Politics Archives - Hill Magazine https://uahillmag.com/category/politics/ The Student Magazine at the University of Arkansas Fri, 11 Oct 2024 17:25:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://i0.wp.com/uahillmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cropped-hill-logo-2019.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Politics Archives - Hill Magazine https://uahillmag.com/category/politics/ 32 32 214909476 The Face of a New Generation: How Student Voters are Taking Charge of the Political Narrative https://uahillmag.com/2024/10/11/the-face-of-a-new-generation-how-student-voters-are-taking-charge-of-the-political-narrative/ https://uahillmag.com/2024/10/11/the-face-of-a-new-generation-how-student-voters-are-taking-charge-of-the-political-narrative/#respond Fri, 11 Oct 2024 17:25:10 +0000 https://uahillmag.com/?p=7725 By Emma Bracken

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College voters prepare for the 2024 presidential election. Photo by Anne-Elise Tidwell.

By Emma Bracken

As the 2024 presidential election looms in the near future, college students are making their voices heard and passionately preparing to cast their vote in November. As the face of a new generation of scholars, historians, politicians and citizens, young adults are stepping into their crucial role in our democracy. According to Tuft University, students make up a large enough percentage of votes to largely shape the outcomes of elections. 

The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School released a poll that revealed over 50% of students intend to cast their vote this fall. However, student voters have not always had a great turnout, with numbers dipping particularly low during the 2022 election cycle. According to the University of Michigan, a survey of over 1,000 colleges and universities across the country showed about 30% of students voted. 

At the same time, this demographic is being educated and emboldened as they make their way into the world. University of Arkansas student Ashven Scott said he believes it is essential for this group to have a voice in the government that plans their future.

“Youth voters are incredibly historically underrepresented when it comes to the voting polls,” Scott said. “Conversely, this age group is the future of government and society. “The laws and regulations built by each election cycle’s participants dictate the lives of this age group for decades to come.”

With yard signs, posters and billboards popping up across Northwest Arkansas, the urgency of this year’s election is inescapable. Though political tension has hurt voter turnout in the past, this year seems to be brimming with passion and excitement, especially from the younger generation. 

On campus, students are finding ways to prepare and get educated, whether that is coming together to watch and discuss the debates or setting up tables with voting and registration resources. Both the student body and the larger community are gearing up to make sure the county’s future is one they are proud of. 

Fayetteville Public Library early voting sign at the help front desk. Photo by Anne-Elise Tidwell.

For U of A student Meghan Lucas, voting is not just a privilege but a duty. 

“It is critical to vote in every election,” Lucas said. “Being a part of a democracy demands that you have a right to give an input; those small inputs make an impact.”

Lucas described her understanding that, as a woman, voting has not always been accessible to all American citizens. Especially for those who have just been granted access to the polls in the last century or so, it is imperative that those groups are well-represented and loudly heard.

“I think voting is important for students and for younger generations because all of our laws and political systems are being run by and created by the older generations,” Lucas said. “There is no one in our political systems representing or relating to us.”

Voting is not just a right but, for many, an exciting opportunity. Especially within the population of students, many are voting in their very first presidential election. For years, this generation has had to sit back and watch the country’s fate be dictated by parents and even grandparents. Now, however, is the chance to let the world know the younger generation is here and ready to take charge of their own future. 

“Younger voices bring diverse and fresh perspectives that are necessary in shaping our nation’s future,” student Ella House said. “By voting, we ensure our voices are heard, help protect democracy and influence decisions that shape our future.”

At a university as large and diverse as the University of Arkansas, many students must figure out ways to vote in their home state while studying here in Arkansas. It is imperative for students to understand their options and not be intimidated by out-of-state voting. 

Lucas, an out-of-state student, is setting plans to vote early in-person during fall break. Early voting times vary from state to state, so another option would be to vote by absentee ballot. Students can download their home state’s absentee ballot online or even find one on campus as border state ballots are often available for students to grab in dorm buildings or at pop-up events.

2024 Voter Guide. Photo by Anne-Elise Tidwell.

For Lucas, exercising her right to vote is bigger than just checking a box. “It doesn’t sit right with me to let elections go by without me having my input,” she said. “Especially when I know the outcome impacts my rights and human rights.”

House, who changed her residency after moving from St. Louis to Fayetteville, is eager to vote in person on Election Day. With help from professors and campus organizations, she has found preparing for and understanding voting easy. With this support and accessibility, students are able to make sure their vote is cast toward the future they want to build.

“[Information from professors] has been extremely helpful to me and my classmates,” House said. “Voting is important to me because I firmly believe that you have to vote for the change you want and believe in.”

For some, voting can be intimidating and people are not sure if their one vote matters in the larger scheme of things. Especially for college students, who are notoriously busy and fighting off a slew of other stressors in their lives, it can be easy for them to shrug politics off and push it to the side. However, it is important for students to understand their importance and agency that is gifted to them through the process of democracy and feel empowered to take charge within it.

“Peers have told me that they feel like their vote doesn’t matter,” Scott said. “One individual vote is unlikely to change much, but people need to remember that millions of votes are just millions of individual votes.”

In person voting will take place on November 5 across the country. Go to Vote.org to find your polling place and more information about early and absentee voting in your home state. 

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Painting patriarchy pink: A color of love with an attitude https://uahillmag.com/2024/04/15/painting-patriarchy-pink-a-color-of-love-with-an-attitude/ https://uahillmag.com/2024/04/15/painting-patriarchy-pink-a-color-of-love-with-an-attitude/#respond Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:57:09 +0000 https://uahillmag.com/?p=7449 By Alyssa Crutcher

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Graphic by Victoria Hernandez.

By Alyssa Crutcher

In the many colors an artist holds on their palette to be brushed across the canvas, there is one color that always seems to stand out: pink. With so many different shades to choose from, pink has made its statement throughout hundreds of years from ancient artwork and fashion to modern decor and politics. Although the color itself is simple, the history and power it holds today is complex and rich.

Over the years, the color pink has evolved from just a pretty color in the late 17th century to a political statement in the modern day. When the color first became popular, it was worn by both men and women — traditionally viewed as masculine — boys and girls, and painted on the walls of several houses and other buildings. For children, the color pink was associated with boys while blue was associated with girls.

“Young Boy with Whip” by an unknown artist circa 1814 (left) and “Girl in a blue dress” by Johannes Verspronck circa 1641 (right).

As society advanced, though, so did the color pink. In the 18th and 19th centuries, pink started to symbolize romanticism and was often seen worn by only women in clothing and accessories. When we reached the 20th century, pink became a cultural phenomenon.

The emergence of consumer culture and mass production during the early 20th century led to the widespread use of pink in a variety of consumer products, especially toys and baby items. Pink became closely associated with purity and youth, further solidified by marketing strategies that emphasized pink as a color for girls. Because of this, many girls, such as Janine Parry, a University of Arkansas political science professor, grew up rejecting the color pink, believing that liking the color meant they were weak and girly. It was interpreted as a negative thing.

“I would say that as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found strength in numbers with the generations of women around me,” Parry said. “I love watching it being reclaimed as a source of strength, not a sign of weakness. Because when you accept it as a sign of weakness, you’re using masculinity and traditional versions of masculinity as the standard, and that’s not healthy for anyone. I mean, ask Ken (character from “Barbie” (2024)). It wasn’t serving him well — his little experiment.”

Sohana Nasrin, a professor at the University of Tampa, said she hated the color pink when she was young. She experienced a lot of pressure from her family to wear pink clothing and up until her adulthood, always avoided wearing it. But now, she has learned to see pink with new eyes.

“I realized that it’s stupid,” Nasrin said. “My worth as a woman should not have anything to do with any color that I choose to wear. So I’ve gotten over that. I have embraced pink.”

In the latter half of the 20th century, there was a wide array of interpretations of the color pink in popular culture. From the famous Barbie doll, who always wore her iconic pink outfit, to the punk movement’s rebellious adoption of neon pink as a symbol of defiance, this color acquired various connotations and symbolisms.

Now, in the 21st century, the color is continuing to evolve, covering a wide variety of meanings and holding an array of symbolism. With what some may call a fifth wave of feminism, gender norms are being challenged now more than ever, and pink is at the forefront of the movement, encompassing self-expression and empowerment for all genders.

With 2024 being an election year, women’s issues are at the top of the ballot. Although red and blue generally encompass political viewpoints, pink seems to be showing its true colors in this year’s political landscape, leaving a lasting impression in the political sphere like never seen before. It is moving beyond its usual connection with femininity and becoming a part of political discussions, from campaign rallies to social media campaigns.

Nasrin said she thinks the revival of the color pink in protests is largely due to former president Donald Trump’s various misogynist remarks and accusations of sexual violence against women. She also thinks the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022 lit a fire beneath feminists all over the United States. 

“It does not matter what political aisle you belong to,” Nasrin said. “I think it’s fundamentally a woman’s issue, and many women are actually even thinking of changing the party lines just so they can make sure that they have abortion-related care.”

Pink’s political symbolism is exemplified by its use by different candidates and parties to convey inclusivity and progressiveness. In a time when social justice issues are at the forefront, the color pink has emerged as a powerful symbol of support for marginalized communities, such as women, LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color.

“In the contemporary era, pink has come to mean female — not just feminine,” Parry said. “And that’s a really important signal for politicians to read correctly. Because since the 1980s, women have been more likely to vote than men have been. So this is obviously a demographic group to which they want to be appealing.”

