Smith College Prism

Smith's organization for queer students of color

[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place April 22, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My thirteenth participant: Lauren<3

T: Okay, so just hold this kind of close to you. L: Okay. T: First question: Why did you choose Smith? L: Umm, so my teacher recommended it, that I at least apply and I didn’t really think about it that much and then I got accepted and I started thinking about it more and then I heard about Discovery Weekend and I realized they were going to like pay for me to fly out here because I was from Utah and that was like pretty far (giggle) Yeah, so, once they did that and I came here and I fell in love with the campus so--should I be looking at the camera? T: No, just do you. L: Okay (laughs) Um yeah, and then I just fell in love with the campus and decided that this would be my next 4 years. T: Cool. What are you focusing on in college? L: Focusing. I think I’m just trying to find a balance in my life. I have been living with a diagnosis of bipolar for almost 2 years and I’m still trying to figure out how to like sort of make it work. I’m trying to find a good balance in my life I think and just trying to be happy. T: What are your interests? L: Interests. Umm, I guess, outside of school it would be--I’m really into music, I love music. I love finding it in everything. I’m also sort of interested in space (giggles) Haven’t really learned much about it but I’m always really interested. T: It’s fascinating. L: Yes it is (giggles) I love cats, I have one in my room (giggles) We can go meet him after (giggles) Umm, what else? I guess in school I’m really interested in cancer. My mom had cancer and ever since then I’ve just known that I want to study, so yeah. T: How do you fully identify? L: Fully identify. Umm-- T: And that can be anything. L: Anything. Okay. Race-wise I am biracial. I am white and I am Asian, so that also makes me both white and a person of color. I am bisexual. What else is there? I am a woman. Religion-wise I don’t practice a religion right now but I’m always interested and I’d love to learn more. So, yeah, I think that’s it. T: Cool. Who do you look up to? Who is your ideal human being? L: Umm, well I guess I’ve always looked up to my mom but the funny thing is I never really knew her. She passed away when I was 6 and I just sort of created who she is in the back of my mind and I’ve always just sort of looked up to this person I’ve created and now I’m realizing that she doesn’t really exist and I would never really know who she was. Um, so, there’s not really anyone else I look up to though. So, I think that’s sort of one of the problems in my life: I’ve never really had a role model. I’m always, I guess, in search of one (giggles) T: I feel that. L: Mmhmm. T: This is kind of the same question but different. L: Okay. T: Like more social media stuff. Where do you see yourself in representation? Who do you see in the media most fully represents your identities? L: Mmm (laughs) not really anyone. I guess the very first time I saw someone who was both white and Asian in the media was Kristin Kreuk, she was in Smallville (giggles) Umm, I was like in love with her. But other than that no one really encompasses any of my identities, and I mean that’s not gonna happen because there’s so many different ones but yeah, I guess also looking for someone there (giggles) T: What makes you happy? L: What makes me happy? Seeing other people happy (giggles) Happiness is contagious definitely for me. Just seeing other people happy makes me happy. I don’t know what else to say about that (giggles) T: Three words to describe yourself. L: Uhh this is such a tough question (giggles) Umm, three words. Pretty Happy. Adaptable, I think, and Compassionate (giggles) T: What motivates you? L: Motivates me? Umm (giggles) Umm what motivates me? I think this goes back to what I was talking about about my mother, since she did pass away from cancer that’s been like my motivation to just keep going on. When I first came here i wanted to be a pre-med student and then I realized how much school that would be (giggles) So, I dropped that and I’m hopefully going to major in Biology. I don’t know where I was going with that (giggles) But, yeah, just I don’t want people to have to go through what me and my family did and my mother. So I think her cause of death is my motivation. T: Why did you choose this space? The outside space? L: Umm, well, whenever I want to be alone I would go to my room but then there’s like a lot of thoughts and sometimes I don’t like thinking, so I’ll just go out there and sit out there and watch people walk by and it’s just distracting and that’s really nice just to be able to be by myself but also not have to think and just being able to enjoy myself. T: Last question: What would you tell someone just stumbling upon this post online? L: Umm (giggles) Umm, I think that it’s okay not to know who are yet or what you want to do in life yet. It’s okay to still be finding yourself as long as somewhere along the way you actually succeed. T: Yes. That was great. Thank you so much. L: No problem (giggles) It was fun. [End Recording]

Lauren Blurb: My name is Lauren Berkemeier and I'm an 18 y/o white and Korean bisexual woman hailing from northern Utah. I came to Smith thinking I was going to be a premed student but quickly dropped that idea and am now thinking about majoring in biology. I'd love to study cancer and maybe even go back to Utah at some point to work at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. I love music, cats, and going on adventures with the best of people. I am sometimes active on tumblr where I usually reblog excessive memes, you can find me at ragdollthelauren.tumblr.com.

Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my personal blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/, photography blog: tyahra.tumblr.com I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican/American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/ play-write/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. Lauren has a very, very soothing presence and having this time to go into her past, present, and future had so many moment of very amazing possibility and she was totally honest and open. And she’s just a very sweet person. Everyone should take time to meet her (her cat was also the same:) <3)

[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place April 22, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My twelfth participant: Hailey<3

T: Keep it close to you. Okay. Why did you choose Smith? H: It was my goal since freshman year to come here and i really didn’t think I would get in because I went to a Tech school and Tech school kids aren’t supposed to do good or whatever (laughs) Umm, but I just, I don’t know, I found the school online and I just automatically knew that this was going to be the place for me. T: You found it by yourself? H: Yeah. I just came across it just randomly online (giggles) And then I knew. T: Okay. What are you focusing on in college? H: Like studying-wise? T: Yes, or anything. H: I’m gonna major in Sociology. Possibly double majoring in Education and then concentrate in poetry. T: Really cool! H: So awkward. My least favorite thing in the world: getting my picture taken. T: Aww H$ (H-Money). What are your interests? H: Poetry, umm, counseling, social justice things definitely but poetry is number one always. T: Cool. How do you fully identify? H: I identify as a Latina, Bi-racial, well, multi-ethnic Latina ‘cuz my mom is white and my dad’s Salvadoran, Queer, through and through, and as a woman. Yeah, and I come from a lower-socio-economic background and that’s also a very important part of my identity to me. Yeah. T: I’m gonna skip around a little bit. H: Cool. T: What makes you happy? H: Well being here makes me happy, this place. Um, because whenever I’m here I’m usually with people that I really care about and who mean a lot to me. Just hanging out with my friends make me happy. Listening to music that we care about and writing poetry makes me happy. Yeah. T: Who do you look up to? Who is your ideal human being? H: That’s always the toughest question for me. I don’t even know. I respect my mom a lot, just because of all the things that I know she’s had to go through and she still remains strong despite everything and she loves her family no matter what. I love my mom (giggles)   T: Oh, the rain. H: Oh no. T: Where do you see yourself in representation? Who do you see in the media most fully represents your identities? H: Shit! (giggles) Well you don’t see a lot of media representation, especially, I mean, for people who are like of different backgrounds and different races intermixing especially. But umm...I don’t know. I find most of my representation through music, the music that I listen to even though they’re usually all queer white women. I feel like there are parts of them that I can relate to. I don’t really have any latina figures that I look up to in the media though because they’re very difficult to find. T: Do you have any examples of white, feministy, queer women? H: The musician St. Vincent. T: Yesss. H: She means a whole lot to me. T: I didn’t know she was queer. H: Yeah, she’s very queer. She’s dating Cara Delevingne. Yeah, Yup. Her music though means a lot to me like especially being young and being a queer person and being introduced to her music (giggles) T: Okay. Three words to describe yourself. H: This may seem hella self indulgent but Poet, Hailey, and Introspective. Yeah. T: Three more questions. H: Cool. T: What motivates you? H: Just trying to be the best person that I can be. I don’t have any like clear motivations I just try to go through everyday and do the best that I can in that really. T: Why did you choose this space? H: This space? T: Yes. H: A lot of--I’ve had a lot of good conversations next to this recycling dumpster and it just reminds me of my friends and the people that I care about. A lot of late nights just random little outings to smoke and to just hang out. It means a lot to be. When you come to college you don’t really think you’re gonna meet any people who really mean a lot to you and then to be able to share a space with them and to be able to share a conversation with them and memories means a lot. T: Okay. One more. H: Cool. T: What would you tell someone just stumbling across this post? H: Upon this post? T: Yes. H: What would I tell someone? T: Yes. H: What? Umm, shit. I would tell someone--I don’t even know what I would tell someone. Can it just be like anything in general? Doesn’t have to be like related to the post? Okay. I would tell someone basically to just keep rollin’ (giggles) That’s my motto. That’s been my motto all year is just to keep rollin’ basically. ‘Cuz I realized you just can’t worry about things. You have to just let them happen. Yeah. T: Yes. H: Word. T: Anything else? H: No. I don’t think so. T: Yay, we did it. In the rain. H: In the rain. T: Thank you so much. [End Recording]

Hailey Blurb: My name is Hailey Escobar, I’m a 19 year old queer half latina/half white person studying Sociology and Education with a concentration in Poetry at Smith (first generation college student). I come from central Massachusetts, and went to a vocational/technical high school where I learned Automotive Collision Technology. I love poetry, music, good vibes, being with my friends, working on cars, and good conversations. Someday I hope to work with troubled youth and children in the system as a counselor/mentor type of figure. I don’t have any social media stuff, but I do make things sometimes: https://www.etsy.com/shop/rahrahreplica

Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my personal blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/, photography blog: tyahra.tumblr.com I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican/American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/ play-write/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. Hailey is a person of many mysterious talents, a passionate poet, a mechanic extraordinaire, creator, and stick-n-poke artisan. She also is such a kind, no-nonsense-having being who is so lovely, to be around. She emanates open energy even through a scowl. Very glad I was able to meet/ learn more about you<3)

[indig3nigga]

I came out to myself as two spirit/nadleehi (‘one in constant state of change’ in Navajo) this month and vowed to keep it mostly secret out of fear and shame but here’s my contribution to Trans Day of Visibility anyway. I already wanna hide, exercise cis passing privilege as a cloak to protect my identity. Just a month ago, I was unlearning the habit of misgendering people based on presentation and now I’m having to consider my own pronoun preference. All of them by the way. She/they/he - in that order. I’m a gender fluid femme boi, still figuring out this identity stuff.

