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Battle of the Bears: UCLA Bruins v Cal Golden Bears (MBB)

by Krystal Tome
written by Krystal Tome

As the amount of times we hear “Dreams and Nightmares” in Pauley Pavilion dwindles, the team and crowd’s energy grows. With only two more games left at home, Bruin fans sold-out the arena on Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s birthday (February 18th) following Amari Bailey’s birthday (February 17th). Smiles and cheers filled the stands and the court as the Bruins won by a 35-point lead.

Saturday, February 18th, was UCLA’s MBB game against UC Berkeley ending with a score of 78-43, adding even more heft to the claim that UCLA is the #1 public university. With the Bruins racking up 38 points in the first half, giving them a 23-point lead, many players were able to get on the court for more time than in previous games. Dylan Andrews (#2), Will McClendon (#4), and Mac Etienne (#12) were each on the court for 17 minutes. McClendon assisted Andrews in a layup, helped Singleton (#34) score a three-pointer, and made a jumper assisted by Singleton, exhibiting an interesting dynamic between #4 and #34. 

To celebrate Black History Month, during halftime Heartbeat Music & Performing Arts Academy performed with an amazing marching drumline and majorette performance. Members of the Black Student-Athlete Alliance made an appearance on the court, bringing awareness to the club and the community they have cultivated.

To end this celebratory night, with the score at 75-42, Russell Stong IV (#43) rose from the bench and strutted onto the court, following multiple “We Want Russell” chants. With two minutes to the end of the 2nd half, Stong contributed with a crowd-thundering free throw within the last two minutes of the game.

[They were] on [their] grind and now [they] got what [they] deserve – “Dreams and Nightmares”

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A Bruin Weekend: UCLA v. Washington & Washington State (MBB)

by Krystal Tome
written by Krystal Tome

By: Krystal Tome

Last Thursday (February 2nd), the UCLA Bruins went up against the Washington Huskies (University of Washington) during a game of men’s basketball. With the final score of 70-61, the Bruins earned a much needed and deserved win after losses against USC (64-77) and Arizona (52-58). With an improvement on offense, UCLA dominated the first half which facilitated their win against the Huskies. Between the total of Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s (#24) 10 rebounds, Amari Bailey’s (#5) 66% shooting accuracy, and Adem Bona’s (#4) continuous slam dunks, lots of talent was showcased in Pauley that Thursday night.

Although Thursday brought another win for the Bruins, commenters on Instagram have been recusing the team for their playing during the second halves of recent games:

“Gotta limit the second half turnovers” – @uclabreakdown

“a W is a W but… this team needs to figure out how to play in the second halves.” – @fleur.de.lis

With these types of comments under @uclambb’s post documenting the final score of 70-61, one can only wonder how this affects the players and their mental states during games and preparation. In the press room after this 70-61 win, I asked if being back in Pauley Pavilion (the previous two games had been away) had affected the players’ mental states. Jaime Jaquez then responded with “I’m one of the older guys here, so I know that my time is dwindling… in Pauley Pavilion, so one of the things I’ve been telling the guys is, ‘Man, we just gotta enjoy this last little stretch that we have, and really just make the most of it, play our hearts out.’”

Also on mental health, Jaime Jaquez and David Singleton shared on pressures and how that can affect a game, physically and emotionally on Saturday February 4th, after the game against Washington State.

Jaime Jaquez stated, “As a team, you get pressure from outside sources, media. I think we played with a lot more positive attitude…and I think that’s what went into this game.” Attributing the positive attitude to pep talk David Singleton (#34) gave to the team, Singleton then added “I only have so many games left… it’s not hitting me yet, but it’s creeping. I decided I want to play my heart out tonight.”

UCLA v Washington State ended in a 76-52 score with the Bruins taking the win. Notably, Bona made 4-5 of his shots, Clark (#0) and Bailey both made 50% of their 3-pointers, and Jaquez carried with 15 rebounds. 

