WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015
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NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
Proponent for Resolution 68, Desmond Sellman a senior in communication and president of the Eta Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.. gives a presentation about campus diversity on the floor of Student Senate Chambers on Feb. 3, 2015.
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RALEIGH, NC
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THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM
WHAT ’S INSIDE
theNubianMessage.com
Page 3 - Wednesday, February 11, 2015
4 Catalyst for Change: 7 What’s it worth?: Tunnel of Oppression enlightens students on issues of power,
A Protester’s Perspective
privilege and prejudice
8 Go ‘Head’ My Sista!
5 SGA passes
9 Can Anything Be
Inclusion Act
Young people to join Raleigh’s ‘Moral March’
6 Groundbreaking
the New Black?
10 Your Voice: Dear White People Screening
Black Athletes of the past
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | CHRIS HART-WILLIAMS editor@nubian.ncsu.edu @CHartWilliams
MANAGING EDITOR | NIA DOAKS @nia_kayee
LAYOUT DESIGNER | LISA REDFEARN @_thefashlife
Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of the Nubian Message. Dr. Yosef ben-Yochannan: Dr. John Henrik Clark: Dr. Leonard Jeffries: The Black Panther Party: Mumia A. Jamal: Geronimo Pratt: Tony Williamson: Dr. Lawrence Clark: Dr. Augustus McIver Witherspoon: Dr. Wandra P. Hill: Mr. Kyran Anderson: Dr. Lathan Turner: Dr. M. Iyailu Moses: Dokta Toni Thorpe and all those who accompany us
NEWS
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Page 4 - Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Catalyst for Change: Tunnel of Oppression enlightens students on issues of power,
privilege and prejudice
JILLIAN SMITH | Staff Writer
In character, Andrew Thomas II, a senior in textile engineering, acting as a protester reacts during a peaceful demonstration after being confronted by a passerby.
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he Tunnel of Oppression took participants on an hour-long journey through a handful of thought-provoking scenes aimed at urging students to think critically about issues that impact the NC State community such as race, class, body image and gender identification. The Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED) and Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) sponsored the Tunnel experience for two days in Talley Ballroom on Feb. 4 and 5. The Tunnel featured five different live scenes that told stories of power, privilege and prejudice.
Following the tour, participants shared their thoughts and experiences during a group discussion. The most commonly used words were “powerful” and “intense.” “What you think is going to happen is not going to happen,” said and O’Licia Parker-Smith, a freshman in Communication. “If you want to actively increase your knowledge and bring awareness to others, you should go.” The Tunnel of Oppression was originally initiated in 1993 at Western Illinois University and has since spread to schools all over the nation. Groups were guided through
scenes of sexism, transphobia, classism, sizeism and racism performed by student volunteers. Wanting attendees to explore how one person can be oppressed in more than one way, organizers worked to add the topic of “intersectionality” to the tunnel experience, according to assistant director of MSA Jasmine Omorogbe. Intersectionality was best displayed in a scene which showed how classism and sizeism can intersect. The scene discussed how size can be directly related to the amount of money that someone has. When funds are limited, it is much more
cost-efficient to purchase heavily processed foods. Eating these kinds of foods can cause serious health and weight issues, putting a person in a position to receive criticism and oppression in two ways. During the experience, attendees were asked to complete a simple demographic survey, much like any you would fill out for a job or a tax form. However, some identities were conspicuously absent, such as “Black” and “White,” in the race section. “Christian” was left out of the religion section. “Married” was left out of the family status section and the disability status section listed a limited range
of conditions a person might suffer from. All of this is done to make you feel a bit uncomfortable, similarly to any person that doesn’t fit into one of society’s pre-established demographic boxes. It also makes you question the reasoning behind why we have these “boxes” in the first place. During a courtroom scene a young girl, the plaintiff in a rape case, is questioned by the defendant’s attorney. “How short was your skirt that night? How many drinks did you have?” the attorney asks. The powerful scene illustrated sexism TUNNEL continued on page 4
NEWS
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SGA passes Inclusion Act
TUNNEL continued from page 3
CHRIS HART-WILLIAMS | Editor-in-Chief
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ollowing strong support from student supporters Resolution 68 became the first of its kind to be passed in Student Senate. Senators voted to pass Resolution 68, also known as the Inclusion Act, during its second meeting of the semester on Wednesday, Feb. 3. “Before the bill I felt like every other student on this campus. Hurt by what our peers had to say, but knew it was going to come,” said SGA Diversity Outreach Commission Chair Maurita Harris a senior studying psychology. In January Harris said “It didn’t seem like it was as important as other bills.” At the senator’s first meeting of the Spring semester Resolution 68 was not fast tracked and sent to committee because it didn’t garner enough senate support. Harris said now that the bill has passed she is looking forward to a townhall meeting for students to attend to help fight micro-aggressions. She also wants to inform students that there is a social justice
