Journey Fall 2011

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was the “runt” of the Journey litter, so there were moments during the creation of this issue when living up to the magazine’s legacy (All in the Family, pg. 10) seemed slightly beyond my reach.

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Fall is the season of collegiate rebirth. We’re constantly overcoming obstacles (Horror Stories, pg. 6) and embracing unfamiliar surroundings. Wide-eyed freshmen (10 Commandments, pg. 8) are strolling to Lil Wayne’s “Earthquake” for the first time as upperclassmen prepare to embark on lives beyond the cradle of “the Hill.”

By:

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It was tough to imagine getting through the sleepless nights without the all-star players in our lineup (Game Changer$, pg. 22). Who would reluctantly drive me home at 5 a.m. after a late night in the office? Who would bash my affection for Coldplay? Who would replace my “boo” Marcus and provide hilarious commentary when anyone walked past the office looking the fool (School Daze, pg. 26)?

Like the students that mold it, Journey is also in a perpetual state of growth and transition. This time around we’re bringing you stories that challenge our perception of innocence (Reasonable Doubt, pg. 19) and dissecting the repercussions of a scandalous past (Damage Control, pg. 12). As Florida A&M University celebrates 125 years, we’re capturing this critical chapter in the institution’s history (Ground Zero, pg. 16) by analyzing FAMU’s legacy. With a new team of aspiring journalists, photographers, and graphic designers dying to take this publication to the next level, we’re paying homage to the past and defining the future on our own terms. I encourage you to do the same because whether it’s your first semester or your last, only you can control your Journey.

Sincerely,

Kristen Swilley Editor-in-Chief

02 • FALL 2011 JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

For the cool tidbits that couldn’t be captured in print, visit JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM and follow me on Twitter @OhSoSwilleyious.

I r ep Flo rese Ag nt ri & ricu da Me l ch tural U a Oc niv n tob ers ical e i WH r 3, ty AA 18 AT 87 ?!

table of stories Yikes! Damage Control............................................12 Ground Zero....................................................16 Reasonable Doubt.........................................19 Game Changer$............................................22

matters

The Real FAMU Road Map..............................5 t! h e f rig Freshman Year Horror Stories........................6 Oh, th 10 Commandments of Homecoming............8 All in the Family.............................................10

& enter tainment

Street Eats.....................................................24 Yummy!

& style

Street Style....................................................15 FAMU’s got sw ag! School Daze...................................................26

Copyright 2011 by Florida A&M University. All rights reserved. This issue of Journey magazine was produced by the student organization Journey with essential support from the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication. Journey is funded through the student activity and service fees, as allocated by the Student Senate of Florida A&M University. For more information on Journey or the Magazine Program, contact the Division of Journalism, 510 Orr Drive Room 3078, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307 or call (850) 561-2796. Cover Photo By: LaNorris Blutcher Cover Design By: Quintavious Shephard On the Cover (L to R): Corday Dukes, Naomi Chapman, Jacoya Seasounk and Justin McCorvey

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HOMECOMING EDITION • 03

staff superlatives Kristen y Swille

Editor-in-Chief Kristen Swilley ‘Most Spirited’

y y e a n R e w l e o h c T i m D . Laura J

Adviser Laura J. Downey ‘Teacher Most Likely to Make You Cry’

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Angel Nea Copy Desk Chief Angel Neal ‘Most Flirtatious’

Managing Editor Bianca Salvant ‘Worst Case of Senioritis’

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Art Director Mitchelle Ray ‘The Hippie’

Morgan

lvant a S a c Bian

Grain

retta Johnso n

Photo Editor LaGretta Johnson ‘Life of the Party’

en Wilk ale Tisd

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Julian Kempe Staff Editor Julian Kemper ‘Biggest Ego’

Printer: Gandy Printers Contributors: Gina Cherelus, Marjua Estevez, Angelica Roberts and Roderick Smith Art Team: LaNorris Blutcher, Jeffrey “Dre” Morris and Quintavious Shephard Photo Team: J.L. Evans, Lanise Harris, Raymond Love II and Anthony Mundle Special Thanks: Dorothy Bland, Dean James Hawkins, Arnette Moore, Robin Moore, Brandon Neasman, Wennifer Paul, Robert Richardson, Antonio Rosado and Sharon Saunders

Online Editor Morgan Grain ‘Most Artistic’

Web Director/Asst. Art Director Wilken Tisdale ‘Class Clown’

REAL

the

FAMU ROADMAP

That vague outline of campus you stuffed in your luggage at orientation can’t compare to our take on the Hill. Inspired by Julian Beckford’s animated series “The Set,” here’s a map you can actually use — Journey style.

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Is iRat tler STILL down? . Hel lo Face book Hey Sugah, I’m an old school pimp.

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BLU PH I I U !!!

8 We in here! 1.The Classroom

Ma’am. What was the plan? Go straight from Chemistry to Coliseum? Negative. Learn the difference between class and club attire.

2.The Sigma Plot

Sigmas? Please. These dudes aren’t even enrolled at FAMU! They just sit across from their plot to swagger jack and pick up girls. Next!

3.Student Government Association

He’s decked out in a three-piece suit in 98-degree weather and opening doors for everyone in sight. Southern gentleman? Maybe. Running for Mr. FAMU next semester? Definitely.

4.The Parking Lot

Dear creepy old man, stop smacking your gums and wagging your tongue at freshmen girls! You’re 80. It’s time for you to put that away.

5.The Stadium

Yes, we know. That’s “yo’ baby” out there playing the tuba off-key. We just wish your ghetto cackle didn’t overpower “The Hundred” during halftime.

6.The Library

The sun sets on The Highest of Seven Hills and Club Coleman is in full affect. All majors and classifications pack the building’s third floor to eat, vibe, and “conversate”— pretty much anything but study. Looking for a scene from “Higher Learning?” Think again.

7.The Café

The food ain’t half bad, but beware of “college thugs” ready to pop off at any given moment. You all saw what happened on World Star Hip Hop!

8.The Set

We couldn’t compile a list without mentioning the epicenter of student life. Aside from dismal grades and lost paperwork, this infamous section of campus is the main reason you won’t be graduating on time. The Set has a gravitational pull even the most scholarly can’t resist, especially on Fridays.

WORDS BY: KRISTEN SWILLEY DESIGN BY: LANORRIS BLUTCHER

FAMU MATTERS • 05

Bump in the Night Bianca Salvant

I Smell a Thief Roderick Smith

I noticed a shadow form behind me as a ¶ ¶¶ SRXQG ¿JXUH HQWHUHG WKH URRP I turned around as he uttered the Creole SKUDVH ³VDN SDVH ´ ³+XK"´ I’m from Detroit and I wasn’t familiar ZLWK WKLV GLDOHFW HDVLO\ UHFRJQL]HG E\ PRVW 6RXWK )ORULGLDQV 'XULQJ P\ ¿UVW 10 minutes at FAMU my freshman year URRPPDWH OHW PH NQRZ WZR WKLQJV KH ZDV IURP 0LDPL DQG ZH ZHUH SRODU RSSRVLWHV +H ZDV VNLQQ\ ZRUH WKLFN JODVVHV DQG VPHOOHG OLNH JRDW PHDW²FRXUWHV\ RI WKH PHDO KLV PRWKHU VHQW ZLWK KLP RQ WKH HLJKW KRXU GULYH +H VHHPHG WR EH D QLFH JX\ MXVW QRW DQ LGHDO URRPPDWH , TXLFNO\ OHDUQHG WKDW K\JLHQH ZDV QRW KLV DUHD RI H[SHUWLVH $V , HQWHUHG WKH EDWKURRP RQH PRUQLQJ , QRWLFHG D VWHQFK I looked up and came face to face with a SDLU RI VWDLQHG EULHIV KDQJLQJ RQ WKH VKHOI RYHU WKH WRLOHW &KRFRODWH FLW\ $QG WKLQJV RQO\ ZHQW GRZQKLOO IURP WKHUH I returned to the room one day and a pair 06 • FALL 2011 JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

