The Black

Cornellian Woman
December 2008
Premiere Issue

WHERE ARE
OUR BLACK
MEN?
Declining black male
enrollment: what it
means for black men
and the women who
want them

All Alone...
Why am I the Only
Black Woman DID THE RIGHT
in Class? MAN WIN?
Our take on the 2008
Presidential Election
BCW Magazine 1
 December 2008
TB C W
he lack ornell oman

STAFF
Zuri Jackson, Deborah Jack,
Vanessa Coleman,
Charlise Manuel,
Jacsymine Nsubuga,
Angelique Boyer, Alicia Adams
and
Rosalind Usher

In the Issue
Editor’s Note
.................................................p 3
Color Me Beautiful
.................................................p 4
Spotlight!
.................................................p 5
Are You the Only Black Woman?
.................................................p 5
A Night to Remember
.................................................p 6
It’s All Your Fault
.................................................p 7
Where are They?
.................................................p 8

BCW Magazine 2
Editor’s Note
Hello Cornell Community,

This being the first issue of BCW. We as a staff would like to say welcome! We’ve
worked so hard to bring this first issue to you, and we hope you enjoy it!

We see this magazine as a outlet for literary expression, and we welcome anyone
reading through this magazine, to submit material for consideration in the next issue.
Please direct all questions and submissions to me at rpu2@cornell.edu

Last, but certainly not least, we would like a thank a few people. Renee Alexander,
Kenneth Glover, and Dr. Assie Lumumba, without your guidance, insight, and
thoughts this magazine would not be possible and we dedicate this first issue to you.

-Rosalind
Cornell ‘11

What’s Going on at Cornell!

BCW Magazine 3
 Color me… Beautiful By Deborah Jack ‘11

Dark, light, chocolate, caramel…the list goes on, black skin is given a range of colors and names. Although one
would think that each color is beautiful and unique, there are those who view skin as a spectrum beauty – high-
est for lighter complexions and lowest for darker complexions. Sadly with this type of thinking, tension still
exists within the black race that manifests itself in interpersonal and intrapersonal conflict and distrust.
While watching an episode on the Tyra Banks show, I was so disappointed by some of the negative stereo-
types that are still held by black women. Viewing dark black people as “ugly” with “big noses and thick lips”,
one interviewee on the show even went so far to admit that she didn’t like dark black women and regularly told
her 12 year old son to not bring home a dark black girl. It is no wonder then that changing the views of young
black women will be so hard with these types of stereotypes perpetrated on a TV program as popular as the
Tyra Banks show. I think it is especially important for black women to respect and love our skin because if we
can not do this – who will?
For as long as I can remember, being thought of as “dark” makes me cringe! I am not saying that I am
ashamed of my color, but living with this prejudice for so long, it is hard not to feel depressed sometimes about
it. I was never termed “burnt”, but I’ve seen others given that name and negative connotations that came along
with it. Burnt connoted black - BLACK skin, something that was just plain wrong and ugly. And no one
wanted to be that.
So with this thinking, self-esteem plunges and as that goes down, black women look for other ways out of
their predicament. And that is where the skin lighteners come in. These products are chemicals that can actu-
ally bleach your skin and allow the person to become lighter. But at what cost? As one friend put it, she would
never try bleach so that she can be “purple here, blue there.” Yet many women do choose this route and even go
so far as full skin transplants. Why would women choose to suffer so much, to go through such a painful ordeal
in order to become that ideal color?
I believe that it has something to do with the media and the black community as a whole. Black women are
viewed as beautiful if they have light skin and incredibly long hair. If their mixed, their given an even more
positive reception. Men readily choose the light skin color, choosing to even endure the supposed stuck up atti-
tudes and conceitedness. Dark girls have been approached with such lines as “Oh you’re real cute for a dark
girl.”
Light is seen as more exotic, more beautiful, and the optimal choice. Yet even light skinned are given some
prejudice. Watching the same episode, one light skinned girl admitted to being treated horribly by dark skinned
women. One interviewee admitted that she was dating a fine black man and when he brought her home to his
mother, his mother told the son that she was not accepted, she was “too light.”
There is no easy resolution to this problem. It’s been going on for so long and is so ingrained in the mindset
of people. But today as I write this, I’m going to help to break down that wall. WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL
BLACK WOMEN! Stand up and be proud! I know I am. Though the term “dark” can be hard to bear, I came to
realize that is what I am, a dark skinned woman. But that’s not all. I’m smart, intelligent, compassionate, lov-
ing, fun-filled, goofy, and the list goes on. I am more than my skin. I am my character, my personality, my up-
bringing. I am ME with dark skin. All women should realize that. You skin color doesn’t define you, YOU
define you! How sad is it to think how little has changed since slavery – from the civil rights era to now in
2008, with the winning of the first black president of the United States! As a young woman with a dark com-
plexion, I believe change can happen!

BCW Magazine 4
All Eyes On......
Darin Lamar Jones ‘10
By: Angelique Boyer

Birthday: August 5, 1988

Sign: Leo
Born and Raised in: Miami, Florida
Major & School: PAM Major in Human Ecology
Year: Junior

Favorite Thing in Cornell: “My favorite thing

about Cornell is Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc,
and the fact that it was founded here.”