mini-grant available for those who do not have the funds during the semester for programs related to micro-aggressions. The newly passed bill requests structural support for minorities in response to recent events that have highlighted existing structural inequalities of concern to not only to underrepresented students, but all students. In the wake of its first denial the inclusion Act was revised and sent to committee where it was reviewed before Wednesday’s vote. Proponents of the bill spoke directly to senators before the vote. “Diversity is inevitable in the U.S.,” said Desmond Sellman. Sellman urged senators to allow the university to be a leader when it comes to embracing diversity. “It’s hard to do something people haven’t done before,” Sellman said. “Make a decision people are going to look back on as leadership.” Student leaders representing several multicultural groups organized in efforts to get the bill passed.
by showing how pervasive it can be, especially when it comes to cases of sexual assault or harassment, something regularly occurring on college campuses now. As the LGBT community is growing, the likelihood of meeting or interacting with a transgender individual is increasing. Students reenacted the difficulties a transgender individual may face in explaining their situation to friends and family. “I wanted to give some feelings of safety by being a good listener and using my counseling skills. I also wanted to be a real life example of a transgender person,” said A.J. Hebard, a volunteer facilitator.
A.J. gave the group insight on their transgender experience at the end of the Tunnel in the discussion room. The goal of the event was to “make people think and reflect,” Omorogbe said. One scene also addressed the issue of racism and the outrage felt in the country and on campus following several highly publicized incidents of Black fatality in 2014. A black protester held a sign that read “Black Lives Matter,” was confronted by a white peer. The black protester explained that even though black people have equality in civil rights, prejudice and stereotyping is still blocking real social equality for minorities.
Young people to join Raleigh’s ‘Moral March’ CHRIS HART-WILLIAMS | Editor-in-Chief
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The tunnel’s grocery store scene illustrates how size and health can be directly related to class. Because her funds are limited, it is much more cost-efficient for the shopper to purchase heavily processed foods.
oung people will join thousands at the “Moral March on Raleigh” to visibly challenge attacks on voting rights, economic justice, public education, equal protection under the law, and more at the annual Historic Thousands on Jones Street, HKonJ, march through downtown Raleigh on Saturday, Feb. 14. “I’m going to HKonJ because my first experience was a good one, and also I want to express my concern with the school-to-prison pipeline,” said Bernard Fields, a junior at UNC Pembroke studying international business with a concentration in marketing. The school-to-prison pipeline is a system too many North Carolina school-aged children fall victim to. It’s a system of laws, policies and practic-
es that pushes students out of school and on a pathway toward the juvenile criminal justice system. Quisha Vaughn, who is also a student, will be at the march. Vaughn studies chemistry at Elizabeth City State University , ECSU in northeastern North Carolina. During the summer of 2014, it was publically announced that ECSU was potentially the target of a UNC Board of Governors study that looked into dissolving system schools suffering with low enrollment. ECSU is one of the 16 UNC-System institutions. Lawmakers amended the budget to end the closing provision only after hearing outcry throughout the state. “Students from all over... (See full story online at thenubianmessage. com)
FEATURES
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Groundbreaking Black athletes of the past CASLEE SIMS | Staff Writer
When you think of N.C. State basketball, as well as devising your list of greatest college basketball players ever, David Thompson should be on your list. Actually, Thompson is N.C. State basketball. During his tenure in Raleigh, Thompson was a three-time consensus All-American and once named ACC Player of the Year. Thompson was named National Player of the Year twice and ended his career as N.C. State’s and the ACC’s all-time leading scorer. David Thompson was a true scorer and was a pioneer of the “alley-oop”. To cap his career off, Thompson was a part of N.C. State’s 1974 National Championship Lorenzo Charles, Forward, N.C. State Basketball (1981-85) The 1983 season for the N.C. State Wolfpack was a season of ups-and-downs. They finished the regular season with a 17-10 record, going 8-6 in the ACC and looked as if it had no chance to be included in the NCAA tournament. A surprising ACC tournament title granted them a spot in the NCAA tournament. Coach Jim Valvano’s “one game at a time” mentality and strategic coaching prowess lead the Wolfpack all the way to the 1983 National Championship where they would face off against the Houston Cougars. With the game hanging in the balance and time running out, Lorenzo Charles made his mark.
