The Bella Bulletin
OCTOBER 2021
BALI BRINGS BACK… Our year-long virtual training program starting Wednesday, November 3rd at 4 pm. Check out our Upcoming Events section for more info.
CHECK OUT… This month’s Feminist Five as we highlight trans books and authors for Trans Empowerment Month.
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Table of Contents I.
Upcoming Events…………………………………...….…..3
II.
Highlights of the Month…………….…………….……..…..4
III.
Feminist Five…….…………………………….......…….....7
IV.
Happy Birthday To……………...……………..……....….....9
V.
This Month in Women’s History …..……….………………....10
VI.
Enrichment Opportunities……..………...............................…..12
VII. Bella
Bulletin Staff………….………………..……...….….14
VIII. BALI
Staff…………………………….…………..........…..15
Upcoming Events Virtual BALI Training is Back! We’re back in action, starting Wednesday, November 3rd at 4 pm for our year-long virtual training program. This is open to all female-identified high school youth.
If interested, email contact@abzuginstitute.org
Reminders FAFSA Opened October 1st!
Regular Decision Application due January 15th
Early Action Deadline for College Apps due November 1st or 15th
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Highlights of the Month
The long-awaited “2020” Summer Olympics this year has put a spotlight on the racism, and more specifically, misogynoir that is entrenched in the Just days after the Department of Homeland sports industry. First, images Sha’Carri was Last month, horrific ofRichardson United Security announced that they clearedStates the border patrol brutalizing Haitian migrants banned from the Olympics after a positive cannabis camp of 15,000, mostly Haitian immigrants sparked widespread outrage. The horrifying atrocities test, even asylum though itinis Del not aRio, performance-enhancing seeking Texas, made by let the U.S.thegovernment Hatian drug (and alone fact that manyagainst white athletes images were released of U.S. Border Patrol migrants, however, extend beyond This the have been excused of much worsefar accusations). Agents chasing Haitian immigrants with events of late September. Most of the past week, Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka stepped horses and whips. This instance is one in a immigrants depicted in theevents photos surfaced down from their Olympic tothat protect their long line of atrocities comitted by the U.S. late September were deported to these Haiti physical and mental health. And as back a result, government dating back to the first influx of under Title 42. Title 42, established by the champion athletes have faced immense Hatian asylum teh three 1970s. After Trump administration, allows theinstances U.S. discrimination andseekers judgment.inThese the brutal “clearing” of the detention center government immediately deport immigrants (among many toothers at this year’s Olympics) begs that attempt to cross the border under the this September, the overwhelming majority the question of whether the Olympics and its fans pretense pandemic concerns. To tosupport of forced travel careHaitian aboutofimmigrants their Black were athletes beyond the Haitian and Black migrants, consider donating to back to Haiti. entertainment and talent they provide.
Three months ago, the CDC announced that vaccinated people were free to enter public indoor places maskless fear has of contracting or A recent lawsuitwithout in Taiwan the potential This month, Canadian-backed oil company, spreading COVID-19. This month, however, due to to make historic change in Taiwan. This Endbridge, was pressured to shut down Line 5 in several of the court Delta variant of the Xiao virus month,outbreaks a Taiwanese approeved Michigan several hours after water (the most for revealing in E’s request to changeofherwhich genderoccurred on her ID protectors called Enbridge and halted the Provincetown, where most of the without proveMassachusetts, of gender-affirming surgery. operation ofvaccinated) the pipeline from within that the population is the CDC announced Back in 2019, Xiao E was denied this right, facility. Theindividuals construction and operation of Line 5 vaccinated fact, contract and andposed in response, shecan, tookin her casethreat straight has an immense environmental to spread the disease. As a result, it is now to Now,community. many activists have that thecourt. Michigan Despite thehope fact that recommended that everyone, regardless of Xiao E’s government case will set precedentof and the state anda members the vaccination status use masks indoors. The Delta abolish the law that have states trans resisted individuals Michigan community actively the variant is near twice as transmissible as the first use construction of the pipeline, Enbridge mustandhave gender-affirming surgery to strains of COVID-19, yet less than half of the U.S. has exploited legalonloopholes change gender their IDs.in order to populationtheir is vaccinated.
continue with construction.
the Haitian Bridge Alliance and UndocuBlack.