At the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, D.C., hundreds of thousands of women gathered wearing a common clothing item: pink pussyhats. Made with pink yarn and featuring elements that resembled cat ears, the hats served as a symbol of solidarity among protestors. Lately, topics such as reproductive rights, healthcare accessibility and gender pay equality have taken center stage in political discussions, with pink being utilized as a symbol of solidarity for these movements. 

Parry said the Women’s March was the first time she had seen the color pink reappropriated to mean strong and feminist. From the ‘60s to the ‘90s, women tended to stay away from anything particularly feminine to not stand out as much due to their sex or gender, she said. 

“I think it speaks to the strength of the feminist movement and of women as a voting block,” Parry said, “that they feel their leaders feel confident and comfortable enough to mobilize in such an overtly gendered way.”

The 2017 Women’s March in Washington D.C. Protestors wore pink pussyhats to symbolize solidarity for women’s rights. Photo taken from “Me too: Every woman has her story.” via Ramona’s Voices.

Nasrin said the march was a pivotal moment for pink to become an important color in political protests. It became a symbol of love and care, and with the influence of many political women such as Hillary Clinton wearing pink pant suits and celebrities such as Amy Schumer and Kerry Washington following suite, the color took on a new role as not just feminine, but as an allusion to strength and loud voices from people who have spent so long being silenced.

“It’s a color of love, but with an attitude,” Nasrin said.

As the 2024 election season progresses, the future trajectory of pink as a political symbol remains uncertain. Its role as a representation of progressivism may persist, or it could be overshadowed by emerging symbols and narratives. Nevertheless, it is evident that the color pink has firmly solidified its position as a formidable presence in the dynamic realm of politics.

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A Look at the Israel-Gaza Conflict https://uahillmag.com/2023/11/01/a-look-at-the-israel-gaza-conflict/ https://uahillmag.com/2023/11/01/a-look-at-the-israel-gaza-conflict/#respond Thu, 02 Nov 2023 02:03:59 +0000 https://uahillmag.com/?p=6925 By Alyssa Riley

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Protester holding up a “Where is Justice” sign at Palestine Peace Protest in Fayetteville, Arkansas on October 22. Photo by Sarah Wittenburg.

By Alyssa Riley

How it Began

Human beings ran West for their lives through an empty field as terrorists horrifically closed in on three out of four sides, weapons drawn. Some hid under bushes, crammed between too many trembling bodies in airstrike shelters, or tried driving away, but many – too many – lost their lives. Innocent people, while spending a normal day in their homes or strolling the streets, had their lives taken from them viciously. Then, later across the border, concrete buildings and homes turned to rubble, thousands of bodies lost from their loved ones as revenge played out. In a matter of days, complete hell has broken out on the other side of the Atlantic, and many Americans feel helpless, watching the loss of mostly innocent lives rage on and as over 200 hostages remain in captivity. 

On the morning of Oct. 7, worldwide news broke that Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, fired thousands of rockets into Israel and, later, made their way into the country by land, sea and air with trucks, tanks and paragliders. 

Rockets from Hamas were not unusual in Israel, so many weren’t worried; none the wiser of the horrors soon to take place. 

With a highly sophisticated Iron Dome missile defense system, Israel experienced few direct hits. However, with suspected years’ worth of planning and training, officials were gravely taken by surprise as Hamas infiltrated 22 towns, and brutally attacked citizens roaming the streets and enjoying the outdoor Supernova music festival; at least 1,400 Israelis were killed, as well as visiting foreigners from around the world. 

“I think an attack on any oppressed people is an attack on everyone, right?” said a protester, who wishes to remain anonymous, at the Fayetteville Palestine Peace Protest Oct. 22. “One person’s struggle connects to struggles that we’ve seen throughout history. To show that solidarity shows that if it happens to us, if it happens to anyone, no one would stand for it, right? No one supports that.”

Arkansas is standing in solidarity with another event, Free Palestine Ceasefire Now. Taking place in Fayetteville Oct. 18, attendees came together for poster making and poetry screening, as well as educational and direct action resources provided by the Jewish Voices for Peace and the Palestinian Feminist Collective. 

Hamas, a Sunni Islamist political and military organization, governs the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory, just next door to Israel. To many, however, Hamas is known as a terrorist group. 

Leader Muhammad Deif said, breaking his seven-year silence, the “operation” was launched so that “the enemy will understand that the time of their rampaging without accountability has ended.” The most-wanted man in Israel, with a birth name of Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Mastri, was given the nickname Deif, “the guest,” as he never spends two nights in the same place. 

Although the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians dates back decades, it ramped up in 1967 when Israel took occupation of the West Bank during the Arab-Israeli war. Since then, strife has raged on with competing claims to the Holy Land and disputes over borders, Jerusalem, security and Palestinian refugees

However, the most time-relevant issue is the Israel- and Egypt-issued blockade that has lasted 16 years, restricting the import of goods, specifically electronic and computer equipment used to make weapons. Additionally, it keeps many Palestinians from leaving the territory. 

“There are two million in (the) Gaza strip and they are being forced to leave their homes, they are being bombarded, and we ask to stop this genocide; we are here to be a part of them,” the protester said. “As Americans, we love liberty, we love peace, we love harmony. We love freedom for other people too, as we love our own freedom. So that’s why we are here, to be a part of them. To show our respect for them, so they can feel that we are with them.”

In retaliation, Israel wasted no time sending airstrikes into the Gaza Strip, destroying homes, hospitals, schools, churches – anything they could hit. Since the first strike, over 6,500 Palestinians have been killed and 17,400 injured, according to the Washington Post.

As an extremely impoverished city with over 500,000 citizens, the majority of the deaths were children, as most citizens had no warning of the impending chaos and nowhere to run, their vulnerability increasing with every passing second.

Young boy waving the Palestinian flag at the Palestine Peace Protest. Photo by Sarah Wittenburg.

A War on Religion or Colonialism?

For 75 years, the Israeli occupation has been destroying the lives of Palestinians, Andrea Tennison said at the protest. “They are living in an open-air prison, there’s checkpoints everywhere, they can’t get out. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) dropped paper flyers telling the Palestinians to go north to avoid the bombings, and they bombed that route.”

As this devastating series of events continues to play out and headline every news organization in the country and around the world, everyone has their own opinion on what led to this tragedy and what actions to take moving forward. 

“I think that it’s important to center the experiences of those most marginalized, and today it’s Palestinians and those facing Islamophobia,” said Serena Caffrey, another protester. “That’s not to diminish or negate the horrors of genocide across history. It’s not against people of the Jewish faith.” 

“It’s recognizing the violence of Zionism as a settler colonial state that’s actively using this conflict as retribution to take more land from the Palestinian people. And the U.S. government and our tax dollars are supporting this violence.”

Zionism, a movement dating back to 1897, was originally for re-establishing and, now, developing and protecting the Israel-Jewish nation. Many are coining the Israel-Gaza conflict a “war on religion.” However, others disagree, especially Marissa Spear, a historian and writer, who says it is rooted in Zionism and anti-colonialism. 

Having done substantial research on Palestinians, anti-Zionism and settler colonialism, Spear greatly advocates for this ideology. “The Palestinian struggle is often one that encompasses a lot of issues,” she said. “It’s the indigenous rights issue. It’s a disability justice issue. People are dying in hospitals, a genocide is happening, and the people who are the most disenfranchised are always going to be disproportionately affected.” 

It is, simply put, an occupier versus occupied power struggle that we’re seeing, said the anonymous protester. 

Controversy of U.S. Involvement 

“Civilians are not to be blamed and should not suffer for Hamas’s horrific terrorism,” it states. “Civilian lives must be protected and assistance must urgently reach those in need. We will continue to work closely with partners in the region to stress the importance of upholding the law of war, supporting those who are trying to get to safety or provide assistance, and facilitating access to food, water, medical care, and shelter.”

Some believe that the U.S. military’s hand in the strikes against the Gaza Strip goes deeper than portrayed. Spear said the U.S. military and police often exchange military and repressive tactics with Israeli police and the IDF. 

Steven Pomerantz, the architect of the U.S.-Israel Police Exchange with JINSA, the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, says differently. 

“The UC Campaign for Palestinian Rights, for instance, lately declared that the ‘Israeli military trains U.S. police in racist and repressive policing tactics, which systematically targets Black and Brown bodies,’” Pomerantz said. “…These accusations are false and, at best, expose a deep misunderstanding of the nature and objectives of police exchanges.” 

JINSA’s Homeland Security Program launched after the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center to prevent future terrorism and address the well-recognized counterterrorism needs of U.S. law enforcement. 

Yet, disagreement will most likely never cease as regular Americans – those not involved in national government and military operations – may never know the true objectives that U.S. and Israeli police share.

Is the Media Helping?

While terror rages on in the Middle East for hundreds of thousands of civilians, American media organizations are constantly covering the events while sharing their “sides.” 

Breaking news coverage is often twisted in a certain light to push a media organization’s agenda, as is most news. With a deep and dark history, the Israel-Gaza conflict brings a highly emotional factor that influences coverage and interpretation.

As the nation is divided in terms of who is right and wrong, to blame and innocent or deserves America’s help, the significant loss of civilian life is accepted, swept under the rug. 

“As the media, we cannot let ourselves be a pawn in a dehumanization campaign,” Damon said. “As the media, we need to dive into the emotional aspect of all of this as part of the coverage… The polarization that I see is frightening, whether it’s antisemitism on the rise or growing Islamophobia.”

The framing of the news is not lost on some Americans, however. Every news story that is covered has an individual agenda, Tennison said. And the only way to uncover the truth is through first-hand accounts and looking at the minority, as well as those who are not politically supported or motivated.