Irwin Holmes, the first Black student to receive a bachelor’s degree from NC State and integrate the Atlantic Coast Conference sits with junior and AYA Ambassador Brayndon Stafford, before the African American Cultural Center’s 2014 Living Legends program honoring Holmes. | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER CRISTINA WRIGHT
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hen most think of the history of N.C. State athletics, they are reminded of things such as the Riddick Field, the former home of the Wolfpack football team, and the opening of Reynolds Coliseum, the house that Everett Case and Kay Yow built. Reynolds has also seen presidents and was the home of the Pack’s two National Championship winning men’s basketball teams. While these stadiums are notable for the coaches they were home to and the great teams that played in them, the individual athletes are most important to the aforementioned success of these various playing fields. N.C. State has built a tradition of standout athletes. African-American athletes were vital to the success of the university as well as its transition from the Southern Conference (SoCon) to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Since join-
ing the ACC in 1953, N.C. State has had its fair share of African-Americans being named to All-American teams as well as history makers who made very positive contributions to their respective programs. To talk about the struggles they faced as students would be fitting for a totally different story. Anyone who is familiar with the time of Jim Crow and the Civil Rights era can infer maybe only a snippet of the hardships these student-athletes endured. To make a long story short, making strides to become included in Wolfpack athletics proved to be a very difficult task. Pioneers such as Irwin Holmes, the first African-American to integrate a team at this university as he played on the tennis team in 1958 and Al Heartley, the first African-American to debut on the Wolfpack men’s basketball team set a path that has led to continued success for African-Americans.
As guard Dereck Whittenburg hoisted up a long shot which proved to be an air ball, Charles snatched it out of the air and dunked it as time expired to give the Wolfpack a 54-52 win that would crown them champions of the 1983 season, a game and finish either team will never forget. Rodney Monroe, Guard, N.C. State Basketball (1987-91) “Ice” was his nickname, which was fitting for Rodney Monroe’s quiet intensity, as he would go on to pass David Thompson’s school scoring record with 2,551 career points. Together with backcourt mate, Chris “Fire” Corchiani, the two became one of the most dangerous duos the ACC has ever seen. One of Monroe’s best games came on January 13, 1991 as the Wolfpack trailed Georgia Tech 50-38 at halftime. Georgia Tech would prove to be no match for Monroe’s cool demeanor as the Pack would go on to win 90-83 in historic Reynolds Coliseum. Georgia Tech scored 33 points in the second half; Monroe would score 31 by himself. (See full story online at thenubianmessage.com)
FEATURES
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What’s it worth?: A Protester’s Perspective VERNON HOLMAN | Staff Writer
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passing bills through student government, die-ins to general discussion, and acquiring knowledge of how they can make an impact in their own communities.
