TCB Nov. 2, 2023 — The GHOE Issue

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

GHOE Your guide to this year’s Greatest Homecoming on Earth

Dos and Don’ts for GHOE PG. 16

PG. 11 Drum majors step up PG. 20

Life on campus PG. 14

UP FRONT | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

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NOV. 2-10

CITY LIFE THURSDAY

Scan the QR code to find more events at triad-citybeat.com/local-events

Old Heavy Hands @ Stock + Grain Assembly (HP) 8 p.m.

Why Bass? @ Blandwood Museum, Carriage House (GSO) 6 p.m.

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Stop by Stock + Grain for Muscle Shoals and punk rock-inspired sounds by southern rock band Old Heavy Hands. Visit stockandgrainhp.com for more information and a schedule of live performances.

SATURDAY

New Music Greensboro presents Why Bass?, an all-bass performance by Alejandro Rutty and a unique set by Travis Williams. Head to facebook.com/nmgso for more information.

MONDAY

Shop the Block @ Downtown (W-S) Hours Vary by Location Shop the Block is back so you can get an early start on holiday shopping! Visit retailers on Marshall, Cherry and other downtown streets for exclusive deals and discounts. Visit downtownws.com/shop-the-block for a list of participating retailers.

Día de los Muertos Art Ofrenda Exhibition @ Center for Visual Artists (GSO) 12 p.m.

In celebration of Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, Caza Azul Greensboro is hosting a free exhibition of ofrendas, or altars built to honor lost loved ones, until Nov. 11 at the Greensboro Cultural Center. Find more information at casaazulgreensboro.org/dia-de-muertos.

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FRIDAY

Holiday Market @ Coliseum (GSO) 10 a.m.

Greensboro Martial Arts Self Defense @ Oak View Recreation Center (HP) 6 p.m.

Get a headstart on your holiday shopping during “The Triad’s Complete Holiday Experience.” Visit hundreds of speciality vendors offering gourmet food and drink, exclusive fashion finds and other great gifts. Visit greensborocoliseum.com for more information.

The November installment of the gallery hop, titled “Wrap it up and Say Thanks,” features new gallery exhibition openings, open studios, shop collection openings and DADA businesses offering gift ideas for the holiday season. In addition to art, enjoy photo stations, an African drum circle and Shaved ParadICE & Occasional Cakes. For more information, visit dadagalleryhop.com.

FLOW: Open to the Unexpected Opening Reception @ Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts (W-S) 5 p.m.

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Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County and artist collective Out of the Blue, made of Marion Cloaninger, Susan B. Marlowe, Marsha Holmes and Beth Andrews are hosting this exhibition inspired by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Region. On view until Jan. 6, 2024. Visit intothearts.org/flow for more information.

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THURSDAY

Chili Cook-Off @ Allen Jay Park (HP) 11 a.m.

Do you think you make the best chili? Compete against other home cooks and let the community decide during this chili cook-off, perfect for the cooler weather. Call 336.883.3509 to register.

The Red Velvet Cake War @ Stained Glass Playhouse (W-S) 8 p.m.

DADA 1st Friday Gallery Hop @ Downtown Arts District (W-S) 7 p.m.

Join Triad Hapkido for an informative, high-energy martial arts self defense class. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information and future class dates.

Stained Glass Playhouse presents The Red Velvet Cake War. In the comedy, the antics of the three Verdeen cousins: Gaynelle, Peaches, and Jimmie Wyvette have become the talk of the town in Sweetgum, Texas. As Peaches and Jimmie Wyvette try to prove Gaynelle’s sanity to a court-appointed psychologist, things spin out of control. Purchase tickets at stainedglassplayhouse. org.

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SUNDAY

$2 Off All Drafts @ The Brewer’s Kettle (HP) 11 a.m.

Take part in this Thursday special at the Brewer’s Kettle. $2 off all drafts! Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

Weekly Single Mingle @ Boxcar Bar + Arcade (GSO) 8 p.m.

Boxcar is hosting a weekly mixer for singles to meet that special someone. Enjoy $4 well liquors, pizza and games while you mingle. More information on the Facebook event page.

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FRIDAY Voices from the Dwelling @ The

Dwelling (W-S) 7 p.m.

Zumba & Dance Fitness Celebration @ 690 Women’s Fitness (W-S) 3 p.m.

Stop by 690 Women’s Fitness for this free Zumba class led by 12-year instructor Amalia Nappo and guest dance fitness instructors. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

Authoring Action has hosted creative writing workshops to amplify the voices of Winston-Salem’s unhoused and housing insecure. Learn more about authors from the Dwelling through monologues, poems and stories they’ve written with the help of local artists Leo Rucker, Tiffany Thompson and Jeremiah “Jazz” Salter. Reserve your space at the Facebook event page.

Live Music with Shane Key @ Brown Truck Brewery (HP) 7 p.m.

Enjoy a selection of craft beer and other beverages while listening to the sounds of local singer/songwriter Shane Key.

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SATURDAY

where they’ll release coffee lager beers on draft. Shop with local vendors, grab desserts from Savor the Moment or make your own custom coffee lager pint with the coffee lager bar. More information on the Facebook event page.

