The Summation of a Series

Here's a wrap of the most recent conversations going on here. Be sure to check out the comments:

http://sososerious.blogspot.com/2009/05/so-so-diverse.html

http://sososerious.blogspot.com/2009/05/clarification-on-so-so-diverse-question.html

http://sososerious.blogspot.com/2009/05/no-more-anomynous.html

http://sososerious.blogspot.com/2009/06/continuing-conversations.html

Continuing Conversations

Here is a conversation with a good friend:

friend: idk if read ur clarification...but ur saying it also bothers you when someone comes up and asks hey have you done the reading for class and what do you think?

me: no. she totally took what i said out of context.

friend: i get what your saying that the poing is to not assume ur access/ availability

me: and well meaning white people like her don't ask me my opinion because 1. they heard it in class already 2. they think that i think that they are racist 3. don't actually care what i mean/think

friend: i think she just needs clarification... like its not about wat you say its about the context... even if it is something as simple as did you do the reading its ok if it's like while waiting to go into class and neither of you are doing anything but is rude if you are for example having a conversation with a friend or look like ur in a rush somewhere cuz that just assumes that wat u r doing is not important/ you are accessable which goes back to your opinions on that and slavery. thats what you're getting at? or am i just as confused as this other chick?

me: yeah, you got it, the assuming thing. in that case, the context doesn't matter because the assumption is still being made. with that said,

friend: yea.. i was gonna say...

me: people can still default to social rules of respect that should govern ppls interacts with each other. which is complicated

friend: even if you don't have the assumption the fact that that is what these people are doing is the assumption you make

me: because ppl obviously have different social rules

friend: idk i think it has to do with context... cuz i dont think its safe to assume that if it is the second situation (the ur busy one) and they come up to u that theyre assuming ur accessible... some people are just actually rude and have no idea about social rules. they may have no problem doing stuff like that to white people as well

me: its not that i am making an assumption about most of the white people that i am interacting with. what i meant before is that there is a social precedent, informed by society, politics, history etc, that is larger than just me or the other white person that creates and reinforces power dynamics that are very pervasive. what i am calling the white person out on is buying into the social precedent, laced with different systems of oppression that places them and their needs in the center and pushes me to the side, just so that they can get what they want and get their needs met. so even if you are totally clueless about social rules and even if you are rude, if you are white, it is has been made okay for you to do so or be like that because of that social precedent.
but if you are of color, then come along a host of sterotypes that will silence you or push you off which is how i read into ann marie's and kate's comments (kate less so)
using the social precedent to their benefit... however, the corollary that comes with it, that their benefit is someway connected to someone's detriment, is never considered because that privilege to not even acknowledge the consequences of buying into this on an individual level, is also wrapped up into this social precedent

friend: kk i c

me: i know that was long... i've been thinking about it for a while

friend: but i get it... even if its not that they always blatantly think you are accessible its that its a social precedent and lifetime of being "more important" just because you are white that causes them subconsciously (and not so subconsciously) that's what's going on. rightish?

me: yeah, totally, i would be surprised if most people had these thoughts on a very conscious level and i think that because they don't, they often don't see themselves implicated in anything having to do with racism, because only the kkk has blatant thoughts like that. thx for pushing me & asking those questions... i needed to articulate that. do you mind if i post this conversation?

friend: haha np... i was just being a pain in the ass cuz i figured you just kept getting posts like this cuz ppl were really understanding where you were getting at since usually ppl dont have these blatant thoughts... so i wanted you to break it down

So So Not About You

This is the Mission Statement of the fabulous vlogger, Alysha P. I am posting it because it's so so relatable. On the hair level, and even beyond... so feel free to extrapolate as to what I might mean.

Enjoy!

Fuck the MTA

'nuff said.

Hunger Strike Press Release

http://soccollective.wordpress.com/2009/05/25/hunger-strike-press-release/

Hunger Strike Press Release
May 25, 2009

UC SANTA CRUZ STUDENTS OF COLOR COLLECTIVE HOLD HUNGER STRIKE TO PROTEST CUTS TO RESOURCES FOR UNDER-SERVED COMMUNITIES

MAY 22th, 2009

The Students of Color Collective (SOCC) brings together organizers from various campus minority organizations to address the disparities at UC Santa Cruz and the higher education system. The collective has formed in response to the massive education budget cuts that have adversely affected people of color who have historically faced and continue to face inequalities in higher education achievement.

Members of the SOCC will be conducting a HUNGER STRIKE Beginning Tuesday May 26th at the Base of Campus at 12:00PM that will be accompanied by a large student rally in support of the hunger strikers and the SOCC demands. This action will is being conducted to draw attention to cut backs in resources for students of color and for the UCSC administration to recognize and meet these demands.

