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Campus

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A&E

Feature

Juvenile Justice Institute targets school-to-prison pipeline

Theatre department has the box office blues

9th Wonder resurrects hip-hop institute

Behind the Music: NCCU’s campus musicians under lens

Campus Echo Page 2

Ukrainian separatists on the offensive

BY SERGEI L. LOIKO LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT)

MOSCOW — Heavily armed separatists held Ukrainian government buildings and hostages Tuesday as tensions increased sharply and threatened to push a dispute over treatment of the country’s ethnic Russians into bloodshed.

Ukrainian government officials said pro-Russia separatists had rigged explosives in a building in Luhansk and were holding hostages inside. Officials dispatched a deputy prime minister to another city, Donetsk, to try to negotiate a peaceful solution to the takeover of an administration building in that mining city.

Russia seized control of Ukraine’s Crimea region, in the south, with minimal violence in February, but Ukrainian forces have acted forcefully against separatists who took over buildings in the country’s east in recent days. On Tuesday, the Ukrainian government said it had cleared hundreds of pro-Russia protesters from a regional administration building in a third city, Kharkiv.

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NCCU flock welcomes new Lady Eagle

A move in eastern Ukraine would be far more difficult for Russia than its Crimea seizure was. The region has a sizable ethnic Russian population but, unlike in Crimea, it’s a minority. And Crimea was for centuries part of Russia.

Analysts say it’s crucial for Ukraine’s interim government to manage the discord until May 25 elections.

The vote is likely to show that the government does have popular support, they said, blunting Russia’s argument that Ukraine has been taken over by extremists.

Reacting to Ukraine’s moves to impose order, Russia issued a blunt warning Tuesday in a Foreign Ministry statement: “The organizers and participants in the operation are assuming huge responsibility for the creation of threats to the rights, freedoms and lives of peaceful residents of Ukraine.”

It said Ukrainian forces had been augmented by about 150 security contractors from the U.S. private security firm Greystone, who were wearing Ukrainian uniforms.

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Chancellor Saunders-White receives applause from the crowd.

Jamar Negron/Echo assistant editor

STORY

BY

CHELSEE POMPEY

ECHO STAFF REPORTER

ome 400 students, faculty and other guests gathered in McDougald Gymnasium Friday

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to celebrate the installation of the first permanent female chancellor, Dr. Debra Saunders-White. “It’s a great occasion,” said Moses Best, N.C. Central University alumnus. “You don’t see these dignitaries every day. It’s good to be able to hear them

speak. I hope a lot of students come out and see who’s a part of the education system.”

Anti-Euromaidan, pro-Russian protesters stand on guard outside the Donetsk Region administration building in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, April 8.

Mikhail Pochuyev/Zuma Press (MCT)

President Thomas Ross opened the ceremony with a brief history of NCCU and greetings to the guests and Saunders-White’s family.

Ross said he believes the University has enormous potential under the leadership of SaundersWhite.

“There is not a doubt in my mind

that Debra Saunders-White is the right person to lead North Carolina Central University today and in the years ahead,” said Ross.

Ross read a statement by Congressman G.K. Butterfield.

Butterfield congratulating Saunders on her installation.

Butterfield said Saunders-White is

a great leader who uses her words and actions to show students what is possible.

“Great leaders motivate others to reach their full potential and show others through their actions that they can make a difference,” Butterfield

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The Bluest Eye: Three days left

Spirit moves him

Toni Morrison’s tale of an abused girl onstage at NCCU

Music scholar goes gospel

BY LEAH MONTGOMERY

BY KIMANE DARDEN

ECHO A&E EDITOR

ECHO STAFF REPORTER

N.C. Central University’s department of theater will close the season with its last three performances this weekend.

The Lydia R. Diamond stage adaptation of Toni Morrison’s novel “The Bluest Eye” is directed by Assistant Professor Stephanie “Asabi” M Howard.

A fan of Toni Morrison’s subject matter and writing style, Asabi chose the play because of its message.

“I like to do things that relate to African-American identity, African-American works and anything that can

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Left to right: Deja Middleton, Moriah Williams, and Kalyn Smith.

Courtesty NCCU Department of Theater

When Will Boone was asked to play guitar at Faith Assembly Christian Center, an African-American congregation on Fayetteville Street, he knew that he’d be the only white member of the congregation.

What he didn’t know was that his experiences at the church would one day lead to a doctoral dissertation in ethnomusicology at UNCChapel Hill.

He titled his dissertation “Hearing Faith: Musical Practice and Spirit-filled Worship in a Contemporary African American Church.”

On April 11, Boone was invited by N.C. Central

University’s Ralph Barrett, department chair of music, to talk about his experiences at Faith Assembly.

Boone described his dissertation as “an experiience-centered exploration of musical practices among African American spiritfilled Christians.”

Boone joined the Faith Assembly in 2002 after receiving an invitation from a college classmate to play guitar.

Unaccustomed to African-American religious practices, Boone accepted the invitation understanding that he would be the only white person in the congregation.

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CHANCELLOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Chancellor Saunders-White takes the oath of office April 11, surrounded by her sister, her daughter and son, and her mother.

JAMAR NEGRON/Echo assistant editor

wrote.

William R. Harvey, president of Hampton University, and Saunders-White’s brother, Ralph Saunders, principal of Bethel High School in Hampton, Va., both praised the new chancellor’s work ethic and intellect.

Saunders said the stars have always been aligned for his younger sister as he reflected on her accomplishments from grade school through a series of accomplishments leading to her installation as NCCU’s 11th chancellor.

Student Body President Stefan Weathers said he is confident and appreciative because the chancellor has made student success a priority since her first day in the position.

Johnson O. Akinleye, provost of academic affairs, said the day was important to NCCU’s history.

He said he could imagine no finer leader than Saunders-White to inspire and advance NCCU. “I know no other person who can out-work her,” said Akinleye.

“She moves at such a fast pace that you would be hard-pressed to keep up with her.”

Ross said that although Saunders-White is the first female chancellor, he stressed that she was selected because she is wellequipped to do the job and the “best person to lead NCCU.” Saunders-White showed great appreciation to her supporters. She said they inspire her with their dedication to excellence.

“We this morning are building upon a foundation laid 103 years ago by Dr. James E. Sheppard,” Saunders-White said.

