Florida a&M university’s campus magazine
Free Fall 2013
journey magazine
I
’d like to take the time to send my deepest apologizes to those who have suffered tremendously because of my time spent at Journey. To my social life, you have been so good to me, and I have failed you. Long nights spent in the Journey office took over our party time. To my iPhone, you have suffered an inbox overflow due to my inability to respond back to the various text messages received from my friends and family. Please, don’t take it personal. And lastly, I’d like to say sorry to my mattress. My abandonment has left our nighttime pillow action non-existent, only to be replaced by piles of laundry.
When I applied to become editor-in-chief, it was the spring of 2013 and I was still in New York City, perfecting my copy machine skills as an intern at ELLE Magazine. While everyone was still limping through the halls of J-School, I took the semester off and felt like being in the “Big Apple” gave me all the first-hand experience I needed. But lets be honest here, I’ve never felt more frustrated, more doubtful, more nervous and more excited about anything than this issue. When given this position, the joy that ensued came to an abrupt halt. Things were different, and I was forced to keep up. We had no money, we had no staff, we were almost three weeks into the semester and I was getting criticism left and right. Change has surrounded us everywhere. From adapting ourselves into the new culture of J-School (page 8) to the many unexpected occurences we have to deal with each day (page 28). However, I appreciate these changes, for they have challenged my staffers and me to prosper during these trying times. I hope that you, whomever you are, are reading this letter in a tangible issue, so you can finally see what we’ve successfully produced through our storytelling and art combined. That’s all.
Photo by LaGretta Johnson
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Words By Chelsea Hall Design By Geoffrey Evans Someone is bound to capture the unique paintings of the various fashion statements that stroke the canvas of FAMU’s campus. Many see fashion as self-expression, but personality and passion manage to seep through just by the choice of clothing. Baguidy Elien, better known as Bugottii Ellion Monroe, and Tiras Hardy, also known as Ken or Life Size Ken, don’t dress to impress—they dress to express. Journey magazine had the pleasure of sitting down with these two fashion-forward men to discuss their unique fashion.
Photo: Instagram.com/Bugottiimonroee
Q. How did the Barbs and Kens probate start? Tiras: That really started from people being infatuated by us and wanting to be a part [of us]. Our group was beyond friendship; we were like family. We would always go out to events and parties dressed in unique concepts. People really noticed our style and wanted to be a part. We decided to reach out to others and have a probate for Barbs and Kens that wanted to be a part of us.
Q. How did you guys meet? Baguidy and Tiras: We met freshman year. Q. What inspires your style? Baguidy: I inspire myself. I have to inspire myself because that is the only person that is with me 24/7. As far as my wardrobe, I dress how I feel. Tiras: What inspires me the most is just being able to be myself and make a statement. I feel like my inspiration comes from my family. Like the song, “I Put on For My City,” I believe that I put on for my family. Q. What is Fat Boy Inc.? Baguidy: Fat Boy Inc. is a group of individuals who are all about being themselves. The group originally was made up of guys and one girl by the name of Jasmin Macroy. She was basically our first lady. She was the first Barb at FAMU, and that is how “Barbs and Kens” (Barbie’s and Ken’s) came about.
Q. Why didn’t you all just make Barbs and Kens into a modeling troupe on campus? Baguidy: We do not have anything against the modeling troupes around campus, but Barbs and Kens was meant for others to stand out and be themselves instead of being followers. What gets on my nerves the most is seeing students put so much time and effort in being in a modeling troupe, then end up going back home next semester. It is like they end up losing themselves trying to be something they are not. Tiras: People always ask us that, but it really was not meant for that purpose. It was real life, like an everyday thing. Giving people confidence and letting them be their own individual is what we are all about. It is deeper than fashion. It is mainly about being your own person because after college none of that will help you like self-confidence will.
Q. Are you guys aware that you two are considered campus celebrities? Tiras: For me, I would not say that I am considered a campus celebrity. I mean I am aware that a lot of people may know Bugottii and myself, but that is only from what they see on the outside. Everyone does not necessarily know the real us.
Q. Do you guys have any upcoming projects? Baguidy: Definitely. Mermaid Makup by Bugottii. Another project is The Bugottii Movement T-shirts for those that support me. Both projects will be dropping in the spring [of 2014]. Tiras: Ken’s Kloset. This project is not necessarily a clothing line. It is a foundation for people in order to promote individuality. Ken’s Kloset will also have T-shirts and both projects will be launching in the spring 2014.
Q. What quote or principle do you live by? Baguidy and Tiras: “People usually don’t like the things they don’t understand. Live for you and you only, and one day they will appreciate your legacy.” –Unknown
JOURNEY • 05
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n the past, African-American films were sometimes labeled cliché. Many of them have been comedies or parodies like “Big Momma’s House,” “Scary Movie,” the “Friday” trilogy and Tyler Perry’s plays-turned-films. AfricanAmerican dramas profile drugs, money and gang violence such as “Boys in the Hood,” “Paid in Full” and “Waist Deep.” This time it seems African-American directors are taking a different route with their films. In Spike Lee’s well-known interview, he condemns filmmakers who exploited AfricanAmerican stereotypes in their films. “A lot of stuff that is on today is coonery and buffoonery, and I know its making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better,” he said.