$V D UHVLGHQW DVVLVWDQW LQ :KHDWOH\ Hall, it was my responsibility to be a FOLSERDUG ZLHOGLQJ ZDUGHQ PDNLQJ sure the residents had clean rooms, no ¿UH KD]DUGV DQG PRVW LPSRUWDQWO\² QR ER\V Yes, the university isn’t a fan of coHG , ZDVQ¶W WKULOOHG ZLWK WKH UXOH EXW , OHDUQHG WR OLYH ZLWK LW My desire for a dose of testosterone didn’t quite measure up to my love of IUHH UHQW Almost every week I saw a freshmen JLUO IDOO IRU D FXWH JX\ $QG HYHU\ ZHHN , IRXQG KLP²LQ D FRUQHU XQGHU D EHG KLGLQJ LQ D FORVHW RU VTXHH]LQJ EHWZHHQ IXUQLWXUH , UHJXODUO\ LVVXHG ¿QHV LQ RUGHU WR NHHS P\ UHVLGHQW GLUHFWRU¶V WUXVW 7KHQ WKH XQWKLQNDEOH KDSSHQHG , PHW D JX\ of my shoes For weeks we ZHUH JRQH 1RW searched for MXVW DQ\ VKRHV P\ EUDQG QHZ 1LNH 'XQNV IURP 1,.(72:1 RQ 5RGHR 'ULYH LQ +ROO\ZRRG ³:KHUH LV P\ VWXII" ´ , VDLG LQ D SDQLF (PEDUUDVVHG WKDW , FRQIURQWHG KLP LQ IURQW RI IULHQGV ZKR ZHUH YLVLWLQJ KH stormed out only to return with a six-pack RI &RNH , FRXOG EDUHO\ DVN LI HYHU\WKLQJ ZDV 2. EHIRUH IHHOLQJ D FDQ VPDFN PH DFURVV WKH IDFH 7KDW ZDV LW , SXQFKHG KLP LQ WKH QRVH DQG ZH EHJDQ WR WXVVOH $V WKH UHVLGHQWV of our dorm, random passersby and the rest of FAMU stood around like they were ZDWFKLQJ D 8)& ¿JKW DQ 5$ FDPH DQG VQDWFKHG XV XS :H ZHUH ZULWWHQ XS ¿QHG DQG UHDVVLJQHG WR RWKHU URRPV 7KH ZRUVW SDUW², QHYHU JRW P\ VKRHV EDFN

a place to be alone before he asked WKH REYLRXV TXHVWLRQ ³&DQ¶W ZH MXVW JR XSVWDLUV"´ (YHU\ OHVVRQ LQ WKH 5$ %LEOH GLVVLSDWHG DV ZH WLSWRHG WR P\ URRP $ QLJKW RI LQWHQVH FXGGOLQJ HQGHG DQG ZH SODQQHG RXU HVFDSH As we crept toward the staircase DURXQG D P , WKRXJKW DOO WKH JLUOV ZHUH IDVW DVOHHS , ZDV ZURQJ ³,V WKDW D ER\"´ VDLG D IDPLOLDU YRLFH , WXUQHG DURXQG ,W ZDV D JLUO ZKR , FDXJKW ZLWK D ER\ MXVW WZR ZHHNV EHIRUH ³,¶P JRLQJ WR VQLWFK RQ \RX VR EDG ´ VKH VQDUOHG 3DQLFNLQJ WKH VWRZDZD\ DQG , WRRN RII UXQQLQJ ZKLOH WKH JLUO UDQ WRZDUG WKH 5 ' ¶V URRP 1HUYRXV DQG RXW RI breath, we reached the exit and he GLVDSSHDUHG LQWR WKH QLJKW , WKRXJKW WKH FRDVW ZDV FOHDU 7KDW ZDV XQWLO , WXUQHG DURXQG I came face-to-face with my worst QLJKWPDUH 7KH UHVLGHQW GLUHFWRU VWRRG WKHUH IXPLQJ , KDG WR EH RXW LQ VHYHQ GD\V

Ride Gone Wrong Kristen Swilley :KHQ VRPH RI P\ SHHUV FRPSODLQ DERXW OXJJLQJ WKHLU +RQGD $FFRUGV DFURVV FDPSXV , UHÀHFW RQ D SDUWLFXODU LQFLGHQW IURP P\ ¿UVW \HDU LQ FROOHJH I took the most popular form of IUHVKPDQ \HDU WUDQVSRUWDWLRQ WKH For those of you unfamiliar with that EDG MRNH WKDWœV WZR IHHW DQG WRHV , ZDONHG HYHU\ZKHUH )RUJHW WKH EDG URRPPDWHV ZHLJKW JDLQ DQG GHSOHWHG EDQN DFFRXQWV *RLQJ without a car is the absolute worst part RI EHLQJ D IUHVKPDQ ,œOO QHYHU IRUJHW EHLQJ FDXJKW LQ WKH FURVVKDLUV RI 7DOODKDVVHHœV XQSUHGLFWDEOH ZHDWKHU GXULQJ P\ ¿UVW ZHHN RQ FDPSXV I was stuck by the cafeteria and QHHGHG WR JHW WR P\ URRP LQ 3DOPHWWR 3KDVH ,,,DQG DYRLG JHWWLQJ FDXJKW LQ D ÀDVK ÀRRG , ¿JXUHG WKH PRVW ORJLFDO solution was to hop on the bus and wait for the driver to run the 30-minute URXWH ,W ZRXOG WDNH ORQJHU WKDQ ZDONLQJ EXW LW ZRXOG EH ZRUWK LW WR NHHS GU\ , SORSSHG LQWR D EDFN VHDW DQG EHJDQ WH[WLQJ QRW SD\LQJ PXFK DWWHQWLRQ WR ZKHUH WKH GULYHU ZDV JRLQJ $IWHU DOO , KDG SOHQW\ RI WLPH ,œG MXVW VHQW DQRWKHU WH[W ZKHQ WKH EXV FDPH WR D VFUHHFKLQJ KDOW 7KH GULYHU

stepped off and proceeded to take a smoke break for about ÂżYH PLQXWHV $QQR\HG WKH RWKHU ULGHUV JRW RII WKH EXV Âł4XLWWHUV ´ , WKRXJKW WR P\VHOI Unmoved, I remained on the bus and the ride FRQWLQXHG 7KH QH[W WLPH the bus stopped I looked XS WR ÂżQG P\VHOI LQ the land of chain-link fences, pit bulls, and FKHDS FKLFNHQ MRLQWV 7KH GULYHU VWRSSHG a few blocks down from the university, EHOLHYLQJ WKDW everyone had H[LWHG WKH EXV I made the ORQJ WUHN DFURVV campus, walked up WKUHH Ă€LJKWV RI VWDLUV DQG after 45 minutes I was back at my URRP VRDNLQJ ZHW 7KH ZLQG WXUQHG my umbrella inside out and my freshly permed hair was ruined, but my SUREOHPV ZHUH RYHU 2U VR , WKRXJKW $V , GXJ WKURXJK P\ SXUVH , UHDOL]HG a very important piece of property was KDOI ZD\ DFURVV 7DOODKDVVHH P\ NH\V

Hell Date

Marjua Estevez

7KHUH KH ZDV²SLFNLQJ DW KLV IRRG SUHWHQGLQJ WR OLNH VZHHW SODQWDLQV ZLWK PDQJR VDXFH DQG WKLFN ZHGJHV RI \XFFD I’m on a blind date and the idiot across from me orders a latin american dish WKLQNLQJ KHÂśV JRLQJ WR LPSUHVV PH ,W ZDV P\ IDXOW , MXVW KDG WR VD\ Âł\HV´ LQ KRSHV RI JHWWLQJ RYHU P\ H[ $IWHU KHDULQJ KLP UDPEOH RQ about his business that’s set to ODXQFK KLV XS DQG FRPLQJ JUDGXDWLRQ DQG KRZ PXFK KLV H[ JLUOIULHQG VWLOO ZDQWV KLP RXU PHDOV ZHUH ÂżQLVKHG He picked up the check and, to my excitement, I was headed back to 7UXWK +DOO At least, this was ZKDW , KDG LQ PLQG