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SUNDAY

NC Dance Festival has partnered with Greensboro-based Dance Project to host a collaborative performance featuring four artists from various backgrounds. James Daniels (spoken word), Damien Mathis (visual art), Seema Kudur Viswanath (classical Indian dance) and Anna Williams (percussion) will “explore the idea of “family” and “family traditions.” Visit Eventbrite to reserve tickets.

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MONDAY

UP FRONT | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

NOV. 11-13

CITY LIFE

Scan the QR code to find more events at triad-citybeat.com/local-events

UNCG Latin Jazz Ensemble @ Carolina Theatre (GSO) 7:30 p.m.

15th Anniversary Celebration @ Tipsy’z Craft Show @ Cooks Flea Market (W-S) Tavern & Grill (HP) 9 a.m.

9 a.m.

Celebrate 15 years of Tipsy’z with brunch and live music

by Davis Tucker. There will also be all-day giveaways and specials. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

In addition to the flea market, Cooks is hosting a craft show featuring homemade items, crafts, holiday items and more.

UNCG Latin Jazz Ensemble specializes in a blend of Afro-Cuban jazz, Afro-Rican jazz and South American music like salsa, merengue and bomba. Performances like these help students develop, strengthen and expand their improvisation skills in music. Purchase tickets at carolinatheatre.com.

Coffee Lager Festival @ Steel Hands Creative Collaboration Exchange + Performance @ The Artist Bloc (GSO) 7 Brewing (GSO) 12 p.m.

Steel Hands Brewing is hosting a coffee lager festival p.m.

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OPINION

“

Homecoming is a chance for us to, one, be unapologetically Black and ourselves.

— Landerson Young, pg. 14

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

“

UP FRONT | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

An ode to the country of my ancestors

by Sayaka Matsuoka

I

1451 S. Elm-Eugene St. Box 24, Greensboro, NC 27406 Office: 336.681.0704 BUSINESS PUBLISHER/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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Sayaka Matsuoka

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CONTRIBUTORS Carolyn de Berry, John Cole, Owens Daniels, James Douglas, Michelle Everette, Luis H. Garay, Destiniee Jaram, Kaitlynn Havens, Jordan Howse, Matt Jones, Autumn Karen, Michaela Ratliff, Jen Sorensen, Todd Turner

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COVER: Photo by Todd Turner Design by Aiden Siobhan

t’s the way the whole

country smells like bamboo tatami mats and yakitori and just-cooked rice and green tea and burning incense.

It’s the way the train rattles and the streams sparkle and the weeds grow out of the sidewalk cracks.

It’s the way the language rolls off of my tongue with increasing ease with each passing conversation or meal ordered.

It’s the way my name is pronounced.

It’s the way the beer fizzes just right and the food tastes like I’m back in my mother’s kitchen.

It’s the way I feel invisible but not in an isolating way, more like the invisibility of a single thread in a carefully crafted handkerchief.

It’s the way the clothes fit.

It’s the way every other elderly couple reminds me of my A-chan and G-chan.

It’s the way people talk quietly on the trains but loudly in an izakaya.

It’s the way there’s shrines on every corner and hill.

It’s the way you can get onigiri, yakisoba pan and purin at the corner 7-Eleven or

Lawson’s.

It’s the way the furiin sounds when the wind blows.

It’s the way beauticians know how to handle my hair.

It’s the way little melodies play every time a train arrives, the elevator opens or when you enter a convenience store.

It’s the way there’s no trash cans on the street but everything is impeccably clean.

It’s the way the strawberry shortcake hits different.

It’s the way speaking here makes me feel proud and self-assured, not alien or strange.

It’s the way my entire body, being relaxed and is more at ease, more in line with every passing day, like it’s remembering how to ride a bike after decades, the muscle memory kicking in.

It’s the way being here makes me feel.

Until next time 日本, thank for everything.

Or as they say in Kansaiben, まいど お おきに.

To suggest story ideas or send tips to TCB, email sayaka@triad-city-beat.com

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NEWS NEWS | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023 The sidewalk at the corner of Gerald Street and 12th Street in Winston-Salem.

PHOTO BY GALE MELCHER

City Beat stories are free to republish, courtesy of Triad City Beat and the NC Local News Lab Fund. See our website for details.

A CityBeat story

Where the Sidewalks End

Volunteers conduct walkability audits in two Winston-Salem neighborhoods

by Gale Melcher | gale@triad-city-beat.com

O

nce you participate in a walk audit, a walk down the street will never be the same.

That sentiment rings true to more than a dozen volunteers who walked Winston-Salem’s Reynoldstown and Slater Park neighborhoods on Saturday morning. Both are located in the East Ward, represented by Councilmember Annette Scippio. Scippio requested audits for these neighborhoods back in June.

In some parts of these neighborhoods, houses sit close together with limited parking space. The slim roads leave little room for street parking, so cars are often parked over the curb and onto the sidewalks in order to leave room for drivers. Many of the sidewalks are narrow, uneven and overgrown with weeds. Some sidewalks are less shaded than others. Crosswalks are a rare sight.

“We have quite a few [neighborhoods] in the East Ward,” Scippio told volunteers on Saturday, “that have been historically Black, and they haven’t gotten a lot of attention over the years.”

