Welcome the Fear of the Unknown: A Speech by Graduating Senior Yoen Gustavo Pedraza
By Yoen Gustavo Pedraza Hello UMass Amherst Class of 2023, If I were to ask you what your deepest fears were, what would you say? Failing? Death? Public Speaking? Our deepest fears revolve around our greatest insecurities and the fear that we’ll revel in our inadequacies. We want to envision ourselves as a statue of greatness, with the strength and fearlessness like the ancient Roman Hero Hercules, with the determination and work ethic of the late Kobe Bryant and his Mamba Mentality, with the applause and global name recognition of The Beatles. We want legacies that’ll exceed our lives. Oftentimes
Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop
By Fiona Bautista On Aug. 11, 1973, the world was changed forever. In an era of political tension and economic troubles, residents of the Bronx were divided in more ways than one–the construction of the Cross Bronx Expressway being the most significant contributor. Prior to the building of this freeway, the neighborhoods that would be most impacted by its creation were considered “among the most racially integrated in the country.” However, many white residents fled to other neighborhoods as challenges arose, leaving Black and Brown communities in the wake of the destruction. The conditions of these neighborhoods deteriorated, resulting in
Making an IMPACT with Maurice Powe
By Diamond Smith Maurice Powe felt it was his responsibility to take care of those who were vulnerable and those who were less fortunate. The greater his passion, the greater his purpose, giving him the drive to make an impact in his community. Maurice Powell, a junior studying Psychology and English, always felt there was an importance to empowerment and advocacy. Before becoming president of the IMPACT Movement, Powe took a leap of faith and met with National IMPACT President Jimmy McGee on a flight to Indianapolis after emailing him. Before he knew it, he was off to an event
Interview with People’s Beauty Supply Founder, Zih Nche
By Christmaelle Vernet When passing through the Student Union, you may notice a new student business has opened within People’s Market. On March 24, 2023, a sophomore computer science major, Zih Nche, founded the first Black hair supply on campus. People Beauty Supply is a small business shelf with braiding hair, gel, crochet hooks, rubber bands, and other haircare needs. Nche shared that she began planning to open a Beauty supply by getting involved with the center for Student Businesses. “I originally wanted a vending machine. I began discussing my ideas with Mary Morf, but she said to get a
UMass joins other universities in signing Okanagan Charter
By Tess Weisman The University of Massachusetts Amherst has signed the Okanagan Charter, committing itself to a transformative vision when it comes to health, well-being, and campus culture. A number of different universities across the country, such as the University of California Berkeley, Cornell University, and the University of Michigan, have joined the Okanagan Charter. The Charter has two calls of action; embedding health into administration, operations, and academic mandates and ensuring health promotion action and collaboration are being led locally and globally. Specifically, UMass has committed to focusing on health and well-being for students, faculty, and staff; sustainability, diversity,
Next time someone says, “What will you do with your English degree?” say this…
By Diamond Smith “What will you do with your English degree?” I hear this all the time when asked about my degree. The question is always asked in a tone of genuine curiosity, but it feels like it is also steeped in the sense of inadequacy. The phrase leaves me unsteady because I’ve been met with: “What do you even do with that degree anyways?” “Are you sure that’s what you want?” It’s almost as if English major students are some elite white-collar priesthood of bespectacled nerds whose only purpose in life is to go to college to be a
Breaking the Color Barrier: The Struggle for Black Players and Quarterbacks in the NFL
By: Nicolás Javaloyes The National Football League (NFL) has seen a disproportionate number of Black players for decades. However, in the league’s early years, Black players faced significant barriers to entry. From 1933 to 1946, a gentleman’s agreement between all NFL franchises made it nearly impossible for Black players to be accepted into the league, no matter how talented and deserving. Despite their exceptional skills, the NFL ignored players such as Kenny Washington, Jerome “Brud” Holland, and Wilmeth Sidat-Singh. The situation began to change after the Cleveland Rams relocated to Southern California in 1946, where both Black and White taxpayers
A Night to Remember: UMass’ Black Student Union hosts annual Black History Month Showcase
By: Christmaelle Vernet AMHERST- As Black History Month rolls to an end, UMass’ Black Student Union organized its annual Black History Month Showcase on Feb 26. BSU released a statement earlier this month describing the event as “a night to celebrate our Black community and all the talent within it. It’s not one you can’t afford to miss.” The showcase took place in the Student Union ballroom, beginning at 7 p.m. and concluding at 10 p.m. It is a semiformal event accompanied with a color palette guests are encouraged to wear , with this year’s theme being modeled after a
Black Women in Medicine: New Student Organization Aims in Bringing Future Black Medical Professionals Together at UMass
By: Elienishka Ramos Torres AMHERST – Many new student groups are forming at the University of Massachusetts, and among them is Black Women in Medicine. The group, which began its formation in early Spring 2020, has a mission in fostering community among pre-medical Black female students at UMass. Black Women in Medicine President Attiya Nurse, a junior majoring in biology and nutrition, said that the group started as a cool idea between friends, “I talked to [the other e-board members] after one class we all had together and we agreed that this would be something great to bring to the
A Letter from the Editor-In-Chief: Say their Names
By Brie Thompson-Bristol I never forget that I’m a person of color, but I especially never forget that I am a black person. The police brutality against persons of color has never ceased. One of the police’s first purposes was to be a watchman for slaves. However, now they have evolved to the extreme. They have evolved to the point where it is “unnatural” for BiPOC people to drive or walk back alone from an event.
