NUBIANMESSAGE NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM | THURSDAY, september 8, 2022 Here We Go Again
The Mu Xi Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. performs during Back 2 School Jam: Reloded Edition in Stewart Theater on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022. 1992 - 1996 playlist by nubian Message Staff
Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of 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 as we are still on the journey to true consciousness.
5 BACK 2 SCHOOL JAM A look at the 2022 Back 2 School Jam 6 PHOTO GALLERY A gallery featuring welcome week events 9 WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK Aug. 29 through Sept. 4 11 LOAN FORGIVENESS
THURSDAY, September 8, 2022 | 2 THIS ISSUE
Letter from the editor
Layout designers Hey lovelies, First of all, I’d like to say welcome to NC State’s Class of 2025! And, of course, welcome to everyone else. We’d never leave y’all out! Let me introduce myself. My name is Ugonna Ezuma-Igwe and I am the interim Editor-In-Chief (EIC). I’m holding down the fort till Nubian gets its new EIC which will hopefully be very soon. This will be my fifth year working with Nubian. Yeah, I know I’m old and I’ve been here for a long time. So imma go ahead and tell y’all a little bit about Nubian. On Nov. 30, 1992, the incomparable Nubian Message was born. Since then, this news publication has served as a medium for Black Students and members of underrepresented communities to tell their own stories and histories.Thissemester had a crazy start for Nubian but we couldn’t let y’all down so we put in work to get this issue out. We wanted to start the school year with a bang so we made y’all a 12-page spread!!!!!! In this issue, we wrote about the College Board’s decision to introduce an A.P. African American class and the current water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi. We also wrote about some on-campus events: Back to School Jam Reloaded, HerBlackHand and Packapalooza. Go ahead and check out our media gallery on page six, which showcases different events from the first week of school, such as Back to School Jam Reloaded and PackaPalooza.Wealwaysgotta say our piece so we article Joe Biden’s loan forgiveness plan. Also, I wrote a Wassapened this week where I discussed my opinion on current events. Also, Nubian is hiring! If you’re interested in being a writer, layout designer, graphic designer, or photographer for Nubian, please reach out to nubian-managingeditor@ncsu. edu.So with that, y’all know this will be my first and last “Letter from the Editor.” I was gonna say Peace and Love but who love help? Abeg, Peace and Money, Ugonna Ezuma-Igwe
Biden’s Student Debt Relief Plan cover photo BY Birgitta Jasmine Bunawan / Staff Photographer
The Sentinel of the African-American Community at N.C. State Since 1992. 314 Witherspoon Student Center, NCSU Campus Box 7318, Raleigh, NC 27695 office 919-515-1468 advertising 919-515-2411 online thenubianmessage.com Ugonna Ezuma-Igwe (She/Her) Interim Editor-in-Chief MilanArananubian-editor@ncsu.eduBlake(She/They)Hall(She/Her)
In The Nation article by Elie Mystal argued that “the public school system willfully obscures the “sins and horrors” of our history in order to “whitewash the episodes of white terrorism” and “protect young white minds from ever knowing the truth about our country.” Also, Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project, said, “Slavery touches almost every aspect of modern American life, yet it’s been an asterisk to the American story.” There are multiple incidents in which African American history has been minimized or ignored in textbooks.
Their scores can exempt students from introductory coursework and place them in higher designated college classes. Students participating in the pilot program will take an exam at the end of the year but will not receive a score or college credit, according to New York Times author Anemona Hartocollis. This class has been in the works for decades, and it’s now being introduced at a time when education is being politicized and has become a hot topic of debate. At least 19 states have passed laws or rules regulating how race is discussed in the classroom. According to PEN America, in 2022 alone, 36 states introduced 137 educational gag order bills. This is a 250 percent increase compared to 22 states introducing 54 bills in 2021. These gag order bills were implemented to limit race and LGBT history instruction in U.S. schools. As educational gag order bills are defined as “state legislative efforts to restrict teaching about topics such as race, gender, American history, and LGBTQ+ identities in K–12 and higher education.”Thegagorder bills are significant as a growing topic of educational concern is the implementation of critical race theory in academia. Encyclopedia Britannica defines critical race theory as an “intellectual and social movement and loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color.” While multiple teachers participating in the pilot program have said their curriculum does not teach critical race theory and CollegeBoard has not released their official criteria, there is still a concern. Due to the lack of fundamental understanding of critical race theory and the gag order bills implemented, there is the possibility that this class’s sanctity could be tainted.
THURSDAY, september 8, 2022 | 3news CollegeBoard, a organizationnon-profit that runs multiple programs and services, including the SAT, the Advanced Placement Program (A.P.) and BigFuture, intended to improve students’ college readiness and success, announced that they would be starting a pilot program earlier this year. In this pilot program, they announced that 60 schools would introduce A.P. African American studies as a class option for their students.
Finally, A Long Awaited AP Class Has Come To Fruition!
