NUBIANMESSAGE NC STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA | THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2017
Hustle and grow
wednesday, SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 | 2
Letter from the editor
THISISSUE 3 ’4:44’ DISCUSSION
Women’s Center hosts listening event
3 STEM RANKINGS RISE Hello lovely people, September has come in like a freight train, with hurricanes, the unrelenting heat and teachers deciding we know enough to give us tests. I’ve been getting through with the soundtrack of my childhood, the 1997 version of Cinderella with Brandy and the immortal Whitney Houston. I’m honestly surprised none of the lyrics snuck into any of the articles. On that note, this issue is full of “impossible” stories, from Jay-Z supposedly going soft (kidding) to young black female entrepreneurs hustling their way through college. There is also a quick article on NC State doing something good concerning minorities. *sips tea* This week, you’ll find a moving story of one student’s struggle with depression and accepting the help she needed. I want everyone to take a moment to check in with themselves and with the people you love. Remember that just because someone is laughing and smiling on the outside doesn’t mean they’re okay inside. Sometimes the strongest people in your life are the ones who need the most help, and there is nothing wrong with that. We all have our own personal struggles, but we all have the dreams we hold close. Whether that dream is to do the baddest head of hair at NC State or go on to run a center for, say, African American culture, you’re at a good starting place. Lucky for us, we go to a university that has all kinds of resources that are designed to help us succeed, like OIED and the Counseling Center. I can’t say this enough; take advantage of those resources! You pay for them! As Whitney Houston said, “a slipper made of glass is just a shoe, and dreamers never make their dreams come true.” So dream hard, but hustle harder, and if you need to take a minute for you, that’s just fine. Love, Anahzsa
NC State increases STEM ranks
4 HAIR HUSTLE
Two students’ side hustle
5 BLACKADEMICS
Moses T. Alexander Greene
6 ‘CROWNS’ AT RLT Play features black church culture
7 BLACK MASCULINITY The feminine part of masculinity
7 KENTON’S CORNER White womanhood
8 MY DEPRESSION My journey to cope with depression
The Sentinel of the African -American Community at N.C. State Since 1992. Anahzsa Jones
Editor-in-Chief
Keilah Davis
Managing editor
Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of the Nubian Message:
COVER PHOTO BY LAUREL ILMBERGER-FISCHER
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 as we are still on the journey to true consciousness.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTMEBER 6, 2017 | 3
news
‘4:44’ LISTENING PARTY On August 29, the Women’s Center, in collaboration with the Black Male Initiative and the African American Cultural Center, held a listening session and discussion about Jay-Z’s newest album, “4:44.” The album featured Jay-Z’s opinions on black identity, wealth, and black love. In addition to listening to the album, the “Footnotes for ‘4:44’” documentary was also shown. It featured celebrities speaking on topics such as black masculinity, education, and black life. The film included celebrities like Kendrick Lamar, Will Smith, and Chris Rock amongst others. Within the documentary, Jay-Z divulged intimate details on the making of the album, including playing it for his wife, Beyonce. Angela Gay, graduate programming assistant in the Women’s Center, organized the event. “When I first thought about doing a ‘4:44’ listening party, I was listening to ‘4.44,’ and I’m a big music person,” Gay said. “I was thinking ‘how do we create a space for people, in general, to come in and talk about some of these taboo subjects.’” The conversation began with a presentation by new African American Cultural Center Director Moses T. Greene, detailing the depictions of stereotypical black carica-
tures. He spoke on how racism fueled the depiction of black people in media such as cartoons. He described black caricatures in cartoons such as the coon, the mammy, the buck, and the uncle tom. Grene then moved the presentation on to discuss racism and ethnicity as social constructs and ended with a discussion on how black masculinity, and masculinity in general, are shaped by experiences and can be turned toxic through the enforcement of societal expectations of men. Toxic masculinity is a term that refers to the common inability of men to express their emotions and display vulnerability. Some Jay-Z fans felt the recently released album was too vulnerable. One attendee of the event mentioned that in relation to the rest of his albums, “4:44” was a sign that the hardest rapper in the game was becoming soft. In the title track ‘4:44’, Jay-Z said, “ I apologize, often womanize/ Took for my child to be born to see through a woman’s eyes.” This is a far contrast from ‘Big Pimpin’, where Jay-Z raps, “Me give my heart to a woman?/ Not for nothin’, never happen; I’ll be forever mackin’/ Heart cold as assassins, I got no passion/ I got no patience and I hate waitin’/ Ho, get your a** in and let’s ride!”
