is not a reparat ion? one of the members said. ?There are more white people on wel fare than there are black. We st i l l haven?t got ten our 40 acres and a mule.? Resources are being held in banks, insurance companies and corporate businesses. Many businesses today were buil t f rom the money of the slave t rade. Many Af rican Americans are vict ims of consumer f raud f rom major banks, especial ly col lege students. Student loans are taken out f rom banks that thrived f rom the slave t rade. A power point lecture was presented on the history of Af rican American slaves. A report was shown that the reparat ions has been given back to other people except blacks. In 1830, General Wil l iam T. Sherman created an order that land grants that would be given to newly f reed slaves. It promised 40 acres and a mule, but that order never passed the House of Representat ives. ?Blacks who are el igible, should be granted checks f rom the money gained f rom the slave

t rade,? another member said. ?Blacks have the right to know which banks were created f rom the slave t rade so that they are aware when choosing banks.?

Money is not the only form of reparat ion that was discussed. Educat ion and media play a role as wel l . Student leader, Dashel l Shaw, bel ieves that people need to be more educated about Af rican American history. ?Textbooks need to be changed because schools have either been al tering history or not going in depth about the t ruth,? Shaw said. The media cont inues to control the image of Af rican Americans. Af rican Americans are seen in a negat ive l ight and not always acknowledged for their work. The hashtag # oscarsowhite is a term that is t rending, not only because of the unbalanced representat ion but lack of recognit ion for Af rican American work. The rights Af rican Americans have gained today was fought for. In order for something to be a reparat ion, i t has to be given in benevolence f rom

whites. The head of the Af ricana Department, Dr. Kevin Green bel ieves that whites owe reparat ions on a macro level . ?We are not looking for reparat ions f rom any individual . It needs to come f rom American businesses and corporat ions,? Dr. Green said. Af rican Americans who are ent it led to reparat ions has to be descendants of slaves. Another student leader, Nairobi Colon bel ieves that there should be a dist inct ion between which Af rican American gets reparat ions. ?There should be a system created to make sure the right people are get t ing back what was taken f rom them. It has to be fair,? Colon said. Dr. Green says that ent it lement should be a global process. Each country should have its own system of handl ing reparat ions. ?Black people, anywhere are ent it led to reparat ions if their ancestors suf fered slavery. It shouldn?t only be l imited to Americans, because slaves were scat tered al l around the world. Those who never got i t are ent it led to it .?

r ut ger s camden speaks out about

r epar at ionsAf r icana St udies pr ogr am r aises

awar eness on l ack of r epar at ions as a cr ime against humanit y

by Chi Chi Obi


FEATURES

13 | Voi ce M agazine | Feat ures

Bl a ckness

Bl a ck is not a ba dge

of sha me

but r a t her a

gl or ious symbol

of na t iona l

gr ea t ness

- Ma r cus Ga r v ey


Bl a ckness

Bl a ck is not a ba dge

of sha me

but r a t her a

gl or ious symbol

of na t iona l

gr ea t ness

- Ma r cus Ga r v ey

15| Voi ce M agazine | Feat ures

#Bl a ckGir l Ma gic

#Ca r ef r eeBl a ckMa n

bea ut y .

bea ming

bold .

br a ve.

blooming.

b ig - hea r t ed .

bliss f ul.

br il l ia n t .

bl a ck.


Donna Auston

Professor Donna Auston is a force to be reckoned with. Standing at f ive feet and f ive inches, you may not assume so, but looks can be deceiving. This anthropology PhD candidate has been through the Ferguson riots, protests, and teach ins and has been documenting them for a while now. Auston?s primary focus is Black Muslim activism in the context of the Black Lives Matter Movement as well as the overall portrayal of black Muslims at the moment.

While at least a full third of American Muslims are Black, making them the largest racial group within the American Muslim population, often times their stories are erased from the narrative. ?When we think of Black Muslims, we often think of voluntary immigrants from Africa, but many of us were not voluntary immigrants and that?s not necessarily what I?m looking into?, said Auston. According to Auston, Black Muslims are also overlooked when talking about Black religious

THE MAGICAL BLACK WOMEN

OF RUTGERS

# BlackGirlMagic. We?ve seen the hashtag, read the tweets, ogled over the Instagram pictures. You yoursel f may have used the hashtag for yoursel f or your Woman Crush Wednesday. Being magical is more than just taking amazing pictures and smil ing through the gl i t ter. Black girl magic is that amazing resil ience, that power that breeds success in the face of adversity. This issue, we interviewed two magical black women on campus to f ind out how they use their powers to empower others.


experiences. For example, in trying to gain the Black vote, Donald Trump attempted to have a meeting with 100 Black pastors. Nobody cared to consider the non-Christian black population. When we think of Martin Luther King?s activism, we automatically t ie it to his pastoral missions as well as the church. However, we never tie Malcom X and his ideology to his faith.

