While 
most 
University 

of Michigan students were 
preparing to watch the 52nd 
Superbowl last Sunday, LSA 
sophomore 
Alex 
Mullen, 

Rackham student Richard Nunn 
and other members from the 
Latinx Alliance for Community 
Action, Support and Advocacy 
had a different task at hand — 
finalizing their list of demands 
to the administration.

The list of demands was 

created in response to the lack 
of Latino representation felt 
on campus. In December, La 
Casa led a boycott against the 
Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs 

Office for overlooking members 
of the Latino community in 
the search for a new associate 
director. In addition, the Latino 
community was targeted by 
various incidents of racial bias 
on campus this year, including 
anti-Latino 
statements 
like 

“F— Latinos” and “MAGA” 
spray painted on the Rock in 
September.

The list of demands was 

sent out early last Monday, 
calling for more representation 
in administrative levels and 
in 
the 
curriculum, 
more 

student services for the Latino 
community and a less hostile 
campus environment. 

With 
Valentine’s 
Day 

coming 
up, 
a 
traditional 

image may come to mind — 
chocolates, roses, and often 
a man and woman. But on 
Friday, the Consent, Outreach, 
& 
Relationship 
Education 

program — a volunteer branch 
of the University of Michigan’s 
Sexual 
Assault 
Prevention 

and 
Awareness 
Center 
– 

explained not all relationships 
fit this heteronormative mold. 
The presentation, held at 
the Michigan Union, titled 
“Our Love is Beyond Your 
Imagination,” 
illustrated 

healthy 
non-cisgender 

relationships. 

Alex 
Jenny 
and 
Effee 

Nelly, 
a 
nonbinary 
couple 

who met at the University as 
undergraduates, headlined the 
event. The couple has dedicated 
their lives to spreading their 
art and voice as queer and 
transgender people of color.

Jenny and Nelly began their 

program by reading some of 
their written pieces that they 
explained have helped them 
process their lived experiences. 
Nelly’s first piece, “Truth Takes 
Time,” described the hardships 
of coming to accept her identity.

“Growing up in Ecuador, I 

cannot remember ever learning 
about trans people in a positive 
light, if at all,” Nelly said. 
“With time, nonetheless, I have 
learned to deeply admire my 

younger, flamboyant self.” 

Throughout the presentation, 

Jenny and Nelly revisited the 
theme of accepting and loving 
their younger selves, who didn’t 
quite yet know who they were. 
The couple also recited one of 
their unpublished pieces for the 
audience, explaining they often 
reflect on their younger selves.

“As trans people, we find 

ourselves thinking about the 
past a lot,” Nelly said.

Despite this, they have found 

solace in each other and shared 
that loving each other allowed 
them to “embrace the parts of 
ourselves that we thought were 
unlovable.”

The 
presentation 
then 

transitioned to a Q&A session. 
Jenny and Nelly were asked 
about the role of social media 
in 
their 
relationship, 
the 

importance 
of 
compromise, 

and growing and maturing 

together. The couple uses social 
media to display their art, and 
when asked about the platform, 
Nelly said it has become a way 
to connect with others.

“I love connecting with all 

the queer and trans people that 
we are able to connect with,” 
Nelly said.

A three-year pilot program 

designed to address the needs 
of Henry Ford College transfer 
students who wish to study 
humanities at the University of 
Michigan will begin as early as this 
summer, thanks to a $1.6 million 
grant fund from the Andrew W. 
Mellon Foundation.

The Transfer Bridges to the 

Humanities @ Michigan program 
is a collaboration between the 
University and HFC, a two-
year institution in Dearborn, 
Michigan. 
The 
University 
is 

hopeful this initial project will 
lead to similar future projects with 
Grand Rapids Community College 
and Schoolcraft College. LSA has 
already dedicated $400,000 to 
establish new transfer bridges 
with both these institutions. 

