Nubian Message, Nov. 17, 2022 — Everywhere, At Once

Letter from the editor

Welcome to another issue,

Why are they called midterms? The prefix ‘mid’ implies that the exams and papers are specifically in the middle of the semester. Yet, we have two or three midterms. I understand I can’t change the actual workload. However, I am silently protesting the word choice.

Moving on, we have some interesting pieces this week. Our fashion writer tackles the issue of outfit repeating. We have features of on-campus events, including Pack Howl and Black Students Board’s Hair Exposè. One of our writers discusses Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover. Another has many thoughts on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Don’t forget to check our new Media Suggestion page, where staff gives you movie and book recommendations for the weekend. We also have a one-stop shop for current events; see what’s happening around the world in 200 words or less.

Special shout out to my managing editor, Ugonna Ezuma-Igwe, who finally took some time off.

I will be spending these next two weeks desperately clinging to my passing grades. My assignments are due everywhere, at once. Wish me luck.

Enjoy the break.

Humble, Grateful, Blessed, Always, Jaz Bryant

THIS ISSUE

cover photo BY Katie Ryder / Staff Photographer

Amonte McNair, a first-year studying accounting, laughs with one of the vendors at the Harambee! celebra tion on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, at Harris Field. The Harambee celebration is a part of the Red and White Week festivities, and is held by the African American Culture Center.

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 Editor-in-Chief Jaz Bryant nubian-editor@ncsu.edu

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.

Waka Flocka Flame in the House

eleanor saunders Correspondent

“It’s

party,

rapped Waka Flocka Flame, as the crowd around him rapped along with him. The electricity of the crowd was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Waka Flocka was able to turn a fun crowd into a seemingly raging mosh pit. But let’s take a step back. The University Activities Board (UAB) put on their annual Pack Howl event on Oct. 10, 2022 in Talley Student Union’s State Ballroom. The event officially started at 8 p.m. with the doors opening at 7 p.m. Before the doors opened, students began lining up around 6 p.m. outside Stafford Commons. The line quickly grew with buzzing excitement as the time drew closer.

Once the doors were open, students

were entertained by DJ Forbidden with his songs, such as Love Sosa by Chief Keef and The Wobble by V.I.C. until the event started. UAB successfully pulled off a party vibe, while still monitoring the event closely. Students were not allowed to bring bags, weapons, food or drinks into the event. Each student was searched with a handheld metal detector, before they reached a table where they had to show their student ID card. They then received a red wristband in order to enter the ballroom.

47 Eyes On Me, a collection of musicians, rappers and singers, had the privilege of opening for Waka Flocka Flame. They performed about eight different original songs. The songs contained several different flows, from drill to raggaeton to jazz. The group was very versatile and interactive with the crowd.

Even though someone with the prestige of Waka Flocka Flame was performing,

human error still made its way to the surface. There were a few technical difficulties before Flame came onto the stage. At times, some of the mics weren’t working and one of the main speakers wasn’t working.

During the show, NCSU police officers and UAB event staff had to help two students off the floor. The cause for this is unknown. Both students ended up being fine.

Once 47 Eyes On Me was done performing, there was about a thirty minute wait before Waka Flocka took the stage. During this time, the students were getting restless chanting “Waka, Waka, Waka,” to entice him to come out sooner.

As soon as Waka Flocka was seen entering the room, the crowd erupted into loud applause. The first song that Waka Flocka performed was Hard In The Paint. Although 47 Eyes On Me was able to turn the crowd up, Waka Flocka had a bigger response when he opened with this song.

Almost every student had their phones in their hand, recording and taking pictures of the event. At one point, Waka Flocka asked the students to put their phones away because he “just wanted to party” with us. Of course, students didn’t put their phones away.

After he performed his first song, Waka Flocka turned to his DJ and asked if it was okay for him to “party with the crowd.” With his DJ’s approval, Waka Flocka jumped off the stage and the crowd went crazy. Waka Flocka, while rapping to his song “It’s A Party”, started high-fiving and dapping up the students that were closest to the stage.

At this point, I didn’t think the crowd could get any crazier. Girls screaming; boys reaching out their hands to dap Waka Flocka up; everybody pushing each other towards the stage trying to touch him. I ended up being so wrong.

