Boutique R&B and Soul festival features lineup up of predominantly women and people of color

The R&B and Soul festival Sol Blume returned for its second year of an all day music festival in downtown Sacramento. The idea behind the boutique festival was to create and environment where like-minded people could come together and celebrate music.

The festival was founded in 2017 by two pioneers of the music industry, Justin Nordan and Fornati Kumeh. This year Sol Blume welcomed over 6500 attendees in the historic Cesar Chavez Plaza in downtown Sacramento. Sol Blume is known to be a boutique festival that celebrates young and upcoming artists in the R&B, Soul and Hip Hop genres from diverse backgrounds.

This year’s line up was completely comprised of people of color with more women artists than most musics festivals. Justin Nordon, one of the founders of the festival, explained what inspired him and his partner, Fornati Kumeh, to start Sol Blume.

“In 2017, Fornati and I agreed to follow through with an idea we had for a few years about a music festival that focused on R&B, Soul and a little bit of Hip Hop,” Nordan said. “There are tons of Rock, Rap and Pop festivals but there hasn’t really been a lot of chill Soul R&B festivals, and we wanted to fill that gap.”

Nordon went on to explain what the the festival is fundamentally about and how the line up was chosen.

“Sol Blume is a one day Soul R&B music experience with an emphasis on culture, diversity, music, food, art,” Nordon said. “It’s a place where like minded people can come together and listen to a playlist come to life. We like to think that we have more of a chill and organic feel, we love when the music feels really passionate and organic, and that’s how we come up with our line up.”

Upon entering the venue, attendees were greeted with interactive art installations, a multitude of food options, local apparel companies and several “Instagram worthy” spots for festival goers to share their Sol Blume experience. The festival began at 11 a.m. and ran throughout the day until 10 p.m. with performances from a wide variety of artists including Miguel, Jessie Reyez, J.I.D, Masego and more. Throughout the day the performances alternated between two stages that were in close proximity to each other so attendees would be able to experience the entire line up.

“The venue is pretty small and we did that intentionally,” Nordan said. “We wanted [to] embrace the fact that we are a boutique festival and we wanted it to feel like you are in the backyard listening to good music with your close friends. For festivals like Coachella or Outside Lands you have to pick and choose who you want to see, but we wanted everyone to see all the artists so we chose a smaller venue of the festival.”

In addition to the more well known artist[s] within the R&B, Soul and Hip Hip Hop artists, the line up also consisted of many younger talented up and coming artists including Ivy Sole, Dave B, Parisalexa, Tobi Lou and Jess Connelly. Many of these artists shared their journeys within the music industry and where their passion for music comes from while on stage.

Dave B, one of the performers who broke into the music industry in 2015, detailed what he defines as his genre of music and offered some advice to those looking to pursue a career in music industry.  

“I think my music is a mic of Hip Hop with a little Jazz and R&B injected into it,” Dave said. “I guess it’s a little bit of everything, and I like to try out new styles and see what works. To kids looking to break into the industry I’d say the most important thing is that you believe in yourself and don’t pay attention to the world around you. Your individuality is what makes you great so focus on that and don’t be afraid to express yourself.”

The artist also commented on his experience as a performer at Sol Blume in regards to the diversity of not only the line up, but the crowd as well.

“The line up this year was FIRE, and it’s not really male dominated which is something that I really f*** with,” Dave said. “When we walked into the festival, I noticed a lot of black women and people of color in general, working and attending the festival, which was really cool to see too. […] I’m a really big fan of all of the artists that are here and it’s really cool to see them preform and the energy coming from the crowd in general is just insane, so it’s been a really great time.”

19-year-old Parisalexa, noted her major influences to be big pop stars such as Britney Spears, Ke$ha, Katy Perry as well as Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind and Fire and Hall & Oates as well as many of the performers at Sol Blume. The Pop R&B artist explained how she made her way into the music industry through her love for songwriting.

“I’m really influenced by a lot of these young female artists that are absolutely killing it right now like Kehlani and Tierra Whack,” Parisalexa said. “I would totally be at [Sol Blume] even if I wasn’t performing. This lineup is so great and I am such a fan of all of these artists. They really touched on young artists and people of color and people who in general are real pioneers of the industry.”

Parisalexa’s latest EP, BLOOM, focuses on her journey of self growth and empowerment. The artist also plans to release her debut album by the end of this year.

“My favorite song I’ve released is Dandelion, because it’s really empowering and I love the idea of falling in love with who you are,” Parisalexa said. “I think just seeing the response and how it’s inspired other women is much bigger than I could have ever imagined. Be yourself because you are beautiful and amazing in your own way.”

Philadelphia based Hip Hop artist Ivy Sole credits her major influences to be the Black Lily movement in Philadelphia, Bilial and The Roots as well as gospel music.

“I like when music is really organic, and every artist I’ve collaborated with has been an very organic experience,” Ivy Sole said. “I love to see a woman centric festival and its been an amazing experience to share with these really talented artists, so it’s nice to be surrounded by good company and good music.”