[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place April 15, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My eleventh participant: Corina<3

C: Okay. T: Why did you choose Smith? C: Uh, I chose Smith because I found a lot of people around me that seemed to be very happy here and...yeah. Everybody just seemed really happy and really welcoming to you and told you that you were gonna be--gonna be able to do whatever you wanted to do and be respected for it. Like in a respected community. Yeah. T: Cool. What are you focusing on in college? C: I’m focusing on film and trying to take classes that give me a better understanding of the world and how I can put things out there that represent what they should be representing, telling stories that should be told in ways that are respectful and culturally sensitive. Yeah. And learning about cooler ways to do the same things and the importance of cultural production, I’d say.   T: Mhhmm. On the same vein, what are your interests? C: Umm, my interests are photography, for sure, film, music. Not sure how I’d go about it completely but I love music, it’s so cool. But definitely photography and film are like my main interests. And Youtube and certain aspects of internet culture are fascinating to me and I’m very interested in that and like TV movies and music are really cool. I’m very interested in being involved in at least one of them in some way (giggles) Yeah. T: In a TV movie? C: TV, movies-- T: --Oh-- C:--or music in some way. TV or movies, like either one of those. I really want to do movies but doing TV would be cool too because there are so many cool things that can be done in TV.   T: How do you fully identify? C: Uh, I fully identify as, I guess, either bisexual or queer, uhh half Filipino half white person, so mostly I’d say I’m Filipino. I more identify with being Filipino. Filipino, queer/bi, I’d say, but mixed would be more accurate (giggle) T: Anything else? C: Nahh, I think that’s it. I struggle with, I think, identifying being mixed and being uncomfortable being part white. Being mixed is sort of a big part of my struggle with identity I think. Being half of something. Being like part white, too, being here I feel like ashamed of being part white. Or just very aware that even though I don’t have white-passing privilege, I definitely have other benefits of that. So, like, I do identify as being mixed race because I am very aware of that. But I, personally, culturally, am more Filipino (giggles) T: Who do you look up to? Who is your ideal human being? C: Man. An ideal human being? I think my ideal human being right now is Rosario Dawson and she kind of always has been (giggles) She’s amazing and she just spoke for Bernie recently like saying how much change he’s doing and she’s an incredible human being and she’s such a great actress and has used her stardom to talk about good issues and make a difference and I think that’s my ideal human being. Being in a position where you can reach a lot of people and encourage a lot of people to be who they are and give representation because she’s so important in terms of representation. Uhh, I love her (giggles) She’s my ideal human being (giggles) For sure. T: Kind of the same question but different: Where do you see yourself in representation? Who do you see in the media like most fully represents your identities? C: Hmmm, umm. That’s hard. I think recently I say, in terms of representation in the media, on Buzzfeed actually a lot of their videos. They’ve had a lot of videos about being mixed race and they had this one girl who came in and her mom is white and her dad had passed away and I identified with her because she talked about the struggle of people not thinking she was her mother’s daughter and like all this stuff so it’s like the other way around with my dad. I always felt weird because people didn’t see us as a family and that’s like the hardest thing so I think that representation in like more new media more than TV or movies. ‘Cuz I’ve yet to see a story about a mixed race kid being like torn completely. I don’t know. I’m sure there’s something out there I just haven’t seen it yet. But I’d like to see that. And I can make it happen (giggles) I can do it. T: Yes yes! Okay. What makes you happy? C: Really pure happy experiences with my friends and my family make me happy. Like if we’re just going on a trip and we have some really fun thing that happened to us, something simple but funny, like, I don’t know, we were at a beach and then in the water and like something simple and funny, not a huge event has to happen. Those times makes me happy, like really charismatic moments where you’re just hanging out with a friend and you get in a really deep conversation or really in depth conversation where you really get to know that person. That kind of interaction makes me happy. Yeah. Just people. People who are honest and genuine and moments that are like genuine like that. T: Three words to describe yourself. C: Hmmm (laughs) Oh, okay. Impatient. T: Impatient? C: Impatient. I can be very impatient. I try to hide it but I can’t (giggles) Very. Uhh. Umm. A Daydreamer, because I spend a lot of time in my head kind of like thinking of things to do but not really narrowing it down of what I should do so. Impatient Daydreamer and…...Hmmmm…. I’d say Dependable because I’d like to think that my friends can depend on me and people can depend on me when they need somebody to talk to or to chill with or something like that. I try my hardest to be that so I hope I can accurately describe myself as that (giggles) I try to. That’s where I usually get in the most trouble when you try to be there for people and kind of giving up time that I could just be like spending on myself or something. But, it’s kind of just getting wrapped up and there for people even if it’s not the best for me (giggles) T: Why did you choose this space? C: (giggles) I chose it because it’s really serene and peaceful and I like just being in nature and kind of forgetting there’s anybody around and just being able to explore and not be bothered. And take a lot of pictures. Whenever I’m on my walk back I always take like 5 pictures at least because it’s so cool. It’s hard to take pictures of an area that you’ve been to so many times and find a new picture to take but I try. I try to do that (laughs) It’s cool. T: Last question. C: Kay T: What would you tell someone stumbling upon this post? C: I would tell them not to be afraid of being who you are and find people who want you to be who you are and aren’t trying to shape you into being something you’re not. And that’s like really hard to do when you don’t know who you are and I think finding people who respect you and respect where you come from and all you different struggles, that helps you find who you are. As long as people aren’t telling you what you should do, wear, think, whatever, as long as you’re happy people want you to be happy. That’s what I’d say. T: Thank you so much! C: Aww thanks. [End Recording]

Corina Blurb: My name is Corina Paolisso. I’m 20 years old and I’m a bisexual bi-racial film major at Smith. I love photography, film and music. I want to make movies that open people’s minds and provides the QPOC representation the entire industry is missing. I’m a proud Washington, DC native who loves to take long walks in Rock Creek Park with her dog Duchess. My instagram is @anirocnroll and I have a personal blog jukeboxheroine330.tumblr.com and a personal photography blog violetvoidphotography.tumblr.com.

Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my personal blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/, photography blog: tyahra.tumblr.com I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican/American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/ play-write/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. Corina I have known for a few years now, and she is one of the chillest, drama-proof people I have ever met. She really inhabits a calm/ and carefree aura which is so so lovely to be around. I truly wish you, baby love, alllllllll the success and happiness the world can bring you <3)

[smithcollege-prism]

Black Unicorn Pop-Up Reading Room @ Smith College Monday, April 25th - Friday, April 29th, 2016 The Black Unicorn Reading Room is an installation/ intervention that takes up space, centers and celebrates Black folks, Femmes, QTPOC, gender non-conforming and agender folks and their voices, visibility and contributions This Black Unicorn Pop-Up will honor the literary and artistic works of Queer and Trans People Of Color! ♥ ___________________________

The black unicorn is greedy. The black unicorn is impatient. The black unicorn was mistaken for a shadow or a symbol And taken through a cold country where mist painted mockeries of my fury. It is not on her lap where the horn rests But deep in her moon pits growing The black unicorn is restless. The black unicorn is unrelenting. The black unicorn is not free. - "The Black Unicorn" by Audre Lorde.

[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place April 10, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My tenth participant: Silvana<3

T: How do you fully identify? S: I identify as an Arab-Latina lesbian. I’m only just starting to come to terms with that, um, word to describe my identity. I used to describe myself as bisexual because I do feel like a sort of degree of attraction towards men, it’s just faded (laughs) the more--the more I live at Smith the less I’ve liked men (laughs) so you could probably put Zayn in front of me and I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t (T & S giggle) T: Okay. Anything else? S: Umm, no. I think that’s it, yeah. T: Okay. Why did you choose Smith? S: Well, I chose Smith because--well I didn’t visit any colleges in the U.S. T: (in a whisper, joking but serious) Whisper, we’re in a library. S: Oh, sorry. (quieter) I didn’t visit any colleges in the U.S. I kind of just went to this college fair at my high school and this teacher was like, ‘I think you would really like this school. It’s like really feminist,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, cool.’ And, I, first of all, as basic as this makes me sound, I realized that Sylvia Plath had graduated from there and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s cool.’ And I started researching more and more and it seemed like a place that I would love. I started to hate boys after my high school so I would really love a place with no men (laughs) or no cis-men, or few ‘cuz there are some. But yeah, that’s why I think that and they gave me great financial aide. T: What are you focusing on in college? S: I am a Computer Science major with a background in English, specifically I’m studying artificial intelligence, genetic algorithms, which is just basically programs that program themselves. T: (impressed tone) Damn. S: Yeah, it’s really cool (laughs) I feel like a big nerd whenever I explain (giggles) T: You are. (T & S laugh) S: Yeah, I know. It was a big change. I came here as an English major. I never thought that I was smart enough to do math and computer stuff even though it had always been interesting because that’s just what I had been told my whole life. I’m really thankful to Smith because I’ve been able to explore these areas that used to be so scary to me, almost without fear. T: Hmmm, what are your interests? S: I am interested in so many things. I like Steven Universe. I like fashion. I like clothes. I like make up. I like experimenting with gender presentation. I like poems. I’m really into sonnets .And artificial intelligence, I am very interested in the entire field. I think there’s a lot to learn. It’s an exploratory territory. There’s so much of it that’s exciting to me (giggles). T: Who do you look up to? Who is your ideal human being? S: Hmmm, that’s changed a lot over the past few years. I used to look up to David Bowie a lot but then I realized all the shit that he’d done and that’s been really hard for me to reconcile with but it’s--it’s okay. But, I don’t know. I guess I look up to Shakira a lot. As silly as that sounds. She is the only famous Arab-Latina I know that I can like name off the top of my head and she’s really successful and wonderful. She also made me not hate my hair when I was a kid, because where I’m from it’s not beautiful to have curly hair so she was part of the reason why I refused to get it permed or get it relaxed because I was like, ‘You know, she’s beautiful so I can do it’ (giggles). And she’s really down-to-earth and humble and cool. So yeah! That’s random but that’s what comes up. T: (giggles) Okay, let’s see. Along the same vein, where do you see yourself in representation? Who do you see in the media fully represents your identities? S: I think, along the same vein, Shakira, also--this is really silly because I know half of her role is being--I know that it’s a trope that I identify so hard with: Sofia Vergara in Modern Family. Like everything that she does I’m just like, ‘Me too!’ (giggles) It’s like, you know, when it’s like, you know that they’re using your identity as a joke but you’re like, ‘Oh. But that’s true.” T: Mhhmm, mmhmm. S: It’s really hard to find, I think, like good representation for my background because I’m not an American, you know? And it’s about American media so a lot of American media is obviously catered towards Latino Americans. So I don’t know why I identify with being foreign, so a lot of foreign characters (giggles) T: Anybody specific? S: Umm, well, she comes to mind and who else? I don’t know. Well, I identify with something of the main character of Jane the Virgin, I guess, but not everything. T: Still have yet to watch that show. S: You haven’t watched it? T: Nope, not yet. S: Yeah, it’s like a soap opera. But they get somethings right. I’ve never been able to be like, ‘Oh, that’s me’ at someone except Shakira (giggles) Even though she’s not me. Like she’s Shakira but (giggles) that’s the closest. T: Hmm, doo-doo-doo. What makes you happy? S: Oh. What makes me happy? When my codes work. When I see good representations of POC in the media that aren’t tropey and weird and gross. It always makes me really happy. Even though they might not be representations of me, umm, because, I understand with mixed raced identities it’s difficult even though I’d like to see more mixed race representation on TV. I don’t know. It makes me happy to listen to music...to steal flowers from Kathy’s garden T: (laughs) S: I do it everyday (giggles) To do absurd things with my friends. I just like living a ridiculous life. T: There are four more. Three words to describe yourself? S: In a sentence or separate words? T: Whatever you want. S: This room is covered in words. Let’s see. I guess Hardworking. Friendly. And Gay. Yep. Those are the three. T: Okay. What motivates you? S: My family. My dad’s pretty old and we don’t have a lot of money. So, I support myself fully here in college. Like I’m here on full financial aide and I want to be able to provide for my dad when I graduate. I want to be a good daughter in the sense that I want to do as much as he has done for me. Yeah, I hope to do the same. Even though you can’t really imitate that, like what a parent gives to you. I want to do the best that I can to just give back to him and my sisters, too. They’ve been really great around everything. Also, I’m just gonna be like really honest, I feel like they’re going to be disappointed in me for being gay when they find out. So I kind of want to make up for it by being super-daughter (giggles). Even though that’s not healthy, but that’s what I’m doing. Like, I’m just gonna be real. That’s a big reason why I do as much as I do. Yeah. T: Why did you choose this space? S: I haven’t been here in a long time but it was one of the first spaces that I remember from my first week at Smith. We did this, what’s it called, scavenger hunt and they give you like one word like ‘giraffe graffiti’ and you were supposed to look around the entire campus for it and when we found it--when my international students found it we were just like, ‘Woah, this is so cool.’ And I think, even though I don’t spend a lot of time here, it’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Smith, just because of that experience. It was so weird that people had drawn inside a library, that this is allowed, like, ‘Is this allowed? This feels so naughty.’ T: (laughs) S: So this is my naughty space. Ooo, that sounds weird (T & S laugh) T: One more question: What would you tell someone stumbling upon this post? S: Hmm. I would tell them that it’s okay to be working through your identity. That you don’t have to know everything. That if you identified as one thing once you can change that. You can identify as whatever you want. That in spite of what I’m doing to myself don’t try to do a thousand things so that you can please other people. Just like learning from my experiences, I’m too far in. Get out! (giggles) Umm, no. But in all seriousness, I really hope that whoever stumbles upon this post knows that they are wonderful and that it’s okay to be different and that you don’t have to please anyone. T: Lovely. Thank you. [End Recording]