This summer, indigenous water protectors and allies have been Poland tirelesslyissued protesting the construction of In 2020, an almost-complete On 20, members of by Trans*, a resource LineOctober 3, a pipeline being built the Canadian oil ban offor abortions; only permitting victims of group Netflix employees that are gender company Enbridge. The pipeline is being constructed incest, rape, orallies, medical emergencies minorities staged in Northern and Minnesota even thougha it walkout violates access to Dave safe and legal abortions. Many protesting Chappelle’s comedy several treaties made with the Ojibwe peoplespecial of the have Closer,” accused thefeatures Polish government of “The which amount area. Furthermore, the pipeline aiscopious set to cross 200 taking advantage ofcarbon thefootprint COVID-19 of homophobic and itstransphobic jokes.would The bodies of water and walkout wastoof intended pressure the company pandemic quickly and quietly exceed that all of to Minnesota. Thepass influxthe of to acknowledge the harm done by the special law. In response, the Belgian government Enbridge workers into Ojibwe territory has also and to include more cases LGBTQ+ films and TV shows funded abortion organizations heightened6 COVID-19 and led to the that assaultwill of on the streaming service. Netflix co-Chief now people from Poland come some invite indigenous community members.toFor ways to to Executive Ted Sarandos publicly stands by Dave Belgium andstopline3.org. receive safe and legal help, please see
Chappelle and refuses to take the special off of abortions. Netflix.
Next month, the Supreme Court will take up two lawsuits against Senate Bill 8, a Texas In response to financial difficulties brought on by the abortion law that can ban abortions at as early COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC established a This6 weeks month, as intoCalifornia pregnancy, Governor well beforeGavin many moratorium that protected Americans from individuals find out that they are pregnant. If Newsom established a three-year evictions. This month, even though the pandemic passed, Senate that Bill 8,will would eliminate 85%-90% pilot-program record data about the and its subsequent financial obstacles are far from of abortions insexuality Texas. The two lawsuits made gender and of victims of violent over, the moratorium was lifted, leaving many against the billthewere made by isthe federal deaths. limited to AmericansWhile in the lurchpilot-program for affordable housing. With government and a collection of abortion six counties, advocates are still hopeful that the moratorium lifted, many the providers and advocates. AsAmericans of now, it across is unclear this landmark bill will be the first step in country nowSupreme owe months of past-due rent with what the Court’s decision will little be. addressing the increased violence faced by to no support. already very present issue has What is knownThis now, however, is that the court the So and far, will Santa been exacerbated by the pandemic not will LGBTQ+ not be community. discussing abortion rights Clara, Los Angeles, Stanislaus and Fresno dissolve unless established, permanent change is themselves, but rather, how SB 8 will be made by thehave federalagreed government. counties to participate in the enforced. program.
Titled Writer Akwaeke after Karlaher Emezi’s Cornejo able-bodied, fourth Villavicencio book, identical was “Dear on twin’s DACA Senthuran: nickname when she AThe decided Black Pretty Spirit toOne: write Memoir,” Onabout Life, Pop being provides Culture, undocumented this Disability, perennial for and question the Other first time Reasons with using a definitive toher Fallown inanswer. Love name. with Yes, It was the Meright author is anafter honest, seems the challenging, election to say, we of 2016, and are monsters. hilarious the day collection she But realized only ifof monstrosity the essays story that she’d is detail defined tried Keah as to the steer Brown’s explicit clear life, refusal oflove, was and the to pop-culture only abideone by she the obsessions. wanted binaries tothat As tell. her surround So quote she wrote below us. Inher confirms, a world immigration predisposed Keah Brown lawyer’s to uses phone queer The Pretty number villainy, One on “Dear to herpush Senthuran” hand past in Sharpie the claims need and monstrosity embarked for her as cerebral-palsy onaaspace trip across of intentional tothe becountry a source rejection. to tell of inspiration and instead encourages the stories her readers of her fellow to see undocumented her disability asimmigrants—and just one of her many to find other the hidden interesting key andher to powerful own. traits and accomplishments The book is (including a metaphysical her love journey for cheesecake!) told through The IgboPretty cosmology. One has Emezi, received who praiseup grew from in Aba, well-known Nigeria,artists invitesand thewriters readerlike to Roxane “imagine Gay, being Lenaogbanje, Dunam,like andme.” Deepak Divine Chopra. spirits born to human mothers, Looking beyond ogbanjethe areflashpoints liminal deities of the in border constant or the transit. activism In order of the to DREAMers, rejoin the spirit Cornejo world, Villavicencio they die over explores and The Pretty the over lives again,ofOne deliberately thealso undocumented—and unpacks leaving Keah theirBrown’s human the viral families mysteries social bereft. media of hercampaign own life.#DisabledandCute. She finds the singular, Initiallyeffervescent a personal hashtag posted characters across bythe Brown nation to celebrate often reduced her personal in the media journey to with political self-love, pawns#DisabledandCute or nameless laborers. has transformed The stories into she In context tells an online are andnot content, community deferential “Dear of Senthuran” or disabled naivelypeople inspirational is molded celebrating by but departure themselves show the and what love, and proving itmagic, requires. heartbreak, thatThe “being bookinsanity, disabled is structured and being vulgarity as a series cute that ofaren’t infuse letters the mutually from day-to-day the author exclusive.” lives to of their Like herfriends, subjects. most lovers, online other content writers, created divine by and Black human creators, family.however, In them #DisabledandCute Emezi recounts episodes is occasionally in their life, referenced from their without gender crediting confirmation Keah Brown. surgeries So to to all purchasing of our lovely a home BALI (a readers place that might they call their want“godhouse”), to contributetotobetrayal the hashtag, at the make hands sureoftoliterary tag hermentors. @Keah_Maria! Each letter chronicles a tension — between Western constructions of gender and “people like me: embodied but not human, terrified that
In New going York, we meet the undocumented who were into theBlack federally funded Zero they’re mad, unable to talk about it,workers and estranged fromrecruited the Indigenous realities thatGround might make cleanup after Miami, we enterthe theeuphoria ubiquitous offer medicinal triumph herbs and to some sense of 9/11. it all.”In But also between andbotanicas, heartbreakwhich of love, professional andpotions personal those whose status of blocks them from Emezi any other healthcare options. In artificial, Flint, Michigan, we learn of demands for failure, the finality life and death. proves these oppositions while establishing the very real state ID in order to receive life-saving cleaninwater. Connecticut, Cornejo Villavicencio, childless by choice, solitude and weight of being uninterested them.InIncrementally, the chapters inch closer and closer to a finds familyreality. in two“There teenage whosebright fatherand is inbrilliant sanctuary. Andthey through alldoesn’t we see make the author grappling frightening is girls something in me,” write.it“It me feel special. with the biggest questions It makes me terribly alone.”of love, duty, family, and survival.
