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VOLUME 107, ISSUE 10 919 530.7116/CAMPUSECHO@NCCU.EDU WWW.CAMPUSECHO.COM

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Beyond

Sports

Opinions

A&E

China’s Internet censorship strategies exposed

NCCU baseball battles for top seed in Southern Division

After a year of blood, sweat and tears ...

Campus Echo editor says ‘adios’

Black Panthers reexamined in moving Stanley Nelson documentary

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Campus Echo

Climate change in the air

BY JAMAR NEGRON ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Climate change.

Politically speaking, it may be one of the largest elephants in the room.

And N.C. Central University has set its sights on educating both students and professors about the risks and realities of climate change.

In 2012, the NASA Innovations in Climate Education project awarded Delaware State University a $188,0921 grant. Part of this money was granted to NCCU and other minority institutions to improve climate change education on campus.

In their grant application, Zhiming Yang, assistant professor, and William Harris

associate professor, from environmental, earth and geospatial sciences, wrote that the project “aims to prepare underrepresented STEM teachers that are competent for teaching the contents of the Earth, climate, and climate change.”

“In the past, I doubt we’ve had some grant like this,” Yang said.

Yang said the grant has enabled him to bring scholars with more expertise on climate change to NCCU. Professors from Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State have come to campus to discuss climate change.

“They actually know climate change. They have a lot of expertise,” Yang said.

n See CLIMATE Page 2

Robinson new SGA president

BY LEAH MONTGOMERY Business management seniors Shavone Gray and Peter Azuma heddy herry herry herry KIMANE DARDEN /Echo staff photographer

TRUTH AND SERVICE NCCU students give back by helping Habitat for Humanity

BY ALEXIS KEMP ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Students at N.C. Central University have partnered with Habitat for Humanity once again to help build two homes on Spruce Street in northeast central Durham.

This is the ninth year NCCU students have worked with Habitat for the experience of a lifetime – and rack

up valuable community service hours.

Peter Ezuma and Shavone Gray, both NCCU business management seniors, spent much of last Saturday attaching a roof to one of the homes to make it hurricane proof.

“I enjoyed being here — it was a fun experience,” Gray said.

“Just knowing that I did

something this like for someone else makes me feel good.”

“I would do it again!” she said. “I had a good time and the people were really nice.

I did Habitat freshman year.

However, this experience was way more hands-on than the first time, so I would definitely do it again.”

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit Christian housing

ministry founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976 to provide energy-efficient, low-cost housing across the world.

The organization has built more than one million homes for families across the world.

Since 1985, Durham’s Habitat for Humanity has

n See HABITAT Pages 6-7

NCCU mourns student’s death Students and faculty gathered to pay respects for Chekeria Reid

BY JAMAR NEGRON & LEAH MONTGOMERY ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & ASSISTANT EDITOR

A car crash at the intersection of Highway 55 and Crete Street on Tuesday left one N.C. Central University student dead and another hospitalized.

Recreation administration senior Chekeria Renae Reid died in the accident.

She was 22 years old.

Hospitality and tourism sophomore Tariq Jacobs, the driver, was injured in the accident and was treated for a broken tibia at Duke hospital and subsequently released.

According to HBCU Sports, Jacobs has since been charged with misdemeanor death by a motor vehicle.

Police said speed was a factor in the accident.

According to police, Jacobs crossed the median at the intersection of Highway 55 and Crete

Street and hit an oncoming car driven by 27-year-old Joshua Clark.

Clark, who was also taken to Duke hospital, has been released.

Reid was born and raised in Greensboro. She attended Western Guilford High School before attending NCCU. At NCCU, Reid served as a manager of both the football and women’s basketball team.

Mass communication senior Ditanyial Royster met Reid when she came to NCCU. He said Reid was energetic and friendly.

“Whenever we saw each other it was always good times, making each other laugh,” Royster said.

“She was really energetic and goofy.”

“Chekeria was known for being a hard worker, energetic, full of life and a young woman who always wore a smile,” wrote Chancellor Debra Saunders-White in an email statement.

Photo courtesy of Portrait Innovations Professional Studios

NCCU held a memorial and vigil for Reid on April 1 in the O’Kelly Riddick Stadium. Hundreds gath-

ered to pay their respects.

NCCU Director of

n See CHEKERIA Page 2

ECHO ASSISTANT EDITOR

The results are in.

Olivia Robinson will serve as N.C. Central University’s 2015-2016 student body president.

Alongside her, Alesha Holland will be student body vice-president.

Kourtney Daniel-Robinson is set to reign as Miss NCCU next to Omari Collins, who breezed to the throne as Mister NCCU. But this year’s election was not without its glitches.

The election season ran longer than usual, according to political science junior and SGA Student Body VicePresident Olivia Robinson.

“It’s usually 10 days and it was 21 days this year. We usually find out the results at the [Mister and Miss NCCU] pageant,” Robinson said.

This year the Mister and Miss NCCU pageant was held one week prior to voting day, and instead of polls opening at 8 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m., the polls stayed open until 11:59 p.m.

Candidates, their campaign teams and the student body looked forward to receiving the results April 14 at 10:40 break.

Instead, candidates got an email from SGA adviser Kent Williams on Tuesday at 12:29 a.m., saying that there were “allegations” of cheating.

In the email, Williams also said that he would be “investigating each ‘allegation’ and will follow up with the candidates involved.”

History social studies junior Deron Perkins said he saw red flags when his campaign manager sent him pictures of a young woman telling early college students who to vote for.

Among the pictures was a photograph of candidates’ names written on a dryerase board in the early college student lounge.

“I went up the chain of command and went to Kent

Candidates names written on a dry erase board.

[Williams], the SGA advisor,” said Perkins.

Perkins said he later received an email from Keshante Cavin, SGA director of elections and transitions.

The message referred to the SGA’s Elections Handbook Section 6, Letter K: “Candidates are prohibited from polling stations on elections day while elections are taken place.

“Polling stations include computer labs, workstations, and any areas on campus with two or more public computers having Internet access.”

Cavin wrote in the email that because Perkins’ opponent, Olivia Robinson, was not pictured in the presented photos, his claims were invalid.

Additionally, “the young lady in the photos” was not on anyone’s campaign team.

Robinson said she did pay the early college students a visit on election day, but the visit took place after the voting-eligible juniors and seniors had left for class.

“From running my own campaign last year … and from serving on other people’s campaign teams, I knew that early college students could vote,” said Robinson.

“During election season and even before election

n See ELECTIONS Page 2

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

IVERSITY

Ball puts ROTC cadets ‘at ease’

Members of the Army ROTC from N.C. Central University and Duke University enjoy music, food and friends at the Spring ROTC Ball.

TIA MITCHELL/Echo staff photographer

BY TIA MITCHELL ECHO STAFF REPORTER

About 45 Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students from N.C. Central University and Duke University met Saturday night at Durham’s Millennium Hotel to celebrate the blood, sweat and tears they have endured as cadets, at the Spring ROTC Ball.

Each year, a senior cadet is appointed to plan the event.

This year, Lieutenant Colonel Keirya Langkamp, professor of military science at Duke, appointed Duke senior Jeanny Wang.

Wang said her goal was to make good memories for all cadets.

“This ball is a celebration of our cadets and the

hard work they've put in this past year,” said Wang.

“I've been able to develop, mentor, and create lasting friendships with cadets. I really do honor them.”

Senior cadet and Duke basketball player Marshall Plumlee wasn't able to make it to the celebration because he was playing at the NCAA championships.

In his honor, the cadets arranged for the game to be streamed during the ball.

The ball consisted of numerous ceremonies honoring cadets and alumni being recognized for their hard work and success. Guests, cadets and their mentors raised several toasts to the branch that brought them together: the U.S. Army.