On Nov. 2, 1920, a mob of white people in Ocoee, Florida, arose when Julius “July” Perry, a Black man, decided to go to the polls to vote. For two days of terror, the mob set fire to homes and terrorized Black community residents. Florida did not require students to learn about the Ocoee massacre until June 2020, when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill requiring schools to teach about it. It took about 100 years for these events to be officially recognized by their gubernatorial officials as necessities in academia.TrevorPacker, senior vice president of A.P. and instructor at the College Board, told The Hill’s Changing America that the class will “introduce a new generation of students to the amazingly rich cultural, artistic, and political contributions of AfricanCollegeBoardAmericans.”hopes that students who are usually underrepresented in A.P. Classes will take an interest in the A.P. African American Studies class. “Black students are less likely to enroll in A.P. classes than their white and Asian peers and are more likely to attend schools without A.P. classes,” according to a 2021 report by the Center for American Progress.
The pilot program started this 2022-2023 school year. CollegeBoard has said that they plan to expand the classes’ availability continuously. Next year, the CollegeBoard intends to expand the pilot to 200 schools. By the 2022-2023 school year, A.P. African American studies class is expected to be readily available for all schools interested in having it at their institutions. CollegeBoard has said that the extended time before its full availability is to allow them to properly design and align the class while allowing colleges and universities to establish valuable credit and placement policies.CollegeBoard has not officially published the new class’s curriculum but Time magazine spoke with instructors who are part of the pilot program. The interdisciplinary class will explore over 400 years of contributions from Africans and their descendants to the U.S. This class will dive into topics from African American music, literature and art. It will also include discussion on the history of the civil rights movement and the lived experiences of African Americans. Since 1955, CollegeBoard has been nationally implementing A.P. classes. They started with ten subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, History, French, German, Spanish, and Latin. They have since expanded to 38 official classes. However, A.P. African American studies will be the first of its kind.CollegeBoard A.P. classes entail students taking a college-level class in preparation for an exam at the end of each school year, the first week of May. Depending on how well students do during their exams, they stand a chance to gain college credit.
PhotograpH FROM CREATIVE
Ezuma-IgweUgonna Editor-In-Chief COMMONS
The Tulsa massacre was a two-day massacre when mobs of white people terrorized the affluent Black residents. They destroyed the Black business district, known as Black Wall Street, and rendered thousands of people homeless. Oklahoma schools were not required to teach about this event till 2002.
Henry Louis Gates Jr., an expert on African American history who helped develop the A.P. African American Studies curriculum, said, “A.P. African American Studies is not CRT. It’s not the 1619 Project. It is a mainstream, rigorously vetted, academic approach to a vibrant field of study, one half a century old in the American academy, and much older, of course, in historically Black colleges and universities.”Thisisnot the first time the quality and legitimacy of the history taught in public schools has been questioned.
The founder of Operation Good, Gino Womack, says that he notices that the surrounding cities with a white population do not have the same issues. He also states that the children in the area have become immune to the sewage in their water. He notes that they bathe, cook, and drink it. Despite all of this, Jackson, Mississippi, residents are still billed for water.
One major reason was due to the majority Black populations in both cities. The city of Jackson has gradually decreased in the number of white people since the 1980s. In addition to this, about 30,000 people left Jackson in the 1990s. The population loss led to a reduction in the area’s income taxes and the water and sewage systems have paid the price.
Another Water Crisis
Water pressure was restored within Jackson, Mississippi, over Labor day weekend. Despite the boil-water advisory being lifted, the water treatment infrastructure will remain fragile for some time. Additionally, many small repairs have been made to the pipes in the city yet some people have been without clean water for over a year. The Governor of Mississippi, Tate Reeves, says the ongoing health crisis is an “immediate health threat.” There have been reports that the cause of the ongoing water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi is due to underfunding for infrastructure upgrades. There have been many attempts from political leaders in the city for more funding for the plumbing system. In Aug. of 2021, President Biden referenced Jackson, Mississippi’s water system, in support of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act bill. The bill passed on Aug. 10, 2021. The state will receive $429 million in funding from the bill over the next five years. Some funds won’t reach Mississippi until 2023.
The gallery will be available for viewing in the second-floor gallery in Witherspoon Student Center until Oct. 10, 2022. For work from the artist, check out her blog via Medium and follow her on social media @HerBlackHand.
AL: I like to call myself a writer because I don’t just write poetry I write fiction, nonfiction and notes because I forget things, I write everything. Growing up I didn’t have enough representation of what literature could look like for a Blackwomen especially a young black woman navigating the world. We don’t get a lot of narratives.
The event began with Isaiah Lucas, the program coordinator for the AACC, greeting the guests and going over the rules for the night, the main one being that the audience should snap instead of clap for the night because they were in a “poetic space,” as he put it. Lucas then introduced Nick, who introduced the artist Alexis Lawson a.k.a HerBlackHand, with a poem that he wrote for her and the occasion.
Alexis Lawson is a 22-year-old poet, storyteller and daydreamer who authored “The Beauty in my Bare Bones” a poetry collection. She was born in Cleveland, OH and currently lives in Raleigh, NC. With her writing, Lawson wants to break the trauma troupe in literature and reinforce Black joy in narratives. She is passionate about crafting stories that inspire others to become the people they read about. She feels that exchanging conversations with the artist opens up many opportunities. Once HerBlackHand was introduced, she came up and began by saying that there is no need just to snap if you need to stand, clap, jump, shout, or dance to do so because it was a safe space. She then began her first poem of three, titled A Conversational Piece. After her first piece, she talked a little bit about her thought process behind creating the space and how this opportunity aligned with the goals she had set for herself this year. She then dedicated the gallery and space to herself because she “is the conversational piece.” She wants people to remember her with the things she left them with. Her second poem, left untitled, was about her experience with her being a teacher when she was just 22 years old. She said that she would cherish that experience forever and that this poem was near and dear to her heart. Even though she is not a teacher in an institutional form anymore, she loves to teach others about art, herself, and she loves sharing and listening to others. She then began her third and final poem, I Hope You Still Love Me. After Alexis shared her poetry, Lucas moved into the event’s artist talk section, where he asked her various questions.