Perhaps what he meant by “better” was “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.” It’s follows the life of a White House butler, played by Forest Whitaker, who lives during the major events of the 20th century. The film is inspired by the life of Eugene Allen, a former White House butler, who served eight presidents over three decades. 6 • FALL 2013
Over the years there have been complaints about the absence of prominent films directed by and centered on African-Americans. Ironically enough, black films never perished, but instead were confined to a “status quo” filled with urban dramas about drugs and dysfunctional families, which caused major film distributors to stray away. Getting funding for any film is imperative, but for AfricanAmerican dramas, little to no funding can be detrimental to its production. “It was a rough journey getting this film financed because the studios were not interested and didn’t want to do it,” Lee Daniels said in a New York Times interview about the difficulty of finding funding for the “The Butler.” At a 2001 Yale University panel discussion, Spike Lee told the audience his goal as a filmmaker is to portray different images of African-Americans. He also mentioned his hope to make a film about baseball legend Jackie Robinson, but was unable to
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due to financing. Coincidentally, the film “42” is about the life of Jackie Robinson and was released by Warner Bros. Pictures. According to The New York Times, at least 10 new films will be released, including several award contenders from major distributors like the Weinstein Company, Fox Searchlight and Universal Pictures.
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It looks like this year we can finally stop holding our breath to watch a good, eye-popping African-American film that can leave us speechless. African-American filmmakers said the series of 2013 releases were made mostly on the independent film circuit. This has opened an outlet for African-American directors to release more AfricanAmerican themed productions. Rookie director Ryan Coogler’s “Fruitvale Station,” starring Michael B. Jordan was released in January at the Sundance Film Festival. The movie follows Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old ex-con, who wakes up on the morning of New Years Eve with intentions to turn his life around. “Fruitvale Station” was named the Festival Winner, and Rolling Stone magazine called it “the best movie at the Sundance Film Festival.” Films like “Fruitvale Station,” “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” and “12 Years a Slave,” are helping the black film circuit rise to new heights. David E. Talbert, writer and director of romantic comedy “Baggage Claim,” compared this year’s rise of African-American films to the Harlem Renaissance. He noted the cohesiveness and support of African-American filmmakers to “the time in the 20th century where black musicians and writers buoyed off of one another.” Talbert also participated in a meet and greet at Florida A&M University in September of this year. For movie buffs who have been yearning to see some color on the big screen, they’ll have a wide selection of films to choose from this year.
JOURNEY • 7
S
omewhere in America a little black girl is watching a Miley Cyrus video. And she is learning how to twerk. Even the writers of American Horror Story, a FX horror anthropology television series, could not concoct a more disturbing image. If Adam Lambert, Lena Dunham and Russell Simmons knew of my thoughts on this performance, they would most likely say my comment was extreme. But extreme events call for extreme opinions. A few months ago I was having a conversation with a friend about Cyrus' racy MTV Video Music Awards performance. To say the least, I was not a fan. I remember sitting in my living room with my face twisted in disgust as I watched her rail-thin body wiggle and jerk awkwardly and pseudoseductively across the stage. My face clenched when I saw black female props—dancers was too adequate of a word for the purpose those young women served on that stage—twice the height of Cyrus with thighs and hips the size of all four of Cyrus' limbs prancing across the stage, asses jiggling bold and proud front and center. My mouth dropped when Cyrus delightfully slapped the backside of one of the curvaceous women. I was mortified. I felt like I was watching a modern age version of The Minstrel Show, which featured white performers in blackface. .If you log onto the Internet like most Americans do, there is no doubt that in the days, weeks and even months following her racy performance, you witnessed cyberspace explode with links, articles and photos all about or displaying Miley Cyrus and her adoration for twerking. And with her came the familiar term cultural appropriation. It didn't take long for it to pop up in a search engine even if Cyrus' name was only whispered. Cyrus is not the first pop artist to be accused of culturally appropriating an American subculture and the common question on many people's mind is will she be the last? Based on trend, it does not look like the answer will be “yes.” Cultural appropriation has been an inevitable side effect for African-American artists in the music industry for decades. The violation stretches to the origins of Jazz and Rhythm and Blues in the ’20s to Rock and Roll in the ’50s and ’60s. In 2004, notable R&B artist R. Kelly refused to work with singer Justin Timberlake. He stated after being asked if he would write for the former boy band member, "I refuse to write hits for someone who does not appreciate the gift of the music. I refuse to write hits for someone who uses and abuses this thing called R&B music just to gain respect and acceptance from their opposite counterpart." Today cultural appropriation has evolved passed music into fashion,
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MILEY CYRUS
hairstyles, dancing as well as facial and body features. Over the summer Heidi Klum posted a picture of herself on vacation in the Caribbean with a head full of braids–Khloe Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston slapped three braids on the side of their heads–and suddenly bloggers question if braids are the new chic fashion statement. Growing up in Orlando as a child, my mother would take me to the Zora Neale Hurston festival every year and I would see AfricanAmerican women with hair bright hues of apple green, pastel pink, royal purple and deep-sea blue. Back then it was “ghetto.” Kelly Osbourne and Katy Perry dye their hair electric blue, emerald green and baby pink and you see it on the runways of fashion week in New York and Paris. In an open letter to Urban Outfitters, Sasha Houston Brown scolded the clothing store for appropriating the Native American culture. Brown expressed her offense to the store selling apparel and cultural trinkets under the name of Native American tribes.,” wrote Brown. "These and the dozens of other tacky products you are currently selling referencing Native America make a mockery of our identity and unique cultures.” She called the marketing and profiting of these goods "blatant racism." In her letter she also pointed out how Urban Outfitters is in violation of the Federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 and the Federal Trade Commission. The act states that it is illegal to "offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian Tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States." While I was reading another article about Cyrus' performance, the writer compared Cyrus to Macklemore, saying no audience would ever hear a Miley Cyrus song comparable to Macklemore's "White Privilege." In the song Macklemore acknowledges the idea that he is capitalizing off of a craft that has been appropriated by mainstream media. With lyrics like, "But am I just another white boy who has caught on to the trend? When I take a step to mic is hip-hop closer to the end?...Hip-Hop is gentrified, and where will all the people live?….Where's my place in the music that's been taken by my race?” Culturally appropriated by the “white face,” Macklemore acknowledges his participation in an artistic culture that sprouted from the effects of institutionalized racism and oppression.