tired of the injustices occurring. [The political activity] shows us coming together for a cause that affects us all. mid the controversial events that occurred in In order for us to overcome it, we have to be unified 2014, some of the most concerning and polarizing together as one, because when we do we have the events where the fatal incidents involving police and Police brutality is part of systematic problem, said strength to do the impossible,” Stafford said. unarmed black teens. “People in As viewers saw these our community events unfold in the know about these news, various emosituations and tions surrounding race deal with feeling were invoked within of being lesser American society. than. However, “I like to help people these protests are who can’t speak for bringing these themselves or help issues to the themselves. In Ferguforefront to reach son, they are victims in a part of America a system that could be that isn’t aware of better,” said junior and these events but president of SPEAK, could potentially Students Proactively help and become Engaged towards Aca resource,” said tivism Knowledgably Khari Cyrus, a Jonique Lyles. junior studying Protests spread all Biological Sciover the world in ences and SGA response to the brurepresentative. tality, most commonly There are a lot demanded for change of feelings about and awareness. what the importance of these With these protests protest are, but happening and a fight it can be agreed for change people may that they are find themselves asking, On the steps of D. H. Hill Library, dozens of students pose “Hands up” to raise awareness and voice disappointment in the justice system regarding the deaths of Mike Brown, Eric necessary. What are the emotions Garner and countless others during campus demonstrations at NC State on Friday, Dec. 5. | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER JASMINE JACK of the black youth or Any pursuit for change is needed. Being more inyouth in general? Are the protests important, and what Afrikan American Student Advisory Council, AASAC Parliamentarian and AYA Ambassadors Community volved in these systems can show members of other is it for? Outreach Chair Brayndon Stafford. underrepresented groups that activism can make a difference. A number of students have shown their anger and “It’s important because that could’ve been me. I’m Whether it takes months or years, we can eventually frustration. Events have ranged from protests to
OPINION
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Page 8 - Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Go ‘Head’ My Sista!
1987 Centennial commencement ceremony | NCSU LIBRARIES SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
JESSICA STUBBS | Staff Writer
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ow, I know a few of us have had one of those days where we are zoned out in class thinking ‘why am I here?’, but I can assure you that there’s a purpose. Malcolm X once said, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” In recent years, there have been significant leaps and bounds in education in regards to the African American community. Education has always been a pillar of success in the community, but now we have officially made history. African American women are the most edu-
cated by gender and race. In a study by the U.S. Department of Education between the years of 1999-2000 and 2009-2010 the number of women earning bachelor’s degrees remained between 57 and 58 percent and from 2009-2010 Black females earned 68 percent of associate’s degrees, 66 percent of bachelor’s degrees, 71 percent of master’s degrees, and 65 percent of all doctoral degrees awarded to Black students. The number of associate’s degrees awarded to black females increased by 89 percent, bachelor’s degrees increased by 53 percent, master’s degrees increased by 109 percent, and doctoral
degrees increased by 47 percent. Overall, this data shows that women are most educated by gender and race. Across the board, Black women earned more degrees than their counterparts (white women, Hispanic men, Black men, Hispanic women, etc.). As reported by the 2011 U.S. Census Bureau, the college enrollment rate for Black females is 9.7 percent. This may not sound like a lot, but considering that Hispanic men had the lowest enrollment rate of 5.9 percent, we are making progress as a people whose history is based on fighting for equality.
OPINION
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Can Anything Be the New Black? AALIYAH SINGLETON | Staff Writer
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or me it is hard to see anyone or anything as the “new” Black mainly because while we all can share in understanding another’s struggle it is hard to ever say that my struggle is the same as someone else’s. In particular, Black people have had a very unique experience of living in America, so to have Native Americans and other minority groups, to be fair, but to say that our trials and tribulations were somehow in the same vein as Native Americans or the Italians or Polish is difficult to swallow. Every group has undeniably a grand story to tell in regards to the lineage of their people and their history in America. All minority groups who have journeyed to America has been combated with American bigotry and nativism, reworked drug policies and some level of police brutality throughout their short time here. However, the majority of these groups this oppression would fade, for African-Americans or Black people, it largely has not. For the majority of our time here we have toiled under systematic degradation and oppression. To almost singlemindedly proclaim there is a new Black is to create a blanket term that fails to acknowledge the continued work that needs to be done both in larger American society but also within the Black community itself. To have a new anything, something else has to be old, done, finished. Black people to say the least are not finished. To make that assumption is to state that Black people have graduated from an unspoken second class citizenship, from the struggles of doing any kind of activity while Black, from inequality and racial disparities both in the classroom and on the job, but also in the criminal justice system. Within the community, we would be so over colorism, and the seemingly generational debate over the