What matters most, subjectively, in this time of uncertainty, fear and devastating loss is understanding what has occurred and standing in solidarity not with one person over the other but with those who are at the knife’s edge of terrorism, Semitism and anti-Palestinian racism. 

“I think the biggest misconception about this issue is that it’s a complex issue when really, it’s very human and it should tap into your very basic humanity if you give yourself the time to educate yourself on the topic,” Amanda, a protester who wishes to keep their last name anonymous, said. “Because it’s not complex. It’s the most human topic and the (simplest) topic I can think of in which the question is just do people deserve their basic sovereignty and right to self-determination? And that’s a very simple answer, which is yes.”

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From Roe v. Wade to Unborn Child Protection Act; Arkansas Sets Boundaries on Abortion https://uahillmag.com/2022/02/28/from-roe-v-wade-to-unborn-child-protection-act-arkansas-sets-boundaries-on-abortion/ https://uahillmag.com/2022/02/28/from-roe-v-wade-to-unborn-child-protection-act-arkansas-sets-boundaries-on-abortion/#respond Mon, 28 Feb 2022 19:07:42 +0000 https://wordpressua.uark.edu/hillmag/?p=5530 Story by Alyssa Riley Photos by Alexander King In 1973, the historical Roe v. Wade case ensured that all American women had legal and safe access to abortion in the United States. With many bills banning abortion being passed by individual states, this constitutional right may be on its way to becoming a thing of […]

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Story by Alyssa Riley

Photos by Alexander King

In 1973, the historical Roe v. Wade case ensured that all American women had legal and safe access to abortion in the United States. With many bills banning abortion being passed by individual states, this constitutional right may be on its way to becoming a thing of the past.  

In 2021, eight states enacted bills that will restrict abortions – Arkansas being one of them. However, most are ineffective due to them being challenged in court.

The Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act, Senate Bill 6, was signed and passed March 9, 2021, by Gov. Asa Hutchinson after being filed nearly four months prior in November 2020

In the scenario that Roe v. Wade is overturned, this near-total ban – and others like it – will prohibit abortions in the state of Arkansas six weeks after conception to protect unborn children and all human life. The only exception to this ban is if the mother’s life is in danger due to the pregnancy.  

Hutchinson, in a statement following the passing of the bill, said, “I would have preferred the legislation to include the exceptions for rape and incest, which has been my consistent view, and such exceptions would increase the chances for a review by the U.S. Supreme Court.”

On March 7, 2021, two days before Hutchinson’s signing of the bill, Arkansas pro-choice movement groups rallied outside of the State Capitol; the protestors spoke out against the bill and talked about the dangers it would present to many women.

In addition to illegalizing nearly all abortions, SB6 will allow the private right of action for any person to sue another who aids a woman gaining access to abortion. This includes providers, funds, family members and friends.  

Junior Journalism student at the University of Arkansas, Madi Wright, said, “I believe that the new abortion law essentially takes away what is inherently a choice meant only for women, and for what they alone believe to be the best course of action for themselves.”

Junior Journalism student at the University of Arkansas, Madi Wright, said, “I believe that the new abortion law essentially takes away what is inherently a choice meant only for women, and for what they alone believe to be the best course of action for themselves.”

Other states that have passed a near-total ban on abortions include Louisiana, Oklahoma and Utah.  

Ali Taylor, co-founder and president of Arkansas Abortion Support Network, has been running marathons since March 3, 2021, to fund women in need of abortion services. The Arkansas Abortion Support Network website advertises Taylor’s mission. New Page — Arkansas Abortion Support Network

The website said Arkansas is already one of the most abortion-hostile states in the country. “We need your help to continue supporting people in need of abortion services. Please donate if you can. Please share, share, share!” said Ali. 

Subdivision 1a of the act says, “It is time for the United States Supreme Court to redress and correct the grave injustice and the crime against humanity which is being perpetuated by its decisions in Roe v. Wade, Doe v. Bolton, and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.”  

According to the state of Arkansas, the three abortion cases were eligible for an overturn by the United States Supreme Court because of five changes in law and fact: they have not been accepted by scholars and the like, new scientific studies show life begins at conception, abortions inflict serious harm on women, Safe Haven laws eliminate all burden of a child and the growing culture and want for adoption in the states.  

After the passing of SB6 in March, it has been met with challenges and pushbacks, including a blockage by U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker in July 2021, granting a preliminary injunction to prevent passing and implementation. However, as of right now, the right to abortion in Arkansas remains effective.  

Baker cited Roe v. Wade, “This right is grounded in the right to privacy rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment’s concept of personal liberty, which was found to be ‘broad enough to encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.” 

The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will be decided in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case following the passing of the Mississippi Gestational Age Act in 2018, illegalizing nearly all abortions 15 weeks after conception. 

According to NPR’s, ‘Americans are divided on abortion. The Supreme Court may not wait for minds to change,’ justices will decide in the following months whether bans on abortion before fetal viability can be constitutionally legal. 

However, while many states are banning abortions after detection of a heartbeat – anywhere from 5 to 6 weeks after conception – a fetus is only considered viable after 24 to 28 weeks, said Gutt Macher Institute. 

If a majority of the Supreme Court justices answer yes to passing Mississippi’s Act, prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks, Roe v. Wade and the nationwide right to abortion will be undone and new laws like Arkansas’ Unborn Child Protection Act will go into effect. 

The 44th Annual March for Life anti-abortion rally was held on Jan. 16, 2022, in front of the state capitol in Little Rock, Arkanasas, according to Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. 

At the rally, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said, “Arkansas has stood proudly with my friend, Lynn Fitch, the attorney general of the great state of Mississippi, and she took up the Dobbs case to the United States Supreme Court. And do you know why? Because Arkansas is God’s country, and in God’s country, we defend life.” 

While many protesters are in favor of Thomas E. Dobbs in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Pew Research released May 6, 2021, ‘About six-in-ten Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.’ 

“In the latest survey, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are 45 percentage points more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say abortion should be legal in all or most cases (80% vs. 35%),” Hannah Hartig for Pew Research Center wrote. “This gap is little changed over the last few years, but the current divide is wider than it was in the past.” About six-in-ten Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

While the nation – and the states within – are at odds when it comes to the constitutionality of abortions, no one is quite sure what the results will be of the Mississippi case. However, even abortion-rights supporters have an inkling that Roe v. Wade will be overturned in the foreseeable future.  

KHN’s Julie Rovner in, ‘Conservative Justices Seem Poised to Overturn Roe’s Abortion Rights,’ said, “…Judging from the questions asked by justices, it appeared possible – even likely – that a majority of them could vote to turn the thorny question of whether to allow abortion and under what circumstances back to individual states.” 

By the end of 2022, Arkansans and Americans alike will know for sure whether abortions remain a constitutional right or ridden of – except in the cases of mother-endangerment – altogether.  

 

 

 

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Slaughter in the Delta: Confronting Racism, Need for Change on the UA Campus https://uahillmag.com/2021/12/07/slaughter-in-the-delta-confronting-racism-need-for-change-on-the-ua-campus/ https://uahillmag.com/2021/12/07/slaughter-in-the-delta-confronting-racism-need-for-change-on-the-ua-campus/#respond Tue, 07 Dec 2021 19:56:05 +0000 https://wordpressua.uark.edu/hillmag/?p=5484 Confronting the legacy of racial violence in Arkansas in a search for inner peace. by Abbi Ross Tyrah Jackson stands on the steps of Gearhart Hall, wearing a microphone like a Britney Spears-era pop star while she calls out instructions to over 100 people, almost all of which are dressed in black and hanging on […]

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Confronting the legacy of racial violence in Arkansas in a search for inner peace.

by Abbi Ross

Tyrah Jackson stands on the steps of Gearhart Hall, wearing a microphone like a Britney Spears-era pop star while she calls out instructions to over 100 people, almost all of which are dressed in black and hanging on to her every word. 

Jackson and the crowd have just made their way across a rain-soaked University of Arkansas campus, from the Fulbright Dining Hall past the now infamous J. William Fulbright statue and finally to Gearhart. The early morning rally on March 13, 2021, is a call to action on the removal of racist figures like Fulbright and Gov. Charles Brough from campus. And for Jackson, it hits a little closer to home than others. 

Tyrah Jackson, a UA junior, shares her family’s story at the Anti Racism Protest on March 13 on the UA Campus. Jackson is a member of the Committee to Evaluate J. William Fulbright and Charles Brough’s U of A Presence.// Abbi Ross

While much of the discussion on campus about these figures centers on the legacy of Fulbright, it is the repercussions of Brough’s actions that have recently become a driving force in Jackson’s life. 

Over a hundred years before in Elaine, Arkansas, the deadliest racial confrontation in the state took place. Members of Jackson’s family lived in the city at the time and survived the confrontation. 

It was a result of growing tension and fear over labor unions, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Jackson’s family members were a part of over 100 Black Arkansans, mostly sharecroppers, who met at a local church for a Progressive Farmers and Household Union meeting to talk about securing better payments for their cotton crops from white plantation owners on Sept. 30, 1919. It is unclear who fired first, but gunfire between the Black guards outside the church and three people in a vehicle parked in front of it resulted in the death of a white security officer and the wounding of the Phillips County deputy sheriff, Charles Pratt. 

It marked the start of one of the bloodiest racial confrontations in United States history. 

The sheriff sent out a posse to find those involved, and although they were met with little resistance, the group of 500-1,000 white people were determined to put down the “insurrection” going down in Elaine. On Oct. 1, 1919 a telegram was sent to Gov. Charles Brough requesting the presence of U.S. troops in the city. Brough responded with 500 “battle-tested” troops from Camp Pike, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. 