“It is his vision that we celebrate today, for this place that we now call North Carolina Central University would not have been if he didn’t have the courage, the fortitude, to fight forward.”

Saunders-White said the responsibility of leading a university cannot be viewed as a job.

“You have to come because you were called and you have to come because you are on a mission,” she said.

She said she wants to provide gateways to opportunity so that the young will see visions and the old will dream dreams.

She said she’s been warned that this will be difficult, but she believes nothing is worth having if it’s simply given.

“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today,” said Saunders-

White.

“Procrastination is still the thief of time.”

Saunders-White spoke passionately about the survival of HBCUs and her hopes that NCCU students graduate with the skills necessary for the workforce.

“HBCUs must survive,” she said. “NCCU must lead the way.”

She also highlighted several NCCU accomplishments, announcing to Durham Mayor Bill Bell that NCCU completed nearly 200,000 hours of community service, and praising the men’s basketball team for reaching the NCAA tournament.

Public health senior Laquesha Cannon said Saunders-White’s installation is a great accomplishment and she is excited about what the chancellor has in store.

“It’s great that she listed our accolades and what we are preparing to do,” said Cannon.

“It’s great to bring that to everyone’s attention and shows how we affect the community.”

Theatre arts junior Suewong McFadden said Saunders-White has inspired her to pursue graduate school when she spoke about students striving to achieve their dreams and goals.

“NCCU is growing every day and she is growing with us,” said McFadden.

“She’s making a mark and helping us get our foot in the door.”

Mass communication senior Franklin McCoy said he is looking forward to what happens on campus with Saunders-White at the helm.

“We’re on the verge of a major change, and she is the perfect candidate to bring that change,” McCoy said.

Suspensions can lead to prison

BY STACI GREEN ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Curtis Rucker’s story is all-too-familiar in North Carolina schools.

Both he and his older brother have been suspended from school repeatedly.

Rucker, a 19-year-old freshman at Wake Technical Community College studying to be a tax attorney, said his brother, Deandre, was first expelled in primary school after a fight.

Later expulsions in high school put his brother into a downward spiral by giving him free time in the neighborhood, where he was surrounded by negative influences.

Rucker’s 22-year-old brother is serving a 30-year sentence at N.C. Foothills Correctional Instutition for homicide.

Rucker said the source of his problems at school were related to the fact that he was working up to 50 hours a week to help support his mother and family.

“I was coming to school with two or three hours of sleep, and you expect me to

study?” he said.

According to Rucker, his teachers didn’t make an effort to try to understand his situation. Instead, “they were more worried about me failing their test.”

[Getting suspended and expelled] “affected me bad,” Rucker said. “I kinda broke out of it.

“My brother didn’t get to break out of it. He was a victim to it. It affected him real bad. He went to getting expelled from elementary school to being in prison for murder.”

N.C. Central University’s Juvenile Justice Institute wants to address this school-to-prison pipeline.

The institute’s mission is to influence juvenile justice policies and practices by providing research, technical assistance and information to youth-serving agencies and to the community at large.

For example, the institute provides a resource manual for juveniles arrested as first-time offenders.

“The idea is to first look

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Wake Tech freshman Curtis Rucker escaped the school-to-prison pipeline.

STACI GREEN/Echo staff photographer

James E. Shepard Memorial Library National Library Week Activities Fine Free Week: April 13–19, 2014 Return overdue NCCU books (not including Interlibrary Loans [ILL’s], lost books, and DVDs) without paying a fine!

Faculty/Staff Publications Showcase When: Wednesday, April 16th Time: 2 p.m.

Location: 2nd Floor, Shepard Library Faculty & staff publications on display.

Poetry/Spoken Word Performance When: Thursday, April 17th Time: 2 p.m.

Location: 2nd Floor, Shepard Library Renee Natson, Miss NCCU & Stefan Weathers, SGA Body President will co-host.

Open to students, faculty, and staff.

To register call 919-530-6220 or email vfaison@nccu.edu.

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Box office fees bring bad business

GOSPEL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

BY ALEX SAMPSON ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ethnomusicologist Will Boone at work at Faith Assembly Christian Center on Fayetteville Street.

Kimane Darden/Echo staff photographer

“I often say that I have never felt simultaneously more out of place and more at home than the first time I attended Faith Assembly,” Boone said.

Boone began his doctoral research at Faith Assembly in 2010.

By the fall of 2013, and after defending his dissertation, he had become the church’s longest-remaining musician.

“My relationship with the people there was one of family,” Boone said.

His conversations with the late Bishop Leroy McKenzie were rarely focused on objective academic topics, but more often a conversation between friends.

At one point during his research, McKenzie even asked Boone to become the minister of music.

Boone declined, saying that he didn’t have experience training singers and that he was there to study and learn, not lead.

But McKenzie persisted.

“You’re getting a doctorate for God’s sake, Will,” said McKenzie, who later announced to the congrega-

tion that Boone would be the next minister of music.

In his presentation Boone said that McKenzie “— in contemporary pentecostal parlance — [tried] ‘to speak into existence’ my acceptance of the position.”

Boone provided a humorous contrasting account of his experiences attending a white Methodist church in Washington, N.C. The music there was “lame,” he said.

“It’s a lot more fun at Faith Assembly.”

Boone said McKenzie and the congregation supported his proposal to conduct reseach at Faith Assembly, but that some musically inclined churchgoers were puzzled by his questions about music and musical techniques, given his extensive musical training.

He said he would get looks like, “Don’t you already know that?” and questions like, “Don’t you already have a degree, man?”

Boone explored the skepticism born from his inquisitiveness: “Instruction relies on a power imbalance willingly entered into by both parties.

In the social and cultural

environment of black spiritfilled churches, the notion that someone with my academic credentials would willingly enter into such an imbalance seemed suspect.”

Boone also explored the complex identity tensions that existed in his simultaneous roles as a researcher, a church musician and a Christian.

Negotiating these conflicts, helped him set into relief what doing research with living people is really all about.

When researching a community, Boone rejects the idea of pure objectivity or of entering into research as if one has a puzzle to solve.

Rather, he seeks to provide “an edifying account of existence.”