Student of Color Collective Demands

Short Term ( by the end of this quarter 09-10)
•Hire full-time American Indian Resource Center and Women’s Center directors with student voice in open hiring process
•Maintain academic integrity and current structure of Community Studies Dept. by keeping field study
coordinators Mike Rotkin and Flor Marchetti and Department Manager Penny Stinson and not merging the department into Sociology.

•Retain both Latin American and Latino Studies lecturers Guillermo Delgado and Susan Jonas
•Makes UCSC a sanctuary campus for undocumented communities
•UCSC openly and publicly support the state and Federal DREAM Act
•Permanent funding for Ethnic- Year-End Ceremonies from college C.A.O.s and Provosts
•Resource Center representative as liaison between local tribes and UCSC in order to maintain respectable relationships with local tribes
•Support Family Student Housing in receiving equitable rent for next year 09-10 funding (no rent increase)

•Fair transparent negotiations with workers and unions to ensure equitable pay, working condition and representation
•No layoffs!
•No worker deportations by ICE
•Freeze on Budget Cuts over the summer, while students are not present

Long Term:

•Institutionalize scholarships and other resources for AB540 students
•Access and affordability to higher education for underrepresented communities- STOP STUDENT FEE HIKES!
•Outreach and retention of faculty and staff of color (including hiring a full-time Counseling & Psychological Services staff of color)
•Fill Asian American “specialist” position for American Studies
•Movement towards an Ethnic Studies Program
•Affordable and quality housing for under resourced immigrant students
•No cuts to Disability student resources
•No cuts to Rape Awareness Programs

Signed,
UCSC STUDENTS OF COLOR COLLECTIVE

No More Anomynous

Hey Everyone,

I have chosen to remove anomynous as an option for people who want to leave comments.

I initially allowed that as an option so that people without open id accounts to participate and to foster conversation amongst us all, because even shy people have something to say.

However, I think that for the conversations that I want to have, if you identify yourself as anomynous, then I am concerned as to what your intentions might be. I established at the very beginning of this blog the parameters in which we can have constructive, open dialogue -- and that includes challenging me. However, given that I have made so much of an attempt to be open, at the minimum, I deserve the same to be reciprocated by letting me know who you are.

Last, I will put up a poll to see how you feel about it. Please don't be afraid to vote. Also, if there is another thing that I am not considering, or you flat out disagree, please let me know in the comments section.

A Clarification on So So Diverse/ A Question of Diversity

Anonymous said...

I'm really confused... First you complain that the freshman didn't come to you on your hall to talk about diversity, and then you say that you hate it when random white people come up to talk to you. Which is it?

May 19, 2009 11:20 AM

SableYork said...

Hi Anonymous,

Thanks for calling that out. It does seem very contradictory right next to each other and it was something that someone has already asked me about.

To make it simple, it's both.

To complicate it a bit: I was calling out the freshman on diversity, because based on this interaction that I had with him, sharing a living space with people of color as a white person is supposed foster some greater connection across difference, across race. However, despite the fact that we did occupy the same living space, he failed to utilize our living space in a way that would help bridge differences in that multicultural way that would bring diversity and understanding.

Having random white people come up and talk to me and having a white person in my hall trying to build a relationship, bridge whatever you want to call it are two entirely different things. To be completely honest, both situations annoy me. But the more problematic one is the former. Aside from the fact that it is rude to interupt people without their consent, what really bothers me is the assumption of my instant access and availability. Contrary to popular belief, there are other things higher on my priority list than interfacing with curious, well-meaning white people who are interested in their dose of diversity for the day. And as a Black womyn increasingly aware of her past while keenly aware of the present, I am very conscious of how instantly accessible and available Black women are and have been in American society (NOTE: I'm thinking of slavery. I'm thinking how raping Black women was not considered a crime, through the mid 20th century, because of assumed access and availability). To get a clue on how these interruptions and assumptions leave me feeling, see Alysha's video on The Ethnic Spectacle. It annoys me when random white people try to talk with me, with no context or preface, because not only does me fulfilling that role support their whiteness as central to the universe, but it simultaneously constructs myself, my needs, my desire and my being as peripheral in a way that is detrimental to me. So if I am going to have a conversation with a white person, random or not, about anything, it needs to be on my terms, and in a way that my interests and well-being can remain central to the purpose of the discussion, in a way that I see fit. And I do not care for the white person who had lost out on the opportunity to learn. I am no one's teacher and I came to college to obtain an education for myself. Not to be an enriching supplement to anyone else's.

The latter situation annoys me because of the whole teaching aspect, but I do believe that given the setting, if I chose to engage, there would be more room for me to claim power in that situation. Whethor it's power to set the parameters of the conversation, because of our shared living space or power to say I do not want to have this conversation, because of our shared living space, it is still power that I can claim as my own and power that is more likely to be recognized and respected by my white hallmate who did not engage in anything at all.