usage of the N-word would be no more. In addition, we wouldn’t need to have a discussion about black appropriation seemingly every Grammy period, especially with those that fail to recognize its existence or the fact that they benefit from it (Iggy Azalea cough, cough) and finally—yes, finally—we might be able to say that there is such thing as Black privilege. As if, in reality, none of this has happened yet, and thus to say that in someway we are at a point that we can even begin to move on to the newest marginalized group is disappointing to say the least, and a at worst another example of America’s continued disdainment with the plight of African-Americans. While I believe everyone wants to be able to attain that grand dream of equality and universal acceptance let’s not be so quick to become so completely color blind that we forget about our history and what our ancestors were able to accomplish in spite of the challenges thrown at them. In recent months, celebrities such as Raven Symone and Pharrell have sparked debates over referring to one’s self as Black. Many have countered with the simple exclamation of Black or African-American: either way same thing right? Actually, wrong. The difference is that when one uses the term Black you are making a political statement, as it originated in the 70’s as part of the Black is Beautiful movement. Whether it is a consciously made decision or not, your usage of the term Black is a political statement of your affirmation that your Black is beautiful, whatever shade that might be. That your life matters, that you deserve the same rights and level of decency as anyone else. While I see what the colorblind movement is trying to accomplish, what I fail to see is any kind of color affirmation or empowerment. Just because I am colorblind does
not mean I need to be so blind that I fail to embrace the pride of my ancestral lineage. Whether you’re colorblind or not, you still have a color. Why not embrace the term Black? As a person of African descent you have literally been making a number of political statements since birth. Consider how you choose to style your hair, or the way you dress. Even the way that you talk, the music you listen to and the people you choose to date say a lot about what kind of person you are and what you stand for. The concept of being Black is so much bigger than the superficial idea that because one is literally not the color black then they cannot be Black. Thus to be Black is a state of mind, while one simply is African-American based on the Americanized system of using geographical origin as a means of . To be African-American is analogous to being Japanese or Irish-American--you were born in the US, and yet your ancestral people originate from elsewhere. A system more rooted in America’s nativist tendencies than ancestral pride. To be Black is to acknowledge and proclaim your ancestry as well as the political attributes that go with it. During this month of February, the one month amongst eleven consecutive months where all we are taught is history based on the perception of the white male conquerors, we as a people should be proud to celebrate our lineage. We come from a strong, proud people, thus the same way that Jews have no shame in their game when they go celebrate Yom Kippur or Passover, we should not feel at all embarrassed or ashamed to celebrate the great things our ancestors have done, because our Black has and always will be beautiful.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Your Voice: Dear White People NIA DOAKS | Managing Editor
“What is one thing you took away from the movie?”
Julie Frank, Sophomore, Business Administration
“It was an interesting movie. I don’t really think about race veryoften just because I feel like in Raleigh there’s enough diversity that I’m just not brought up in a way where race is a huge issue. But, I guess being white kind of is a little bit more of a privilege. I didn’t realize that type of thing is still going on- with racism and everything- seeing the pictures at the end of the movie especially, showing where people actually did have parties and dress up like that. It’s not acceptable, that’s really rude.”
Black Students Board and UAB Films Committee hosted “Cinema, Conversation, and Change”: Screening of Dear White People on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
“What I took away from the movie was how I can better myself as a Black woman and how I can show myself that I’m not that stereotype that we see on television, that’s really exaggerated because I don’t feel like Black women that we are. Not all of us are yelling, we’re not screaming, throwing stuff… All of us do not have kids, we’re here trying to get an education.”
Sidney Covington, Junior, Design Studies
Whitney Irvin, Senior, Technology Design Education
“Honestly, there was just so much in the movie to think about and they definitely touched on it in the panel. What I connected with me the most was the idea of identity. A lot of the characters had their own identity crisis that they were going through and I definitely felt like I could connect to Sam- she was dealing with being mixed. Her dad was white and her mom was black, and she didn’t know what she wanted to be. I just feel like that was the most important thing - finding who you are and being comfortable in your skin, comfortable enough to be yourself.”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 11 - Wednesday, February 11, 2015
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