Boone said he wants his exploration of music in the African American spiritfilled worship to serve as a challenge “to deeper and more empathetic understanding,” and to promote the recognition that “people within all communities live lives shaped by the desire and struggle to exist better.”

The award-winning N.C. Central University department of theatre is ending its 2013-2014 theatre season with “The Bluest Eye.” The job of putting together a theatrical performance is hectic enough, but it’s even more hectic when the program is struggling financially.

The department of theatre largely depends on the revenue made from performances to fund production operations.

But steep box office fees — which can run up to several thousand dollars — are draining the program of its revenue, and the department and its students are facing a crisis.

This February the department was set to perform the musical “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” Because of issues with funds, the six initial scheduled performances were reduced to one.

However, that wasn’t enough. Royalties must also be paid for permission to perform shows. For example, the royalties for Ain’t Misbehavin’ were more than $2,000, according to Johnny Alston, chair of the department of theatre.

The strain of paying off the royalties was enough to force the department to cancel the show.

“The most popular [shows] that you’re most liable to make the most money from … the royalties are the most expensive on them,” Alston said.

From the show before that, “Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope,” a revenue of $2,800 was made. However, the department had to pay the University’s box office almost $2,500 in fees.

Alston said other venues in the area were considered for the performance, but the cancellation was inevitable.

Alston said he doesn’t want to go back to doing only two shows a season because of funding issues.

“If you’re only doing two

shows a year, everybody can’t be in those two shows,” Alston said.

“So some people are going to lose their opportunities.”

The University’s policy is that all campus events must be funneled through the ticket office.

Director of Business and Auxiliary Services Timothy Moore said the point of this policy is to make sure the events are processed properly.

“It is certainly not our goal to gouge anyone,” Moore said.

The ticket office is a selfsupporting entity meaning that it’s entirely financed with event fees.

Moore said ticket fees depend on a number of factors, including the number of seats in a space, the amount of time ticket takers need to be at the event

and the equipment used to scan tickets.

Christine Allen, a psychology and theatre senior, has been vocal about her discontent with the box office and has started a petition to get the box office to reduce their fees.

Allen said there is a discrepancy between the promotion of the arts and athletics.

“Sports are going to sell all day, every day,” Allen said.

She said a liberal arts college needs to take more initiative toward promoting the arts instead of something like sports, which will inevitably sell tickets.

“Nobody wants their department shut down,” Allen said.

“We’ve already seen that happen with sociology. We can’t let this happen to the arts.”

NCCU actor Christine Allen says NCCU box office fees are excessive and hurting drama students.

Alex Sampson/Echo editor-in-chief

PIPELINE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 into the book and see if there are services available before sending them to the juvenile justice systems,” said Executive Director Arnold Dennis.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the school-to-prison pipeline refers to the policies and practices that push schoolchildren out of classrooms through suspensions

and directs them into the juvenile and criminal justice systems.

This pipeline, some argue, prioritizes incarceration over education. And the problem is especially pernicious when it comes to the treatment of AfricanAmerican males.

Statistics provided by Youth Justice North Carolina show that black students in

North Carolina are four times more likely than white students to get suspended.

“Negative impacts are falling much more heavily on people of color,” said Jennifer Story of Legal Aid of North Carolina.

Story spoke March 10 at an NCCU forum on the pipeline.

“What we see is that some of the white students will get in-school

consequences, while some of the black students are getting the out-of-school consequences,” Story said.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Legal Defense Fund has found that across the United States, African-American students are nearly three times more likely than their white peers to be suspended from school.

United Christian Campus Ministry 525 Nelson Street, NCCU Campus

National Day of Prayer 12:00 Noon Thursday, May 1, 2014

JOIN US! Get involved with Campus Ministries today!

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

And Latino students are nearly one and a half times more likely to be suspended.

According to Youth Justice North Carolina, there were 258,197 shortterm suspensions, 1,607 longterm suspensions, and thirty expulsions during the 20112012 academic year in North Carolina public schools.

Students with disabilities, who make up about 14 per-

cent of the student population, received about 25 percent of short-term suspensions.

NCCU’s Juvenile Justice Institute will hold another forum on challenges facing juveniles, including the school-to-prison pipeline, at April 25 at 6 p.m. in the Whiting Criminal Justice Building.

NCCU’s OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS STUDY ABROAD • First Thursday study abroad information session – May 1. 10:40 break, Lee Biology, 202 • Academic unit/class/Small group/study abroad information sessions are available on request • All students planning to study abroad in spring 2015 should contact the Office of International Affairs before the end of this semester.

Resources • Copies of “A Student Guide to Study Abroad,” an IIE and AIFS publication by Berdan, Goodman and Taylor, are available in the reference section of the Shepard Library and in the Office of International Affairs.

Deadlines for study abroad applications •To study abroad in the spring semester September 1 •To study abroad in the summer, fall, or an academic year February 15

expand your horizons

STUDY ABROAD

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

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Relationships 101

Reading Pain

Corey Guyton and Jamal Williams school students on relationship etiquette

New course explores survival, healing

BY JAMAR NEGRON ECHO ASSISTANT EDITOR

Keynote speaker Dr. Corey Guyton spoke to a crowd of students about factors that could hurt or help a relationship.

KIMANE DARDEN/Echo staff photographer

BY KENDRICK MOORE ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Keynote speakers Dr. Corey Guyton and Jahmal Williams headlined the annual relationship conference, “Hump Day,” in the Miller Morgan auditorium Wednesday, April 9.

Guyton is N.C. Central University’s assistant director of student leadership, training and development Williams is a student health counselor at NCCU. The conference was a collaboration of the multiple student organizations, including project SAFE, the LGBTA Center and the NCCU Counseling Center.

“One of the reasons why I started talking about relationships was that I saw college students getting in relationships and they were going sour,” Guyton said.

Williams spoke about key things college students should do to maintain a successful relationship.

“Make sure you identify your needs and wants, because people get those two confused,” Williams said.

Guyton and Williams discussed numerous issues and challenges college students face while trying to maintain healthy relationships, including text messaging instead of communicating face-to-face, “booty call”

relationships and giving your significant other a relationship title.

Guyton discussed ways in which relationships can be healthy or unhealthy.

“How can you have a healthy relationship if you don’t love yourself first?”

Guyton asked. “An unhealthy person is not at full strength in relationships.”