[Which brings me to this last point, diversity (as demonstrated by this white male student) is something where white people just exist and "Ethnic Spectacles" are brought to their doorstep, or shall I say dormstep, where people of color are the only active players.]

And don't be so shy anomynous. I think that it's better to have conversation when we both know who we are talking to.

SableYork

So So Ethnic

A definition of ethnic spectacle connected to the fact that 'It's Not About You!'

So So Diverse

What is diversity, when does it exist and who is it for?
From me & Alysha, a good friend, over at 'It's Not About You!'.

Speak In, Speak OUT! The Documentary is OUT!!!!

Hey Everyone,

Here is a documentary I worked on with two other amazing womyn, Ashia Troiano and Stephanie Rodriguez. It is about images of Black women in the media and it was a final project for Dr. Allison Dorsey's Black Freedom Struggle: From Civil Rights to Hip Hop. Forward your questions and comments to speakinspeakout@gmail.com and check out the website here: http://sp3akinsp3akout.blogspot.com/... Thanks and ENJOY!!!

Point One: WE WANT AN END TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE OF BLACK WOMEN AND BLACK YOUNG GIRLS IMPOSED BY THE MEDIA.


Point Two: WE WANT CONTROL OF OUR IMAGES THROUGH PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION IN DECISION MAKING PROCESS.


Point Three: WE WANT DIVERSIFIED, COMPLEX AND NON-MONOLITHIC PORTRAYALS OF BLACK WOMEN.


Conclusion



Email: SpeakInSpeakOUT@gmail.com
Website: http://sp3akinsp3akout.blogspot.com/

How Not To Write About Africa

Liberal, well-meaning white people who care, please take note:

So So In Need of a Miracle

Things that need to be accomplished by 2am today:

1. 10 page paper
2. Learn Spanish
3. Hash out outline for 10 page paper.

Quick Note: I hate it when I am given deadlines and extra assignments that force me to shift my personal priorities to just pass a class. I've chosen what classes are important to me -- on academic and non-academic levels -- and I truly don't appreciate when attempts are made to dishevel the life that took precious time and energy to assemble and construct.

As noted earlier, I am so so in need of a miracle.

So So Obvious

Last night, I became increasingly aware of how I am valued, as a Swarthmore student, as opposed to other members of the Swarthmore community, Environmental and Dining Services. Swat students received emails and text messages less than hour after the incident. When considering the late hours that some staff people are required to work, I became extremely concerned and even disgusted when I started to think about what this implied about whose safety and well-being is considered valuable enough to alert.

Swarthmore -- lately, you've been so so obvious to me so so revealing of your true colors.

So So Not In The Mood

Fine!! I'll just say it!!

I DO NOT WANT TO WORK!!!

Why is it that the exact moment that I really need to step up is also the exact moment where I gain the perspective that how I do academically no longer serves as a direct indicator as who I am as a person? Yes, I am glad that I figured that out now. If I had figured that out 1.5 years ago, I probably not be here, at Swarthmore College. Let me not lie to myself -- as more time passed in the time leading up to and during freshman year, I stayed here, I chose to come here so that I can prove something to myself. But what have I proven to myself? Certainly not what I expected. And since that expectation is so much smaller than where I am, where I am going, and since I have new expectations that are shifting and changing and growing as I shift, change and grow, what am I trying to prove now?

Don't get me wrong, I am not kind considering transferring -- that is a non-possibility, especially at this point. There are too many people that I value so dearly for me to even consider that. But that still leaves the question, in light of my new goals and my new self, why am I here? What am I trying to accomplish? What more than just survive and just graduate?

Now, it's time for me to get to that terribly overdue paper of mine...

Privilege versus Blessed

In what ways is
saying that someone is blessed,
saying that they are privileged?

Are they the same things?
If not, how are they different?

If so, how is the religious and faithful
connotation of blessed reconciled with
the unearned, externally holistic benefit
implication of privilege?

So So Blessed

This past week has been one of the worst weeks that I've had here at Swarthmore. But if I'm completely honest with myself, it has also been one of the best. Here's why:

* ~ 10 hours of sleep in 3 days
* slept through 2 final presentations. a note about this. not just any presentation. i slept through a presentation for the class that has been my sustaining (academic) blood here. the class that has been teaching me so much. challenging me so much. and expecting what i expect of myself so much.
* did not sleep through the 3rd "presentation". this just made me extremely bitter. angry. upset. highly annoyed.