Redlining and lack of investment harmed many neighborhoods on the east side of

the city.

“I was fortunate to grow up in a time when our neighborhoods were vibrant: where everybody knew everyone, where most of the people were homeowners, where they looked out for each other and cared about each other,” she said.

But now, with so many people renting houses, “neighbors aren’t neighbors like they used to be,” Scippio said.

Carol Hoover, the vice chair of the city’s Bicycle/Pedestrian/Active Mobility advisory committee, originally presented the walk-audit idea to Scippio.

To Hoover, walking is the easiest form of exercise anyone can do.

“Slap on a pair of tennis shoes, walk out your door and go.”

But people want to walk where it’s safe, Hoover said.

A healthier community is created by making “safe streets for people to be active on,” Hoover said. But the city doesn’t have enough staff to send to every neighborhood to find problem areas.

That’s where city residents stepped up.

Volunteers took to the streets to conduct a block-by-block analysis of the 5

NEWS | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

neighborhoods, noting aspects of walkability such as the width and condition of sidewalk panels, overgrown vegetation obstructing paths, streetlights, road signs and crosswalks — or lack thereof.

Volunteer Rita Brown walked up and down Addison Avenue and Gerald Street. As Brown made notes, the lack of crosswalks and cracked sidewalks in the Slater Park thoroughfares posed a problem, especially for those using walkers or a wheelchair.

The lighting was on the opposite side of the sidewalk. Cars flew through the neighborhood as there wasn’t a posted speed limit. Stop signs leaned.

Tactile ground indicators can help people with vision impairments know that they’ve reached the end of the sidewalk. Some of the intersections along Brown’s route were missing indicators.

Brown documented the location of the problem areas so city staff can solve the issues later on.

What’s the worst thing Brown saw on her walk? Uncovered storm drains that were “so big that even an adult could fall into them,” she said. Many of the drains didn’t have metal grates and were only protected by slabs of concrete.

“I feel like I’ve made a valuable contribution to this neighborhood,” Brown said after turning in her findings from the walk.

“I didn’t realize that the walkability in that neighborhood was that poor,” she said.

‘Winston-Salem is not unique’

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n an interview with Triad City Beat, Hoover explained that the city’s walkability issues are part of a nationwide phenomenon.

“Winston-Salem is not unique,” Hoover said, noting that departments of transportation in municipalities across the country are also short

staffed.

“We have miles and miles of sidewalks that have been installed since the 1930s, 1940s, maybe even before then, and we keep installing sidewalks,” she said. That makes it hard for city staff to keep tabs on all of them.

With aging infrastructure in cities across the US, the citizen-driven walk audit has become very important, Hoover said.

“Once you do this, you become more aware of the surroundings,” Hoover noted.

One of the sidewalks on Triad City Beat’s route had an entire panel missing.

Navigating around something like that can be challenging, and the walk audit makes people “realize how difficult it is,” Hoover said.

Hoover said that the city could fix some issues volunteers found on their walks fairly easily “within the next couple of months.”

Special machines can level the sidewalks, the overgrown vegetation can be cleared, signs can be added and crosswalks can be painted.

“What can’t be done so quickly is that missing sidewalk panel or a missing sidewalk.

Those are very expensive and take a lot longer,” Hoover said.

According to the city’s website, their engineering division uses bond funds, when appropriated, to rehabilitate the city’s sidewalks.

Some compromises will have to be made. For example, installing a sidewalk on a highly-traveled road would take priority over installing a second sidewalk on a street that sees less traffic.

“We really do have to think about what the city can and can’t do,” Hoover said.

Volunteer Kenell Caesar audited Rich Avenue in Reynoldstown, and said that changes definitely need to be made.

“We have to come together as a community to push forward on that movement,” Caesar told Triad City Beat.

Caesar said that the most concerning thing he saw was the state of the sidewalks — littered with lumps and cracks.

“Me and my neighbors, we value our elders,” Caesar said, adding that many older people live in his neighborhood.

They want to be able to “get out and walk without tripping, without falling.”

A fall can be a “major detriment to their health,” Caesar added.

If the city does another walk audit, Caesar said he will “definitely” participate.

“We have pride in our community,” Caesar said, but added that the “optics” are not showing it.

Caesar said that the walk audit “makes you pay attention,” adding, “Imagine what the neighbors are feeling like…when this is right in front of them, in front of their house, and they can’t really do much — if anything — about it.”

NEWS NEWS | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023 City Beat stories are free to republish, courtesy of Triad City Beat and the NC Local News Lab Fund. See our website for details.

A CityBeat story

Homeownership on the Decline New report on housing in Greensboro finds ownership rates have declined, investors are buying in cash

by Gale Melcher | gale@triad-city-beat,com

A

recent report authored by the Center for the Study of Economic Mobility for the city of Greensboro’s Housing and Neighborhood Development department found that homeownership rates have declined in the last decade, with many affordable homes being bought up by investors who purchase stock in cash.

The report “focuses on the ideals” of the city’s current vision and mission statements.

The city’s vision statement professes that Greensboro will be a “community with endless economic opportunities and an exceptional quality of life,” while their mission statement asserts that they aim to shape an “inclusive future for equitable economic opportunity and sustainable, safe neighborhoods through resident focused services and programs.” CSEM is housed within Winston-Salem State University.