Williams said that in order to have a successful relationship, both individuals involved have to believe in their union.

He said having a creative space in the relationship will help both people develop in the relationship as it progresses.

Williams also said being able to compromise also helps foster a healthy relationship.

“You’re not going to build a successful relationship if you don’t work on it,” Williams said.

Guyton said actions speak louder than words.

He said making sure that relationships maintain a level of consistency and compromise is the key to having healthy relationship.

However, he had a warning for those who decide to forego his advice.

“If you choose to move forward with the red flags, please proceed with caution,” Guyton said.

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This fall, the department of language and literature will offer a new course.

Two English professors, Camille Passalacqua and Rachelle Gold, were awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to create a class that would address an enduring human question: how do we survive trauma and grief?

It is the first NEH grant awarded to N.C. Central University in 18 years.

The class, part of their project, “On Survival and Healing,” examines the role literature plays in helping people who have endured trauma transcend their suffering.

Passalacqua, who will teach the class in the fall, said literature is an essential aspect of being human.

“Literature is very valuable to our lives,” she said.

“It’s just as important as the other disciplines.”

Students will read a number of survival narratives that address the role of grief and suffering, and the character’s ability to withstand them.

Books include memoirs, such as “Left to Tell,” a narrative of the Rwandan genocide, and classic fiction, like Homer’s “The Odyssey.”

Students also will learn about the psychology and philosophy behind suffering and emotional pain.

Gold said she does not want students who are considering taking the class to be intimidated by the heavy content of the course

material. “[The literature] is not just a collection of sorrowful suffering,” she wrote in an email.

“In fact, the readings are a testament to faith, optimism, and hope in the human spirit.”

Passalacqua said literature should confront and challenge students to step outside their comfort zone.

“The writers they’re going to encounter, they’re going to remember them,” she said.

Gold said students should prepare to have their minds stretched.

“College should be a place where you’re engaging with profound ideas,” she said.

Gold said she hopes the class serves as catharsis for students going through tough times in their personal lives.

She said everyone goes through some form of suffering, and reading extraordinary accounts of pain and healing could help encourage students.

Gold said the hidden curriculum of the class is to empower students.

“The class is really designed to inspire,” she said.

“If you read, then that helps opens people’s minds to hope,” she said.

“If you read, then that helps people say, ‘if this person can survive, then I can survive.’”

The class, ENG 3400, will be held from 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

There is currently still room in the class.

Beyond NCCU

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UKRAINE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 In Washington, Secretary of State John F. Kerry accused Russia of fomenting unrest.

“Everything that we’ve seen in the past 48 hours from Russian provocateurs and agents operating in eastern Ukraine tells us that they’ve been sent there determined to create chaos,” he said in an appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“No one is fooled by what could potentially be a contrived pretext for military intervention, just as we saw in Crimea.”

Kerry met with President Barack Obama on Tuesday to discuss several issues, including Ukraine.

After the Crimea seizure, the U.S. and European Union imposed sanctions on several Russian officials and associates of President Vladimir Putin. Kerry said the West was considering toughening the sanctions but first wanted to explore the possibility of a diplomatic solution at a meeting this weekend that will include officials from the U.S., EU, Russia and Ukraine.

White House press secretary Jay Carney praised the Ukrainian government for how it has handled the crisis.

The dispute began late last year when Ukraine’s then-president, Viktor Yanukovich, rejected closer association with the European Union in favor of an accord with Russia. That launched months of street protests in Kiev, the capital.

Yanukovich ultimately fled and took refuge in Russia.

The deputy head of the Ukrainian Security and Defense Council, Victoria

Map of Ukraine locating latest incidents in the ongoing crisis; Ukraine authorities claim to have taken back control of the regional administration building in the eastern city of Kharkiv from pro- Russia separatists and hope to do the same in Lugansk and Donetsk.

MCT 2014 APRIL SAUL/Philadelphia Inquirer(MCT)

Syumar, said in a post to her Facebook account that about 500 separatists had seized a government building in Luhansk and were

holding hostages. “They have more than 1,000 firearms and some heavy weapons. (Ukrainian) special units are ready, but the

risks are very serious.”

In Donetsk, tycoon Rinat Akhmetov, a former ally of Yanukovich, was trying to negotiate a solution.

Separatists barricaded themselves inside the administration building behind stacks of tires and barbed wire. His appeal to

protesters was broadcast live on independent Hromadske TV. “If there is a storm, I will be with you, suffering together with you, but I want to address the government and ask them ... to put off the storm,” he said.

“To fight is not an option,” he added. “Who will be better off if blood is shed?”

First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Yarema said he had postponed an operation to clear out the separatists in order to give Akhmetov time to find a solution.

“They promised that they will be handing over weapons ... and will be leaving the building,” Yarema told Hromadske.

“In response I gave them my word that we will not use force, and I hope our agreement suits both the protesters and the police and there will be no bloodshed.”

In reaction to the turmoil in eastern Ukraine, the nation’s parliament voted Tuesday to toughen penalties for crimes linked to separatism, including raising the maximum penalty to life in prison.

Security and defense analyst Dmitry Tymchuk said Ukraine was building up its forces along the Russian border, “sending a clear message to the Kremlin that any attempt at invasion will result in a bloody military conflict between the two countries.”

Staff writers Paul Richter and Christi Parsons in Washington and special correspondent Victoria Butenko in Kiev contributed to this report.

@campusecho

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Kenneth Lampkin -- Sir Lampkin -- thinks about his next verse as the instrumental plays in his headphones.

Ayodeji Owolabi -- Ayo The Humble -- sings the melody on a song he is working on.

Joaquin Lopez makes a new instrumental track on his computer for another producer to collaborate on.

Photos and story by Jakai Baker “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

BOB MARLEY REGGAE SINGER

.c. Central University is no stranger to talent.

The University breeds firstclass athletes, scholars and musicians.

Many music lovers start in college, laying down beats in their dorm rooms and singing loops in their friend’s bathroom for better acoustics.

N Ayodeji Owolabi -- Ayo the Humble -- records his new song, “Move It.”

Vincent Finney -- Vinnie Dangerous -- writes some raps as he listens to a beat.

NCCU’s college music scene is no different. We are all scholars by day, but few are talented producers, writers, rappers or singers by night.