The combination of these 3 things, and others that I failed to mention here, proved to be a quite harrowing experience. But light of all that, I also realized how extremely Blessed that I am. Here's some of why:

* My girls published "The Sisters"
* Speak In, Speak OUT! premiered
* Felt like I was falling into abyss, and found that my friends where there to catch me everytime.
Every time. Thank you. Every time. Wow.

There are a bunch of other things and specifics that I could go into. But for some reason, when it comes to blessings, it sort of feels like a violation to place and fix them into this space. So I won't

So So Mentally Gone

I know that technically, I depart for Brasil several weeks from now. But to be completely honest, I have already mentally departed from Swarthmore.

So how do I stay grounded? In finals? Reality? Work that NEEDS to get done, if I'm already gone?

So So 17

17 votes determined the StuCo presidential campaign.

Something that, on some level, I anticipated.

But given that, and thinking about historical and ongoing movements and struggles, what is the significance 276 votes? In a cut and dry race? In a win or lose situation?

What is the significance of 276 votes if we think about the results outside of the binary of winning or losing? Does it mean that it was not worth it? Do the conversations that come out of it make it worth it? How has the collective imagination of who and what Swarthmore changed and what does that even mean?

These are all questions I am interested in addressing because in the larger context, a lot of the small steps that it takes to build movements are not recognized as wins, but they still work towards something. So...

So So None Of The Above

None of the Above, the option and the campaign, is a part of the democratic process, written into our (Swattie) Constitution. As in, it is a part of my choice, as a voter, a constituent of the student body, and as a Swarthmore student. I do not know why it is perceived as anti-democratic, when in fact it has and is currently serving as a crucial part of the check and balance system necessary to keep StuCo accountable to the student body. Instead of attacking the imagined constituents of this campaign, why don't we take a step back and ask what kind of structural bureaucracies and ideologies have maintained the status quo that has traditionally left the majority of the student body disaffected and disengaged with student government in general? Instead of protecting this defunct system that protects the privilege and comfort of a select few, why don't we expose and examine in the way it currently functions and create some creative, alternative solutions in typical Swattie fashion?

The backlash against NOTA leaves me extremely disappointed with Swarthmore. Instead of rising to the challenge and taking the opportunity to start a serious self-examination process, many Swatties have gone on the defensive and removed themselves from the examination of what is going at Swarthmore and why people are pissed off.

A quick note on the OOTA campaign: I interpret it as an attack. For me, those posters remind me that I am regarded as a second-class citizen of the Swarthmore College community. Which is why I blog. Which is why I focus on the internal growth and strengthening of the communities where I can identify as a first class member.

Swarthmore, I am this close to being done.

So So Blocked

I obviously have a lot to say and share. Lately, however, I have not been in the mood to say/share via this medium... maybe that's because i have nothing immediately due to procrastinate with. We'll see... I have a long To Blog List. So once I bust out of this block of relaxation, I'm sure that I will be in a much more prolific mood. But in the meantime, there are many guest bloggers to keep you company. (Check out Ceece's and Syl's diatribe if you haven't already!!! It's really good.)

Until motivation sings back around,
Stay So So Serious with SableYork

So So Proud to be a Young Person!

Finally! I'm so excited to see a young person defending our generation. I feel like all I hear is about how our generation voted for Obama and that now we go back to our cooky internet gadgets and don't actually engage in any meaningful way with politics and activism.

So So Fatphobic

Diatribe

This list is at its core a diatribe. We are frustrated with some of the unsafe environments being created around us and would like to name in an open way the ways that we have felt uncomfortable and marginalized in an effort to allow us to bring our whole selves to all situations. By writing this we are putting ourselves out there, so be considerate and respectful.

1. Don't make me sit in the middle seat of the back of a car

2. Don't make me sit on the ground ever

3. Chairs in Sci. Center 183 NOT FUN, Chairs in Kohlberg--I have bruises

4. Flying on airplanes makes me want to die because the seats are so small

5. Never take a picture from below

6. Be aware if I'm running, out of breath, generally unable to keep up

7. No, walking long distances isn't going to work if we are running, or walking

8. Don't call yourself fat, I'm uninterested in hearing that

9. Don't comment on how much I'm eating, ever

10. Don't ask me what medicine I'm taking

11. Don't ask me why I have so many doctors appointments.

12. Don't give me two potatoes at Sharples. I want a multiple of two. It is not your responsibility to be my Jenny Craig

13. Don't talk about the Freshmen 15

14. Don't assume I'm not sexual

15. Don't assume that I'm your chair

16. Don't tell me I'm comfy. I'm not your lazy-boy. Comfy is code for fat.

17. Ice breakers like the human knot and others that make me acutely aware of my size are not OK. Trust fall is never OK. NEVER!