Waka Flocka then entered the crowd from the back, meaning there was

no longer a fence stopping students from reaching him. The electricity and excitement from the students seemed to go from zero to one hundred. Once students realized where Waka Flocka was, they started circling around him and pushing each other out of the way to reach him. This lasted for about 15 minutes and it was the most hectic 15 minutes of my life. The closer you got to Waka Flocka, the more congested the crowd got. At one point, I had to move with the crowd in order to keep myself from getting hurt. At that point, some students couldn’t take it anymore and had to move to the outside of the crowd. Waka Flocka even tried to calm the crowd down by telling the boys to move over and let the girls come because there were mostly boys surrounding him.

Waka Flocka then returned to the front of the stage saying, “I love the crowd, man.” As Waka was performing, students started holding out their phones. Waka took this opportunity to record himself on students' phones, causing a whole new frenzy. He even took my phone and recorded himself performing. He definitely created a core memory for many students, including me. Not only did Waka Flocka perform his music, but he also performed other songs by famous rappers such as XXXtentacion and Lil Uzi Vert. Waka Flocka was successful in changing the atmosphere from a concert to a party. Everybody was jumping up and down and vibing with him. Waka Flocka himself was having a fun time. The whole time he had this huge smile on his face, enjoying the crowd and himself.

Waka Flocka Flame closed the concert off saying how much fun he had with the students of NC State. Before he left the ballroom, I was able to shimmy past the other students and kindly ask Waka Flocka for a picture.

During the summer, UAB did a poll asking the NC State student population whether they wanted Waka Flocka Flame or Flo Milli to perform. Some people questioned why the student population chose Waka Flocka over Flo Milli, but Waka Flocka successfully put on a show.

UAB put on a successful concert and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for the next Pack Howl.

a

it’s a party, it’s a party!”

Jermaine Hudson/Staff Photographer

Waka Flocka Flame raps into the microphone during the PackHowl concert on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022 in Talley Student Union. PackHowl is an annual concert sponsored by University Activites Board.

“ The electricity of the crowd was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Waka Flocka was able to turn a fun crowd into a seemingly raging mosh pit. ”

action (wolf) packed

right: Ethan Rimolt/ Staff Photographer Alex Thomas, a fourth-year studying mechanical engineering and an alto saxophone player in the NC State Jazz Orchestra plays a solo during the Jazz Orchestra Fall Concert on Friday, Nov. 12, 2022 in Stewart Theatre.

Left: Versace Prew/ Correspondent Adonis Belton, a fourth-year studying Industrial Engineering and Psychology, who's the vice president of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. shouts at the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. probate on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022 at Wolf Plaza. The Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. welcomed seven new members into their chapter here at NC State.

Lauren Conway/ Staff Photographer NC State students march in protest during the reproductive rights march at Stafford Commons on Nov. 6.

left: Jermaine Hudson/ Staff Photographer Lauren Sellars, a fourth-year studying Sociology and Psychology, plays Sorry during the Phrozen Royalty Game Night on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022, in the African American Community Center. The Kappa Omega chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. and the Eta Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. hosted a game night to help build community and ease the stress of midterms.

right: Lily McCabe/ Staff Photographer Honiah Locklear and Micah Crowell converse at the Native American Heritage Month tabling kickoff

Post-Grad blues

Everything must come to an end. Even joy. Even pain. There is a sadness that comes with knowing an ending is near. No matter how time to prepare, it will never be enough. I think that endings signify growth. Undeniable evidence that a layer of innocence has been shed. One less smile. One less frown. I am most saddened to know that endings mean decisions. Those, unlike everything else, never end. - Jaz

by Nubian Message Staff

Crown of Royalty Hair Exposé

Elon Musk’s ‘Freed Bird’

Milan Hall Staff Writer

The Black Student Board held the Crown of Royalty Hair Exposé on Wednesday, Nov. 9 in the Coastal Ballroom.

The Crown of Royalty Hair Exposé was a hair show that focused on respecting and loving one's hair. Hair shows are runways that focus on creative hairstyles, not clothing. The show featured a performance from North Carolina Central University’s Classy Revolutionary Prestigious (CRP). The main event was a competition between Zion Lewis and Fatime Oumar where they showcased their hair collections. The show was judged by Lateesha Watkins, Pam Harvin and Cheyenne Newkirk.

We spoke with the winner, Zion Lewis, a third- year majoring in Political Science:

Nubian Message: When and why did you start braiding hair?