Angela Dillard, LSA associate 

dean 
for 
Undergraduate 

Education, commented on the 
University’s commitment to the 
success of community college 
transfers in a University press 
release.

michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Monday, February 12, 2018

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

La Casa list 
of demands 
notes years 
of ‘U’ neglect

Ninth annual TEDxUofM event 
features students, entrepreneurs 

ALEXIS RANKIN/Daily

John Pollack speaks at the Tedx University of Michigan event at the Power Center Friday evening.

ADMINISTRATION

Latino community calls for reformed hiring 
practices, greater faculty representation 

AMARA SHAIKH
Daily Staff Reporter

Themed “Black Box: Into the Unknown,” speakers discuss to sold-out crowd

TEDxUofM held its ninth annual 

conference, Black Box: Into the 
Unknown, on Friday with a sold-
out crowd at the Power Center. 
Eight speakers from the University 
of 
Michigan 
and 
Ann 
Arbor 

community presented, focusing on 
how their experiences and choices 
have shaped their lives. The event 
was livestreamed on TEDxUofM’s 
website.

Kinesiology senior Jacqueline 

Katz served as the co-director for 
TedxUofM this year.

“We look for diversity in our 

speakers … so that our students and 
community members who come can 
be interested in multiple talks,” Katz 
said.

Engineering 
sophomore 

Matthew 
Askar 
appreciated 

how different the speakers were, 
emphasizing the significance of the 
content of their talks.

“I used to watch Ted talk 

videos on Youtube, and usually I’d 
watch them related to science or 
engineering, but I’ve never been to 
ones that are a little more creative in 
a way,” Askar said. “I wanted to see 

DANIELLE PASEKOFF, 

RHEA CHEETI, 

RACHEL CUNNINGHAM 

& ABBY TAKAS
Daily Staff Reporters

Program to 
assimilate 
humanities 
transfers

ACADEMICS

Partnership with Henry 
Ford College to begin 
as early as this summer

SHANNON ORS
Daily Staff Reporter

MAX KUANG/Daily

Michigan Alums Alex and Effee discuss their relationship at “Our Love is Beyong Your Imagination” hosted by APAC 
to bring more attention to queer and trans love at the Michigan Union Friday.

CORE program holds presentation to 
give visibility to non-cisgender couples

“Our Love is Beyond Your Imagination” comes in light of Valentine’s Day

TAL LIPKIN
For the Daily

Badgers, beaten

Thanks to some hot 

shooting, the Michigan 

men’s basketball team beat 

Wisconsin, 83-72, on Sunday. 

» Page 1B

See TEDX, Page 2A

With the 2018 elections on 

the horizon, candidates across 
parties and levels of government 
have begun fundraising for 
their 
campaigns. 
Campaign 

finance reports released last 
Wednesday 
by 
Michigan’s 

Secretary 
of 
State’s 
office 

show large sums of money 
flowing 
into 
gubernatorial, 

congressional, 
attorney 

general and secretary of state 
races in Michigan, indicating 
competitive 
and 
expensive 

upcoming elections.

According to the reports, 

fundraising 
for 
this 
year’s 

gubernatorial race is going at 
more than double the pace of 
2010, when incumbent governor 
Rick Snyder, R, was elected. 
So far, the 12 candidates for 
governor 
have 
collectively 

raised nearly $17 million. The 
four 
Republican 
candidates 

have collectively raised about 
$5.8 million and the Democrats 
candidates 
have 
raised 
$11 

million. 

Michigan 
candidates 
vigorously 
raise funds

GOVERNMENT

Unprecedented funding 
outpaces 2010 elections by 
twice the previous amount

MAEVE O’BRIEN
Daily Staff Reporter

GOT A NEWS TIP?
Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail 
news@michigandaily.com and let us know.

Check out the 
Daily’s News 
podcast, The 
Daily Weekly 

INDEX
Vol. CXXVII, No. 74
©2018 The Michigan Daily

N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

CL A S S I F I E DS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

SPORTS........................1B
michigandaily.com

For more stories and coverage, visit

Read more online at 

michigandaily.com

Read more online at 

michigandaily.com

Read more online at 

michigandaily.com

Read more online at 

michigandaily.com