“ The Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, Chokwe Antar Lumumba, estimates that the price tag for Jackson’s infrastructure could go into the billions.”
Lucas then finished the artist’s talks by opening up the floor for questions from the audience. Once the artist’s talk was over, there were refreshments for the guests to have and they were given the opportunity to talk to each other about the event.
As a writer my main mission is that somebody feels seen, make sure somebody feels heard like their story has room.
Additionally, the funds were not allocated for Jackson, Miss. alone but rather the entire state. The Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, Chokwe Antar Lumumba, estimates that the price tag for Jackson’s infrastructure could go into the billions. It was stated that there is another option to receive funding the repair. One includes using the $450 million received from the Congressional Covid Relief. The downside is that this program requires counties to match the Congressional Covid Relief and Jackson only has $25 million from the American Rescue Plan Act.
There have been many comparisons to the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
THURSDAY, september 8, 2022 | 4 news
Black voices through art and poetry
On Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, the African American Cultural Center (AACC) hosted its first gallery opening of the semester: HerBlackHand - A Conversational Piece. This gallery was the first of its kind done by the AACC. The gallery differed from previous ones as it had works from multiple artists and used various mediums for the art. The artist also wrote a poem to go along with every piece of art.
Isaiah Lucas: How does this whole experience feel? Alexis Lawson: Unreal. I don’t know what I imagined, but most things that we imagined are never as big as they actually are and I think in this season of my life i am really learning how to sit in my moments, so this is one of those moments where I just trying to take in as see everybody’s faces so that if I see you again I’llI’ll remember you. …It also makes me feel empowered because a lot of the art is made by Black women, so empowered because I am surrounded by Black women, empowered because I have people who care enough to come out just to see me.
IL: In your bio, you mention giving people the key to 100 worlds. What does this mean and what do you hope people get from discovering these new worlds?
Arana Blake Staff Writer Jaz Bryant Correspondent
On July 30, 2022, the city of placedMississippi,Jackson,wasonaboilwater advisory. This was due to a rise in water levels from the Pearl River. The city has been without drinkable water on and off since 2020. During this time, Jackson failed an Environmental Agency Protection inspection due to high amounts of bacteria and parasites in the water. Jackson, which has an 82% Black population, suffered from freezing conditions that caused the sewage pipes to burst. This led to the local water treatment facility being shut down. In July of this year, the pumps at the treatment facility were damaged and the city has since had to rely on smaller pumps. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says the main focus has been to get bottles of water to the city. Consequently, the local college Jackson State University delayed the move-in date for its students. Additionally, K-12 schools, which were going to be in-person, have been moved online indefinitely.
THURSDAY, september 8, 2022 | 5features
On Monday, Aug 22., 2022, the Black Students Board (BSB) held Back 2 School Jam: Reloaded Edition in the Talley Student Union. Back 2 School Jam is an event held to celebrate the Black community on campus by giving them a space to meet their peers, promote organizations, find new communities and have a good time overall. The event consisted of two main sections, including the club fair and the performance.TheBack2 School Jam started off with the organization fair. The organization fair allowed Black organizations to have their time in the spotlight on a campus where they are often overshadowed. Students were incentivized to talk to multiple organizations through a piece of paper that was handed out when students checked in. The paper was for students to go to different organizations to get stamps, which would earn them a free t-shirt. Not all booths had a stamp so this would make students interact with organizations they may have ignored, which in turn may allow them to foster new connections. Although the stamps provided an incentive, the club fair took place on the third floor of the Talley Student Union with little space between organizations. Due to the size, it was inevitable to see all organizations. There were a lot of organizations with very eager members packed onto one floor so it would have been hard not to interact with at least a few of them. There was a large variety of organizations ranging from major/career oriented, to identity oriented, fraternities and sororities or ones centered around hobbies and common interests. Nubian Message spoke to some of these organizations to understand the importance of the Back 2 School Jam. We asked some organizations to share information about themselves and why the club fair is important for them.