CSEM’s Director Craig Richardson is a researcher at WSSU who presented the report’s findings to city officials during a city council work session on Oct. 26.

Richardson’s research showed that homeownership rates have declined in Greensboro over the last few years. In 2009, 56 percent of people owned homes, but that number dropped to around 51 percent by 2021.

One noteworthy aspect of this data is the declining and inequitable homeownership rates.

White homeownership declined from 67 percent to 65 percent while Black homeownership declined from 39 percent to 34 percent.

Homeownership among Asian households increased by two points from 56 percent to 58 percent.

Hispanic homeownership was 46 percent in 2021 — the same as it was in 2009.

“I think the big story here is a widening gap in homeownership rates between Blacks and whites,” said Richardson.

What’s happening to affordable housing in Greensboro?

A

round one in five owner-occupied homes in Greensboro cost less than $100,000, Richardson stated. Houses that sold between $100,000$200,000 have dipped from 47 percent to 40 percent between 2009-21.

Across the country, the availability of homes that go for less than $200,000 is shrinking, and smaller-dollar homes also have the highest denial rates for loan applications, Richardson said.

“What about people at the lower end of the economic ladder?” Richardson asked, noting, “Who could easily afford that mortgage payment but don’t have access?”

According to Richardson’s data, the stock of more expensive abodes has increased in the past decade, ranging in price from $200,000 to more than a half-million dollars.

Richardson said that 70 percent of properties less than $100,000 in Greensboro are purchased with cash, and many are then rented as investment properties.

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NEWS | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

“We have a breakdown in access to mortgage credit,” Richardson stated.

Outside investors buying up property to rent out appear to be contributing to the problem.

“Would you expect the people who pay with cash are probably investors?” Mayor Nancy Vaughan asked.

“Almost all of them, yeah,” Richardson said, adding, “This is part of the story [of] why you have lower homeownership.”

“You’ve got a lot of folks here who are not on the same playing field, who don’t have $80,000 in their pocket to buy a house.”

Additionally, the number of available rental units is falling.

In 2009, around 60 percent of vacant housing units were available for rent or were being rented. That number now hovers around 40 percent.

Richardson added that the city’s poverty rate has subsequently increased.

In 2009, 11.9 percent of families were living in poverty. By 2021, that number has jumped up to 13.3 percent. The total number of families living in poverty has increased from 7,296 to 8,776. It was at its highest in 2016 with 9,720 families.

One in four households in Greensboro are extremely rent-burdened, meaning more than 50 percent of their monthly income goes toward rent, according to the report. For around 50 percent of households in the city, more than 30 percent of their monthly income goes toward rent.

Is there any good news? Richardson said yes: In areas of the city that have been targeted for reinvestment, Black, Asian and Hispanic homeownership rates have been going up sharply since 2015. For example, Black homeownership rates in those areas have gone up from 50 percent to 80 percent between 2009-21.

In addition to the report, CSEM created online interactive maps for the city that compares different metrics such as health outcomes, housing costs, education quality and mortgage denial rates.

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10/26/23 6:10 PM

OPINION | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

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OPINION

EDITORIAL

GHOE and the long arc

H

ow long have I lived in Greensboro, you ask?

Long enough, I say, to remember

by Brian Clarey when white people talked shit about GHOE in public.

Now, of course, the city has come to heartily embrace one of Greensboro’s core events: the Greatest Homecoming on Earth, in all its complexity and luster. And it should be thus. NC A&T State University is the most significant institution in the city, part of its DNA. We’ve got Aggies everywhere around here: in local government, in business and philanthropy, in social work, in athletics, in activism. And let’s not forget that GHOE creates a significant economic impact, affecting the bottom line of so many businesses, small and large, and, eventually, city tax coffers.

But I remember when Greensboro City Council fielded complaints from citizens about GHOE fairly regularly and especially as it came near. They vented about the parade and traffic downtown, the overarching nature of the tailgate scene, the noise — accusations tainted with a sentiment that’s best left to a bygone era.

I know we reported on an effort to curtail curbside vendors when I was editor

of Yes Weekly, perhaps 15 years ago.

The archive of those articles have been scrubbed from the website; contemporary commentary from the Rhino Times’ John Hammer has similarly disappeared from the internet. So I’m forced to rely on my own memory, scarred and pockmarked as it is.

But I remember Councilmember T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, then representing District 1, was the lone voice against city regulation for GHOE vendors and tailgaters, though I recall she eventually brought everybody around.

Just like everybody has come around now!

Now: The mayor of Greensboro rides in the GHOE parade — it wasn’t always that way. Fans, vendors and alumni will take over the entirety of the neighborhood surrounding A&T without fear of violating some hastily construed ordinance.

Throughout this weekend, GHOE’s tendrils will reach into just about every neighborhood in Greensboro — because Aggies are everywhere.

And now, finally bereft of haters — in public! — GHOE holds its place in the pantheon of the Greensboro canon of events. There is nothing quite like GHOE, which means there is nothing quite like Greensboro. To understand their connection is to love them both.