Zion Lewis: I started braiding hair early on in high school when my mom basically got tired of doing it for me. I still wanted cute styles and didn't want to pay for them so I started trying different things out on myself.

NM: How did you improve your braiding skills?

Lewis: I improved my braiding skills by lots of YouTube tutorials and lots of trial-and-error. In high school, I was always trying different styles on my own hair and eventually my friends started letting me practice on them.

NM: Do you feel that braiding is an important skill for the Black community?

Lewis: Braiding is definitely an important skill for the Black community because it forces you to get accustomed to whichever type of hair you have or are working with. It also opens the door for so much variety which I think is important in building a good relationship with your hair as a Black person. If you don't know your hair, what works for it, and what doesn't, your braids are not likely to come out looking the way that you want them to. The versatility that braids give you can be so freeing because it allows you to switch up your look without having to deal with the maintenance of your hair when it's loose. At least for me, that's usually the part of taking care of natural hair that can be the most annoying and time-consuming.

NM: What was the inspiration for your collection and the styles you chose?

Lewis: The inspiration for my collection was really just blackness and versatility. I named it "Blackout" just because I love the aesthetic that the color black gives but also just how wide a range of things we as Black people can do with our hair. One of the main things I always heard growing up with natural hair is just how unmanageable and annoying and fragile it can be while simultaneously hearing how important it is to make sure it was well-kempt and maintained. I tried to choose styles that were vastly different from one another to show that while our hair may take a bit more effort than others, it was worth it because of how much could be done with it.

NM: Do you feel that the hair exposé was important to have? Why?

Lewis: The hair exposé was definitely important to have because of the platform it gave young hairstylists like me but also because of the nature of the campus we're on. Each Black event that focuses exclusively on us on campus is empowering because it gives us a voice and also relieves some of the pressure we may feel to conform to what may be seen as more acceptable to our non-Black peers. The event being focused especially on Black hair was a great example of the latter, particularly because natural hairstyles and those most catered to our hair are often perceived negatively in some parts of society. Showcasing it, taking pride in it, and potentially teaching others about it can help shift that perception for the better.

NM:How do you feel about winning?

Lewis: I was incredibly excited to win. I would've been excited even if I hadn't just because I've never participated in an event like it before and because hopefully it'll pave the way for similar events in the future. More personally though, it just made me really proud of myself and my work. Though I've been doing hair for a while, never have I really had the opportunity to showcase it so publically and receive such positive feedback from others. It definitely gave me more motivation to continue honing my skills and improving on something that I love to do.

nadia hargett Staff Writer

Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the world who runs Tesla and SpaceX, bought Twitter a little over a month ago. When I first saw that he’d purchased Twitter, I didn’t have much of a reaction because I figured that not much would be changed. I thought Twitter would still be the site of the same amount of controversy, sh*tposting and random informative Twitter threads. However, it’s been evident in recent weeks that his purchase of Twitter was more of a disaster than anyone could’ve predicted.

Musk’s emphasis on free speech on Twitter is one of the main causes of this. When Musk thinks of free speech, he thinks “dark humor” and opinions that are actually just blatantly bigoted and offensive. He even made a tweet claiming “The bird is freed,” and underneath he allowed offensive comments pertaining to racism such as “so, can we say it now,” alluding to the n-word.

He’s also instilled the notorious version of ‘Twitter Blue,’ which is essentially a subscription to be Twitter verified for a fee of $7.99 a month. This allowed normal individuals to be verified, which ended up backfiring because people began to impersonate famous celebs and brands, including Elon Musk himself. With this came the banning of impersonation accounts of Musk that didn’t specify they were parody accounts and a temporary suspension of ‘Twitter Blue.’

Musk’s Twitter takeover also, unfortunately, resulted in thousands of Twitter employees being laid off. Some laid-off employees even filed a class-action lawsuit against him, saying that the mass layoff was against federal law. He continued laying off employees and has publicly criticized workers that are still there.

With all of this being within a month of his purchase of Twitter, it’s safe to say that Elon Musk isn’t a suitable owner and CEO for Twitter. However, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Musk’s status as the wealthiest man in the world makes it clear that he lacks an empathetic nature. Being a billionaire of status is impossible in this capitalistic society without the exploitation

of other individuals who don’t have nearly as much power.