NCCU’s OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS STUDY ABROAD • The last of the spring semester First Thursday Study Abroad Information Sessions is scheduled for May 7 during the 10:40 break in 202 Lee Biology Building.

STUDY ABROAD DEADLINES • The campus deadline for the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship application for study abroad for for spring 2016 is September 25, 2015.

• Students interested in study abroad in spring 2016, should start planning now. The campus deadline for applications to study abroad in spring 2016 is September 1, 2015.

• The Fulbright U.S. Student competition for the 2016-2017 is now open. The campus deadline is September 18, 2015. Only seniors and alumni without a Ph.D. are eligile to apply.

expand your horizons

STUDY ABROAD

Contact Dr. Olivia Metzger Jones at ojones@nccu.edu or 919.530.7713

NCCU College of Arts and Sciences “The PRIORITY is Student Success” Carlton E. Wilson, Dean • Army ROTC – Military Science • Aerospace Studies • Art • Biology • Chemistry • CREST/NASA Centers • Environmental, Earth and Geospatial Sciences • History • Language & Literature • Mass Communication • Mathematics & Physics • Music • NC-Health Careers Access Program • Pharmaceutical Sciences • Theatre/Dance

“I joined ROTC because being an officer means you're the top dog but you're also a part of something greater than yourself,” said NCCU criminal justice sophomore Quentin Lashley.

NCCU criminal justice sophomore Brandon Anderson agreed that ROTC is about being a part of something great.

“What made me want to join is that I did it in high school,” Anderson said.

“It would feel wrong for me not to do it. I wouldn't feel complete.”

The evening also consisted of a special ceremony for John Hillen a distinguished guest and Duke alumnus.

Hillen is a 1988 Duke graduate and former ROTC cadet. On Saturday,

he became the first person to be inducted into the ROTC Hall of Fame.

Hillen is currently executive-in-residence and professor of practice at George Mason University's School of Business.

Langkamp hopes her cadets become inspired by Hillen and work hard towards their career goals.

“He just epitomizes leadership excellence,” said Langkamp.

“I think that so many of the cadets in the room with us tonight are as excellent as Hillen was at his young age.”

To end the night, the cadets and the guests took over the dance floor until 10:30 p.m.

It was a night to remember, and a farewell to senior cadets.

CLIMATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 On March 23, Yang organized a guest lecture on climate change with Charles E. Konrad, a UNC- CH professor and director of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

In addition to inviting guest speakers, Yang said he modifies the content of his courses and incorporates aspects of climate change in his teachings.

“This is a way we try to introduce something new to the student,” he said.

In addition to in-class lectures and exercises, Yang also takes students on field trips.

He took his students to the Durham landfill and to a hog farm in Raleigh to measure greenhouse gases with instruments purchase throughout the grant.

“I believe in learning by doing,” Yang said.

“Inside of class we talk about it but we want the students to go out and take measurements.”

Yang said the grant also allowed NCCU to build its own weather station, located on East Lawson Street, where students can record measurements.

“This is not just a weather station you can use at home,” he said.

“It is used for scientific research.”

Yang said the program includes a summer internship for education majors.

Each year, one or two students are chosen to develop

lesson plans that include climate change education.

“We’re trying to talk more about climate change,” Yang said.

Harris, who also incorporated climate change into his courses, said he hopes the courses get students and professors more educated on climate change.

“What we consider successful is to have the average person be able to understand climate change,” he said.

“We want people in this world to be environmentally conscious.”

Williams, who teaches an online weather and climatology class, said he taught exercises in climate change and taught his students on carbon footprints.

He said his students seemed “very enthusiastic” about learning about climate change and enjoyed traveling on the field trips to take measurements.

“The whole idea is to get students into some kind of science,” he said.

“Hopefully this will entice them to do that.”

Williams said the grant has been a rewarding experience, and that education about climate change is a step in the right direction.

“It is a great idea, and I enjoyed doing it,” he said.

“It’s a great idea for the country, for the nation, and for the world.”

ELECTIONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 season, I would go over and talk to them. I have built relationships with some of them, so I know them.”

Robinson said that when she walked in after all eligi-

ble students had voted, she saw a candidate sitting with some students with a laptop open.

One of the four candi-

n See ELECTIONS Page 3

CHEKERIA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Athletics Ingrid Wicker said Reid took her job as manager “very seriously.”

“Chekeria was such a vibrant young woman who would light up the room,” she said. “We will miss her dearly.”

Reid’s department, the Department of Physical Education and Recreation, held a tribute to her life during the April 2 10:40 break in the LeRoy T. Walker Complex.

Physical Education and Recreation Chair Virginia Politano said the tribute went very well.

“She was a big part of the department,” she said.

“She was a leader. All of our students really knew her and loved her. She was a great person, always smiling.”

Politano said Reid was ambitious and “ready to go

out and make her mark in the world.”

Royster said Reid was especially energetic at football games.

“After every football game she was always the most hype person,” she said. “She was always yelling from the nosebleed seats.”

Psychology junior Christopher Murphy said Reid was outgoing.

“She deeply cared for athletics on the campus and she was at every home game and every sporting event on campus,” Murphy said.

“The school lost probably their biggest support system on campus.”

“She’s the type of person that you can get cool with in a short amount of time … she would be there for you no matter what.”

Murphy is critical of the

Health Careers Center 40th Anniversary

decision to charge Reid’s boyfriend with misdemeanor death by a motor vehicle.

“If that’s true then that’s just ridiculous,” he said.

“It’s just the system, you know. I don’t have any statement for that.”

Recreation administration junior London Booker met “KiKi” — as she was affectionately called — through mutual friends.

They became close after living in Chidley residence hall last year.

“She was a real close friend,” Booker said.

“Whenever I needed her she was always there. You could consider her family … like a sister.

“I saw her that day in the caf,” she said.

“We were making jokes, and I gave her a hug and that was the last time I saw

her.”

Booker said when she heard, “the mood was low.”

“Everybody was numb,” she said, but she also said Reid’s unexpected death “brought the campus together as one. Especially the athletic community.”

Booker said she and her friends got the idea of making armbands to honor Reid’s memory.

“We are wearing them as long as we can,” she said.

“About 20 of us got a band, and a lot of those were people on the football team.

“She was just an amazing person all around and we are all going to miss her smile,” Reid said.

To honor her memory, NCCU will be giving Reid a posthumous degree during the May 9 graduation ceremony.

United Christian Campus Ministry 525 Nelson Street, NCCU Campus

Find out more about the opportunities we offer.

Our special programs include the Boston University Early Medical School Selection Program, the NCCU Pre-Dental Program, and the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine Program, and more N.C. Central University

For more than 35 years NCCU’s Health Careers Center staff has been developing pre-health professional students into viable candidates for health and medical careers by providing: • Advocacy • Counseling • Enrichment Activities • Health Career Network Access • Health Career Recruitment • Information • Internships & Shadowing Experiences • Standardized Test Prep Workshops •

JOIN US! Get involved with Campus Ministries today!

Michael D. Page Campus Minister

Contact us for more information 919.530.7128 1242 Mary Townes Science Complex Alfreda D. Evans, Student Services Specialist Durham, NC 27707 Kaye Thompson-Rogers, Ph.D., Director

For more information contact Rev. Michael Page at 530-5263 or by e-mail at mpage@nccu.edu

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Behind the lens

Chioke Brown settles in at University Relations

Chioke Brown reviews photos with one of his public relations interns, English junior Omari Collins.

KIMANE DARDEN/Echo photo editor

BY ALEXANDRIA GLENN ECHO A&E EDITOR

Durham native and 2012 alumnus Chioke Brown is photographer and multimedia specialist in the Office of University Relations at N.C. Central University.

After earning his GED, Brown moved to New York and went to school to learn recording and engineering.