The troops were “under order to shoot to kill any negro who refused to surrender immediately,” the Arkansas Democrat reported on Oct. 2. Exact numbers are not known, but hundreds of Black men, women and children were killed. 

After visiting Elaine to get “correct information” concerning the “insurrection”, he returned to Little Rock and said in a press conference, “The situation at Elaine has been well handled and is absolutely under control. There is no danger of any lynching…. The white citizens of the county deserve unstinting praise for their actions in preventing mob violence,” according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. 

In a matter of days, Gov. Brough had secured his legacy as a man with the death of hundreds of innocent Black Arkansans on his hands. And it is one that Arkansans are still feeling the ramifications of today. 

It was in front of Gearhart Hall that Jackson revealed her grandfather and great aunt survived the Elaine Massacre. Jackson, alongside other campus leaders, shared their experiences and thoughts about racism on campus. 

Just over 100 years ago, members of Jackson’s family survived a heinous hate crime. Now Jackson stands in front of hundreds while she and so many others fight for their rights and the removal of presences on campus that never should have been in the first place. 

“I believe the way to [be anti-racist] is to rid the university of its racist effigies, but also of its structural discrepancies that continuously promote institutional racism,” Jackson said. 

Jackson is now a spokesperson for the UARK Black Student Caucus, a group that came together over the summer in response to racism on campus and organized the march. The Caucus is a response to the trauma that was brought forth over the summer when Black students and community members shared their experiences on campus with #BlackatUARK.  

The #BlackatUARK tag exploded on Twitter in June as people shared their experiences being Black on campus and in the community. 

“Being #BlackatUark is having PIKE throw a fried chicken, watermelon, and 40 oz themed party to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day.” 

“Being #BlackatUark is having my mom scared for my safety because my name is on a letter addressing the racist actions of UARK students and demanding change on my campus. It hurts telling my mom that I’m okay at a school that I honestly don’t even feel safe at anymore” 

“#BlackatUark is creating a hashtag because the administration refuses to listen to the demands of black students”  

The posts shed a bright light on a side of the University of Arkansas that many did not want to see. The awakening of Black voices on campus converged as the UARK Black Student Caucus, a nascent student group that issued 15 demands for creating a more inclusive and respectful campus, including the removal of the Fulbright statue and renaming the Brough dining hall — the statue of a staunch segregationist and a cafeteria named for a man who aided the bloodiest race massacre in Arkansas. 

Months after the group’s creation, the Black Student Caucus announced the protest on March 13, the one that Jackson is helping lead like a conductor. 

“For too long we’ve been given half hearted affirmations, Performative initiatives, and mission statements…On Saturday March 13 at 9:30 am we use our voices for those that have been silenced. We need solidarity in this time and we hope you can join us. Where there are people, there is power ✊🏾  #blackatuark” 

— 

Jackson doesn’t fancy herself a leader. Nevertheless at six feet tall, with piercing dark eyes and a presence that can fill a room, she is the type of woman whom people listen to. 

That force is an amalgamation of growing up Black in the Arkansas Delta and then moving to Little Rock as a child, where she attended predominantly white schools.  

Jackson spent her early childhood in what the people who lived there called the projects, and what the government called “section-8 apartments.” It was there that Jackson found her own little piece of heaven. 

“When I was a child everyone knew each other and everyone looked out for each other,” Jackson said. “I never experienced danger and I never felt like I was in a dangerous situation. I always tell folks — I used to write poems back in the day — that I felt like I was in heaven, I was in paradise.”  

It was a chance for Jackson and her family, blood and not, to be “carefree Black kids in every sense of the word,” she said. 

There was no trauma looming over them. No need to be more than simply who they were. Jackson and her brother got to be kids. They got the chance to play outside, see friends and help around the house with nothing else hanging over their heads. If someone needed something, they knew they were going to get it one way or another.  

That paradise came from a community that helped shape Jackson into who she is. Her grandmother used to say, “I choose to live here, I don’t have to live here.” That mentality came from a place where people came first. 

Jackson’s family moved from Pine Bluff to Little Rock when she was five years old. The move was the start of an internal and external battle with the complexities of racism that Jackson didn’t fully realize until she was older. 

She attended a variety of schools growing up, some in the wealthiest parts of Little Rock where she flourished, others where the discrimination against her was enough to make her move schools. She attended schools like Mount St. Mary’s Academy, where she was one of three Black students in her year and stood out because she was from public school and a tall, Black woman with a knack for basketball. She also attended the famous Little Rock Central High School, the school she originally avoided because she did not think she would survive it. 

“I [went] through so many epiphanies during those years of kind of having this internal hate for my race, trying to be white…trying to move my race away,” Jackson said. 

When Jackson made her way to the UofA in 2018 she had gotten over it — people staring, asking questions. She knew what she was walking into when she made it to campus, which is made up of only 5.3% of Black students. 

“Through all that, I kind of learned how to survive and thrive in those predominantly white situations,” Jackson said. “ [I learned] how to be true to myself and my race.” 

By the time Jackson found out about her family’s surviving the Elaine Massacre, she was already well aware of the realities Black people still face in Arkansas and across the U.S.  

Those realities are something that many on the UA campus are still realizing and confronting. While Jackson had accepted them and learned to fight back, many still haven’t, which is what pushed her to get involved.  

While Jackson has not faced some of those issues on campus, she understands the emotional toll of it all. Many of those students at the UofA were also from the Delta region of Arkansas Jackson grew up. 

“The underlying segregation that happens in the Delta, even today, no one talks about it because it’s not a state-sanctioned segregation, but it is segregation,” Jackson said. “They got on to this campus and felt like fishes out of water and I felt like I needed to do something about that.”  

Jackson’s fire to help Black students was only fueled farther when she learned about her family’s connection to Brough. Jackson learned her family survived the Elaine Massacre in February after seeing a snippet of a documentary about the event that her uncle shared on Facebook. 

Moses Jackson, the grandfather of Tyrah, and a direct descendant of survivors of the massacre, was a part of a documentary shedding light on the Elaine Massacre. 

“The man would take your cotton and then the man at the store [where] you had credit would run your books up on ya so you didn’t have nothing,” said Moses Jackson, a former sharecropper and the grandfather of Tyrah in a 2002 documentary. “You work a whole year and handpick 40 bales of cotton and you  come out with nothing.” 

In the 20 minute documentary narrated by esteemed Black actor, Ossie Davis, Moses, alongside his sister Ruth Jackson, are among the first to speak. The documentary narrates the events of the Elaine Massacre and gives a voice to the people who experienced living in Elaine at the time. 

“Colored people had more fear than they got now,” Ruth said in the film. “A lot of things they were scared of, they were afraid to talk about.” 

Many of the challenges that those Black Arkansans faced in 1919 are still there. While fighting for better pay as sharecroppers is not something Black Arkansans have to worry about in the 2020’s, there are still a number of aggressions, large and small, that they face on a daily basis. Black people are still being attacked for gathering to fight for basic human rights, as seen in the hundreds of protests across the U.S. last summer after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. They are still being murdered by the people who are paid to serve and protect. They are still fighting microaggressions implemented in workplaces and universities, like the ones brought up during the #BlackatUARK movement last summer as well.  The list could go on. 

While some things have improved since 1919, there is still exploitation and an underlying belief in white supremacy, said Brian Mitchell, a history professor at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. 

“Although we thought it was dead, it has very much been resurrected the last four or five years,” Mitchell said. 

The “history” surrounding monuments like the Fulbright statue is often lumped in with the idea of “heritage.” 

“The word heritage is loaded with emotion and nostalgia that go back and not necessarily history,” Mitchell said.  “These monuments are counterfactual, they’re not telling a whole story.” 

Jackson is a member of the committee that worked on decisions regarding the Fulbright statue and renaming the dining hall, among other issues. University officials formed The Committee to Evaluate J. William Fulbright and Charles Brough’s U of A Presence in the summer of 2020 as a part of the demands issued by the Black Student Caucus. 

The committee is made up of 19 members that were chosen to help represent campus in the most diverse and broadest way possible, said Stephen Caldwell, an associate professor and chair of the Faculty Senate. 

The committee was tasked with providing a recommendation on Fulbright’s name being removed from the college of arts and sciences, the relocation of his statue and Brough’s name being removed from the dining hall, Caldwell said. The committee met every Friday of the 2020-21 school year, spending time listening to a number of people and groups including campus members, alumni, historians and a committee from Elaine. The second part of the year was spent getting into the “nitty-gritty” of the possible changes, Caldwell said. 

Discussions surrounding the issue have included “what if” situations surrounding the governor’s intentions, Jackson said. 

“But it’s like what does he matter what he was doing when the intent —when the results —had the ramifications that they did?” Jackson said. “It’s not about intent. It’s about results.” 

False narratives have been taught to people in the United States that reinforces the narrative that people want to believe, Mitchell said. 

People have grown so attached to a patriotic narrative, that when they are confronted with facts, dates, documents that counter that patriotic narrative they reject it because it doesn’t glorify them, Mitchell said. 

“It pissed me off to see people debating it,” Jackson said. “I have the first-hand account right here.” 

Jackson’s family were sharecroppers. She grew up listening to stories from people like her great aunt Ruthie about how racist people were or from her father on how hard the work was. Jackson has five uncles and one aunt who all grew up working the land they lived on in Hughes. They all went to college and her family now owns one of the biggest construction companies in the state, she said. 

“I was astounded and I was dumbfounded and I was proud,” Jackson said about learning that her family survived the Elaine Massacre. “I think I shed a couple of tears just because of the things my family had to survive and people are still debating it and talking about it.” 

