Campus Celebrity: MJ Jackson
Major: Communications
Year: Junior, transfer
Hometown: Temecula, CA
A supporter of campus organization, SANNA, and hoping to be part of its staff next year, MJ is a hard working Communications major involved in some of the most important causes on the UCLA campus. This only her first year at UCLA and she has made the most of her time, gaining as much experience of Bruin life as possible. This week’s campus celebrity is currently putting her comm major to use in the planning of the upcoming Black Bruin Transfer Day, which is set to happen next quarter on May 10th.
What is Black Bruin Transfer Day?
An event that we’re still planning at the moment for African American students that transfer in to UCLA, to teach them about the resources and groups available to them on campus. It will be on May 10th and I’m helping with the social media for the event. We’re currently working on getting funding and preliminary plans organized, like food, for the event so we’re still in the early stages!
What is SANNA?
SANNA stands for Social Awareness Network for Activism through Arts. It is a really cool campus organization that promotes awareness of activist causes through different events and programs. For example they helped organize and promote “The Vagina Monologues” which was performed last month.
What encouraged you to be a part of SANNA?
Since the start of the year I have loved going to the SANNA group jams every week on Monday nights. It is a safe and chilled space (we sit on the floor!) to talk about issues that are sometimes uncomfortable. Every week there is a topic, for example this week it was the commodification of culture and we looked at a picture of a girl in blackface in a fashion editorial. Then we went around the group and everyone gave their opinion on the picture and other similar images we often see. The topics we discuss always make you think more about the world in ways that people do not normally think about or discuss. Guys and girls go to the jams, and generally people of all different backgrounds and opinions so it is a very fun, open and therapeutic forum and no one is judgmental of your opinion.
I also like that SANNA do so many events with other groups. I wanted to get involved because I really like the events that they do, like “The Vagina Monologues,” the poetry jams and the Hip Hop panel, which addressed the origins and themes of Hip Hop as well as the presentation of women in the genre. I just think it’s cool that they put on fun events that also raise awareness of important social issues.
Do you have any hopes or plans for the rest of your time at UCLA?
There is so much to do here! There was recently a Pan-African film festival in LA and I’d love to do something like that. Not necessarily Pan-African but some kind of film festival presenting non-American films, exposing the audience to films from all over the world. For example we could have a day which focuses on films from Southeast Asia, and then one for South America and Central America. It would take a lot of money so it probably can’t happen, but it would be so cool! It could give people a perspective which they would not have gained otherwise.
What has been your favorite UCLA memory so far?
So many! I’ve only been here a short time and I have some amazing memories! Besides getting in to this school, the TSP program has probably been my favorite memory this year. It was over the summer and was just a really fun program, where I met most of the friends I have now.
Plans for the future?
Go to grad school. I don’t know if I’ll go right away, though. I want to take advantage of the time after graduation to travel. I’m also hoping to get some summer internships in the mean time. I’m still not sure of the career path I want to take so I want to gain the most experience now to figure out what I like and what I want to do.