18. Just because I'm fat does not mean I'm sassy--I'm not Mo'Nique, I'm not Queen Latifah, I'm not your comedy show

19. Don't ask me to carry 15 things and balance one on my head, it's not easy to balance myself

20. Moving to the center of an aisle, cafeteria, shouldn't be more important than my discomfort with hitting everyone on the way there with my boobs/stomach/self

21. My boobs are proportional to the rest of me, there is no need to note their size

22. Pools and beaches are not safe spaces for me, bathing suits are my worst nightmare.

23. My weight does affect my temperature, sometimes I sweat.

24. Amusement parks and roller-coasters are not safe spaces for me, anything really with a size limit

25. No, I don't want to try that on in a size 1/2 of what my actual size is.

26. Ice is my worst fear, falling could break a bone. Gravity is my other worst enemy.

27. Don't confuse health with wellness, they are different.

28. Don't comment on how much my jeans cost, it's more fabric, it makes sense that it costs more.

29. Don't tell me that "you shouldn't be eating this," no you shouldn't, you should give it to me. Fishing for compliments isn't going to work here.

30. We can't share fitting rooms, it's not a party.

31. Don't take me into Abercrombie and Fitch. Don't take me into Rainbow. It's just insulting.

32. Cheap stuff looks good on you, a piece of tissue paper is not flattering on my body.

33. Victoria is the beign of my existence, anything above a B-cup is a piece of shit.

34. If it doesn't look good on me, be honest, but it's kind of your fault were in this situation in the first place.

35. I don't care about the environment, I need to take the elevator.

We know these are funny but they are all, also dead serious. We can each point to moments just like these that made us feel marginalized, excluded, self-conscious, and generally unsafe. So think twice before you act, recognize your privilege and own it.

In Solidarity,

Sylvia and Cecilia

Please add in the comments section any that you believe are relevant/important and we will add them.

So So New Blogger!

Hey Everyone!  I realize I just posted a blog and didn't actually ever introduce myself!  My name is Cecilia Márquez.  I'm a sophomore at Swarthmore College.  I am a recently declared Black Studies Major and Gender and Sexuality Studies Minor.  I am a multi-racial Latin@ from Arlington, Virginia.  I'm a queer person of color who loves bell hooks, Audre Lorde, cuddling, laughing, bad television, my friends and my family (as if they aren't the same).

Cecilia!

cmarque1@gmail.com

So So Immune

Today I had the pleasure of being in a Math class where the professor managed to offend me just about very time he spoke.  On Monday we discussed the AIDS/HIV epidemic in the United States where he spent time in class addressing students by saying things like: "You don't have AIDS do you?" or "Let's pretend that you have AIDS."

This is, unfortunately, not a joke.  I think that there is this horrible assumption that at Swarthmore and other elite institutions like Swarthmore we are "too smart" to get AIDS/HIV.  Like this is something that we are somehow immune to and it is something simply effecting communities outside of our campus.  To assume that we are not personally affected within our bodies or within our own networks of friends and families is insensitive and rooted in a disconnectedness from the realities of many people in the classroom.

Furthermore when a woman in the classroom brought up the idea that he perhaps be more sensitive when discussing issues like AIDS/HIV and other things that may effect us and our families he made a mockery of this situation and said that we needed to be "sensitive dammit" and then turned it on the classroom and told us that we should be more sensitive.

This class reminds me that actual knowledge/research/sensitivity to and around a topic is not required to teach a class.

Kiss My Sass Radio returns with something that's been on all of our minds...

Hello, Hello, Hello!!!

Kiss My Sass Radio has returned. And with a topic that's been on our minds:

Chris Brown, Rihanna, Domestic Violence & Communities of Color

Listen to the podcast here:

Kiss My Sass Radio Podcast

And for interview footage, check out Kiss My Sass Radio on youtube.com here:



Until Next Week...

xoxo
Kiss My Sass

So So Diva

This is what happens on a Thursday night at Swarthmore...

So So Much Knowledge To Learn

So so many revelations in so so little time. I've come to a lot of conclusions (or beginnings?) about the way the world operates and the systems that have (historically, politically, economically, socially, etc.) kept it in check (by the likes of those in power) within the past few days. You'll see this reflected in the posts that I write in the near future.

