Unity in heritage
Photoshoot gallery on pg. 8 - 9
sentinel of black and marginalized voices at N.C. State since 1992.
THIS ISSUE
6 UNDERSTANDING THE MMIW CRISIS
In-depth look at Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
8 GALLERY
12 WHY ARCHIVING OUR HISTORY MATTERS
Interviews with NC State staff about preserving history
Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of The Nubian Message:
Dr. Yosef ben-Yochannan, Dr. John Henrik Clark, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, The Black Panther Party, Mumia A. Jamal, Geronimo Pratt, Tony Williamson, Dr. Lawrence Clark, Dr. Augustus McIver Witherspoon, Dr. Wandra P. Hill, Mr. Kyran Anderson, Dr. Lathan Turner, Dr. M. Iyailu Moses, Dokta Toni Thorpe and all those who accompany us as we are still on the journey to true consciousness.
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Letter from The Editor
The end of the semester is upon us!
Y’all the one and only thing keeping me above water truly is this week’s publication. You are reading the last issue of the Fall 2024 semester, and quite possibly one of our best.
November is Native American Heritage Month; however, the focus of this issue extends far beyond a month. I think I can speak for all of TNM’s staff when I say curating this issue has been one of the most rewarding experiences yet.
The Native community at NC State graced us with an opportunity to cover a glimpse of their experiences and cultures, for which we are forever grateful. Of course, there is always so more to say so we employ readers to use this newspaper as a starting point for deepening our collective knowledge and empathy.
The Nubian Message is a platform for marginalized students to amplify their voices and spark change. Be a part of the change, and read, read, read!
Editor-In-Chief
Alianna Kendall-Brooks
nubian-editor@ncsu.edu
Managing Editor
Isaac Davis
nubian-managingeditor@ncsu.edu
Photo Editor
Kaela Belingon
Multimedia Editor
Abby Harris
Social Media Manager
Senait Richmond
Melanie Sierra
Adriana Hernández
-Alianna Kendall-Brooks
cover photo BY Nevaeh sturdivant/Visual Correspondent
Students smiling in photoshoot for Native American Heritage Month on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024
Native american heritage month Gallery By Olivia Henson and kristopher porter/Layout Designers
Honoring native american heritage all year long
Emilia Rivadeneira Staff Writer
November is recognized as Native American Heritage Month.
This month-long celebration honors the traditions, languages and stories of our nation’s first inhabitants, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians and affiliated Island communities, to ensure their rich histories and traditions are preserved and honored amongst generations.
For Charlize Evans, a third-year studying psychology and member of the Native American Student Association, November offers a chance to celebrate and highlight Native Americans culture and traditions without needing to fight for recognition.
“Throughout the year, we're constantly trying to educate and tell people about our culture, and make our presence more known. [Native American Heritage Month] almost kind of gives us a way to be at the forefront of all of that without having a fight for it,” said Evans. “But [Native American Heritage Month] is really just a time of celebration, … celebrate the fact that we are still here.”
The History of Native American Heritage Month
Native American Heritage Month was first federally recognized in the United States in 1990, when Congress passed Pub. L. No. 101-343, authorizing and requesting President George H. W. Bush to proclaim November as “National American Indian Heritage Month.”
November was selected since the month is traditionally known to mark the end of the harvest season for many Native American tribes.
In 2023, Governor Roy Cooper proclaimed November as “American Indian Heritage Month,” within North Carolina. North Carolina is situated on the ancestral homelands of many Native American tribes, with people beginning to live in the area at least 15,000 years ago. According to the North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission, starting around 700 A.D., indigenous people created more permanent settlements, and many Native American
groups populated the state, such as the Cape Fear, Cheraw, Cherokee, Chowanoke, Croatoan, Meherrin, Saponi, Tuscarora and Waccamaw.
Today, North Carolina is home to the largest American Indian population east of the Mississippi River –– with more than 130,000 American Indians residing in the state, according to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau.
There are eight state-recognized tribes, including the Coharie, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the HaliwaSaponi, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, the Meherrin, the Sappony, the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation and the Waccamaw Siouan, as well as four urban Indian organizations, including the Cumberland County Association for Indian People, and the Guilford, Metrolina and Triangle Native American Associations.