My viewpoint on the artistic quality of his music slightly changed after listening to that song. Is it because we as African-Americans tend to respect those not of our race, common historical background or circumstance when they acknowledge the origins and creators of the art form. If Urban Outfitters acknowledged that their products are not of authentic Native American tribal culture but still continued to sell goods in liking to authentic NativeAmerican culture would that be acceptable? And in the case of Cyrus' twerking, what would be her acknowledgement? Yes, most know that twerking is a slight derivative of West African dancing. But what makes Cyrus twerking such a low blow to our community? There has been discussion about if Cyrus twerking is even a form of appropriation. To say that Cyrus is appropriating twerking would be admitting that romp shaking is a staple in the African-American community culture and has been devalued by her performance. It is not so much devaluing twerking as Cyrus perpetuating a skewed perception of the sexuality of African-American women. We have witnessed on several occasions the common path of a Disney starlet coming of age attempting to tear away from her good girl image. Cyrus conveniently and opportunistically used the hyper sexualized image of African-American women twerking to attain this liberation. She didn't invite those women on stage to look pretty with her, or add theatrics to her performance. Those women acted as a background, a mere sexual juxtaposition to accentuate the pure sexuality of Cyrus’ verses of the jezebel, inferior, lustful sexuality of an African American woman. It's Cyrus' method of experiencing the deviant route or lifestyle thrill during her young adult rebellious years at the expense of the perception of African-American female sexuality. While Cyrus twerks and grinds her way to the top, her purity and sexuality will never be threatened, because unlike a black girl, this image is not a stigma forced upon her by society. She can easily and most conveniently shed this urban “twerk” girl image . This is a fad, a phase in her life that she can look back at and reminisce. African-American women aren't afforded that luxury. Young black girls are watching their counterparts receive recognition for their unique characteristics. And once again somewhere in America a little black girl is struggling to shake an image that her counterparts will never suffer from.
JOURNEY
09
The Face
Behind
The App
Words & Photo By Jordan Kinsey Design By Geoffrey Evans
“I
t was 2012, we figured that mobile apps are the way to go because they increase the use of cell phones by our generation and all over the world,” Troy Thompson said, a third-year business administration student from Fredericksburg, Va.
He started designing the app on his 2007 Acer Aspire 5130 laptop. He even utilized the computers in FAMU’s main library to finish it. He used iBuildApp, an app building platform, for the physical formatting of the app, which he could easily drag and drop information.
Thompson was just an 18-year-old freshman when he created his first mobile application. The app was a project he developed under his company Green Media Designers. Its purpose was to make Florida A&M University’s information accessible to its students from their mobile devices. The app was released in April 2012, and was called “Your FAMU.” “It was an app for students because Florida A&M University didn’t have an app at the time,” Thompson said, “not on the iPhone or the Android market, so we thought it would be a good idea to create an app.”
After he completed the app, he sent it to Android and Apple. Android immediately published it, but Apple on the other hand was a challenge. “After six days of waiting around to see if they would publish it, Apple denied it,” he said. “Then I had to resubmit it with more information and they accepted it on the second term.” The app had a link to the social sites of FAMU’s organizations, locations to various places on campus and provided current news about FAMU. “It had a map integrated in it, where you can click on the map and you could get directions to places on it. It had general information about FAMU,” Thompson said.
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While in high school, Thompson took a course in C++ (pronounced “see plus plus”) and began programming in it along with Python. Both are widely used programming languages. He credits this experience for giving him the confidence to dive into the app world.
Coordinator of collegiate licensing in FAMU’s Office of Communications Sabrina Thompson said there are protocols for using the university’s name or image. Someone wishing to use it must become a licensed vendor through the Collegiate Licensing Company.
“By the time I got to FAMU, I figured that I was pretty good at programming and saw that apps were going up and up. So I figured that’s the next domain or horizons, so I took a leap of faith,” Thompson said. “I figured I have enough experience in programming and I am also a business student so I understand how that whole aspect works.”
“The university receives ten percent of any merchandise items that are sold using those images or names. Florida A&M University, Rattlers, FAMU–those names actually belong to the university,” Sabrina Thompson said. “Anyone who uses it must get permission to use those names.”
Adam Badger, a fourth-year criminal justice student from New Orleans, works alongside Thompson as the vice president of operations at Green Media Designers. Not only are they business partners but also close friends and class brothers of the FAMU’s Collegiate 100. He worked with Thompson during the creation of Your FAMU.