Musk’s Twitter takeover is an extension of his exploitation. Suddenly laying off so many employees at once shows he lacks the capacity to consider the feelings of those beneath his status. Not only that, but despite being the world’s richest man, he chose to increase the original price of ‘Twitter Blue’ from $4.99 to $7.99. It’s not like he uses this influx of unimaginable wealth to help others either; he hoards it all for himself. With that being said, increasing the price of ‘Twitter Blue’ benefits only him.

Musk propagating offensive language under the guise of “free speech” is a blaring issue, especially since it’s hypocritical. Musk has a history of attempting to control what the media, bloggers, analysts and other publications say about him. He also doesn’t tolerate “free speech” from his own employees. Even on Twitter, he seems to only care about free speech when it applies to him, his fans and his promoters. Twitter users imitating him have gotten permanently banned, but from the way he framed it before buying Twitter, they should’ve had the right to do so due to socalled “free speech.”

The banning of his own impersonators is even more hilarious when considering he hasn’t banned the racists and bigots that have further emerged since his takeover. In the 12 hours after his finalized purchase of Twitter, the use of the N-word increased by nearly 500%. Twitter also got increases in homophobic and antisemitic tweets. In response to this, he claimed that a “content moderation council with widely diverse viewpoints” will be formed. No action has been taken yet, and conservatives have continued to rejoice in response to the loose content moderation and expansion of free speech.

Musk clearly doesn’t prioritize the protection of minorities against the influx of hate speech that his takeover has caused, and he also clearly doesn’t care about Twitter employees or even Twitter users. He cares about making a profit, even if it means rampaging a pretty solid social media platform. With him even recently complaining about his workload, it’s obvious that Musk has no sense of the real world.

Is Wakanda Really Forever?

**Spoiler Warning**

On Nov. 12, I watched Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, released on Nov. 11. I bought my ticket a week before, and right after I bought my ticket: the rest had sold out. Every Black person I know was in that theater. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the highly-anticipated sequel to Black Panther. This movie follows the leaders of Wakanda as they try to protect their nation, from the nation of Talokan and other foreigners.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever begins with T’Challa dying, despite Zhuri’s efforts to save him. Then, the audience learns about Talkoan. Talokon is an indigenous underwater nation that is led by K'uk'ulkan, who is also known as Namor. Talokan’s home is in the deep Atlantic Ocean, and is decorated with Meso-American artifacts. The audience's first introduction to the people of Talokan is when they used echo sounds to prevent people from harvesting vibranium.

A mutual problem between Talokan and Wakanda is what leads to the two nations meeting. At first, Wakanda believed that vibranium could only be found in Wakanda. Unfortunately, Wakandians were wrong because vibranium can also be found in Talokan. The leader of Talokan, Namor, is scared that foreigners will find his people during their search for vibranium, so he decides to make a pact with Wakanda. He proposes that Wakanda and Talokan become allies, but there is one problem. Namor wants to kill the 19 year old Black girl, Riri, who made the machines that allow nations to mine vibranium.

After Wakanda refused to let Namor kill Riri, Namor and his people attacked Wakanda. The people of Talokan knew how to bypass Wakanda’s security system. Wakanda had finally met their match. Talokan destroyed Wakanda.

They threw water bombs at Wakanda that put the entire city underwater. The people of Wakanda do not know how to survive underwater. On the other hand, the

people of Talokan can survive underwater and on land. Namor attacked Queen Ramonda and Riri. After saving Riri, Queen Ramonda drowned.

Trying to cope with her mother’s death, Zhuri sought out revenge. She was determined to capture Namor and weaken Talokan. Zhuri knew she needed guidance, so she went to her ancestral plane to speak with her loved ones. After returning from the ancestral plane, Zhuri realized that she needed to become the Black Panther. So she did just that. In an emotional scene, Zhuri put on her brother’s Black Panther mask and became the new Black Panther.

After Zhuri became the Black Panther, she captured Namor. Zhuri wanted revenge. She was so close to killing Namor, but she didn’t. Instead, Zhuri forced Namor to surrender and become Wakanda’s ally.

Once the fight between Talokan and Wakanda was done, Zhuri went back to Haiti where the love of T’Challa’s life, Nakia, now resides. While Zhuri was there, she was introduced to T’Challa’s son. The

movie ended with intertext informing the audience that Black Panther will return. Overall, I loved the movie. Talokan is the first indigenous nation I have seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was humbling to see a minority nation equally as powerful as a Black nation. It was even more interesting to see that Talokan also had access to vibranium. I agree that Vibranium is important, and preventing foreign nations from finding Vibranium is important. Here is the problem. I don’t think vibranium is important enough to kill a young Black girl for.