Silvana’s Blurb: My name is Silvana and I am an arab-latinx queer human. I came to Smith with the intent of majoring in English, but I did a 180 and am currently majoring in computer science, with a focus in artificial intelligence. I refuse to identify as a science nerd because we suck, and prefer the term “science dad”. I mostly do work in computational linguistics. I spend a lot of time thinking about POC representation in the media. I am occasionally active on my tumblr, mazy-light.tumblr.com, where I mostly reblog memes because I’m trash. My favorite emoji is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my personal blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/. I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican/American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/ play-write/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. Silvana is such a lovely person and when I first met her she was just a friendly, extremely passionate and hardworking just by the way she carried herself. She can multitask like a juggler, and the world really needs to get ready for when she takes over:)

[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place April 8, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My tenth participant: Bri<3

T: First question: Why did you choose Smith? B: I chose Smith because--Well, it’s a process, but I had applied to like 18 schools when I was applying and the way that I heard about Smith was through my mom’s friend’s daughter Paige, who actually was a PRISM alum (giggles) So, I had heard about Smith and heard that she was doing amazing things and saw that Smith was an amazing place so I decided to apply and then I applied and I was wait-listed and had chosen to put in a deposit at a different school down in Baltimore but then when Smith came in I was like, ‘Okay, we’re going to go visit.” Especially the financial aide part came in and we were like, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna go visit.” (giggles) And when I stepped on campus I fell in love and here I am so yeah (giggles) T: What are you focusing on in college? B: Umm, what I’m focusing on? That’s a loaded question, but yeah (giggles) Umm, trying to get my life together academically and me as a person just kind of trying to grow as a person while I’m here. I guess trying to be the best self that I can be. So like, just trying to excel but in the best way and just be the kind of person I want to be, throughout all of this. Dance is a huge focus. I just figured out a couple of days ago that I’m going to major, so, that’s been pretty key so I’m just like gonna finally figure out what I’m going to do a little bit here, so that’s one option. Also the Study of Women and Gender, academically is my other major. So those are like the focuses in terms of academics and like just trying to grow as a person. T: Cool, so what are your interests? B: Umm, my interests in terms of extracurriculars are dance, activism, and just bringing people together and helping people. I just want to help people and in terms of job prospects I could do anything basically (giggles) I feel like the world is kind of my oyster for this and academics I could do law school. That’s one of my key options. I could also choreograph through an activism lens in terms of dance. So anything is possible. Dance, women’s studies, activism, helping people, and just being there (giggles) T: Why did you choose this space? B: I chose this space because dance has always been the one thing that’s been consistent in my life and has been my outlet and whenever I’m having a bad day or like whenever something is going really wrong I’ll go to dance and everything will be okay again, at least for the two hours that I’m in class. I’ve always found studio space to just be really comforting and there are so many possibilities with an empty studio. T: I see that, it’s cool. How do you fully identify? B: Umm, I identify as Jamaican-American, Bajan-American. Let’s see. Sexuality is kind of complicated and I’m still trying to figure out labels so I think Queer is still the most umbrella term to use but I think lesbian is also kind of accurate, for right now. Labels kind of ever changing. Gender-wise fully female but I’ve never had to think about it before. I’m a dancer. Artist. Friend. Daughter. So yeah (giggles) Just someone with a lot of love (giggles) Just like to give to other people. T: Who do you look up to? Who is your ideal human being? B: I would have to say my mom, definitely, because she’s a single parent, she’s been a single parent since I was like eighth grade and she’s just such a strong person. She makes things happen that we don’t even know like how--like things that seem impossible but then she like makes them happen. She’s always there for me and my brother who's a junior, gonna be a senior in college next year, and she just does so much for us and I love her so much. T: Hmm, where do you see yourself in representation? Who do you see in the media most fully represents your identities? B: Let’s see. Amadla Stenburg. She is somebody who also identifies as, like, a QPOC so yeah (giggles) Like her, Rihanna with like the Bajan identity. Represent (giggles) Beyonce. Misty Copeland lie is really huge because she’s doing so much in like making sure things are more equal in the United States because dance in the United States, for ballet dancers, for African-Americans, is so hard to get into. It’s very much, like, she represents a lot of us so it’s amazing the work that she’s doing.   T: Umm, three words to describe yourself? B: Uh, three words to describe myself. I think definitely Strong. It’s taken a long time for me to be like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m a strong person,’ but I think I finally have come to that point in realizing that I’m really resilient in the things that I’ve been through over the years and I’m still standing. Basically (giggles) Really Bubbly and really just Happy about life and just kind of going with the flow. So those are all kind of one word (giggles) encompassing ummm. Determined. I feel like whenever I put my mind to something I can try to the best that I can to make it happen. So determined and involved. I like being places (giggles) just like being involved with people and the world. T: What makes you happy? B: My friends, definitely. All of you guys in PRISM, make me especially the happiest on campus. Like when I’m with you guys it’s like I’m able to be fully myself and helped me find a community that I might not have been able to find in my house. Definitely, thank you guys for existing basically (giggles) And then, my family makes me happy. They are amazing people and they’re all doing amazing things, like my mom and my brother.    T: Two more questions. What motivates you? B: Uh, what motivates me? Just the idea that there’s so many things you can do in this world and anybody can change the world. You just have to know what you want to do and really dedicate yourself to it, and I feel like I’ve learned a lot of that from dance where you put so much time and energy into something and you learn dedication and self discipline. So yeah, a lot of that motivates me and there’s also the aspect of proving people wrong ‘cuz a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, you can’t do this thing,’ and I’m like, ‘Well, watch me.’ So (giggles) yeah. T: Last question. What would you tell someone stumbling upon this post? B: I would say that everybody has a story. Everybody has things that they deal with that they don’t tell anybody. Just keep doing you, basically. Keep being awesome, and whatever it is that you’re doing just continue to just be amazing at it. Whatever you want to do in life, you can do. T: Perfect, thank you so much. B: Cool (giggles) [End Recording]

Bri’s Blurb: My name is Brianna Barrett but everyone calls me Bri. I am a first year at Smith. I was born and raised in Jackson, New Jersey but I spent a lot of time in the Monmouth County and Princeton/ Mercer County areas. I am a Black, Half Jamaican Half Bajan American, female, a dancer, an activist and queer/lesbian/can’t decide on labels. I am currently undeclared but I intend on double majoring in SWAG (the Study of Women and Gender) and Dance. I’m apart of Prism, the Black Student Alliance, Pre-Law Society, and I am a Gold Key Guide. I currently live in Scales House. Dance is my passion and is a huge and important part of my life. I hope to be in some performances through the Five College Dance Department in the upcoming semesters so look out for me in those. Follow me on Instagram (neverfullydressedwith0utasmile), Tumblr (sailonthebrightside.tumblr.com) for my personal blog and (tales-of-a-firstyear-smithie.tumblr.com) for my Smith oriented blog. For old footage of me dancing (I have improved ALOT since then because of my fabulous teachers both back home and here at Smith) go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNcb4TaS-W0.

Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my personal blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/. I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican/American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. When I met Bri, she was just the person who stuck out with the infectious laugh and an aura of pure kindness that just enriches my spirit. Bri is also a phenomenal dancer, absolutely, and I look forward for her professional debut. Bri, you’re amazing, and I am so glad we entered each other’s lives when we did<3

[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place April 2, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My eighth participant: Marisa<3