Since the design of Your FAMU, Thompson has continued designing and developing apps through his company. He has already completed two apps; Verse Finder, a gaming application, and Green Media Designers, an app version of his company.
AD
He recently completed “I was excited. We an app for residents in were going to have the Louisana. “This app opportunity to release is meant to inform It was an app for students because Florida A&M’s first app, people in New Orleans Florida A&M University didn’t have considering a lot that was of upcoming events an app at the time. going on with the media.” centered around colleges Badger said Thompson has but not limited to colleges,” always been dedicated to his Thompson said. He said he work. He believes Thompson wants to continue designing can accomplish anything that he graphics, websites, mobile apps sets his mind to. “I always tell Troy, and anything that will help decrease believe it or not, he has the mindset of a the use of paper products. He is inspired future Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. There is something to help others with their plans, and wants to see special about Troy. He knows what he wants in life his company continue to grow. and anything that he says he going to do, he is going “Our overall goals are to make designs that to get it done.” people can use to make money from and at the same time reduce the carbon footprint.” However, the celebration soon faced a halt. “Everything was going great until we checked in with the university. Of course there are certain laws with using a school’s name and we were recommended to take it down [from online] and so we did,” Thompson said.
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You just moved to a new city, be it for college or a change of scenery, and you have the strongest craving for wings, but not a clue where to get some. Looking through a phone book can take hours and you may not have installed your Wi-Fi yet for online browsing. All you have is your mobile device so why not get Wing Rate! It rates different chicken wing restaurants, it lets you know the restaurants’ breaded or unbreaded options, the different flavors available, sauciness ratio, and of course, how affordable and
Words by daniece brady and taquesha robb Design by geoffrey evans
Ever had a bad day at school or work and you desperately needed someone to talk to, but there is not a friend in site? They are probably curbing your calls because they are tired of your constant gossip but have no fear! Let MeTellll You! It’s a counseling app that allows you to have conversations with it, gives you the best feedback to your problems and it alerts you on all of the gossip that fits your needs! LMTY uses an honest source in your area and ensures that all information given is kept private. You can even select its gender
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needs! LMTY uses an honest source in your area and ensures that all information given is kept private. You can even select its gender and name! It will cater to your personality over time, so make a new friend with LMTY.
Now after every event on campus there is a great chance that there is going to be an after party. Stop scrolling through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and get on Turn Down For What? It will keep you updated on all the house parties or club parties happening that night! It will give you directions, price of cover charges, music selections for the night, number of guys and girls in attendance and an uploading feature where people can submit live pictures and videos.
No need to get the police involved with that breathalyzer. A quick scan can save your friends from embarrassment. Just make them give two short breaths into the charger entrance of their mobile device and the app will determine whether they can still take shots or take it home for the night. It can also tell you when a woman/man you meet in a club is too drunk to consent, so that you can avoid an “awkward situation.”
Have you ever had a gut feeling that your significant other was being a little bit too sweet with someone else? Need help silencing that voice in the back of your head? With The Flirt Alert you will never have to worry about your gf/ bf sending “sweet nothings” via text message. Your phone will automatically get the alert when they send someone else a risqué text so you can put them in check! Also, this app can let you know if someone is flirting with you! This feature will help you avoid that constant confusion that is associated with texting someone you like. And if you buy the deluxe version for $3.99, a lie detector is included.
restaurants’ breaded or unbreaded options, the different flavors available, sauciness ratio, and of course, how affordable and tasty they are. It even includes a social feed, which allows people to describe their unique experience.
Hustle & Pole
WORDS BY BY WORDS
ARVEYONKA LOGAN
DESIGN BY
ARIANA WILDER
IT’S MORE THAN JUST STRIPPING. THESE WOMEN ARE MAKING MOVES OUTSIDE THE STRIP CLUB. CHECK OUT THEIR HUSTLE.
T
ina Wyatt, best known as Teapot, is a dancer at Atlanta’s famous Club Onyx. The 21-yearold said she’s far from the stereotypical, Player’s Club stripper, who is trying to make it in the dance industry. Teapot sees herself more as an everyday Twitter.com/Tea_pot731 mother who just happens to dance. She starts her day by taking her 4-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy, to a private school that caters to his disability. She spends the rest of the day scheduling her photo shoots and work agenda around her mother’s time. “My mother takes me to work. I never want to be that girl that’s hopping out of cars from strange men,” she said. Wyatt says she refuses to be the cliché dancer who uses her job to fund a drug habit. But she’s not trying to depict herself 14 • FALL 2013
as a good girl. She is more concerned with her future endeavors. She said the key to a successful career is knowing that the real money is made outside of the strip club. “You have to be a Jill of all trades from radio, modeling for car and bike shows, hair shows, magazines and reality shows.” This is why her nickname Teapot, is not only a brand, but also a trademark. She’s received several fashion endorsements and published work as a model. She is now a radio personality on Atlanta’s Be100 radio. “Your name in this industry is your brand. I don’t even take pictures with certain photographers. If I don’t like the look, I won’t attach my name to it,” Wyatt said.
Facebook page of NuNu Michelle
“I started after the whole ‘blowing money fast’ epidemic so money was all right but wasn’t like what I kept hearing. Since then it has slowed down even more,” Michelle said. “ You have good days and your bad weeks; it’s a part of the game.”