The major takeaway that I can share here, within a nutshell: The more that I learn, the more aware I am of how much I do not know. So, yeah, that's a great philosophical statement to make, but I am finding it increasing true and more and more relevant as time continues to move. For example. My To Read List has grown exponentially. Here are only a few things that are on my:

To Read List
1. The revolution will not be funded : beyond the non-profit industrial complex/ edited by Incite! Women of Color Against Violence

2. It's bigger than hip-hop : the rise of the post-hip-hop generation/ M.K. Asante, Jr

3. Can't stop, won't stop : a history of the hip-hop generation/ Jeff Chang ; introduction by DJ Kool Herc

4. Sister outsider : essays and speeches/ by Audre Lorde

5. The hip hop wars : what we talk about when we talk about hip hop--and why it matters / Tricia Rose

6. Something better for our children : Black organizing in Chicago public schools, 1963-1971/ Dionne Danns

7. Taught by America : a story of struggle and hope in Compton / Sarah Sentilles

8. THE UNITED INDEPENDENT COMPENSATORY CODE / SYSTEM / CONCEPT. A textbook, workbook, for thought, speech, and / or action, for Victims Of Racism (non-white people) / Neely Fuller

9. Mathematics success and failure among African-American youth : the roles of sociohistorical context, community forces, school influence, and individual agency / Danny Bernard Martin

10. Reading and writing the world with mathematics : toward a pedagogy for social justice/ Eric Gutstein

11. The critical pedagogy reader/ edited by Antonia Darder, Marta P. Baltodano, and Rodolfo D. Torres

12. Pedagogy of the oppressed/ Paulo Freire

13. Rape, Racism and the Myth of the Black Racist/ Angela Y. Davis


And you guessed it... That's only the start of a very long list. So instead of brainstorming ways to make this more manageable... I'm asking for some of your suggestions.

What's on your To Read List? Share your To Read List in the comments.

So So Not Misspelled

Womyn with a Y???

Yes. That is an accurate spelling. Here is some background info why:

In most languages womyn and men, as two sexes, are identified by two very separate words. English is one of the only languages which denotes the term for womyn as a derivative of the word "man". The "wo" in women comes from the Greek or Latin meaning "lesser". "Women - woman" is by traditional definition the "wife of man", "woe of man", "female-man" or "womb-man".

Many womyn have felt empowered by merely altering the spelling of an existing word to reflect womyn's autonomy. By changing "women" to "WOMYN," we have created a distinct word for our own sex. The word is still pronounced the same, yet has the power to be much more inclusive and empowering for all womyn. Another spelling used widely is "wimmin" which removed the "wo" as it is seen to represent "womb". This spelling is used by people who don't believe that womyn should be defined by their reproductive capability. "Womon" or "womun" are used as the singular.

- Sue Moore

Why I Personally Identify as a Womyn:

1. I think that language is extremely powerful. Personally. Politically. Implicitly. Explicitly. It's how we receive messages. It's how we send messages. About our bodies, our esteem, our value, our relationship to each other and ourselves. For me, (keyword, for me. As in, I self-identify this way.) woman communicates/ has communicated something inconsistent with my body (physically and ideologically), self-understanding and self-image, personal power and world view. For me, communicating "wife of man", "woe of man", "female-man" or "womb-man" has personally, politically, implicitly and explicitly informed me and others to 1. not see me as a whole, but as a compliment (with vital flaws) 2. to not take me so so seriously. This is not to say that none of my privileges (e.g. college education) or oppressions (e.g. Black) have not influenced this. That's because privilege informs/ does not negate oppression. And oppression informs/ does not negate privilege.

2. Starting with language, therefore has a lot of personal power for me. And I also think/ have experienced that presenting alternative representations of a norm (for example, womyn) are great ways to begin the questioning process that eventually allow people to define themselves on their own terms, and not by the boundaries defined by society.

What About Other Womyn/Women? And Men?

I do not hold anything against womyn who chose not to identify as womyn, but as women. I am all about self-identification, for I also believe that being defined by your own self, and not others (ideals, persons, systems) is the surest way to liberation (self, mental, spiritual, physical, the list goes on). However, I am far more critical of men who challenge this ideal. Mostly because men stand to lose something if womyn define themselves as wholes independent of entities other themselves for self-definition and function within this society. What they stand to and are afraid of losing are protected by male supremacy. Protection of male supremacy.... No. Not what this blog (nor I) is about.

Why not wimmin, womun, womon?

Honestly, not quite there yet. (There being...? I should learn more...) Not sure if I need to be. Not sure if I don't. Though I am sure that I should be more informed about these other spellings, these other meanings. Need to read up on that. Drop suggestions in the comments, if you have any.

On a last note:

Depending on the space, I am not totally upfront with this self-identification. Why? Because this information, this knowledge was only accessible to me once I reached an elite institution of higher education, and even within that space, I made friends/ was drawn to a very specific group of people. Not every woman-identified (past/present/future) person has, does or will have access to that specific group of people or even any institution of higher education. Also, because women are such a diverse group of people, not the sum of her experience, oppression, and privilege does not always equate to needing this kind of declaration. And last, it is not my role nor position to inform others how they should self-identify that is very condescending and considering the power that comes with education, elitist.

So with that in mind:

I am a womyn, well aware of the oppressions and privileges (their intersections and how they interact) that have led me to identify in this way.

Rock the Vote!