?People need to understand all of this and the intersectionality between race, gender and religion. When they do, it creates complications, but also possibil ity for hope, change, and freedom,? said Auston.

The African American movement towards Islam had roots in the ideology to challenge the status quo. After slavery and the Great Migration, African American communities became frustrated at how they saw religion play a part in their enslavement. To truly free themselves, they had to also unchain themselves from all mental frameworks they were taught to believe, including their Christian religion. In that sense, the Black Muslim movement was truly a movement of l iberation to create self-sustained communities and opportunities that were uniquely their own. So what place does this have in today?s renaissance of civil rights?

Auston explained that hate crimes against Muslims are at an all-t ime high as well as hate crimes against African Americans.

Islamophobia paired with racism is a dangerous pair, but it?s an unfortunate reality of being human, commented Auston. However, despite all of these things, she has a mission that she?s dedicated to and refuses to back down. It?s simply not in her character.

"You can't stop being who you are because there's someone out there who may be uncomfortable with it. There's always somebody who's not going to like it. Sometimes the backlash is severe and sometimes it 's very violent. This is what our ancestors did and they fought so we can live with the imperfect freedoms that we had. Our task is to continue that in any way we?re able,? said Auston.

So what makes black women so magical? Auston replied, ?There?s something about being despised by almost everyone in the world, but stil l managing to be bril l iant and beautiful under these conditions. I want my daughters to understand that they?re magnif icent and beautiful. Don?t be afraid to claim it?.

Dr. Brit tney CooperDr. Brittney Cooper of the Women?s and Gender Studies Department wants answer one question: What will it take for black women to become free? The answer to that is exactly as complicated as it seems.

She believes that Black women stil l remain

THE MAGICAL BLACK WOMEN

OF RUTGERS You can't stop being who you are because

there's someone out there who may be

uncomfortable with it.


invisible. Studies looking at incarceration, mental health, and education mostly focus on Black males and not their female counterparts. It is only recently that researchers have begun seeing Black women as a worthy subject. According to Dr. Cooper, Black female schoolchildren are suspended six times as often in comparison to their white counterparts. This can be due to the fact that they?re seen as overly aggressive and have higher of sexual harassment or abuse. Unfortunately, this has negative outcomes on their achievement or their behavior. While th

is phenomenon is not new, the research is.

Black women deserve to be heard in any way they know how, demands Dr. Cooper. These sentiments bore the beginnings of her crunk feminist movement. The movement began in Cooper?s undergraduate days at Howard University. A group of outspoken, unapologetic women who enjoyed jamming out to crunk music decided that they did not have to put what they love aside because it does not f it exactly into feminist polit ics.

?There is a feminism of shaking your ass in the club. It?s how we can work out our trauma and how the music f its its way into the body. It?s unapologetically us. We?re not interested in being polite,? said Dr. Cooper.

According to her, black women since the 19th century could be described as crunk, although not in the modern sense. While they held fast to some of society?s standards, they completely rejected others

to f ight for the well-being of their race. Together, they created spaces for black people to survive. That, Cooper explains, is the essence of crunk.

Some other role models include her mother, Ida B. Wells, Paula Murray, and a list of others because she refuses to pick just one. ?It?s impossible to pick just one because that

was never a sustainable role model for how black women effect change. They always had a crew and they always worked together. Even me, I?m not here because of my own steam. It?s because I had black feminists before me and

guiding me, ?said Dr. Cooper.

So what makes black girls so magical? Cooper describes it as the way black women and girls can make a way out of no way. They can look at anything and build something out nothing and soul-food out of scraps.

?The world can tel l us we?re nothing, but we st i l l walk around l ike we?re the shit?, said Dr. Cooper.

This crunk feminist just wants to leave one legacy: Be unapologetic. Never apologize for who you are or how you do things. Make sure you?re the best at it and that?s it.