We also spoke with Dre Jordan, the president of the Multicultural Young Educators Network (MYEN), a second-year majoring in Technological Engineering and Design Education said, “Multicultural Young Educators network is all about youth advocacy and promoting diversity through the NC State community and outside.” MYEN is one of the relatively new organizations to participate in the club fair and Jordan made it clear how much of an opportunity they view it as, “I am so excited to be here at Back 2 school jam. This is a huge opportunity for our club. We got some big things coming up, so I’m really glad to be able to use the space to get the word out about MYEN because we’re really focusing on community this year and this space allows us to do that.” Building community and long-lasting relationships, especially in the career sense, was a common theme among the Nehemiahorganizations.Macdonald, the Vice President of North Carolina State University’s National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), a fourth-year majoring in Industrial System Engineering, emphasized the ways their organization tries to increase the number of Black engineers by providing for the community, “So our organization’s job is to increase the number of black engineers and so we do that by engaging the community at NC state with opportunities to have internships and jobs. Also, we think service is important as an engineering organization. So we serve our community, the kick 12 outreach, and even within NC state as a campus. We also have scholarships that are provided by the organization as a whole.” Many organizations emphasized providing for and uplifting their community, especially when speaking to members of the Divine Nine (D9) sororities andJeaninefraternities.Ikekhua, the Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF) captain of The Kappa Omicron chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., a thirdyear majoring in International Studies and Communications, shared how her organization values the Black community “We’re very passionate about serving our community. So we make sure to cater to the African American community, we also focus on building bonds between black women and also making sure that the black community at NC state is always served here.”The Secretary of the Eta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Alvin Mutongi, a fourth-year majoring in civil engineering, said this: “service, scholarship, brotherhood, those are our values. But what that looks like is advocating and making campus better for black students.So we’re in the African American cultural center, we’re in MSA.”
The current chapter resident of the Mu Omicron Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Daryn Wilkerson, a fourthyear majoring in fashion design, said, “We are a service based organization. We care about the black community is something we vow to help out in any way. And we also care about sisterhood between black identifying women and uplifting each other in this mostly white world.” When asked if there was anything they sought to gain from the Back 2 School Jam, Wilkerson replied with this, “I hope less to gain, but more to give. By showing that there’s, first of all, D9 on this campus, which I know for a lot of black freshmen that is not common knowledge and even some black, sophomores and juniors, because of COVID. So I hope to show that we do have a plethora of black experiences that can be shown in any format they need.”
The incoming first-year students were definitely on many people’s minds as they wanted to showcase that they do have space on campus. Kiersten Hicks stated, “I’m excited to meet the new freshmen and try to excite them and bring up new opportunities for them.” The exposure the organizations receive from tabling at the Back 2 School Jam is beneficial not only to them but also to the students they interact with.Despite the main attraction of the club fair being the organizations, students could just chat with their peers, have refreshments, and enjoy the environment before the Back 2 School Jam performance started.TheBack 2 School Jam performances took place in Stewart theatre. The event was hosted by the director of the Black Students Board (BSB), Kelis Johnson. article continued on
page 8
Milan Hall Staff Writer
We’re Back: Back 2 School Jam
RaY Black III / Professional Photographer Ruby Carter-Ogden, a third-year in microbiology, talks with students about the MAPS group, Minority Association for Pre-Health Students, during the Back 2 School Jam in Talley Student Union on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022.
Kiersten Hicks, the president of the Black Artist Coalition (BAC), a second-year majoring in Electrical Engineering, said, “So essentially we are just a bunch of black people just trying to gather all artists from an outreach and build and hone in on our artistic skills and just broaden as a small organization.”
THURSDAY, september 8, 2022 | 6 features
Top Left Ray Black III/ Professional Photographer Timothy Reid, a third-year studying business administration, performs with the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity during the Back 2 School Jam in Stewart Theater on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022.
Top Right Jermaine Hudson/ Staff Photographer Rachel Galicia, the instructor for Cirque de Vol, twirls on the air silks during Packapalooza, an event hosted along Hillsborough Street, on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. Middle Left: Birgitta Jasmine Bunawan/ PhotographerStaff Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. performs during B2SJ in Stewart Theater on Wednesday, Aug.2022.24,
BOTTOM Left Ray Black III/ Professional Photographer Jhace Alston-Kirby, a third-year studying criminology, performs with Code Red during the B2SJ: Relaoded Edition in Stewart Theater on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022. Bottom Right Contributed by NC STATE STUDENTMEDIA Students recieve stamps and pizza at the brick break event in the brickyard on Aug. 22, 2022. Travel Back with us to the weekfirstofschool
WELCOME Back
anniversary starting with 1992, our founding year. 93 ‘til Infinity Souls of Mischief This is how we do it Montell Jordan At your best (you are love) Aaliyah No Diggity Blackstreet, Dr. Dre Return of the Mack Mark Morrison Whoot, There It Is 95 South C.R.E.A.M Wu-Tang Clan Don’t Walk Away Jade Wake up koffi olomide Graphic by Kyle howe I Wished On the Moon Oscar Peterson Trio I Ain’t Mad At Cha Tupac I will always love you Whitney Houston Daydream Interlude Mariah Carey Remember the time Michael Jackson ATLiens Outkast
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What new memories, new experiences, new joy, new things life could’ve brought There was so much left for you in this life
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Wondering what you’d be doing if you were still here
my heart -Elikem Wonder1992-1996playlistbyNubianMessageStaff Countdown to our
heaven So
distance I’ll forget everything But
I often wonder with every move that maybe this was a mistake
With the change of every season, I think of you
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THURSDAY, september 8, 2022 | 7opinion
Leaving you behind to chase new opportunities, new people, new money, new things I should’ve stayed I worry that with time and I know that for everything there is a season, And that there’s a time for every matter under I promise to carry you with me matter I go matter the season, you’ll in 30th
Womble, a first-year majoring in Civil Engineering responded: “… I’ve been getting bombarded with people who don’t look like me…Even though I’m used to that, it was something I wasn’t expecting... I will be in a classroom…and literally all the Black people [and] people of color had two seats on either side of us until the room got extremely packed [because] people would not sit next to us. So, to be in a space where I feel seen and represented is honestly awesome.”