While the narrative surrounding figures like Fulbright, Brough and so many more across the country are changing and people are confronting their pasts, there is still a lot of work to do. 

Jackson has realized through all of this that she doesn’t need higher ups to get things done. There are people and groups on campus that are willing to take the time and the money to make the changes that Black students want to see happen, she said. 

Jackson thinks it is politics and oftentimes snobbery that bogs down within university systems, and academia itself, in their efforts to change. 

“It’s debilitating,”Jackson said. “I think this obnoxiousness and this clubby type mindset that comes with academia, and really all systems, is the reason we haven’t gotten anywhere. You’ve got to work from the inside out.”  

The University of Arkansas Board of Trustees voted on System President Donald Bobbitt’s recommendations July 28, exactly three months after the Committee to Evaluate J. William Fulbright and Charles Brough’s U of A Presence released their recommendation to then Chancellor Joe Steinmetz on Wednesday, April 28. 

The committee recommended renaming the College of Arts and Sciences, relocating Fulbright’s statue and renaming Brough Commons. 

One of those recommendations was met — the renaming of Brough Commons. It was voted that Fulbright’s name would remain on the College of Arts and Sciences and that the statue will remain behind Old Main. 

In an email to students following the meeting, then acting Chancellor Bill Kincaid reasoned leaving Fulbright’s name because of, “his association with promoting international understanding and world peace through education.” 

The email also discusses the decision to leave the statue where it is, instead of relocating it as recommended by the committee and Steinmetz. 

“However, since Act 1003 of 2021 prevents removing or relocating monuments on public property absent receipt of a waiver from the Arkansas History Commission, I believe the statue should be contextualized in its current location,” Bobbitt wrote in a letter to the board. “If a path presents itself at a later time to consider the relocation of the statue that is consistent with state law, the Board can revisit this issue.” 

Kincaid’s email goes on to talk about efforts to diversify campus and university plans. 

Jackson’s focus remains on Black students who are ready to make these changes. Before the final votes were made this summer, she said she no longer cares about the decisions the administration makes because of the backlash or dichotomy that would eventually follow. 

“It’s in the roots of the university that you’ll make the most change, not necessarily in high administration,” Jackson said. 

Jackson knows that there are students on campus waiting to share their voices and their ideas. 

“There are Black students out there who have some type of confidence in me to do something, and so my big thing now is going to each individual Black student that I can find and asking them what changes they want to see at the university,” she said. “‘What is it in your heart of hearts, in your complete soul, in your soul – not in regards to anybody else – what are the changes you want to see in the university?’” 

 

 

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AAPI in Arkansas https://uahillmag.com/2021/10/02/aapi-in-arkansas/ https://uahillmag.com/2021/10/02/aapi-in-arkansas/#respond Sat, 02 Oct 2021 15:42:06 +0000 https://wordpressua.uark.edu/hillmag/?p=5432 Story by Victoria Hernandez. Photo by Tabitha Novotny. At the start of the pandemic, the FBI warned that hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities would rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic A year later, awareness of Asian hate crimes has become heavily circulated through the media. “Obviously, during the pandemic […]

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Story by Victoria Hernandez. Photo by Tabitha Novotny.

At the start of the pandemic, the FBI warned that hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities would rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic

A year later, awareness of Asian hate crimes has become heavily circulated through the media.

“Obviously, during the pandemic is when the AAPI community has seen an uptick in hate crimes and racist attacks on our community,” said Aysia Nguyen, president of the Arkansas Vietnamese Student Association.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic starting in China, a lot of people wanted someone to blame “for causing such a huge shift in our life,” and that perpetrated a lot of hate toward the AAPI community, Nguyen said.

Phrases such as “China virus” and “kung flu” didn’t help the situation. Many people didn’t see the harm in using them — including former President Trump.

“When you call the COVID-19 pandemic or COVID-19 virus itself kung flu or Chinese virus you’re just putting a blame on a group of people for something that they have no control over,” Nguyen said.

“When you call the COVID-19 pandemic or COVID-19 virus itself kung flu or Chinese virus you’re just putting a blame on a group of people for something that they have no control over,” Nguyen said.

A study done by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University released findings that between the years 2019 and 2020, hate crimes against Asian Americans increased  by 149%.

The latest report of hate crimes against Asian Americans collected by the organization Stop AAPI Hate reported 9,081 incidents from March 19, 2020 to June 30, 2021.

“We’ve seen a lot of times that the majority of people who are being physically attacked and physically harmed are elderly people,” Nguyen said. “They are our parents or our grandparents, and if I am fearing for anyone’s safety in the community, it’s theirs.”

One of the attacks on the AAPI community occurred in Atlanta on March 16. Although authorities have not made an official conclusion that the attacks were racially motivated, of the eight people killed, six of them were women of Asian descent.

These attacks have brought a renewed sense of urgency to pay attention to hate crimes against the AAPI community across the country.

University of Arkansas leaders have come up with initiatives to stop AAPI hate in the campus community, according to a UA press release.

Several registered student organizations worked together to raise money for the AAPI Community Fund, put on by GoFundMe. The organizations involved were the Vietnamese Student Association, the Filipino Student Organization and the Chinese Language and Culture Club.

Another organization is the Asian Pacific American Employee Impact Group.

“The mission of the university — for employee impact groups — is to basically serve as an affinity group, as a resource for staff, anyone on campus faculty,” said Er-Gene Kahng, D. Mus, professor and president of the APA Employee Impact Group.

The group specifically addresses APA issues on campus through Zoom sessions and plans to host some social events in the future.

“It’s a way for [AAPI] people to build community,” Kahng said.

As for concerns at the university, Kahng said that there is “an anxiousness.”

“Arkansas is still one of three states that does not have hate crime legislation and so I think there’s always this idea or fear in the back of many AAPI folks who sort of think ‘well if something does happen to me, what are my resources that I can fall back on for protection or even support?’” Kahng said.

“Arkansas is still one of three states that does not have hate crime legislation and so I think there’s always this idea or fear in the back of many AAPI folks who sort of think ‘well if something does happen to me, what are my resources that I can fall back on for protection or even support?’” Kahng said.

Both Nguyen and Kahng suggested that staying educated is the best way to be an informed ally when it comes to the matters of the AAPI community.

If you’re looking for more resources on how to educate yourself regarding AAPI issues:

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UA Students Lead March Against Racism https://uahillmag.com/2021/03/13/ua-students-lead-march-against-racism/ https://uahillmag.com/2021/03/13/ua-students-lead-march-against-racism/#respond Sun, 14 Mar 2021 03:20:06 +0000 http://wordpressua.uark.edu/hillmag/?p=5362 Story by Natalie Demaree, Photos by Eli Stokes, March 13, 2021 Over a hundred protesters gathered on a drizzling Saturday morning March 13 to protest against racism. Led by University of Arkansas students, the protesters marched across campus, beginning at the Fulbright Dining Hall and ending in the Gearhart Courtyard. “NO HONOR FOR RACISTS,” read […]

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Story by Natalie Demaree, Photos by Eli Stokes, March 13, 2021

Over a hundred protesters gathered on a drizzling Saturday morning March 13 to protest against racism. Led by University of Arkansas students, the protesters marched across campus, beginning at the Fulbright Dining Hall and ending in the Gearhart Courtyard.

“NO HONOR FOR RACISTS,” read the sign of a protestor. “Don’t make ICONS out of RACISTS,” read another sign.

Hosted by the Black Graduate Student Association, the Black Law Student Association, Students Advocating Stronger Sisterhood, the University of Arkansas NAACP, and other student organizations and leaders, the protest called for the removal of racist symbols and names on campus beginning with tributes to J. William Fulbright, former UA president and U.S. senator, and Charles Hillman Brough, former professor and Arkansas governor, according to a UA press release.

J. William Fulbright was a known segregationist and emphasized racist policies throughout his term. On campus at the UA, the college of Arts & Sciences is named after him along with a dining hall. A statue of Fulbright also stands in front of Old Main, the oldest building still standing on campus.

Additionally, Charles Hillman Brough enforced racist policies during his term as governor. During the Elaine Massacre of 1919, known as “probably the bloodiest racial conflict in the history of the U.S.” according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, Brough covered up multiple unlawful murders of African Americans. A dining hall on campus is named after the former governor and professor.

The following photographs showcase the emotion and dedication to fighting racist policies and celebrations on the UA campus by participants in the march:

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No More Euphemisms, Hear Our Demands: Anti-racism Policy Change at the University of Arkansas As A Result of Student Initiatives https://uahillmag.com/2020/12/29/no-more-euphemisms-hear-our-demands/ https://uahillmag.com/2020/12/29/no-more-euphemisms-hear-our-demands/#respond Tue, 29 Dec 2020 12:00:13 +0000 http://wordpressua.uark.edu/hillmag/?p=5170 Story by Natalie Demaree, December 29, 2020 Student initiatives demanding inclusivity and anti-racism are catching the attention of administrators at the University of Arkansas.    According to UA enrollment reports for Fall 2020, 4.5 percent of students are Black or African American.   “There’s a lot of conversation that’s been happening, a lot of special committees that […]

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Story by Natalie Demaree, December 29, 2020

Graphic by Natalie Demaree December 29, 2020 showing enrollment from Fall 2020 at UA.

Student initiatives demanding inclusivity and anti-racism are catching the attention of administrators at the University of Arkansas. 

  According to UA enrollment reports for Fall 2020, 4.5 percent of students are Black or African American.

