Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead takes place on Halloween but don't touch the sugar skulls just yet. Do we know what Day of the Dead is all about? For starters, it's more than the movie Coco. We encourage you to look past the Pixar cartoon and into the culture that the holiday is steeped in. Day of the Dead is a holiday with Aztec roots and traditions of honoring the dead. The influence of this holiday is stretched throughout modern-day Mexico and Central America. That being said, Day of the Dead is not a "Mexican Halloween". Preparation begins on October 31st, this includes cooking, cleaning, setting up an altar, and placing pictures of the dead upon it. November 1st is the Day of the Innocents, or Día de los Angelitos, is the day reserved for all the children who've passed to return to the land of the living. And finally, November 2nd is when the adults arrive. If you're still confused, think of it like the Catholic All Saints and All Souls Day. The holiday is very special to many people, it's a time to remember and honor lost loved ones in the best of ways. There are parades, dancing, and delicious food to be found on the holiday because of the belief that the deceased have returned. It's a happy time despite how solemnizing it could be.
Georgia College's own Latino Student Association sets up an altar every year for the holiday. Pictures have been donated to the altar over time, from other students, club members, faculty, and the Milledgeville community. One of our very own DPE's has family on the altar and celebrates the life that they lived. The altar is open to the public and situated in the Cultural Center of the HUB. Día de los Muertos is a simple holiday to understand and it has a huge importance in Latin culture. It's a holiday to remember and celebrate those you've lost and calling it a "Mexican Halloween" is disrespectful and hurtful. Remember that we all have someone that we've lost and that the dead is to be respected. No matter the way or the culture that it's done in.
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What do you think of when you hear the term “cultural appropriation”? Does it even really exist? What can be gained, or lost, from the act of cultural appropriation? All these answers and more to give you the best Halloween experience ever! Cultural appropriation is the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society. The first thing to unpack, is yes, cultural appropriation is real. Sometimes it’s intentionally and others unintentionally but it is real. When being done intentionally, it is targeted towards a specific group of marginalized people. And when unintentional, people may not realize they’re even appropriating. The biggest, and one of the first, examples are the “Bo Derek Braids.” Bo Derek starred in a romance/comedy movie in 1979 called 10 where her hair was styled in cornrows. It’s important to note that black women have been braiding their hair for centuries. You could tell a woman’s tribe, marital status, age, and so much more just from how she wore her braids. The concept of braids didn’t become a mainstream fashion trend among the majority until the “Bo Derek Braids.” This isn’t the only incident either and with Halloween around the corner the DPE’s have your back with some simple Do’s and Don’ts of Halloween.
Don’t use jewelry that imitates sacred accessories for other cultures. Such as a feather headdress fashioned for native americans. Something as extravagant as a headdress might just have a serious meaning for someone else, so if you’re not 110% sure it’s best to avoid adding it to your costume. Do ask your friends about things you’re unsure of. And if all else fails, research, research, research! If you don’t know about something, you Google it. So why should the aspects of your outfit be any different? Don’t forget to give credit where credit is due! Treat what you were as if it has a MLA format with a work’s cited page! If you understand what your costume may mean for another culture or community, give them the credit. Don’t sell it off as your own idea. Do talk with your friends and family about what is and isn’t okay for Halloween. We can tell you things all day long, but it won’t really stick until you have the conversation yourself. So don’t be afraid to talk with your friends about it, they might be grateful for it. The most important thing to remember about cultural appropriation, is that there can be appreciation too. Having a true respect and understanding for what you wear can go a long way in the eyes of someone who could possibly take offense. Make sure you have the conversation and let people know where your outfit came from and have an interest in its origins. When you’re out having fun all we ask is that you be conscious of what you wear and who’s culture you might be appropriating. "If you want to enjoy our culture and our lifestyle … then you should also want to know what affects us, what is bothering us, what we feel is unfair to us.” - Nicki Minaj What more needs to be said? Have a great Halloween! October 11th, 2019 marks the 31st annual National Coming Out Day in the United States. National Coming Out Day was created in the recognition that coming out is a revolutionary act everywhere, every time. When people know someone who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, they are more likely to support equality and work to end oppression for the community. Despite the great amount of progress that has been made in the past 31 years, coming out can still be terrifying and sometimes extremely unsafe for individuals. It’s important to note that coming out doesn’t happen just once- coming out is a life-long process. Since we live in a hetero-normative society, meaning one where heterosexuality is the assumption, LGBTQ+ people have to continually come out throughout their lives. One of the most important things to remember about coming out is that it is entirely on your own terms. If you are not comfortable telling people or don’t feel safe to do so, that is entirely okay. Your safety is the most important aspect of the coming out process. According to the Human Rights Campaign, here are some questions to ask yourself before coming out:
If someone has just come out to you, here are a few tips on what to do next:
Coming out is a time for celebration for all those involved. Personally, when I was able to finally embrace my true self I gained so much confidence, self-love, and passion for our community. But for many, it is not an easy or simple process. We all have a stake in making sure we support LGBTQ+ people to the best of our abilities so we can create a safer world to be ourselves.
Happy National Coming Out Day, my friends. And remember, we’re here, we’re queer, and we won’t disappear. Trigger warning: this week's post contains mentions of suicide and sexual assault. Everyone knows what Cyberbullying looks like, at least what it used to look like. As technology has progressed and changed so has the dangers of cyberbullying. Even though it’s not something we think about everyday, it still occurs. In the past, Cyberbullying would include posting embarrassing pictures of other people, intense exclusion and hazing. To an extent some of that is still true today but it has drastically increased in brutality. Cyberbullying is just as cruel as physical bullying and it can affect just as many people. However it’s not as violent. Words are just as powerful as anything and they can really affect someone’s mental state. Little things said here and there that may be able to be brushed off but the hurt never truly disappears. The words can build dark feelings within someone and they can eventually explode in dangerous and solemn ways. In Saratoga, California, Audrie Taylor Pott was a victim of suicide. In the days leading up to her death Audrie was sexually assaulted by three teenagers she knew. Lewd photos were taken of her and posted to social media, leading to very cruel cyberbullying. She died on September 12, 2012 at fifteen years old. It’s unfair to say cyberbullying was Audrie’s only reason but it is fair to say that without it she could have gotten proper help with the tragedy. According to nveee.org/statistics, “32% of online teens say they have been targets of a range of annoying or potentially menacing online activities. And 88% of social media-using teens say they have seen someone be mean or cruel to another person on a social network[ing] site.” Cyberbullying is a very real and very sad thing. To the credit of the youth however, most teens and young adults stop cyberbullying when they see it. It’s as simple as calling the bully out and supporting the victim. As internet users we all have a right to a safe space to browse and be social. The most important thing to remember about cyberbullying is if you don’t have the courage to say it to someone's face, you shouldn’t say it behind a screen.
Thanks again for stopping by this week and we’ll see you next Friday! |
Diondra FranklinThis DPE will be keeping it 100 every time she takes pen to page, or really fingers to keyboard. Be on the look out every other Saturday for the tea of the week! Archives
February 2020
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