F.U.B.U: Freedom of Black Bodies

For us by us, we create for our love of each other. We stand up for each other because who will stand up for us?

Coming from a pro dominantly black lifestyle and environment which is richly shaped from Jamaican and Black American culture, finding out that I would grow more in a diverse setting I went back to the place of my dreams and childhood to make my voice heard and then just as fast I was hit with the reality of society. As I slowly stepped away from my safety net, I had to say goodbye to a lot of things that made me feel safe, as the time past from little black baby girl to awkward black young girl to inspired black women I found a balance on campus on what I’m fine with eliminating and what I need to keep and that’s my connection to black people and my culture.

Finding my way on campus was definitely hard. I think that says a lot for some of our freshmen year. Being somewhere new and slightly uncomfortable can be intimidating, yes, but don’t be intimidated, for you are a star surrounded by other beautiful stars (as you can see) influenced by the bright ass lights of New York City.

Stop being so concerned with having a seat at the table; make your own table, and at that table, invite your biggest influences and supporters. Surround yourself with people who shine just as bright as you to encourage you, and, in turn, you encourage them.

Look out for each other, I’m here writing this doing all of this to let you know that you are not the only black person on campus! Pace (University) is black as fuck!

Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable in spaces where you think you don’t fit; again, it’s not about fitting in; it’s about making your own out of what you learn and accomplishing.

College doesn’t have to be so scary: take that bitch by the head and pivot when shit get crazy and roll with the punches when you at your wits, but under any circumstance, do not give up and do not let them see you fall.

We are stronger and brighter than any darkness; together, we are Excellence.

Written by Tayja Whyte @tayjaa.x

Creative Director: Tayja Whyte @tayjaa.x

Production Manager: Chloe Kaleah Stewart @chloe.kaleah

Photography: Mark Bluemle @markbluemle

Production: Mickayla Davis @_mickayladavis_, Jazzi Almestica @shes.so.dope, K Pereira @kaleb.pereira922

PA: Amanda Manson @_.amanddaaa

Models: Alexandra Branch @4alexandraa | Amanda Manson @_.amanddaaa | Cecil Atkins @its._cecil | CharliRose Mosley @chaarrrlliiii | Chloe Belle @chloefb_ | Chloe Kaleah Stewart @chloe.kaleah | Davie Osborne @davisdavieosborne | DJ Lorthe @jst_.dj | Eric Curry @ericcurryiii | Genesis Grey @genesisgrey_ | Jadan Brioso @jadan_brioso | K Pereira @kaleb.pereira922 | Keyonah Allen @keyonahmarie1 | Kirimi Mugwiria @almostinbloom | Markell Pagie @worldknownjokerr._ | Mekayla Bailey @yktv_its_mee | Melissa Alcindor @issaivvi | Mickayla Davis @_mickayladavis_ | Moram Hassan @roomie.mh | Najee Durrett @najeeed1234 | Najm Muhammad @najmmuhammadd | Nasir Williams @_nasir_williams_ | Talia Williams @taliajwilliams | Tayja Whyte @tayjaa.x | Widney Borgella @_nini_18_

Has Holiday Consumerism Gotten Worse?

The holiday season has been marked by corporate greed for decades now. Any liberal arts student with Marxist leanings can tell you such, but it is worth repeating. Corporations have managed to sell those warm and fuzzy feelings via candles, coffee, sweaters, and the like for decades now. But with social media becoming prime breeding ground for capital, holiday branded consumerism has reached new heights. From gift guides advertising $117 coffee mugs, to Black Friday haul TikToks accumulating 1,000,000 likes, one has to wonder: has everyone lost their minds?

Gift guides in and of themselves are not demonic entities sent from the capitalist gods to destroy us all. Anyone who has to buy a present for their dad can attest to this. It becomes a problem when they are used to sell a brand. Gift guides exist for almost any brand of person, from the clean girl to the cool girl. Sorting and packaging one’s loved ones into blanket labels, or “girls”, is bizarre. This has been true since the rise in “girl” trends, but it becomes even more insidious in a time built on giving and goodwill towards one’s fellow human. It’s become less about the joy of gifting your friends and family something irreplaceable, and more about buying people's personalities. Buying a personality is never a good thing, especially when the barrier to entry is that expensive. As mentioned previously, one gift guide built for the homebody recommends an Ember coffee mug that goes for over $100. A gift guide for someone who values simple pleasures featuring something that pricey speaks volumes. What’s wrong with buying your introverted friends a neat coffee mug from the thrift store? One that feels personal and unique to them? It’s not just the gift guides that do this, there are guides for becoming “that girl” in the new year. There’s nothing wrong with giving tips and tricks for self improvement, but this type of instagram self help feels superficial. It comes off as self improvement for the social capital it provides. Appearing to be “that girl”, one who as the guide explains is fit, sports a lengthy skincare routine, and values her appearance, gives one access to social benefits they wouldn’t have otherwise. Not to be that guy, but what is being upheld with this kind of self improvement? Because it sounds an awful lot like patriarchy. 