M: Ooo I’m a little bit nervous. T: Don’t be nervous. M: Am I supposed to put this in my ear? T: Nah, just keep it close to you. M: Okay... It picks up on the sound? T: Mhmm. M: Wow. T: Magic (giggles) Why did you choose Smith? M: Umm, I chose Smith because I--I really didn’t know where I wanted to go and then three weeks before the deadline I heard about Smith and I was like, ‘I can hang with that.’ So, I chose Smith and then I started researching it and it seemed pretty cool and they flew me out for Discovery Weekend. T: (high pitch) For free? M: Yeah! They paid my ticket from California. T: And family? M: Nah, just me but, yeah, that made me want to go. That weekend especially. T: What are you focusing on in college? M: Umm, finding out what I like, I think. I think I’m just so indecisive that it’s just really hard focusing on things that bring me joy, it’s really important because I’m living on my own and I can do whatever I want so I want to do things that I like, that make me happy.   T: Good. (T & M giggle) So this is kind of on the same vein but what are your interests? M: Ummm, I love running things. I love running things. I love putting on events. That’s why I love this job because I love the people. It’s not a job, I love this position. I also like singing and talking. And talking just, I feel like when people say talking it’s like so, “Oh I just like to talk,” but I actually enjoy having conversations with people. If I can’t have a conversation with you then I can’t be in your space, or you can’t be in my space (giggles) Actually. T: Mhhm. I’m gonna jump around. Umm, three words to describe yourself. M: Oh, this is my least favorite question. Um (sighs) shit. Three words to describe myself. I would say…..I would say… Okay, okay, I just don’t like picking things. I would say that I’m pretty Passionate about things, like when I really feel them and I really feel that they’re important I will always fight for them, for whatever it is, no question. I’d like to think I’m very Down-to-Earth, because that’s important. And Loving. I just have so much love (giggles) Oh my gosh.   T: How do you fully identify, and this can be sexuality, and all that. M: I am Latina. I am Puerto-Rican, Afro-Puerto Rican and Chicana, so there’s just a whole lot of all that beautifulness (giggles) Um, in terms of sexuality I go back and forth between queer and lesbian, all the time. I like queer because I like that it encompass more than just my sexual identity. To me, queer is very much about intersections, so that’s why I love the word but I also love lesbian because it’s sort of like a political saying because saying, “I am a Lesbian” holds so much power. Gender. I identify as a woman. Am I missing anything else?    T: No, say whatever. You can add religion or- M: Oh no, no religion for me (giggles) T: Okay. Umm, who do you look up to? Who is your ideal human being? M: Hmm. I think it’s a mix of people. Obviously my mom. I think that’s just sort of--a lot of people love their moms, which is cool. I love my mom. My mom did so much to get me to where I’m at right now, so, I just think she’s one of the strongest people in my life and I feel so grateful to have her as a mother figure and not just someone in my life, because I think she has really helped me. My grandma, who is like my second mom. They’re just completely different and they’re different in the ways that they help people and I notice the differences and I try to see what works for them and just sort of go off of that. I have a lot of strong, strong women in my life that I’m just so grateful for. So I’d say all of them (giggles) T: That was cute, and real. M: Yeah. T: So kind of on the same vein, where do you see yourself in representation? Who do you see in the media fully represents your identities? M: (sigh) T: Or just who matches your personality? M: I have yet to find someone who matches my whole identity and that’s sad. I think that hurts when you’re younger--or when I was younger--I didn’t really understand that much and now I’m just like, “Well (scoff) I’ll just go make movies and put some representation in there.” But umm, personality-wise (giggles) I’m not sure. I’d like to say--I like Broad City a lot. I’d like to say I’m a mix both Ilana and Abbi. I’m not that quiet but I’m not that (giggles)...Yeah. T: Um, cool. What makes you happy? M: Umm, helping people. Helping people, and not just if they need help, helping people--If I can do that, like, by bringing Darkmatter, like that made me so happy because I knew it’s what I needed and it’s what other people needed. Like being able to provide for people makes me happy. Being outside makes me happy, so happy. I’m so glad that the weather is looking beautiful. T: Today? M: Yeah, it’s sunny outside. A little windy but not as windy as yesterday. So outside makes me happy. T: Anything else? M: Yeah, but I just can’t think of anything (laughs) T: Okay, three more questions. What motivates you? M: Umm… Problem solving motivates me. Hearing about something that makes me enraged and finding--thinking about solutions, thinking about it with people and like how can I make the situation better, like what can I do for it. That gives me motivation. T: Cool. M: Seeing results, also, gives me motivation, like on the real real. T: Okay, I have two questions left. Why did you choose this space, whatever space you choose? M: I think I’m gonna choose by the swing by the pond because I love water. So any sort of body of water it just makes me very calm. But, also, when I decided to come here I was sitting on that swing bench and just looking out and there was a really pretty sunset T: Mmmm M: And I was like, ‘I can do this.’ T: Do it all day. M: Yeah (giggles) T: Last question: What would you tell someone stumbling upon this post? M: Love yourself. Love yourself. And if you can’t yet just do things in that directions, because I think that’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned so far. Something I’m still working on but please, if you read this, Love yourself. For a long time. T: That was so cute. Yes. Thank you. [End Recording]

Marisa’s Blurb: What’s good, I’m Marisa and I am a first year at Smith College. I hail from San Jose, California, Bay Area born and raised.  I am a very Queer Puerto Rican, Mexican woman just trying to rule a world that wasn’t meant for me. I don’t know what I’m going to study for sure, but right now I’m thinking either the Study of Women and Gender or Education or Government. I really enjoy going to the beach, or just being outside in general, writing, having good ass conversations, being the Co-chair of PRISM and running sh*t. You can slide in my Instagram DMs @maris.ita. (She is also going to be one of PRISM’s cochair’s for the second year in a row this Fall, big congrats to her)

[Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my personal blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/. I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican/American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. Marisa, oh, Marisa. We have been through so much this year and really, honestly, and whole heartedly I couldn’t have asked for a better person to just come up in Smith and instantly see the importance of the work our student-led org can do. As a person, she is completely passionate, down-to-Earth, and so, so easy to love. Glad, so very glad your hard work has brought you to Smith and I was able to work with you for the time I have. Truly, deeply love you, homie<3]

[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place April 1, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My seventh participant: Ty<3

TA: Okay, Why did you choose Smith? TY: Mmm, yeah. That’s a good question. Ummm, its not really a reason, honestly. I chose Smith because-So what happened my senior year when I was looking at schools, because I took forever to really look at schools because I didn’t really care where I went, I was like super excited about Barnard and I was just like ‘This is the school for me, it seems really cool. It’s in New York and I’ve been wanting to go to New York for forever’ and then I didn’t get in. I was like ‘My life is over, where do I go now?’ And someone was like ‘Oh, Well if you like Barnard maybe you’ll like Smith’ and I was like ‘What? Never heard of that school.’ And so, I looked into it a bit. I had an interview and that’s when I was like, ‘Wait, I think I want to go to this school,’ because the person who interviewed me was this really sweet person, I think Devin, she’s like a yoga instructor now and she was just really sweet, and we talked for a really long time, and I just kind of connected with her and that was nice. Once I got in, by then I was super excited about it, there wasn’t really a specific reason, but I was like ‘Wow, this is the school i want to go to. I feel connected to it, I haven’t even visited yet but I’m feelin’ it.’ And then I visited and people were so sweet, like I don’t know, everyone I met was just nice and wanted to be there and I liked that a lot. So I guess that’s why I’m here. TA: Umm, what are you focusing on in college? TY: L-O-L. Umm (laughs) That’s another good question, what am I focusing on? Right now, I’m for sure invested in Africana Studies. I’m also thinking about going to medical school but I don’t know how much I want to do that. I’ve been like thinking about it a lot this semester, about like what I want to do and why, and I want to do medicine and help people, especially people who are disadvantaged because of the system because medicine and health are so important. But I don’t know in what capacity I want to do that, cuz’ right  now I’m thinking like Africana studies and Biology are going to be my majors but I don’t really know and I’m kind of in the mindset of I’m just gonna try things and see what I like. Next semester I’m gonna take engineering because I like doing things with my hands and with Biology and Chemistry you can’t touch a molecule and move it around and stuff which is not helpful to my learning. So, I’m just gonna try things but for sure Africana Studies because at first I was like, ‘I’m gonna major in English,’ and then I was like, ‘I don’t really want to study about white people.’ (laughs) I went to the Africana Studies presentation of the major and I was like, ‘Wait, this is exactly like a major in English but better. Let me do this instead. Uh, so yeah. TA: What are your interests? TY: My interests, like in general, wow. I like acting. I enjoy acting a lot. I’m trying to get more involved with school now. I used to not be very involved with school because I moved around a lot and I didn’t really want to-I didn’t really want to break into the group that had already been established because theater people are really close and, like, I am really socially anxious so I didn’t want to like put myself in a position where I’d be super uncomfortable with strangers. Um, but now I’m trying to do more acting for school. I enjoy singing. I might start doing some singing here. I play a couple instruments, I haven’t had time to join like jazz band or whatever wind ensemble. I want to do that next year. Other interests? I don’t know, man. I like activism, is that an interest? I feel like-       TA: Oh, yeah. TY: -I like activism. I like speaking up for the things I feel are important. Man, what else do I do? I don’t know, I feel like those are my main-Oh, ah, sports I guess. I’m gonna try to start doing some sports next year because I have had no time this year but I may get back into track or try rugby (laughs) Maybe not rugby. Concussions are scary. I like my brain the way it is but maybe. Umm, I miss volleyball so I might try that again. Yeah. TA: Why did you choose this space? TY: I really like the RCSG and it’s weird because this shade of orange is not my favorite but for some reason it just feels really warm and comfortable here and I think it’s because all the experiences I’ve had in PRISM, having meetings, being with amazing people and like I said, strangers terrify me but for some reason the strangers here feel more like, you know, more comfortable, more like family and it’s really nice. And I feel comfortable coming here if we don’t have meetings and just laying on the couches and sleeping (giggles) So yeah, I really like this space.     TA: No that’s good (giggles) Hmm, How do you fully Identify? TY: Oooph, this is gonna be a long, one are you ready? Okay. Black. Bi/Pansexual. Non-binary/Genderqueer, I don’t really care which label, for me they’re kind of the same thing. Demiromantic, which I’m realizing is on the aromatic spectrum, I didn’t realize but yes. Umm, Polyamorous. That might be it. That’s all I think of off the top of my head. That’s a lot of labels but I like labels, I like them. They help me figure out who I am and what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. Mentally chill. I like to say that because this one Tumblr blog that I follow says that. But yeah, on the neurodiverse spectrum those are the labels I would attach to myself and I like them because it gives me a sense of identity which is weird but like they make me feel really comfortable. Really queer. Really queer kind of covers it (laughs)      TA: (laughs) Who do you look up to? Who is your ideal human being? TY: This question always gets me because I don’t really look up to people. Umm, I guess there are select people that I really enjoy being around and I’m like, ‘Wow! One day I wanna be like you,’ like there are a lot of seniors, you included actually- TA: Oh, what? TY: -You’re like one of those seniors that I’m like, ‘Wow! When I get to senior year that’s who I’m gonna be. I’m just gonna be that comfortable with myself and like dress that well-’ TA: You already got it, don’t even trip. TY: (giggles) But like, I don’t know there’s not just like one person that I’m like, ‘Wow.’ I like to say my brother a lot because he’s an intellectual being who just wants to know things like his room is so full of books and, I don’t know, it’s inspiring how much he reads and how much he talks about things and how much he questions things. I don’t really have like one person. TA: That’s good. Hmmm, Where do you see yourself in representation? Who do you see in the  media most fully represents your identities? TY: L-O-L (laughs) Wow. Rough. Who? Like that’s the thing, I don’t know who would come close. I mean thinking about it honestly maybe Queen Latifa, because she’s amazing. She’s done so much, I feel that she’s the closest. Black, gendered female, but also like in her character in The Wiz like she just- What are gender roles? What are they? They melt off her and I guess she’s probably the closest that I can get to because you don’t really see non-binary, black, queer characters very much. TA: Sweet. Oh, what makes you happy? TY: Oh my god! (laughs) What does make me happy? I like naps. Honestly, I like having stress free naps where I know I can just lay down and sleep. Other than naps, I guess reading. I love knowing I have time to sit down with a really nice book is nice. Acting makes me happy. And being in acting spaces with other actors makes me happy. Studying makes me--and not studying in the way like, ‘Oh my god, I love looking at math equations, and Ooo mah gah, all this work I have to do,’ but I love learning more about social justice things and learning more about the work other people are doing. I especially love learning new things like learning about work I haven’t even heard of and struggles that people I haven’t even heard of are having. I love knowing those things and I love changing my world view which is really weird because I don’t like change that much but I do like changing the way I think about things so I can better myself. Who am I!? (laughs)    TA: (laughs) No, that makes sense. Three words to describe yourself. TY: (laughs) Can I say like a joke three words first and then the actual? TA: Yes. TY: Okay. Really. Fuckin’ Gay. (TA &TY laugh) TY: Umm, three words to describe myself? Pretty chill mostly. TA: Those are the three? TY: Those are the three! Pretty chill mostly. Yeah. Like there are things that like I’ll get really upset over but for the most part I’m just like, I want to know why. So I’m not gonna get super upset if someone says something or does something I just kind of want to know the reasoning behind it. TA: Mmmmmm (in agreement) TY: So pretty chill mostly TA: What motivates you? TY: That’s really tough because a lot of the time I’m not really motivated to do things but if it’s gonna be like, and honestly this sounds so cheesy and gross, but like if it’s gonna help other people I’m probably motivated to do it. I’m less motivated to do things for myself. Oh my god, I’m really not this selfless, really not, but I like doing activism stuff. If I know there’s gonna be an activismy type thing then I’m motivated to go to it. Food motivates me. (laughs) I’m really motivated by the thought of free food. TA: What would you tell someone stumbling across this post? Sorry this is actually the last question. TY: Uhh, Hey! How’s it going? Hit me up. (giggles) I like answering questions and I like talking to people. Bloop Bloop. I hope you have a good day. (giggles) TA: Okay, cool. Thank you! [End Recording]