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Although she loves her new career path, she is thankful for the industry because without stripping, she wouldn’t have found her love for the pole. “I would never tell a woman to strip. Most of us started because of our situations. We felt this was the only way out,” Michelle said. “I don’t praise strippers; I praise entertainers; and there is a difference.” Nunu Michelle is currently training for a pole competition in January in addition to building her brand through her choreography on her Instagram videos. “I plan on continuing my pole classes and train to become a national pole dancer. I can’t say how long I’ll continue dancing, but I would like to be done in a few years.”
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P
articia Michelle uses the poles at Atlanta’s Magic City, not only for the lucrative cash flow but to build a brand around her alter ego, “NuNu Michelle.” When she first started dancing, Michelle was only focused on joining the adult entertainment world. Four years later, she is establishing a name outside of “Magic City” by teaching yoga and pole classes as a certified pole instructor.
YOU HAVE TO BE A JILL OF ALL TRADES FROM RADIO, MODELING FOR CAR AND BIKE SHOWS, HAIR SHOWS, MAGAZINES AND REALITY SHOWS. -Tina Wyatt
W
hen it comes to dancing, Chanel Ayana took her show on the road. She left tongues wagging in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Atlanta and Miami, all in the past six years. But now this 22-year-old Seattle native dances for Las Vegas’ Spearmint Rhino.
“That glorification is not the real thing. Of course, King of Diamonds in Miami and the Atlanta clubs present this image that everything is fun and partying with money raining everywhere, but that’s only the South. Everywhere else is a serious hustle that requires more than pole dancing,” she said.
She considers herself an “old school girl” in an industry full of “bubblegum girls.” DDG Photos That’s her self-coined phrase for a group of girls expecting the glitz and glamour of stripping portrayed in rap videos. When Ayana first began dancing, there were no big names in the business. But now, dancers are putting themselves on the map.
None-the-less, Ayana is now focused on building a million-dollar brand outside of the club. She’s toured internationally, modeling for major publications and built a social media brand to promote her future ventures. “Dancing has connected me with some of the biggest investors and celebrities that are helping me pursue my future goals,” she said.
Ayana said strip clubs in the west operate differently than the ones in the south, partly due to race. “It’s more racist over here and as a black dancer, it’s a must to use dancing as a promotion for bigger things.”
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T
he scene is modest at Midtown Filling Station in Tallahassee as people begin to come in for an event called “Glowm,” a night of electronic dance music, or what is best known as EDM. Individuals slowly fill the low-lit venue, chatting at the bar over 2-for-1 drink specials. Others congregate in the game room, setting up over pool tables, which are perfectly placed in the middle of surrounding televisions. The dance floor, however, is peculiarly empty, and toward the back DJs Chris Manley, Caleb Selman, Ryan Chavers and Andrea Grant set up for sound check before they start their sets. “Tuesdays are usually laid back like this,” says Grant, as she drinks a bottle of Stella Artois to start the night. The 27-year-old is comfortably calm about tonight’s set. With almost 10 years of experience with music mixing, she should be. Her boldly braided blonde mohawk is twisted up into a bun at the center top of her head. She is wearing an all-black T-shirt and leather jacket combo, rolled up so her tattooed arms are visible. Her dark red boots gives her appearance a sense of bravado and the accompanying red lipstick only further emphasizes her sense of personal style. Grant is surrounded by a group of people as she waits her turn, and with each set lasting 45 minutes to an hour, Grant has plenty of time to give it what she’s got. “I’m more-so of a house DJ so I’m going to try and stick to minimal house and slow techno tonight.” Female disc jockeys in the electronic music world are not heard of too often, but they are very prevalent. DJ Mag, a U.K. based music magazine, released its 2013 Top 100 DJs list and only NERVO, the Australian twin sister DJ duo, made it on the list at number 46. Femalepressure.net, an international network and resource website of female artists in the field of electronic dance music, reported that, in the past year, only 10 percent of performers at music festivals nationwide were women. Despite that, the female DJ movement has been on the rise. Artists like Swedish DJs, Rebecca and Fiona, became superstars in just a year, winning the Swedish Grammy Award in 2011 for best electronic/dance in music. It was the summer of 2005 when Andrea Grant, decided to give music mixing a try. She met Andre Rasul in a graphic design class at Tallahassee Community College and quickly took the chance to learn the craft. “He was a local DJ and DJ’ing was something I always wanted to do,” Grant said. “I just took that opportunity, once I had that friend to be like ‘hey, can you show me how to work these turntables in a mixer?’ With her father having a very extensive vinyl collection, Grant remembered being exposed to many different catalogs and records. Her parents met while serving in the U.S. Air Force in the 1980s, which led to her being born in Japan. Performing with her newfound stage name, Steve Lurkel, Grant’s first gig was at the Engine Room (now called the Side Bar) and, by memory, was her worst experience yet. “When I played at the Engine Room, they were doing a Sunday ’80s party and one of those things that comes with DJ’ing is that people, sometimes when they have liquid encouragement, give really obnoxious requests or are just obnoxious in general. I had some lady basically tell me I sucked,” Grant said. “I was just like ‘oh, I am not ready for that. I’m going to go cry in a corner and rock myself.’ Now, I can handle that completely.” Progression 18 • FALL 2013