Following that, Brown began producing music at a prominent studio in the city that worked with artists

such as Maxwell, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Naz and others.

In 2006 Brown was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system, and spent most of the year going through chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

“Due to cancer, I spent a lot of time at home and in that time I got involved in heavy blogging,” said Brown.

At the end of 2006,

Brown’s cancer went into remission and he started to consider attending college.

In fall 2008, Brown moved back home and enrolled at NCCU as an English major.

“At first I thought I wanted to be a writer, but I soon found interest in other areas,” he said.

Prior to coming to NCCU, Brown owned two companies, one an eBay power seller and a photography

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An endowment of service

BY TAYLOR FREEMAN ECHO STAFF REPORTER

N.C. Central University students aren’t strangers to applying for scholarships, but most don’t know how these scholarships are funded and how donations to the University are handled.

During the 2013-2014 fiscal year, 5,561 contributions were made to NCCU for a total of $5.42 million.

These contributions came from corporations, organizations, alumni, faculty, staff and other University friends.

It’s a lot of money to keep track of, so former Chancellor James Ammons turned to Frankie Perry in 2006 to serve as president of the NCCU Foundation, the department established in 1972 that serves at the campus “banker” for all donated funds.

Perry had a 40-year career in banking with Wachovia and, after it acquired Wachovia, Wells Fargo Bank.

On top of that she is committed heart and soul to NCCU. “I love NCCU and Durham as a whole,” she said. “I encourage my family members to get degrees from NCCU. It is a great institution

and the NCCU Foundation enjoys serving the campus community.”

Perry, a Durham native, attended Bennett College in Greensboro and then transferred to UNCChapel Hill to earn a sociology degree in Frankie J. 1968.

She Perry then took graduate classes in business at NCCU. “I was working at Wachovia Bank at the time and they paid for my classes at NCCU, so I took the opportunity,” Perry said.

Perry describes her experience at the Foundation as “wonderful.” And she is proud of the work the Foundation does.

“The awards we offer are stellar and we always get things done in a timely fashion. The audits we have are important and we handle them in the right way.”

But Perry doesn’t just do banking for the University’s donations. She also is a star at bringing in donations.

In 2013, Dr. Michel Bourgeois-Gavardin, an anesthesiologist whom Perry had advised on finances, reached out to Perry to talk about his estate.

Perry and “Dr B” as she called him had become close after his wife died.

“We were great friends,” she said, adding that she often took him to dinner, NCCU concerts and events.

She visited him every Tuesday in Duke Hospital when he was sick.

Ultimately, he decided to give half his estate – almost $2 million – to something Perry cared deeply about.

That “something” turned out to be NCCU. Perry describes herself as an avid reader of fiction and non-fiction, as someone who loves BBQ and travelling.

She is a people person who devotes her Sundays to a family lunch with her sisters, nieces and nephews.

Perry said she wants students to become leaders on campus and in their communities. “Have patience, diligence, and strong leaderships skills,” she advised.

“I hope to leave an endowment of service in the future to NCCU.”

ELECTIONS

n See BROWN Page 4

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 dates for Mister Junior, Joseph Able, said he witnessed several election candidates walking around campus with laptops, iPads, and tablets trying to get students to vote.

Able also said that some

candidates were holding unapproved events and posting unapproved flyers for their campaigns.

“It should never get to the point where you feel like you should have to force someone to vote for you,” said

teary-eyed Robinson.

“It just takes all the fun out of it. All of the gratification you get out of serving the students, it takes all of that away when you factor in cheating. Cheaters only cheat themselves.”

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Kane schools NCCU

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IVER SITY

Big Daddy Kane and Shena J keep it real with students on the hip-hop lifestyle

Big Daddy Kane drops knowledge on NCCU students at the Hip-Hop Summit.

KIMANE DARDEN/Echo photo editor

BY KRISTEN ELLIS ECHO STAFF REPORTER

At historically black colleges and universities, hiphop is part of the culture. On Thursday, N.C. Central’s campus was exposed to the culture’s many deficiencies.

Hip-Hop: The Summit, presented by the Student Activities Board, and the departments of Student Engagement & Leadership and History, brought two music figures to speak on a panel about the evolution of hip-hop: Grammy Awardwinning rapper Big Daddy Kane and former K97.5 radio personality and powerhouse Shena J. The event was hosted by Domo, an alumna of NCCU and on-air personality for The Pulse FM, 102.5, who asked questions about the

two panelists’ views on hiphop’s transformation.

“With hip-hop being a culture, it’s a way of life – it’s a way that you live – it’s much bigger than the music,” Big Daddy Kane said.

He believes the downfall of artist integrity and creativity began with a lack of effort on the artists’ part.

“Hip-hop is at a state now where, I guess anybody feels like they can do it,” he said.

“If they feel like they can make ‘what’ rhyme with ‘butt’, ‘kilo’ rhyme with ‘steelo’, they can be a rapper.”

Kane became famous after meeting with legendary artist Biz Markie over 30 years ago, and he said he had it easier than most artists at the time.

While Kane was able to get a deal with major label Warner Bros. Records early

BROWN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 and video company called Cyclopedia Creative Media.

While working for the Echo, Brown became interested in photography, which led him to change his major to mass communication.

Through his eBay company, he learned about lighting and photography equipment, and how to compete with professional photographers.

He became an Echo photographer, then photo editor.

In his sophomore year, Brown and a colleague opened a photo/recording studio for photo and video shoots.

“A client and friend of mine needed a photographer, and before I knew it I shot my first cover which was of Showcase magazine out of Danville, VA,” said Brown.

The gig opened many doors for Brown; he soon started working with Kyle Buckner, owner of Design Skins, who gave him the opportunity to start shooting cars.

Brown shot for caraudio.com and Performance Audio and Sound Magazine (PASMAG) in 2009.

He also shot for such magazines as Showcase and Emerge magazine.

“By my senior year, I began taking school more seriously so my partner and I subleased our studio and I got more involved in my school work.”

After a peer asked him to take graduation pictures, he decided to take pictures at NCCU’s graduation ceremony.

Those pictures caught the eye of the public relations office, and his work was featured in “NCCU Now,” the alumni magazine.

Impressed with Brown’s work, the office quickly hired him as a freelance photographer.

Brown collaborated with Bruce dePyssler, adviser of the Campus Echo; together they created a documentary on the first black high school

in Durham, Whitted High School.

Brown and DePyssler shot the documentary throughout the summer and edited in the fall. They presented the documentary at Duke’s Center for Documentary Studies.

After Brown graduated in 2012, he worked as a freelance photographer. Then, when Robert Lawson, the Office of University Relations’ former photographer, left, Brown was hired as the University’s new photographer and multimedia specialist.

Brown brought a new era of media into the office by introducing videography and documentaries.

“We were looking for someone with a fresh eye who was enthusiastic about the University, innovative, and who can bring new ideas to the university and Chi fit that criteria well,” said Ayana Hernandez, director of the Office of University Relations.

Hernandez said the office receives letters of appreciation about his work regularly.

Brown also works well with student interns, helping them improve their videography and photography skills.

“I came into the PR office with a small vision of wanting to start a web series which is now called Eagle Access where he serves as our advisor, and Chi gave me that opportunity to create a dream into a reality,” said Omari Collins, an English junior.

“Chi taught me how to be a complete package and improved my skills in all areas of mass communications and even stayed late hours to get projects done.

He has been like a mentor to me.”

Brown has helped produce major documents for the University, including shooting the majority of the University’s famous “Happy” video, which landed more than 60,000 views on YouTube.

on, he believes artists working independently is a viable option.

“I think that’s a great thing, from a creative standpoint,” Kane said, emphasizing that no one is hunched over the artist’s shoulders to tell them what they can or cannot do. He also said it’s great financially because it cuts out the middle man.