Rapper Vincent Finney—stage name Vinnie Dangerous—is a marketing major who plans to take the hip-hop industry by storm.

He uses his music as a way to express his thoughts and feelings.

Singer Ayodeji Owolabi—stage name Ayo The Humble—, a mass communication major, said his mother has sung to him since he was a baby. He said her love of music transferred to him.

Self-described as “New Age,” Owalabi says his greatest influences are his mother and singer Jamie Foxx.

He said he could see

himself touring in a couple of years.

Mass communication sophomore Joaquin Lopez is a producer who makes beats for artists.

He said his passion for beatmaking started as a kid, when he was constantly turning objects into percussion.

Lopez cites Pharell, Gucci, Master P and everyone around him as his influences.

Kenneth Lampkin—stage name Sir Lampkin—, a mass communication junior, does not identify as a specific type of artist.

“Music is my first love, but it’s one of the many things I do,” he said.

“I’m not a rapper or singer. I am a producer of art, through all forms of expression,” Lampkin said.

“I am an artist.”

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

NOTICE OF PARTISAN PRIMARY, SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION Polling Location Changes and Early Voting Schedule May 6, 2014 The Partisan Primary and School Board Election will be held in Durham County, NC on Tuesday May 6, 2014.

All Durham County precincts will be open from 6:30 am until 7:30 pm. A photo ID is not required for this election but will be required for all elections beginning in 2016.

All 17 year old voters who are registered and will be 18 on or before November 4th may vote in the Primary.

A voter’s party affiliation and residential address will determine their ballot style. Voters registered as Republican, Democratic or Libertarian must vote the ballot for their party. Unaffiliated voters will choose one of the party ballots or a ballot containing only non-partisan contests. To view your correct ballot style go to https://www.ncsbe.gov/webapps/voter_search/ The following contests will be on the ballots:

One Stop No Excuse Absentee Voting will be held at:

Voters who are currently registered need not re-register. Registered voters who have moved or changed other information since the last election should notify the Board of Elections of that change by Friday, April 11, 2014. Same day registration is no longer allowed during the early voting period.

The polling location for the following precincts has changed: Precinct 24 FROM: Hillandale Elementary School

Precinct 30-1 FROM: Oak Grove Elementary School

TO:

TO:

DPS Staff Development Center 2107 Hillandale Rd.

East Regional Library 211 Lick Creek Lane

Precinct 33 FROM: Lowes Grove Middle School

Precinct 32 FROM: Neal Middle School

TO

TO:

Lowes Grove Baptist Church 4430 S. Alston Ave.

East Regional Library 211 Lick Creek Lane

Information regarding registration, polling locations, absentee voting, or other election matters may be obtained by contacting the Board of Elections.

Website: www.dconc.gov/elect Phone: 919-560-0700

Email: elections@dconc.gov Fax: 919-560-0688

A&E

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

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Hip-hop institute hits NCCU

9th Wonder makes his return to educate students on hip hop culture B Y L EAH M ONTGOMERY ECHO A&E EDITOR

N.C. Central University will launch its new hip-hop institute this fall, spearheaded by Chancellor DebraSaunders White and Patrick “9th Wonder” Douthit.

“It’s going to start with the hip-hop class and it’s going to bleed over into the school’s communications, the history department—it’s going to live in the history department,” said 9th.

The program will also involve the departments of law, business and music. 9th said this collaboration will allow students to take different avenues to become involved.

A former history major at NCCU, 9th remembers sit-

Photo courtesy of heraldsun.com

ting in history class with history department chair Jim Harper and basketball coach LaVelle Moton. 9th helped run the original hip-hop program at NCCU from 2006 to 2009 before he left to work at Duke University and Harvard University, where he still does research.

Saunders-White reached out to 9th, who said she told him, “It’s the perfect time for you to come back. I want to see this thing come into fruition -- I want to spearhead it, I really want to do it.”

“This will be active participance, rap music, hiphop and the many forms of it is definitely what dominates youth culture,” said 9th.

9th stressed the importance of students learning

the basics—the history of hip-hop culture.

He wants students to achieve their own goals rather than consuming the goals of others, referencing Dr. Dre’s popular Beats headphones.

“He’s an entrepreneur in his own right and we’re wearing his headphones…how can we get to the point where we make our own headphones?”

9th hopes students realize the importance of their education.

“Let me lay this on you real quick: Do not rush to get out of school,” he said.

The institute will be taught mainly by 9th and Harper this fall.

Showcase of the cool

A weekend of jazz, soul and R&B in downtown Durham B Y L EAH M ONTGOMERY ECHO A&E EDITOR

The third annual Art of Cool Festival will kick off with a volunteer party on Friday, April 25 at Reverbnation in downtown Durham from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. with live music by Zoocru.

N.C. Central University’s Jazz Festival will collaborate with the event.

The show will host more than 30 world-class artists for two days in two outdoor and six indoor venues.

R&Boom venue curator, Kris Boykin said she handpicked each artist based on his or her hard work and dedication to craft.

She said she found her artists by visiting local shows in Durham.

She said her goal was to highlight live music and talent in ways that haven’t been done before.

She said she anticipates performances from Laura Reed, Tony Chestnut and Inflowential.

“I’m extremely excited about having Inflowential on stage … I haven’t seen them perform much because I left North Carolina after undergrad,” said Boykin.

“No one has a beatboxer anymore and they have that.”

Boykin also expressed her enthusiasm for sister trio KING, whose music began gaining fame in 2011.

The group has also helped in Grammy-nominated acts and has been recognized by Prince and Questlove of the Roots.

“I love King so much … they are one group that I want everyone and their moms to listen to,” said Boykin.

“They have the purest voices … they make you want to sing and dance and cry and laugh all at the same time.”

Among these artists is Heather “Victoria” Gavin, who said her sound is inspired by the hearty soul of Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin and Patty LaBelle.

She said her sound is

mixed with the 90s R&B sounds of Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott and Monica.

“We have the soul council that specializes in making beats using seventies samples,” said Gavin.

Gavin’s latest street release was “Hip Hop Soul Lives EP” (2011), which features Rapsody, Sundown, Sean Boog, Big Remo and Tyler Woods. Gavin also worked with 9th Wonder, Eric and other producers to create the album.