  “There’s a lot of conversation that’s been happening, a lot of special committees that have been developed to look at things,” said Valandra, former director of African and African American Studies at UA, who has a doctorate in social work.  

  Chancellor Steinmetz penned a letter to the campus community June 17, 2020 in response to the hashtag #BlackatUARK promising stronger diversity, equity and inclusion. Many students and faculty members are wondering what is being done to not only keep this commitment but set the precedent for the future of the campus community.

  “I have been reading #blackatUARK and I hear you. Your experiences are powerful, painful testaments to the vital work we need to do to make our campus equitable and inclusive,” Steinmetz said in a tweet. “These hard, real discussions are an important step to affect change together. #UARK” 

  As a direct response to the #BlackatUARK tweets, the Chancellor announced in a press release that he was meeting weekly with an advisory group of Black student leaders. Soon after, UA also began a session series called “Transforming U of A: Combatting Racism to Build a More Inclusive Campus,” facilitated by the Office for Diversity and Inclusion. The goal of this series was to inform a campus action plan in order to develop a more inclusive campus climate, according to a UA press release. 

  The Black Student Caucus at UA, which is not a registered student organization, also retweeted many #BlackatUARK tweets and posted a list of 15 demands for policy reforms on campus. 

  “Black Student Caucus endeavors to reclaim like ‘diversity and inclusivity.’ Oftentimes, diversity and inclusivity are cloaked, skeletal terms that never truly result in tranquility and happiness for the very group it is supposed to be including,” the Black Student Caucus said July 6 in a media statement.

  Included in the list, is a call for more Black staff in both the Pat Walker Health Center and the Office of Student Standards and Conduct, the removal of two statues on campus and the renaming of the dining hall, a redefinition of the hate speech policy in the handbook and more funding for Black students. 

  “We seek happiness, wholeness, and fulfillment for Black students at the University of Arkansas,” the Caucus said in the statement.

  Valandra said that one of the problems in addressing issues on campus is euphemism in speech surrounding topics on race and inequality. 

  “We are talking about structural issues of disparity that have been around for centuries,” Valandra said. 

  The office of equal opportunity and compliance has developed an initiative called “We Are Committed to ACT.” Valandra said she thinks this issue is unique because the program addresses the term civility, along with the terms diversity and inclusion. 

  “It’s one of the first times that I have heard that word used in relationship to the University,” she said. 

  Including civility in the initiative means that addressing formal politeness and courtesies will be involved, adding a whole new dimension to the conversation. 

  The three letters of this initiative stand for aiding in stopping the acts or incidents of discrimination, and sexual misconduct, championing inclusive excellence and telling someone who can take action about your concerns, according to the ACT website. 

  The action plan focuses on four focus areas including communication, which focuses on branding the initiative, programming and collaboration both short-term and long-term, reinforcement and guidance on policy and procedures and identifying resources to help the initiative remain. 

“We must emphasize this commitment to inclusion so diversity, access, equity and civility become part of the fabric of our institution,” the ACT website states.

  Though the initiative is still in the data-gathering stage, Valandra said she thinks new policies will be developed through it. 

  Steven Caldwell, who has a doctorate in musical arts and serves as the chair of the faculty senate, said they took up and passed about two proposals, with several more underway, as a result of some of the discussions that took place over the summer and into the beginning of the semester. 

  “The process through which policy is changed on the University—it’s not a slow process, but it’s an involved process, and it goes through many steps,” Caldwell said. 

  The week of August 22, just before classes started, the faculty senate approved an update to the language surrounding the definition of harassment in the student policy handbook which now includes more platforms, such as social media, through which students are harassed, he said. This was a response to changes recommended as a result of the #BlackatUARK tweets, Caldwell said.

  He said another policy proposal, recommended by Dean Koski, that recently passed nearly unanimously, recommended a change to the membership of the UA’s Committee on Courses and Programming. The new language now requires there to be an undergraduate student member selected by the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and one graduate student member selected by the Black Graduate Student Association. 

“We usually do not have students of color on the curricular review portion of this committee,” Caldwell said. “So the change was, can we make it more intentional so that we reserve a seat that is specific for Black students, so that they have greater agency over curricular changes here at the University.”

  Along with those changes, there are also committees, one of which he is on, that are re-examining the names of Fulbright college, the statue outside of the building and the name of Brough on Brough commons, he said.

  Those committees are also still in the “listening” stage, meaning that they have not yet had any debate on the issue, but are hearing from several different members of the community including members of the Associated Student Government, Black and white students and Black and white alumni, Caldwell stated. 

  “I cannot in any real, meaningful way even try to predict how that committee might rule because we have not discussed it,” Caldwell said. “Now the listening period is finishing up, or is now completely finished. We’re about to go into the discussion period of the charge. But right now I cannot predict how the committee may or may not rule.” 

Caldwell said he expects that with time there will be more discussions on the floor of the faculty senate as a result of student movements.

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We’re Still Dreaming https://uahillmag.com/2020/12/20/were-still-dreaming/ https://uahillmag.com/2020/12/20/were-still-dreaming/#respond Sun, 20 Dec 2020 12:00:27 +0000 http://wordpressua.uark.edu/hillmag/?p=5164 Story by Jewell Parnell, December 20, 2020 Several valuable conversations are taking place at this point in history. Whether these conversations happen in a professional setting or with loved ones, they are happening for good reason.   At the forefront of these conversations are the topics of race, diversity, discrimination and inclusion. People are engaged in […]

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Photo Illustration by Kerri Holt December 21, 2020.

Story by Jewell Parnell, December 20, 2020

Several valuable conversations are taking place at this point in history. Whether these conversations happen in a professional setting or with loved ones, they are happening for good reason.

  At the forefront of these conversations are the topics of race, diversity, discrimination and inclusion. People are engaged in a revolution of not just thought, but practice. Great minds like Martin Luther King Jr. have dreamed of a world where our nation’s creed would be upheld—that all men are created equal. A world where justice is no longer accepted as bankrupt and cannot continue to overlook the urgency of a moment. 

  Still, here we stand over 50 years later. Everyone knows there is still work to be done to ensure justice, and people are having conversations—hard ones, uncomfortable ones, unifying ones. The work begins by recognizing diversity, understanding what inclusion looks like, and talking about it.

  At the University of Arkansas, 79.2 percent of students are white while only to only 9.2 percent of students make up the Hispanic/Latino population, 4.5 percent are Black or African American, 2.7 percent are Asian, 0.8 percent are Native American or Alaska Native and 0.1 percent are Native Hawaiin or other Pacific Islander, according to UA’s Fall 2020 enrollment report.  The majority is obvious, yet this campus falls right above the national average of diversity on college campuses in terms of age, ethnicity and gender. So what does diversity actually look like on American campuses? What does it feel like, other than numbers?

  The following stories are from four different students from the University of Arkansas who are not just doing the work, but living it. By describing their experiences on campus, these students offer insight and perspectives to be considered when thinking about our own interactions on campus. 

  Let them be our guides into the age where we love and understand not just our classmates, but the rest of humanity, and respect one another’s plight that is so very different from our own. 

 

Obed Lamy

Photo of Obed Lamy by Jack Williams

One day in March 2019 as I was packing my bags to head off to America for my master’s program, a friend who has lived in the country for years called me and said, “You’re going to Arkansas? It’s a very racist state!” Like other advice I was provided upon taking my Fulbright adventure, that conversation I assume, was well-intentioned to make me more cautious about approaching life in unknown terrain. 

  Indeed, when first I arrived in Fayetteville, everything was new to me; yet, it has never felt strange or unwelcoming. From classrooms to churches to restaurants, the spaces I have found myself share a common denominator: only a few Black people, if not only me, are present there. In itself, that has not troubled me much. Maybe my excitement to discover the magnificence of this country impaired my curiosity to capture the human stories behind some statistics, but less than 5 out of 100 students at UA are Black, according to UA’s fall 2020 enrollment report. 

  In the summer there was a flood of testimonies under the hashtag “#BlackatUark” on Twitter, opening many eyes to discriminatory behaviors Black students have faced on campus. I don’t think I have ever been through similar experiences. 

But I started to pay more attention to these dynamics of race relations a bit earlier when I undertook a documentary in fall 2019 on how an African-American student managed to navigate this predominantly white university. In normal times, the campus has a cosmopolitan atmosphere populated by students of all nationalities. However, beneath the facade of multiculturalism lies sometimes a reality where individuals tend to confine themselves within small circles of friends who look like them, with hardly any desire for interchange with outside communities. I have seen different public events hosted by Black students on campus, with very few attendees from other ethnic groups. The opposite could be observed, as well.

  It was interesting to see many more Black faces on ZOOM meetings about systemic racism, held both in and outside of the University, during the heat of racial protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd last summer. The same thing usually happens in class when discussing minority issues; students who are seemingly less affected by these problems are more inclined to remain silent. If education is a social equalizer, then schools should be a good place to engage in the conversation about inequality. 

  Fortunately, my work has brought me around many leaders who successfully champion the cause of creating a more diverse and inclusive campus at UA. Still, I am concerned that the restrictions of social distance and remote learning imposed by the pandemic undermine for a long time the possibility of interaction between different groups, which is crucial to sustaining diversity and mutual understanding. How can we make sure that the “invisible groups” don’t remain literally in the shadow on the ZOOM screens and feel they belong to the community? That’s a serious question the University authorities should seek to address. 

Jissel Esparza

Photo of Jissel Esparza by Jack Williams

As a child, I never thought I would go to college. I didn’t know anyone that had hair like mine or skin like me, that went to college. It was a distant thing that only the white people I knew did. 