Both Kane and Shena J had opportunities to reminisce about the beginning of hip-hop.

“You would see cats at block parties lining up to rhyme on the mic. And what they were lining up to rhyme to were songs like ‘Good Times,’ ‘Got to be Real,’ which are disco records,” he said. ‘Walk this Way,’ – that’s a rock n’ roll record.”

The rap legend’s point was that there is no such

thing as original hip-hop music because it derived from an unsuspectingly amazing cacophony of genres.

Shena J was very critical of the turn that hip-hop has made.

“Nowadays, I don’t know – it’d be 20 people on stage—I don’t know which one is the artist. It looks like they just came off the street half the time because they don’t put no effort in their performance,” she said.

Domo asked Shena J for her female perspective, as she believes modern artists “no longer love us. They now want us to be their ‘thots,’ want us to be part of love triangles; that we’re everyone’s ‘trap queen.’”

Shena J said back in the old hip-hop days, artists may have been talking about the objectification of women “but they were smooth with it. You had to dissect the lyrics if that’s all they were really trying to say.”

According to Kane, hiphop’s problems didn’t just start recently.

“Back in the day, this was a situation we used to run into a lot with bootleggers – people who made the fake cassette and fake CDs and sold them for a lot cheaper.

People would buy those instead of buying the actual product,” Kane said.

“We have to support one another…when some new Italian designer or somebody new comes out with something, you’re quick to spend your last, you’re gonna break yourself to cop that because it’s the new, hot thing. Well take your money and put it back in your community,” he said.

MSCM launches Tyler Perry class

BY JAMAR NEGRON ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Love him or hate him, you’ve watched at least one of his movies, seen at least one of his plays, or watched at least one episode of his three sitcoms.

Now, Tyler Perry’s extensive body of work will be the center of discussion in MSCM 3660: “Reading Tyler Perry.”

Mass communication associate professor Shauntae White, who created the class, said she first saw how Tyler Perry polarizes people in 2010 at the National C o m m u n i c a t i o n Association Convention.

White got special permission to present a panel on Tyler Perry’s recently released movie, “For Colored Girls.”

The feedback from the panel, she said, was intriguing.

“It was interesting that most academicians can’t stand him,” she said, “but your average black churchgoers are always like, ‘hey did you see the new Tyler Perry movie?’”

After the conference, White contributed a chapter to the 2013 book “Interpreting Tyler Perry: Perspectives on Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality.”

She said she was one of the only authors in the book to defend Perry’s work.

“I think he does a really good job with the portrayal of the black preacher and the black church,” White said.

She said she got the idea for the class after she contributed to the book.

“After the book came out, I just thought ‘well, let’s just do a class on this,’” she said.

The accelerated eightweek media criticism course will use Tyler Perry’s works to analyze and discuss representations of race, class, gender, and religion in popular culture.

White said Perry’s ability to create debate with his productions make critiques of them interesting.

“It’s complex, just like we are,” she said.

“Media images are powerful. Even though we say they don’t influence us, they really do.”

White said using popular culture can help students learn the tools to be “critical consumers” of media.

“The popular culture gets the student, and then we can still achieve the same goal,” she said.

“I hope it’s a fun way to learn how to develop the tools to analyze media critically.”

White said to better educate students who want to more critically analyze popular culture and media, a proposal has been submitted to rebrand communication studies as media studies.

“This [class] is hopefully a part of the change in media studies that we’re trying to move to,” she said.

“Reading Tyler Perry” will take place Tuesdays and Thursdays in the fall.

Available now The genealogy, the genius, and the vision of JES 1909-1947 AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.HLSUGGS.COM For more information contact Henry Lewis Suggs at Suggs314@aol.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Henry Lewis Suggs Henry Lewis Suggs is a distinguished and published scholar of American history. His academic concentrations are the American South, African American history, and African American journalism.

He earned his Ph.D. in American history from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1976. At Virginia, he was awarded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. His first teaching assignment was at Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina. He was WCU's first African American faculty member. An academic scholarship was later named in his honor. He taught at Howard University, Washington, D.C., for a number of years, and was selected for the faculty of Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, in August 1983. In 1992 he became the second African American faculty member at Clemson to be promoted to the rank of full professor.

James E. Shepard This essay, which is available at www.hlsuggs.com for $25, is an important contribution to the history and historiography of James E. Shepard and N.C. Central University. The essay represents Henry Suggs’ most scholarly and comprehensive essay ever on NCCU’s history. It is designed to uplift the spirit, image and to highlight the Eagle Nation, Eagle Pride and campus spirit as well.

At Clemson, he taught American history, the American South, and African American history. In February 1994, he was selected as the first Dupont Endowed Visiting Chair at Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Virginia. Also during his career at Clemson, he was selected for a twelve-week summer fellowship at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. In 1997 he was selected as a W.E.B. Du Bois Scholar at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dr. Suggs retired as Professor Emeritus of American History from Clemson University in 2003.

In August 2003, Chancellor James H. Ammons of North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina, appointed Dr. Suggs scholar in residence at NCCU. His assigned duty was to write the history of NCCU. Dr. Suggs has edited and authored numerous books on African American journalism, and his scholarly articles have appeared in journals such as The Harvard University Business Review, The Journal of Southern History, The American Historical Review, The Journal of Negro History, The Virginia Historical Review, and many others.

Beyond NCCU

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

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Website chronicles China’s Great Internet Firewall

One of China Digital Times' reoccurring features is "Minitrue," short for Ministry of Truth. It consists of censorship instructions sent by the Chinese Communist Party to state media and then leaked to China Digital Times. This one from April 9, 2015, instructs state media to tone down reports on recent explosions at a chemical plant that began to receive wide attention on the Chinese internet.

Photo Courtesy China Digital Times (TNS)

BY STUART LEAVENWORTH MCCLATCHY FOREIGN STAFF (TNS)

NCCU Catholic Campus Ministry is offering Sunday Mass for Students, Staff & Friends 5 pm Sunday, April 19, 2015 Venue: The Little Chapel next to Eagle Landing (1801 Fayetteville St., Durham)

Bring Friends As You Come!

For more information call us at 919.801.0428

Rev. Fr. Joseph Oji, C.S. Sp. NCCU Catholic Campus Ministry

Campus Echo Online www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com

BEIJING — The Chinese Communist Party operates out of a vast walled-off compound, known as Zhongnanhai, near Beijing’s Forbidden City. It is here that party leaders oversee the Great Firewall — China’s 24-hour control of the Internet.

Some 5,900 miles away, in a cottage in Berkeley, Calif., the staff of China Digital Times tries to poke holes in the Great Firewall.

Xiao Qiang is chief editor of China Digital Times, a Berkeley-based Every day, they collect, translate and publish many web site that tracks China’s internet, publishes censored Chinese web postings and reports censorship instructions issued to of the censorship directives the party sends to Chinese state media. Foreign Policy magazine recently included state media. They aggreXiao in its “Pacific Power Index” as one of the 50 people most gate breaking news deemed influential in shaping the U.S.-China relationship. “sensitive” by China’s STUART LEAVENWORTH/McClatchy DC (MCT) rulers and highlight the code words Chinese people many as 100,000 people to from Indiana to China, invent to get around the monitor and remove posts where he spent weeks liscensors. it finds objectionable. tening to stories from his “There is no way you China Digital Times has shaken countrymen, could take all these critical six, spread from California including survivors of voices and party directives to Washington, D.C., and Tiananmen. The experiand put them together on Vancouver in Canada. ence changed him, he said. one website in China. It In a typical posting, He soon lost interest in would be taken down China Digital Times report- astrophysics. When he immediately,” said Xiao ed Wednesday that censors returned to Notre Dame, he Qiang, chief editor of China have instructed media not said, his doctorate adviser Digital Times and an to play up coverage of had dropped him for skipadjunct professor at the recent explosions at a fac- ping out.