Check out the poll to the right!!!! And answer!!! You have a few days left!!!

So So Not Black Studies (Cont.)

Main Topics of Discussion in another cross-listed Black Studies course:
1. the White experience of immigrating to America
2. becoming White
3. disputes in academia
4. the french revolution
5. this one woman's boobs
6. "non-white" Whites

#6

1. Dr.Dorsey's midterm
2. Study for Spanish
3. Read Up South
4. Laundry (at least 5 loads)
5. Pack
6. Before 8am (11 hours)

I never doubt that I am capable of doing 1-5. Everyone has a to do list. What I think makes Swarthmore special is #6. Even if I only have 1 or 3 or even 10 things on my to do list, Swarthmore makes sure that #6 is there, lurking, in the pre-dawn darkness.

I hate #6. I have had and will have # 6 on my to do list until I leave this place. Yes, in dark times like now, when #6 is looming in my mind, Swarthmore becomes this place.

So So Urban, I

If I cannot talk about Urban Education in my Urban Education class, then where can I? I know that this is a predominately white school. I get that...

But if I am in a class about Urban Education and somehow the conversation has drifted to how to bring awareness to the white kids living in all-white towns
-- because they are the ones most detrimentally effected by social inequality and because this is the most obvious solution to the problem
-- educating white people so that they can come in and save the colored youth from their own ignorance.

Then when and where can I talk about the Black kids? The Latin@ kids? The Native American kids? The Asian American kids?

How is it that whiteness remains at the center of this conversation, when on the first day "Urban" was defined as inherently of color?

Will be back with more. I have a lot more shit to unpack.

Don't Be So So Shy

Leave comments. Discuss. I appreciate the accolades and thoughts in person (keep them coming). But don't be afraid to share that with the rest of our audience.

So So Paul Wesley Dobbs Wiggins

I honestly don't even know what to say.

Paul, you are great. (You care about black people and are a funny person.)

You are ridiculous. (You say crazy things like 50 cents will hurt my budget. This might be true of other people. But certainly not of you.)

You are so so Paul Wesley Dobbs Wiggins. For those who do not have the pleasure of knowing what I am talking about, check out this video:



Want more? Check out www.youtube.com/SableYork That's my youtube channel. It's basically a visual version of this blog... and a little bit more.

So So Missundaztood

Is my Spanish that bad? Or am I simply misunderstood?

I just asked a friend for un peso (a dollar) and after a later-to-be-understood-as-awkward silence passed, my friends shared with me that they thought that I asked for un beso (a kiss).

With the risk of sounding emo or nostalgic for P!nk...

Why am I so missundaztood?

So So Stuck

I hate writing papers. I love thinking and talking and brainstorming and musing and being all hypothetical. But when time for talk is up... I get stuck.

My current status: Cornell, basement, private room, Robin Thicke via Estelle radio, bland piece of gum, and a paragraph and an outline into a 3-5 page paper.

I know, I know. By this point in time, that is 4th semester at Swarthmore College, I should be able to pop that out. And I can. And I will. But now, I am stuck in the introduction-- which is always the longest part in my writing process.

What else can I talk about while I procrastinate, I mean, wait for that epiphany? Oh. Today, in Sharples, I realized that whenever I think to myself (or say out loud) that I am confused, what I really think/mean is that the opposite party is stupid, or lacking in Something.

Why such the bold statement? I usually have a handle on my environment. I mean I tend to zone out sometimes... but, shit. Who doesn't? And when I do lose touch a little bit, it is usually in the comfort and company of my closest friends. Not when I am interacting with complete strangers, as so many of my Swattie peers seem to love to do.

See, this is where the stupid comes in. I honestly wonder how some people got into Swarthmore without the mastery of some basic communication skills. I mean, you need those, right? To learn? Because learning is a dynamic exchange, right? That requires communication.... right?

So So Not Looking Forward To Waking Up

Well, of course! I want to see the next day. Stop being dramatic. Gosh.

Here's the thing. I hope that I wake up to see another day. That is without a question. But the content of the day. That is what gets me.

Let me break it down to the non-Swatties/ Swatties living in an alternate Swat world. Though I will lay my head down to a hopefully restful sleep, when I rise, so do the to do lists, so do the readings, so do the papers. So does study abroad, so does the sophomore plan, so does the amount of work I did not do, so does the fact that I should be asleep right now.

This is what Swatties forget in all their pursuits to have a good time. This is why a social life is so crucial to sanity here. It's tied to all that other heavy shit that I just mentioned. Your social life needs to be on point. Think about it as the extra credit that will help you better grade. Because without it, you are not as good as you know you can be (mentally, academically, physically... that shit effects everything).

