Many wonder why students of color feel isolated here at UCLA.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council Campus Event
Commission proved why.
Two weeks ago the Campus Events Commission printed a half-page
advertisement in the Daily Bruin for the movie
“Barbershop,” featuring a caricature of the Little
Rascal Buckwheat saying, “Ice Cube is da bomb, O-Tay.”
On the bottom, Campus Events stated that their organization had
“Mo’ soul than fried chicken.”
While I realize the ad might have been in jest, it is clear
proof that we haven’t come as far as some like to point out.
However, with the end to affirmative action (SP-1) drastically
decreasing the number of students of color at UCLA, I’ve seen
and experienced too many blatantly stereotypical displays directed
toward students on this campus. We should be working to dispel the
stereotypes and myths about cultures here at UCLA.
Not all black men at UCLA play sports. I mean no disrespect to
those who do engage in sporting activities, but I’m
personally tired of being asked what event I run in track, what
position I play on the football team, and why I don’t wear my
athletic backpack. There are black men at this university who have
gotten here on academics alone and continue to excel in fields from
engineering to law, even though their numbers have never reached
pre-SP-1 levels.
Meeting a person of color on campus should not encourage you to
practice your culturally biased dialogue. Although you might be
enrolled in Spanish 3, meeting a Chicano or Latino person does not
give anyone permission to start practicing Spanish. In fact,
reciting “yo” and “I feel you,” or talking
about the latest Snoop album will not make all black students more
comfortable in conversation. In actuality, you might find more
angered faces than welcoming comments.
Another myth that should be dispelled is that all Asian
Americans get straight As. Although this might seem obvious to
some, students have bought into this minority myth. The Pacific
Islander community is one of the most diverse at UCLA, where many
different groups are all put under the umbrella of Asian. To target
one whole group as “book smart” does not begin to
really show the diversity within this community, it only shows
stereotypes. We have to begin to look past our own notions and into
the individual lives of those around us.
Not all black students on this campus are African American.
Black students are a part of a diaspora which includes countries
like Belize, Cuba, Kenya, Brazil, Benin, Jamaica and the like. The
Nigerian community on this campus is one of the larger communities
that you might see. We all come from various places, hopefully we
can begin to share that.
Images that have historically been used as ploys and gimmicks
should not be used to advertise any product or services here at
UCLA. After Buckwheat, what’s next? Will a picture of Aunt
Jemimah and Uncle Ben be used for your showing of the movie Brown
Sugar? Maybe next time you can hand out flyers in minstrel makeup.
If you really feel you have “mo’ soul,”
illustrate it with some taste and decency next time.
As students, we need to look past our preconceived notions and
educate ourselves about those around us. Mistakes like that of the
Campus Events Committee drive a wedge between students and shows
what happens when people are culturally ignorant.