Format ion: Beyonce's Love Let ter To Black Cul ture

On Saturday February 6, 2016, Beyoncé dropped a new single t i t led ?Format ion? by surprise along with a music video, uploaded to YouTube, al l to the del ight of fans. The same song she would perform a day later at Super Bowl 2016.

With boldness and conf idence, Beyoncé comes out onto the f ield, wearing a black leather jacket and high heels with the company of other leather-clad and black women who rocked af ros quite. Consequent ial ly the song, music video, and performance have al l garnered praise, as wel l as controversy. However, i ts backlash should not be seen as a surprise given Beyoncé?s widespread fame and this nat ion?s confused ideas on race.

Though ordinary people of minority groups have been scrut inized for speaking about social issues on a day to day basis. Many entertainers who are minorit ies, have used their fame and success to address the issues that the minorit ies face. From to Marvin Gaye?s What?s Going On to Janet Jackson?s Rhythm Nat ion 1814 to Kendrick Lamar?s To Pimp a But terf ly album. Social ly

conscious songs are not new, though many of their meaningful lyrics may go unnot iced by inat tent ive l isteners. However, Beyoncé?s decision to include a music video and a powerful l ive performance has forced the American publ ic to take note to what her lyrics are t rying to say. Because of that decision, Format ion has achieved widespread at tent ion and controversy.

The music video opens with audio of the New Orleans resident and late YouTube sensat ion Messy Mya, ?What Happened at the New Orleans?? Beyoncé is seen on top of a pol ice car which is f loat ing in the waters of a f looded New Orleans. Al luding to Hurricane Katrina and the catastrophe that i t was to the populat ion.Beyoncé proudly references her parents? origins, her mixed heritage, and her Texas upbringing. She proudly af f irms that she l ikes ?baby heir with baby hair and af ros? with Blue Ivy proudly showing her natural hair. And conf irms

to the audience that she?s st i l l Black and st i l l Southern despite her f inancial success.

The Queen of Bounce music and Black LGBT icon, Big Freeda is also featured in the song. One of the most poignant scenes is a l i t t le Black boy with a hood on, dancing in f ront of a swarm of armed White pol ice of f icers. The boy f inishes his dance and raise his hands up and the cops raise their


hands up in unison. A blatant reference to ?Hands Up, Don?t Shoot?. The scene then t ransit ions to a wal l with graf f i t i pleading ?Stop Shoot ing Us?. The l ines in the song are f i l led with st rong inspirat ion such as ?you just might be a black Bil l Gates in the making? and ?now let 's get in format ion? and ?the best revenge is your paper?. The obtainment

of educat ion, weal th and success as a Black person is the best revenge against systemic racism and White supremacy.

The video ends with Beyoncé laying on top of the f loat ing pol ice car and sinking into the waters, assumedly to her death. Symbol izing the loss of l ives due to Hurricane Katrina and the fai lure of the pol ice and government to take act ion.

Another important element is that this video featured many Black people f rom various backgrounds in Southern Black communit ies. This video succeeds in paint ing an extremely accurate depict ion of Black cul ture as it real ly is, for i t is not a monol ith, for we are al l

diverse and unique f rom one another as any other race. However, despite the dif ferences, we al l share a cul ture, history and a legacy and formed a community. Beyoncé is celebrat ing al l types of Blackness and is represent ing every side of Black cul ture that is marginal ized.

Controversy around the song arose most ly due to the Super Bowl performance. The imagery of the performance features Beyoncé wearing a black leather jacket which serves as a t ribute to Michael Jackson?s jacket that her donned for his Dangerous tour. While her backup dancers have af ros covered with black berets which is a t ribute to The Black Panther party whose 50th anniversary was this year.

Much of the backlash towards Beyonce has been f rom Fox News. Former mayor of New York, Rudy Giul iani said it was outrageous that she used the Super Bowl to promote an ant i-pol ice agenda. Bit ter viewers have t ried to start a movement cal led # Boycot tBeyonce. Making claims that she is racist , ant ipol ice, and that the song is a form of ?hate speech?.

Many people, fans, and crit ics have praised Beyoncé for being unapologet ical ly Black and support ing Black Lives Matter. In fact , Al icia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, personal ly thanked Beyoncé and


welcomed her to the movement. Also, The Nat ional Alumni Associat ion of the Black Panther Party has also thanked Beyoncé for making a statement on nat ional television despite the risks that come with it .