  Looking back, the best decision I’ve ever made was to attend the University of Arkansas. I’ve had the opportunity to partake in Latinx cultural events and learning opportunities. I’ve been able to attend seminars and learn more about my own culture and background, an opportunity that I never really had in high school. All of the knowledge of my Mexican culture, I had to learn from the Internet before coming to Arkansas. The Latinx student community on campus is there to lend a hand when you need it. No matter what. We all share this deep bond and friendship. I’ve been able to become friends with Latinx students from all over Latin America, and not just those of Mexican descent, like me. That is not to say that UA doesn’t have places to improve. 

  As a first generation college student, at my Freshmen Orientation, I was filled with questions. Unlike my friends, I couldn’t really turn to my parents for help, even though I really wanted to. During my sophomore year, I served as an orientation mentor, and I saw this so many other Latinx students experience the same thing. I wish the UA would recreate Spanish resources for the parents of Latinx students. That way, just like native English speaking parents, they are able to understand what UA is all about. I also wish the Latinx population percentage was higher. I believe that this could happen if the University created initiatives to attract Latinx students throughout the state of Arkansas. The Latinx population percentage in the state should be reflective at the University. I do applaud the state of Arkansas for allowing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients to receive in-state tuition. I know this has impacted a significant amount of Latinx students on campus, and in future years, will increase the amount of Latinx students. This is not something a lot of states offer, especially in the South. On a more personal level, I am honored that I get to serve as the Student Body Treasurer and represent the Latinx population in a way that we normally don’t see.

Shalu Jivan

Photo of Shalu Jivan by Jack Williams

In my three years at the University of Arkansas, I have been involved in countless organizations in order to find my place at this institution. I have participated in programs such as Razorback Food Recovery and Passionate About Learning with the Volunteer Action Center, Associated Member Program, as a member and staff, Office of Financial Affairs for Associated Student Government, Indian Cultural Association and Leadership Walton. I am also currently working as a Resident Assistant on campus. Having been a part of so many different organizations, I have learned how to love UA

  I have wanted to do more to improve my home here at UA, but I have realized that I have to work significantly harder than many of my friends and peers due to being a part of the minority as an Indian American. Though there are many resources such as the Multicultural Center and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion on campus, there is still a lack of connection between students representing the University and the demographic breakdown of the actual student population. 

  I have seen this lack of representation in most of the organizations I have been involved in except my job as an RA. The majority of the campus RA’s have hometowns in various parts of the country and even the world and have extremely diverse backgrounds and majors. Being an RA has made me feel the most included, filling me with a sense of pride to be working for my University. There have been many pushes to increase representation across many organizations, and I have seen success in most of them. The need for diversity is not simply to show representation but also to inform other students that people with similar backgrounds are being included in these organizations and to encourage more to join. 

Kolten Long

Photo of Kolten Long by Jack Williams

The important issues that surround both equity and inclusion are definitely not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the state of Arkansas. As an out gay man that has grown up in the South, sadly, it is so easy to find moments of discrimination and microagressions that occur almost on a daily basis. 

  Coming to the University of Arkansas just a few months after coming out to my family and friends, I was absolutely filled with anxiety as to how I would find people that I felt both safe and comfortable around while completing my undergraduate degree. Being any type of different in the current world climate is already challenging, so starting an entire new chapter of my life proved to be a daunting task. 

  As a cisgender white gay male, I am one of the most privileged members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I know of numerous people that live in the Northwest Arkansas area that have faced various forms of discrmination in the short time that I have attended UA.

  During my freshman year at the University, I spent much of my time trying new experiences on campus to find where I felt most comfortable. Luckily, I found the Volunteer Action Center, a group of service minded individuals where I felt both accepted and supported to be who I am. However, this is not the case for everyone that attends UA. 

Although the city of Fayetteville prides itself on being an inclusive community and the University has taken steps to increase awareness of these issues, it seems that UA has much room for improvement in the equity and inclusion area in order to make all students feel like they belong here. 

Stephanie Verdaris

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Verdaris.

Inclusion to me is accepting others and making sure they feel welcome, as I have been welcomed. Growing up as a proud Razorback from Little Rock, I found my home on the Hill to be welcoming. Orientation exposed freshman me to so many opportunities to be involved in this community, and I quickly fell in love with the potential to develop myself and find community in various areas on campus. I joined Greek Life and other RSOs that welcomed me with open arms and served as an outlet for me to be a part of something bigger than myself while giving me the opportunity to serve my community.

It was through these organizations that I became a part of the Razorback family. They taught me the importance of including others. As I begin to face the halfway mark of my junior year, and first year as an upperclassman, I have inherited the roles of those who came before me and made freshman me feel included. I now serve the important role of making sure that new members, and the future leaders of our campus, feel welcome. Inclusion can be so easy, if we open our minds, but especially our hearts, to our differences that make each of us distinct.

While I have had a positive and inclusive experience on our campus, I don’t doubt that for many, that is not the case. In it all, we are Razorbacks furthering our education to better ourselves and the world around us. Most importantly though, we are children of God, made in His image and likeness, and we are to love one another exactly as that. I believe that if we work together, we can help better the experience of inclusion for the many that feel excluded. This is our community, and it is up to us to improve it. It is up to us to set an example for the next generation of students to come—to mentor, develop, and include every new student, just like upperclassmen did for freshman us.

Fernanda Alcantara

Inclusivity on a campus can create either a welcoming or exclusive environment. As much as I love the University of Arkansas and what the college represents, there are improvements needed with the opportunities  students are provided to increase inclusivity on campus.

Especially now more than ever where racial and social issues are not just national issues, but something we can see dividing our university. I attended a predominantly white high school where I was often the only person of color in my AP classes. Upon arriving at UA, I was made aware that I had lost touch with my Hispanic culture. I have always felt that I was “too white” to hang out with other Latino(a)s but “too Latina” for the “white people.” This goes to show that the challenge of inclusivity is multi-sided.

To some extent, inclusivity pertains to peoples’ feelings of acceptance and how bold they are to put themselves in new and uncomfortable situations where they might not feel like they belong at first. The other side of inclusivity is organizations on campus providing an array of opportunities for people to become involved, but most importantly,  making these opportunities available to those who are not super involved on campus already.

As someone who is involved on campus, part of the issue of inclusivity comes from within organizations that aim to work for the students but often create an exclusive environment where advancement is determined on who you know within the organization. This is the biggest issue with inclusivity that I have experienced since I have arrived on campus. This is an issue that needs to be solved internally within the organizations to provide equal, unbiased opportunities to all students.  Campus as a whole is welcoming to all students, but it can still be improved.

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The Day Our Screens Went Black: Social media’s influence in the Black Lives Matter Movement and George Floyd Protests https://uahillmag.com/2020/12/18/the-day-our-screens-went-black/ https://uahillmag.com/2020/12/18/the-day-our-screens-went-black/#respond Fri, 18 Dec 2020 12:00:08 +0000 http://wordpressua.uark.edu/hillmag/?p=5161 Story by Natalie Demaree, December 18, 2020 The world was heavy—mournful—on June 2, 2020 as we watched our screens turn black.    On that day, the loud and seemingly infinite stream of information and self promotion regularly seen on social media came to a stop, leaving but one voice to be heard. This voice was not […]

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Story by Natalie Demaree, December 18, 2020

Several people gathered on June 2, 2020, for the Black Lives Matter protest on the Fayetteville square. Photo by Heidi Kirk.

The world was heavy—mournful—on June 2, 2020 as we watched our screens turn black. 

  On that day, the loud and seemingly infinite stream of information and self promotion regularly seen on social media came to a stop, leaving but one voice to be heard. This voice was not a new voice, rather, it was one as old as America. A voice that had been belittled and silenced for decades erupted all over social media bringing about a rude, but necessary, awakening for many Americans. 

  Just eight days before, on May 25, George Floyd, a Black man, was murdered by white police officers in Minneapolis. This event was caught on video and disseminated quickly throughout the quarantined country.

  According to a Times analysis of a timestamped video taken at the scene, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd on the ground keeping his knee on Floyd’s neck for at least eight minutes and fifteen seconds.

  Eight minutes and fifteen seconds. 

  Floyd lost consciousness, and Chauvin did not remove his knee, according to the analysis.

Paramedics arrived at the scene and for a full minute and twenty seconds after, Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck.

  As the video circulated, viewers were left devastated and confused by the callous actions of the police officer. It was this video which galvanized protests in cities across the country, bringing many individuals out of their homes after living remotely for three months because of stay-at-home orders enacted due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

  The George Floyd protests soon gathered steam as it was broadcast all over the media. Activism was not only flourishing on the streets, but on the streams of social media, now leaving a record of images and videos recounting the tumultuous cry of protesters. These images revealed that people weren’t just demanding justice for George Floyd, but for the many fatal shootings of unarmed Black individuals by police officers.

    Black men are 2.5 times more likely than white men to be killed by police during their lifetime, a 2019 study done by the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America found. According to Statista, a German statistics company, 157 Black people have been fatally shot by police this year alone as of Oct. 30, 2020.

Photo Illustration by Kerri Holt December 21, 2020.

  Blackout Tuesday, on June 2, 2020, came about as a response to these events. It was a collective gesture of solidarity with the protests against the police killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many more Black citizens. This initiative was started by two Black women, Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang, by using the hashtag “#TheShowMustBePaused” according to The Show Must Be Paused website. Though it originated in the music industry, this hashtag eventually spread to all forms of social media. 