Advocacy: Your new Neighborhood Watch Program
By: Brie Bristol The public has no choice but to accept activists who march for the Black Lives Matter movement as their new neighborhood watchmen – who campaign for human rights when the government fails to.
Flaws N All
By: Léa G. Rohrbasser This poem was inspired by my desire to emphasize the point that nobody is perfect; it is impossible to be, and in-fact inhuman, to be “perfect”. Society has so many standards and expectations made for us to follow, but the truth is that these “rules” are all literally made up. We are all imperfectly perfect. It was important for me to use the letter “N” in the title “Flaws N All”, because in this form of reading “N” can have several interpretations; one being “Flaws and All”, another being “Flaws in All”… again reiterating the point
The Voices of ARHS: Rebekah Hong
Featured image from NPR
The Challenges of Being Biracial: A Column
By Jordyn Kamara The most frequently asked question I get is, “so what are you?” But it’s much more than appearing half white, and half black. My identity traces back to where my family originates: Portugal, Germany, Ireland, Africa, and Trinidad. Navigating this world as a person of “mixed-race” is fascinating to say the least. However, understanding where I belong in this world, continues to be difficult. Identity crises are very common among people of mixed race. Throughout my life I felt as though I never fit in fully with my white friends or black friends.
Bias-Incidents are on the rise (again) at UMass, and students aren’t satisfied with the university’s response.
By Tristan Smith The shouts of derogatory names could be heard from the rooftops. Nazi Swastikas have been drawn on the whiteboards. Racist and homophobic slurs have been engraved onto the communal bathroom walls. Signs that proclaimed: “Black Lives Matter,” were stripped down and torn to pieces. At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, many can attest that hate has been a trend on campus for years. According to the UMass Amherst bias-incident report page, there have been approximately 42 reported hate-incited incidents on campus over the past two years. Recently, two have occurred since the start of the new academic
A Job to Die For
By Nat Luftman, Alice Troop, and James Cordero Being a Residential Assistant (RA) or a Peer Mentor (PM) at UMass Amherst is a true honor. In our roles as the Residential Life staff who support students living on campus, we have built meaningful relationships with dozens of residents and have fostered various living-learning communities. Thanks to our status as unionized workers, we are able to collectively bargain for dignified working conditions and wages.
Trustee Woolridge: It’s Time for UMass to Live Up to Its Promise
By: UMass Amherst Racial Justice Coalition Recently, Victor Woolridge, a member and former Chair of the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees, wrote an article calling upon America to acknowledge its history of anti-black racism and take concrete steps to achieve racial justice. We, a group of UMass students advocating for racial justice, wish to comment on Woolridge’s message. One of the few Black members of the Board of Trustees, Woolridge is, to our knowledge, the only member of the Board to publicly write about the need for systemic change following the death of George Floyd. Overall, we commend Trustee
UMass to ZoomMass: Students frustrated over administration’s management of COVID-19
By: Elienishka Ramos Torres After a series of vague emails and unclear decisions from the UMass administration these past two weeks, thousands of students have voiced their anger for the university’s decisions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
What Does Black Excellence Mean to You? (Vox-Pop)
By: Steven Turner-Parker Ubuntu means “I am because we are.” As black history month comes to a close, Black student organizations had many events on this campus that embodied Ubuntu community elements and showcased what black excellence looks like. With that said, I decided to find some of these fantastic people on this campus to ask them an important question: What does black excellence mean to you?
New York City Rapper Pop Smoke Murdered During Home Invasion. How Will Rap Lovers React?
By: Brie Bristol & Elienishka Ramos Torres On Feb. 19, rap fans worldwide were left in shock upon hearing the unexpected death of 20-year-old NYC rapper Pop Smoke. According to TMZ, an early morning emergency call was placed to Smoke’s Los Angeles rental home. Two gunmen broke into the house around 4:30 A.M PST firing multiple shots.
Natural Hair Stories-Part Three
by Desire’ Jackson-Crosby and Cynthia Ntinunu What is hair? Is it just a follicle on the top of one’s head? Or is it a piece of you that evokes certain feelings? The natural hair journey is a unique experience for anyone who goes through it. For some it’s a straightforward journey and for others there’s a lot to unpack. This project allowed 11 people to relive and share their natural hair journeys-from their struggles to their triumphs. Below are the last three people for the natural hair stories series. Lora-Kenie Deronville One might suspect that the hair that grows from
GIRLS: Yung Baby Tate’s Anthem for Every Woman
By Lucia Solorzano Yung Baby Tate is an impressive rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Her newest album, GIRLS (released on Feb. 5), celebrates the different angles of her own womanhood and self in an empowering, fun, and expressive way. In her self-produced album, Yung Baby Tate’s sound is unique and bouncy, matching her vibrant and impeccable fashion style. The album features other talented rappers and singers including Bbymutha, Killumanti, Mulatto, Kari Faux, and Baby Rose.