In response to the backlash that Beyoncé has been receiving, many have come to her defense. Rapper Kil ler Mike asserts that the video has nothing to say about White people and was intended to speak to a Black audience instead.

Jessica Wil l iams, a correspondent for The Daily Show, also crit icized the backlash. According to Wil l iams, i t is hypocrit ical that Beyoncé is being crit icized for voicing her views when other art ists have done the same. Overal l , i t is safe to say that Beyoncé has garnered massive controversy because of the fact that she is refusing to go along with the i l lusion of a ?race f ree? America and is proudly embracing her heritage.

Using the plat form of pop music, she has chosen to go deep into a territory that is of ten ignored. The territory of social consciousness. America may or may not be ready to handle the fact that one of their major pop icons who was long been viewed as ?safe? and ?inof fensive?, is now choosing to tackle deep and grit ty issues with her success.

Beyoncé is rumored to have a new album on the way, the details of the new album are current ly unknown. We can al l hope that this new project can be a plat form for Beyoncé to delve into more heavy-handed sociopol it ical and cul tural topics and possibly make an album that can speak for our generat ion. An album that is both raw, thought-provoking, and can stand the test of t ime.

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25 | Voi ce M agazine | Art s & Cul t ure

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MARTHA UGWU

The Birth of a Nat ion? Reclaims a Part of American History

One of the major highlights to come out of this year?s Sundance Film Fest ival was the premiere of Nate Parker?s dar ing director ial debut in The Bir th of a Nat ion. Not only did Parker direct the fi lm, but he also wrote, produced, and starred as the movie?s hero, Nat Turner. For Parker, this f i lm has been passionate dream of his since his days of at tending the University of Oklahoma. In an interview he did with PEOPLE magazine, Parker speaks highly of Turner, whose story capt ivated him as a young man. ?In college, if someone [asked] me who my hero [was] , the answer they'd get without hesitat ion was Nat Turner,? he told People. He goes on to explain how he t r ies to model his own life as Turner?s, using his ideology about r ighteousness and faith. Now, that obsession has culminated in the creat ion of a powerful independent f i lm which just won the two top pr izes at Sundance, the U.S. Dramat ic Grand Jury Pr ize and the U.S. Dramat ic Audience Award. I t also made history when Fox Searchlight bought the dist r ibut ion r ights to the fi lm for a record-set t ing $17.5 million, the highest sale in the fest ival?s history, thus solidifying the fi lm?s status as a possible commercial success and a ser ious contender for the Oscars in 2017.

The Bir th of a Nat ion, which shares the same name with D.W. Griff ith's 1915 silent f i lm based on The Clansmen, recounts the famous 1831 slave rebellion led by Nat Turner, an Afr ican-American slave and preacher who, fueled by anger from the at rocit ies he?s witnessed, convinces his fellow slaves to stand up against their masters. The scr ipt draws its inspirat ion from the first -hand account of Turner?s confessions as recorded by Thomas Ruffin Gray in The Confessions of Nat Turner and from William Styron?s 1968 Pulitzer Pr ize-winning novel of the

same name. Aside from Parker, the fi lm also stars Armie Hammer, Jackie Ear le Haley, and Aja Naomi K ing. Unlike 2013?s Oscar winner for Best Picture, 12 Years a Slave, which was praised for it s art fulness and the dignity it brought to the tale of Solomon Northup, Parker?s Bir th of a Nat ion uses a more gr it ty approach while br inging the events of the rebellion to light on the silver screen, providing a raw and unflinching port rayal of the brave men and women who fought willingly for their freedom. In comparison to it s f lagrant ly racist 1915 counterpart , this f i lm is more based in realism and makes an emphat ic at tempt to alleviate some of the st igma associated with the belief that slaves allowed themselves to be t reated with such cruelty.

What makes the t iming of The Bir th of a Nat ion so significant is not only that it is happening a lit t le over 100 years after the release of the first blockbuster in movie history, but that it comes at a t ime where so many eyes are locked on the current state of diversity in Hollywood fi lms and the recognit ion of non-white actors for their work. With so many people pushing for the movie indust ry to make st r ides to be more inclusive, a fi lm like The Bir th of a Nat ion can potent ially change the way Afr ican-Americans are t reated in Hollywood, both in front of and behind the camera. For Nate Parker, whose most notable fi lm credits include Non-Stop, Red Tails, and The Great Debaters, this passion project is his opposit ion to the lack of dignified roles for black actors. I f all the pieces fall in the r ight places, The Bir th of a Nat ion can inspire a new generat ion of f i lmmakers who will use their ar t ist ic voices to address the problems in society that often get over looked or suppressed.