Ty’s Bio: Heyo, my name is Ty and I'm a first year at Smith College. I'm most recently from Cambridge, MA, and my parents and brother immigrated here from Zambia. I'm planning on majoring in Africana Studies and Biology (though that biology major might change to an engineering minor, we'll see in the fall!) I love acting and playing music and reading. I'm nonbinary and queer af, and love finding new queer people to talk to. I like to write and am hoping to do more of it at smith. You can find me on tumblr at morphine-t0asts.tumblr.com [Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my personal blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/. I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican/American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. When I met Ty, I saw so many similarities with how we approach existing in this world: be kind and you shall succeed. Ty is a person who completely understand compassion and the importance of telling our unique stories which was so, so special for me to encounter in my last year at this school. Very glad I got to meet you<3]

[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place March 25, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My sixth participant: Denisse<3 _______________________________ T: Okay, so, why did you want to be a part of this project? D: For me, I think, being, I guess like, a queer person of color was never something I thought about, it’s never something I really identified as, it’s just, ‘Yeah, I’m queer,’ I never really added the of color part to it until kind of recently, I guess, like since coming to college when I was surrounded by a lot of people who took pride in identifying that way and I found that I could too, and I did. So, when you said you were doing this project I was just like, ‘I wanna bring that visibility here because there’s a lot of pride and power in identifying that way.’ (giggles) T: Yes. Why did you choose Smith? D: For me, it was really in the end financial reasons because I feel like everyone has that, ‘I chose this school because of the environment, because of a certain department they really like,’ and those did kind of influence, in the end it was just ‘They gave me the most money,’ and that’s like-   T: Mhhhmm D: -what my family really relied on because my dad is the only one that works in my family and so college is expensive, so the only reason I could come here is because they gave me such generous financial aid. Since coming here I’ve found things that I’m glad that I have here because it would have sucked if I ended up not liking anything, and I just had to be here because of the money, but while the money was still a big part I did find people and groups that I’m glad I can be a part of. T: Hmm, what are you focusing on in college? D: I guess, just trying to learn more about myself and to grow in many, many ways because now I’m really like on my own. My entire life has been, I guess, very sheltered is like the best way to put it, honestly, because I was an only child. I was always with my parents and they were very overprotective people and so I feel like in college, aside from me getting that degree and trying to make a life better for myself, it’s really just exploring myself and really feeling who I am and being able to be alone with myself and understand things that I probably couldn’t really think about before. T: Cooh (Cool) D: (giggles) T: Kind of on the same vein, what are your interests? Like in the world? D: I really, really like theater a lot. It was something I did as a child and then just kind of stopped when I was in middle school and throughout high school really, and I’m not good at it. The theater kids always tended to be, like, not viewed very well at my school, and I was like ‘Wow, I really want to do it but I don’t want to be a part of that group.’ But, I recently got back into it, so I really, really love it. Umm, I really like reading literature and, like, books. Reading anything, really, um, whether it’s literature, poetry, plays. I really like, its something that I got into recently, Aztec Danza, which is something that was brought by one of my friends is Nosotr@s and that’s something that I really, really like doing now. It’s like, you know, keeping in touch with our indigenous roots and I really like that. Umm, yeah, I really, I found I recently like to write a lot, like my own kind of spoken word stuff. I’m starting to get more into that. Yeah. T: Cool, umm. So how do you identify? Like all of it. Anything. D: I identify as non-binary, as a Chicana, as a lesbian, as Catholic, and, yeah, I feel like those really capture who I am, that’s what I identify as. T: Hmmm, three words to describe yourself. D: Ooo, three words (laughs) I’m always so bad at these (laughs) I guess Curious. Indecisive. And Genuine. T: Okay, Okay (nods) D: (giggles) Yeah (laughs) T: Who do you look up to? Who is your ideal human being? D: I would have to say my mom. Honestly, because while we’ve obviously had our, like, rough patches, as it’s bound to happen in any relationship and especially with your parents, she’s always been my rock. For me, she always, from like the day I was born, put all of her time and effort with raising me and teaching me everything she knew and everything she thought would be best for me growing up. When I see everything she’s done for her life, all of the, I guess, obstacles she’s overcome I can only dream of being half the amazing person she is. She’s gone through so much. She emigrated from Mexico to California when she was I think like 21, 22, she was really young and that was obviously not easy and she actually had cancer twice and she managed to like bounce back from those and she’s doing fine. I think it’s been 7 years and just like everything she’s gone through is like, I only hope I can be as strong when I have to face my own things like that. And I know that she’s always supporting me, she’s always with me and I want to be that for someone one day also. T: Mmmmmhmm. Let’s see. What makes you happy? D: What makes me happy? Ooo, Hmm. Honestly, I think it’s like my friends and my parents because I rely on having like people’s company a lot and you know sometimes you find yourself in bad company with bad people and that affects me very negatively, very deeply and so that’s why I treasure my friends and my parents specifically so much. I can always turn to them for providing positivity or support and I feel like the friends I’ve made here, especially at Smith so far, I feel like there’s certain connections there that I haven’t made with other people before and I feel like they’ve made me happier than a lot of people I’ve met this far and yeah, and my parents, because it was just us growing up so, yeah. T: Mmhmm. Umm, Let’s see. Doo doo doo-dooo, why did you choose this space? D: I chose the TV Studio because that’s where I did my first show here at Smith and that’s where I spent most of my time doing rehearsals. I’m actually doing rehearsals now for another show. I’m doing Mad Forest, and yeah going back to the first show or like that show specifically meant a lot to me personally with dealing with my own mental illness and being a queer person of color. Yeah, I feel like that space where I spent so much time trying to get in touch with this character and finding that I had so much in common with her was like really important and so like whenever I go into the TV Studio I get flashbacks and I just get this warm feeling like ‘Wow, like here’s where I had my first show. At Smith. And people liked it. Here’s where I felt comfortable with myself the way I am and not feeling bad about it.’ I never thought I would find, I guess, comfort and happiness in a space like that but it ended up meaning a lot to me.   T: That was a great show. D: (giggles) Thank you. T: It was really awesome. Where do you see yourself in representation, like who do you see in the media fully matched you as you, as a personality? D: Hmmm. This is tough. Well I don’t know if she’s like really lie in the media like TV but I recently started to read a lot by Cheri Moraga because, like, before coming here I had no idea who she was and she’s a lesbian, Chicana, activist. She’s done so much. So many amazing things and she’s a playwright and her plays are so good, and yeah. I see, I wouldn’t say I see a lot of myself in her but I like seeing that there is someone like me out there doing these really amazing things that I’d want to do one day myself. Maybe I haven’t been that exposed to enough, or maybe there really is lacking in all sorts of industries be it film or Tv or whatever, but I would like to see more people like that in mass media that everyone consumes but (sigh) Still waiting (giggles) So long as they still have those few, that still means a lot to me because they’re there and so I latch onto them. Yeah (laughs) T: Two more questions. D: Okay. T: What motivates you? D: Ooo, getting deep. Umm, (laugh) this is so cheesy to go back to the same thing but I honestly think its my parents just because of everything they’ve done with their lives to like make sure I get to this point. They sacrificed a lot, so much, that I know they would have loved to have so that I could be here right now and that lie one of my main motivating factors at Smith, is that I want to be as successful as I possibly can to show them that their hard work paid off because I wouldn’t want to disappoint them, I think that’s like my greatest fear, like I don’t want to do that because it’s not easy to give up all these things that you could have had and really wanted. And yeah, so, I think that’s what really motivates me the most: wanting to make them happy, show to them that everything that they did for me was worth it, and hopefully I didn’t waste their time and effort. T: I feel that. Okay. Last question: What would you tell someone who is coming upon this, this that they have just found online? D: Hmmm. I hope you thought this was interesting because I’ve said a lot that I’ve not said out loud in a while. Umm. I hope you’re having a nice day, and if you’re not, things will get better soon. And you’ve got people somewhere out there who love you a lot and care about you. You are very strong. (giggles) T: Perfect. Thank you. D: Okay, yeah! [End Recording]

Bio from Denisse: My name is Denisse Velázquez. I’m a first-year at Smith. I was born and raised in the Bay Area and I’ve lived in Santa Clara, CA all my life. My parents both immigrated from Mexico and I am a first-generation student. I am a Chicana, a lesbian, nonbinary, Catholic, a writer, and an actor. I am currently undeclared but I am an intended Latin American Studies major and History minor. I love my home state of California with all my heart and hope to return there after my time at Smith. Theatre is perhaps my greatest passion alongside literature and music. Follow me on Instagram (@denissediane), Twitter (@MuxeristaMorena), and Tumblr (nonbinarymexican.tumblr.com) for some incoherent musings and sometimes coherent rants!

[Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my personal blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/. I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican, American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. Since meeting Denisse, I truly know that there are human flowers in this world. Completely beautiful, gentle, and absolutely lovely<3]

[smithcollege-prism]

<3 Meeting at 6 today

[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place March 9, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My fourth & fifth participants: Asha & Tavorsia<3

TY: Why did you choose to be a part of this project? TV: You asked me to. Yeah. That’s it A: Oh yeah, also-- TY: Because I asked you to? (A & TV giggle) A: Umm, I think, well you, when you explained it to me you’re reasoning for asking us was because you thought that like we embodied, just like, young...people, that we are in a relationship and so I thought it was a cool idea and I wanted to do it. Participate. TY: Why did you choose Smith? TV: Smith holds a lot of values that my high school held, well, holds, so I was really interested in the small classroom sizes and community of, I guess, not judging in a way, and I don’t know, just being who you are, whatever you think that is. A: Yeah, I mean for me, I think, also, my high school is very similar to Smith and I saw a lot of the same values in Smith as I did with my high school. It just seemed like it would be a good fit. Small classroom sizes and just the idea of being able to have like a closer relationship to professors and its also a good school. TY: What are you focusing on in college? TV: Umm, I don’t know how to word it. Shaping myself to be the woman that I want to be and embracing whatever comes along with it, like figuring out me and what I like and what I don’t like. That’s basically it. Getting to know me more. A: Yeah, I agree. I also think like working to be responsible and doing things on my own. I think that’s something I’ve been really trying hard to achieve and be good at. But also, you know, to get an education. Make friends, yeah. TY: Hmmm, kind of the same thing but what are your interests? Like all around. TV: I like to be active. Whatever that means. I like to be outside sometimes. I like to be inside sometimes. I like to sleep. I like to eat. I enjoy the company of my friends. I like good food. Oh, hobbies, oh (giggles) Oh I like hanging out with my friends. I like learning, I enjoy learning new things.   A: Honestly, I don’t really know. I like laying in bed and watching Grey’s Anatomy (laughs) Netflix and chillin’ in the cool when the room is nice and cool and the lighting is just perfect. Natural sunlight just beaming through. Um, yes (all laugh) Um yeah, watching TV, relaxing, and you know, it keeps me from doing work, ‘cause that’s what I’m here to do but you know? I enjoy just chilling…..and eating. Hence I got mad snacks. I’m stacked up. TY: That’s impressive. A: Thank you. I just..yeah. TY: How do you fully identify? Like nationality, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, religion, anything. TV: I am an African-American, I don’t know about the sexuality part yet, I don’t think its definite, I don’t know. I’m a Christian. A: (to TV) Female, pronouns. TV: Oh yeah, I’m a female. A woman. I forgot. A: You forgot Mmhmmm. Umm yeah I think similarly the sexuality thing doesn’t have fine lines yet. I don’t think I fit into any boxes that you can check off at the moment (giggles) But yeah I identify as an African-American female and I’m also Christian. Yayya. TY: Who do you look up to? Who is your ideal human being? A: Oooo TY: I love-Everybody get’s so shocked by that question. A: This is-This is deep. TV: My ideal human being. Can it be a mixture of people? TY: Mhhmmmm TV: Well, I think, my mom. Her strength I would hope one day to embody. This is strange but there’s this girl at MIT and she’s a genius. She’s like a computer science major and she like tap dances and she’s like a ballerina. If I can be like strong and, what’s it called, diverse- A: In terms of? TV: Everything. A: Okay. I don’t know about naming a person. I mean yeah I can say my mom too but I feel like just in general if I could build a person I want that person to be strong, caring, loving, compassionate, really into their family, and creative. I don’t know. That’s a lot of things but to be good at all of them, embody all of them would be ideal.   TV: So you don’t know anybody like that? A: I don’t know. Its hard to be good at all of those things. TY: Hmmm, this is kind of like the same thing, but its where do you see yourself in representation, like who do you see in the media most fully represents your identities? TV: (sneeze) A: That’s a hard question. TV: Like a celebrity? TY: Yeah. Like anybody that you’ve seen (hand motion) somewhere. TV: I don’t know. A: I don’t know. Cause there’s a strong lack of…. TV: Yeah. I just feel like I find something I don’t like in everyone that’s mainstream. A: I mean I’m just thinking like African-American females..No one I’m thinking of I see myself in them. (giggles) Okay, I’m thinking of Beyonce (giggles) I’m thinking Viola Davis, Kerry Washington- TV: Taraji P. Henson (laguhs) A: (laughs) Alicia Keys. Nicki Minaj. TV: When Viola Davis was talking about integrity, I agree with that but I can’t relate to her life and her struggle. A: Right, or her experiences. TV: Or her experiences. A: Yeah, characteristics or personality traits of theirs are relatable because at the end of the day if you’re just an African-American female there will be somethings in common. I don’t know, to break the different identities that I possess down and to try to see that in people in the media, I don’t see it. TV: No, I don’t. Nada. TY: What makes you happy? A: Awww, Can’t be like Viola Davis and be like ‘My 5 year old daughter and my husband.’ What makes you happy? TV: Umm, my nephew, all of my nieces and nephews. I enjoy children so I like children. A: (giggles) TY: Okay that’s weird. I enjoy talking to children. I think they’re interesting. What makes me happy? Food, good food. Being home, and like the comfort of my family. Recently Bio. Bio’s real. I like it. It’s cool. A: You’re a loser. TV: (heavy sigh) A: Um, my family, my friends (to TV) You (smiling for a sec) I don’t know. I think that’s it. (giggles) That’s my answer. TV: I like being comfortable. A: Yeah, I mean I think that’s what it’s all about. That’s what I find, between my family and friends, just comfortable in my home. Yeah. TY: Usually when I have one person I do three words to describe yourself, so three words to describe the other? A: Oooo. TV: So I would say Asha is Loveable, Funny, and Compassionate about things that she likes. A: I was gonna say that for you. TV: (giggles) A: Okay, Tavorsia, you are Loving, Passionate, and Chill. TV: Thanks. A: (giggles) Yeah, you’re really chill. Don’t got time for the bullshiiiii...Yeah, those are my three words. TY: What motivates you? TV: Ummm, my little sister. I should explain why. She, I think, wants to be just like me, like everything she does, just like me. And growing up we didn’t have, we didn’t grow up in is good neighborhood, so I’m just trying to teach her that there are other ways of being and doing than what she’s being exposed to, what we are being exposed to. A: Yeah, I think my mom, but especially my family in general just want to see me do well and succeed and be good and be able to celebrate the good so I think that just motivates me and encourages me to, like, be good, stay focused, and just try to do well, in school, in life. TY: Can you check if it’s recording? A: Yeah, its at 16 minutes! TY: Alriiight, so why did you choose this space? A: (lip smack) I think I personally have worked really hard for this space (giggles). TV: (giggles) A: Um, I had a roommate left but it’s been a long journey. And I feel like I finally, like, I deserved this dingle (giggle) ‘Cuz it’s just been a lot, ya know? And I think my room has always been, even though Tavorsia has a single, my room has always been the room that feels more homely and better, in a sense, than hers and we both have felt that way. (to TV) You have felt that way? So I think now that it’s a dingle it has made things better. Even though we sleep on one side of the bed on this doublebed. TV: She won’t move over. A: It’s ‘cuz she tries to get away. We either sleep on the same bed or two separate beds. Like, there’s no in-between. ‘Cuz like if we’re separate I find a way to get to her. TY: Awwww- A: -Noo, not even in a cute way I just need-- TY: Noo, that’s cute. TV: Noo, not even in a cute way. A: (giggles) Oh my gosh. I think it’s just, I roll over and I find you. And then Boom. This dingle, we deserve it. I’m sad that it came at a time where school is almost over, and I wish I could like decorate and stuff ‘cuz I know it’s gonna be waste now. So I’ll start again next year, start it over next semester. My room will be lit. You’ll have to come back. TY: Nahhnahnahnahnah A: Everyone keeps sayin that. My room’s gonna be so nice! This isn’t even my full potential of my home decorating. And no one wants to come back. TY: I may. You make it sound good, I may. A: It’s gonna be good, shiet. I’mma hang up some lights, some posters, come picture frames, oh yeah babey. TY: One more. What would you tell someone stumbling upon this post? The intention of this is to go on tumblr, so if someone’s just scrolling like who are these people? A: Young, gifted, and black! (all giggle) TV: I feel like I want to say a quote but I don’t have a quote right now. A: (giggles) Oh, we got quotes. What would you say? I would tell them to make good choices. TV: I would tell them- A:- Make good choices. Be you, be great. TV: Go with the flow and allow things to happen- A: -To Fall in place naturally. TV: That’s not what I’m sayin’. A: Alright (giggles) Dang. TV: Allow things to happen. Accept the things you can’t change. Change the things you can. A: Can we read a quote? We do a quote of the day, TY: Both of you? A: Yeah, so over winter break we would send each other like a quote a day and for Valentine’s Day Tavorsia got a mason jar filled with quotes so why don’t we just pick one? Oh, that one was the long one. Oh that’s a good one. TV: Mmmhmm. That can be the closing quote. A: You read it. TV: Nah, nah. A: “I believe that two people are connected at the heart, and it doesn't matter what you do, or who you are or where you live; there are no boundaries or barriers if two people are destined to be together. Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you.” TY: Who is that by? A: Says Julia Roberts. We can find more out in Google later. TY: Cool then that is the end. A: The end. [End Recording]

Asha is a First Year who plans to major double major in Psychology and Africana Studies at Smith College. Along with being passionate about her friends and family, she is equally passionate about learning, supporting meaningful causes, children, poetry, fashion, and photography. Follow her on Instagram: @ashahinson

Tavorsia is a sophomore at Smith college majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Education. When she’s not playing basketball, her hobbies include interacting and engaging with children, hanging with her friends and eating. Follow her on any social media: @tavorsiatalley

[Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my personal blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/. I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican, American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. These two women have very ambitious futures and have the talent and capacity to succeed at anything they put their mind to. Very glad we had the time to get really real<3]

[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place February 28, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My second & third participants: Adrianna & Ayerin<3