7KH FUHHSHU DFURVV IURP PH KDG RWKHU SODQV 1RW NQRZLQJ 7DOODKDVVHH WRR ZHOO , WKRXJKW ZH ZHUH JRLQJ WKURXJK EDFNZRRGV WKLQNLQJ KH NQHZ D VKRUWFXW %HIRUH , FRXOG DVN ZKHUH KH ZDV JRLQJ ZH SDUNHG LQ IURQW RI ZKDW , QRZ UHDOL]H LV /DNH (OOD He pops in a CD and out of the speaker system VHHSV WKH VXOWU\ YRLFH RI &RULQQH %DLOH\ 5DH Just like a star across my sky Just like an angel off the page Âł<RXÂśUH NLGGLQJ PH ULJKW"´ , WKRXJKW WR P\VHOI He turned to me and said, “I wanna make ORYH WR \RX EDE\ ´ +H SRXQFHG RQ PH DQG VPDFNHG WKH VORSSLHVW PRVW GLVJXVWLQJ WRQJXH kiss ever, before I threw a blow to his lower DEGRPHQ +H OHW RXW D JUXQW DQG UHHOHG EDFN LQWR WKH GULYHUÂśV VHDW Âł:KDWÂśV ZURQJ ZLWK \RX" ´ KH \HOOHG Âł0H" :KDWÂśV ZURQJ ZLWK PH" , GRQÂśW NQRZ \RX \RX FUD]\ SHUVRQ ´ 5HDOL]LQJ WKDW KH KDV WKH DGYDQWDJH DW WKLV SRLQW DQG FRXOG UHDOO\ EH FUD]\ I calm down and convince him to take me out on D VHFRQG GDWH WKH QH[W QLJKW :H SXOOHG XS DW WKH GRUP As I rushed out of the car, he asked what WLPH KH FRXOG SLFN PH XS IRU GLQQHU WRPRUURZ After a few choice words, I slammed the door shut and ran up the stairs toward my room as IDVW DV , FRXOG Just before I reached the door, I could hear a IDLQW Âł) # \RX E A ´ PL[HG ZLWK WKH VRXQG RI VFUHHFKLQJ WLUHV DV KH VSHG RII FDPSXV 0RPPD DOZD\V VDLG QHYHU WDON WR VWUDQJHUV Got a horror story of your own? Tell us about it on Twitter @JOURNEY_MAG FAMU MATTERS • 07

08 • FALL 2011 JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

FAMU MATTERS • 09

The Swilley Family c.1930s

A fourth-generation Rattler finds cultural identity at the College of Love and Charity.

WORDS BY: KRISTEN SWILLEY

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hey’re on the brink of extinction. The survivors are incredibly slow. They’re small, fragile, and they lose things. They’re “past their prime” and are, at times, terribly unorganized. Despite being named some of The Princeton Review’s “Best in the Southeast,” Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Florida A&M University have taken a beating over the years for being behind the educational times. With increasing intensity, critics – black ones included – are saying that HBCUs serve no legitimate purpose in a post Jim Crow America and should be abolished. Wall Street Journal writer Jason Riley referred to them as “academically inferior” and Ohio University professor Richard Vedder dubbed them an “embarrassment to our nation.” Critics can’t seem to comprehend the relevancy of historically black schools in 2011. Perhaps it’s because their vitality doesn’t come from the awards lining their walls or the money lining their pockets. It comes from the sense of cultural identity they provide for thousands of families like mine. As I drift in and out 10 • FALL 2011 JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

DESIGN BY: WILKEN TISDALE

of consciousness on the annual four and a half hour ride to Tallahassee, the sound of Sly and the Family Stone’s “Family Affair” begins to seep through the speakers on my mom’s car radio. The signs lining Highway 319 put me about 50 miles from my destination, but I instantly feel at home. The beat, words, and sound of enigmatic lead singer Sylvester “Sly Stone” Stewart’s soulful voice are soothing and familiar. Though the hit 1971 record reached its

...the decision to pursue higher education was not really a personal choice. It was family-mandated, and there was one clear favorite in mind. prime 20 years before I was born, I would recognize the melodic tune anywhere. Like my exposure to “psychedelic soul,” the decision to pursue higher education was not really a personal choice. It was familymandated, and there was one clear favorite

in mind. I grew up in a faded “Future Rattler” T-shirt complete with matching shorts, danced along with “the Hundred” at every Atlanta Football Classic, and listened to my dad’s off-pitch version of the alma mater as he reminisced about life on “the Hill.” Dozens of my family members went to FAMU. But I didn’t always feel so connected to this legacy. I spent my childhood in predominantly white schools just west of Atlanta, the kind that would have provided perfect material for Carter G. Woodson’s “Mis-Education of the Negro.” There I learned about the Spanish Inquisition, perfected my “valley girl” accent by age 12 and received not-sosubtle messages that Historically Black Colleges and Universities were inferior to their predominantly white counterparts. I was constantly amazed at how adults living in the birthplace of Morehouse graduate Martin Luther King Jr., minutes from Spelman College and Clark University, could ask me what HBCUs were and ponder what possible purpose they could serve in the 21st century. To be honest, their ignorance was more disheartening than

annoying. What bothered me most was their attempt to serve as blond-haired versions of Cornell West, seeking to school me on the history and proper place of my culture. :KHQ , ÂżQDOO\ GLG H[SODLQ WKDW +%&8V were institutions created to uplift and educate the black community, I was told by some upper-middle class whites they were irrelevant. In a country with an AfricanAmerican president, I was even told they were racist for their efforts to “exclusivelyâ€? target minorities. Constant debates were turning me into “that angry black girlâ€? so I learned to conform. I didn’t want to EHFRPH D ÂżQJHU ZDJJLQJ VLWFRP FKDUDFWHU a shucking and jiving coon, so I allowed the cultural whitewashing to continue. There had to be light at the end of the scholastic tunnel. While my classmates prayed for acceptance letters from the University of Georgia, I held out hope for the College of Love and Charity—FAMU. So when I received that acceptance package in the mail, I took those documents as my “walking papersâ€? and made my way WR 7DOODKDVVHH 0\ ÂżUVW GD\ RQ FDPSXV wasn’t exactly the “Different Worldâ€? scene I imagined, but I loved it. The connection to my family trailed my every move. A semester wasn’t complete without running into one of my dad’s fraternity brothers or discovering a distant cousin. Even the tiny brick apartment I now call home I later discovered was built by my great uncle, James Swilley. It was clear I had a strong physical and metaphorical foundation to build upon, but I longed for a greater understanding of my family. Secretly, I ORQJHG IRU FRQÂżUPDWLRQ WKDW FKRRVLQJ FAMU over a PWI (Predominantly White Institution) was the right decision. My journey began where it ended, with my dad. He was the last to graduate from )$08 LQ DQG WKH ÂżUVW WR DGPLW WKDW KH encouraged me to apply for more than the university’s academic merit. “(FAMU) has provided my family with a means to gaining an education and also a social experience that’s priceless. It has touched our lives and many other lives because of our family’s long association with the school,â€? he said. “There are friendships that I’ve developed during my time at FAMU that I have today that I hope will continue throughout a lifetime‌and hopefully will continue through your generation and beyond.â€? As I thumbed through Polaroids of my dad’s “Afro phaseâ€? and dug through our basement for old yearbooks, I learned WKH ÂżUVW PHPEHUV RI RXU IDPLO\ WR DWWHQG

FAMU were only two generations removed from slavery. The caption of a dust-covered family photograph revealed that my ancestors migrated from southern Georgia and South Carolina to Madison County, Fla. in the mid-1800s where they settled and grew roots. Our FAMU legacy began with John Jeffries who taught brick masonry in the 1930s, followed by six nieces and two nephews. More than 20 Swilleys pursued higher learning at the institution. More memorable characters in the family scrapbook include student activist Brodes Hartley Sr., who led protests and sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement and infamous snack peddler, Phillip Hoover Lawrence, better known as Soul Train. As I discovered more about my past, my thoughts led me to the small town of Monticello where my great aunt, Lettie White, has lived for the latter part of her 80 plus years. The house is everything

As I thumbed through Polaroids of my dad’s “Afro Phase� and dug through our basement for old yearbooks, I learned the first members of our family to attend FAMU were only two generations removed from slavery.