Jen Sorensen jensorensen.com

John Cole

Courtesy of NC Policy Watch

PHOTO BY TODD TURNER

CULTURE | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

the

2023

GHOE Issue

T

he leaves have started to yellow and fall to the ground, indicating that autumn is finally here. The weather is getting colder and that means that major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. But here, in Greensboro, another celebration is taking over the city. And like the fallen leaves in your front yard, we’re all over it.

For this year’s Greatest Homecoming on Earth, we’ve partnered with Triad Voice, a Black, female-owned lifestyle magazine to offer readers a GHOE package.

Stories include insight from students about what campus life looks like in the days leading up to GHOE, a peek at drum majors’ practice sessions and what GHOE means to Greensboro. Plus, we’ve got some tips for how to celebrate like an Aggie.

So get reading, get dressed and get out to celebrate GHOE this year.

IT’S GHOE 2023!

Check out the following events this week as listed on the NC A&T State University website.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3

Aggie Homecoming Football Game - N.C. A&T Aggies vs. Towson University (SOLD OUT)

Aggie Homecoming Step Show - Step Yo Game Up

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; Start Time: 6:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd.

General Public - Purchase through Ticketmaster

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4 Homecoming Parade 8 a.m.

Lindsay Street

1 p.m.

Truist Stadium Call N.C. A&T Ticket Office at 336-334-7749 or go to www.ncataggies.com

Aggie Homecoming Concert Featuring Summer Walker, Lil Durk, Flo Milli, Coco Jones and YTB FATT

7:30 p.m.

Greensboro Coliseum Complex, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd General Public - Purchase through Ticketmaster

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5 Aggie Homecoming Gospel Show - A Come to Jesus Meeting

Featuring Erica Campbell & Travis Greene; Special Guest: Pastor Mike Jr. 6 p.m.

Greensboro Coliseum Complex, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd General Public - Purchase through Ticketmaster For more information, contact the Office of Student Activities at 336-285-4930 or osa@ncat.edu.

Greek Plots

6 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Williams Dining Hall Parking Lot

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CULTURE | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

CULTURE

PHOTO BY TODD TURNER

NC A&T’s GHOE

A celebration of education, success and liberation

I

by Joshua Ridley/Triad Voice

f you do a simple Google search such as, “What is GHOE?” You’ll learn that GHOE is NC A&T’s homecoming. If you read a few journalistic articles, you are bound to come across stories and accounts of systemic racism and violence that is unjustly associated with NC A&T’s GHOE. While these stories may be important and true, it’s a tired narrative. Just how Black actors are tired of playing slave roles, I’m sure NC A&T alumni and other Black Americans, like myself, are tired of having a discourse on systemic racism in association with GHOE. So, this article will only discuss the light, joy and celebration that is GHOE. GHOE is more than an event or homecoming for NC A&T alumni and community members — it is a celebration of modern-day Black American culture. The first ever NC A&T homecoming was held in 1926, and, like many other things in the zeitgeist, it’s nearly impossible to trace back when the term GHOE was first used. Regardless, GHOE 12 is a powerful event filled with celebration and tradition.

GHOE’s magnitude and impact is unimaginable and reaches beyond the Greensboro city limit or state lines. In 2022, GHOE brought more than 40,000 people to Greensboro, which doesn’t include private parties and unofficial events. For perspective NC A&T currently has about 12,000 students enrolled. In 2021, GHOE had an estimated $10 million impact on Greensboro’s local economy.

Given the grandeur of NC A&T’s GHOE, you might find yourself asking what makes GHOE the Greatest Homecoming on Earth? For starters, it’s not just a homecoming, as mentioned before, it is a celebration of modern-day Black American culture. Sure, there are the homecoming staples like the football game, but there is also a parade, concerts, campus block parties and more. There are events like the Aggie FanFest, a three-day event that begins on the Friday of GHOE weekend. One of the most sought out events during GHOE is the Aggie Homecoming Concert which features some of the biggest names in hip hop. Past performers include, Cardi B, 2 Chainz, Ella Mai, Nicki Minaj and Drake, just to name a few. This year’s performers are Summer Walker, Flo Milli, Coco

CULTURE | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

Jones, Lil Durk and others.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been around since 1837, with the mission to further the education of Black Americans — during the 19th Century Black Americans were denied the right to education. NC A&T is the biggest HBCU in the nation and one of the top North Carolina state schools. Founded in 1891, NC A&T has taught, fostered and developed prominent alumni such as US Rep. Alma Adams, Oscar-winning producer Terrence J, former running back for the Chicago Bears Tarik Cohen and many others.

GHOE is a reunion and visual representation of the many strides Black Americans have made in this country. Going from less than 200 years ago where our great-grand mothers and fathers risked death for trying to learn to read, to Ruby Bridges being the first Black American child to attend a newly integrated school in 1960, to now where NC A&T alumni and other Black Americans are serving in the US Congress. GHOE is a celebration of education, success and liberation. It’s the only place in the world that celebrates all these things on a massive level. Simply put, GHOE helps to place Black excellence on the global stage.

GHOE is not exclusive to alumni — that is the beauty of it. Rather you attended the school, have friends or family who did or you want to be a part of the energy exuded on A&T’s campus, everyone is invited and welcome to celebrate.