University of California, tory that produces paraxyXiao moved to New York, Berkeley. lene, a highly toxic chemi- where he found a job with a “But outside the Great cal. fledgling group, Human Firewall you can do that.

“Do not place news of Rights in China. He served And that is what we do.” the Zhangzhou, Fujian PX as the group’s executive Since Xiao founded explosion in lead story sec- director for more than a China Digital Times in tions of news agency web- decade after 1991.

2003, it has become a go-to sites,” the directive read.

Late in 2001, he woke up site for English speakers Several websites quickly one day to learn that the wanting to keep up with complied.

MacArthur Foundation had China’s Internet and its 640 Xiao, 53, took an unlike- awarded him a “genius” million “netizens.” ly route to digital activism. grant. The timing was apt, But China Digital Times Born in northern China, he he said, because he was doesn’t cater only to came to the United States feeling burned out and in English speakers. After in 1986 to obtain a doctor- need of something new.

China blocked access to the ate in astrophysics from the For Xiao, political site in 2006, Xiao made University of Notre Dame. reform in China can’t happlans for a Chinese-lanLike so many Chinese pen soon enough. Because guage site, which he students of that time, of his human rights work, launched in 2011.

Xiao’s studies were inter- Beijing forbids Xiao from China blocked that site rupted by China’s suppres- returning to China, even to as well, but Xiao said his sion of the 1989 protests in visit his family. team uses a variety of Tiananmen Square.

While that didn’t matter methods to make China Sitting in a Berkeley to him a few years ago, Digital Times accessible in cafe recently, Xiao recalled Xiao said his 80-year-old China. how his emotions welled up father is now ill and unable These include email after learning the govern- to visit him in the United lists, social media and ment had opened fire on so States. “mirror sites” that can’t many young people.

Asked about China’s easily be blocked.

“At that moment, I really future, Xiao had this to say: Imagine confronting wanted to do something,” “I have no fear China will Goliath with pebbles, and he recalled. “And the only be unable to change. What I you have some sense of thing I could do was — go fear is that I will not be China Digital Times. China back.” able to see my father before is thought to employ as Two days later, Xiao flew he dies.”

@campusecho

TWO HABITAT HOMES RISE FROM THE GROUND W

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Future Habitat for Humanity homeowners, Shaunte Bostic and Crystal Williams, are getting started on their 200 hours of “sweat equity.”

“Joe,” a Habitat for Humanity volunteer, marks a cutline for house being built on Spruce Street.

Two Habitat for Humanity homes in different stages of completion on Spruce Street in Durham. The Habitat homes will average about 1,200 square feet.

HABITAT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

helped more than 600 families get into homes, 400 locally and 200 internationally.

AmeriCorp volunteer Sandra Fleming, site supervisor for the two Spruce Street homes, said she loves working with college student volunteers.

Fleming, who was born and raised in Scotland, has been with Habitat for Humanity for two years.

“I’ve helped build ten homes since

working with Habitat and 70 percent of the Habitat houses are built by volunteers,” she said.

Fleming said Habitat’s “Collegiate Challenge” arranges for students to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity during school breaks.

“In addition to NCCU students, we also had students from Boston, Baltimore and New York volunteering to help build this home,” Fleming said.

“We rely on a lot of college groups,

church groups and both small and large businesses to volunteer.”

On Saturday, Ezuma and Gray worked alongside 12 high school students from Saint Kateri Tekakwitha High School in Schenectady, N.Y. Future home owners Crystal Williams and Shaunte Bostic, both thrilled about the prospect of becoming homeowners, also were on site providing the “sweat equity” required by Habitat for Humanity.

“This is a big step for me,” Bostic said.

“I’ve always wanted this, and I just hope everything goes right with it.

They said the house should be ready by the end of the summer. All I have to do is fill out the paperwork.”

Bostic said she had nothing but admiration for the individuals who were helping build her new home.

“It’s a great, fulfilling feeling,” she said.

“Doug,” a Habitat for Humanity volunteer makes yet another perfectly straight cut.

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A&E

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Panther history reexamined

Nelson documentary weaves together the tale of 60s black radicals

BY C HANEL N ORMAN ECHO STAFF REPORTER

It was April 1968: American involvement in the Vietnam War was escalating (as were protests against this growing involvement), Martin Luther King, Jr., had just been shot to death while standing on a walkway in a Memphis motel, and America’s inner cities were exploding with rage. Almost one-third of African Americans were living below the poverty line; two-thirds lived in urban slums.

Many civil rights leaders were losing patience with the pace of change.

It was then that a small organization – the Black Panthers – founded in 1966

by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, California, began to grow and radicalize and arm itself for selfdefense. The Black Panthers were founded on the principles of black nationalism, self-sufficiency and socialism.

“We used the Black Panther as our symbol because of the nature of a panther, panthers won’t strike anyone … but if the aggressor continues then he would strike out,” says Black Panther leader Huey Newton in footage from a new documentary.

Stanley Nelson’s “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution” was shown to a sold-out audience Saturday at the 18th Annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham.

Nelson, who teaches documentary production at

Photo courtesy The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

Morgan State University in Baltimore, is a recipient of a McArthur “Genius Grant,” and a National Humanities Medal for “turning a camera on both the well-known and unknown narratives of African Americans.” Nelson has directed 12 documentary features.

“I was 16 in New York and all of a sudden you hear these people with leather jackets and sunglasses looking so cool and talking about revolution,” said Nelson.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the Panthers, and as a filmmaker it’s just a wonderful story.”

Nelson’s documentary examines the rise and radi-

calization of the Panthers, which originated as a small group of community activists who eventually established nationwide inner city programs that included free breakfast, health clinics and clothing for poor communities. The group’s motto: “Serve the People Body & Soul.”

“The thing that led to the Panthers was what we were seeing on television every day: attack dogs, fire hoses, bombings,” Black Panther Jamal Joseph says in the documentary.

The Black Panther platform and program, “What we want/What we believe” was outlined in 1966 with the fol-

lowing demands: freedom, reparations, decent housing, non-racist education, exemption for blacks from military service, and full employment.

Today, some of these demands feel particularly relevant: fair and impartial trials of blacks by their peers so that prisons aren’t simply holding facilities for poor African American men and “an immediate end to police brutality and murder of black people.”

The documentary also traces the heartbreaking downfall of its founding leaders.

Newton eventually got caught up with drugs, and on

August 22, 1989 was fatally shot by a drug dealer after leaving a crack house in West Oakland.

Seale left the Black Panther Party in the late 1970s after allegedly getting into a serious altercation with Nelson.

Seale published his autobiography “A Lonely Rage” in 1978.

“The great strength of the Black Panther Party was its ideals and its youthful vigor

and enthusiasm,” Black Panther William Calhoun says in the film.

“The great weakness of the party was its ideals and its youthful vigor and its enthusiasm. That sometimes can be very dangerous, especially when you’re up against the United States government.”

Nelson said his next documentary project will examine historically black colleges and universities.

Kickin’ off NCCU’s Jazz week 12345 1234 123 12

cert.

“Energy from the audience is really important along with the energy that we as performers give each other in order to become one as a band is very important.

“Being a part of the department is a great experience and it’s almost like being in warm community.”

Baron Tymas, associate professor and director of combo one, said he was pleased with the outcome of the first concert of NCCU’s jazz festival week.

“I have been teaching in the music department for 14 years and it has been a privilege to with all the talented students and faculty.

To be able to work with all of these different points of views and talent is a pleasure,” said Tymas.

