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[theciricanfly]

SAY THEIR NAMES

Transgender women of colour have one of the highest mortality rates just because they dare to live their truth. They are attacked, their deaths are called suspicious and they are unreported by the media. In 2015, Sumaya Dalmar, a 26-year-old transgender Somali woman, was found dead in her Toronto apartment. Dalmar’s death struck pain in both the Toronto Somali community and the Toronto LGBTQ community. Their pain was only strung out by the Toronto Police. The police ignored pleas from Dalmar’s community and failed at their duty to serve the city of Toronto. They failed to efficiently investigate and failed to bring her killers to justice.

During a pandemic with such a focus on protecting the elderly and the sick, it is especially shocking that the police would shoot and kill Ejaz Ahmed Choudry, a harmless 62-year-old man. Because of Choudry’s extensive medical history, the police were sent to check on his wellbeing. When they arrived at the scene, the police refused to allow Chaudry’s family to check on him, despite the fact he did not know English and had a history of paranoia. Peel police claimed this man as a threat, with no basis except the colour of his skin. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/siu-police-shooting-mississauga-1.5621243 https://nationalpost.com/news/police-looked-to-for-answers-after-sumaya-dalmar-a-toronto-transgender-woman-found-dead 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/sumaya-dalmar-1.4582866 

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/07/23/siu-says-officer-in-fatal-shooting-of-ejaz-choudry-declines-interview/

[theciricanfly]

This is America

SCENARIO

You recently graduated highschool and you are known by your high school’s vice principal (VP Harumi) to actively fight for anti-racism. You are courageously outspoken when it comes to anti-racism and promoting BLACK LIVES MATTER. VP Harumi seeks you out to ask for advice.

Here’s what’s happening: The cheerleading squad at your old high schools propose to learn the choreography from Childish Gambino’s This Is America and VP Harumi has some hesitations. Of note, there are no people of colour currently on the cheerleading squad. VP Harumi needs your counsel.

Write a letter to Vice-Principal Harumi with your advice. Point to specific shots in the video to help make your argument. The video’s time codes are included. Cite the time and provide detailed descriptions of what you see on screen.

Dear vice-principal Harumi, With respect to the art of cheerleading and the creative freedoms of the squad, I would personally advise against using the song “This Is America” by Childish Gambino. The fact that the squad is all white means they do not have the perspective and understanding of institutionalized racism to give a meaningful performance. The Movement for Civil Rights is littered with examples of ‘allies’ taking the mainstage and overshadowing the voices of the oppressed. This is seen with a song similar to “This Is America” called “F*ck tha Police” by NWA. This song was against the over-policing that takes place in the predominantly black community of Compton, California. Over time the song became overused by white communities and was diluted of its political message. Having an all-white cheer squad perform this song, you would risk repeating this mistake. It is important that during a time where the Black Lives Matter movement has such momentum, that allies speak with and not over the black community. Especially in nations like Canada, where racism is often overlooked because of comparison to situations in the United States. Because of racism being so overlooked in Canada, it is crucial that allies listen to black voices and help amplify their causes. In order to do this, your cheer squad should reach out to black students and organizations that could help them choreograph and participate in the performance. This would provide an important experience to the cheer quad by giving them first-hand voices from the black community.

[theciricanfly]

STATIC IMAGE

[theciricanfly]

FILM ANALYSIS

[theciricanfly]

Semiotic Analysis- Live for Now

#BlackLivesMatter? #MeToo? #TakeAKnee? Whatever it is, sit back and relax with a Pepsi! This is a semiotic analysis of Kendall Jenner's infamous Pepsi commercial which was originally released in 2017, but later pulled as many said it was a farce of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The commercial which is just over 2 minutes long, begins with young, attractive, happy protestors on the street having a jolly ol' time holding signs with multiple languages and symbols. We see a series of people from different walks of life- an Asian cellist, a Muslim woman in a hijab, and people brunching- all drinking Pepsi. At 0:23, cue Kendall Jenner, the star of the commercial in the middle of a photoshoot, oblivious to all the 'important things' happening around her. The commercials aim was to show the literal and figurative transformation the celebrity goes through from not caring to caring about something. At 1:38, Jenner's transformation begins as she rips off her oppressive wig and dark lipstick. She's ready to party! I mean protest.

Jenner decides to grab a Pepsi and become a part of the movement. She changes out of her drab tin-foil, skin tight dress into an all-denim getup- she's one of us!

At 2:05, we see the first sign of the police, who are not joining the party-protest, and not drinking Pepsi. But the white saviour knows how to solve this intractable sociopolitical crisis, 2:09, Jenner walks to the front of the protest line and hands one of them a Pepsi. Through years of cultural oppression, the Muslim woman in the hijab catches Jenner's act of bravery with a big smile.

At 2:12, the officer cracks open the can the Pepsi, and all is agreed that the movement is over.

Pepsi removed this ad as thousands turned to social media to express their distain for the commercial as it was a blowout of youth and race exploration gone wrong. To begin, the commercial symbolizes the relationship the Kardashian/Jenner family has with black culture. Over years, the family has been criticized for appropriating black culture, yet are publicly apolitical when it comes to advocating for black lives.

Although it is not stated, it is clear the movement in the commercial is #BlackLivesMatter. The song "Lions" by Skip Marley, is playing in the background , which clearly indicates the movement. As far as I know, Kendall Jenner has not been to any BLM protests, and has no connection with movement except for making money off of it.

It is also clear at 2:05, Kendall Jenner's handing off of the Pepsi can is inspired by a photo of Ieshia Evans, a protestor from Baton Rouge who was arrested in 2016. The resemblance disrespects the lost lives of those for whom BLM protests for.

This commercial was in bad taste, and in this day and age, you'd think they would do their own semiotic analysis of their own commercial before airing.

[theciricanfly]

Intersectionality- Different Abled Bodies

[theciricanfly]

Practices of Looking- Why Cant I Wear Shorts Around the House?

[theciricanfly]

2020 The Year that Wasn’t- Portals to Utopia