Jay-Z’s album also featured songs such as ‘Kill Jay Z’ which spoke to an internal conflict many men face with their ego and the inability to admit to wrong doings. Other songs such as ‘4:44’ and ‘Family Feud’ discussed his own infidelity and his ability to “mess up a good thing,” such as his marriage. At the event, one student mentioned that as a black woman she has always wanted her male partners to be open, honest and vulnerable. However, one of the leaders of the conversation brought up the point that when he told the truth to his girlfriend about his infidelity she decided to leave him. One of Gay’s goals for this event was to provide a setting for discussion amongst people from intersectional identities in order to provoke thoughts and express opinions that would otherwise go unheard. “When we talk about blackness and the African American experience, it’s always situated on race,” Gay said. “How do we talk about it in an intersectional way that allows us to explore what blackness and masculinity and all of the things that are perpetuated within that in a safe environment where people can feel that they can authentically express who they are and what they represent?” One attendee, who did not identify as
NC State’s Rise in stem ranking On a list of universities named for being top producers of minority STEM graduates, North Carolina State was listed as number 24 out of 100 for the past academic year. Being ranked 24th was for minority graduates getting bachelor’s degrees in engineering. For minorities getting master’s degrees in engineering, NC State was listed as number 36. For master’s degrees in mathematics, they were ranked as 15th. According to Diverse Issues in Higher Education, for bachelor’s degrees in engineering, there was a 21 percent increase in graduates, with the total number of minority graduates being 264 from the 2014-2015 academic year. Ranked in first place was the Georgia Institute of Technology, with a total of 628 minority bachelor’s degree graduates in engineering. When asked about this increase in minority graduates, William Ditto, the Dean of the College of Sciences accredited it to what he called sincerity. “We’d like to
get those numbers to where they should be, representative of the population, but you don’t do that in a mechanical, dispassionate way. It doesn’t work if you aren’t genuine.” Dean Ditto said. Dr.Jamila Simpson, Assistant Dean for Academic Programs, Student Diversity and Engagement for the College of Sciences attributes the rise to better academically prepared students, “Every year the SAT and GPAs of our incoming students increases. I believe we are seeing a combination of very academically prepared students and a campus which is eager to academically engage these students as well as culturally support them while they are here.” “If we create a culture where either you don’t feel accepted or you don’t feel like you’re genuinely accepted, you’re going to know it real fast and you’re not going to want to be there. You’ll be uncomfortable or you won’t be as successful. What always works is to build trust, is to build an environment where everything we do reinforc-
Shawn Fredericks Correspondent
Yesenia Jones Correspondent
black, mentioned that society’s expectations of him also made it hard for him to express his own emotions in a productive manner especially since his father was absent. The event helped attendees who weren’t black to empathize with black men and understand how systematic oppression and societal expectations shapes their idea of what a man is and how one should act. One male student who also did not identify as black mentioned that the only emotion he was taught to express is anger and how this is a common teaching amongst young boys. According to the objectives set by Gay and her team the event was a success. The women’s center will continue to host events to promote critical thinking, equality and equity. For a calendar of events, see their website at https://oied.ncsu.edu/divweb/ womenscenter/
See page 7 for an opinion column on the Black Masculinity
Penny Lawrence Staff Writer
es that. Not in a fake or mechanistic way.” Dean Ditto said. Making an inclusive environment that encourages minorities to pursue STEM degrees is something that you can plan to do logistically according to Dean Ditto. Something that the university has been doing is having open discussions to promote inclusivity and understanding. The political climate has made things difficult for minorities, said Dean Ditto. Universities being more open and controlled environments might make coming to college a better option for minority students. “Even if we wanted to, we don’t have the luxury of not being diverse. We’re about creating new knowledge and exploring new frontiers and changing people’s’ lives.” Dean Ditto said. NC State has always tried to make their own values and look to the future. [POSSIBLE EDIT: NC State has a long timeline surrounding its inclusivity of minorities on campus and in STEM programs, which can
be found on the NCSU Libraries website. For example, in 1953, the first two African American graduate students were admitted into the School of Engineering. September of 1956 brought the first four African American undergraduates admitted to the university. One of these students was Irwin Holmes, who went on to become the first African American undergraduate student to receive a degree from the university in May of 1960. It was a B.S. in electrical engineering. In 1994, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) was established to advocate for the admission and inclusion of American Indians in science and engineering programs.] Since the beginning, there were never any confederate statues on campus. “When they started this university in the 1800s after the Civil War, the Watauga Club, it was a bunch of young people. They said, ‘We’re not going to look back to the confederacy and that heritage.’” Dean Ditto said.