touted during orientation and engrained in me more life lessons than white institutions did in the past 12. Armed with a complete picture of my history, I will leave the Hill with lessons that no Ivy League institution could provide and exceed any critic’s expectations. When I have children, I’ll be honest. I’ll tell them HBCUs are far from perfect. Their paperwork will get lost every year. Their ¿QDQFLDO DLG ZLOO FRPH ODWH DQG WKH\ ZLOO go on regular scavenger hunts to remove mystery holds from their accounts. I will let them know black colleges come with their share of challenges, and I’ll tell them to choose Howard over Harvard any day. For more on Kristen Swilley’s cultural journey, visit JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

Rattler Legacy

UP ABOVE

These are my dad’s fraternity brothers.

you would imagine in your grandmother’s minus a rattlesnake shaped phone, orange and green pom-poms, and an array of family pictures covering every possible surface. The woman occupying this space is just as colorful. If you have a little patience, she’ll tell you stories of her youngest son, who now sits on the Board of Trustees. If you’re in for a real lecture, she’ll stress the importance of higher learning in the black community. “There was a time when people like us didn’t have access to quality education. FAMU became that place for people like me and my children,� she said. “I still believe it is one of the best places for any black student to go to school.� Until the 1960s, HBCUs like FAMU often provided blacks with the sole opportunity to obtain an education. The more I listen to her speak, the more those ignorant comments from my adolescence fade into the background. What becomes clear is the importance of black colleges because of what they have done for thousands of students who might have been denied access to higher learning. Throughout the past two years, FAMU has given me more than the education they

UP ABOVE

My cousin, Brodes Hartley, delivers a speech as Student Body President.

UP ABOVE

This is me before my first Atlanta Football Classic. FAMU MATTERS • 11

THE LARGEST HBCU’S DIRTY LAUNDRY IS NOW POPULAR MEDIA FODDER AND THE WORLD IS TAKING NOTICE. WORDS BY: MARJUA G. ESTEVEZ DESIGN BY: WILKEN TISDALE

T

he buzzing sound resonating from her iPhone beckons for a response, but she won’t answer. She knows what the dozens of voicemails, unread text messages, and emails are filled with: concern from parents, shock from friends, and lewd requests from classmates she’s never met. Earlier that week a video of a first-year student surfaced on a popular gossip site, but she’s not the only one exposed. Somewhere between blurry camera phone pictures of topless Amber Rose and Photoshopped images of Beyoncé’s “baby bump” lies another all too familiar name engulfed in scandal. Florida A&M University’s dirty laundry is in the public eye once again.

Leaked

If this student was in school 20 years ago, her reputation and the university’s public image might have remained intact. An unflattering picture would stay between friends. Food fights, “juice parties,” and sexcapades could have remained under lock. However, the days of privacy are over. What was once a hot topic on The Set for a few days is now etched in cyberspace forever. While some dismiss the recent bad publicity as another form of petty gossip, social media has unharnessed power—enough to humiliate a student and derail a school’s 125-year legacy in a matter of minutes.John S. Wilson, the executive director of the White

THE MEDIA LOVES TO PRETTY MUCH FURTHER PERPETUATE ANY NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS A SCHOOL MAY HAVE ALREADY ESTABLISHED, RATHER THAN TRY TO HELP IT IMPROVE. House Initiative on HBCUs, spoke before the National Association for Equal Opportunity, an advocacy group for Historically Black Colleges, in February at the National Press Club in Washington. He said that HBCUs suffer from “undignified publicity” and that needs to change. In a time when the nation’s education system is strapped for cash, schools, especially HBCUs, are trying to be shown in the best possible light. Specifically, he said, “It’s a bad time for bad publicity.” Many have argued for years that FAMU has become more known for its active party life than its academic merit. It is, amongst other things, often the easy target of blog style gossip sites—a virtual “water cooler” for a new generation of college students who had cell phones in sixth grade and post uncensored answers to the question, “What’s on your mind?” Media Take Out and Worldstar Hip Hop are both forums in which people post and watch videos. They often showcase the negative, embarrassing side of things as a means to exploit them. No one is immune. The most infamous case deals with FAMU going to court against the distributors of what was originally dubbed the “FAMU Sex Tape.” The video was put together using paid actors and actresses, while displaying FAMU’s colors and logo in the backdrop of a room, off campus. Throughout the explicit video, several verbal references are also made to “life at FAMU.” The infamous “FAMU Sex Tape” was indeed a fake, but that hasn’t kept students from around the country from weighing in on the negative publicity. The recent notoriety of the university has perpetuated some of the negative stereotypes students at other institutions have of FAMU. “When it comes down to it, it’s sad but true: FAMU will always play second fiddle and be a school inferior to other schools like FSU. My point is, the media loves to pretty much further perpetuate any negative connotations a

school may have already established, rather than try to help it improve,” says Mike Brizard, 22, a senior sports management/ recreation management student at Florida International University, from Miami. The university and RK Netmedia Inc., an operator of the sexually explicit website, reached a settlement May 6, 2010. This prevented the company from displaying the video and also encompassed paying FAMU $105,000 for scholarships and $15,000 for attorney fees. What it didn’t stop was the string of videos that followed. This year brought about the outlandish cafeteria food fight and the oral sex extravaganza at the annual Pajama Juice Jam party, hosted by the members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Both events were recorded and distributed on Worldstar Hip Hop. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated headquarters declined to comment, but viewers did not. The anonymous comments on the site ranged from mockery to disappointment. “FAMU is one GHETTO UNIVERSITY,” wrote one viewer. “I am happy as hell that I go to FLORIDA STATE where the black people are civilized and are not a bunch of disgraceful hooligans, fake thugs, and hood rats. #FAMUsLAME.” “No! no! no! no! no! noooooo!!!,” exclaimed another. “Not FAMU again!!!!...” One disappointed student even pleaded with the operators of the website to remove the video entirely. “As a student at such an illustrious university, I would appreciate if the video was taken down! This is the second video of plain negativity toward my university on your site and it’s disrespectful for you to continue to portray the largest HBCU in this light. Please remove the video.” It doesn’t take long for videos like the one produced at “Juice Jam” to go viral. With more than 830,000 views the video gave critics one more reason to label FAMU as little more than a “party” school.

Troubleshooting

FAMU, like many other institutions, has gained a number of accolades throughout the years. However, positive information like its recent spot in the Princeton Review seem to seep through the cracks, as the institution and its students manage to make news for a far less flattering side. Imagine trying to argue the benefits of the institution or the brilliance of your students, while your peers are watching an intoxicated young man’s head buried in between a girl’s legs. Soheyla Mahdavian, a 2009 pharmaceutical sciences graduate has to deal with negative perceptions of her alma mater on a regular basis. The Monticello, Fla. native encourages her fellow Rattlers to think before they post. “As future professionals, students should be worried about what goes on around them. Potential employers are now using the social media technology to screen candidates for employment. As a university, we can do better by emphasizing that we do not condone such craziness, but I think it ultimately comes down to each individual; how they were raised, what morals and values they have, and the type of people with whom they surround themselves.” In a 2010 Microsoft survey, 70 percent FEATURES • 13

AS A UNIVERSITY, WE CAN DO BETTER BY EMPHASIZING THAT WE DO NOT CONDONE SUCH CRAZINESS, BUT I THINK IT ULTIMATELY COMES DOWN TO EACH INDIVIDUAL; HOW THEY WERE RAISED, WHAT MORALS AND VALUES THEY HAVE, AND THE TYPE OF PEOPLE WITH WHOM THEY SURROUND THEMSELVES. of employers admitted they rejected a candidate based on information they found online. In the U.S., 75 percent of surveyed recruiters and professionals say their organizations have formal policies that require them to do online digging. Daniel Cardenas is one such employer. The supervisor of entertainment at Tallahassee Community College scans potential candidates for what’s known as “digital dirt,” plucking promising applicants from the stack of undesirables. His job requires ensuring campus unity and quality and student activities like concerts and road trips. For these reasons, Daniel insists, that he has to bring on board only the most work-ethical and trustworthy candidates. He admits to browsing social media profiles as a way to get a complete sense of the applicant’s personality. “I wouldn’t say it’s my only guide to hiring people, but it allows me to see another side of future employees. And if that side makes me or my superiors look bad for having them on staff, then they don’t make the cut—period.” As Daniel continues to explain the importance of professionalism, he points out an instance where a hiring decision didn’t come down to an Ivy League education or a string of impressive internships but the applicant’s social media persona. “There’s been a close call between two candidates a few times, and their Facebook pages swayed me one way or the other, but the better candidate had a more PC [politically correct] page.” Current students say they are just as invested in the school’s reputation and where it might be heading. “We should be concerned as a school. We’re not the only ones who have negative reputations, but FAMU seems to always make news in bad lighting. At the end of the day, we have to be representatives of our school, the way we are representatives of our own parents,” says Caitlin Jones, 21, a senior economics student from Gainesville, Fla. Joshua Green refuses to accept outside perceptions as an excuse. The 23-year-old international agribusiness and Spanish student from Redlands, Calif. says that responsibility ultimately falls on the students. “The airing of FAMU’s dirty laundry on Worldstar Hip Hop is no one’s fault but our own. We have to do some internal restoration of FAMU’s most inner practices. And our proper restoration cannot be fomented by some faculty workshop or a counseling/advisory intervention. It must come from the students, from the scholars who claim they bleed orange and green.” 14 • FALL 2011 JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