On Jan. 9, HBO premiered the ?J. Cole Forest Hills Drive: Homecoming? concert documentary after teasing fans for weeks.Directed by Scott Lazer, the 90-minute special is the f if th and f inal installment of HBO?s ?Road to Homecoming? series, with half-hour segments feeding hungry fans with glimpses of the rapper?s life on his recent ?Forest Hills Drive? tour. While Cole gif ted his hometown with unmatchable energy and authenticity, the focal point of the documentary was not the concert. In fact, it wasn?t even about the music.

Described in the press release as ?part concert f ilm, part backstage pass,? it comes at no surprise that a solid album, performed live by a solid artist, would produce a (you guessed it) solid concert f ilm. But subtract the music, and you?ll stil l be able to appreciate ?Homecoming? for the nostalgic, inspirational work of art that it is. Cole?s performances are intertwined with vignettes of Fayetteville l ife, broadening the scope of the f ilm and building a storyline outside of the music.

?I feel l ike Fayetteville is a microcosm of America,? says Cole of the starkly dif ferent perceptions of the town. ?You got people struggling and suffering on one side of town, and on the other side of town, they?re totally oblivious.?

An upbeat resident featured in the f ilm described Fayetteville as a wonderful place to live in, a description juxtaposed against a group of women detailing the senseless crime that plagues the town. Plenty of opinions f il l the spectrum in-between, but Cole?s voice triumphs over all.

He intimately reveals what Fayetteville, f laws and all, means to him and why selling out the Crown meant more than selling out the entertainment mecca, Madison Square Garden.

I?m not going t o change, I wil l be humbl e t o mysel f and my cit y.



?That tells you how real a man can be, when he can say ?I?m not going to change, I will be humble to myself and my city,?? said one resident of Cole?s tireless homage. ?As an artist and as a person.?

The f ilm skillfully treads the border between ?moving documentary? and ?after-school special?. The sentiment expressed throughout is the importance of making something of yourself whilst stil l holding on to your roots ? in other words, how to not go Hollywood. Only in a refreshing, extremely personal l ight, is this message able to effectively reach viewers without sounding cliché. Cole brings us, not only into his world, but the world of Fayetteville residents, past and present. The stories weave together to paint a picture of resil ience ? ?Fayettenam? is not perfect, but artists like J. Cole make sure that it is not forgotten.

?The opportunity is in your mentality. Knowing what I know now, I didn?t necessarily have to leave [Fayetteville], to do what I did, I just had to switch my mentality.? Cole has cracked the code on snapping out of the small town mentality that tends to cloud a dreamer?s judgement. The lessons learned and accolades earned were immortalized on stage for viewers and Fayetteville to see.

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The love from a black woman Runs deeper than stony mountain Gets you higher than ecstasy Pulls you closer than magnets Takes you in , consumes you in ways you can't fathom That Ebony Majesty Speaks to your soul and not just your body Captures you, Holds you in spir it and blows your mind. It opens your eyes. This love from a black woman is deeply rooted , as we find time to erase society lines of how we define the love for ourselves , we have trouble finding the love for ourselves and when we do , we are able to share it with you, That's a passion that can't be ignored That's a passion wor th being explored and adored For it doesn't occur that often The love of a black woman Many will downplay Cast in the shadows Abandon in the mountains But we still find our ground Picking up pieces from our crown Allowing royalty to speak through our souls, our bodies, Without making a sound And still find time to love you The love of a black woman is vulnerable Yet indestructible, undefinable, unconquerable, and undeniable You have to see it to believe it Don't be afraid to be a witness.