wednesday, september 6, 2017 | 4
features
A & N Hair Hustle Thrives Keilah Davis Managing Editor “Coming on campus, you have to have some sort of hustle if you’re not gonna have a full-time job. We saw the need for a hair hustle.” Thus, A & N Hair Hustle was born. Naomi Ejim, a third-year studying Africana studies who said the quote above, and Ada Evbuomwan, a third-year studying business administration who coined the name, have combined their skills and backgrounds into a thriving operation. Ejim and Evbuomwan began doing hair long before college. Like many women who do their own hair, high salon prices were a motivating factor. “I started doing hair in high school because my sister and I eventually got to a point where we were tired of paying other people to do our hair,” Ejim said. “And you kind of feel indebted to keep the hair in for longer when someone else did it or when you paid for it. So I looked up the trusty YT University--YouTube University--and I learned and it’s been going from there.” Evbuomwan, who spent her early years in a hair salon in Nigeria, had a different story. “My interest started way back,” Evbuomwan said. “In Nigeria, my grandma owned a salon so it was like a family business. When one person owns a salon it’s all hands on deck. Even if you’re 5 years old, you’re sweeping the floor, you’re doing something.” She was 8 years old when she moved to the US and her family found that salons were comparatively more expensive here. “It was me, my sister, and my mom and it was just not realistic for all three of us to get our hair braided as often as we did in Nigeria,” Evbuomwan said. “That’s when I was like, ‘okay I guess I’ll pick up a few skills here and there.’ It was basics at first, like cornrows and box braids. My mom and my sister were my practice.” The duo met on Quad, a now-retired messaging app targeted towards college students and student groups. They decided to become freshman roommates after realizing they had mutual friends and mutual interests. Now, not only do they draw on their experiences and self-taught skills, but Evbuomwan and Ejim also learn from each other. “Naomi has a lot of skills that I had to learn from and I thought that was really interesting,” Evbuomwan said. “Before I met Naomi, I didn’t know how to make wigs, I never even knew the concept of crochet. I learned a lot from her.” In many ways, they’ve grown less dependent on YT University. According to Evbuomwan, she can teach Ejim faster than a YouTube video can and vice versa. Such speed is important too. As trends rise and fall, A & N Hair Hustle must learn new skills and perfect new styles to stay relevant. “It’s about keeping up with the current trends,” Ejim said. “As of late, people have been interested in Fulani or Alicia Keys cornrows. It was something that I knew how to do but hadn’t had a lot of intimate practice with. In order to keep up with that demand, I had to perfect that skill.” And that demand for A & N Hair Hustle’s services varies throughout the academic year.