To see what employers are looking for on your Facebook page, visit JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

Attorney Pushkar Singh’s Top 3 Tips to avoiding online scandal

1

Anything social media is public information and there is no expectation of privacy. You can tie it back to the 4th and 5th amendment [the rights of security and private property]… but it’s simple to avoid social networking drama.

2

Do not publicly post anything about anyone that might seriously be taken as slandering or character defamation… or anything that can lead to punitive damages.

3

Come to a complete understanding that anything you post or “tweet” or share on social networks becomes public information, and you will therefore have opened yourself to public judgment. When you come to this realization, you will avoid the avoidable.

*Pushkar Singh is a 2010 graduate of the University of Miami’s School RI /DZ +H KDV ZRUNHG DV D FHUWL¿HG OHJDO LQWHUQ DW WKH 3XEOLF 'HIHQGHU¶V 2I¿FH LQ 0LDPL DQG LQ WKH (OHYHQWK -XGLFLDO &LUFXLW

Keilan Scott

STREETStyle Karena Appalsammy

James Genwright III

Feona Smith

TO PHOTOR’S EDIPICK Baguidy Elien II

DESIGN BY: LANORRIS BLUTCHER PHOTOS BY: RAYMOND LOVE II

FOLLOW JOURNEY AS WE SET OUT TO FIND SOME OF THE HOTTEST CAMPUS TRENDS. WHAT ARE YOU WEARIN’? Chauncey Neloms

DON’T SEE YOUR PHOTO HERE? VISIT JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

Passion Wheeler

C.’S E.I. ICK P Jamael Medlock

Belinda Charles

Anthony Lowe

Khyra Wilkes

Christian Tate

GROUND ZERO Rebuilding FAMU’s Legacy

Budget cuts have caused major changes to Florida A&M University’s monetary landscape. Will Rattlers come up with innovative ways to push the institution forward or let it lie in ruins? Words By: Angelica Roberts Design By: Mitchelle Ray

M

elina Diaz grew up with a Dominican father and Indian mother. They raised her with an appreciation for diversity and a thirst for education, so two years ago she decided to turn her background into a career. With some gentle coaxing from friends, Melina left her home in the Virgin Islands in 2009 to enroll. Her ultimate goal was to share her appreciation for other cultures with her future students. She also recognized the practicality of teaching Spanish in Florida, a state that has experienced a 57 percent growth in its Hispanic population in the past 10 years. However, over the summer Melina learned budget cuts forced the university to eliminate several programs from its curriculum, including hers. She traveled more than a 1,000 miles for Spanish education, and now it’s gone. “Learning a language opens a lot of doors to the future. So to hear that FAMU allowed that to be taken away from their students, it is devastating,” she says. “In South Florida

16 • FALL 2011 JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

it is really hard to get a job without knowing Spanish and the majority of FAMU students are from South Florida!” FAMU is currently bowing under the weight of a struggling economy, leaving students like Melina angry and disappointed. The State University System of Florida experienced a 15 percent budget cut, forcing FAMU to slash an additional $18.7 million from its already shrinking budget. Like the 10 other schools in Florida’s State University System, FAMU is facing the fourth consecutive year of cuts. It is also seeing an end to two years of federal stimulus money, $7.8 million a year that kept faculty on the payroll. On a cold, January morning, President James Ammons stood before a somber crowd of approximately 300 faculty, staff and students in the Alfred Lawson Multipurpose Teaching Gymnasium as he delivered the bad news. He called the cuts “inevitable” and said that they will have a

lasting impact. “There will be human costs associated with what we do,” he said. “It’s going to be something we’ve never experienced before. Ammons was right. The cuts were announced June 30. The most recent round put 242 employees and 21 programs on the chopping block. For Iman Sandifer, an aspiring educator, the elimination of his major hit close to home. Fortunately for him, it was not right in his backyard. This fourth-year history education student explains that unlike Melina, the university is still allowing him to graduate without changing his major because he’s already achieved junior status or the 60 credits required to continue in his program. An observant Sandifer says he understands why his program may have been cut but understands the emotional ties others have to it. “I do think it’s kind of sad that they’re cutting the (some of the) education programs because FAMU began as the State Normal College where people came just to become teachers. They’re cutting the main thing we were built on. Ammons is showing that he isn’t worried about the traditions but moreso with keeping up with the times.” Interim Vice President of University Affairs, Sharon Saunders, says administrators did everything in their power to prevent the cuts, but were left with no choice in a bad economy. “Over the preceding three years of budget reductions, President Ammons remained steadfast in protecting the Academic Affairs Division. However, with a fourth consecutive year of budget reductions, the largest segment of the budget is located in Academic Affairs and had to be considered,” Saunders said. “The plan calls for the elimination of several programs. Please note that no faculty members will be laid off immediately because there is at least a two-year phase out of the academic programs that are being eliminated. This phase out permits currently enrolled upper division students majoring in these programs to graduate, while no new students will be permitted to enroll in these programs. Faculty members are needed to ‘teach out’ these students.” Rodney Roberts, interim director of graphic communication in the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication, says “certain programs were cut because of low enrollment,” including graphic communication. “The program was cut in the summer of 2011, but those students with 60 or more credits are given two years to graduate, so it will be officially terminated the

summer of 2013,” says Roberts. Though students enrolled in the program are able to finish, Roberts is still remorseful. “I’m saddened by it because I have a degree from the program and have seen it grow from its infancy to its current state,” says Roberts, who graduated from FAMU in 1990 with a degree in graphic arts technology and a concentration in photography. With an optimistic attitude he continues by saying, “The positive side is that there will still be photography courses offered at the University.” Elizabeth Davenport, a professor at the Department of Educational Leadership and Human Services who currently serves as the president of United Faculty of Florida is a 10year veteran of the university’s troubled finances, but she admits she has never witnessed anything quite like the last set of layoffs. “I have dealt with the consequences of people being displaced, dropped, or eliminated,” Davenport says. “I have talked to those who were given two hours to clean out their desks. Some of these people had worked here for decades.” The traditional answer to difficult fiscal times is

“I haven’t even received my degree in the mail yet and they’re [FAMU] already asking me to donate back.” donations from alumni. While older, predominantly white institutions are supported by large endowments to keep them afloat when government funding is cut, Historically Black Colleges and Universities are notoriously underfunded. For example, Harvard University, with 18,000 students has a $27.5 billion endowment, but Howard, with 10,000 students, has an approximately $400 million endowment. The national average for alumni donation is 13 percent. However, FAMU’s current donation rate is just shy of four percent, a slight increase from two percent 10 years ago. The money from donations is used to fund projects and programs that the government does not, or in this case, can no longer afford. Donations are also a key source for student scholarships and a life support system during economic hardship. “Some of the dollars given to the university by alumni are spent on endowed scholarships. Some are unrestricted and are used for scholarships, faculty/student development and general university operating expenses,” Saunders says. academic years.

FEATURES • 17

*Due to the sensitive nature of this story and pending legal cases surrounding the layoffs, several professors were unwilling to comment even up until press time.