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CULTURE | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

CULTURE Through an Aggie Lens

PHOTO BY TODD TURNER

The lead-up to the Greatest Homecoming on Earth

O

by Amaia Connell/Triad Voice

n Oct. 29, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, or NCAT, will begin its annual homecoming festivities, welcoming more than 25,000 people to the 800acre university that sits in the heart of Greensboro. The Greatest Homecoming on Earth, or GHOE, includes the congregation of alumni, friends, and future and current students through weeklong events that prove why the university’s homecoming lives up to its self-acclaimed title.

“Homecoming is a chance for us to, one, be unapologetically Black and ourselves. And two, it’s a chance for us to reminisce how far we’ve came as Black people, most importantly, educated Black people,” Student University Activities Board President Landerson Young, an A&T junior, said. “And so, to see how far we’ve came from 1891 to now as a university, it’s just is a certain level of pride that I feel like nobody else other than HBCU students and alum can know and understand. Homecoming is special because you just get to experience Black joy in a different way.”

This year, thanks to the rigorous planning beginning in April by the university’s prominent organization leaders, attendees can enjoy a full week of events, such as the coronation of Mister and Miss North Carolina A&T State University, Aggies at the Met: Through the Elements fashion show, a pep rally with a special guest performance and the annual hip-hop concert featuring headliners Lil Durk and Summer Walker, with performances by Coco Jones, Flo Milli, and YTB Fatt, planned

by Young and Student Government Association’s Vice President of External Affairs Michael Bivens.

“A lot of the events comes from talking to our university partners and UPD to decide what makes the most sense, what do we think our students would want to see, and the safety aspect of what’s going to maximize the fun and happiness, but also keep our students the safest,” Young said. “As far as the concert, we start with a survey that we send out and post on our pages where all our students can fill out. We include some artists on there and then you can add the artists if you don’t see anyone that you truly want. It’s definitely a long process of talking to people of seeing how much they cost, going through background checks for these artists, but usually about the end of summer we know what our lineup is going to look like.”

Young explained the internal and external changes the campus will go through during the week-long event, including working with the Office of Accessibility Resources to ensure all students can fully experience all events, working with the University Police Department to create safety protocols and provide an unforgettable experience for attendees through visually appealing events, speakers and more. The university has already enacted GHOE policies, such as monitoring who is entering and exiting campus at a certain time and more security patrolling campus.

“Including everyone in this experience was a big thing that we wanted to focus on this year as opposed to last year,” Young said. “2020 was a lot, 2021 we were getting back into the motion of things but it was still not there. Last year was definitely a great homecoming, and this year we’re hoping to just match that by giving our students an 14 experience and a chance to just be themselves and be seen in these spaces.”

PHOTO BY TODD TURNER

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CULTURE | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

Aside from planning homecoming, Young’s role as SUAB president include overseeing a board of 11, interns and new members, planning yearlong university events and serving as a friend and colleague to students, crediting her leadership style to her personality, personability and skills learned from previous SUAB presidents.

Still, she found time to appreciate the elements within the university and homecoming planning process that affect her relationship with the institution.

“Each year, my love for A&T grows stronger,” she said. “Even through the process of planning homecoming, it gets stronger every single year when I see the alum during the tailgate and how they treat the students, the future Aggies with their gear on, our royal court, and the parade.

“I’m excited for this year to connect with more alum,” she continued, “and allow them to share their experiences with homecoming and professionally to see where I could possibly be in the future. I think that the fact that we say we have the greatest homecoming on Earth within itself shows our Aggie pride.”

Commonly referred to as “Drip or Drown University,” A&T students are known for a fashion style that showcase the individuality and uniqueness that surrounds this campus, so around homecoming season nothing less is expected.

“It’s tradition to come with your best; even last year I had to come in with my best [outfit],” sophomore kinesiology student Alex Mitchell said “Everybody’s going to be outside with fashion and I like how everybody got their own sense of style and they’re own swag. [Our style] represents Black excellence, Black culture, and what’s new and hot right now.”

Mitchell noticed a shift within the student body as homecoming approaches such as the growth of anticipation. He and his friends prepared for the upcoming festivities by completing schoolwork early, hydrating and reflecting on how the memories created from past homecoming increased their excitement for the upcoming.

“I feel like homecoming is a great introduction to A&T’s culture because you’re going to see all different ages and generations,” Mitchell said. It’s going to be crazy to see like how we’ve changed and evolved and how Aggie still like prevail. We are proud Aggies, and we are the best HBCU.”

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CULTURE | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

CULTURE

PHOTO BY TODD TURNER

GHOE Dos and Don’ts Advice from Aggie alumni

F

by Michaela Ratliff | michaela@triad-city-beat.com

or as long as it’s existed, North Carolina A&T State University’s homecoming has had a list of unwritten rules for students, alumni and Aggie fans to follow and navigate the week with ease. In September 2013, A&T alumni Benjamin Robinson, a video producer and content creator and Darren Brand, a comedian better known for appearing on improv comedy show Wild ‘N Out, created the Instagram page GhoeDosAndDonts and posted original videos comically portraying scenarios that may happen during homecoming, like running into the Aggie by association — the person who can’t state their graduation year because while their parents, siblings and cousins attended A&T, they did not.