The night’s first performance was from the code red cheer team, who did a stomp and shake cheer. They danced to popular songs such as “Say I Yi Yi” by the Ying Yang Twins and did their own chants, which the audience seemed to enjoy. Following Code Reds’ performance was the Fusion dance crew, who gave a highenergy performance doing hip-hop-style choreography to songs from popular artists such as Latto and Doja Cat. The next performance was by the Mu Xi Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. The sorority opened up by saying how a Zeta always looks good. Their performance consisted of strolling and a section dedicated to their achievements and the history of their sorority. They focused on what they achieved first and did out of the sororities.Aftersome of the performances, Johnson would come back to play games with the audience for prizes. The game was a dance battle between volunteers from the audience. One specific volunteer named Michael caught the audience’s attention for his unique dance moves. This made him somewhat of the night’s main character and winner of the battle. After the break for the dance battle, the next performers were the Eta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. They strolled and spoke about their history and achievements on campus, such as one of their members, Timothy Reid being the student body vice president. Their facial expressions throughout the performance were very notable and engaging for the audience members. The following performers were the Kappa Omega chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., who strolled and spoke about their sororities’ history and accomplishments. They would tap canes on the floor for extra emphasis, which grabbed the audience’s attention. They strolled off the stage with some other members of their sorority.Then,there was another break where Johnson invited audience members on stage to do iconic dances such as the wobble, swag surf, and the electric slide. The next game was “finish the lyrics” for iconic songs. The room was split into two groups, the left and right team and each team had to help their leader finish the lyrics of popular songs. The two groups were pretty competitive and things got hype and heated fast, leading to a boo-off between the two sides of the room. After Johnson calmed the room down, the next performers, the Kappa Omicron chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., entered the stage to a backtrack of a recreation of people gossiping about them. The things said in the backtrack were along the lines of “Does KO even perform anymore?” They strolled and talked about their history and achievements. They finished their confident performance by strolling off the stage. The final fraternity to perform was the Xi Zeta chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. They introduced themselves and shouted out their sister sorority, Mu Xi Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. They performed to Meek Mill’s popular song “Dreams and Nightmares.” After speaking about their history and successes, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. members from different chapters joined the Xi Zeta on stage. One of the members from a different chapter started this portion of the performance off with a soulful melody, after which they stepped and chanted. After the final D9 performance, all present D9 organizations came back on stage to stroll to various songs. The night’s final performance came from the Uninhibited Praise Gospel Choir who gave a strong vocal performance with a live band. Their vocals entranced the audience. They sang multiple songs, but the most notable was their performance of “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” by Kanye West. Even during the hype performances and competitive games, it was clear what the Back 2 School Jam was about—creating a space for black students on campus and making a stronger community. Daryn Wilkerson stated, “it’s really nice to see black people coming together, cause it’s very hard to find us when it’s in between classes. So I’m glad we’re providing a space for everyone to come together and see that they’re not alone.” It’s important to be around people who look like you and the Back 2 School Jam provides Black students with that opportunity.
The next stop was the second floor of The Witherspoon Student Center. Located here is the African American Cultural Center Library and gallery. Upon entering the room, students were greeted by angela aay-audre, Director of the African American Cultural Center. Students lined up to participate in a trivia game at the entrance of the gallery. They had the opportunity to spin a wheel and answer questions related to the history of the Witherspoon Student Center and the event taking place. Based on the question, participants could win a prize, including an African American Cultural Center hat or pencil. The gallery was also playing music and gave individuals the opportunity to take pictures.
On Aug. 22, 2022, the Witherspoon Student Centers hosted a Block Party. The Block Party was to kickoff the first week of school. The event took place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with festivities occurring on Harris Field and on all three floors. The purpose was to give incoming students a chance to learn about the different organizations and resources that the Witherspoon Student Center has to offer. Outside of the building, music was provided by WKNC, NC State University’s student run radio station. The African American Cultural Center (AACC) and different organizations such as Agromeck and the Technician took to tableing outside. At the tables, students were presented with a punch card. The punch card sent students on a scavenger hunt throughout the building, with the reward being an ice cream voucher. The first stop was the Jeffrey Wright Military and Veteran Services office on the first floor of Witherspoon Student Center. In the office was Keyshawn Henry, a third-year majoring in Computer Science. He talked about the purpose of the office and handed out goodies that included bracelets and pencils.
The next stop was the third floor of the Witherspoon Student Center. Located here was the Student Media Business Office, WKNC and the African American Cultural Center. The Technician, Windover, Agromek and Nubian Message participated in this event. Visiting any of these organizations counted as the third punch for the card. Agromeck, the universities yearbook, was giving out ice cream as well. The final stop of the Witherspoon Block Party was the African American Cultural Center. Here students got in line for both shirts and food. The AACC served jollof rice, meat pies, and beverages. Music was being played in the room where the food was served. It was here that Nubian spoke to students about what they thought about the Block Party. Nubian Message: What has the Block Party shown you about North Carolina State University that you didn’t know before?Adam
Jaz Bryant Correspondent Milan Hall Staff Writer
THURSDAY, september 8, 2022 | 8 features Continued from page 5
Media, Music & Meat Pies
NM: How do you feel that this event has impacted how you see North Carolina StateMauriceUniversity?Fuket, a fifth-year majoring in Biochemistry, said: “[The event] is bringing the Black community together, especially at a [Primarily White Institution] because…Black people at a PWI need a sense of community…An event like this, especially being hosted at the beginning of the school year, really helps Black students or minorities as a whole know certain places they can go to find that community.” After eating, people went to Harris Field to listen to music and mingle. The night commenced with a raffle from the punch cards given at the beginning of the evening.