followed as Grant spent hours working in her room, relentlessly devoting time into her new hobby, even slacking off in school to perfect her skills. She later met Chris Manley, a DJ in Tallahassee, and they both quickly formed a duo that shakes the EDM scene. “We feed off each other’s energy so we get exponentially more excited when the other [gets excited],” Manley said. Team Jaguar began in 2008 and became known for turning house parties into heavy bass sessions and transforming live shows into wild, unforgettable parties. “We played a show at a venue in New Orleans and they had this sort of wooden stage, and the room was packed,” Grant said. “The stage was kind of rickety, and we drop a Lion King remix from the opening song and the room just went so insane that the stage broke.” Currently, Team Jaguar now consists of three people, excluding Grant, who later backed out of the group. “I left Team Jaguar to focus on school. I had to graduate [from college],” Grant said. Grant later formed Menace Beach with Manley, which is currently a weekly electro dance party in Tallahassee, hosted at the Side Bar on Railroad Avenue. “She is one of the best DJ’s I have ever met and she has only made me a better DJ myself,” Manley said. “Andrea is my “beast” friend, typo intentional.” “Girls Gone Vinyl: The Untold Story of Female DJs” is the first documentary about the story of female mixers in a male-dominated world. GGV was created in 2011 by Maggie Derthick, a Detroitbased event promoter, and Jenny LaFemme, a Russian DJ who is known for her mixing and producing skills from Chicago to Detroit to Moscow. “Jen and I are women, working in electronic music, in Detroit no less,” Derthick said. “It’s crucial to present these women as the talented inspirational artists they are to young women wanting to become a DJ and or a producer.” The film, slated to release later this year or in 2014, exposes the truth behind the electronic music industry and how segregated it is between the sexes in hopes for change. “Music can only be measured in bad and good, not male and female,” Derthick said. “How about just looking at the skill set instead of the fact that I am a female?” With this question, Andrea Grant understands first-hand how it is to be treated as a female disc jockey. “You just kind of feel like there is that sort of tension; like people do not take you seriously,” Grant said. “I feel like sometimes it has its perks, too, but you still got to side eye that. Some people make me into a novelty because I am a woman and that is kind of like an objectification in itself. Don’t put me on a pedestal just because I have tits and I am touching a turntable.” Chris Manley feels that because it is a male dominated industry, women can be regarded as novices. “In reality that “girl DJ” has probably put in more time and effort than her male equals,” Manley said. “Everyone says they do it for the love of the music but it comes off more genuine from females because, for the most part, they are not doing this to get laid.” Grant’s next step is moving to New York City, with hopes of getting into media advertising, but with no intentions of ending her music-mixing career. “A part of me wants to keep “turntablism” as a hobby rather than a profession,” Grant said. “Because it is something I really enjoy and I do not want to risk hating it.”
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with hopes of ns of ending her p “turntablism” “Because it is hating it.”
“ “
JOURNEY • 19
JOURNEY • 19
JOURNEY
18
INHERITED WORDS BY
NATALIE JOHNSON
T
DESIGN BY
LAMONT HOWARD
he alarm goes off, and Kelvin Hair can only imagine the day he has before him. His day starts at 7:30 a.m., and for the next 24 hours, he will be busy laboring as a firefighter at the St. Lucie County Fire Department. But when his shift ends at 7 a.m. the next day, he enters his home, relaxes, reads the newspaper and makes his way upstairs to his studio.
as an African-American male in the 1950s. Alfred used his artistry and Upson board to paint Florida landscapes as a means of income. He used his aptitude for painting—a talent polished by his white tutor A.E. Backus—to galvanize an entrepreneurial venture. Working fast and selling as many pieces as possible became known as the Highwaymen’s way of painting.
This is the room where his art comes to life. Hair said he has always had a passion for drawing. It was a passion that materialized into painting —a craft some may think was inevitable. In this room, you can find Hair mixing colors with his palette knife and his paintbrush until 1 p.m. after his 24-hour shift. His paintings, which sell for as much as $1,500, are vibrant, detailed portraits of Florida’s coastlines, beaches and marshes. He has a talent most would regard as instinctive and in his blood—something inherited from his father.
“Alfred Hair was the leader of the group,” Hair said. “He painted them cheap. He started selling them on the road more, and a lot of people followed him. A lot of guys were his salesmen. Then they said ‘I’ll start painting.’” But at the age of 29, Alfred Hair was shot and killed, leaving 5-year-old Kelvin with a few memories of him. Luckily, his father’s artistic abilities survived through him.
In the 1950s, if you saw a couple of AfricanAmerican men selling their paintings on the Florida Highway near Fort Pierce, you probably saw Kelvin’s father, Alfred Hair, and the Highwaymen.
“I started painting when I was [a] kid,” Hair said. “I started making money at it, so I started painting more. When I was younger, it was just a painting every now and then because I liked to do it. As you started making more money, you do it more often. But I still enjoy doing it.”
But these paintings were not your usual work of art. These pieces were a product of developed talent paired with the austere reality of living
However, Hair is not selfish with his gift. He teaches free painting classes at Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in
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This same painting that you are painting today, I sell this painting for $1,500. You can make money [by painting].
PAINTING BY KELVIN HAIR
St. Lucie County Ken Pruitt Unit. He wants to inspire a new generation of painters by illustrating to children that any skill can be used as a commodity.
When he teaches his classes, Hair intentionally dresses in nice clothing because he knows the children will be more attentive to the profession if they see he makes a good living from art.