The years of training, refining their craft, and raw, natural talent all contributed to the Bruin’s wins this past weekend, but it is also important to note that the psychological aspect of the game also has major effects. Whether it be the great desire to win, meditating on their remaining time in Pauley, taking the pressure off, or focusing on having a positive attitude, it is clear that basketball is not only a physical game, but a mental one as well.

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The Fight for a COLA at UCLA Gains More Traction

by Josian Zuniga
written by Josian Zuniga

Photo from @UCLA4COLA Instagram

Emotions were riding high the morning of March 5th as the graduate-student fight for a cost of living adjustment (aka COLA) reached new heights during a rally held on Janss Steps. Over 500 graduates, undergraduates, faculty, and allies took part in a UC-wide walkout to protest the administration’s refusal to pay graduate students a living wage.

Thursday’s protest comes as a result of various labor injustices across the UC campuses, most notably the firing of 54 graduate students at UC Santa Cruz just last week. Protestors are arguing that the fired grads at UCSC will now not be able to feed their families or have TA jobs in the spring. Furthermore, they worry that international students are now at risk of de facto deportation.

In the assembly following the rally, grad students overwhelmingly voted in support of a full wildcat strike through the department-by-department method. A wildcat strike is a strike without union support. A department-by-department method, in this scenario, means that once 10 departments have voted to support the strike, then the wildcat strike will be in full force.

Some teaching assistants and faculty took part in the walkout by cancelling class. Others, like Abraham Calderon, a Sociology PhD student who spoke at the rally, exercised his activism by bringing his class out to the rally. When asked why he chose to bring his class out instead of cancelling, Abraham said that he wanted to take the opportunity to connect the material taught in his American Interracial Dynamics classroom to something happening on our own campus.

The energy of the event was best captured when Jason De Leon, professor of Anthropology and Chicanx Studies, demonstrated his unapologetic support at the rally with his closing statement, “If my TA’s aren’t gonna teach, then I’m not gonna f***ing teach either!”  

When speaking with a group of Environmental Science grad students, topics about safety and comradery were highlighted. Candice said that she, “feels safe when I’m with you guys” in reference to the group she came with. 

Blanca said that the COLA strikes need more STEM departments to get involved and support, because the current representation has been lackluster. 

In regards to police involvement, Erick – an LA native – noted, “there has not been a good relationship with cops and minorities in the past,” and also said that the current policing for the COLA events reminds him of getting policed in high school. 

Undergrad students have also been coming to the picket line in support of a COLA for grad students.

Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlán (MEChA) and African-American Studies (AFAM) grads have also recently released their own statement of demands. MEChA against the administration of the Community Programs Office and AFAM students against the structure of their department. When asked about the upsurge in student activism from other organizations and departments, Bilqis Kulungu – a fourth year French and Arabic double major – said that, “COLA is serving as the catalyst for other departments to come out with their own demands.” 

Ana Lisa, a fourth year International Development Studies major, said that these collective movements demonstrate the hypocrisy of UCLA admin who advertise the flourishing diversity of this institution, but fail to actually implement inclusive policy and spaces for their students to thrive.

It is clear that the fight for a COLA is gaining visible traction across the state, and that the UC admin has been put into a difficult situation.

Keep a close eye on the voting results for a full-on wildcat strike, as well as on other departments who are riding the momentum of resistance. We may be in the midst of a large-scale reform movement at UCLA.

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Oscar Nominee, Jordan Peele, Teaches “Get Out” Inspired Class at UCLA

by Melody Gulliver
written by Melody Gulliver

Students rushed into a crowded lecture hall, shuffled through aisles, grasped their phones in eager anticipation, and scanned the room impatiently. Just a few days earlier Jordan Peele’s directorial debut ‘Get Out’ received an astonishing four Oscar nominations. And in just a few moments Peele was to walk through the door and lead a class discussion on the film.