Editor-In-Chief
Wassapened
WARNING:TRIGGER
Sexual Abuse
This week of Wassapened This Week, we discuss Nuclear disasters, rubbish human beings and Icons.
Comedy Gone Stupid On Friday, Sept. 2, Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears were accused of child sexual abuse in a lawsuit. They were accused of grooming and molesting two then-minor siblings, Jane Doe and John Doe, in 2013 and 2014. According to the complaint, the siblings were 14 and 7, respectively, when they alleged that both Haddish and Spears had them participate in sexually suggestive videos for a skit they were preparing. Haddish was a “longtime family friend” of the mother of the siblings and she introduced Jane Doe to Spears. Where they showed her a video of “an older man and a college-age woman” eating a sandwich simultaneously from either end while “moaning and making sexual noises as they both ate the sandwich in a manner that simulated the act of fellatio.” Then asked Jane Doe to reciprocate what was done in the video. First of all, why tf did they have such a video on deck and ready. What kinda sick sh*t is that. There’s nothing to say other than this is downright disturbing and gross but there’s more, unfortunately. Haddish then “offered to book, arrange, and film Mr.Doe content for a Nickelodeon sizzle reel at the home of Spears.” According to the suit, “Upon information and belief, Haddish and Spears removed the 7-yearold victim from his sister, placed him upstairs in a bedroom, and stripped the child down to his underwear.” This is why I’m tired of people giving actresses, actors and celebrities second chances because this is not the first time that Haddish has been involved in some nonsense. People continue to prove that they’re into some s*ck shit. Also, how do you even come up with such nonsense as a skit idea and why was there no one in place to stop you. Was everyone like, “aww, this is great, this is awesome. I, too, wanna become a sexual predator?” Like, be so f*cking for real!
This Week: Aug. 29th - Sept. 4th
Fukushima On Tuesday, Aug. 30, the Japanese town of Futaba lifted its evacuation order that had been in place since 2011. For the last 11 years, the town had been off limits to its previous residents. Futaba is the city that housed the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. On Mar. 11, 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake occurred off Japan’s east coast, which triggered a massive tsunami that caused a nuclear meltdown at the power plant. This caused a major release of radioactive material and rendering more than 300,000 displaced. This nuclear event was classified as level
seven on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES), the highest level on the scale. There have only been two classified events as level seven: Chernobyl and Fukushima. Authorities have been preparing for the ban lift and have slowly allowed residents to return temporarily since March 2020. While I believe it is great that families can once again live in their homes and return to their city, I wonder how good their quality of life will be. There’s no way to tell how many people will actually come back and since it is unknown who will run the stores, the schools, or the city itself. Just because the city is back doesn’t mean that the city has fully recovered. A spokesman for the city even said, “More than 80% of the municipality is designated as a “difficult-to-return” zone still experiencing high levels of radiation.” This is devastating to hear and I can’t even think of the long-term effects of living in a city with such proximity to so much radiation.
THURSDAY, september 8, 2022 | 9opinion
Author Note: These are events that happened this week that I chose to highlight. These are in no way everything everyone needs to know. I highly encourage everyone to read the news from reliable sources to develop their own opinions. My opinions have been italicized. With that being said, all opinions stated in this article are my own so if you don’t like them, drink water and mind your business. Abeg, with all the wahala wey dey for earth no put my matta for head.
Tennis On Monday, Aug. 29, Serena Williams began playing in what is expected to be the match of her tennis career in the U.S. Open. In her first round, she beat Danka Kovinić, then in her second round, she defeated Anett Kontaveit, ultimately losing to Ajla Tomljanović during her third round. Serena is one of the most successful athletes of all time and arguably the best tennis player in history. Williams ends her tennis career with 858 tour victories, 73 singles titles, 14 major doubles titles, four Olympic gold medals and 319 weeks at No. 1. Williams’ 23-major mark remains the most by a player, man or woman, in the Open Era. Serena Williams is iconic in every sense of the word. No other human being has made an impact in tennis the way she has. She shattered barriers, broke ceilings and destroyed standards every time she stepped onto the court. I’m happy that this black woman can finally rest. She has carried this sport and all the pressure that comes with it on her shoulders for years and deserves to rest. Black people all over the world and others are so incredibly proud of everything that she has accomplished. Without Serena, there will be a void in tennis that can never and will never be filled by any other person.