PROGRAMS CUT AT FAMU

School of Journalism & Graphic Communication ŭ (SBQIJD $PNNVOJDBUJPO #4

ŭ +PVSOBMJTN .4

School of Architecture ŭ -BOETDBQF "SDIJUFDUVSF .-"

School of Allied Health ŭ $BSEJPQVMNPOBSZ 4DJFODF #4

4DIPPM PG #VTJOFTT *OEVTUSZ ŭ #VTJOFTT .BOBHFSJBM &DPOPNJDT #4

FAMU Donation$: $957,344 Student population: 13,089

MOREHOUSE Donation$: $2,000,000 Student population: app. 3,000

SpelMAN Donation$: $1,200,000 Student population: 2,355

Bethune-Cookman Donation$: $525,000 Student population: 3,594

To see the other 16 programs that were cut, visit JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

18 • FALL 2011 JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

ALUMNI DONATION RATES AT HBCUs

From financial difficulties of their own to strained relationships with the university, many alumni simply refuse to do so. Terrance Daphnis is one of those graduates who have yet to empty their pockets in support of FAMU despite recent financial difficulties. He says he has no plans for a donation any time soon. Like many students, the 2011 graduate does not plan on giving back to the institution because he experienced “turmoil and suffering due to the lack of customer service provided by employees and professors.” Three months after crossing the stage an angry Daphnis says, “I haven’t event received my degree in the mail yet and they’re [FAMU] already asking me to donate back.” Terrance says he decided to attend FAMU in an effort not only to support an HBCU, but also to get the full experience. Instead, he was welcomed by rude workers, a shifty administration, unorganized staff and an environment, and in his opinion it was not conducive for learning. Overall, he left FAMU an unsatisfied customer. “I don’t think i got what I needed at the university,” he says. “I was unprepared for the real world.” Students are making the difficult decision to support the school that brought them so much hardship, or leave it to fend on its own. Because Melina had only obtained a sophomore standing in Spanish education, she would be forced to change her major. Instead she’s decided to return to the Virgin Islands to pursue her education elsewhere. As she prepares to make her way back home her message to the administrators that deemed her program unfit to continue is clear: “Thank you for crippling another generation.”

JOURNEY EXCLUSIVE!

REASONABLE DOUBT

How three FAMU Law students defended “the most hated woman in America.� WORDS BY: KRISTEN SWILLEY DESIGN BY: LANORRIS BLUTCHER PHOTO COURTESY OF: BUCKSLOCALNEWS.COM

S

hakema Wallace is working overtime. As midnight approaches, her instincts tell her to shut down her MacBook and head back to her Orlando apartment. She grabs her keys and SUHSDUHV WR DEDQGRQ KHU RIÂżFH IRU WKH HYHQLQJ ZKHQ D Ă€DVKLQJ RUDQJH WDE RQ WKH ERWWRP RI KHU VFUHHQ catches her attention. Internet Explorer is still open, VR VKH VDWLVÂżHV KHU )DFHERRN DGGLFWLRQ RQH ODVW WLPH After browsing her homepage for status updates and scrolling through new pictures, a blue envelope is left ORRPLQJ EHWZHHQ KHU QRWLÂżFDWLRQV DQG IULHQG UHTXHVWV ,Q KHU PLQG LWÂśV DQRWKHU SDUW\ LQYLWDWLRQ RU D TXLFN remark from a friend. Looking one last time will only take a few seconds. The message staring back at her leaves her speechless. “DEATH TO YOU ALL.â€? Shakema doesn’t recognize the sender’s name, but the thoughts rushing through her head are all too familiar. This type of threat was all too common for WKH WKUHH )ORULGD $ 0 8QLYHUVLW\ VWXGHQWV ZKR VSHQW

six months defending Casey Anthony. 7KH VWXGHQWV RFFXS\LQJ D YDFDQW WKLUG Ă€RRU FODVVURRP LQ )$08ÂśV &ROOHJH RI /DZ DUH HHULO\ FDOP – especially considering how the former interns spent WKH ODVW VL[ PRQWKV $V WKH\ ORXQJH LQ ERUURZHG RIÂżFH chairs and down snacks from the lobby’s vending machine, it’s hard to believe these are the same three people that played a role in what many are calling the new “trial of the century.â€? Gone are the gray suits and pastel colors they once donned in the Orange County Courthouse. Shakema is now dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt. The wellmanicured face from television is replaced with that of a typical sleep-deprived law student. Sallay Jusu is sitting toward the back wall. Her folded arms convey her overall disposition: polite but distant. She demands to see the group pictures that are taken and runs her answers by her counterparts before sharing them. 0DUFLQ /HZDQGRZVNL LV HTXDOO\ TXLHW DQG VHHPV

FEATURES • 19

preoccupied, like he’d rather be anywhere but trapped LQ D URRP DQVZHULQJ D VHULHV RI TXHVWLRQV 7KLV LV WKH ÂżUVW WLPH WKH\ÂśYH EHHQ LQWHUYLHZHG DERXW the trial. Their uneasiness is evident. Shakema decides WR VSHDN ÂżUVW Though the Anthony case ended nearly three months ago, the former head intern is still the spokesperson of the trio. As she thumbs through her iPhone, Shakema describes how she went from the little girl who played “lawyerâ€? with her Barbie, to the target of public ridicule. “It (law) has always been a passion of mine from childhood. I guess you could blame my aunt because I sat around with them and watched old ‘Matlock’ and ‘Perry Mason’ shows,â€? Shakema says. “I never wanted to be anything but a lawyer.â€? Her career goals took her 1,200 miles away from her KRPHWRZQ RI /DZWRQ 2NOD WR )$08ÂśV &ROOHJH RI /DZ She worked on “small family casesâ€? and conducted paralegal work, but “nothing spectacular, nothing like Casey Anthony.â€? As Shakema, Sallay and Marcin waited impatiently for their professor to arrive in their afternoon class one GD\ %DH] TXLHWO\ HQWHUHG WKH FODVVURRP $IWHU D VKRUW SUHVHQWDWLRQ RQ PHGLD FRYHUDJH RI KLJK SURÂżOH FDVHV KH made an announcement. +LV PRGHVW .LVVLPPHH ÂżUP ZDV ORRNLQJ IRU interns. The students were looking for letters of recommendation. After applying and going through interviews, they received emails saying they had been VHOHFWHG WR QRW RQO\ FRQGXFW UHVHDUFK DW WKH ÂżUP EXW would actually attend the trial every day with Baez and Anthony. “The three students who made the most progress would get to sit at the table,â€? Shakema said. “We were the three.â€? Baez’s “dream teamâ€? was complete, but the battle for Anthony’s life was far from over. The students would spend the next six months struggling to balance the trial with classes and their private lives. Assistant Professor Karin Moore traveled to the FRXUWKRXVH DV WKH FDVH GUHZ WR D FORVH )RU QHDUO\ WKUHH ZHHNV VKH VDW TXLHWO\ EHKLQG WKH GHIHQVH REVHUYLQJ WKH ÂżQDO GD\V RI WKH WULDO “I am proud to see our students in court and they worked very hard, but I wondered how much preparation they could have received before such a major trial,â€? Moore said. “I saw them every day I was there and they were exhausted.â€? As the head intern, Shakema became the “go-togirlâ€? for the trial, served as the spokesperson for the defense and often bore the brunt of the public’s criticism.