Before answering any questions, Peele recited a touching anecdote about the impact representation has on young artists.

In 1991, a twelve-year-old Peele watched Whoopi Goldberg accept an Academy Award for her role in ‘Ghost.’ The moment was groundbreaking because it shattered notions that Black artists cannot succeed in a white-dominated industry. For it was not lack of ability, it was lack of opportunity.

“I remember internalizing that. Like wow, she’s speaking to me ‘cause this is something I want to do, I feel like I can do,” said Peele. “When the nominations came together last week, I realized the awards and the acknowledgment is bigger than me, and bigger than my personal accomplishment.”

The students applauded enthusiastically as if everyone in the room understood the historical weight of the film.

What distinguishes the film from other Oscar contenders is its unapologetic depiction of the modern Black experience. Instead of conforming to mainstream motion picture pressures, Peele actively opposed it. He knew it was a story that needed to be told. Told well and more importantly, told honestly.

Students asked several questions about the film’s process including artistic influences and production disagreements. One student inquired about the success of Black films and filmmakers in recent years including Barry Jenkin’s ‘Moonlight,’ Peele’s ‘Get Out, and Ryan Coogler’s ‘Black Panther.’ He wondered if this momentum reflected a temporary trend or stable progress.

Peele contended it was the latter.

“I think there is an ebb and flow. There are backlashes but I do feel…right now is the greatest time in Black film. We might be in the greatest time in film.”

Afrofuturist writer and professor, Tananarive Due, launched the pilot Get Out course last spring. Conveniently titled “The Sunken Place: Racism, Survival, and the Black Aesthetic,” the course explores the overlooked nuances, history, and pioneers of the genre, including William Du Bois and Octavia Butler. It investigates the social utility of black horror and its cathartic approach to “real life trauma.”

Octavia explicates this point in an interview with New York City-based newsmagazine The Indypendent.

“I was attracted to science fiction because it was so wide open,” explained Butler, “I was able to do anything and there were no walls to hem you in and there was no human condition that you were stopped from examining.”

Unlike other genres, science fiction and horror provide an unparalleled opportunity for social activism because artists are able to intelligently embed the fantastical narratives with social critique. The covertness allows these ideas not readily accepted by mainstream media to enter society without sacrificing its reception.

One student asked Peele about his experience navigating the tropes of science fiction “without disenfranchising the very real and serious issues of the film?”

“I am not someone who likes to be told the truth. I like to find the truth in what is presented to me. And that’s where the benefit of genre comes to me,” explained Peele, “I can engage the audience on this level of imagination, this level of entertainment, this level of emotion, and within that…you have left the bread crumbs for people to acknowledge the truth that they’ve found.”

Get Out is brimmed with bread crumbs. Arguably, it’s Peele’s ingenious use of symbolism that emboldens viewers to watch the film over and over again and find those hidden truths.

Whether or not Get Out triumphs this Oscar season—which it should—there is no doubt it was the most influential film of 2017. It prevailed economically, visually, artistically, and socially. It helped augment the genre of Black horror while underlining uncomfortable social truths.

Get Out prompted a mainstream dialogue concerning racial suppression and the various ways it manifests: prison industrial system, micro-aggressions, white complicity. But Peele’s greatest accomplishment was giving a name to the normalized conquest of minority groups. By defining racial suppression as “the sunken place,” Peele allows viewers to understand, approach, and dismantle its hold on modern society.

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UCLA Acquires Works of LA’s “Unofficial Poet Laureate”

by Chrisauna Chery
written by Chrisauna Chery

Photo via poets.org

Recently, UCLA’s library archive celebrated the organizational efforts and arrival of works by Afrikan American writer Wanda Coleman, including her poetry and TV/Film screenplays. The campaign to bring Coleman’s work to UCLA was spearheaded by English PhD candidate Kim Calder. The intimate celebration featured anecdotes and readings of selected pieces by many of the event’s attendees. Guests included Tisa Bryant, Sesshu Foster, Harryette Mullen,  Douglas Kearney and Coleman’s husband Austin Strauss. Tisa Bryant described Coleman as a woman of “candor” who didn’t shy away from the brashness of truth in depicting the grit of life in Los Angeles or, the Deep West, as she called it.  Bryant added that this honesty “iced her dreams” towards LA’s glossy appearance of glamour coming to age.