Black Friday hauls are also emblematic of archaic systems bleeding into the holiday season. For the unaware, Black Friday hauls consist of creators showing their audience everything they bought. These videos exist as escapism for a non-significant amount of people, seeing as how popular they are, but they act more like shaking shiny, late stage capitalism colored keys in the face of a nation burned by wealth inequality. Not everyone who makes this sort of content is rich. The girl who received a whopping 1.3,000,000 likes on her haul says she paid for everything herself, but what does it say about the general state of affairs if people are coping by watching content that exists entirely to show off capital?

Believe it or not, the holidays don't have to be about consumerism. The idea of getting that expensive perfume or becoming a whole new you can be appealing, but at the end of the day it's just stuff. Capital is just capital. It can't fix you or make you someone else. What matters most is community and we show our love for that community. Instead of buying, as my mom would say, crap, take the time to find something meaningful. Something that will last. Thrift stores are great places to find unique gifts for a small price. Crafting is a great skill to have regardless of the season, but it's especially useful this time of year. Finding or making the good stuff takes time, but it's so much better than feeding our capital overlords. Lord knows that's the last thing we need right now. 

Written by Grace Bradley

Photography by Francesca DiMiceli @frandimiceli.photography

Directed by Lucy Geldziler @leg5

Produced and Edited by Mark Bluemle @markbluemle

Production Asst by Lauren Crivelli @laurencrivel

Styling by Caroline Slafka @carolineslafka

Talent: Lolita Lupita @lolitalupita

Holiday Reflections

Trees blur past my window as the train barrels toward its destination. Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens gently lull in my ear. Another year home for the holidays. Except it doesn’t feel like home, it feels like something lingering I can’t quite reach. A feeling that cannot be named but resides deep inside. A longing for something more, for the past, for something I can’t quite get back. The trees are all stripped bare and the ground is brown and dull. The leaves have left and the snow hasn’t yet arrived. I have reached a time of reflection and memories. I think back to my childhood, not always joyful, and yet the holidays once felt like magic. The lights on the Christmas tree glimmering, the smell of delicious food made by my Nana, the gentle laughter of the adults in the room next door as we slowly drifted to sleep. My family once all got together, over 30 people celebrating together. Now there’s maybe 8 or 9. We have all flown the nest, spread across the country different places, and new homes. Yet I haven’t found my home yet, thrown place to place yearning for a simpler time. I think of my grandparent's house full of people, every room filled with those staying the night. As children, we would play in the woods and come back covered in snow to the hot cocoa my mother made. It was a time before the hate I know so vividly. Against who I am, my sibling, my friends, and my beliefs. I am disparaged and made to feel small even as I’m 22 and going through law school. The unity I felt so deeply as a child has been warped and tainted with feelings I can’t change. As I sit watching the river flow beside me I wish for that time back. And yet just as the river flows so does time and we can’t get it back. I cherish the memories I made while wishing for them back. This deep feeling I can’t always name normally comes down to one thing, nostalgia, a sentimental longing and wistful affection for the past.

This nostalgia may sound like it hinders my joy however now I find joy in new things. Despite the bare trees and dull ground as the sun sets the beautiful Appalachian mountains are set ablaze in a golden hue. I’ll get my Christmas tree while home and the forecast calls for snow. I’ll see some of my favorite cousins on Thanksgiving and I’ll enjoy my Nana’s cooking. My mom and siblings are excited to see me and hopefully, we can all play games together, just like when we were kids. I’ll get to visit my childhood town to see my dad and grandparents. I can almost smell my favorite dessert, my Nana’s apple pie, sitting on the table, and I’ll get the first slice. The tree will still glimmer and it will be one I picked. Christmas music will quietly play in the background as we decorate it. And, when I get back to NYC I’m going to see all the holiday decorations I adore, even if they are touristy. As I slowly watch the sunset the sky lighting up pink while Bon Iver plays in my headphones I know its not all bad. I have so many fears so much longing and yet everything keeps going, time doesn’t stop. And so I appreciate what I have now even if its not the same. I keep my childlike wonder because no matter what no one can take our joy and hope from us. 

Written by Kat Reed

Photography by Rose Miller

Talent: Sophie Smith