“We have busy seasons and then we have regular seasons,” Evbuomwan said. “For example, in one weekend we can do 3 or 4 people’s hair and it’s back to back to back. Then we’ll have a 2-week lag with only 1 or 2 people until fall break or Thanksgiving break when a lot of people want their hair done.” Ejim added, “We normally get really busy right before breaks because everyone wants to flex a little bit.” A & N Hair Hustle also sees a surge in demand preceding events like Pan-Afrikan Week. “Pan-Afrikan week was a mess,” Evbuomwan said. “We would do one person’s hair and, of course an event would happen on campus, and everyone would see the hair and say, ‘oh wait, you do Marley twists?’ We got referrals back to back.” The majority of A & N Hair Hustle’s clientele comes through referrals. Generally, they set up shop in their clients’ living space, however, when that isn’t possible they use one of their own apartments. In addition to operating A & N Hair Hustle, both Evbuomwan and Ejim are involved in other aspects of campus and have other jobs. Evbuomwan is a Resident Advisor in Wolf Village, the president of Black Business Students Association, a member of African Student Union, and a Poole College of Management student networking group mentor. Ejim is a certified nursing assistant, the event coordinator for ASU, and the vice president of Minority Association of Pre-Health Students. Balance and time management have been essential to A & N Hair Hustle’s operation. “We’ve definitely learned a lot about time management and making sure we don’t drop anything that’s important,” Evbuomwan said. “We didn’t come to NC State to do hair; we came to get a degree.” After graduation, Evbuomwan hopes to pursue a career in business and Ejim wants to attend medical school, leaving the hair hustle behind. Until then, the A & N Hair Hustle duo will continue to grace NC State with their talents. You can contact A & N Hair Hustle at aaevbuom@ncsu. edu or nnejim@ncsu.edu.
LAUREL Ilmberger-Fischer/Photo
Correspondent Naomi Ejim and Ada Evbuomwan are the co-founders of A & N Hair Hustle. “This has taught me a lot about myself and my communication skills and my people skills,” Ejim said. “You learn a lot of patience dealing with other people.”
features
WEDNESDAY, SEPTMEBER 6, 2017 | 5
Blackademics: Moses T. Alexander Greene Nicole teague Correspondent being viewed as an “administrative office that operates from eight to five”; it will be a center, a place that gives students a “sense of home.” “We need to be a center where you can come at 9:30 at night and see a movie,” Greene said. By making the AACC more accessible, Greene believes that it won’t force people to fit time during their work day to stop by. Greene also has a mission is to “build the infrastructure towards five areas: increasing visibility of the gallery and the library, community outreach, enhancing the visual and performing arts, student development and leadership Kai Anthony/Staff Photographer opportunities, and interdisciplinary research and faculty Moses T. Alexander Greene poses in front of the African American Cultural Center. Greene is the new Director of the African American Cultural Center, following the Interim engagement.” Greene plans to increase Director, Dr. Frances Graham. visibility of the gallery and Moses T. Alexander Greene is the newest director of library by hosting more events such as a fall exhibit by the African American Cultural Center. Greene earned his Brandon Odum, an artist featured on Ava DuVernay’s bachelor’s degree in African American studies and writing television, radio and film and a master’s degree in new show Queen Sugar. In modifying community outreach, Greene hopes to media management from Syracuse University. give the center a “home” feel, providing students and Before accepting the position as director of the AACC, community members with a sense of belonging. He Greene was the chief communications officer and plans to make this space one that all groups can use. For assistant professor of media and communications at St. example, a Wake County school could meet in the AACC Augustine’s University. In addition, Greene was one of library for activities. twenty educators selected to be a fellow of the Academy The center would also be a place where tough discusof Arts and Television Sciences Foundation, also known sions can occur. Through programs such as town halls, as EMMY. This program honored Greene for his involvethe center could ultimately be a safe haven to talk about ment in arts and multimedia. After serving thirteen years in the classroom, Greene is looking forward to working in any topic. Enhancing the visual and performing arts is especially what he describes as a “bigger classroom.” The AACC was founded by Dr. Lawrence Clark and Dr. important to Greene, given his multimedia background. The arts are a crucial part of the community as a whole August Witherspoon, who intended the center to be the and provide a medium for students to express themselves. “hub” for the promotion, appreciation, and the awareness He mentioned that next semester the AACC will partner of Pan-African culture. with Dr. Daniel Monek, the director of the music departOne of Greene’s goals is to follow the footsteps of Clark ment, for a vocal technique group. and Witherspoon by ensuring that the AACC is not
Developing scholars and creating leadership opportunities is one of Greene’s intentions while being director of the AACC. “Scholars [are the best part of the job],” Greene said. One of the opportunities he hopes to create is study abroad opportunities. While at St. Augustine, Greene coordinated a trip with students to Paris. He has a few places that he is considering taking students, like Ghana or Kenya. Interdisciplinary research and faculty engagement is the fifth component of Greene’s vision. Greene says that the center wants “scholars, professors, and those who are interested in research to be using our [AACC’s] library.” He even set a goal for the library to publish books because “we have the scholars.” With every move that Greene makes, he ultimately wants to make his ancestors proud. As Greene works towards these goals, he follows the wise words of legendary Mama Thorpe: “Are you making the ancestors proud?” By reinforcing this mentality, Greene believes each person can become to best at whatever they aspire to be.