Since its creation, the account has grown to boast more than 23,000 followers and has inspired Aggie alumni from various classes to follow Robinson and Brand’s advice and even come up with a few of their own tips for personal safety, financial planning and having fun.

Tyler Ball: A GHOE DO: Go to the YouTube channel of GHOE Do’s and Don’ts and watch the content. This is original content created and produced by A&T alumni: Wild ‘N Out Comedian Darren Brand and Photojournalist Benjamin Robinson.

5. Check the weather and layer up. Prepare for warmer and cooler temperatures throughout the day.

Wear comfortable shoes. You WILL be walking all day!

16 4.

3. Meet people and NETWORK, even at homecoming. You never know who you will

see. Many alumni have changed lives because of GHOE. Jobs have been earned and marriages have been established.

2. SAFETY FIRST. Designated drivers are a critical part of the weekend. Make sure that you schedule your rides. And choose less populated areas to be picked up.

1. The game has been sold out since September. But if you did not score a ticket, you can come to the tailgates on Laurel Street, plus visit the vendors and enjoy live music at Aggie Fan Fest at War Memorial Stadium.

Rohelio Grimes: Eat before drinking. Eat while drinking. Eat after drinking. Remember your age and respect Father Time. He’s still the champ!

Michael Bradford-Calhoun: Buy all your tickets early, carpool and have cash to find parking.

Reginald Mitchem: Don’t wait to buy anything (tickets, outfits, lodging, etc.) last minute.

Fred Jones: Don’t come and go ALONE! Support and buddy system seems corny but life saving.

Brianna Armstrong: HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!!

Damon Jones-Way: WRAP IT UP!!!!

DeSean Little: As Aggies were all family so we gotta look out for each other’s safety.

Angelica Owens: Buy things in advance, get to functions an hour or more ahead of time to avoid long lines, and go in groups but if you do go alone, share your location with your loved ones so they know where you’re at ALWAYS. Be a safe drinker so you are aware of your surroundings. If you leave your cup down get a new one Jerrell Leeper: Buy everything in advance (hotels/Airbnbs, tickets to events, alcohol, etc), drink plenty of water, travel in groups and have cash for parking to name a few.

Hector Gray: Make sure you take a lot of pictures!!!

Joshua Thigpen: When Greeks (members of Greek letter organizations) are strolling, don’t break line, meaning when you see a group of people doing a synchronized dance

or movement in a line, try not to cut into that line. Do not imitate or put on paraphernalia of an org you aren’t involved in.

Audrey Hardy: Do visit the vendors. Don’t be in a hurry to get anywhere; It ain’t happening. Give yourself extra time to get everywhere if you need to be on time.

Ashley Green: Buy events and tickets ahead of time. Don’t be broke during GHOE. If you’re a student, go to class. Professors know y’all are going to skip. They usually make up a quiz/test. Swag Surfing is a must even if you get tired of it. Stay out of Riverwalk (present-day Cottages at Greensboro Apartments) house parties (whatever it’s called now). Summit will be packed, so find food elsewhere. Eat before you drink. Call an Uber/Lyft if needed

CULTURE | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

Isaiah Barco: Buy ahead of time, and be sure to go in a group. Never go alone.

Alesheia Nsenga: Do get your GHOE tickets early.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NC A&T

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CULTURE | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

Chantal Fleming: Put your days off well in advance. Attend Aggie Fan Fest at [World] War Memorial [Stadium]; Must-see attractions. Support the parade. Don’t wear heels to the game. Don’t depend on a game ticket being available the day of the game. Enjoy the various alumni events throughout the city. Support small businesses.

Alita Sutton: Make sure to take a recovery day! I’m just saying!

Christy Walker: Don’t take a nap after the game/yard. You will wake up at like 2 a.m. and miss everything, or so I’ve heard!

Shawnee Haney: Secure a hotel room immediately when next year’s homecoming date is announced as a backup in case you don’t secure a Sheraton room later. Take the Monday after homecoming off. Pay ALL your bills before homecoming; There is always an unplanned purchase you just gotta have. Plan your events to attend early and secure tickets. As for the game, just become season ticket holders.

Vivian Dennis: Park in designated parking only! I say again… park in designated parking only. Just had a conversation with a towing company. He said he knows a company that made $100,000 last year. Yes, ma’am, this was during GHOE weekend. It was $300 to get possession.

Ra’Anne Davis: Do: Get your outfits ahead of time. Get tickets for all of the events ahead of time. Plan out your week starting Thursday. Buy your favorite adult drink ahead of time because on the weekends the ABC store will be out. Get your hotel/ Airbnb months in advance.

Don’t: Show up to campus on Saturday after 5-6 p.m. You’ve missed the fun. Don’t drive drunk.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NC A&T

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CULTURE PHOTO BY BECKETT CLAREY

Joyful Melody

Drum majors step up for the A&T Blue & Gold Marching Machine

T

by Beckett Clarey he majors’ eyes darted from their feet to the mirror in front of them, to the shiny, silver maces laced with ropes of blue and gold in their hand.