Graphic By ugonna Ezuma-igwe Ezuma-IgweUgonna
There were a couple of alternative rock bands that were pretty entertaining. My only critique is that PackaPoolza’s main events have been with white musicians for the past couple of years. Every year I already know what I will hear at PackaPalooza, just another indie or rock band.Ifeel like they haven’t really expanded upon artists of color in the past couple of years. This is ridiculous because there are many local artists of color that definitely should be appreciated and given some spotlight. There just doesn’t seem to be that much variation when it comes to their main acts. Overall, it was mid. PackaPoolza is something that I think every student should go to at least once. However, if you’re looking for the fair’s aesthetic, just go to the State Fair.
The Power Nostalgiaof
“One can’t help but think about who’s in office for some of these laws to have been taken seriously enough to be passed.”
Did you know Everyone’s A Criminal
THURSDAY, september 8, 2022 | 10 opinion
Austin Modlin Staff Writer
Austin Modlin Staff Writer
It’s funnysurprisinglyhowoftenwe are blissfully unaware of the many things we do that are considered illegal. Or rather, it’s hilarious how ridiculous our justice system can be. I mean, you wouldn’t believe some of the insane laws that we’ve had over the years that, for some reason, are still active. Although, I suppose it’s due to how most of these laws can’t possibly be enforced by the police. They can’t catch all of us cause chances are they’re breaking the law with us too. It’s not like the police don’t already break the laws they (allegedly) enforce anyway. That and someone did it for it to be enacted as a law at some point in time. With that being said, here are some of my favorite laws that are not only questionable but might not be as uncommon as you’d think.Starting off, we have something that everyone on a college campus has done too many times to count, jaywalking. Everyone does it, especially when you’re trying to get to that 8:30 AM class and you wake up at 8:00, with Transloc picking you up at 8:25 AM. However, according to Pedestrian Laws of North Carolina, it is illegal to cross a street without looking when there isn’t a street signal or the crosswalk is unmarked. This means that over 90% of NC State students have been criminals far before they started their first semester. Another would be using Spotify to D.J., which, surprisingly enough, we probably already know a couple of people who do it daily. Who would’ve thought setting the mood for an event by using an account YOU pay for would be a crime? At number three, we have riding your bike with no hands, something every kid has done at some point in their life. While there was probably some scenario that caused this law to be enacted, it’s just so random that one can’t help but wonder why. Who sat down and actually thought, “This is too dangerous. Let’s make this illegal.”? Honestly, if these laws were actually enforced, I’d either be financially bankrupt from the fines I’d have or be in jail by now. Number four is singing off key. The law was established in the 19th century. It has been speculated that it was made due to a man in Lumberton, NC, being fined for singing poorly. I wonder how bad the singing was for them to be fined. What did they do to make people that mad? If that’s the case, a lot of y’all should’ve been in jail by now (I’m talking to you, Ray J). It’s funny enough that all the laws I have mentioned thus far have been from North Carolina.Atnumber five, we have stealing up to $1,000 of kitchen grease. As for why someone would steal $1,000 worth of kitchen grease, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe someone was having some sort of massive cookout of sorts; either way, the law was enacted in 2013. This is due to the fact that the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that kitchen grease is worth around 40 cents per pound. An interesting commodity, to say the least. Restaurants and grease collectors took this issue to the state legislature because large amounts of kitchen grease were being stolen. Needless to say, the law was created and now restaurants everywhere can sigh with relief knowing that their precious grease is Finally,safe.atnumber six, there’s a time limit on how long one can play bingo. The maximum allotted time for bingo is five hours. The only exception is if the game is being played at the fair. Apparently, it is also illegal to drink during bingo. I don’t know if I’ve seen someone have that intense of a bingo game for this even to be a law, the only games that I know that start something are Spades and Uno. One can’t help but think about who’s in office for some of these laws to have been taken seriously enough to be passed.
As everyone knows, the first week of classes has come to an end. Syllabi that haven’t been changed in years have been regurgitated by professors that already seem tired of the semester. Is it just me or has syllabus week gotten less syllabus focused? It seems like professors go straight into the material without any transition. I need them to slow it down a little bit; they are doing too much! Classes haven’t really let up and we haven’t even had our first test yet. The whole first week, I felt like I was in the library more than in my apartment. With that being said, I decided to go to PackaPalooza this weekend. I figured, why not go to see what it’s like? I needed the stress relief. Just something to relieve me from the stressors of college day-today. Especially due to the fact that I never went during my first year in 2019 which was right before COVID hit. COVID was always canceling events and once people had to leave campus, PackaPoolza was pointless.Once I started walking toward the event, the huge crowds of people walking in the same direction told me everything I needed to know. At first, I was a little overwhelmed with how packed it was. It seemed like there was someone a little too close in my personal space to my liking every five seconds. Once I got more comfortable, I started looking around for stuff to do. For the most part, from what I saw, it was really just a bunch of student organizations and businesses promoting their stuff. Since it’s my senior year, I wasn’t too interested in free stickers and other small merch most orgs throw at new students. I already have enough stickers and mugs to last me a lifetime.
Natalie Folsom/ Staff Photographer NC State students and Raleigh citizens enjoy Packapalooza on Hillsborough Street on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022. The event was the last event of Wolfpack Welcome Week.
For the most part, it felt like I was at a tamer version of the State Fair. If I wanted to go get a funnel cake and an oversized turkey leg, I would’ve waited for September. I thought the performances were enjoyable.