Greene’s goal is to: “... build the infrastructure towards five areas: increasing visibility of the gallery and the library, community outreach, enhancing the visual and performing arts, student development and leadership opportunities, and interdisciplinary research and faculty engagement.”
wednesday, SEPTMEBER 6, 2017 | 6
opinion
‘Crowns’ Brings Black Church Culture to the Spotlight
Anahzsa Jones editor-in-chief
When I received the invitation to see ”Crowns” at Raleigh Little Theatre, I was thrilled. I hadn’t heard of it before, but I’ve learned by now that this little theatre is full of big surprises, so I just assumed the show would be great. I was wrong. The show was absolutely amazing. “Crowns,” written by Regina Taylor and adapted from the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry, is the story of Yolanda, a Brooklyn teenager sent to live with her grandmother in South Carolina after the death of her brother. We see her journey to understand herself and the people she finds herself surrounded by through song and the ancient tradition of storytelling. “Crowns” is also the story of African-American people. Through the stories of the five women who take Yolanda under their collective wing, we get to see little slices of southern black America, from the ring-shout in slave churches to the civil rights movement to early Sunday mornings picking out hats with grandma. Brenna lila jane berry-stewert/Contributed by Raleigh Little Theater For some of us, it was learning someLynnette Barber as Mother Shaw, Chelsey Moore as Yolanda, LaToya Smith as Jeanette. thing entirely new, and for others, it was like hearing your own story told on stage. For LaToya Smith, an opera singer important to them. This gallery, with from different walks of life, but really who plays the part of Jeanette, it was pictures and the complete entries, can we’re all the same. It takes a village to like stepping back into church. “When be seen in the lobby of Cantey V. Sutton raise a child, so really we’re all connected we talk about these women and we talk Theatre where the show is housed. There in some way.” about these churches, I mean, I’ve seen were six winners, and each of them gave Johnson too, pointed out that it’s more these women, I’ve seen the hats, I’ve insight into their personal crowns and than the hats that matter in the show. “It seen the fans. We still have the fans with the culture of crowns everywhere. wasn’t always about the hat when Mother the sticks. This is our history. The whole And while the hats, both on the stage Shaw was trying to teach Yolanda. It was message is there; this is our history.” and in the audience, were beautiful to also about getting her spirit right too. It Joshua Johnson, who plays the man behold, my favorite part was the music. brings a deeper meaning than just, you (literally every man on stage), emphaPutting traditional gospel songs in the know, hats on Sunday,” Johnson said. sized the faith and religion aspect of the framework of this show gave them new And while that’s true, the hats act as show. He felt the biggest message was depth and meaning. One of the songs a bridge, a gateway between cultures. “that no matter what you have on, God is that brought tears to my eyes was, oddly They’re big, they’re pretty, and they’re still bigger than anything that you could enough, about joy. Through the voices something we all understand. Some more face or anything you encounter and what and the clapping and shouting, through than others. Evelyn Castleberry also we need to do is not just pass down trathe audience joining in, the show wrote, “I am a 90 year old white woman, ditions of the hats, but traditions of God.” provides an atmosphere of oneness and but I heartily agree with the countless The show saw a lot of community community. black women who would rather attend engagement, due in part to the competiFor Chelsey Moore, the actress who church naked than hatless.” tion they held for the show. The compeplayed Yolanda, that oneness was the While I most certainly am not that into tition, sponsored by Arts Now, asked for most important part. “The most importthe hats -- I’ll take clothes over hats any a photo of contestants’ favorite church ant message would be that we all come day -- I certainly agree that these crowns hats and up to 500 words on why it was