A graduate from N.C. Central University in December 2011, Gavin obtained a B.A. in music industry with a minor in business. She said artist-inresidence Elvira O. Green was one of her most influential vocal coaches.

Gavin is currently working on her new album, “Black Girl Story,” which she described as the raw and very soulful story of her life.

“It talks about my love life, my work life and just daily ups and downs that I’ve been going through,” said Gavin.

Gavin said she has been working on the album with Mela Machinko, a soul singer from Brooklyn.

“It’s something I really want women to be able to rock with and relate to,” said Gavin.

She is scheduled to perform during the festival at 1:10 p.m. on Sat., April 26.

Boykin said all the venues, except the Hayti Heritage Center, are within walking distance of each other and will be laid out by a path. The Bridge Bus and Durham Connector will run periodically to transport festival-goers to and from downtown and the center.

“You’re going to be hopping around the whole night,” said Gavin. “We want everyone to download the app.”

The app, Art of Cool 2014, can be found on android and iPhone devices.

The festival will take place from April 25 to 26.

Tickets can be purchased as one- or two-day passes at aocfestival.org.

Photo courtesy of aocfestival.org

BLUEST EYE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 send a message to the African-American community,” said Asabi.

Morrison’s novel, published in 1970, was banned from many schools and libraries because of its sexual content, domestic violence, and scenes involving rape, prostitution, racism and child molestation.

“I read the novel years ago…it always made me sad. I kind of forgot how sad it made me until I read the play again,” said Asabi.

The story, set in 1940s Lorain, Ohio, concerns the life and experiences of a lonely and abused 11-yearold black girl named Pecola Breedlove, who wishes she had blue eyes.

“She wants blue eyes so that people can see her and love her the way that she sees white people being accepted,” said Asabi.

Asabi said although the play is a period piece, it is still relevant today. She mentioned a comment made by a few darker skinned women during an audience Talkback held Friday.

“Often times things that are historical as an issue

for us, in this case skin color. Colorism is something years later that we still deal with in our community,” said Asabi.

The girls pointed out a few incidents in which guys had passed them up for a light girl, or “complimented” them, saying, “Hey, you’re cute for a darkskinned girl.”

“We have to be careful about how we perceive ourselves and how we pass that message on, even if it’s in a very subtle way,” said Asabi.

In light of colorism, Asabi said the script called for the main character and her family to be darkskinned. Asabi held auditions back in February, making sure she had cast the play before spring break.

The physicality of the actors and how they fit their roles was important to the casting process.

Some of the roles were children, so she had to make sure her actors looked believable in that role.

“A lot of times when people don’t get roles, it’s not

maybe because you did something wrong, but how do you fit something or somebody else,” said Asabi.

Asabi said she had to consider the period of the piece when casting roles— she knew she needed singers.

“I wanted everything to come from the world of Pecola so I didn’t want to have any canned music, and so the actors actually sing throughout the play -all of the transitions from scene to scene,” said Asabi.

Asabi said the most difficult concept to convey to the audience comes at the end of the play when Pecola has a mental breakdown. The audience sees her talking and responding to herself but is never told directly her condition.

“The cast themselves were a good group of actors who seemed to be very serious and for those who were less serious they kind of had to mature,” said Asabi.

Pecola Breedlove, was played by theatre and mass communication senior Moriah Williams.

“I never really finished the book in high school, so

I never really understood Pecola the way I had to do for this production,” said Williams.

Williams said they stopped rehearsing the play for about a week when they began preparing to perform for the Chancellor’s inauguration.

“At the time I was learning lines for three other shows. To be able to dive back into the character and give that same emotion-that was extremely difficult for a lot people that had taken a break,” she said.

Williams said it was a challenge to portray Pecola’s story and her life as an “ugly” girl.

“When you’re told something over and over and over…you start to believe it and you start to carry yourself that way. So everything about you is down. And that’s what makes you ugly,” said Williams.

Without a support system and being so young, Pecola’s mind did what it needed to do to cope with reality. Pecola didn’t know how to communicate or by herself, so Williams had to think about body positions, like slouching and distancing herself, so the audience would understand.

“It’s hard, it’s scary, and the only thing you know is make-believe, and your make-believe starts to become your reality. And that’s what happened with Pecola.”

Like Asabi, Williams believes the piece is still relevant.

“This stuff still happens today. No, every little girl is not molested by her father.

No, every little girl isn’t walking around believing

she’s not beautiful; but some little girl somewhere is struggling with selfesteem issues,” said Williams.

Theatre junior Kalyn Smith said she was familiar with the book and its controversy prior to reading the script.

“It was very sad and depressing because it didn’t have much of a resolution.” said Smith.

Smith plays Frieda McTeer, a stubborn and independent 10-year-old girl who befriends Pecola.

Smith said she had some difficulty distinguishing the two personas of her character, who also doubles as an adult narrator reflecting on the events of their childhood.

“I had to study children, how they walk and how they talk and sometimes they believe that they know everything but hey really don’t know what’s going on.

Then as an adult …to flip it to an adult’s perspective,” said Smith.

Smith said she feels Morrison never intended for any character to be a definite protagonist or antagonist.

“Even the bad guys had backstories and you felt sorry for them in the end,” said Smith.

Leading up to opening night, Smith said the cast went through individual struggles which they channeled as fuel for the stage.

“I think it speaks a lot of volume in the show’s mes-

sage and the directorial vision and in the actors and the cast that we were able to overcome that and still have the same fire and the passion for the play that we had in the very beginning,” said Smith.

Most of the cast members agreed that a lot of underlying messages are heard rather than seen onstage.

“The message of how we treat people and how it affects them is very clear,” said Asabi. And I think that’s from a societal view all the way down to individual; how we treat people, the names we call them, the jokes we have.”

Asabi said she is happy with the play and has been open to receiving feedback from audience members, colleagues and mentors.

“I want to see more character from the performers,” she said. One of the things I tell the students is, you create this illusion for us, and you don’t stop. There are no limits of that.”

The last performances will be held April 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. and April 20 at 2 p.m. in Farrison-Newton Communications Building’s University Theater.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors.

Children under five will not be admitted due to mature subject matter.

Ticket information is available at 919-530-5170.

General information is available at 919-530-6242.