November serves as a month to honor and celebrate them all.
For Evans, however, celebrating, honoring and raising awareness about Native American traditions and heritage is not confined to November — it is a yearround commitment.
“I love Native American Heritage Month, but when we constantly are celebrating our culture, it is just a sliver of the year to me,” Evans said.
Mya Lowry, fourth-year studying public administration and President of the Native American Student Association, echoes Evans sentiment.
“Like Charlize said, [Native American Heritage Month] is important, but it is also so important to recognize that it's not just in November that we want to celebrate our cultures and promote awareness,” Lowry said. “But I do think with November being, you know, that month of the year that people think of as Native American Heritage Month, because it's recognized that way, is a good time of the year for us to bring attention in and awareness to some of our other celebrations that we have.”
When asked about other Native American celebrations, both Lowry and Evans mentioned the Annual PowWow and Lumbee Homecoming.
Annual PowWow
powwows are large gatherings where different Native American tribes come together to celebrate their heritage through traditional dancing, singing, sharing food and more.
Evans is a member of the Haliwa-Saponi tribe in North Carolina, in which one of their biggest events is the Annual powwow, celebrated every April.
In February of this year, Evans experienced a house fire in which she lost most of her personal belongings that had cultural significance — specifically, a regalia she was going to use to dance at the Annual PowWow. In the following weeks, she received support from family and community members to create a new one from scratch. According to Evans, this truly shows the purpose of a powwow — unity.
“I just think that goes to show that regardless of tribes and all that, like we are all family and we all look out for each other,” Evans said. “People understand the culture behind things, and the importance of dancing and what that means to us. So just to see so many people come together and give me things and be there for me in a time of need, just really goes to show the community aspect. … We're different tribes, [but] we're really not separated. We're just one big entity, and we will always be there for each other.”
At NC State, the Annual Powwow, held in the spring semester, serves the same purpose — to unify students from diverse tribal backgrounds.
“Even though we're all different tribes, I think that powwow specifically … as an event is something that's really about unity, and we have so many different tribes come together,” Lowry said.
Lumbee Homecoming
As a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, Lowry said, “The biggest thing that we do as a tribe is Lumbee Homecoming.”
This week-long celebration showcases the culture and history of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, primarily in Robenson, Hoke and Scotland counties.
“Lumbee Homecoming has been going on for over 50 years in our tribe,” Lowry said. “... One of the signature events that we have during Lumbee Homecoming is our Miss Lumbee pageant.”
Last year’s Miss Lumbee is NC State student Ashtyn Thomas, a second-year studying architecture.
“In the pageant, they pick what we call our Lumbee ambassadors. So we have a little Miss Lumbee, a teen Miss Lumbee, a junior Miss Lumbee, a Miss Lumbee, and then a senior Miss Lumbee,” Lowry said. “They act as representatives of our tribe and go to different events in the state, and sometimes even throughout the country, to educate people on Lumbee culture and Native American cultures more broadly.”
This event also serves as a celebration of Native American culture and heritage.
“People from all over, whether you live out of the state or in the state, in different parts, Lumbees come from all over to Lumbee Homecoming,” Lowry said. “It's really just, you know, a time for us to come together and celebrate our heritage.”
Both Lowry and Evans said the true significance of these events are how they bring people together to learn and spread awareness on Native American culture and traditions, while also serving as a way so stereotypes that people often hear don't continue to be perpetuated on campus.
“They're just so much more important than just us having [a] celebration.” Evans said. “It is a way for us to educate and break stereotypes that have followed us for so many years.”
“... celebrating, honoring and raising awareness about Native American traditions and heritage is not confined to November — it is a year-round commitment.”
Native AMERICAN hERITAGE Month: Chat N' Chew
blake anderson Correspondent
The Chat ‘N Chew event hosted by the Native American Student Association (NASA) and Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) is an important pillar in promoting Native American representation and fostering cross-cultural understanding on NC State’s campus.
It offers students and faculty of all cultures an opportunity to come together, and learn from each other. Chat ‘N Chews offers a space where everyone can engage in open dialogue.