are an important way to tell the stories that need to be told if we’re going to understand culture. Not just our own, but anyone’s. Charles Phaneuf, the executive director of RLT, recounted a conversation with Patrick Torres, the artistic director, in which Torres said, “With everything that’s happening in the world right now, how lucky we are that we get to share these spaces where we get to be together and to celebrate culture.” And that’s what this show is: a celebration of African-American culture through the crowns the women wear on their heads. From the northern African kofia to the elaborate Sunday hats worn by the church mothers, this play answers the question of “Why?” Why do these traditions exist, and why should we continue them? As Yolanda says, “African Americans do very African things without even knowing it.” For some, their crown is a way to stay connected to their culture. For others, it’s worn to honor their God and their family traditions, and for some it’s a way to make a statement. No matter what your reason for adorning your head with a crown, or even if you don’t, this show is sure to give you at least a little bit of “Hattitude.” You’ll hear classics like “I Am On the Battlefield for My Lord” and “His Eye is On the Sparrow,” and I challenge you not to sing and clap along. “If you miss this, you’re missing something special. You need to get your tickets.” That’s the last thing Johnson made sure to tell me, and I couldn’t agree more. “Crowns” will be running until Sept. 17, so if I were you, I’d get my tickets now. And for a chance to see the cast up close and personal, they will be at the African-American Culture Festival in Downtown Raleigh on Labor Day weekend. Bring a friend, bring your favorite crown, and bring yourself to RLT to see this fantastic show.
opinion
WEDNESDAY, SEPTMEBER 6, 2017 | 7
Black Masculinity: OUR QUEENS MAKE US KINGS Black men are a powerful group of people, and a huge part of our identity is our masculinity. The way we dress, the way we carry ourselves and the way we approach the world all fall under an idea of what it is to be a man. shawn However, we frequently FREDERICKS take our idea of mascuCorrespondent linity to the extreme and enter the very risky space of hypermasculinity. According to Elijah J. Ward in his study report, “Homophobia, Hypermasculinity, and the US Black Church,” hypermasculinity has been “viewed... as a trait associated with the assertion of power and dominance often through physically and sexually aggressive behaviours.” This kind of masculinity is unhealthy because it distorts what it means to be a man. It also leaves no room for the feminine influence that goes into the making of masculinity. Men frequently ignore the very feminine aspect to their being, and this often comes from a historical precedent that was set
before we were born. However in today’s climate, there is a call for healthy masculinity. Black men, we need to answer this call and finally do something most of our fathers did not train us to do: listen and expose ourselves in healthy dialogue with our better halves, women. In Jay-Z’s album, 4:44, one of the most gangster rappers in the game finally becomes vulnerable and it is within this opportune moment that men should finally let down their guard. Black men often carry our burdens by our lonesome selves. We carry the weight of kings and uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. We get so entrenched in the struggle in our lives that we forget we are not alone in it, that there are strong, capable and beautiful people ready to not just support us but stand with us. Black women are our unrecognized equals and it is our responsibility as men to rectify this for their sake as well as ours. Women are a foundation of healthy masculinity, not its opposition. Women have a huge role in shaping our masculinity but it is not the woman’s responsibility to inform men of this power. The responsibility is on men to recognize it and pass it on.