The Love From a Black Woman

Essence Jar rell

30 | Voi ce M agazine | Ed i t or i als

Editorials

Essence Jar rell

By: Christina Callandril lo

The Zika Vir us

The 2016 Summer Olympics Games were seen as a spark of hope in Rio de Janeiro, potentially shining some light on Brazil?s declining economic situation. Unfortunately, after the World Cup (Brazil, 2014) a virus called ?Zika? emerged, affecting 1.5 mill ion people, possibly from Polynesia, says the New York Times. In 1947, during surveillance for yellow fever in the Zika forest of Uganda, the Zika virus was f irst seen in a captive rhesus monkey. The World Health Organization (WHO) shows that human cases of Zika were not discovered until 1952 in the United Republic of Tanzania. This mosquito-borne Zika virus is currently spreading through Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacif ic.Zika is transmitted via the Aedes mosquitoes - a genus of tropical and

subtropical zones, which also carry diseases like

dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever - though the WHO has noted possible sexual transmission in two cases. In these two cases, the virus was found in semen even after the symptoms had disappeared. Mosquitoes in general are known to bite in early morning or evening hours, l ive near the Zika virus, as more countries are reporting sporadic infections. Increases have been theorized to be due to global rises in temperature, increasing possible habitats for mosquitoes.

Potential neurological and autoimmune complications are also arising due to Zika virus contraction. In Brazil, there is fear that contracting the Zika virus increases


the chances for Guillain-Barré syndrome - where antibodies attack its own body?s nerves in an autoimmune reaction - which can cause mild to severe cases, possibly leading to paralysis. Meanwhile in El Salvador, more babies are being born with microcephaly, which could be linked to vertical (mother-to-child) transmission of the disease. Microcephaly is an incomplete brain development and abnormal smallness of the head, commonly linked to drug abuse of the pregnant mother.

In this case, BBC has reported scientists f inding Zika in amniotic f luid, but research is ongoing. Dr. Bruce Aylward, executive director ad interim of the WHO?s Outbreaks and Health Emergencies cluster, noted that they are trying to rule out other causes, which may take another 6-9 months.

El Salvador is a conservative, religious nation, with over 50% of their population of Roman Catholic association, and women here have been urged to try not to get pregnant until 2018 (not a recommendation by the WHO). Vanessa Iraheta tells the New York Times, ?It?s not up to the government; it?s up to God,?

speaking for many women questioning whether their rights are truly present. This matter has begun involving the Catholic Church and its stance on birth control under certain conditions. A drastic decision for women in El Salvador to avoid pregnancy

depends on other key factors, such as causation and if the epidemic is at its peak.

Thus far, there is no treatment or vaccine available for the Zika virus and the WHO advises prevention from mosquito bites - bug spray, avoiding travelling to countries seeing cases of Zika, and protected sex. Usually-mild symptoms may include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivit is, muscle and joint pain, and malaise or headaches. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that only 1 in 5 infected actually become il l, symptoms usually appearing for only 2-7 days, if appearing at all.

As far as the Rio Olympics are concerned, the CDC has advised pregnant or potentially pregnant women to avoid travelling to areas with Zika outbreaks, including Brazil. During the Olympics, Brazil will be in its winter season, which may reduce mosquito prevalence, but if patrons contract the virus and return to their homes in the heat of summer, it can be transmitted throughout many of their countries. Other areas to avoid include Bolivia, Cape Verde, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haití, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Martin, Suriname, Samoa, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico.


Opinion pieces crit icizing the inaction of local Muslims and lamenting the reign of ISIS f looded the news for weeks after the attack. And who could forget the hashtag # JeSuisCharlie, which priorit ized hate speech over the rights of minority voices.

The Charlie Hebdo artists didn?t deserve to die, but that doesn?t mean they should be venerated. Freedom of speech has its l imits, and that l ine is crossed with the blatant defamation of other religions. And in a country that preaches freedom and tolerance, Muslim women worry about how they?ll

be treated if they choose to wear a hijab.

Why is it that when a Christian or Jewish or atheist person commits an act of terrorism, the media almost never mentions the person?s religious aff il iation? And yet, when a Muslim person commits one, ?Muslim? is bolded in every headline? When a Muslim is responsible, the

word terrorist is thrown around without a moment?s hesitation, and an entire population is held to blame for the radical actions of a few crazy extremists. Muslim-Americans are considerably more likely to experience racial or religious discrimination, and yet we are often forgotten when we are the

How many times do we need to apologize for ourselves? How many times do we need to say sorry for the actions of people we don?t know, for crimes we have never committed? I?m not apologizing anymore. There?s no reason for me to.