The event’s structure, providing free food and an informal setting, makes it more inviting, encouraging both students and faculty to participate. It's a space where people can ask questions without fear of judgment and share experiences without feeling pressured to have all the answers. This open atmosphere is crucial in breaking down misconceptions and promoting authentic conversations about Native identities and communities.
For many, like Eli Border, a first-year in exploratory studies, the Chat ‘N
Chew serves as a first step in learning about Native culture." Without much understanding or representation in my home, there wasn’t a focus on these topics," he shared.
When asked about his thoughts on the Chat ‘N Chew, he shared, “Native representation at NC state is important because it promotes modern native issues and combats harmful stereotypes. Representation is important for both people who identify as native because there is [an] opportunity to learn more about personal identity.”
Ultimately, events like the Chat ‘N Chew are essential in building inclusive environments where Native students and communities are seen, heard and respected. They also educate students unfamiliar with Native cultures, creating a more informed and connected campus.
For Native students, groups like MSA and NASA provide vital safe spaces where Native students can embrace their identities and connect with others who share similar experiences.
For Mary-Riley Locklear, a first-year
majoring in biology, these organizations have not only helped affirm her Native identity but also serve as a valuable opportunity to learn more about her culture. She explains, "The affinity groups here have helped me experience so much more. As someone who grew up outside the tribal communities I relate to, it’s been really important for me to build connections with Native students who live within those communities."
Through these groups, Mary-Riley has strengthened her bonds with her Native peers, participated in traditional cultural activities and overall, developed a deeper sense of Native pride.
One of the most significant experiences for her was joining Miskwá Waya, the student drum group on campus. She shares, "I had never really gotten into singing until I started attending practices," highlighting how the group introduced her to new aspects of her culture. Organizations not only support cultural pride but also encourage personal growth and deeper engagement with Native traditions. Native representation is crucial at NC
State, especially given the small size of the Native community on campus. Spaces like MSA and NASA play a vital role in bringing together and supporting this marginalized group.
Mary-Riley shared her thoughts on the importance of Native representation at NC State, saying, “Native representation is really important to me here because our community is so small. But I love that smallness—it feels like a family! The representation we have is meaningful, from the Native presence in clubs and Greek organizations to individuals like Gavin Bell and Justin Richardson, who help support us Native students every day. It's essential to have a safe space for one another in a large PWI, and I'm grateful for that sense of community we’ve built.”
NASA and MSA’s Chat ‘N Chew serve as a need for greater understanding and inclusivity across campus. It is the safe spaces of campus community centers like MSA and student organizations like NASA that are the reason that students, faculty, and staff can share and learn from one another’s cultures and experiences.
An apology 142 Years Late
Nevaeh sturdivant Staff Writer
The US Navy bombarded the Tlingit village in Angoon, Alaska, leading to the death of six children on Oct. 26, 1882. On Oct. 26, 2024 the US Navy apologized at the ceremony of the anniversary of the attack.
Tensions between Alaska Natives and the US Military were already high, given their numerous conflicts after the US purchased the territory from Russia in 1867. The bombardment of Angoon was an escalation of previous conflicts.
There are different accounts between the Tlingit Tribe and the US Navy, however, both accounts begin with the death of Tlingit shaman, Tith Klane who died when a harpoon exploded on a whaling ship owned by the North West Trading Company.
The Navy claims that after the death of Tith Klane, the Tlingit tribal members forced the ship to shore, possibly took hostages and demanded 200 blankets as compensation for the shaman’s death. The company refused and ordered the tribal members back to work. Tribe members painted their faces with coal tar and tallow
and the company's superintendent. Taking it as a sign of potential retaliation, the company contacted the naval commander.
E.C. Merriman, the top US official in Alaska, saying a Tlingit uprising threatened the lives and property of white residents.
The Tlingit Tribe claims they remained on the vessel in respect of planning to attend the funeral and no hostages were taken.
Naval commander Merriman arrived on Oct. 25 and ordered the tribe to provide 400 blankets by noon the next day as punishment for disobedience. The Tlingits, unable to comply, only turned in 81 blankets the next day, and because of this Merriman attacked the Tlingit clan’s houses, homes, food stores and canoes.