On Tuesday, April 14 from 10 am to 6 pm, there will be morning work-

Trending Topic #FTW (For The Win) #WTF (What The ...) #FAIL

3DT R A S H

Kat dahlia My Garden Epic 3out of 5 on the black hand side

Kat Dahlia, a rising Alternative R&B artist, recently released her debut album “My Garden.”

Since then, Dahlia has gained a lot of attention for her heartfelt raps and songs.

The songs “Gangsta” and “Crazy” became chart toppers as soon as they were released.

“Gangsta” is a raw track.

The flow in her rapping, and the content of her lyrics says it all.

It's an aggressive, outspoken song that doesn't need a lot of explaining because of its straightforward nature. “Crazy” on the other hand, gives off a different vibe than “Gangsta.”

The lyrics become stuck in your head because of its infectious, cheerful tone.

The nature of this song is the opposite of “Gangsta” but the upbeat energy and the story of innocent jealousy can keep anyone singing along.

“My Garden,” wasn't as strong as the others that followed it.

It lacks a few elements here and there. It doesn’t give the listener much to

bite into. A few songs almost came in as strong as “Gangsta.”

“Mirror” is on par with “Gangsta” regarding its creativity and substance.

The impact is weaker but still a great listen. It draws you in and. You can’t label it as a soulless, purposeless ballad.

The most stripped down song on the album “Just Another Dude” was the perfect closer.

With only an acoustic guitar, under producing the song worked out in Dahlia's favor. The atmosphere is intense and gritty.

Every emotion and sound was amplified.

The words brought to life instantly by her fiery energy.

“My Garden” had a rough flow. The choppy transition from track to track hindered the album.

“My Garden” deserves credit for attempting to be different from other artists.

There’s space for improvement but Dahlia can make it far. She has heart, soul and a unique voice that fits only her.

Dahlia's style isn't everyone's cup of tea but she's the artist to watch out for.

—

Tia Mitchell

First year Graduate Jazz studies student Lance Garrett.

shops with middle and high school choral directors, a 1 pm master class will be taught by guest Dr. Trinece Robinson-Martin, followed by the vocal Jazz summit and concert of student vocal-led combos and guest middle and high school group at 7 pm.

On Wednesday, April 15, the NCCU Jazz Faculty Concert will be held at 7 pm.

On Friday, April 17 there will be a master class at 2 pm followed by a trumpet summit concert with guest artists Marcus Belgrave and Russell Gunn where NCCU vocal Jazz ensemble directed by Lenora Helm Hammonds will be the opening act.

On Saturday, April 18, there will be a 4 pm master class with Steve Wilson/Clarence Penn quartet followed by a concert featuring guest artists Steve Wilson and Clarence Penn quartet.

NCCU’s Catholic Campus Ministry offering Sunday Mass for Students, Staff, & Friends

ALEXANDRIA GLENN/A&E Editor

BY ALEXANDRIA GLENN A&E REPORTER

N.C. Central University’s 25th annual Jazz festal week began with a strong kick off with the Jazz combos concert on April 14, 2015 in the BN auditorium.

All three combo jazz performance classes performed three to four selections per performances.

Dwayne Jordan, a Jazz studies graduate student, performed in the first combo selection.

“I graduated from Winston Salem State

University and the music department here at NCCU drew me to come here,” said Jordan.

To be in the Jazz combos each student had to audition to be placed in any of the four combo classes depending on how well each musician performed.

The Jazz department usually has a concert each semester along with a concert during each annual Jazz festival week.

Julia Price, a music senior, performed with the combo two class and said she was very pleased with the outcome of the con-

5 pm Sunday, April 19, 2015 Venue: The Little Chapel next to Eagle Landing 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham

Bring Friends As You Come!

For more information call us at 919.801.0428

Rev. Fr. Joseph Oji, C.S. Sp. NCCU Catholic Campus Ministry

Sports

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NCCU kicks off spring football Offense slims past the defense with a 36-33 win in Friday’s spring game BY

LYNDON BASS

ECHO SPORTS REPORTER

The reigning co-champions of N.C. Central University’s football program had their annual “Maroon vs. Gray” spring football game Friday, April 10.

With nearly 1,000 fans inside of the O'KellyRiddick Stadium, many people saw the old and new talent displayed on the field.

The Maroon offense recorded 394 yards of total offense, with 243 yards passing, and 151 yards rushing.

College Park native and transfer receiver Khalil Stinson gave the Eagles a new spark with his 10 catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

The Gray defense picked up right where they left off last season on the positive side.

First Team All-MEAC cornerback Mike Jones, who recorded three tackles and an interception. Safeties C.J. Moore and Tony Williams IV also led the defense with five tackles each.

Returning quarterback Malcolm Bell had 79 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception on 9 completions for 19 attempts.

Bell was also All-MEAC Second Team quarterback last season and rushed for 32 yards on 10 carries.

Head coach Jerry Mack leads team out of tunnel before home game vs. Howard University in 2014 season.

MARKELL PITCHFORD/Echo staff photographer

“I feel like as an offensive unit, we went out and moved the ball up and down the field. Also, we played with great energy from start to finish,” said Bell.

Bell helped lead the Eagles with his quarterback play after he was selected the starting job the fourth game of the season last year.

“My off-season goals are

to ultimately work on my craft as a quarterback and gaining some weight. Our team this year is ready for another championship. We didn’t lose a lot from last

year as far as personnel,” Bell said.

“With our mindsets, I feel like we will be a force to reckon with in the MEAC conference. The goal is to

be outright champions and we will do whatever it takes to reach that goal,” he said.

Without the center there is no quarterback and Carl Jones is a center that the MEAC knows very well.

“I felt like the spring game was definitely a success,” said Jones.

“Both the offense and defense showed signs of progress and we were both able to dominate at different points in the game.”

“We both competed and got each other better.

Offense improved a lot from the last scrimmage, but we need to execute more and learn to finish,” Jones said.

With the key returning players from last season, this year the team feels there is a slight chance for a repeat if they work hard enough.

“I feel like this team definitely has the potential to win the MEAC outright this year but at the same time there is a lot work to do.

This summer will be huge because we have to come to work every day and constantly improve. A 1 point loss to Morgan State is what kept us from being outright MEAC Champs,” Jones said.

The Eagles will play their first game of the season at home against St. Augustine University at 6pm at O’Kelly – Riddick Stadium.

NCCU baseball still fighting for first Eagles split doubleheader with Bethune-Cookman to keep Southern Division tight BY

AVERY YOUNG

ECHO SPORTS EDITOR

With the end of the winter season comes the spring.

And with the startup of the spring season comes the fever of baseball — something that has been missing from N.C. Central University for a couple of years now.

NCCU’s baseball team hasn’t finished a season with a winning record in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference lately.

They have not struggled tremendously but have failed to finish with a winning percentage of over .500 since the season of 2012.

But as of April 2015, the team is competing for the number one spot in the Southern Division of the MEAC. Heading into Saturday’s doubleheader against the Wildcats of BethuneCookman (11-4 conference, 14-23 overall), the Eagles (95, 15-16) trailed them by a game in conference play.

NCCU redshirt senior, left-handed pitcher Jordan Quinn faced off against BCU’s Keith Zuniga in the first game of the doubleheader Saturday afternoon.

Quinn lasted to the fifth inning after striking out three, allowing eight hits and four earned runs.

NCCU’s offense was sparked by outfielder, Carlos Ortiz, who went 2-3 with a solo homerun and infielder, Trevor Theissen, slung a double into left field, to pick up an RBI. However, the Eagles could not pull off a late rally and fell short to the Wildcats in game one, 4-2.

Junior right-handed pitcher, Alex Dandridge took the hill to start the second game for the Eagles.

Dandridge loaded the bases before allowing a run then striking out two consecutive batters to end the first inning.