“I tell them all, ‘This same painting that you are painting today, I sell this painting for $1,500. You can make money [by painting]. You should try and finish college, but if you do not finish college, you can make money—it doesn’t have to be in painting, it can be in barbecue ribs,’ ” he said. “I try to let them see that you do not have to go along with the route of drug dealing.”
“We kind of do what we see,” Hair said. “If they don’t see the lawyer making millions because he never comes [to their neighborhood], what’s going to inspire them to be a lawyer? I had to see another fireman to want to be a fireman.”
Brandy, a member of the BGCA, took art classes with Hair because she enjoyed painting when she was younger. The 16-year-old, who could not provide her last name because of a BGCA policy, said she is glad she was afforded the opportunity because Hair helped her with her painting technique. “He showed me how to use the brush and that you don’t need to put in a lot of effort when you’re painting,” Brandy said. “It’s not something [that is] hard or wrong. You just take your time. He told me try something new and to not give up if I do something wrong.”
Because of his indulgence and eagerness to help, Ginny Dennison, the youth director of the BGCA in St. Lucie County, asked Hair to teach the classes. She said his encouragement boosts the members’ confidence and his advice can be applied anywhere. Dennison recalled a time when a member of the BGCA, feared picking up a paintbrush, but Hair didn’t let him quit. “He doesn’t make them feel intimidated,” Dennison said. “He was really able to relate to every member. He would go to them and compliment them on everything they were doing and give them suggestions, [like] ‘If you do it this way, it’ll look like light shining.’ He’ll give them little tips.” Hair teaches classes because his schedule does not allow him to participate as a Big Brother. That is why his art classes are always free. To him, painting is a hobby first and a paycheck second. JOURNEY
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Pleather sleeved jacket Macy’s $69.00 Earrings (Journey Closet) Necklace (Journey Closet)
p h oto s by
GINA CHERELUS 22 • FALL 2013
d es i g n by
Lamont Howard
STY LI N G by
CHELSEA HALL
Ralph Lauren chained button up $39.75 Headband Modish Garb by Brittney Chilise Earrings Modish Garb by Brittney Chilise
FEM A LE M O D ELS
KISHLA FIRMIN kendra moorer
Adrienna SMith brooke spratling JOURNEY 23
Green Anorak-American Rag $79.00 Graphic Tee- Zara (Journey Closet) Plaid Shirt- American Rag $10.32 Pants- American Apparel (Journey Closet) Heels- Jeffrey Campbell (Journey Closet) Headband- Modish Garb by Brittney Chilise Earrings- Modish Garb by Brittney Chilise
Leopard Poncho V. Fraas $88.00 Pants White House Black Market $84.00 Belt Moschino (Journey Closet) Earrings (Journey Closet) Heels Top Moda (Journey Closet)
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Skirted Trench Coat White House Black Market $198.00 Leopard Beret Top Shop (Journey Closet) Necklace- (Journey Closet) Earrings Charming Charlie (Journey Closet ) Heels (Journey Closet)
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Pleather Top - Nasty Gal (Journey Mag Closet) Pleather Skirt - Zara (Journey Mag Closet) Heels - Aldo (Journey Mag Closet) Beret - American Apparel (Journey Mag Closet) Tweed Black and White Blazer White House Black Market $158.00 Earrings - Aldo (Journey Mag Closet)
White Balzer White Hosue Black Market $148.00 White Tuxedo Top White House Black Market $108.00 White Pants White House Black Market $39.00 Heels Chinese Laundry
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WORDS BY SIERRA PEELE
DESIGN BY JUSTAN SHINN
On the evening of February 26, 2012, in a gated community in Sanford, Fla., the killing of an unarmed young man Trayvon Martin stirred the nation. It captured the attention of many resulting in rallies, a televised prosecution specifically the formation of an organization called “Dream Defenders.”
T
he fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager, Trayvon Martin, in Sanford, Fla., caused an uproar throughout the nation. His death resulted in intense rallies and a televised prosecution. Most importantly, this teen laid the foundation for the creation of an organization called “Dream Defenders.” During the Trayvon Martin case, the Dream Defenders decided to take matters into their own hands due to a lack of justice from the Sanford Police Department. Its first plan of action was to march 40 miles from Bethune-Cookman University to Sanford, Fla., resembling the 1960s march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. It was a three-day march and the Dream Defenders had three demands: the arrest of George Zimmerman, a committee to review the Stand Your Ground Law and a request for Chief of Police Bill Lee to be fired––all of which were met. The organization also sought justice for Trayvon Martin through the longest sit-in in recent history at the state capitol.
Legislature and getting “ Trayvon’s Law ” passed. Ciara Taylor, the political director, explained how the law will affect youths nationwide. “[It is] a package of bills that aims at the heart of the issue of the criminalization of our youth, policies and racist legislation that promotes harmful stereotypes of black and brown young people,” Taylor said. The campaigns initiated by the Dream Defenders include Divest & Conquer, World Is Ours and Youth Unchained. Divest & Conquer and Youth Unchained are the chapter campaigns of the organization and are governed at the local level. The World is Ours is a statewide campaign operated by the Dream Defenders staff, which is seeking to register 61,500 youth and minority voters in Florida by the 2014 midterm elections. “ We are diverse youth, students, and young adults fighting for a more equitable and just society. We are a new generation of influencers, artists, leaders and organizers tired of having our dreams deferred,”according to the Dream Defenders’ website.