The Navy acknowledged the different accounts and submitted to the Tlingit’s account “out of respect for the long-lasting impacts these tragic incidents had on the affected clans,” said a Navy spokesperson. Although only six children died during the initial attack, there are possibly numerous uncounted deaths due to the aftermath of homelessness and food insecurity during the depth of winter.
Rosita Worl, the president of Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau, described how
elders sacrificed themselves to save food for children saying they “walked into the forest.”
On Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, hundreds of Lingit people gathered in the Angoon High School gym to hear the US Navy make an apology after 142 years.
Many of them were adorned with cultural clothing and carved formline hats featuring animals and button blankets. US Navy rear admiral Mark Sucato gave the apology stating; “The United States Navy hereby apologizes on behalf of the United States Navy to all the Lingit peoples of Angoon for the pain, suffering and generational trauma inflicted by the bombar[d]ment of their village, acknowledges that the Lingit people of Angoon did not deserve nor provoke the bombardment and subsequent destruction of their village by United States Naval forces.”
After the apology, various remarks from the community were made with mixed emotions.
A Deisheetaan leader, Dan Johnson Jr, said, “None of us in this room will ever forget ever. We will take it to our graves. We will teach it to our children.”
Community member Barbara Candiente-
Nelson, expresses discontentment saying, “How do you restore a human being? How do you restore a family? How do you restore a community who have been the target of annihilation?”
Shgendootan George a retired high school teacher who taught her students about the burning and destruction of her village for the past 20 years. She says she’s relieved that the apology is a part of history as well. She states, “It's going to be amazing to be able to say the right thing happened, you know, finally.”
Despite the mixed feelings, the US Navy engaged in ceremonial acts with the Tlingit Tribe. A US Navy member sprinkled tobacco on top of a killer whale clan hat, which is considered to bring good fortune, during the ceremony to rebuild the broken ties.
The Tlingit leaders were taken aback to hear that this apology ceremony that occurred was going to happen. Dan Johnson said no one spoke for five minutes after hearing the news back in May.
After fighting for this recognition for years, they finally received closure through the US Navy’s apology.
Culture shock A native student's experience
Gire nyara Correspondent
Do you remember how you felt freshman year before the honeymoon phase fizzled out? You’ve met many people from different backgrounds and the food was something you needed to adjust to. Everything felt like summer camp. Then you realized that you would be stuck here for the next three months and the homesickness kicks in. You probably experienced a bit of culture shock. Culture shock is the emotional and psychological adjustment faced when adapting to a new or unfamiliar cultural environment. This experience is shared by many students of color on NC State’s campus. To highlight the experiences of Indigenous American college students, The Nubian Message interviewed Stella Hardin, a Junior majoring in Agricultural Science.
Hardin from the Lumbee tribe, mainly based in Pembroke, Robeson County, NC. When asked about her home community’s cultural environment compared to that of
NC State, she shared the differences were mainly in terms of values.
“Nobody here really has the same kind of morals and values, and that really took me by surprise. And then at home, it's just so much about community. NC State does have a great community, but the bottom line here is, you do what you need to do for you, to get by and to promote yourself and to do what's good for you.” When describing her community, Hardin went on to say, “At home, it’s not like this. You want to help yourself, but you do that by helping other people, and in return, they help you.”
Like most other Indigenous American tribes, Lumbee social culture is collectivist the people within the society prioritize the group's well-being over the individual. With the individualistic culture on our campus, students who are not used to that may be put into positions where they feel like they have to ditch their ideals.
Culture shock may also present itself academically. As a student of Robeson County Schools, she felt that she was not
prepared for the academic rigor of NC State. According to US News, college readiness among high school students in Robeson County in 2022 was ranked 8.3 out of 100.
Aside from what came from living in a new environment, Hardin said that trying to compensate for what she did not attain in grade school is an added stressor. While dealing with culture shock, it is easy for students to feel homesick, lonely and isolated. Hardin found that getting involved with student organizations centered around her culture helped alleviate these feelings. She is the president of the American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES) and she is involved in the Native American Student Association (NASA).
“I think being involved with them [NASA and AISES] and being around people that are from Robeson County, but also that are just Native in general, really helped me not try to keep all my feelings to myself and not want to not tell people when I'm stressed
out and sick and tired of school. I think it's really helped me a lot. As far as opening up and like the mental health situation.”