Wanda Coleman grew up in Watts with a love for the written word and was considered Los Angeles’s unofficial poet laureate until her death in 2013. Her works won her many accolades including a National Book Award finalist and an Emmy. As a community activist, one of her commitments was to work with and instill in younger poets a departure from the shackling concept of political correctedness. This demonstrates Coleman’s heart in seeking the freedom of others, achieved beyond binaries that don’t sit well with their truest selves. Of those that she influenced is Annakai Geshlider, a fourth year world arts and culture major, who attended and comments, “I was excited by how she identified as a performance artist and a performance poet…and how it was inspiring for my own writing”.

Giving her words a life of their own, Coleman successfully wielded the power behind her rhetoric. Known for never whispering, she embodied the urgency of her words needing to be heard.

Imagine her shouting this excerpt from her poem Busted on My Watch, and what emotions it could evoke if its author performed the agony and innocence and helplessness within the poem.

trapped in the prison of recriminations

sputtering to the broke syntax of imaginary crime

you will rat yourself out daily

to those invisible keepers who declared you

incorrigible at your moment of conception

yes. i did it. i was black. and thus-and so…

Coleman’s work explored themes of racism,  eroticism, womanhood,and poverty, something she was very familiar with as indicated by the multiple jobs she took on to support her family.

When asked why Coleman did not receive as much acclaim as her counterparts i.e. Maya Angelou, Calder reasons that the existence of inequality afforded by certain combinations of race, class, and gender, along with her more radical approach, placed her among the predominately white punk scene and fashioned her genreless. This lack of definitiveness presented a challenge to Calder in organizing Coleman’s papers. Why is there such a need for art to be categorized when the expression of form relies heavily on creativity and one’s ability to craft something that has not been done before? It advances the false perception of the idea of diversity. Coleman’s pursuit of her own agenda allows her works to be relevant beyond the timeframe in which she wrote, because of her way of tapping into the human condition that renders itself universal. The following poem reflects a 1982/2016 experience of racial discrimination.

Part 1 of South Central Los Angeles Deathtrip 1982

jes another X marking it

dangling gold chains & pinky rings

nineteen. done in black leather & defiance

teeth white as halogen lamps, skin dark as a threat

they spotted him taking in the night

made for the roust

arrested him of “suspicion of”

they say he became violent

they say he became combative in the rear seat of

that sleek zebra maria. they say

it took a chokehold to restrain him

and then they say he died of asphyxiation

on the spot

summarized in the coroner’s report

as the demise of one

more nondescript dustbunny

ripped on phencyclidine

(which justified their need to

leave his hands cuffed behind his back

long after rigor mortis set in)

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Guest Lecturer Discusses ‘The Rebellious Life’ of Rosa Parks

by Briana Tracy
written by Briana Tracy

In elementary and high school we are told the brave and historic story of Rosa Parks and how her refusal to move from her seat on the bus changed the course of history. On Wednesday, April 27th visiting lecturer Jeanne Theoharis from Brooklyn College spoke about her biography, The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks which was published in 2013.

Theoharis’ goal for her biography was to challenge representations and to clear political excuses that were made about Parks’ actions that led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Theoharis began writing Parks’ biography in 2005 after Parks’ funeral as well as her discovery that there were no full biographies on Parks, except for ones you will find for elementary kids. The information she compiled together consists of both NAACP papers and Parks notes from Highlander Research and Education Center as well as oral histories, many being done in Detroit.