20 • FALL 2011 JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

Shortly after the trial began, the students had WKHLU ÂżUVW EUXVK ZLWK DQ RXWUDJHG REVHUYHU During the jury selection, a woman stood up, pointed at Anthony and began screaming “She’s a killerâ€? repeatedly before having to be forcibly removed from the courtroom. The interns were also the recipients of public rage. “I’ve gotten death threats,â€? says Sallay who DOVR DSSHDUHG RQ FDPHUD IUHTXHQWO\ WKURXJKRXW WKH trial. “People were messaging me like ‘How could you do this? How could you defend her?’ I had to JHW RII RI )DFHERRN DQG HPDLO IRU D ZKLOH ´ Sallay still has certain users blocked and has deleted the email account she’s had since high school to avoid the attacks. Despite the pressure and racial tone surrounding the case, Shakema describes a gut feeling about Anthony that wouldn’t go away. “There was something about the case that just didn’t sit right with me. I think we as African$PHULFDQV WU\ WR ÂżQG D UDFLDO LVVXH LQ HYHU\WKLQJ Honestly, if she was African-American I don’t think it would’ve even gotten the same attention. No one would’ve been looking for this little black girl, but Anthony was never given special treatment by us. She was an average, middle class woman with a child,â€? she said. “The public perception was that she was a killer. Nobody wanted to help.â€? Shakema developed a relationship with Anthony throughout the trial. “We’ve sat down and had conversations EHIRUH )URP ZRUNLQJ ZLWK KHU , FRXOGQÂśW EHOLHYH that she killed (Caylee Anthony). She seemed like an incredibly nice woman who loved her child.â€? In her moments of what she describes as “complete exhaustionâ€? balancing her classes with the trial, Shakema wondered how she could continue. Despite the controversy surrounding the case, her school, church and hometown newspaper were hailing her as a shining example of the community. Dean Leroy Pernell hailed the students involvement as “an opportunity to see the human dynamics as well as the legal issuesâ€? and ÂłVLJQLÂżFDQW SUDFWLFDO H[SRVXUH WR WKH OHJDO ÂżHOG ´ Inside Shakema was crumbling. Despite her temporary disconnection with the outside world, she says she had a gut feeling about the defendant she couldn’t ignore. “We got to see the case for about six months before we actually started working on it and we

Baez Timeline:

1997Â Â Â Â

High school dropout Jose Baez graduates from Florida State with his law degree.

20 0 5Â Â Â

After eight failed attempts, Baez passes the state bar.

2006Â Â Â Â

Casey Anthony is arrested and charged with counts of child neglect, interfering with a police investigation and lying to investigators.

2008Â Â Â Â Baez begins representing Anthony pro bono.

1.23.09

Orlando’s ABC affiliate, WFTV, reports that Baez is teaching at FAMU’s College of Law. He makes $4,500 a semester.

2011Â Â Â Â

Baez adds Shakema, Sallay and Marcin to the defense team.

7.5.11Â Â Â Â Â Â In a surprise victory, Anthony is acquitted on all major charges but convicted on four lesser counts of lying to police.

7.17.11

Anthony is released from jail. Her sentence is shortened due to “good behavior.�

9.13.11

ABC World News confirms Baez is defending Gary Giordano, the man held in the disappearance of 35-year-old Robyn Gardner, who was last seen in Aruba.

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FEATURES • 21

WORDS BY: ANGEL NEAL DESIGN BY: JEFFREY MORRIS PHOTOS BY: LAGRETTA JOHNSON

College athletics is a billion-dollar business, so is treating the players like cheap labor unethical or just the nature of the game? His day starts at 6 a.m. A barely cognizant Jarian Moreland fully awakens as rays of VXQ SHQHWUDWH KLV EOLQGV DQG ÀRRG WKH WLQ\ apartment he shares with his roommate. After several futile attempts to press the snooze button without abandoning the comfort of his bed, he silences his alarm and begins his day. He scans the room for his belongings, grabbing the books piled on his nightstand before putting on a white T-shirt and jeans. A quick glance in the mirror and D IHHOLQJ LQ WKH SLW RI KLV VWRPDFK FRQ¿UP his silent thoughts: another day of thankless work lies ahead. After 12 hours of balancing physical training, drills, and classes the exhausted employee stares into an empty fridge. Mom 22 • FALL 2011 JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

can barely cover her own bills, so asking for more money isn’t an option this month. He could be eligible for food stamps like some of his peers, but that would require working at least 20 hours a week—at a job with a salary. However, most days and nights are spent pumping revenue into a billion-dollarcorporation that doesn’t pay a dime. Jarian is a college athlete. 7KH ZHDOWK\ HPSLUH SUR¿WLQJ IURP KLV labor is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The NCAA recently signed a $10.6 billion contract with CBS and Turner Broadcasting for the rights to broadcast the men’s basketball tournament until 2013. It has an overall budget of approximately $6 billion

* THE MODEL, BRIAN TYMS, USED IN THESE PHOTOS HAS NO RELATION TO THIS STORY.

and compensates its employees handsomely. In 2010, the organization paid an estimated $6 million to 14 of its highest-ranking executives, yet just like any other year, the players that generated this revenue received no payment. “I was raised by a single parent and can’t always call my mom to send me money throughout the year. I’m grateful for a full scholarship. But at the end of the day as athletes we don’t have access to other supplements of money, so who do I turn to for help?,” Jarian says. Like many athletes across the nation, the center for the men’s football team is broke.

His primary source of income is a scholarship. Once the money is dispersed he can pay his tuition, but there is very little left over for food and clothing throughout the season. Former New England Patriot’s running back Fred Taylor remembers experiencing this type of frustration when he played college football at the University of Florida. “These athletes are generating large sums of revenue for their respective universities’ athletic programs. We’re talking millions of dollars. I’m sure the schools can create some sort of escrow and channel the funds to players,â€? Taylor says. “This will probably minimize the temptations brought forth by agents who seek to pursue the top athletes.â€? According to the April 2010 Hartford )LQDQFLDO *DPH 3ODQ 6XUYH\ D ÂżQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV company that partners with the NCAA, 72 percent of college athletes expect to owe student loan debt when they graduate. Less than four percent are expected to play professionally. Knowing the possible risks, college athletes, whom the NCAA refers to as “student-athletes,â€? could walk away at any time. However, doing so would limit any chance of working their way up to professional or Olympic status in the sport of their choice. Jarian could also get a job, assuming he had time during football season. NCAA rules on amateurism allow athletes to have another occupation. He could deliver pizzas or work at Walmart and maintain eligibility. Taylor says this is possible but unrealistic. “When I played

college football they allowed us to get parttime jobs but quite honestly after workouts, class, tutoring, practice and more tutoring, there’s no time for work. Secondly, the majority of these athletes come from ÂżQDQFLDOO\ XQVWDEOH DUHDV ZKLFK OHDG WKHP to do petty things for extra cash,â€? Taylor says. “I think having more money will minimize the distractions from agents and for guys who aren’t being sought after, I think it’ll reduce the temptations of stealing things that belong to the general student population, (i.e., books, bikes, etc.).â€? According to the NCCA handbook players like Jarian cannot collect “any remuneration for value or utility that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that he or she has obtained because of athletics ability,â€? or the individual would be banned from playing college football. There is some aid available to student athletes. According to the NCAA website, the organization offers the Special Assistance Fund, which was established in the 1990s WR KHOS VWXGHQW DWKOHWHV LQ ÂżQDQFLDO QHHG to cover basic or emergency expenses. +RZHYHU WKH PHDJHU UHZDUG LV GLIÂżFXOW WR obtain and can take up to a full year for the funds to be dispersed. Big Ten Conference Commissioner Jim Delaney discussed offering players a fourÂżJXUH VWLSHQG WR FRYHU OLYLQJ H[SHQVHV LQ KLV league’s spring meeting earlier this year. The stipend would range from $2,000 to $5,000 and would cover such things as laundry, traveling, clothing and spending money. “Forty years ago you had a scholarship, plus $15 a month for laundry money, but today, you have the same scholarship without the $15 laundry money,â€? exclaimed Delaney. Despite recent controversy, the NCAA’s website makes its position clear. Âł6WXGHQW DWKOHWHV DUH VWXGHQWV ÂżUVW DQG athletes second. They are not university employees who are paid for their labor.â€? The argument revolves around the fact that the NCAA and others who disagree with the idea feel as though many athletes are already

1. Players rewarded for the revenue they generate 2. Helps athletes without family support 3. Stops some from seeking payment illegally 4. Money raised goes directly back into the athletic program

getting paid through full scholarships and a free education. NCAA president Mark Emmert who earns an estimated $1.5 to $2 million a year says he is willing to explore the idea of a personal increase to the players’ scholarships, but does not believe college athletes should get paid saying, “That’s not what college sports are about.â€? It is perhaps this sense of frustration or greed that led players at The Ohio State University to violate NCAA rules last season. Six players were accused of selling some of their memorabilia including championship rings, jerseys, and awards to the highest bidder. Former quarterback Terrelle Pryor, UHFHLYHG DSSUR[LPDWHO\ LQ EHQHÂżWV The players were eventually forced to reimburse that amount to local charities. Sports Illustrated columnist Michael Rosenberg wrote about the plight of students like Jarian. In a July 27 editorial, Rosenberg explains his rationale for compensating college athletes. “The simple fact is that college athletes want to get paid (who wouldn’t?) and there are literally thousands of people out there who would like to pay them,â€? Rosenberg wrote. “Why are we stopping this? What is the big deal? What do you think would happen if your starting quarterback was allowed to take $100,000 from somebody who enjoyed watching him play? Would the Earth crash into the sun?â€? Jarian has dreamed of playing college IRRWEDOO VLQFH FKLOGKRRG EXW ÂżQDQFLDO GLIÂżFXOWLHV DUH WXUQLQJ KLV FKLOGKRRG IDQWDV\ into a nightmare. “Scholarship aid is not enough,â€? he says. “After my tuition is paid I barely have enough money to pay rent and provide food. I can’t get a job because no one will hire an athlete who will tell them when they can work. I think the NCAA needs to really consider shooting more money toward athletes. We generate millions of dollars for them and if they can earn millions of dollars off us, then we want a slice of cake too.â€?