Although finding out about Riri was amazing, what really had me clutching my pearls was the death of Queen Ramonda. R.I.P. to our good sis. Ryan Coogler did everything right with this movie, but killing two of Zhuri’s loved ones was a bit too much for me. Like, Zhuri just buried her brother and now she has to bury her mother. Even when Zhuri was supposed to see her loved ones in the ancestral plain, she didn’t. Now, why did she end up seeing

Killmonger? As I was watching Killmonger and Zhuri’s interaction, all I said to myself was “Now what is the point of this.” Till this day, I still don’t get it – but anyways chile.

At the beginning of the movie, I was excited to finally be introduced to an Indigenous nation. I did not appreciate the writers of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever making Black people and indigenous people fight against each other. The movie should have been about unity, but instead the movie divided the two minorities. These two groups are minorities and should defend one another. Regardless, the movie's twist and turns left me wanting more. Most importantly, MCU did the right thing by paying tribute to Chadwick Boseman and dedicated the movie to him. If there is one movie that everyone needs to watch this year, it is most definitely Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

image from disney promotion

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever teaser

Jeanine

Ikekhua

Correspondent

HERE'S WHAT YOU MISSED

Jeanine Ikekhua Correspondent

The Raleigh-Lyft Situation

On Nov. 1, 17 year old Eziya Bowden jumped out of a moving Lyft car. After work, Bowden took a Lyft home; Bowden stated her Lyft driver’s comments about her appearance and dating history made her feel uncomfortable and “scared.” Bowden alleges that the driver sprayed a substance multiple times in the car that made her feel “dizzy and warm.” Eventually, Bowden opened the door and jumped at 7300 Fox Road. Bowden sustained injuries to her face, arms, back and legs. In reaction to the accident, Lyft released a statement. Lyft said “Safety is fundamental to Lyft, and the behavior is deeply concerning”. Lyft reached out to Bowden's family and banned the driver from using Lyft. Lyft also launched an investigation into the incident. Police questioned the Lyft driver and searched his vehicle, but stated nothing was found that indicated a crime.

Elon Musk's Twitter Takeover

On Oct. 28, Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion. After this, Musk laid-off 50% of Twitter's workers. This includes Twitter’s top executives which were fired by email. It is alleged that Musk knew widespread layoffs could possibly violate employment laws and breach contracts with workers. Former employees filed a lawsuit. Twitter is currently under pressure from debt and a slumping economy. Musk said Twitter has also experienced “a massive drop in revenue.” On Nov. 3, employees received an email stating Twitter planned on reducing its global workforce by firing more people. Meanwhile, there was an increase in tweets regarding racial slurs after Musks’ buyout. Now, Musk is trying to implement a $8 fee for verified users in an effort to make it more financially stable.

Facebook Lays-Off Employees

On Nov. 9, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, announced it will be laying off 11,000 employees. This is one of the most significant cuts in Facebook’s history. The cuts are in response to ongoing inflation, rising interest and looming recession. Meta’s financial value has decreased by $700 billion. Meta is confronting a range of challenges regarding its business, such as the costly decision to pivot into the metaverse. Currently, Twitter is on a hiring freeze and only plans on hiring a few people. These cuts will impact many of Twitter’s departments, including the recruiting team. Twitter still plans on rolling out more cost-cutting changes; Mark Zurgerbeg said that “all these changes will add up to a meaningful cultural shift in how Twitter operates.”

TakeOff’s Death

On Nov. 1, Takeoff of Migos was shot dead at the age of 28. Born Kirsnick Khari Ball, Takeoff was killed in a shooting outside a Houston, Texas bowling alley. Takeoff was one of the members of the rap trio Migos. Takeoff, his brother and uncle are known for their musical flow that changed the Atlanta rap game. On the night of his death, Takeoff was attending a private party at 810 Billiards & Bowling. Afterwards, a large group of 40 people congregated outside the party. This is where an argument occurred and shots were fired from at least two weapons. Takeoff was shot and two other people were injured. At the time of his death, Takeoff was not believed to be involved in criminal activities.

Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program

On Nov. 10, a federal judge in Texas ruled Biden’s student loan forgiveness is illegal. This led the Biden administration to stop accepting student loan forgiveness, and focus on overturning the order. In early August, Biden announced his student loan forgiveness program. Ever since its announcement, the Biden administration has faced several issues regarding loan forgiveness. The Nov. 10 ruling is the biggest setback for this Biden program. The student loan forgiveness program has received 26 million applications. These applicants were eligible to receive “up to $10,00 of student loan forgiveness and $20,000 in cancellation if they received a Pell Grant.” Now, applicants are being forced to wait for the government's appeal to the 5th Circuit Court. It could take months for the court to issue a final ruling on Biden’s student loan forgiveness program.

North Carolina Election Updates

On Nov. 8, North Carolina residents rushed to the ballots and casted their votes. Republican Ted Budd defeated Democrat Cherie Beasly in North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race. Republican Ted Budd is endorsed by Donald Trump. Budd will provide a stronger hardline conservative voice in the Senate. In District 1 and 13, Democrats Nickel and Davis emerge as winners. North Carolina's Democrats also won districts 6 and 4. Meanwhile, Republicans won U.S. House District 5, 8 and 9. Democrats won the majority in the General Assembly by one seat. In the Supreme Court, Republicans claimed the two open seats and led with a 5-2 majority. This switch will be a big factor in the major legal battles regarding abortion and gun rights. Votes for positions such as County Sheriff and others are still being decided.

NUBIAN'S SUGGESTIONS UPCOMING EVENTS

wendell and wild (2022)

Jo Miller / Staff Writer

Wendell & Wild is an animated stop-motion film directed by Henry Selick and Jordan Peele as co-writer. Our punk-rocker protagonist Koniqua Elliot, aka ‘Kat’, meets two demon brothers named Wendell and Wild in her transition to a new boarding school. Both go through hilarious and extraordinary paranormal lengths to try and obtain what they need while meeting unforgettable figures on the way. Nothing comes easy in the scheming town of Rust Bank, but elements of hair gel, a nun and a helping hand makes for a devilishly engaging escapade!

nope (2022)

Oliphant / Correspondent

Nope is director Jordan Peele’s third film. Nope is about a mysterious out-of-this-world aircraft that flies over the residential farm of Haywood Jr., who rents out his horses to make a living. While Jr. and his sister, Emerald are frightened by the mysterious aircraft, they are also eager and fascinated by the aircraft. An amusement park near the Haywood farm tried to profit from the aircraft through illegal and unethical means. Jr and Emerald partner with a worker from a nearby superstore, Angel, and a movie director to try and get evidence of the mysterious ship to try and make a profit. With a cast of memorable characters and an enticing plot, this movie is sure to leave you saying “Nope”.

the misadventures of awkward black girl (2015)

Nadia Hargett / Staff Writer

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl is a New York Times Bestseller created by the universally loved creator of HBO’s Insecure, Issa Rae. In this authentic, eccentric memoir, Rae expresses what it’s like to be awkward and black in a world that shuns introversion, but sees blackness as “in-style.” She reflects on her own experiences in the form of a collection of essays that are sure to elicit a chuckle or two out of the average reader. Whether you’re awkward or sophisticated, black or white, everyone is sure to get a good read out of this.

Tears of the desert: a memoir of survival in darfur (2008)

Eleanor Saunders / Correspondent

**Trigger warning: Sexual Assault**

The book Tears of the Desert: A Memoir of Survival in Darfur is about Halima Bashir who was born and raised in Darfur, Sudan. As soon as she was of age, her father sent her to the best school in their area to get her education. Bashir studied hard and earned her spot at the best university in her country. While Bashir was attending the university, the war in her country was getting worse. Bashir went home and discovered that the Janjaweed Arab militia had raped forty-two school girls and their teachers. She decided to help as many Zaghwa warriors as she could with the use of her medical degree. She faced many difficulties due to this decision. Bashir now uses her voice to bring attention to what happened in Darfur.

Micah

Wear It Again, Babe

You know that washing machines exist ,right? The way some of you react to seeing your friends or even some celebrities wearing the same outfit over again makes me think otherwise.

I never did understand why people look down on others wearing the same clothes. In one aspect, it can kind of show how insensitive and closed-minded people can be. Judging someone's character, personality ,or even interest based on what they wear and ,even worse, how often they wear it, is just wack.