They executed a difficult combination of movements while a steady hip-hop beat filled the room. They had spent hours perfecting the combo by themselves, and now they needed to practice doing it all at the

same time.

A few weeks ago, before GHOE, a group of drum majors for the A&T Blue & Gold Marching Machine came together to practice their movements.

When each beat of the 4/4 track hit like a camera flash, they were all in the same position. Beat one, right leg out. Beat two, both arms to their sides holding out their mace.

On three, the tip of three maces were in the air. On four, they kicked into the air. When it wasn’t together, they did it again. When they got it just right, they would do it again.

“Our goal is to look the same,” explained DM Garvin Collins, “When you look across the 20 line, you want to make sure that if your left hand is doing this, that everybody’s left

hand is doing this. I think that’s a piece of the artwork per se that our audience gets to kind of see.”

Headed by Dr Kenneth Ruff, The A&T marching band, known as the Blue & Gold Marching Machine, has been recognized nationally for its polish and originality. They play all the time — for high schools and during A&T home football games; they played in the 2012 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, during halftime of a Detroit Lions football game last year and for VP Kamala Harris when she visited A&T earlier this year. This year they were invited to play in the Tournament of Roses in California, a prestigious event that only 20 bands nationwide were invited to join. The BGMM is currently preparing for GHOE (The Greatest Homecoming on Earth), which will run from Oct. 29-Nov. 5.

GHOE is huge, bringing A&T alumni in from decades past by the thousands, as well as drawing enormous crowds of non-alumni.

Throughout GHOE the BGMM will play for several parades, during halftime of the football game on Saturday, and several more times during the week. But today, they

PHOTO BY BECKETT CLAREY

CULTURE | NOV. 2 - 15, 2023

need to rehearse.

Drum majors, in addition to learning all their difficult movements, hold a leadership role in the band. You can see this in their outdoor practice, where the entire band plays through their pieces while incorporating marching patterns. DM’s Malichi Walker, Cameron Jamison, Garvin Collins and Jaden Hall each stand in front of a quadrant of band members conducting with their silver maces to keep everyone in time. Between takes, they suggest minor changes to the group to maintain a high level of polish and uniformity. When the quadrant needs to drill a specific thing, the DM’s lead in front.

“I think a lot of people, when they think about leaders, they think about the one who’s telling the people what to do,” explains Collins. “I think here we like to think of ourselves as literally serving each individual person of the band — trying to meet them where their needs are because I feel like if we can meet their needs, then they’re likely to give more of an effort when it comes to performing and doing whatever we need to do musically.”

Over the course of their daily rehearsal time, the drum majors run through 22 different combinations. Today, without saying a word, they ran through them together one by one, stomping their feet to the rhythm of the music between takes. But those 22 are just specifically for parades, they say.

“What we try to do for each show, we’ll come up with new routines, so that our audience and our fans get to see a new version of something,” Collins said, “something new and kind of something fresh for when we do it.”

Directly to the left of the drum major’s practice, drummers practiced their cymbal choreography, and one of the majors, Jaden Hall was helping. They all stood in a row and crashed the cymbals to their left and right, gliding between each other while smashing them together above their heads. Hall was watching, adjusting the details of their choreography and demonstrating what he wants from them.

At the end of the long rehearsal, the BGMM runs through a few pieces of music that are mostly finished products. The result is a stunning spectacle of what discipline and effort can achieve. Not including performances or individual practice, the BGMM rehearses for 20 hours a week. Every weekday after school from 5:30-9:30 p.m.

When it all comes together, you can’t take your eyes away. Hundreds of students marching in lockstep, their brass instruments blaring out a joyful melody. The back row, made up of bass and tenor drums, quints and cymbals, provided an intensely upbeat drum line. It was all perfect, each of their hands raised holding their drumsticks in the same place. They waved their cymbals in the air and held their bass drums out to the side in unison. The Drum Majors, taking up space in a square in the center of all the band members, execute the same flashy combinations they had just been drilling for hours. The color guard did their tumbling in unison in a row in front.

They do this all year long, not just for GHOE. But at homecoming, they’re playing for their own.

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Across

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Down

1. 1970s Lincoln Continental 2. Sultanate inhabitant 3. White wine grape that’s usually harvested early 4. Dove’s stance 5. Avoid 6. Sunset direction 7. Pt. of MPAA 8. “Our Flag Means Death” craft 9. Like Michelin-starred restaurants 10. Additive in some moisturizers 11. Ballpoint pen maker 12. Actress Mendes 13. Sales position 21. Best of the best 22. Conjunction with neither 25. Bakery device 26. “It’s deja vu all over again” sayer 27. Spiteful 29. It might be unsweetened 30. Game using a rope 31. Spy’s collection 32. ___-weekly (newspaper category) 33. Annoying pest 34. Burning desire 36. To the back of the boat 38. K-___ (big name in record compilations) 39. Subj. for new citizens’ night classes 44. Actress Stephanie of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” 45. “Forrest Gump” actor Gary 47. Food on a short plane ride, maybe 49. “Head, Shoulders, ___ and Toes” (___ and toes) 50. Get rid of, metabolically 51. Joker’s permanent look 52. Actress Falco 53. Well-mannered bloke 54. Squid sprays 55. Pumpkin-carving mo.

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