Women often shape the masculinity of men just as much as, if not more than men. It’s our mother figures that provide the template for healthy behaviors such as acknowledging emotions, communicative problem-solving, and vulnerability. Guys, we do ourselves an injustice when we forget the impact that women have over our lives, especially black women. We need to embrace the very real, and dare I say feminine, foundation that our masculinity is built on. Men, especially black men, plain and simple need to treat our women better because masculinity is not about accolades but relationships. There is no other more fulfilling relationship to have than with black women and this notion is not bound by romantic pretense. Women hold a spectrum of roles in our lives, including mothers, daughters, sisters, aunties and cousins. As men, our masculinity should build bridges, not fences for these women to jump over. We should not think of women, and by extension femininity, as an opposing force, but as the missing piece in the puzzle that makes us whole. I would be remiss if I did not reaffirm why it is also very important that as young black men we are conscious of stereotypes and
make greater strides of setting the example for healthy masculinity. Masculinity of the black man is often looked upon with trepidation and presented with having inherently aggressive, promiscuous, and rebellious qualities. This presentation usually takes form today in hip hop music, where rappers take these qualities into overdrive. However, hypermasculinity has been in black culture long before hip hop and it also not exclusive to hip hop. As the next generation of leaders of the world, we as young black males have the ability to correct the standards and precedents that have barricaded us from better relationships with women and society as a whole. Black women deserve our recognition and we are better men for recognizing the sway they have over our perspectives in life. Guys, you’re not worse men for being vulnerable and accessible; actually you’re better for it, and when we foster an environment of healthy masculinity the next generation will be better for it. Elijah G. Ward, “Homophobia, Hypermasculinity, and the US Black Church,” Culture, Health & Sexuality, Vol. 7, No. 5:
Kenton’s corner: White Womanhood undefeated Although the title may be inflammatory and lead one to believe that I’m unfairly criticizing or praising white women, neither is true. This instead is meant to be a criticism of American society and how often times, hundreds and kENTON even thousands of black lives being brutally taken GIBBS doesn’t move the scale of Staff Writer America’s social conscious the way the death of white women does. Although many of us would believe this to be true based on common knowledge, there have been two recent incidents that work to drive the point home. The first and most recent of the two would be the murder of Heather Heyer. Heyer was one of the counter protesters who utterly despised the white domestic terrorists and their hate speech. She was in the midst of the protest when a member of those terrorist groups, Derek Weimer, drove into the crowd, killing her as well as
wounding several others. Before Heyer’s death, many members of the media, as well as private citizens, acted as if the terrorism committed by these white supremacist groups were small isolated incidents from fringe groups. However, ever since her murder, white nationalism has been condemned by many including our wonderful president Donald J. Trump. But I could see where some would argue that there’s no example of the same thing happening to a person of color to compare this against. That’s where the second incident comes in: The murder of Justine Damond. According to multiple reports, she called the police for help after she heard loud noises that she perceived to be a woman being raped. When the police arrived, they drove through the alley where she heard the noise with their lights and body cams turned off. Damond allegedly slapped the car to get the cops attention then went to the driver side door. That’s when officer Mohamed Noor, a black muslim man, shot and killed her out
of fear. These extrajudicial slayings aren’t new. But the response to hers was. Especially in comparison to the killing of Philando Castile, which occurred approximately 20 minutes away. Damond’s case showed many black Americans, including myself, all types of firsts that we couldn’t imagine. For example, when Castile was shot, everything he’d ever done wrong in his past was used to tarnish his name and make it seem as if he deserved this despicable fate. But that seems to be the normal protocol whenever people of color are shot. Yet in Damond’s case this was the first time I had seen the officers past deeply examined. Noor’s immigration status, religion, and political views have all been brought into question. On top of this, the officer being in fear for his life was no longer seemed to justify any horrific act committed by the officer. Another thing that amazed me was the chief of police being forced to resign so quickly after. I had become accustomed to constantly being told these processes take
time and all the facts need to be gathered. The only facts needed in Damond’s case was that a white woman was dead and that was enough for heads to roll. I am not saying these things to say that their deaths should be brushed over like their black counterparts, but I am saying society should show such swift and intense reactions to the murders of people of color.