  “We are tired and can’t change things alone. In the meantime, to our Black friends and family: please take the time for you and your mental health,” Thomas and Agyemang said on their website. “To our allies, the time is now to have difficult conversations with family, friends and colleagues.”

  The voice of the Black community was the only voice left to be heard on that day, and it marked a consequential point in a movement toward a widespread re-education in America and sparked a national discourse about race, police brutality and policy. 

I remember feeling confused as I scrolled through my Instagram feed early that summer morning, before knowing anything about the initiative. As I saw a few acquaintances posting black squares, I thought to myself:

  What’s up with these black squares? Are people getting hacked?

  I exited out of the app, thinking when I looked at it again later that day there would be something more riveting for me to see. After brunch with my family, I opened Instagram again shocked to find that my entire feed was made up of black squares. 

  What the heck is going on? I thought, perplexed that my regularly scheduled Instafeed had been disrupted. 

  I paid particular attention to who had posted these black squares—this time, my friends had posted, businesses I follow had posted, public figures had posted. I couldn’t help but to read through a few captions. Though the black squares said nothing, the multitude of them was provocative enough to capture my attention.

  The captions that accompanied the black squares posted that day were unforgettable, to me. The words were obviously written out with a weighty, sorrowful sentiment. Some enraged at the events that had happened over the last few days. Some captions stated bible verses like Isaiah 1:16-17 which says, “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean. Remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression.” Some simply left blank, as if no words could possibly mend the current situation we were in. 

  Black-Owned Northwest Arkansas, an Instagram account meant to serve as a guide to Black-owned businesses in Northwest Arkansas, wrote in their caption, “‘#blackouttuesday’ the movement is more than a hashtag check your heart and intentions before engaging. Do you really want change or is it for show? Black people have to be about that life everyday. Will you still be around when the cameras stop rolling?”

  I realized what was happening. The posts were an acknowledgement of the broken racial climate in America.

On Jan. 4, 2020, a few months before Blackout Tuesday, I sat at the front of a nearly empty classroom dumbfounded about the new information being taught in my Black Movements and Messiahs intersession course at the University of Arkansas.

  I had signed up to try to get ahead in course credits, and the class counted as a history credit, which I needed. It looked interesting enough, and I had high hopes that it would be an easy class, especially since it was offered during winter break. 

  Over the next week and a half, Caree Banton, who has a doctorate in history, led our class of about 12 people in a deep expedition back in time and through the history of Black people, from their perspective. The class was packed with new content, and on top of being in class for about four hours a day with only a short break in between for a week and a half straight, we were also assigned two book reports and a group project to work on outside of class—not an easy A.

  I think I learned more in that class than any other class I had ever taken. Incredibly humbled by the experience, I went and added African and African American Studies as a minor as soon as I finished the class. 

  Part of me was infuriated that in all my years of being in school, no one had ever taught me the history of Black people in America, from their perspective. In 14 years of being a student and being asked to “think critically” I had never even questioned if there was another side of history. 

  “This is systematic, you know. From the textbooks that you’re reading in middle school and high school all the way up to how the curriculum is arranged in college that some people never get to take those classes,” Banton said. 

  I can’t even begin to imagine how Black people must feel having their historical records left out of academic narratives. What kind of an education system is this? Favoring and exclusively teaching one perspective and ignoring the many other perspectives that are foundational to not only society, but to the human experience! 

  We have got to re-evaluate. 

I took a screenshot of a black square and went to post. I couldn’t think of a caption. Right before I started typing #blackouttuesday, I deleted my draft of the post. The situation was delicate, and I wanted more time to reflect before posting.

  I set down my phone and picked up my copy of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography that I had been reading. On the TV, I pulled up Spotify to enjoy some background music. 

  Oh my gosh. Spotify is participating in Blackout Tuesday too. 

  The covers for playlists in the “browse” section were blacked out. Some of the artists I was following also had changed their profile photos to a black picture. I couldn’t believe it.

  This is awesome. This is a cross-media movement; this is a global movement. 

  I turned on my favorite artist, Chance The Rapper, and exchanged my book for my phone. Out of curiosity, I opened up Pinterest, my second most used social media app besides Instagram. It was there too. Pinterest had changed its profile picture to match the Blackout Tuesday initiative. 

  As incredible as I thought it all was, there was a skeptical thought that lingered in my mind:

  If the goal is to elevate Black voices, how is choosing to post a black square actually helping? Wouldn’t it be better if I just didn’t post on social media at all?

  I questioned if my motivation to post at first had been performative. If I was going to show that I stood in solidarity with the Black community, shouldn’t I be doing something else besides just posting something on social media? But what could I do?

  I refrained from posting that day. Not because I don’t care about Black people, and I wasn’t mad that other people were posting their black squares either.  I just didn’t understand and couldn’t justify how my post would help elevate the voices of Black people around me. I didn’t want to post out of pressure to make a statement, and I certainly didn’t want to post on Blackout Tuesday and forget the sentiment behind that post the next Tuesday. I was silent.

A July 2020 survey reports that 23 percent of social media users in the U.S. and 17 percent of adults overall say that social media has led to a change in their views about a political or social issue, many citing the Black Lives Matter Movement, according to Pew Research Center, a non-partisan think tank based in Washington, D.C. On Twitter alone, the “#BlackLivesMatter” hashtag was used roughly 3.7 million times per day from May 26 to June 7, according to Pew. 

  Social media is a tool that has been used to propel movements recognizing People of Color. However, when used incorrectly or without proper knowledge, social media has also been used to cause more damage to those people groups. 

  At about lunch time on Blackout Tuesday, people began removing their posts. There was a graphic circulating calling for people to delete their black square posts. Black-Owned Northwest Arkansas posted a follow up–“If you’ve posted a black square with #blacklivesmatter please consider deleting. You’re silencing valuable resources and information within the movement. We need our voices to be amplified, not silenced. #blackouttuesday #blacklivesmatter”

  While the initiative began with good intentions, because of a lack of information, it ended up doing more harm than good. By adding the hashtag #blacklivesmatter to the posts from the Blackout Tuesday initiative, it was burying crucial information, especially relating to protests that were happening at the time that were being shared within the Black Lives Matter Movement under that hashtag. 

  Jasmine Hudson and J’Aaron Merchant, who run the Black-Owned Northwest Arkansas account, are concerned that intentions in posting a black square may not have all been pure. 

  “You have to engage in what’s popular, right. So, take an influencer and they have a diverse fan base, and even if they really don’t believe in everything that the Blackout stance stood for, they have to post it or else they’re gonna get called out, and the last thing you need in today’s cancel culture is to be cancelled,” Hudson said. 

  Hudson said that on one end, the initiative served in bringing an overall awareness to the genuine belief that Black lives really do matter, but overall the movement was more detrimental in her opinion. A major concern Hudson, Merchant and others shared that day is what would happen after. If there would be any tangible change as a result from the initiative. 

  “With big corporate businesses, they posted their black square and their white text and kept it moving,” Merchant said. 

  The Blackout Tuesday social media initiative, in a sense, reflected the way our culture mourns the losses of innocent Black lives non-virtually. People take time to sympathize with the Black community and then go back on living their normal lives.

  “It happens after every single shooting. There’s always a Town Hall, a discussion, someone may even put together like a plan, but it doesn’t, nothing actually really happens to really impact change,” Hudson said. 

  This shouldn’t be the case. If America ever wants to move forward as a non-racist country, policy change must happen proportionately to the dialogue about racism and inequality. We need something tangible. 

 

As I watched my screen go black, I was bewildered at how rapidly the initiative spread across all platforms of social media. As I watched people take down their posts or change their captions, I was alarmed at how much of an effect cancel culture has on what people do on social media. I was alarmed at how quickly misinformation could travel. 

  I felt helpless as I remembered what I had learned in my January intersession class. The threads of prejudice, racism, favoritism and inequality were woven into the foundations of our country. And though it is a hard recognition, it is those threads that hold together the most valuable systems that make up what we call a democracy. 

  And how could I, a single individual, help without causing more hurt? Can all American citizens ever truly experience freedom and security within the land of liberty? 

  The lyrics of “America the Beautiful” rang in my head.

  America! America! 

  God mend thine every flaw,

  Confirm thy soul in self-control,

  Thy liberty in law!

  I prayed that Jesus would come back soon. That he would bring justice and restoration so that people would stop considering good and evil on their own terms—so that I would stop considering good and evil on my own terms. 

The day our screens went black marked a historic day for so many reasons. It showcased a collective voice broadly while allowing different routes of looking into individual voices—all which yearned and pleaded equality for every citizen, no matter their background.

  For me, Blackout Tuesday was an internal scope, an opportunity to contemplate my own implicit biases and a promise to keep unlearning history as it was taught, and to re-learn history, incorporating everyone’s perspectives. 

  The day helped me to diversify my social media feed, so that I can listen to people outside of my own circle. It taught me about being intentional with where I invest my time and money. 

  I think a lot of people learned some of the same lessons I did because of Blackout Tuesday. Though at the time the situation was confusing, and misinformation was traveling like crazy, I believe this day was purposeful in catching the attention of many Americans. 

  I am thankful for the patience and grace given to me by my Black friends, professors and acquaintances. Though I know you’re tired, and though I know things like this shouldn’t keep happening—thank you for continuing to fight, and for continuing to lead us in learning to love earnestly and to love all.

  May we remember this historic day, and assimilate the honest sentiments behind it into how we think and the choices we make daily. And may this lead us past a conversation, to tangible policy change that upholds the inherent value of all people. 

  America! America!

  God shed His grace on thee,

  And crown thy good with brotherhood

  From sea to shining sea!

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