What he does: BSU, ALANA, Higher Call, and

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc

A word to the ladies: “A woman never pursues,

but is always pursued”

Are You the Only Black Woman in Class?

Charlise Manuel ’11

Don't worry. You are not alone. As a black woman majoring in economics, I often find myself a minority in
my classes. First, I wonder, why are there not more black women majoring in economics. Maybe only few
black women have the desire to pursue economics as a major above all other subjects of interest. But I must
say, economics is a great subject to study if you want to understand further how the country and the rest of the
world work and interact together. Also, as we have seen over the past few months, the economy plays a major
role in our lives however it only seems that we notice it when it gets bad.

Besides economics, I have taken a wide range of courses, and still, I am one of two (or three) black women
in many of these classes. At the beginning of the semester, it is hard not to notice the number of black women,
yet alone, black students in one's classes. What is the reason for this? Perhaps there are too few black women
in the undergraduate class for there to be over two in each class. I am not certain what is the statistical data of
the percentages of black women in each academic area of study; however, I would hope that it is dispersed
throughout many majors. As undergraduates, I think that it is important to explore various subjects. You may
discover new interests, broaden your knowledge, and learn more about yourself, others, and what you study.

At the end of the day, however, black women should not concern themselves with being the only, or one of
few, black women in their classes. We should never feel that we do not belong in a class nor should it affect
what we take out of the course. Part of our job here is to pursue our academic interests; grow personally, so-
cially, and professionally through our college experiences; and, at the end of all our hard work, receive our un-
dergraduate degrees - the completion of another step towards a successful and rewarding future!

BCW Magazine 5
 A Night to Remember
Rosalind Usher ‘11
"It's been a long time coming. But tonight, because of what
we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment,
change has come to America" Barack Obama

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 was a day that I will never forget.

As a child, I would usually watch the Presidential Election on
television with my parents. This year, however was different,
it became an election filled with firsts. As a first time voter, I
was truly able to say I was a part of the process. It was also
my first presidential election away from home. As a resident
of Ujamaa Residential College, I knew there would some cele-
bration, but I had no idea how large of a celebration it actu-
ally would turn to be.

Even though it was not officially announced, Ujamaa, once

again became the meeting place of the black community, and
from 7:00 P.M. until 12:30 A.M., not a single unit lounge was
occupied, students came from all over campus, to watch the
election on the TV in the main lounge.

As the polls on the East Coast be-

gan to close, Baraka Kwa Wimboa,
the all female gospel a cappella “...change has come to America”
group, treated us to a perfor- Barack Obama
mance.

As the states began to turn blue, there continued to be a resounding cheer. By 11:00
P.M., however, Obama won California, and it was announced on all major networks,
that Barack Obama would become our 44th President of the United States. The an-
nouncements lead to a series of chants and screams, not just throughout Ujamaa,
but throughout North Campus. It seemed as though the rest of the Cornell Commu-
nity was just as excited as we were. Residents and visitors alike began to congratu-
late each other, and people began to make frantic calls back home. The sight was
amazing. The sense of community in Ujamaa that night was amazing.

In addition, as we quieted down to listen to the concession speak, by Senator McCa-

in, and the victory speech, by President-Elect Barack Obama, I truly felt that I was a
part of history.

BCW Magazine 6
 It’s All YOUR Fault By Jacsymine Nsubuga ‘11

H
ow does it feel to be a problem? This year it seems as if African-Americans have become the targets for blame
for virtually everything and anything. Sure, black people have grown accustomed to being societal scapegoats,
but in 2008 it has reached a level of ridiculousness that cannot be justified.

Supposedly, the stock market crash was not the result of the current administrations deregulation, but rather it was a pre-
emptive strike against Obama. Many have postulated that the economic crisis is Obama’s fault because investors lost their
minds at the possibility that Obama might be elected and ruined the market. People got nervous about the idea of a black
man becoming leader of the free world. They made some poor decisions but inevitably Obama’s the one to blame. Simi-
larly, the housing crisis deeply wounded our nation’s economy. Several economic and legislative factors created the tur-
bulent environment in which the crisis grew. However, people found a simpler and more agreeable solution: blame black
people. Why not? They’ve been doing it for centuries. Fox News contributor, Neil Cavuto, stated that “loaning to minori-
ties and risky folks is a disaster”. Basically, the entire situation could have been avoided if those crazy liberals had not
tried so diligently to bring equality to the housing market. It’s all their fault.

The passage of California’s Proposition 8 has incited a battle. Californians voted for the proposition which will define
marriage as an institution between a man and a woman in the state. Gay rights activists have been protesting at various
churches and organizations that supported the proposition. Talk show host, Bill O’Reilly, urges them to turn their protests
to black voters who voted overwhelmingly, seventy percent, for the proposition. Clearly, these activists are not going to
attempt to target individual voters, but rather the institutions that financed and promoted the proposition. But as usual, the
simplification is that gay people should go after black people. It’s all their fault.