As I kept walking down, I ran into familiar faces, that of my mentees who had just started their first year and of old friends I hadn’t seen in ages. It was also interesting to see so many people who don’t go to NC State attend. It seemed to me that it was mostly geared towards college students, for the most part, particularly first-year college students. There was nothing there that really would’ve caught my eye if I wasn’t a student and at this point, I don’t really care too much about signing up for fifty different organizations and interest meetings. I already have my community. I’m too tired to go looking for more to add. As for the food options, it was straight.
On Aug. 24, 2022, President newstudentpromisecampaignedDebtannouncedBidenhisStudentReliefPlan.Heontheofforgivingallloandebt.Hisplan,whichcomes in three parts, falls short of this goal. In President Biden’s proposed Student Debt Relief Plan, borrowers have an extended pause of federal loan payments. This means loan payments are postponed until Jan. 1, 2023, and will not accrue interest. However, this is intended to be the final pause. The second part of the plan is the cancellation of up to $20,000 in student loans for borrowers. Of course, this comes with caveats. If your loans are not federal, you make more than $125,000 (single) or $250,000 (couple) a year and/or did not receive a Pell Grant; don’t get your hopes up. In his new plan, Biden forgives $10,000 in federal student loans for individuals making less than $125,000 a year. For borrowers who also received a Pell Grant, an additional $10,000 is forgiven. Only loans taken out before June 30, 2022, are applicable. Additionally, individuals who have made loan payments since March 2020 are also eligible for a refund. The next part of President Biden’s plan is lowering the required student loan payment to 5% of an individual’s income versus the 10% it is at now. Other highlights of the plan include: the Department of Education covering interest on loan payments, increased pell grant, loan forgiveness at ten years rather than 20, and people making less than $15 an hour will not be required to make a payment.
Jaz Bryant Correspondent
Who does this plan benefit the most? In short, Black people. In 2016, it was found that of students who were enrolled full-time in a fouryear university, 72% of Black Americans received the Pell Grant. When compared to other racial demographics, this amount differs drastically. Only 36% of Asian Americans and 34% of White Americans enrolled received the Pell Grant. In 2019, it was found that the average Black person with student loan debt will owe 95% of the original amount after two decades. Worse than that, on average, 48% of Black people owe over 12.5% more than their initial principle amount just four years after graduation.Thispolicy further benefits another marginalized group: women. In 2021, it was found that Black women have the largest amount of student loan debt, with the average total being $41,466. This contrasts with white women’s average loan debt, which is $33,852.
Image From Creative Commons “ The idea is that if the public votes for Biden, he will continue to pass these policies, despite the fact he has not done so in his first two years of office. ”
Just in Time for Primaries
Biden’s approval rating has been below 50% for the past year. More recently, it has risen from 38% to 40% after passing a series of “progressive” policies. As the figurehead for the democratic party, Biden has not boded well for its overall image. Due to this, it is expected that both the House of Representatives and the Senate will turn Republican again. Even if Biden wins the 2024 election, he will still have a hard time passing policy (comparable to Barack Obama’s presidency). A more assertive approach to policy and presidency is better than passive benevolence. In the days following his policy proposal, President Biden gave a speech warning of extremism in politics; His target being former President Donald Trump and MAGA culture. In the past, Biden has tried to appear more moderate, arguing for unity amongst parties. However, this speech has a different tone from him. While President Biden still appeals to a moderate base, this was a serious step. In this same speech, Biden announced a plan to allocate $37 billion to fund policing efforts nationwide. Some could argue that the back-to-back proposals are a way of appeasing the goals of differing parties.
THURSDAY, september 8, 2022 | 11opinion
While President Biden’s new student debt relief plan does not coincide with his original plan, I think it was a step in the right direction. Historically, debt forgiveness outside of the business class has been tough legislation to pass on both sides. Understanding this, the amount forgiven should have been higher and the extension for longer. The average amount of student loan debt is $32,731. This plan does not cover half of the student loan debt the typical person will have. Additionally, borrowers who received the Pell Grant tend to have higher student loan amounts —understanding that the $20,000 will also not cover half of the Pell Grant recipients’ debt. If the plan’s purpose is to be an equalizing force, it has fallen severely short. If it is meant to illicit economic spending, it is a short-sighted plan as the resumption of payments will still hit many Americans hard. I think the student debt relief plan shows that Biden can be more progressive. It is the equivalent of dangling a carrot in front of the masses. The idea is that if the public votes for Biden, he will continue to pass these policies, despite the fact he has not done so in his first two years of office. It is worth noting that the implementation process for debt forgiveness has not been solidified. Some sources say that if there is a record of your loan, it will automatically be forgiven. Others say that you must apply yourself. Either way, applications for student debt forgiveness will be available in early October. Experts recommend that the application be submitted by November to ensure time for the debt to be processed before loan payments continue. The official deadline to submit the application is Dec. 31, 2022.
One reason for the gap in loan debt is wage disparities. On average, Black men make $15 an hour and Black women make $13 an hour, whereas white men make $21 an hour and white women make $18 an hour. This discrepancy makes it harder for marginalized groups to pay off student loan debt. Native Americans and Black people have the highest student loan monthly payment at an average of more than $350. This, in turn, affects the financial autonomy of individuals as the money they could be saving (or spending) is instead used to pay off a loan with skyrocketing interest rates. This could be seen as one motivation behind Biden’s plan.