Along with involvement on campus, Hardin would advise Native students to not be afraid to reach out for help if they’re struggling with social or academic pressures.
“Don't be afraid to reach out for help.” Hardin urges. “That's something they don't tell us at home. It's really looked down upon to ask for help, it makes you appear as [if] you're weak.” Issues of mental health are stigmatized in many Native American communities, as members may treat these issues as taboo because they fear bringing shame upon their families.
“So coming to college it's really hard to get out of that mindset, but you have to because it's okay to go to tutoring and to ask your friends for help or want to study with other people. I would tell them to not be afraid of that but to also get involved with NASA and AISES. It brings a sense of home [to our] homes on campus.”
Native media breaking boundaries
Ayianna moore Correspondent
The breakthrough of Indigenous movies and television into mainstream media generates success while portraying honest Indigenous stories. One particular show, Reservation Dogs, illustrates modern Indigenous storytelling.
Reservation Dogs is an FX comedy series available on Hulu and Disney+. Premiering in 2021, it tells a modern-day story of four teenagers who live on a reservation in Oklahoma. But it is much more than just a simple story of Indigenous people.
The audience follows the characters as they venture through life's highs and lows, from joy to grief. All while also learning about what it’s like to grow up on a reservation in this day and age.
What makes Reservation Dogs stand out is its balanced approach to representation. The characters are developed to be seen as more than stereotypes through their complex identities that feature different emotions and desires.
Kaylee Jacobs, a third-year majoring in Fashion and Textile Management and member of the Lumbee and Waccamaw Siouan tribes, speaks on why modern representation is important, “I think that
is really important. Instead of having a representation as a caricature, it's like a fully fleshed out character that is Native instead of just this Native person.”
Jacobs also says, “It’s also important to have stories of celebration and love and happy stories and all that kind of stuff. Because we’re more than just our pain and our struggles, so we should be celebrating all aspects of life instead of only the pain.”
Indigenous representation in American media is important as it helps to share native experiences, languages and cultural practices. It can also be a tool for education and activism by sharing true Indigenous stories that others may not know of. By incorporating proper representation, modern media works to replace the previously harmful stereotypical representations of Indigenous people. Reservation Dogs was created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi. Sterlin Harjo is a Native filmmaker from Oklahoma who is part of the Seminole and Muscogee nations. Taika Waititi is a Maori and Jewish filmmaker and comedian from New Zealand.
Harjo explains that his talent for telling stories derives from his family. Harjo says, “…You can't say that cinema is a Native
American art form, but storytelling is." The two based the show on their reallife experiences and wanted to showcase their stories through humor instead of the sadness as they are usually told.
The creators promote inclusion in many different roles, fighting significant underrepresentation in Hollywood. All of the show’s writers, directors and series regulars are Indigenous, providing ample opportunities for Indigenous creatives on the set.
The series received many nominations, including consideration for an Emmy, Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award. Among its wins, a Peabody Award in the entertainment category, won in 2022.
Reservation Dogs is one example of media that showcases genuine Indigenous stories. Other creators are also working to tear down ethnic barriers in the mainstream media as well.
Jhane Myers is a film producer of the Comanche and Blackfeet nations known for bringing Indigenous art to life. She produced Prey, a prequel to Predator released in 2022. The sci-fi film follows a Comanche warrior as she fights to protect the ones she loves from a vicious predator. Jacobs also says, “It’s just important to
have representation in every single way, and not just the history because we’re still here.”
Similar to Harjo and Waititi, Myers aimed to make space for Indigenous creators. She also used her background and experiences to shape those of the characters in the movie, allowing viewers to connect with and learn about the Comanche experiences.
Viewers also have the opportunity to watch a dubbed version that incorporates the Comanche language. Prey is the first film to offer this language and allows the world to experience a new level of Comanche culture.
Modern Indigenous media, such as Reservation Dogs and Prey continue to serve the purpose of entertainment and education in both fiction and nonfiction spheres. Creators can now share their creations with a broader audience, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous viewers.
Indigenous people now have platforms to create share their perspectives and stories best.