The artists anticipate to drop a mixtape this summer featuring all female artists as well as begin to start touring along the West Coast. Ivy gave her advice to young musicians and music connoisseurs.

“Focus on the music,” Ivy said. “When the music is good a lot of other things fall into place. [And] I hope the music keeps you really good company because that’s what it’s there for.”

Sol Blume will return for its third year next spring, and students can buy their tickets from Armadillo Music in downtown Davis.

Written by: Sneha Ramachandran — features@theaggie.org

Asian American interest fraternities, sororities speak about stereotypes, misconceptions

Asian American interest fraternities and sororities at UC Davis belong to a smaller division of Greek life, known as the Asian Sorority and Fraternity Council (ASFC). There are six organizations that belong to the council: two fraternities and four sororities. The fraternities belonging to this council are Psi Chi Omega and Sigma Kappa Rho; the sororities are Sigma Omicron Pi, Kappa Psi Epsilon, Chi Delta Theta and Alpha Kappa Delta Phi. Asian American interest fraternities and sororities are not just for people of Asian ethnicities.

“We accept everyone and to be honest, joining an organization is mostly about if you like the bro’s or the sisters of the organization, and if you feel like it’s the right organization for you and if you identify with it or not. We absolutely do not discriminate,” said Esther Lim, a third-year pharmaceutical chemistry major and the chapter president of the Epsilon chapter of Chi Delta Theta.

What separates ASFC organizations from Panhellenic, IFC and professional Greek life organizations is that ASFC promotes and nurtures a cultural connection to Asian roots.

“Asian Greek [organizations] are very culturally focused and do well to help their members and the rest of their communities to connect to their culture and heritage as Asian Americans/members of the pan-Asian diaspora,” said Isabelle Perlada, a fourth-year microbiology and Asian American studies major. Perlada also serves as the president to the ASFC.

Like other fraternities and sororities, there are stereotypes and rumors circulating the organizations in ASFC. Many of these stereotypes are centered around the rushing process and alleged hazing rituals.

“Some of the stereotypes I hear about Asian Greek are that we are very scary because our process is very difficult,” Lim said. “People think we ‘haze like crazy’ and there are some rumors that go around about how we physically harm people. And we only allow Asian people into our organizations.”

Like many Greek organizations, other stereotypes include drinking and sexual assault.

The ‘process’ that Lim mentioned is the pledge education program or the pledge process for those who are interested in the organizations to accept and attend.

“It’s a time where one learns how the organization functions and learns about our history, ideals and basics that we were built upon,” Lim said. “The reason behind a process like this is to make sure each member knows our ideals and goals but also so that they do not come into the organization blindly. It’s a way for us to teach them risk management and educate them on how the sorority runs. Because we are small and do not have hundreds of members, people hold multiple positions and one learns what each position and status entails so that they do not just take on a position or status without knowing how it works.”

It is in this process where the alleged hazing occurs in both fraternities and sororities alike. Students who rush for Asian American Greek life have reported having to endure physical tasks, including drinking amounts of alcohol and performing strenuous physical activities.

“ASFC firmly enforces the standards set by the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life (OSFL) and does not tolerate its member chapters hazing new members,” Perlada said. “Member chapters employ risk management policies that reflect this standard within its own organizations as well.”

Even with this rule in place, however, there are a number of allegations of hazing.

“It’s very difficult to combat these stereotypes or rumors because people like to believe what others tell them and it only makes it worse because these rumors instill fear in them,” Lim said. “When people do actually ask about how Asian Greek works or asks if these rumors are true, we can’t physically prove it and can only tell them that it’s not true and the only way to find out is to actually experience it for themselves. If these rumors and allegations of Asian Greek being scary and difficult are true, the Asian Greek community would not even exist at all. No one would be even a part of the Asian Greek organizations and we wouldn’t even have an Asian Sorority and Fraternity Council. This is where the cliché comes into mind about how you should never judge a book by its cover.”

The California Aggie reached out to the chapter presidents of Sigma Kappa Rho and Psi Chi Omega, but they did not respond for comments.

Much of what happens within Asian fraternities and sororities during the pledging process is kept in secrecy. Most students who were asked by their friends to describe the details of their rushing process cannot answer any of their friends’ questions. Regardless of these rumors, many students still rush every quarter.

“People who decide to go forward with joining Asian Greek really, really like the idea of us being small,” Lim said. “Because we [are] smaller, we know everyone in our [organization] on a deeper and personal level, which makes us more tight knit. You also make a lot of friends and connections with the different [organizations] apart of ASFC. The Asian fraternities have ‘lil sis’ programs where you get a ‘big bro.’ And many people from Asian sororities or non-affiliated people join as well so you get to network and make even more friends. We have our own small community where we all know each other and it’s really nice.”

Lim wants the campus to understand that Asian Greek is not scary.