In some places, re-wearing the same clothes isn’t looked down upon. Some people can sympathize with others that are in drastic situations to understand why they may need to re-wear the same garments every week. You never know what people are going through and why they can’t maintain the closet of a Bratz doll that allows them to wear a different outfit every week.

This conversation arose with my friends and me. My friend mentioned that they saw me wearing a particular sweater, and even a style of sweater, again last week. For the record, it is one of my favorite sweaters and it holds a lot of meaning for me. However, I didn’t feel the need to explain myself in that situation, so I just decided to shrug it off. Except, later that night ,the comment they made wouldn’t leave my mind. Why did they feel so obliged to make the comment about one of my favorite sweaters? Where did my friend learn to criticize me for wearing the same sweater?

I noticed that within the Black community, we value expressing our wealth in materialistic ways more than obtaining wealth ourselves. We value having the latest pair of Retro Jordans and a fire V-Lone tee more than being affluent in many aspects of life. This mindset has been cursed on us by the same people we buy items from. Black people have always felt the need to assimilate into white society. This in turn caused us to go out and spend loads of money on items to make us seem above the stigma that the majority and other groups of individuals placed on us. However, this

one survival tactic has been generationally conditioned into our minds and has made us become materialistic people, wanting the later pieces of clothes in order to maintain this image of affluence and maybe even to seem that we are within a higher socioeconomic status than most of us actually are. More on this topic can be found in Mail Guardian.

Peppermint Magazine states, “Advertising feeds us similar false needs. Our appetite for new threads has become insatiable because consumerism ensures we aren’t just sold apparel – we are sold dreams stitched in at their very seams.” The American Dream has us believing that we should aspire to treat ourselves by buying new, shiny items. This leaves us with a never-endless draining cycle of spending money and feeling like our possessions are worthless because their value is lost over time. By eradicating our minds from the ideas of capitalism, we can become more open-minded and environmentally sustainable.

Fashion is an art. In the same sense that you walk into your living room every day

and see the same painting hanging above your fireplace is the same way you see your friends wearing some of the same articles of clothing. Fashion, like many other forms of art, is a way for people to express themselves in a visual form. Voicing your negative opinion on something others do, especially when it is something as personal as someone's clothing and fashion taste, is unnecessary. As a result, it can cause that person to limit their sense of expression and lose confidence in their clothes.

In cases of plus-size people, disabled individuals and some low-income people, self-expression is hard to come by. Being able to accurately express yourself is something that is difficult to achieve, especially when there are marginalized groups that fashion fails to represent.

Regardless of how fashion can be used to express oneself, it can show how sustainable you can be. We are living in a world where making money is more valuable than taking care of the planet we make money off of. While we are far away from achieving a healthy and environmentally friendly planet again,

there are still measures we can take to ensure that the condition of our world doesn’t worsen. One way we can do this is by re-wearing the same outfit.

I recognize that thrifting is becoming more of a trend. However, by blindly following this trend, you tend to neglect how sustainable it is. Buying clothes second-hand reduces your carbon footprint. Not putting your money into companies that use environmentally dangerous tools to mass-produce clothes. You are not contributing to fast fashion brands like Shien, Dolls Kill, H&M, and many others, who use unethical business practices and harmful chemicals in their products.

Re-wearing clothes can be purposeful and cool if you think about it. It shows your sense of fashion and creativity when you are able to wear the same garments and remix them. It shows that you are not afraid of exploring outside of a particular box. While some people buy pieces of clothing to only wear once with one outfit, by re-wearing your fits, you are exploring the realms of fashion depending on how intense you decide to remix your fits. In a way, you are not allowing the clothes to wear you but allowing yourself to wear the clothes.

Outfit repeating is not only a cool thing to do to help expand your creative mindset in terms of fashion, but you're in turn contributing to a more sustainable world. So, if you need an affirmation to re-wear that black sweater with a white stripe through the middle, just remember that you are doing your part to create a more environmentally friendly world for the next generation and the person hating on you for wearing something in your closet is wack.

Current Boutique says, “Have you read the tabloids? It’s chic to repeat!” So, I challenge you to get out of the mindset of believing that your closet needs to be the size of Hannah Montana’s rotating closet. I challenge you to wear one of your favorite outfits that you wore once and put it in the back of your closet again. If anyone has anything to say about what you are wearing and feels the need to voice their irritation, politely tell them to stay out of your closet.

Image from creative commons Woman posing on the street

Micah

Oliphant

Correspondent