Uncovering the roots of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Adriana hernÁndez Staff Writer
Native American Heritage Month provides us the opportunity to celebrate the resilience, rich cultures and contributions of native communities. During this time it is equally important to shed light on modern-day challenges that Indigenous people face.
Indigenous women and girls are murdered and missing at a disproportionate rate across the United States and Canada. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) refers to this crisis and the resulting movement that gained traction in 2015.
Understanding the MMIW crisis in the US requires a deep dive into its root causes. To guide this discussion we spoke with Trinity Locklear, a fourth-year majoring in criminology with a minor in psychology. Locklear is also a proud member of the Lumbee tribe and Vice President of the Native American Student Association (NASA).
Underreported Statistics.
One of the biggest barriers that the Indigenous community faces is the lack of representation in data collection. A 2016 study compiled by the Urban Indian Health Institute found 5,712 cases of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls were reported, with only 116 of those cases logged in the federal missing persons database (NamUs).
“...5,712 cases of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls were reported, with only 116 of those cases being logged in the federal missing persons database”.
“Gaps in the data, like, just insinuate that the natives aren't really around, and we're no longer here, because people think we're just lost in history,” Locklear explained. This belief that Indigenous communities are a rarity monumentally impacts the treatment of MMIW cases. With underfunded in tribal law enforcement, indigenous communities are unable to
handle MMIW cases internally at the rate they occur.
Law Enforcement
The Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 (ICRA) returned self-governing rights to native tribes allowing indigenous peoples to exercise criminal jurisdiction over native community members and non-natives on tribal land. The caveat is that tribal courts are limited in sentencing power, and federal courts are able to intervene in intra-tribal disputes at their own discretion.
As of 2016, 71 percent of Indigenous people live in urban areas. This means when crimes involving native community members occur in urban areas, the state takes control. With strict lines of jurisdiction, there is no opportunity for the sharing of resources between state and tribal law enforcement – cases often run cold. So, what about federal resources?
“The federal government can choose whether or not they want to [take the case]. “ Locklear continues, “If they choose not to pick something, and that person you know gets to walk free, it complicates the statistics, rates and what's actually going on on these reservations. [With] the missing and murdered indigenous women's movement that adds to the vagueness of our rates.”
With the federal government to cherry picking cases on top of the inefficient use of resources previously mentioned, Indigenous
communities as a hole continue to suffer at the hands of systemic neglect.
Media
When an Indigenous woman goes missing outside of tribal lands, concerned family members are oftentimes not taken seriously. A key reason for this is stereotypes often perpetuated by the media.
Andrea Smith, author of “Not an Indian Tradition: The Sexual Colonization of Native Peoples” relates modern day prejudices to their historical context. “In the colonial imagination, Native bodies are also immanently polluted with sexual sin” Smith continues, “Because Indian bodies are ‘dirty,’ they are considered sexually violable and ‘r*pable.”
While the phrasing has changed, the underlying message has stayed the same. On this topic, Locklear says, “A lot of media and old cowboy and Indian shows are overly sexualized and stuff like that. So, in some of the cases you get this stigma [that] we are more promiscuous, we're more exotic in a way. That does add to the gaps [in data] that are not being a serious issue. And suppose the idea of reservations, they isolate us a lot. When people are thinking about that Indian country somewhere, [they think of it] like an island. But we're not, we're in the middle of the country, we're in several states.”
These narratives continue to have real world consequences.
On Jan. 7 2020, Ashlea Aldritch, a 29-year-old mother of two was found lifeless on a farm on the Omaha Reservation near her boyfriend’s house. Her family, who reported her missing days prior, also informed the police of Ashlea’s history of domestic violence at the hands of her boyfriend though no charges were ever filed.
Ultimately, the federal government took over the case and eventually ruled it an accidental death, a devastating conclusion for her family. “Wandering off” and “hypothermia complicating acute alcohol toxicity" were cited as the causes of Aldrith's death.
At the vigil held in honor of Ashlea’s life, her mother said, “Even we couldn't protect her, the law enforcement can't protect her. None of our laws can protect her. That's what we're fighting for. We're fighting for justice, so that we'll never have another Ashlea. I can't bear any of my tribal members to go through what I went through this last year.”
Our Part
As community members, it is important to seek out and uplift underrepresented voices. Now that we are aware of issues that are present in Indigenous communities, how can non-natives provide support?