Campus Echo Online follow us on twitter @campusecho

Sports

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

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Eagles craft team vision Maroon and Gray game measures football team’s progress during the spring

COMMENTARY he NCAA is making beaucoup money these days.

The league is a billiondollar-ayear business that benefits from massive exposure Robert through Lewis multi- million-dollar television deals.

Football programs are the major driver of that economic engine.

The University of Alabama alone has millions of dollars in its coffers.

That money does not strictly benefit the football program. It is largely spread to other athletic programs that make much less.

With all that money, how can the league argue that the players who make the money for the schools are getting a good deal?

They can’t and they

T

Yes, it was against the rules; he understood the rules and knowingly broke them. Yes, he should be able to make money that way.

There is not much of an alternative for student athletes.

Manziel is not like many college athletes though.

He is not black and comes from an upper middle class family and probably never had to worry about working a job to make money to eat a decent meal.

If he needed money he could most definitely call his parents and ask for a little spending money. In these economic times, a young athlete without those resources could not.

There is not an overall alternative in these situations. If you’re broke, you’re going to stay broke if you are a college athlete for the time being, especially if you’re from a lower income household.

Many argue that the

“The league is impeding the rights of citizens to make money in the name of amateurism ... ” are witnessing the beginning of the end for teurrent system.

At Northwestern University, student athletes recently received big news.

They are considered employees in the eyes of the National Labor Relations Board and they rightly should be. The NCAA is challenging that ruling, hoping to see it strike down.

Student athletes cannot hold jobs despite popular belief.

For example, the thinking is that if a student athlete works at a Domino’s Pizza and customers know he or she works there, customers will be more inclined to order from that Domino’s.

This would give more tip money to that player, thus making money from their image which they have cultivated through the university.

If they were presented with a job that demands 20-30 hours per week, they probably couldn’t spare the time.

Student athletes routinely take 15 credit hours, plus practice, workouts, games and public appearances.

There is not much room for a job at a restaurant or anywhere else to make a decent wage and take care of their responsibilities with their school.

They can’t make money from their own likeness in video games, or jerseys that bear their number.

Johnny “Football” Manziel of Texas A&M, didn’t like that idea and was in hot water with the league for signing memorabilia and reportedly making thousands of unmarked dollars .

student’s compensation is the scholarships they receive.

Those scholarships are not guaranteed.

If a catastrophic injury happens to a player they are out of luck. The universities don’t have to honor those anymore.

Others argue that the system that’s in place is wholly un-American.

The league is impeding the rights of citizens to make money in the name of amateurism.

The public at large is not buying that narrative anymore.

These athletes work desperately hard to chase their dreams of stardom.

Their dreams are elusive and only the most elite will make it . They should be allowed to capitalize on their talents while they can. They make our overall college experience memorable by their actions on the field or court.

At N.C. Central University that has been clear this year.

The Eagles men’s basketball team made history that will be replayed for as long as this institution is still standing and the players won’t see a dime from it.

Defensive coordinator Granville Eastman gives players a pep talk before the Maroon and Gray game.

Eastman has more than 20 years of collegiate experience and is a new addition to head coach Jerry Mack’s staff.

Kimane Darden / Staff Photographer

BY

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ECHO SPORTS EDITOR

On Friday, April 11, N.C. Central University hosted their annual spring Maroon and Gray football game at the O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium under the lights.

But it was no ordinary spring game.

The number of fans in the stands increased.

A lot of hype is built up around the football program for the upcoming season because of the new coaching staff, recruits, transfers, and the vision of protecting the nest.

“I am extremely satisfied with the support of the fans,” said football head coach Jerry Mack.

“I appreciate those fans supporting us. I appreciate the alumni association tailgating and providing food for our guys.

Defensive back Haki Dennis was shocked at the number of fans in the stands Friday night.

He congratulated the coaching staff for reaching out and gathering fans.

“Coach Mack and his staff are getting people all on one accord, from the players to the fan base,” said Dennis.

“We had the most people at a spring game since I have been here, so that means people are trying to support.”

The fans had great reasons to attend the game.

With the new additions to the team, everyone was on their toes to see how the team is going to play.

Both sides of the ball showed improvements since last season’s end.

The offense was moving

a bit quicker and the defense was a lot more disciplined.

Both quarterbacks did extremely well in the spring game.

Sophomore transfer from New -Mexico Military Institute, Quinn Billerman, had 63 percent of his passes completed with 286 yards and two touchdowns.

Redshirt sophomore Malcolm Bell completed 66 percent of his passes, with 136 yards in the air.

“We started out a little bit slow, but as the game went on we picked it up,” said Billerman.

“I feel like we came together during the spring game and we worked together as a team,” said freshman wide receiver Armani Lanier.

Wide receiver Adrian Wilkins, played a huge part in turning things around for the offense.

He had six receptions for 87 yards and caught both touchdown passes from Billerman.

“We got Adrian into the end zone.

“Whenever you get Adrian the ball, it is going to be a good day,” said Billerman.

The defensive side of the ball played a great game and showed a lot of potential for the upcoming season.

Mack was impressed with how his defense handled certain situations on the field.

“We simplified our defense.

“We just allowed guys to let loose and play.

“That was one of the most important things we wanted to accomplish,” said Mack.

The defense stacked the statistics sheet with one interception, 13 tackles for loss of yards and six sacks.

Haki Dennis accounted for the interception thrown

by Billerman late in the game.

The defense at the time was in cover six and Dennis jumped the route early to make the big play.

“I jumped off one and got on two to make a play on the ball.

Thankfully I caught it because I dropped the first one,” said Dennis.

Of course a lot of good skills were shown during the game, but coaches and players noticed areas that needed improvement.

Coach Mack graded the team’s progress a “C.” “We have a ways to go from a conditioning standpoint and also become a smarter football team.

“We just have to study film a little bit more,” said Mack.

Junior defensive back C.J. Moore, commented on the team’s needed improvements.

“We need to improve on growing together and learning the plays.

“Any time you implement new systems it takes a bit of time to get used to as a whole.”

Dennis said that everyone must be consistent and more disciplined at their position.

“Coach Eastman always said, ‘One through eleven.’

If everyone wins their own individual battle, then as a whole we will be fine,” said Dennis.

Coach Mack thinks it is too early to tell how the team’s vision is playing out, but he is determined to fulfill it.