Other states have passed propositions banning affirmative action. Voters who supported such propositions believe that
minorities have had their fair share of opportunities. Look, Obama’s president now. What is there left to complain about?
And of course, the prevailing sentiment is that And of course, the prevailing sentiment is that Obama’s election was an act
of affirmative action. Although, the vast majority of voters freely elected him, his victory does not count because of the
color of his skin. Moreover, rather than celebrating record black turnout, the general consensus among disaffected voters
seems to be that black voters have handed the country over to a socialist president. Clearly, he wants to redistribute the
wealth, although his tax plan is far more conservative than any recent democrat. What makes his plan any different? Obvi-
ously, McCain would have liked you to believe that Obama wants to take your (good, decent, tax paying white family)
money and give it to them (lazy, ignorant black welfare queens). Therefore, according to some, all those agencies and or-
ganizations that put considerable effort into reaching out to marginalized voters made a huge mistake. This is part of the
reason why black people are such a political threat. Apparently, they mobilize together and create a massive voting block.
They are to blame if Obama fails. It’s all their fault.

And of course the blame societal problems that have existed for decades have been placed on the shoulders of blacks as
well. Teen pregnancy? Entirely, due to racy rap lyrics that force teenagers to have sex. Black people with their disgraceful
family values are ruining American society. Obesity? Of course, lazy black people are raking in welfare checks to overeat
while they develop diseases that contribute to the strain on healthcare. Overpopulation? Those backwards black people
have no sense of family planning. As Fox News’ John Gibson urged his white viewers “make more babies” before those
dreadful minorities start taking over. It’s ALL their fault.

It’s entertaining to wonder what crazy scheme people will invent next to demonize black people. But at a certain point we
must stop with the finger pointing and hold the real culprits accountable.

BCW Magazine 7
Where ARE They?
So when you look around Cornell’s campus, what’s
one of the first things that you notice? Besides the
beautiful scenery and everyone’s favorite – the ran-
dom hills behind every corner – is the amount of

Angelique Boyer ‘11

males and females that attend here. While Cornell has
always had the reputation for having around a 50:50
ratio of men to women, this is not quite so in the mi-
nority community. In most cases, there is a dispropor-
tionate number of men to women at Cornell, with men
– especially black males – being vastly outnumbered
by women. It seems that as the years go by, less and
less black males are enrolling in Cornell, making the
social and romantic dynamic among the African-
American community particularly fragile and stressed.
The low number of black males on Cornell’s campus
leads to many issues for the community as a whole,
but especially for the females that must face this un-
fortunate circumstance.
Why is it so bad, you might ask? What does having a home. Many feel that since the males here on campus
low enrollment of black males mean? Well, for start- have so many more choices and female attention, they
ers, it makes the entire social dynamic of the commu- let it all go to their head. Others feel that all black Cor-
nity different. Many programs that are traditionally nell guys are banal, and don’t consider them a suitable
dominated by males will decline with their declining match in the long run. Therefore, many girls only see a
enrollment. Associations like The Link, MOCC, and handful of guys that fit their standards, and divert all
MGLC fraternities will suffer if they have fewer their energy on them, making the females here on cam-
males available to participate in their programs. These pus more aggressive and impulsive than normal. When-
organizations strive to do a lot for not only Cornell’s ever a suitable guy is seen, many females swoop on
campus, but the Ithaca community as well. However, them, reversing the traditional gender roles by acting
with fewer members, they will not be able to reach more audacious and forward than normal.
their full potential from lack of internal support. What exactly can be done about this? For starters, we
Fewer men mean a weaker support network, making should figure out a way to recruit more black males on
things more strained for the black males here at Cor- campus, which is what many organizations on campus
nell. are trying to do in the Ithaca community as we speak.
A decline in male enrollment also means fewer Also, we should remember the fact that while limited,
choices for women on campus. Science tells us that the black men that are available on campus are some of
the rarer gender always is the one with the upper the few educated, successful, prominent ones left in this
hand, as they set the tone for the sexual selection dy- country, and they should be valued for who they are
namics on campus. The fact that there are many more without giving them too much or too little consider-
women to men makes things “dicey” for the women ation. While there is not much that we can do to change
on campus, as fewer options equates to them acting a the current demographics, we can try to put measures in
little more frantic than usual when trying to find place that will help increase black male enrollment on
someone. Due to the low numbers of black males, campus in the future, and try our best not to let it
many tend to lump men into either 2 categories: those change the behavior of the females left on campus.
that let it get to their head, and those that are just a
little to “out there”, compared to those from back
Photo Credits:
Cover: Joe Raedle/ Getty Images Page 2: Cornell Arts Quad/ Cornell Stock Photo Page 3: Facebook Photos/ Alicia Adams and Rosalind
Usher Page 4: Facebook Photos /Deborah Jack and Jacsymine Nsubuga Page 5: Facebook Photos/ Darin Jones Page 6: Facebook Photos/
Rosalind Usher Page 8: Facebook Photos/ Rosalind Usher

BCW Magazine 8