2017-03-08

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ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Ann Arbor, Michigan

michigandaily.com

statement T H E M I CH I GA N DAI LY | M A RCH 8 , 2017

ACADEMICS

Civil rights attorney given medal for activism DESIGN BY: MICHELLE PHILLIPS

Black community responds to DPS applicants’ fear of discrimination

Renaissance High School student published an OpEd on racism before experiencing the ‘U’ JACKIE CHARNIGA Daily Staff Reporter

Cydney Gardner-Brown, a recently accepted applicant to the University of Michigan, is having difficulty deciding whether she wants to be a Wolverine. The debate does not center around the

price of admission or housing, nor is she concerned about leaving home for the first time. GardnerBrown is more concerned about her safety as a Black student. In an op-ed published in the RHS Stentor — Renaissance High School’s student news publication — titled “Should I fear attending the University of Michigan?”

Gardner-Brown investigates the emotional cost in adjusting from a predominantly Black high school to a predominantly white campus — a transition she describes as “going off to spaces without guarantee of our safety.” The Stentor is part of Dialogue, a quarterly publication that incorporates student contributions

from several Detroit high schools. It is jointly supported by Crain Communications, a Detroit-based publishing conglomerate, and the Michigan State University School of Journalism. In the article, Gardner-Brown cites recent events including the hacking of Computer Science Prof. See APPLICANT, Page 3A

Acclaimed criminal justice lawyer Bryan Stevenson received the Wallenberg Medal RIYAH BASHA & TIM COHN

Daily News Editors

Acclaimed criminal justice attorney Bryan Stevenson received the University of Michigan Wallenberg Medal Tuesday evening at a packed Rackham Auditorium filled with more than 1,000 attendees. Stevenson, the head of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of best-selling memoir “Just Mercy,” delivered a keynote address narrating his experiences in criminal justice reform and urging attendees to craft hopeful narratives. According to John Godfrey, the assistant dean for international education at the Rackham

Graduate School and member of the medal selection committee, the Wallenberg Medal is an annual award given to a person who demonstrates a commitment to human rights. “We look for someone who has upheld the values of Raoul Wallenberg,” Godfrey said. “Someone who is outspoken in the defense of human rights, who has put himself or herself in the front lines for justice protecting those who are oppressed and who have really sought to make a difference in the world.” Previous winners of the Wallenberg Medal include Russian journalist Masha Gessen, an outspoken Putin critic; U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D–Ga.), a civil See MEDAL, Page 3A

Hundreds attend Lambda Chi Alpha Panel talks CSG body reactions fraternity’s vigil in memory of brother supports

CAMPUS LIFE

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

of Latino community

The community gathered to celebrate life and accomplishments of Peter Hart

The speakers discussed policy, uncertainties under Trump administration

Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity held a candlelight vigil Tuesday night in honor of their brother, Peter Hart, who took his own life in February before Spring Break. Hundreds gathered on the front lawn of the fraternity to share stories and remember Hart. LSA sophomore Daniel Greene, president of Lambda Chi Alpha and Hart’s social big, spoke to the group gathered on the front lawn in memory of Hart. “Peter Hart will always be loved, will always be missed,” Greene said. “But as his big, as his president, as his friend, most importantly as his brother, I ask that you continue his legacy in challenging yourself to be slightly more honest with the world; to be slightly more open-minded.” LSA sophomore Michael Wysong, a member of the Sigma Kappa fraternity, attended the vigil to show support for other members of Greek life and for his friends who knew Hart personally. “I think it’s affecting us really hard since a lot of … guys deal with depression, so we all just want to let everyone know that you can always talk to someone,” Wysong said. “It’s basically

JORDYN BAKER Daily Staff Reporter

“Pa’Delante” is a saying often used in Latino communities, in English translation it’s commonly translated to mean “pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward.” This type of resilience was a prevailing theme among speakers at a panel hosted Tuesday evening discussing immigration, specifically for the Latino community and in relation to recent immigration policies set by President Donald Trump. Nearly 50 students, faculty and community members gathered to hear from five panelists with experiences including working with and assisting immigrants, providing employment with seasonal and migrant workers and studying healthy equity within immigrant communities. Panelist Rudy Flores, co-chair of the Migrant Resource Council of Southeast Michigan, explained that in the past 48 hours in his town of Adrian, there have been three different ICE raids. In which raids, three people were detained. “These are situations that we anticipated but didn’t expect,” See PANEL, Page 3A

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COLIN BERESFORD Daily Staff Reporter

a way just for everyone to realize that there’s always someone next to you.” LSA freshman Anna Fedder met Hart during orientation, and said she has been in shock since hearing of Hart’s passing. “I saw him … two weeks ago, or something like that, just walking around, on my way back from class,” Fedder said.

“It’s tough. I wish I had known more, I guess … but obviously you can’t go back and fix that.” LSA junior Andrew Sharon, a brother at the fraternity, said since Hart’s passing, members of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity have been trying to process the tragedy, celebrating Hart’s membership in the fraternity and knowing him.

“Obviously everyone is really upset,” Sharon said. “But more importantly, we’re happy we had Peter around. He was always the most committed. I live at the house and he was always at the house more than I was. He literally just wanted to be in everything — he ran for positions, he was always at every party, every event, every brotherhood event.”

HALEY MCLAUGHLIN/Daily

Brothers of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity gather for a candlelit vigil in honor of Peter Hart at the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter house on Tuesday.

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INDEX

Vol. CXXVII, No. 40 ©2017 The Michigan Daily

Elections as holiday

The resolution hopes to increase student voter outcome in future years RHEA CHEETI

Daily Staff Reporter

A resolution to support an academic holiday on Election Day for 2020 and all even-numbered years after that passed during Tuesday night’s Central Student Government meeting with 30 in favor, five opposed and none abstaining. The resolution faced pushback from some representatives, who said the resolution only featured the views of students in CSG and wasn’t reflective of the student body in general. While introducing the resolution, Engineering freshman Mario Galindez, a member of the Engineering Student Government, talked about how voter turnout has historically been much lower in student-populated areas as compared to more residential, nonstudent populations. He also mentioned how long lines, especially in areas like the Michigan Union, were caused by the lack of student and faculty volunteers who could have aided the process. These individuals could have helped, however, if they had the day off. See CSG, Page 3A

NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6

SUDOKU.....................2 CLASSIFIEDS...............6 SPORTS....................7


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