On the second day of Black History Month, Doechii said this as she accepted the GRAMMY award for Rap Album of the Year:

“Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic, or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be right where you are, and I am a testimony.”

I imagine the black women who make up more than half of the 2024-25 UCLA Bruins Women’s Basketball Team understand this already. Earlier in the day at Pauley Pavillion, the theme was Black Excellence, and it was on display on the court and in the stands. Lauren Betts, the tallest player on the floor, had the most assists, while the smallest, Londynn Jones, had the biggest impact. They both happen to be young black women in incredibly different packages. UCLA fought through a sluggish first half and Minnesota’s pack-the-paint defense to continue their undefeated streak and reign as the number-one team in the country. Meanwhile, Black students were the focus of the in-arena entertainment. Ari Waller hosted as Melanin & Medicine, the National Society of Black Engineers, the Nigerian Students Association, Afro-Latinx Connection,  the Bruinettes, and the members of the Divine Nine made their presence known. 

UCLA women’s basketball home games don’t usually feel particularly black-coded. They don’t have the South LA patina that USC Trojans’ games bring. What UCLA brings to the table is public school charm, enthusiasm, and earnestness. A Bruins athletic event is a student-run affair with current students most in mind. With that comes the centering of their beliefs, hopes, dreams, and the values the school is trying to deliver to them during their time on campus. That includes making room, space, and time for all those who attend and their incredibly varied backgrounds. 

So on this Sunday, a little bit of that Black Los Angeles Soul was in Westwood, and when Lift Every Voice and Sing played before a performance of The Star Spangled Banner, it hit different. American history is filled with violent and despicable acts of regression, and we are in one of those periods now. This time, however, is particularly callous and brazen. Federal agencies are prevented from celebrating or acknowledging identity-based holidays or events, like Black History Month. At the same time, the Trump Administration attempts to roll back years of progress for all Americans.

They not like us.

And, as Alicia Keys would state even later in the awards ceremony at Crypto.com Arena, “DEI isn’t a threat; it’s a gift.”