T: Okay, First Question: Why did you want to be a part of this project? AY: (giggles) AD: Answer the question. AY: (giggles) I’m thinking about your response. (giggles) Um, I guess, um, I don’t know I haven’t been as much of an active member at PRISM and I guess and active member in the LGBTQ community at Smith, so I guess this will be one way in showing that even though our relationship is very public at Smith (giggles). AD: I didn’t know about this project until Ayerin came home one day and she was like ‘Babe, do this with me tomorrow, we’re gonna meet Tyahra and she’s gonna interview us and take pictures.’ I don’t even know what we’re doing, and I was like ‘Okay.’ AY: (giggles) She does what I say. AD: Oh God, do not put that in there. AY: Yeah, please put that in there. (giggles) T: Why did you choose Smith? AD: I chose Smith because I-I didn’t apply to a lot of colleges and so this is one of the ones that I chose because it was a free application and then I came and we went on a tour of the campus and I just liked the environment and the feeling of the school in general, and so i decided that this was going to be the school I wanted to go to. AY: Um, I got accepted to Women of Distinction so then I stayed here for like a weekend and I loved it. It was the only school that gave me like a good vibe and then I met Beryl and she became my roommate. We both applied early decision. It was like my first choice. It was the only-only school that I visited that I felt like I was...you know.. I didn’t feel off. I didn’t feel like an outsider...so.... T: Interesting. AY: But I-I guess the schools I visited were very, I guess, predominantly white, but it was suburban and very like in the middle of nowhere and so, atleast Smith had a town and I like that shit (giggles) And I wanted to leave New York. T: How do you fully identify, like ethnic, um, nationality, gender, sexuality, all of it. AY: Dominican, Afro-Dominican, Afro-Latina, Caribbean, West Indian…..Bisexual, Queer. AD: (giggles) That’s all you had to say? AY: (giggles) Yeah. AD: I identify as West indian, and Cuban (lip smack) And Queer-I never really put like a label on my sexuality ever. I’ve always just been like, I’ve just been me. T: (nods smiling) AY&AD: (giggle) T: Three words to describe yourself OR, we could say three words to describe each other. AD: (claps hands) Okay let’s do that. AY: (laughs) Fuck you. AD: Okay, I’mma go first. AY: Yeah, you go first, clearly (laughing) AD: Umm, Strong. Stubborn (both smile and laugh) And.. Strong, stubborn, and Open-hearted….and aight sometimes. AY: (giggles) Aiight… Ummm, I would say Loud (giggles). AD: I’m not loud. I am not loud. AY: Umm, Smart (laughs) and (laughs). AD: It’s only three words. AY: I gotta make sure I pick the best one for you. I don’t wanna say anything-I’m thinking if I should say something nice or say something mean (laughs) Umm, I say, well its more than one word, but Down to Earth. AD: That was not descriptive of me, at all. AY: Oh yeah? AD: I am not loud. AY: Yeah? Really? AD: I’m not. Down to Earth? How can you be down to Earth and Loud? AY: You well.. T: It’s kinda the same thing, kinda. AY: No, you can be both. AD: I wanna milkshake, man. AY: Oh God. T: What are your interests? AY: Sports medicine. AD: In regards to school? AY: Regards to what? T: In regards to anything. What are you interested in? AD: Hair. Make-up. Food. Music. AY: Food Music. AD: Writing. Clothes. Other countries. AY: Yes. Cultural Stuff. We love cultural stuff. Yes. Umm what else? Sports. AD: Racial differences. AY: Discrimination. Intersectionality. Kids. AD: (hisses teeth) AY: (giggles) She loves kids. AD: No I don’t! (giggles) I do not like kids at all-- AY: Lately you’ve been working with kids more than I ever have. AD: Because its money. I’m interested in money. AY: (giggles) We technically, well I wanna say we but quote-unquote Her babysits for a lesbian interracial couple and they have a cute little girl names Island. T: Her name is Island? AY: Island, yup. T: What makes you happy? AY: Adrianna makes me happy (giggles) AD: Oh my goodness. I’m not gonna say you because we’re gonna sound like some corny couple. AY: Really, I am corny. AD: Naps make me happy. AY: Naps! AD: Food. AY: Good Food. Good Food. Mhm. AD: Not being stressed about school work makes me happy. AY: Having money...so we can do stuff. AD: We don’t ever have money. AY: We never have money...We still have a good time though (smiles) AD: (smiles) AY: Movies! AD: Work makes me happy. AY: Succeeding makes me happy. Dancing makes me happy. AD: I don’t know. AY: Make-up makes you happy. AD: Yes. T: Who do you look up to? Who is your ideal human being? AY: I don’t have one. AD: Lauryn Hill. AY: Yeah, she loves her….Say more (giggles) AD: (giggles) I’m sorry. Um, I like Lauryn Hill AY: ..because… AD: I feel like she’s very in touch with herself and the world and like… AY: Oh so you’re down to Earth and you’re- AD: Okay, anyway-- AY: (laughs) Told you. AD: -Like I was saying, and I like that she’s very-she’s aware of not just things in the U.S. but in other countries, I like that…..And she’s black, a black woman. T: Okay (smile, then to AY) And yours is none? AY: Nobody. T: How did you guys meet? AY: How did we meet, Adrianna? AD: On Tinder. AY: (giggles) We met on Tinder. On Smith Campus. AD: Ayerin came to my house that same day. AY: That same night. AD: Same night. AY: And we say each other every single day ever since. T: No judgement about Tinder. Hmmmm, Where do you see yourself in representation, like who in the social/celebrity-verse has the most shared qualities with you? It could be personality, doesn’t have to be like all nationality and stuff. AY: Oh my god,  I have no body. I feel like I’m a lot of things. AD: Maybe Kevin Hart. I can relate to him. AY: I would say a mix of many people. AD: Like who? I wanna hear this. AY: Oh yeah? AD: Oh yeah. AY: Romeo Santos. AD: Ohay, we can end the interview now. AY: (giggles) No. Cardi B. AD: Oh hell no. AY: (giggles) AD: Let’s just cut this short. AY: I don’t know. I really don’t, It’s not that I don’t like celebrities I just don’t….I don’t know. I’m not that-I’m not a crazy fan of celebrities. I don’t know. I never looked up to anyone, never had an idol, I never was obsessed about any actress, any artist, anybody. T: Really? AY: Never. I don’t know why. Maybe, Oh, when I was little I liked Shakira a lot, that’s ‘cuz she danced (giggles) As of now I don’t know. AD: I’m not usually like this, I didn’t get a nap today. AY: She’s very loud. She’s very mellow right now. AD: I did not get a nap. I’m freakin tired. AY: She would be laughing, cracking jokes. T: So, we have three questions left. Four. AY: Okay. T: What are you focusing on in college? AD: Like academics? T: It could be major, it could be academics but also like if you’re more into a social group than your major. AD: Well, in regards to academics I’m interested in neuroscience and I’ve always wanted to work in the medical field but outside of the U.S. in poor countries with kids somehow I could connect that with neuroscience and regards to social groups I’m not connected with any, just because I feel like Smith is like an inclusive exclusive group, like community, overall. So, like, I joined Nosotr@s but I didn’t feel like I was a part of Nosotr@s because I’m half black. And I was in BSA and I also didn’t feel like that full welcoming, like I was fully a part of it so no social groups for me. AY: Which is opposite for me (giggles) I’m on eBoard for Nosotr@s, SACSA, and BSA, but I just, I like to plan and I like to do events surrounding cultural stuff and blackness. But I wouldn’t say I necessarily belong, I just like doing the activities and like having a say on campus ‘cuz having a say is better than no say. So... AD: I don’t know, I just feel like the social groups at Smith are just like narrow where its like you have to do this, agree with this, and act like this or else you’re not a part of the group. And I don’t need to be a part of the group. I’m who I am, I don’t need ya’ll approval. AY: Yeah. T: Did I ask what motivates you? AY & AD: (look at eachother, then at me, shake heads no) T: What motivates you? AD: You can go first. AY: What motivates me? (Deep sigh) What motivates me? I wanna prove everyone wrong. That’s what motivates me. I wanna go far. I’m first generation. First to go to college. I wanna show everyone who’s ever stood in my way that I can go far, but not just for them but for myself, because I like to help people and that’s ultimately what I wanna do no matter what spectrum even though I wanna be a doctor but doesn’t matter, as long as I end up helping people that’s what I want. AD: I just don’t want to be like my parents, so that motivates me. I just want to be well prepared for things and know what I want, have a plan! So that’s what motivates me, I just don’t wanna end up just like not knowing what I’m doing or having to like turn to somebody when its too late. T: Thank you guys for your honesty. Truly. AY: (laughs) T: So why did you choose this space? AY: (to AD) You chose it. AD: I wanted the other room but there was people in it. But I chose this space afterwards because, um, we first came to this space early, early on in our relationship, like three days after we decided- AY: Two days! Second date. AD: We came here. I never came back with anyone else. AY: Yeah, we’ve been together since we met. Every single day. AD: I know, I’m tired of you. AY: (giggles) Every single day. How do I deal with you everyday? AD: I didn’t know you were crazy. If I had know I woulda swiped left. AY: Yeah, okay. You’re crazy (giggles) T: Do you guys have any more reasons why you chose this space? AD: I like this space because not a lot of people come upstairs. AY: True. Every time I look at it I think of that day. AD: Nobody’s over here. It’s very quiet. AY: Mellow. Yo, we were so loud when we came here. Do you remember that? (giggle) AD: We was watchin TV- AY: Uh-uuh, and screaming and laughing mad loud, taking pictures, selfies (giggle) You could tell in the selfies we were being mad loud. Whose loud in this little space? It’s mad mellow. AD: I’m not loud. AY: Mmmhmm. AD: I’m a very quiet person. T: Okay, Last question: What would you like to tell someone coming upon this post? AY: We’re not like other couples. AD: That’s so basic! Everybody says that. AY: Okay, well, we’re both from Brooklyn and over the break- AD: -Oh my gosh. AY: Oh, you don’t wanna talk about that. AD: I don’t care. What is the point of tellin’ it? We need to give them a meaningful message. AY: Okay, so then what do you want to say? AD: Oh my goodness, like come to Smith, like you can be yourself. AY: That’s true. AD: She’s over here tryna’ talk about personal stories, and about no, just give them a meaningful message. AY: So that wasn’t meaningful (giggles) AD: That was a damn story. We can tell them something important, like- AY: -Like. AD: Like study your tests. Do well. AY: (giggles) Oh my God. AD: What? AY: You do what you want when you poppin. AD: Okay don’t. AY: Yes (laughs) AD: Oh my goodness. AY: That’s her favorite line. AD: I’m poppin. I wanna milk shake. Date somebody that lets you get milkshakes and doesn’t tell you ‘No.’ AY: You know why? AD: Don’t put that on the-shush up I’m done. I’m signin off the air. AY: I’m not (giggles) I think we’re a unique couple. AD: Everybody says that about their own relationship. Interview every couple in the school, what they gon’ say? ‘We’re not like any couple, We’re unique.’ AY: We look unique. Let’s start with that. We don’t look like a couple….until you see us together (giggles). AD: I’m so damn tired. AY: We’re gonna take a nap soon. AD: No we’re not. AY: Oh yeah. T: (giggles) Thank you guys so much. (end of recording)

 Ayerin Bio: My name is Ayerin Austria Gomez-Perez. Both my parents were born in the Dominican Republic. I am first generation to be born in the United States and to go to a 4-year college. My favorite color is yellow and my favorite food is Latino food. My favorite thing to do is to play sports, dance and laugh. I am a Psychology/Pre-Med major with a minor in exercise and sport studies. I currently do health research in the intersections of social status, race/ethnicity, gender, and social class. My career goal is to become a Sports Doctor. My aspiration in life is be happy and to do my part in lessening the injustices in the world.My Instagram is: morena_linda_412

Adrianna Bio: My name is Adrianna Rivers, I'm from Brooklyn New York. I'm studying neuroscience with a translation concentration in Spanish at Smith College and I'm on the pre-nursing track. I identify as Afro-Cuban and I love to meet new people. I listen to all kinds of music except country music and I love to take naps and eat take-out. I absolutely love to do my hair, makeup, and nails and I also like to write. My Instagram is: @shes.air and my tumblr is @shesair.tumblr.com

[Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my personal blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/. I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican, American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. These two women have very ambitious futures and have the talent and capacity to succeed at anything they put their mind to. Very glad we had the time to get really real<3]

[refinery29]

You Need To Know This Pole Dancer’s Self-Confidence Secrets

In her own words, pole dancer and fitness trainer Roz “The Diva” Mays is where she is today by way of a miracle. “If you’d have told me during that first pole-dancing class…” (which, she adds, kicked her ass completely) “…[that] I would eventually be leading classes of my own all around the country, and would have ended up on TV four times doing this, I would have slapped the shit out of you,” she laughs.