And back to the purpose of this blog. Back to being so so serious. If you are an awkward ass Swattie, completely devoid of any social skills what so ever. This is why you annoy me. That sad excuse for human interaction does count as a part of a social life. And they way you handled any situation slowly ruins it (Seriously,... that was a major stress of mine freshman year).

I do not know if you are just really fucking awkward, or that your usual social offness peaks when you are in the presence of an unapologetic, dark-skinned, fucking tall ass, black womyn that is not your maid. Whichever it is, GET OVER IT. I mean, seriously. If you can try to be post-racial than you can certainly attempt post-awkward.

So So Deserved

A good time. Free of work. Free of emails. Free of the things that tend to crush your soul here at Swarthmore. And it was well deserved.

It was well needed.

By now, my fourth semester here at Swarthmore, I've realized something about the key to having a good time here (when concerning parties).

1. Do not go for the drinks. They are poorly mixed.
2. Do not go for the music. It is out-of-date, random, and not what you should dance to.
3. Do not go past 12:30am, unless you are 1. very inebriated, so you can block out the 2. extreme awkward making out/sex on the dance floor 3. down with number 2

So why go out at all?

1. To have a stress free time with my closest friends.
2. To look fucking awesome for my own joy and that of my closest friends.
3. To dance in public... because the space in my room can be kind of limited sometimes.

Lessons Learned:

The joy of Swarthmore is in the people. Note that when I discuss the perils of Swarthmore, it's the wierdos. Note that when I talk about the awesomeness of Swat (which won't happen on this blog too much) it's my peeps.

If you had a camera tonight... don't forget to put pictures up on facebook!!!

So So Grounded

The Ground Rules:
* Adapted from Diversity Workshops

1. Respect each other.
2. Stick to "I" statements rather that "we" statements.
3. Read and think conscientiously.
4. Be honest, but preserve the boundaries that you AND others need.
5. Be fully present -- especially with dissenting opinions and ideas. Try to get holistic understanding of the situation before commenting.
6. Comments can be brief or longer. (Whatever you think will retain the attention span of someone who does not really have time. Also note that whatever the length of your comment is, I will read it. )
7. Respect confidentiality. (I know that it is the Internet... but don't come here to air dirty secrets. If you must, email me.)
8. Ask questions, and clarifications.

So So Sassy

Kiss My Sass Radio, Fridays, 1oam!!!
(Starting Friday, February 13)
Listen live on 91.5fm or
at wsrnfm.org or youtube.com
.... both coming shortly.

So So Bitchy

Really?! Really?! I have a general question to the world: When you ask or expect me to get out of the way, where do you expect this space to materialize? I try to make a regular, conscious effort to be aware of the space that I occupy, in relation to other people and in terms of accessibility to other people. However, if what you request of me is to essentially take my space, then the answer is NO.

To the Woman in Sharples Who Cut Through Me and My Friends As We Were Having a Conversation:

You are rude. What is the matter with you? Was it Swarkwardness? Are you simply socially inept? Or did you see (or not see) a bunch of black womyn and thought your path would be cleared for you? Rude.

Why am I So So Serious ?

No. This is not a play on words concerning the Dark Knight. Getting to this title was a much more organic and original process (thanks, friends!). Also, that is just a creepy reference to make -- so, please.

As the subtitle suggests, this is a blog on all things Swarthmore, relevant to me. If the direction changes, deal. If what I define as me transforms, deal. This is my blog. This is my forum. I invite dissent***. I invite agreement.

***With obvious exceptions. If you are harboring any serious '-isms', then, no, your voice is not welcome. What was that about free speech? Take your free hate elsewhere. If you are talking about post-racism, or post-anything that would include a negation of a people's history and lived experiences, this door is NOT open if you are trying to tell my why I am wrong without any form of reciprocal openness to conversation. I am open to conversation, not dictation. ***

However, I do not invite the yes/no, the right/wrong, the black/white. So if you like binaries or absolute things, then peace OUT!

So, back to the question: Why am I So So Serious?

Because Swarthmore is soooo ridiculous!!! Why? Let's get the elephant out of the room with some Context:

Swarthmore--- Predominantly white, middle to upper class constituency and culture, patriarchal organizational structure, engendered knowledge, i.e.... a microcosm of a greater status quo.

Me--- Black, working/lower middle class background and upbringing, womyn, Bronx, NY, collective and grassroots oriented, i.e.... a member of a community that you will read about in 5, no more than 10 years.

Swarthmore--- excessively anti-mainstream

Me--- painfully aware of it

This is a space for me to comment on the ridiculous dealings of Swarthmore College, on incidental, individual, collective and institutional levels. In whatever political or nonpolitical terms that I decide. In whatever formal or informal expressions I chose. Why no apologetic disclaimers? 'Cause it's my blog. And it's my voice.