The Wildcats did not hold that one run lead for long.

NCCU third baseman, Eric Kimber, led off the bottom half of the first by reaching base with a hit by a pitch.

Later he was driven in by Ortiz on a groundout to second base, knotting up the score at one.

In the next inning for the Eagles, designated hitter, Ronald Thompson, displayed his strength at the plate by blasting a solo home run over the right

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field fence giving them a 2-1 lead.

NCCU’s one run lead did not last long due to BCU’s bats heating up in the third inning.

BCU’s Mijon Cummings knocked in a run and Austin Garcia cleared the bases with a 2-RBI single.

Then relief pitcher, Kyle Shields came in from the Eagles bullpen for Dandridge to hold the game still at 4-2 in the third inning.

Not only did Thompson show off his batting skills, he also showed his speed as well.

Thompson walked to lead off the fourth inning, then stole second and third base on consecutive pitches.

Theissen then brought him in with an RBI single to chop BCU’s lead down, 4-3.

In the fifth inning, Mitchell McCrary singled, Ortiz walked and Christian Triplett dropped down a bunt to load the bases.

Thompson was set up for the perfect baseball scenario and executed by smacking a grand slam way over the buildings behind the right field fence to give the Eagles their first lead of the day, 7-4.

The next at-bat for NCCU, they tacked on another run to increase the lead by four.

With help from relief pitcher, Blake Morgan, closed up an 8-4 victory for the Eagles by recording a six-out save, which was his

first of the season.

With the split of the doubleheader, BethuneCookman remained in possession of first place.

However, the Eagles did win the weekend series by beating the Wildcats on Apr. 12, 8-3.

BCU’s record is now 12-6 in the MEAC and NCCU trails them by a half of game with an 11-6 record.

The Eagles have 12 more games before the MEAC tournament and half of them are home games at the Durham Athletic Park.

Ronald Thompson hits a go ahead grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning.

AVERY YOUNG/Echo sports editor

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Opinions

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

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hen people think about “discrimination,” a majority of the time the focus is on racism.

In the U.S. of America, combating discrimination in the AfricanAmerican community has taken a life form of its own.

For the Amanda sake of equalHolmes ity, people have participated in Civil Rights movements, written books denouncing the evil of shunning others, and have also led nationwide campaigns to promote egalitarianism.

But what about people who differ in sexual orientation?

This is where some people grow silent.

Accepting people for who they are seems to only resonate with people if the topic is race.

Some of my classmates have used religion, especially Christianity, to promote the idea that everyone is racially equal in “God’s eyes.”

But these same individu-

W

als readily expressed “God's hatred” of anyone who isn’t “heterosexual.”

We all know about the controversy concerning the Indiana General Assembly and their proposed bill.

The Indiana state government attempted to use the historical Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to allow private parties to have legal defense against accusations of LGBT discrimination.

Essentially, any private party could choose to not serve someone who was “gay” if their religion would be burdened. If sued, they could assert the RFRA for protection.

Thankfully, this bill received enough backlash that the Indiana legislature has amended the law.

Despite the adverse reaction, I still witnessed staunch support from people for the Bill.

The First Amendment, in the Constitution allows citizens the freedom to practice religion and to speak freely.

But does this give people the right to use their religion to reject others?

No, everyone is entitled to a personal belief. And it should not be used to enact laws or policies that con-

done discrimination.

There must be a line drawn; let’s separate personal beliefs from being used to negatively affect others.

When religion is used in lawmaking, it’s no longer personal. It evolves into a legalized belief, implying everyone must heed.

There was a time in America when whites used religion to condone slavery, to segregate whites and blacks. Men also used religion to condone the suppression of women.

In fact, religion used against women, is still ongoing today in other countries.

Nowadays, religion is used, yet again, to discriminate against those who are a part of the LGBT community.

When will it all stop?

We should always remember that although our lives revolve around faith, your faith does not involve other lives.

Laws in America should be for the benefit of all citizens.

We are all equal despite our racial, sexual, physical, emotional, and spiritual differences. Keeping that in mind will make you a better person.

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May 9, 2015

Silent Spirits Nowadays, religion is used yet again to discriminate against those who are a part of the LGBT community.

When will it all stop?

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You, alone, determine how the rest of your life will pan out.

So, from this point forward, instead of viewing graduation day as judgment day, or dooms day, let’s view it as the day we break the chains society has placed on us and become the true leaders.

I

s graduation a day of chills or thrills?

Many graduating seniors share my sentiments toward graduation.

Is graduation a time that we should evoke excitement or fear?

Is it an occasion that Brittany should make “Bee Jack” us shed tears of joy or anxiJackson ety?

With less than a month before the long awaited commencement ceremony, I still am not certain about my plans following graduation.

We live in a society where we are taught to have plans. As I’ve grown, I realized this is the cause of most stress.

Thinking that I need to have everything figured out all the time makes me very anxious.

Most graduating seniors are in their early twenties.

These are the years we’re supposed to discover our passions, truly find ourselves and what makes us happy.

Yet, we have been conditioned to believe that we need to know what we want to do for the remainder of our lives as soon as we walk across that stage.

There is so much pressure and influences.

Family, friends, professors, and our own internal voice are telling us different things.

We don’t take the time to sit down and evaluate our own options.

This last month should be a time of reflection and joy.

Yet, we’re scrambling to ensure we have all the necessities to graduate.

Triple checking the number of credits and our community service hours, making sure we have no financial holds, sending out invitations, etc.

We are juggling all of this, while simultaneously trying to effectively decide what our next steps will be.

So what will we do?

How do we alleviate some our stress and endless thoughts?

We can start by adjusting our perspective.

Instead of viewing graduation as a stressful, scary, or confusing time, view it

as an exciting new season in our lives.

Yes, we may not know the next step, but ultimately we’re limitless.

We are not restricted, our opportunities are endless, and we can become anyone.

We have paid our dues in undergrad. The time has come to live for ourselves.

We have been sticking to a monotonous schedule for four years, now we can live freely and explore all of the options this massive world has to offer. Of course, uncertainty is a frightening feeling, but it opens the door to a boundless world.

We have to stop living for our parents, living for our professors, living for our friends, and start living for ourselves.

At this point, your only obstacle is you.

You, alone, determine how the rest of your life will pan out.

So, from this point forward, instead of viewing graduation day as judgment day, or dooms day, let’s view it as the day we break the chains society has placed on us, and become the true leaders.

NCCU’s College of Behavioral & Social Sciences Excellence in the Pursuit of Understanding and Improving the Human Condition

“Explore the Possibilities” Criminal Justice (919) 530-5204 B.S. Criminal Justice M.S. Criminal Justice Human Sciences (919) 530-6477 B.S. Family & Consumer Sciences B.S. Early Childhood Ed M.S. Family & Consumer Sciences Dietetic Internship Program Nursing (919) 530 -7232 B.S. Nursing

Psychology (919) 530-6411 B.A. Psychology M.A. Psychology Public Health Education (919) 530-6422 B.S. Public Health Education Public Administration (919) 530-7265 M.P.A. Public Administration Executive M.P.A. Program

Physical Education & Recreation (919) 530-6186 B.S. Physical Education & Recreation B.S. Athletic Training B.S. Recreation Administration M.S. Physical Education & Recreation Political Science (919) 530-5303 B.S. Political Science Global Securities Certificate Social Work (919) 530-6287 B.S.W. Social Work M.S.W. Social Work

Opinions

12

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015

2016 Remembering NCCU don’t know if it’s just me, but I’m a little afraid of senior year. It’s not so much the exits I must complete upon graduation, it’s the career path. My biggest fear is to fail life.

Who will be my competitors in the fashion industry?

What will I need to do to become a successful fashion journalist as a gay black male?

That’s not exactly a privileged starting point, is it?

