Discrimination

When you see my name on a name tag or written somewhere, I get that you’ll likely use the English pronunciation. You can’t know how I say my name until I tell you.

Carole Marasovic, a long-time member of several city commissions, is running for a seat on Berkeley’s Rent Stabilization Board in the 2022 election. 

To the world, we are a successful combination of culture and diversity, but behind closed doors, minority groups can fall victim to discrimination, harassment and rejection.

In evaluating the origin and consequences of gentrification and the housing crisis in Berkeley, we can look to the history of the city’s exclusionary and racist housing policies. 

It’s easy to boil the work model down to plain economics: Certain capital, resources and investments have to be weeded out if they don’t prove economically viable.

At the intersection of Broadway and 41st Street in Temescal sits Brenda’s, a casual counter-service joint featuring New Orleans-inspired cuisine. I had the privilege of sitting down for a phone call with Brenda to discuss her experiences navigating the culinary world as a queer woman of color.

Last week, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ released a statement in response to recent microaggressions directed at Chinese American faculty members on campus –– But this isn't an isolated incident. If UC Berkeley students and staffers truly want to be “woke,” they need to unpack their internalized biases and recognize their own prejudices. All community members must hold themselves accountable for calling out harmful and discriminatory comments to create an inclusive environment.

To be honest, I don’t feel like I fit in in Latinx/Chicanx spaces. Not because people aren’t welcoming or supportive, but because I feel like I don’t belong there.