1. Possible gender differences in payment 2. 8QGHĂ€QHG OLPLWDWLRQV RQ ZKDW WKH PRQH\ can be used for 3. Monetary gap between larger and smaller schools 4. 'HĂ€HV WKH 1&$$Ň‹V PLVVLRQ VHQGLQJ a message that these athletes are of professional status

FEATURES • 23

WORDS BY: ANGEL NEAL AND JULIAN KEMPER DESIGN BY: WILKEN TISDALE PHOTOS BY: J.L. EVANS

WXUNH\ OHJV DQG IXQQHO FDNHV ,Q but we know where you spend most of DGGLWLRQ WR WKH IRRG YHQGRUV VHOO your time (and money) beforehand: The FORWKLQJ MHZHOU\ PXVLF DQG )$08 street vendors.The best occasion for any SDUDSKHUQDOLD %XW ZKHUH GR WKHVH vendor is, of course, Homecoming. With YHQGRUV FRPH IURP" 0RVW RI WKHP WKH LQÀX[ RI WKRXVDQGV RI )$08 DOXPQL WUDYHO IURP HYHQW WR HYHQW SRSSLQJ XS and supporters (and whoever comes with DW VWUHHW IDLUV DQG IHVWLYDOV WKURXJKRXW RI that other team) comes dozens of vendors, Southeast. Some of the more frequent hawking everything from sausage and YHQGRUV KRZHYHU UHSUHVHQW ORFDOO\ peppers to frozen drinks, fried shrimp, owned and operated businesses.

24 • FALL 2011 JOURNEYMAGONLINE.COM

,WDOLDQ VDXVDJH ZLWK RQLRQV )RU PDQ\ )ORULGD $ 0 8QLYHUVLW\ IRRWEDOO IDQV these words are enough to PDNH WKHP VDOLYDWH $QG don’t get us started on WKH OHPRQDGH 6HH KRZ \RXU NQHHV EXFNOHG DW WKH PHQWLRQ RI LW" ([DFWO\ ,I \RX GRQ¶W PLQG ZH¶UH JRLQJ WR LQGXOJH RXU LQQHU food critics here): the muted spiciness of the sausage is EDODQFHG E\ WKH VZHHWQHVV RI WKH JUHHQ SHSSHUV DQG RQLRQV )URP WKH ¿UVW ELWH WKH ÀDYRU VHWWOHV LQWR \RXU SDODWH DQG PDNHV LWVHOI KRPH 7KH FULVSLQHVV RI WKH RQLRQV SURYLGHV WKH SHUIHFW WH[WXUH WR PDNH WKLV RQH FXOLQDU\ YLVLWRU \RX¶UH VDG WR VHH OHDYH )DPLO\ :RUVKLS DQG 3UDLVH &HQWHU¶V 3DVWRU &\UXV )ODQDJDQ KDV EHHQ VHOOLQJ KLV GHOHFWDEOH WUHDWV LQ IURQW RI *DLWKHU *\PQDVLXP IRU WKH SDVW \HDUV ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR EHLQJ D FXOLQDU\ WUHDW IRU JDPH SDWURQV ³,W¶V D great fundraiser for the church,” says Lorienne Smith, 21, D IRXWK \HDU HOHPHQWDU\ HGXFDWLRQ VWXGHQW IURP 6DUDVRWD ZKR IUHTXHQWO\ ZRUNV WKH VWDQG

,I ÀDVK\ IHDWKHU HDUULQJV and edgy, vibrant designs DUH \RXU VW\OH RQH DOXPQD KDV VRPHWKLQJ WDLORUHG MXVW IRU \RX )RU WKRVH XQIDPLOLDU ZLWK RXU UHSXWDWLRQ )$08 LV D IDVKLRQ LQVWLWXWH ¿UVW VFKRRO VHFRQG DQG LWV PRGHOV XP VWXGHQWV continue to showcase WKHLU VW\OH E\ URFNLQJ WKH ¿QHVW DFFHVVRULHV IRU HYHU\ RFFDVLRQ 6RPH RI WKHVH VWXGHQWV KDYH -DQHOOH 1DSLHU WR WKDQN IRU WKDW 1DSLHU LV D )$08 JUDGXDWH ZLWK D EXVLQHVV GHJUHH DQG D SHQVLRQ IRU VW\OH +HU MHZHOU\ FROOHFWLRQ FRQVLVWV RI EUDFHOHWV KDLU DFFHVVRULHV DQG HDUULQJV 6KH NHHSV KHU FXVWRPHUV FRPLQJ EDFN ZLWK UHDVRQDEOH SULFHV IURP WR DQG SURYLGHV FXVWRPL]HG RUGHUV WKDW FDQ EH SXUFKDVHG LQ EXON ³,¶YH EHHQ VHOOLQJ P\ MHZHOU\ VLQFH , JHW VRPH LQVSLUDWLRQ IURP QDWXUH DQG , EHOLHYH ELJJHU DFFHVVRULHV ZLWK DQ RXW¿W PDNH D EROGHU VWDWHPHQW ´ 6KH VWDUWHG VHOOLQJ KHU pieces on The Set and ventured off to becoming a vendor of +RPHFRPLQJ 7KLV \HDU VKH SODQV WR H[SDQG KHU FOLHQWHOH ³, EHOLHYH RQ 7KH 6HW , KDYH PRUH RI D VXSSRUW V\VWHP EXW , OLNH VHOOLQJ P\ VWXII GXULQJ +RPHFRPLQJ EHFDXVH LW¶V PRUH GD\V LQ D URZ DQG ,¶OO VHOO PRUH

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)LVK VKULPS ZLQJV FROODUG greens, macaroni and cheese, IXQQHO FDNHV DQG VRPH ³NLOOHU´ OHPRQDGH LQ WKH ZRUGV RI RZQHU Serena King, are what make her VWDQG XQLTXH 1RW WR PHQWLRQ LWV distinction as two-time winner RI WKH 1DWLRQDO *DUOLF 6KULPS cook-off, in 2002 and 2009. 7KH -DFNVRQYLOOH EDVHG FDWHUHU KDV EHHQ DWWHQGLQJ )$08 KRPH JDPHV IRU \HDUV 6KH WUDYHOV WR FRQFHUWV DQG IRRWEDOO JDPHV LQ WKH 6RXWKHDVW DQG DV IDU QRUWK DV %DOWLPRUH ³, ORYH WKH DWPRVSKHUH DQG DOO WKH IHVWLYH VFHQHU\ HVSHFLDOO\ DW FRQFHUWV ´ .LQJV VD\V 7KRXJK VKH¶V NQRZQ IRU KHU GHOHFWDEOH VHDIRRG GRQ¶W EH DIUDLG WR H[SHULPHQW )RU DQ DGGHG WUHDW WU\ WKH FROODUG JUHHQV ZKLFK .LQJ XVXDOO\ UHVHUYHV IRU JDPH GD\

1. Add 2 cups of water to a large pot on medium heat 2. Stir in one 1 cup of sugar 3. Slice and juice two lemons 4. Bring water to boil 5. Add quarter cup sliced strawberries 6. Chill and serve

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LIFE & STYLE• 27

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LIFE AND STYLE• 29 29 LIFE & STYLE•

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