Am I even a great writer?

When will I reach beyond my greatest expectations?

How will I get to the top of the industry without changing who I truly am?

Why did I waste money and time at college if I might ultimately fail?

Those questions are always on my mind.

I have doubted myself often in college, and those things never Melquan came through as expected.

Ganzy, We have to realOpinions ize that our Editor biggest competitors are ourselves.

It’s mind over matter, so if we’re mentally strong, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish and no one can hold us back from our goals.

We will only be as successful as we want to be.

Success can be defined simply as this: reaching one’s full potential.

Nothing is easy.

We have to work hard for everything.

We have to work through the stress and tears, or someone else will.

To become a dominant force in any industry, we must stay true to ourselves.

We shouldn’t sacrifice our personal values to gain a seat in a higher position.

There’s nothing wrong with change. We must understand that change is a challenge that can strengthen us.

Although change is easier said than done, it’s not about changing what you believe in, but improving on your weaknesses, whether it’s your attitude or your attire.

We have to be patient in everything we do. Everything happens for a reason.

Regardless of the situation, there’s always a positive outcome. All good things come to those who wait.

Nevertheless, we have to realize that completing college through life’s unexpected twists and turns isn’t easy.

If it were, everyone would have a degree.

So let’s get it, 2016!

I

or what it’s worth, this is as sentimental as I think I’ll ever get when it comes to my college experience.

And because this is my last publication as an Eagle, let me tell you a secret.

I didn’t ever want to come to NCCU. I mean like, ever.

That’s the undeniable truth — true as the fact that James E. Shepard is the founder of our institution.

I’d heard of NCCU, and I only filled out Jamar an application Negron because I was convinced (read: coerced) by my mother to apply.

I was hell-bent on staying in the North — whether the ivyleague sheen of Princeton, or the elegant urban nestle that was NYU. But after their rejection letters dropped in my mailbox, it was clear the college admissions gods had other plans for my wanton soul.

My bitterness — even pretentiousness — toward NCCU would haunt me throughout my freshman, and well into my sophomore years.

But ... here comes the sentimental: a shift began once I joined the Campus Echo.

So, shout out to you, Alex Sampson for convincing (read: coercing) me into joining.

Through the Echo, I began to

F

I entered your campus an embittered kid, and now I’m going to leave with a degree and four years’ worth of stories and experiences in what is truly a campus unlike any other. view NCCU — and its constituents — in a new light.

Covering Jesse Jackson during his visit to NCCU showed me the vigor, intelligence and mental prowess of the University’s students, out in force talking to Jackson and asking questions.

Reporting on the lives of fallen Eagles like Devonte Squire and Chekeria Reid revealed the intimacy and camaraderie of the Eagle family.

Working closely with likeand not so like-minded students engendered an affection for NCCU that I soon couldn’t shake or deny.

I came to realize that I was a part of something.

I’d been so blind to the spirit — I’d shut myself in my own bubble, convinced this isolation was the only place to be.

I was “riding through the campus with my woes.”

You know how that sh*t go.

All the while, NCCU was that reassuring, endearing arm over my shoulder that I chose to ignore.

And for that, I do owe you an apology.

Unless I return to grad school or seek employment at an HBCU, I don’t think I’ll ever

be sandwiched in the company of such a rich tapestry of colored men and women.

And in retrospect, that is, sadly, slowly becoming a privilege to which few will have access.

And to be a kid from a predominately Jewish New Jersey town, I feel that spending four years immersed in all aspects of my own culture was some semblance of a blessing.

So what do I have to say about NCCU now, as I complete my trajectory as a 4-year college grad?

I have to say, NCCU, you’re not terrible.

Not in the slightest.

I entered your campus an embittered kid, and now I’m going to leave with a degree and four years’ worth of stories and experiences in what is truly a campus unlike any other.

Thanks for all the fun stuff, like when we booed Kendrick Lamar when he opened for Ace Hood for homecoming, then acted like we loved him when “Swimming Pools” came out mere months later.

Ah. Sorry. Is that too harsh?

Some things I guess I’ll never forgive.

Illustration by Krystal Porter

Sound Off What are your plans for the next school year?

“To be more proactive in finding jobs and internships. I will also attend career fairs.”

— Cierra Mosley, Junior

Is it lust or love? ove at first sight or lust at first sight? You see that special someone and you lock eyes. Your heart starts racing, palms get sweaty, and your heart starts beating faster than you can think.

Is this love at first sight? Or lust? Is love at first sight even realistic or can it only be lust?

Well yes, it is possible to have strong feelings for that specific someone when your eyes meet.

However, to really love Alex someone or fall in love Glenn with someone takes time.

Love is a long-term process and cannot be fulfilled immediately. However, to lust over someone is real.

When you meet someone, an encounter is either romantic or lustful.

With a romantic encounter, your eyes lock and it lasts

L

Only time will truly tell if you have love or lust at first sight. When you find that specific someone, make sure you take the time to get to know them so those romantic feelings can grow into real love. moments at a time.

Other signs of romantic love: you and that person can spend quality time together without getting on the topic of sex, you spend hours talking and building a connection, you talk about meeting each other’s families one day, and that person motivates you to be a better person.

On the other hand, signs of lust at first sight include: repeatedly texting a person but no calls, when eye contact starts wandering from the eyes to the body, or when the topic of sex comes up in the early stages of getting to know each other.

In this generation, that common saying, “let’s chill” is used a lot.

If it’s romantic love at first

sight, the term “chill” should refer to a dinner date, lunch, breakfast, or a fun activity in a public setting where you can get to know each other.

When one is in a lustful relationship, the word “chill” would refer to, “Oh come to my dorm, room 903, at any time of (the) night.”

Only time will truly tell if you are in love or in lust at first sight. When you find that specific someone, take the time to get to know him or her so those romantic feelings can grow into real love.

If you are dealing with a lustful encounter, to prevent feelings from getting hurt, make sure you are able to easily distinguish it and make sure that you are on the same page as your partner.

N ORTH C AROLINA C ENTRAL U NIVERSITY

Campus Echo Jamar Negron, Editor-in-Chief

Assistant Editor Assistant Editor Opinions Editor Staff Reporter Opinions Opinions A&E Editor A&E Reporter Sports Editor Sports Reporter Photo Editor Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Staff Photographer

Leah Montgomery Alexandria Sampson Melquan Ganzy Shakira Warren Evan Owens Diamond Gwynn Alexandria Glenn Tia Mitchell Avery Young Lyndon Bass Kimane Darden Anthony Ortiz Keyandra Cotton Anthony Ortiz Alexius Watson Markell Pitchford

Faculty Adviser - Dr. Bruce dePyssler Copy Adviser –Dr. Lisa Carl Alumni Advisers - Mike Williams, Sheena Johnson

Letters & Editorials The Echo welcomes letters and editorials. Letters to the editor should be less than 350 words. Editorials should be about 575 words. Include contact information. The Echo reserves the right to edit contributions for clarity, vulgarity, typos and miscellaneous grammatical gaffs. Opinions published in the Echo do not necessarily reflect those of the Echo editorial staff.

E-mail: campusecho@nccu.edu Web address: www.campusecho.com Phone: 919 530 7116tFax: 919 530 7991 © NCCU Campus Echo/All rights reserved The Denita Monique Smith Newsroom Room 348, Farrison-Newton Communications Bldg.

NCCU, Durham, NC 27707

READ AND THEN RECYCLE

READ AND THEN RECYCLE

“Utilize campus resources, such as Career Services and the Writing and Speaking Studio. I will also build relationships with professors.”

— Ronald Woody Jr, Sophomore

“I will be more involved on campus. I would like to be in an organization in my biology department.”

— Justice Herndon, Freshman

Sound Off by Melquan Ganzy