“We are not intimidating people,” she said. “Talk to a bro or a sister and just get to know us first before coming to a conclusion about our community based on rumors, because that’s just all hearsay. We are just like any other fraternity or sorority part of IFC or Panhellenic. We focus a lot on sisterhood/brotherhood, our philanthropies and community service, etc. We are a very tight and small community and take a lot of pride in it. Everyone should really have an open mind to things and not be afraid.”

Written by: LINH NGUYEN — features@theaggie.org

Students discuss their journeys toward authentic gender expression

Much of our world is split up into binaries. As a result, our society puts a significant amount of pressure on individuals to demonstrate an identity which fits into a binary standard. With contemporary society’s expanding perceptions of gender, however, many individuals are finding that they do not fit directly into this binary system. The term used to define this identity is referred to as gender non-binary.

The UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center defines non-binary as “a gender identity and experience that embraces a full universe of expressions and ways of being that resonate for an individual. It may be an active resistance to binary gender expectations and/or an intentional creation of new unbounded ideas of self within the world.” While it may not be immediately apparent, there are many individuals who attend UC Davis who identify as non-binary. In a 2018-19 student demographic survey, .2% of the UC Davis population marked ‘other’ in the gender category. Compared to the national average — for which non-binary individuals make up .15% of the population — this is quite a significant statistic. This begs the question: is the university doing enough to accommodate this population?

First-year environmental science major Alida Jacobs discovered their gender identity after discussing with a friend the societal norms which place individuals into categories. From their experience, the “female” identity was something they did not connect with, and being referred to by she/her/hers pronouns prevented them from feeling a sense of ownership over their identity and body.

“I realized I was non-binary when I started talking to a close friend about my disconnect between assigned gender and presentation,” Jacobs said. “Especially my disconnect between how the world perceives my gender based on my physical body and how I myself identify.”

Jacobs described feeling a sense of empowerment after their friend began using they/them pronouns for them.

“I physically felt relieved by the feeling of affirmation and the allowance for a third option that my friend’s language allowed me.Then I adopted it all the time for myself whenever it was safe to do so,” Jacobs said.

Similarly, third-year art history major Sedona Patterson-Smith felt a sense of liberation after beginning to use they/them pronouns. They feel that the constraints of gender binary limited their self-expression and a feeling of autonomy over their body.

“I felt like I always had to be compromising part of myself to fit a rulebook for what it meant to be a woman,” Patterson-Smith said.

Patterson-Smith feels that a lot of the restrictions associated with womanhood are based on antiquated gender ideals constructed by society as a form of oppression.

“I now feel less pressure on myself to be accepted by other people,” Patterson-Smith said. “Also, using they/them pronouns has allowed me to feel more included in conversations which address one gender or the other for no good reason.”

The university has some accommodations for transgender and non-binary students, such as gender-inclusive restrooms and various transgender resources. On a classroom-to-classroom basis, however, instructors and professors often take it upon themselves to try and acknowledge non-binary students by asking for students to state their preferred pronouns as a part of their introductions. This practice — while being an acknowledgement of non-binary gender — can be as alienating as it is accommodating. Fourth-year communication major and theater-dance minor Bex Nava-McLellan identifies as non-binary and trans-masc (transgender masculine). He feels as though this practice from instructors and professors puts him in situations in which he feels outed.

“I don’t know if I like it when people are asked to say their pronouns in the beginning of class because I don’t feel comfortable being out to a lot of people,” Nava-McLellan said. “It takes time for me to let people know I’m non-binary, so I either have to come out or lie.”

Patterson-Smith has had a different experience with this practice.

“I think it’s nice when professors ask name and pronouns,” Patterson-Smith said. “Even just that acknowledgement of the presence of non-binary people in your space, really plants that seed to be conscious of others.”

There are many challenges associated with being non-binary that may go unnoticed. According to Jacobs, individuals can alleviate some of this pressure by having a general sense of responsibility to be both cognizant and accommodating of non-binary people.

“I love it when people ask for my pronouns because it shows me that they have done or are willing to do the mental work of categorizing someone by gender not solely on their presentation,” Jacobs said.

Further, Nava-McLellan feels there is a tendency to boil an individual down to their gender identity or expression. He believes that if more people viewed transgender and non-binary people as more than just their preferred pronouns, these identities would be more humanized and normalized.

“When people are exaggerating parts of my life in order to fit some typical narrative that they have of queer people, I feel they are disregarding other aspects of my identity,” Nava-McLellan said.

Jacobs hopes that society will stop making judgements on the identities of individuals based on their outward appearance. They hope that by using they/them pronouns in a public space, they can bring attention to the existence of non-binary individuals and destigmatize transgender and non-binary people.

“I hope that by stating my pronouns and being visible, I can let other people who might be questioning their gender identity know that there is another option, that there is no set androgynous aesthetic that you must conform to in order to identify as non-binary, and that we’re all just ordinary people” Jacobs said.

Written by: Miki Wayne – features@theaggie.org