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[smithcollege-prism]

The following is an interview that took place January 31, 2016. The purpose of the interview was for me, the interviewer, to give Smith College students who identify as Queer or Questioning people of color an outlet to speak freely about their unique identities. After the interview I ask them to take me to a place on campus that really matters to them, that really overcomes them with fondness and positivity. My first participant: Angela<3

Me(T): Why did you decide to participate in this project? Angela:  I chose to be a part of this project because I thought it was really awesome. I’ve seen some of my friends from PRISM who’ve graduated do similar things for Sexhibition before and I just thought it was a really awesome way to just show representation especially for the QPOC community (that doesn’t have to do with sex necessarily) for awareness around Smith but also out of Smith for people who don’t go to this institution; to not keep it a limited and private thing. T: Why did you choose Smith? Angela:  Gosh, I’ve always wanted to go to a women’s college. I read a lot of books that were centered on boarding school or stories that took place in a woman’s environment. looking back on social justice and activism here, made me realise though that a lot of it is very elitist and class based. I chose Smith because I thought it would be an empowering space. I didn’t realise how white it would be when I got here,  then I had to unlearn a lot of my own prejudices that had to do with colorism, classism and self-hate when I came here, but I’m glad I learned those things from Smith although if I had a daughter I don’t know if I would send her here (giggles), to be honest…. T: Because of….the journey? Angela: (smiling) Because of the journey, like, for me learning is about unlearning a lot of things which I learned to identify when I came here, but I don’t know if I’d necessarily want my daughter to choose Smith because of the way I chose it. So yeah.. T: What are you focusing on in college? And that’s like anything, like not necessarily your major but your interests. Angela: I learned more self care, but I guess from when I was little I learned how to do that like from a young age. Just ‘cuz my parents were very hands off and I had to - I knew how to be independent and take care of myself. I learned how important community was here too, especially to find people similar to me. And yeah, hearing everyone’s stories just was very important and finding sisterhood, too, with its intersections. T: Then that comes to focusing like in terms of major. Angela: I thought I’d learn more about my own racial identity, etcetera, which has to do with diaspora since I immigrated over here. T: From? Angela: Yeah, sure. I was born in China. I did not grow up there. I was born in Beijing, moved to Hong Kong, and then I moved to New Zealand and I lived there for six years, moved to New York when I was nine and that’s where I’ve been living since, but I moved up here for college and then Massachusetts is so different from New York, gosh. I miss having a diverse space that’s not diverse in just Smith and having different cultures, not just white culture that’s very western Mass and New England. I miss that about New York. And the rest I guess choosing my major, I wanted to-I thought I would choose East Asian Studies because I wanted to connect to my culture and sort of learn more about history ‘cuz growing up a large majority of my time being diasporic Chinese I didn’t learn lot of history, like I felt like that part about being Asian in general and here is silenced; a lot of people don’t know about our struggles and assume that all Asians speak the same language when that’s not true at all. There’s so many different cultures and I think solidarity within the Asian community is kinda hard sometimes with a lot of interethnic tension that, um-and also interracial tension that has played out with white supremacy tries to pit ethnicities against each other. I thought I would find more of myself in academics. That kinda did not happen most of the time (giggle). I think a lot of the professors in the East Asian Studies department, they are white, and that’s not a problem when you can teach history in a very respectful and honorable way but, I don’t know, I didn’t find myself and my passion in academia. I have always loved creative writing and poetry, and I found a lot of myself there and through just my friendships with women from all backgrounds and learned more about my own classist ideologies when a lot of my friends are working class or immigrants that were not middle class, um so different from me but hearing them talk about their struggles just made me realize how much of an advantage and how complex that is with my own background. T: How do you fully identify? I mean you and anything you want someone to know about you. Angela: Okay, um, so I do identify as queer. I guess Asian-American, although I struggle with the term. Sometimes I don’t identify with either. I identify as diasporic. I guess an Asian person, bisexual, religious, creative, and non-conformist. T: I fully support that. But I see you put religious and non-conformist like right beside eachother and that was confusing (giggles) If you would like to explain... Angela: (giggles) Yeah, definitely. I identify as non-conformist because I’m unlearning a lot of things and one of the good parts about going to school here, I learned to challenge a lot of my beliefs and also learn how to call other people out on their shit. T: Mhmmmmmmm Angela: (giggles) And also how to redirect conversation when I think it can be like going a little bit astray and on the abusive side. And also, yeah, learning how to be there for my friends and survivors(…) I believe in love, most importantly. I think just the practice of compassion and kindness is evident in all major religions I grew up Christian but when I studied abroad my host family was Buddhist and I learned a lot about Buddhism, went to temple with them, celebrated a lot of their traditions, and also being Chinese, just, we have a mix of indigenous culture as well as religious practices and beliefs that people nowadays wouldn’t necessarily think of as religious. a lot of our ideologies come from Buddhism, Taoism, and a mix of traditional things like ancestor worship. T: Cool! Who do you look up to? And a more indepth who is your model, ideal human being? Angela: Yeah, um gosh, that’s so hard but so complex, but such a simple question. I love my grandma. Growin’ up, a lot of my grandparents particularly, my grandma on my dad’s side and grandpa on my mom’s side, interesting combo there, uh (giggle) they sort of raised me, shaped a lot of what I believe in being kind and like dignified to other people and treated both myself and others with dignity. That’s what I really appreciate, so I admire both my grandparents. My grandma has always been spiritual and religious, going to church, but the type of church and god she believes in is one that’s very compassionate and not prejudiced against other people just because of what society tells you. And I’m also thinking that my grandpa, he describes himself as Atheist/Agnostic ‘cuz he grew up during Cultural Revolution, a defining war in China, and that just made him question everything but then he held onto his humanity in a way by sort of just remembering to be kind and treating everyone and himself with dignity and that’s what he passed on to me. Those are my role models and I take what they have taught me with also a little bit of my own interpretation by not only treating everyone with dignity but also noticing when things are wrong and speaking up when I think they are, which is so important because a lot of my friends have grown up with violence and domestic abuse and emotional abuse, a degree of which I have experienced myself, so I think it’s so important to just have these role models and keep holding on to something is so inherent to how my grandparents survived and how I survived. T: Where do you see your identities represented? I would like it to be like who do you feel that you see succeeding in the world identifies with as many characteristics as you identify with? Angela: Hmmm, who do I see in the world that identifies like me? Ummm that’s so hard. I see it in a lot of immigrant poets, I love poetry. I see it in queer immigrant poets. I love Audre Lorde. Yeah, I identify so much with what she writes but I wish I could become more like her and confident and also just kind of like carefree and not afraid. And Who else? Just some poets I’ve spoken to who have spoken here. I identify with a lot of things that Darkmatter do. i think through poetry these poets have expressed themselves and that they are activist through their poetry without directly being involved in a lot of the movements. And some are also poet activists that are not activists purely through their poetry. I wish I was brave enough to speak up a lot but it is hard when I feel in a lot of ways this institution silences a lot of voices of color. T: Next question: What makes you happy? Angela: What makes me happy? Remembering to be grateful. Remembering to be grateful for my friends, talking to people, and just thinking about all the things I love makes me happy. T: What do you love? Angela: I love poetry. I love water, that’s my element right there (giggle) Anything that has to do with water and anything creative and spiritual, that’s what I love. Happiness though, growing up. I grew up, in my culture we don’t really talk about happiness, we like talk about practical things and how to be content and that in a way is like happiness. Something unidentified, and something we experience everyday in little bursts from like having good food to a walk outside, those are things that makes me content and to me being content was like a degree that was different something I defined differently from being happy and sort of too interspersed with each other and even when I was learning about happiness for the first time I was like but I don’t necessarily agree with that. T: Three words to describe yourself. Angela: (giggles) Quirky, honest, and caring. T: What motivates you? Angela:  What motivates me? God motivates me to get out from bed everyday (giggles) and go about my day, you know, so people I love, seeing them, thinking about them even if they’re living in a different country motivates me to keep on going for them and doing what I do and what I’m passionate about. T: What would you tell someone coming upon this post? Angela: I would tell someone coming upon this post to just be true to themselves. It’s one of the most important things I learned growing up. People can tell you in all sorts of ways who you are and who you are not, but you find out who you are through living and everyone has a different journey, so be true to yourself. And if you’re a friend coming upon this, I don’t know, just like, I don’t know if you’ve learned anything new about me but yeah, I love you, whoever you are (giggles) and I hope you discover something new about yourself and also learn to love others fully and love yourself. T: Hopefully this is the first of many interviews you do in your life [Recording ends]

Angela .L is a Senior majoring in East Asian Studies at Smith College. Her passions include poetry, children, books and fair-trade tea. She uses poetry as a form of healing and advocacy. Read her work here at: https://yutongthepoet.wordpress.com/

[Blurb about the interviewer: My name is Tyahra Angus, my blog is  http://bitchpudin.tumblr.com/. I like when people pronounce my name right, so think Tiara, but funky. I am a Jamaican, American, Pansexual, writer, singer, poet/anything I can get my hands on type of artist, Smith College 16′ focusing on English and Africana studies with a concentration in Queer Black Literature and Art. My blog gives you a better sense of me: I only reblog self-identified black women, in all our uniqueness, all our beauty. And Angela truly is the sweetest, most spiritually positive person I’ve ever met. She deserves nothing, nothing but the best this world has to offer. Go out there and shine, Queen<3]

[art-intersections]

Fidencio Martinez is a mixed-media artist based in Memphis, Tennessee, who uses paint and cut paper to “examine the brown body, the battleground onto which events, perceptions and laws are formed.” He is the recipient of the 2013 Jessie and Dolph Smith Emeritus Fellowship Award.

[elmuseo]

#BADASSARTIST

For more of his work, go to http://www.fidenciomartinez.com/

[leeandlow]

There are so many writers of color out there, and often what they get when they bring their books to their editors, they say, ‘We don’t relate to the character.’ Well it’s not for you to relate to! And why can’t you expand yourself so you can relate to the humanity of a character as opposed to the color of what they are?

Anika Noni Rose in Vanity Fair, via this excellent Buzzfeed article on diversity in publishing. (via leeandlow)