This week, April 14th at 7pm (Newton 203) BSU will be hosting awarding winning journalist and provocative cultural critic Joan Morgan, in collaboration with the Office of Multi-Cultural Programs!! Author of the acclaimed When Chicken Heads Come Home to Roost, Morgan coined the term hip hop feminism in 1999. You do NOT want to miss this guys. Speakers like her don’t make stops in Geneseo very often!! Tell your friends!!
Find out more about her here
Hope to see you there,
Mathé
BSU has been busy busy busy the past couple of weeks! Following the wrap of our extremely successful Annual Soul Food Dinner: Coming to Amerika 2 (photos provided below) our members are going to town to make sure we go out with a bang this year!
Things we have in store.
Speaker: Joan Morgan. Self proclaimed black feminist and author of When Chicken Heads Come Home to Roost. Thursday April 14th. For an extensive bio click here
Poet: Shihan will be coming out to Geneseo for a 2nd time to do what he does best! SLAM
Fashion Week: All Around The World : April 23rd Mary Jemison Hall (keep an eye out for promos!)
End of the year barbecue!
Sweatshirts!
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In the pass four years that I have spent at this fine institution of SUNY Geneseo, I have learned that American born people of African descent who have a long generation line in this country (Black Americans) have a very bad reputation amongst the African Diaspora, on the way they are portrayed to the rest of our international community. Okay let me be a little bit honest this wasn’t that much of a surprise to me. Me being black America I have seen the willful ignorance, and Apathy that many have displayed, towards their selves other black people, and especially those who are not native to the U.S. .I am not saying this is all black Americans, but only those who dont know no better. Alot of this behavior has to do with Black Americans being 1. extremely Americanized 2. Being Americanized and not realizing that the true blue print of American culture is not meant to correlate with the black psyche but for that of the “majority ethnicity” and 3. the fact that it is and was a lot harder for us to create a Neo-African culture here in the U.s. then it was elsewhere. As far as being extremely Americanized is concerned we leave in a self centered, apathetic culture. It is ingrained in you as an American that everyone wants to be like you. You should be glad to live in a country that provides the freedom, and economic “idea” of safety and wealth. So rich or poor theirs an idea that is embedding in your head that your better off then anyone else ( and even better than). Also even though this country prides itself on being a melting pot, we are the most prejudice, and Xenophobic people you will ever meet (I’m going beyond racism on this one).
We are taught to be afraid of anything that we are not used to. we need someone also to dislike to reaffirm some kind of hierarchical established order by creating a them group. For example, High school (nuff said). This mentality that is embedded the black community is very self destructive, and self dividing. Me being a Dark skinned, non-christian, and even a person who cared about his African heritage both nationally as a Black American, and globally for my diaspora. i have experienced teasing and taunts for all three of these reasons.This inst much about me but more so to understand why alto of black Americans act the way they do. such as making fun of the African kids, for being African. Or assuming all Caribbeans have dread locks, listen to reggae and smoke weed. It’s more so because they are American, not Black American (rather they realize it or not the black part of them they are taught to loathe). Over all Black Americans are taught to hate what is different. American horror stories of us are portrayed to our foreign counter parts who believe we are ignorant and lazy. When so when they come here they don’t want to be like “us”. Alot of this also has to do with how we have been historically taught to view Africans, as primitive, and have no relation to the struggle against colonialism there as well. we are not educated on the true history of the different kingdoms, and nations that existed. Therefore we are taught that we were better off coming here to be exploited, raped , murdered, and robbed of our identity to worship a western mind set.. Granted these are not trait dominant in all black Americans but just in those unlucky enough to be sucked into the “true” American life style. I am not saying these problems aren’t prevalent in other African cultures , but this sea-ways into my next point. Black Americans are in this vast land of North America that it is hard to consolidate our Neo-African culture in this land. For example their is Geechee culture of the lowlands of South Carolina, and Georgia. The African Creoles of Louisiana, African Americans who were adopted into Native American tribes, African Maroons, Moors, and so on and so forth. These different people who of African descent have inhabited America, with their distinct, and unique cultures for centuries. Some even predating the trans-Atlantic slave trade (If anyone of you went to the exhibit in the ball room last Wednesday you will most definitely know what i am talking about). But the fact that we are so spread out it’s really hard to celebrate, and show this culture in a mass abundance. we do have a liberation holiday (Juneteenth) which portrays. For those who truly celebrate it (as well as Kwanzaa) your not celebrating just being a contemporary black American, or Black American, but you are celebrating being Black and the cultures that are undeniably a apart of that diaspora.
The problem is that we do not have a lack of culture, but our culture is considered second hand to that of the mainstream culture. We have to second guess are actions in fear of the scrutiny we will face because we as Black Americans are still living in a state of Colonialism (granted most Caribbean nations, and African nations are now dealing with neo-colonialism but the people in charge of our oppression still have us under their pawl ). We have a hard time truly creating a Neo-African culture here unlike in other parts of the Diaspora because of this. There is a lot more I would like to say regarding this subject but I got to go to bed. I hope all is well, and see you next post.
Guest Blogger: Jason Cathcart
My college community at SUNY Geneseo and close dear friends from all corners of the world came together to promote the message of love for all people. The ‘IT GETS BETTER!’ campaign is dedicated to victims of bullying due to their sexual orientation that didn’t see a way out. To them, and those of you who get pushed closer to the edge…We love you. <3 SERA MEJOR!
– Video created by MANGO Productions (Margot Terc, Derek Weng, Fiona Harvey)
“Nine out of 10 gay teenagers experience bullying and harassment at school, and gay teens are four times likelier to attempt suicide. Many LGBT kids who do kill themselves live in rural areas, exurbs, and suburban areas, places with no gay organizations or services for queer kids.”
“This video was born out of the urgency I felt when the strings of teenage suicides happened late last year. I wanted to bring the Geneseo community together to share our message of love and hope.” -Derek Weng
“I participated in this project because I feel that life is beautiful and no one should ever take their life due to the pressure of others. I want people to see that we can respect and love each other rather than mock, and ostracize other people. We need more love. Life is precious.” -Fiona Harvey
“I wanted to be part of a project that promoted love and hope. And I don’t want people to feel alone.” -Margot Terc
I’m really proud and inspired by the three of them, and Geneseo. <3
Everyday, in whichever way you can, offer love to strangers, spread the message of hope, and live the phrase “it gets better,” because…it does.
-Mathé
The G-Steppas made a fabulous introduction back into the world of competitive stepping this past Saturday! Geneseo students traveled in vans to support and cheer them on at the University of Rochester for their BSU’s Annual Step Competition. 
They competed in the college section with 3 other teams. Last years winners The UB Step Troop, Black Rain, and the ALANA Step Team. The UB Step Troop took home the prize again this year but not without a fight. Black Rain gave a brilliantly creative performance as well. Geneseo should be extremely proud of the work and dedication that our girls brought to the stage!! They truly came a long way and we’re looking so forward to future wins!! 
-Mathé
Here are a few other shots of the awesome time!!