“It is my sincerest hope that these women and their families get justice but I need white America to have that same energy when a black woman is gunned or run down.”
wednesday, SEPTMEBER 6, 2017 | 8
opinion
Depression: My Struggles with Mental Illness I am an advocate for mental health. I believe in therapy and taking medication if needed. We have so much proof that the brain, like our bodies, can grow weary and cave in from overwhelmKhadija ing amounts of stress parker and trauma. Although I Correspondent am an advocate for getting help, I would come down with serious cases of depression. I am cheerful, easily-amused, and into many different things. I enjoy watching video game playthroughs and playing with dogs. Despite my usual demeanor, I went through a serious bout of depression in which I lost interest in everyday things. I became secluded and more self-conscious, paranoid and anxious all the time. Last semester at NC State, I did not want to move back home after it was over. I wanted badly to find some program that would house me, to find a means to stay. Whether I waited too long to start applying or the pools of applicants were too large for me to stand a chance, I’ll never know. But I do know that having to move back home made me feel bad. I felt like a dependent loser. To make matters worse, I applied to summer school but could not get any money to pay for it, so I had to cancel all those classes. This caused me to feel down and out about myself. My birthday is May 8th and I celebrate it every year. But this time in particular, I made plans weeks in advance and tried to tell those I wanted to come in a timely manner. The only person to show up was my roommate. This is not to say I don’t have great friends because that would be lying. My heart was broken by my own wants and wishes from people who saw me only as a object to use. And I never thought of myself as being worthy. I always settled for being the second thought or the one you call when you are bored and I lashed out because of it. I used social media to vent, but really the posts were just cries for help.
I was going through my own personal turmoil within and felt so miniscule and insignificant. Self-esteem has never been something I’ve had much of until my late teens and early adulthood. I felt like I had fallen into a deep pit and nothing could bring me out of it. It may sound odd, but I was still high-functioning. I still attended events in downtown Greensboro, taking the bus by myself everytime and striking up conversation with strangers. Listening to music was appeasing on the bus late at night while looking at the scenery around me. There were a few friends I met over the summer I made connections with, although we do not talk today. Though there was paranoia within me about walking the streets alone and taking myself out on dates, there was still a need to get out of the house within me. There was a need to break myself free of these chains. When I finally went to see a therapist, I told them everything going on with me. My worst fears had been realized and written down as a pill prescription. I had depression. It didn’t help that my home life was a bit dysfunctional. I still looked to cope in unhealthy ways or just pacify hopeless feelings of worthlessness. That was the first time I seriously considered suicide. I remember looking at my pills and alcohol on the counter and wanting to mix up a cocktail for myself to end it all. I remember wanting to find a gun or a weapon to end it quickly. My heart was in shambles and I couldn’t think straight to save my life. That’s when I first considered dropping out of NC State to go to community college. It was a choice of desperation because I had something to prove to the people I went to highschool with and even people in college. I so badly wanted their approval. After taking the medication for almost two months, the suicidal thoughts had lessened. My smiles and laughs were more genuine. The air felt better against my skin. I could actually feel good about going out in public and being seen. I didn’t want to admit that the medication had helped, but it did. I even decided to stay in NC State. It was painful for me because I wanted to hold on to what was familiar. I had no confidence in
what I was doing as a rising junior in college. My vision was blurred by what I thought of as largely noticeable flaws. I don’t know who I’m writing to. Who knows how many people will read this and how many will skim to what they came to read. I want my women of color out there to know that you are valuable. Not because of how many likes you get on Instagram or how many guys compliment you during the day. Not by how much attention you get from others, but by your own standards. Living up to others’ perceptions of us can be devastating to our mental health. You can never be enough for everyone. But pay attention to what’s important to you and what your values are. Find your passion. Work on it. Look for ways to make money off of it and sustain yourself. But most importantly, make sure you are happy!
The Counseling Center is located on the second floor of Student Health Services. • To make your first appointment: visit the Counseling Center MondayFriday between 9am and 3pm • To make subsequent appointments: call 919-5152423 or visit in person • For emergencies: call 919515-2423 (available 24 hours)