In her incandescent, relentlessly probing voice, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio combines sensitive reporting and powerful personal narratives to bring to light remarkable stories of resilience, madness, and death. Through these stories we come to understand what it truly means to be a stray. An expendable. A hero. An American.
“I don’t mind being an inspiration if it is for a valid reason, such as admiring how many slices of pizza I ate, an essay or an article I wrote, my clothing choices, or how quickly I can learn the lyrics to songs. As long as the inspiration doesn’t come with pity or self-congratulatory pats on the back, I am all for it. Let my love for cheesecake inspire you the way it will inspire a nation. you cantosaytell youthem were there first. “People canonedoday spectacular things At if least you forget it’s impossible.” ― Akwaeke - Keah Brown Emeki, Dear Senthuran: A black Spirit Memoir In addition to being an author, Keah Brown is a notable journalist, actress, and “The twisted inversion that many children of immigrants know is that, at some point, your parents
Akwaeke Emezi is ahas Nigerian writer and artist, publications best known screenwriter. Brown writtenlgbo for and and Tamil been featured in video established
become your children, and your ownandpersonal American becomes making sure for their 2018 debut novel Freshwater. Featured on Keah thedream cover of TIME including Essence, Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue. Brown is alsoMagazine featured as in
a Next Generation Leader (June 2021) for debut memoir DEAR they ageBurke and die with dignity in a transformative country thattheir hasanthology never wanted them.” Tarana and Brené Brown’s You Are YourSENTHURAN, Best Thing. Akwaeke Emezi (b. 1987) is an artist and writer based in liminal spaces.
― Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, The Undocumented Americans
Karla Cornejo Villavicencio (born 1989) is an Ecuadorian-American writer and the This, however, is just the beginning for Keah Brown. In 2022, she will publish her first children’s book, titled author of The Undocumented Americans (2020). She has written about her experiences as an undocumented Sam’s Super Seats. Illustrated by Sharee Miller, this upcoming book will follow a young girl with cerebral palsy A National Book Foundation '5 Under 35'States. honoree, Emezi was born in Umuahia andfor raised in Aba, Nigeria. They immigrant from Ecuador to the United In October 2020 it was shortlisted the National Book Award as she goes back to school shopping with her best friends. Though more information has yet to be released, were named one of The New Hollywood Guard: Writers by Vanity Fair and their romance debut YOU MADE A for Nonfiction. Keah Brown is also set to publish a book geared towards young adults in the next few years. Brown has big FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR BEAUTY is forthcoming from Atria Books in 2022, with the screen rights selling to dreams when it comes to television, many of which have already been accomplished, but for now, we should Amazon Studios a seven-figure deal with executive producer. debut poetry collection all take the time toinread extensive andEmezi wait toassee what next!Their Cornejo Villavicencio washer born in 1989works in Ecuador. When she wasshe fourdoes or five, her parents brought her to the CONTENT WARNING: EVERYTHING is also forthcoming Copper Press 2022 and sophomore United States. She has a brother. The family lived in from the New YorkCanyon borough of in Queens. Shetheir graduated from YA novel in BITTER willbelieves be published February 2022undocumented by Knopf Books. Harvard 2011 isand she is in one of the first immigrants to do so. As of September 2020 she is a PhD candidate in the American studies program at Yale. She was an Emerson Collective fellow.
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Women’s History of the Month: October
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Bella Bulletin Staff Wilma Abam-DePass Co-Editor-in-Chief School: Mount Holyoke College BALI Class of 2017 Contact Info: Wilma@depass.com
Zoe Donovan Co-Editor-in-Chief School: Brown University BALI Class of 2017 Contact Info: zoezoedonovan@gmail.com