The Montgomery City Code required that all public transportation be segregated, and that bus drivers had the powers of a police officer while in actual charge of any bus for the purposes of carrying out the code. When an African-American passenger boarded the bus, they had to get on at the front to pay their fare and then get off and re-board the bus at the back door.

A misconception of Parks is that the refusal to move from her seat was her first instance of being politically Rosaparksinvolved, when in actuality she had been involved for many years, beginning in the 1940s, as well as that she was kicked off the bus a few times prior to the boycott for refusing. Another is Parks’ being the first African American to refuse, except there were three other women who also refused to move from their seats: Viola White, Helia Brookes, and Claudette Coleman.

Parks was actively involved in civil rights issues after she joined the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP in 1943, serving as the chapter’s youth leader as well as secretary to NAACP President E.D. Nixon—a post she held until 1957.

On the morning of the boycott leaders from the African-American community gathered at the Mt. Zion Church in Montgomery to discuss strategies, and determined that their boycott effort required a new organization and strong leadership. The group therefore formed the Montgomery Improvement Association, where they elected newcomer Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as minister of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, as the group believed that Parks case provided an excellent opportunity to take further action to create real change.

Theoharis’ book, The Rebellious Life of Mrs.Rosa Parks, documents Parks’ life from the time to she met her husband Raymond, who was also politically active, to the end of her life where she was still honored for her achievements and persistence for change. On February 4, 2013, what would have been Parks’ 100th birthday, a commemorative U.S. Postal Service stamp debuted, and later that month, President Barack Obama unveiled a statue honoring Parks in the nation’s Capitol building.

Theoharis’ lecture was not only informative, but enlightening for she had done extensive research on Parks’ life through different avenues and having to carefully fact check her information. With having to look thoroughly for information, Theoharis spent eight years writing the biography because there was not enough information about Parks’ life in books which led her to discover the NAACP documents and interviews that Parks had done.

For this lecture to be given on campus spoke volumes as to how Black history is not fully discussed, unless it is a specific course, and that only one side is typically spoken about.

 

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Hair is The Last Thing on My Head: Balancing Hair Care and College Demands

by Aaliyah Sade Murphy
written by Aaliyah Sade Murphy

Whether you rocks your hair natural, relaxed or weaved up, maintainence of black hair demands time and tender love and care but as full time college students that is time that many of us do not have.

Loving the versatile doo’s of black hair is the easy part, but for many fulfilling student duties while taking care of one’s hair in this ‘new home away from home’ proves to be a daunting combination. From finding the right products to maintaining a hair regimen and simple styling, the time consuming practices required to keep hair healthy do not seem to fit into our schedules. Frankly ‘ain’t nobody got time for that’. As a result wash day  interferes with doing homework, getting a touch up requires driving across town and weave are left unblended for days at a time.  As college students who work and are conducting a balancing act between school, work and family healthy hair care requires an extra set of time management skills.

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Self care, which for many black women is synonymous with hair care, always comes first. Timeka N. Williams writes in Media Fields Journal that, “[For black women] Hair styling practices fit into a larger discourse of empowerment and liberation.” Though it may be time consuming, hair care as a form of self care may be what helps you survive in this vicious institution. When we are facing big issues like institutionalized racism, bureaucracy and underrepresentation it may prove to be therapeutic to just focus on the little things once in a while. It’s not just about good looking hair, but healthy hair, and healthy hair often reflects a healthy you.

You deserve time to take care of your hair, whatever that means to you whether it be trying out a new braid out, getting your roots retouched or ensuring everything is blended and flowing.

Challenging the view that black hair is a hinderance or task and choosing to see your hair as another facet of your well being will lead to reprioritization of it’s maintenance. Making time for this endeavor may be the biggest obstacle we face. NaturallyChelsea, a natural hair blogger, reported on CurlyNikki that “Unfortunately for me, all of my days are fully booked, so I simply don’t have the time to pick up the full time job of hair care.” I’m sure many of us could relate but perhaps these 3 tips will aid in fitting hair-time into the schedule.

