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(05/17/18 9:30pm)
Writing for The Cavalier Daily has been one of the most rewarding experiences while at the University. I know it sounds cheesy — but it’s true. I discovered the Opinion section late, in the second semester of my fourth year, but jumped at the chance to join. I hoped that joining the paper would allow me to work on my craft as a writer, engage with the University and the broader Charlottesville community and speak my truth as a female African-American student at this institution.
(05/04/18 2:38am)
Kanye West made headlines last week for supporting President Donald Trump and his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.” After a nearly year-long hiatus, the rapper returned to Twitter and rained down a series of tweets about a range of topics from creativity as currency, spreading love and following your own vision. His more politically-charged tweets gained him the most attention. Commentators debated about his mental health and others wrote it off as a publicity stunt for his forthcoming album. Fellow Chicago rapper, Chance the Rapper, also came under fire for defending Kanye on Twitter. The most striking aspect of this controversial episode was the endorsement by the president and others for Kanye. This reaction has been very different than what occurred in response to other celebrities who turned political. Trump’s reaction to both shows the double standard when it comes to celebrities’ speech. In all, celebrities are public figures, but they are also citizens of this country and should be encouraged to stand in their beliefs — regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum.
(04/25/18 4:41am)
Last week, Charlottesville City Council met and decided to continue the survey for the renaming of Emancipation Park and Justice Park. This survey will be used to make a final decision in the summer. The most recent survey was released after a public hearing in February when the city decided to receive community input. The continued debate over renaming the parks demonstrates the community investment in this public space. It also demonstrates that the task of finding a fitting name is an arduous one. The new names selected for the parks must bear significance, or the exhaustive journey to find them will have been for nothing.
(04/18/18 4:24pm)
The Brooklyn Museum made headlines last month after announcing the appointment of two new curators. Kristen Windmuller-Luna, a curator and historian of African arts and architecture, was appointed the Sills Family Consulting Curator of African Art and Drew Sawyer was appointed the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum Leonian Curator of Photography. Some questioned why both curators were white, particularly Kristen Windmuller-Luna, who will work with the African Art collection. Critics wondered why the museum couldn’t find a qualified black curator for the position. The hire is also a sign of the increasing gentrification in the borough. The controversy surrounding the hire at the Brooklyn Museum highlights not only a lack of diversity in the arts and museum industry, but also higher education programs that prepare individuals for the job.
(04/13/18 2:24am)
April 4, 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A sniper assassinated King with a bullet to the neck while he was standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. King was a Baptist minister and founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). His principle of nonviolent civil disobedience led African-Americans through protests and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday that marks the anniversary of his date of birth. The holiday, and broader public narrative surrounding King celebrates his achievements and how his efforts worked to establish equality for African-Americans. Equally important to King’s legacy — in addition to honoring the role he was born to play — is reckoning with his death and the way that he died.
(03/28/18 4:44am)
Thousands gathered at the nation’s capital for the March For Our Lives, an anti-gun violence march on Saturday, March 24. The D.C. event was organized by the survivors of the Parkland shooting in February and included a day full of events in addition to 846 events being held worldwide. It was reported that many restaurants and hot spots around Washington were offering freebies to demonstrators, and many famous faces made appearances. The #NeverAgain movement associated with the march has captivated the nation’s attention and the efforts of participants, especially those that are students, have been applauded in the media and supported. This same level of support, however, has not been extended to other movements like #BlackLivesMatter, that also advocate against government-sanctioned gun violence. In the past there has been resistance against these movements, claiming that they are not inclusive enough. The March for Our Lives and #NeverAgain movement are the #AllLivesMatter movement that America’s been waiting for.
(03/23/18 4:17pm)
As a part of their April issue on race, National Geographic took a look at its archive and found that its past coverage was racist. University History Prof. John Edwin Mason, who specializes in African history and the history of photography, assisted in the examination. Mason found that, “until the 1970s National Geographic all but ignored people of color who lived in the United States, rarely acknowledging them . . . . Meanwhile it pictured ‘natives’ elsewhere as exotics . . . noble savages — every type of cliché.” He concluded that unlike other magazines like Life, National Geographic did not push readers to see outside the stereotypes prominent in white American culture.
(03/14/18 3:41am)
University Dean of Admissions Gregory Roberts issued a statement Feb. 23, affirming that the University would not penalize applicants who participated in peaceful civic protests over gun violence. His announcement of support joins other universities who also reassured their prospective students that any disciplinary action taken against them wouldn’t ruin their chance for admission. On Feb. 14 there was a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where a gunman used an AR-15 assault rifle to kill 17 people. Soon afterward, a national conversation began about gun control, as it always does in the aftermath of such tragedies. In response to the shooting, the Women’s March Youth EMPOWER initiative organized a national school walkout for March 14. This is the demonstration that Gregory Roberts is referencing. His words, though encouraging, could mislead potential applicants that student activism is fully supported by University administration.
(03/09/18 8:57pm)
On March 4, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences presented the 90th Academy Awards. The ceremony, often referred to as the Oscars, was hosted this year by talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. There were no shocking moments like last year’s Best Picture mix-up between “La La Land” and “Moonlight”. However, it is clear that the Academy remains in the shadow of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy of 2015. The hashtag started off as a joke on Twitter, but users also used it to discuss the serious lack of diversity in the awards’ nominations. The win for “Moonlight” last year was seen as a step in the right direction because it had a predominantly black cast and was the first LGBT-themed film to win Best Picture. This year’s ceremony was not explicitly political. There were many nods to recent movements, including the women of the #MeToo initiative and Dreamers, throughout the night. These steps are important, but the very racial and gender makeup of the Academy remains the same, and that is what’s blocking true diversity.
(03/06/18 3:34am)
On Feb. 12, the Trump administration announced plans to redesign the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, by replacing food stamps with a food package. Currently, SNAP is sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. Eligible low-income individuals and families are provided with the economic assistance to purchase nutritious food. The USDA is suggesting that SNAP be re-worked in a way that saves money and utilizes American-grown products, but these benefits do not outweigh the issues caused by the policy. The food package program would be more complicated for state offices and offers recipients less access to fresh food. Trump’s proposal is less of a redesign and more of a gutting — a result of larger proposed budget cuts across safety-net programs for the sake of higher spending on defense and border security.
(02/23/18 3:05am)
On Feb. 5, the University honored the first black student to successfully enroll at the University, law student Gregory H. Swanson. The commemoration was held in the Caplin Pavilion at the Law School and was a part of the University’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, which included over two dozen events from Jan. 15 to Feb. 5. The event featured remarks by University Rector Frank M. Conner III, the unveiling of Swanson’s portrait, the presentation of an award in Swanson’s name and the announcement of a new President’s Commission. This commission will focus on the role the University held in the age of segregation. This complements the President’s Commission on Slavery and the University. Like the commission on slavery, this commision may also include a long list of names, local and national advisory boards and chairs that students do not know and will probably never meet. They will likely host a number of conferences and reveal plaques and portraits to hang in hallways and walkways. Perhaps at the end of another month-long celebration, another commission will be announced — all sorts of commemorative events to show that they truly care about exploring the University’s complicated history. These symbolic gestures, however, are not enough if they don’t materialize in the lives of students at the University.