According to Steven Pargett, communications director of the organization, the Dream Defenders are a group of leaders and organizers seeking to create a change. Dream Defenders began with just students and alumni from Florida A&M and Florida State universities. Now, it has a total of eight chapters in Florida. This rising organization has made headlines and acknowledgements in The Source’s “Power 30 list” and Essence magazines’ “ Top 10 things to talk about.” Pargett describes the feeling of being mentioned in national media as “ the beginning… [of] an excellent start for more exposure.” Currently the organization is focusing on the Florida
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UNEXPECTED p h o to s by
TIA Loren-Marie HAYNES
d e s i g n by
Lamont Howard JHARONTE JAMES JOSHUA Vazquez
S TY L I N G by M A L E m O D EL
With just his shadow as his company, being alone has never looked so good. Get a taste of what's cool for winter.
2828• FALL 2013 FALL 2013
Sweater Denim and Supply by Ralph Lauren: Brown and blue sweater $115.00 Pants Levis: Beige Cargos $64.00  Boots Palladium: Brown Baggy Leather Gusset Boots (Journey Closet) $130.00 Scarf Denim and Supply by Ralph Lauren: Denim Scarf $24.50 
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Jacket Nautica: Red Parka $158.00  Sweater Nautica: Multi Color Sweater $98.00 Pants Old Navy: Gray Stone Khakis (Journey Closet) $29.94 Boots Palladium: Baggy Grey Boots (Journey Closet) $130.00  Hat Thrift Fur Eskimo hat (Journey Closet) $25.00 30 • FALL 2013
JOURNEY
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Shirt Tommy Hilfiger: Floral Slim Fit Dress Shirt (Macy’s) $79.50 Pants Old Navy: Slim fit, Dark Denim (Journey Closet) $39.99  Shoes Doc Marten (Journey Closet) $120.00 Jacket Vintage Oxblood Leather (Journey Closet)  Hat Brixton: Black felt Swindle (Journey Closet) $74.00 32 • FALL 2013
Keep an eye out for Journey’s Super Single flier this upcoming spring semester
ARE YOU SINGLE AND READY TO MINGLE?
Email us at journeyassociate@gmail.com if you are interested in finding love.
J
Words by Gina Cherelus Design by Westin Giles
ames E. Hawkins, the former dean of the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication, was more than just the academic and administrative leader of our beloved J-School. Wearing many hats, to some, “The Hawk” was like a father figure, a guidance counselor, and most importantly, a friend. Months have passed since his death on May 27. Although he is gone, his legacy still lives on through the pages of The Famuan and Journey, the airwaves on WANM 90.5 The Flava Station, behind the lens at FAMU TV20 and indefinitely in our hearts. We at Journey compiled a few comments left on his Facebook page below from his former students. This is our way of memorializing the life of a man who affected this school tremendously. Rest in peace Hawkins, thank you for everything. Journey misses you.
Peter McKay Newspaper Journalism Summer 1997 His students were never just out of sight, out of mind to him. His brain was always working through that one more thing, that one extra opportunity, he might be able to get for you. And when the time came, he implicitly put a lot of trust in you to make the most of it.
him I hit the president’s (James Ammons) car with the J-school golf cart. He just walked across campus and talked me out of trouble. He said the security guard was silly for even trying me.
Lamont Howard Graphic Design Fall 2014 Hawkins made a tireless effort for me. When I needed it the most. It was more so like him being a clutch person. We went to him because when all else failed, he got the job done.
Kimberly Godwin Broadcast Journalism Spring 1984 Dean Hawkins was my mentor for 32 years. There are a whole lot of successes, failures, tears, shouts of joy, discussions, strategy sessions, ideas shared, meals, laughs and smiles in those three plus decades. His memory is my reminder to continue to give back and to fight to hold the door open for the next generation of journalists.
Georgia Dawkins Broadcast Journalism Fall 2010 I love Dean Hawkins because he always bailed me out. He wasn’t even mad when I told
Sean woods Public Relations Spring 2007 Honestly, there’s not enough kind words I can begin to think or type to describe how much
JOURNEY • 34
he cared for all the students and people around him! Dean Hawkins. I just want to say THANKS for EVERYTHING you’ve ever done for me! You will be MISSED more than anything! Rashard Willis Public Relations Spring 2004 He was my friend and collegiate mentor. He literally got me in the J-School and pushed me to finish and graduate. Dr. Hawk, thank you for believing in me when I didn’t have fortitude enough to believe in myself. Chevon Turner Public Relations Spring 2003 You gave me the courage to transfer to FAMU. My pride for the school is indelibly mixed with thoughts of you. While my heart weeps, I am joy-filled that I got the opportunity to meet you. Thank you for teaching me, talking to me, walking with
me, laughing with me and most of all for remembering me. Love you. Betsy Helgager Hughes Journalism/Public relations Fall 1990 I have come to realize that Dr./Dean Hawkins and Prof. Roosevelt Wilson were the first two African-American men in my life who cared about me like I was one of their family members. I was adopted by a white family, so I did not have any meaningful older AfricanAmerican male relationships until I got to FAMU. Wow!
Hey to all you romantics out there!
ANNUAL
Love & Relationship
JOURNEY • 35