Photo by Kya Lou

Photo by Kya Lou

1)Kill four birds with one stone:

Many say we can’t multitask as well as we think, but when it comes to hair we can say “Watch me.” Deep condition while sleeping. Detangle while in the shower. Wear a cute headwrap to gives roots and edges a break. KalaG a blogger on Curly Nikki, playfully recommends, “Massage oil onto your scalp with your favorite oil to relieve the stress from that last mid-term.” Mixing hair with tasks you have to do any way will eventually make hair care automatic.

2) Stretch it way out:

Stretching space in between hair appointments could save a lot of time. If you are natural opt for a braid out you can wear all week. If you are permed keep hair moisturized so that it does not break off as you wait 10 weeks to retouch it. Scheduling hair appointments during breaks in between quarters may save you the stress of missing homework to get your hair done, plus this will lead to healthier hair. Hair + Moisture = Perfection. If you keep hair in weave or braids, then stretching hair may be no problem. As far as leave out is concerned, keep it moisturized and braided down some days while opting for a beanie, hat or scarf.

3) Find a local:

Finding a local hair stylist, perhaps someone in the apartments or on the hill could save you a lot of time (and money). Ordering hair care products, weave and other necessities online instead of going out to buy them provides not only convenience, but access to the things you need when you need them. Watching Youtube tutorials on how to do your own hair could be the most time saving endeavor. Cornrowing while reading? No big deal. Weaving while rewatching bruincast? Easy Peasy.

What are your college hair care strategies? Comment below to help a sister out.

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Righteous Path: The Arthur Ashe Story

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written by

Sweat beads rolled down his forehead. But it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but this moment now. This was his moment. Arthur squeezed his tennis racquet and then loosened his grip effectively. He had practiced every day, pushing his body to its physical limits, for longer than he could remember. But this was different. This time it was mind management. It was control. It would spell for him unbelievable victory or spiraling defeat. But defeat wasn’t an option for Arthur Ashe, the first Black tennis player ever selected for the United States Davis Cup Team in 1963.

The veins in Ashe’s hands pulsed in evanescent strides. In his mind he was ready for this. More ready to accept his fate than he could have possibly imagined. His opponent was none other than Bob Lutz, his former teammate in the United States Davis Cup team. It was 1968 and this match was the first US Open of the open era. The winner would make sports history.

Bob eyed Arthur with all the passion and might he summoned for this match. Arthur remained steady. The match began and in a flash, the two were fighting for the win, running across the tennis court, each fighting for history to turn in their favor.

But Arthur knew something that Bob didn’t. He knew of the power of mind management. He knew that both their skills and training were evenly matched. But what Bob didn’t have was the proper awareness of his mental training, the same awareness that eased Arthur’s pulsing veins and allowed him to focus entirely on the match, and the match alone. Meanwhile, Bob was having difficulty not with the play, but with himself– his own stress deteriorating his muscles and ability to focus. Yet, that is what makes the superior athlete—the offensive ability to control oneself no matter the situation and no matter the stakes!

Arthur Ashe won that day. He went on to become an American World No.1 professional tennis player, winning a total of three Grand Slam titles, and becoming the only Black man in history to ever win the single titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.

He passed away on February 6th, 1993 due to contracting HIV from a blood transfusion he received during heart bypass surgery. But his legacy lives on today. Arthur Ashe, who was born in 1943, was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal for Freedom, and was inducted in the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame as well as the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame. Today, his name graces the Student Health and Wellness Center at UCLA.

Arthur Ashe is the legend that left a legacy beyond the game of tennis that made him great. He left a lasting mark on history for generation to strive for, for victors of the present to look pack upon. He has been the ultimate inspiration for countless individuals as one who would not let the politics of his time dictate the course of his great life.

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