“We have a long way to go until our first game and we just have to keep pushing forward,” he said.

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Opinions

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014

‘Be the best’ #ByeFelicia T

his will be my last opinions piece before my reign (yes, reign) as the Campus Echo editor-in-chief ends.

Before I fade into obscurity, we need to talk about something.

This year has been filled with many highs and lows.

The highs including the power of controlling my own word count, authority over Alex underlings – Sampson my um – staff, the pleasure of meeting many remarkable people and the honor of being trusted with this position.

Then there were the lows: DP’s many mood swings, staff members falling through at the last minute, DP’s mood swings, the Echo office being mistaken for a computer lab and being asked where DP is every five minutes (for future reference, none of the editors come equipped with DP tracking devices).

Throughout my experiences at the Echo, the most important lesson I’ve learned is putting my sanity first.

There were many days when I was running off 30 minutes of sleep or less.

There were many moments when I felt proud of my progress and there were moments when I felt that my best wasn’t enough.

I had to scrap many stories

“On top of the stigma and prejudice against mental illness in the black community, a heavy weight of expectation is placed upon us.”

in order to prevent myself from falling into depression.

Despite the stress of the year, I’m proud to look back and say that I remained healthy.

During a year of being told that “perfection is key” from everyone imaginable, I had to navigate the line between selfdetermination and self-destruction.

Unfortunately, this is a line often blurred in the black community.

For many of us, “work twice as hard to gain half as much” has been beaten into our heads — if you haven’t had that experience, you will.

We get it.

As black students, we’re going to have to hurdle many political, social and economic obstacles to success.

At every lecture, meeting, banquet, etc., we’re reminded that we have to be the best, that we need to be better than the next person, and that if we’re sleeping then we’re failing.

But let me ask you this: How is it possible to enjoy success (however you may define your success) when your mental and

physical wellbeing is suffering?

In theory, success is limitless, but the amount of pressure our minds and bodies can handle isn’t.

According to the American Association of Suicidology, suicide was the third leading cause of death among AfricanAmerican youth in 2010.

The overall suicide rate among African-Americans was 5.19 suicides per 100,000.

While African Americans have lower reported rates of depression, those statistics may be skewed since they’re less likely to report mental illness.

On top of the stigma and prejudice against mental illness in the black community, a heavy weight of expectation is placed upon us.

For those of us suffering from depression, anxiety and other disorders, mental and chronic, the Strong and Hardworking Black Woman/Man spiel only serves to shame us.

The stress of perfection builds until you break.

When you do break, why ask for help when your community is both unintentionally and intentionally invalidating your

pain?

I’ve consistently heard professors say, “Well, in the real world (insert nonsense),” as if college is some quasi-reality.

We have 10-, 5- and 3-page papers due back to back, tests and quizzes every other day, stacks of homework to complete, and community service hours to gain.

All of that, plus maintaining a high GPA, networking, looking for internships, applying for scholarships, searching for job opportunities, working, and if you have an apartment/car, managing your financial situation.

This shit is already real.

I’m not saying that we should be treated like delicate flowers.

But I’m saying that health should be prioritized above some bastardized image of perfection.

I salute the students who’d rather settle for mediocrity than sacrifice their health.

It takes strength to be vulnerable.

It takes courage to speak up and say you need a timeout.

That said, I’d like to thank my assistant editor and future editor-in-chief Jamar for managing this last issue when he knew I needed a break.

Next year will be difficult, but there are people in this department who will support you when you need them to.

Or if you need a place to escape DP’s mood swings.

Let’s fix faux Jim Crow S

o you’re a student, probably pretty broke, and you’re black?

Good luck with that voting thing.

North Carolina’s new voter I.D. laws are targeted as offensive by the conservative wing of this state.

North Carolina and a few other Robert states have turned Lewis a dangerous corner since the 2012 midterm elections.

A big concern for the Republican majority has been changing voting laws.

Why? If there was an overwhelming problem of voter fraud, how have they gained control of the state house, state senate and governorship?

The math doesn’t add up.

Maybe they just want to enjoy the majority they have in the

“It is their job to make it as easy as possible for the people of this state to exercise their right to vote and they are failing miserably, on purpose.” general assembly.

After all, conservatives haven’t had this kind of control over the state for decades.

I don’t blame them for these aggressive tactics.

Democratic governors have had veto power for a long time.

Now that all the pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place, it’s all hands on deck for some good ol’ southern oppression.

Shockingly enough, these laws aren’t going to impact the fiscally, socially or religious conservatives who just happen to be predominantly white.

These legislators are attempting and succeeding at setting North Carolina back 50 years into the civil rights realm, and they’re not at all remorseful about what they’re doing.

N ORTH C AROLINA C ENTRAL U NIVERSITY

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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

It is their job to make it as easy as possible for the people of this state to exercise their right to vote. They are failing miserably — on purpose.

Same-day voter registration – scrap it. Early voting – shorten it.

That does not demonstrate respect for the citizens of this state.

The argument is that there has been enough notice about the changes and that notice should be enough for compliance.

I don’t know about a lot of you, but I work and get paid HOURLY. I need that measly pay to eat. I don’t have time to go stand in line for hours on end in order to participate in a democracy.

Here’s a quick fix.

Make Election Day a national holiday. Give me all day to stand in line.

In both of President Obama’s presidential general elections, Democrats turned out by the thousands for early voting.

It is more and more apparent that these new faux Jim Crow laws are created to help conservatives win the White House in 2016.

North Carolina needs your help. Attend a Moral Monday protest or two.

Attend an event led by the NAACP and learn something.

Contact your local leaders and ask how you can help more directly if standing in a crowd isn’t your thing.

They are remarkably receptive to people participating in government.

The preliminary elections are right around the corner, if you haven’t heard, and the Democratic leadership in North Carolina is in shambles.

It’s not looking good, folks.

drawing by Rashaun Rucker

Question: What was your biggest accomplishment this academic year?

“Becoming more confident in my ability to speak publicly.”

— Ashley Dixon, Senior

“I would say learning my strengths, weaknesses and disciplining myself.”

—Brianda Bright, Senior

“Being able to multi-task way more than I thought I could.”

—Joy Timberlake, Senior

Sound Off by India Wagner