The merciless murders of three Syrian-Americans at UNC-Chapel Hill show that terrorism has no boundaries? Muslim, atheist, or anyone else? and that blind hatred isn?t l imited to Muslims. Yet how much media coverage did the UNC shooting receive?

The US media didn?t cover the shooting until there was intense social media backlash. The Arab American News noted the coverage by a Brit ish publication a full f ive hours before major American coverage began. What does that say about the fate of Muslim-American victims at the hands of our media? Has Chapel Hill set the standard for more stereotyping, more hatred, and more marginalization of the Muslim-American community?

Compare UNC?s coverage to the coverage of the Charlie Hebdo attack. Within minutes, my Twitter feed exploded with possible suspects, maps of the area, and breaking headlines across the board.

Dear America,

I am not going to apologize for terrorism...

By Bushra Hasan


victims.

According to the US media, Muslim lives matter only if they are the ones on the shooting side of the gun, the triggering side of the bomb? not if they are the ones being kil led, not if it is their families that are being torn apart by raging bullets.

I will not apologize for my faith because of the actions of radical terrorists. It is grossly unfair to label an entire population on the basis of the actions of a few. Islam is not only a religion, but also a culture, deeply rooted in the values of love and peace and caring for one another. These terrorists have twisted and skewed the words of the Quran to justify their actions by saying they?re carrying out their duty as Muslims, when, in reality, they?re not truly Muslims at all, and do not represent our beliefs in the slightest.

For centuries, black women have consistently been torn down, whether it?s from oppression or by our own community. There is much talk about the struggle of black men and their identit ies by which many black women stand by. A black woman has always been the backbone of a black man, especially during the brutalit ies of the past and present. Black men don?t usually have to worry about the women not taking their side. History has proven time and time again that women have and stil l continue to stand by their men.

The Strong Black Woman

By Chichi Obi

So no, I will not apologize or suffer the consequences of the disgusting actions of others. Followers of Islam? 23 percent of the world?s population? are punished by stereotypes that are perpetuated because of those who just happened to call themselves Muslims, and that?s ridiculous.It?s 2015, people. How much longer will we judge an entire group based on its vocal minorit ies, or perpetuate double standards against entire cultures, or preach tolerance and equality while discrimination clearly stil l runs rampant? We?re not sorry for making noise about injustice, for getting angry about the hijab ban, or for being on the right side of history.

When it comes to the survival and the identity of black women, rall ies of black men are nowhere to be found. There are many injustices toward black women that have not become nationalized or even recognized. The only major conflict that was known is Sarah Bland. Black women have always been kil led, beaten, and raped by off icers but the struggle continues to go unnoticed. The hashtag ?# sayhername? was created to raise awareness for brutalit ies against black women but it really hasn?t caught much press. Oklahoma City police off icer,


Daniel Holtzclaw raped 13 black women but this stil l didn?t create a huge outrage among the black community. There was nothing heard from Black Lives Matter or any type of protest in the streets. If it had been 13 white women, that story would have made headlines for days. The only ones speaking out against the brutalit ies are black women activists, but they cannot create a huge inf luence if their work is severely devalued.

Where does this leave black women? Although black men cannot benefit from white privilege, it is very clear that they stil l benefit from male privilege. Black women continuously have to f ight on their own or their work will be completely dimmed out. Feminism, higher paying jobs, beauty standards, and any other status were not created for black women. These were all created to exclude them and to keep them from being good enough. Black men have been riding this notion that even though black women stick by their side, they are stil l the least desirable, uneducated, gold digging women out there. The most popular stigma of all, is that they are ?too angry?.

When black women speak out against injustices, they are told that they are too angry. Black women have every right to be angry with the system, just as much as black men. Black women suffer from oppression alongside black men, but

for some reason, black women are looked at as angry or too hostile. This notion of the ?angry? black women has made many black men run into the arms of white women who the system says are more submissive, secure, and tolerant.

The dif ference between white and black women is that black women are stil l f ighting for the justice that has never been given for many centuries. Regardless of the struggle white women face, they stil l benefit from a nation that holds white women on a pedestal.

Black women are not an angry group of women, rather a strong

group. It takes a lot of strength for a

black woman, who is at the bottom of the totem pole, to be able to withstand social and systematic

oppression. It takes a strong

black woman to demand a higher paying

job so she can care for herself and her family. It takes a strong black woman to continue to stand by black men when the system attacks. It takes a strong black woman to know her history and want to f ight for change.


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