“Our only ask is to show up, be present and do research” Locklear says, “We're very understanding people who appreciate and love people asking questions because we know that we're not taught [about] in big institutions.”
Indigenous women deserve better. MMIW stands as a powerful testament to their resilience and need for justice. It is a movement led by women for women in the hopes of spreading awareness of an ongoing crisis that has been overlooked for far too long. When unified and informed, we can enact great change.
“We have current day issues that need to be resolved, but we're not overwhelmed with these issues. I think that's the best way to put it, because we are still celebratory. People still live: still alive and thriving. And we do big things in life,” Locklear exclaims. I ask that you, the reader, continue to seek out those unheard. In the face of adversity the Native American community continues to thrive and that deserves our attention.
image courtesy of creative commons
A woman holds a sign raising awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, with a red hand print painted across her mouth, a symbol of the MMIW movement.
Recognizing the lumbee identity
For the past 137 years, the US government has denied the Lumbee tribe federal recognition.
Jana Locklear, a member of the Lumbee tribe and a fourth-year student majoring in anthropology and international studies, spoke to The Nubian Message about her experiences. Locklear states, “It can be kind of difficult to keep your identity when people are constantly trying to invalidate it… It's very upsetting that Lumbees and a bunch of other tribes on the East Coast are constantly denied recognition of their identity because of things out of their control.”
The Lumbee tribe has a unique cultural identity. In addition to art, dance, singing, powwows and beadwork, they are particularly known for their food. From collard wraps to thin cornbread collard sandwiches, the popularity of their dishes speaks for itself.
On a deeper level, the Lumbee tribe also differs in comparison to a lot of other Native tribes, as their existence comes after the colonial period took place. In Locklear’s words, “We're a conglomeration of multiple tribes who were devastated by colonialism, and who moved to try and escape.” The area that these tribes escaped to was the swamplands of Southeastern North Carolina, largely in what is now Robeson County. The Lumbee River and the surrounding swamps became culturally significant to the Lumbee tribe after their escape.
When discussing what it means to be Lumbee, Locklear says, “I think of the word perseverance, being part of a tribe that doesn't have that recognition.” The lack of federal recognition has never stopped the Lumbee from achieving great things and persevering through discouragement. Locklear details the accomplishments of the Lumbee, including the formation of the first Indigenous-owned bank in the United States, and opening one of the first Universities for Indigenous students. Even with their strong cultural identity, the lack of federal recognition of the Lumbee tribe still impacts the community in a multitude of ways. Locklear explains, “There are so many criteria that Indigenous people have to meet to get state or federal recognition… you're invalidating so many people and pushing them out, and that's creating a lot of issues, specifically in [the] modern day.”
A lack of official acknowledgment can
create a sense of isolation from the rest of the Indigenous community. From Locklear’s perspective, “Oftentimes it feels like the Lumbee tribe is penalized… as though the Indigenous people who fled from the tribes that were destroyed by colonialism are somehow lesser than the other tribes.”
The denial of federal recognition of the Lumbee tribe is embedded in our political structures. Locklear states, “The Lumbee
saying, “You've probably heard of the one-drop rule with the Dred Scott case, where if you have one drop of African American [blood], then you're African American. For indigenous people, it's the opposite. Have one drop of anything other than indigenous blood, [and] you're not Indigenous.”
Arbitrary tests were run in the 1950s and 60s to attempt to quantify how ‘Indigenous’ someone was considered. Locklear explains, “They would do tests measuring
longer a viable method to gain recognition given the strict criteria set by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The largest setback with this set of criteria, in her opinion, is the historical portion, since the tribe was formed after American colonization.
Racial biases are also significant factors that impede the Lumbee tribe from federal recognition. Locklear details, “There's historical books from the 1700s where we were described as, quote-unquote, Indians with blue eyes… [there’s] this idea that Lumbees are mixed, and therefore they can't be as Indigenous, or something along those lines.”
The idea of ethnic percentages dictating identity is a significant topic in Indigenous communities. Locklear gives an example,
size of the head, they would take the hair, and they called the pencil pencil test
ups to people getting their membership because we base it off historical records.” This discrepancy also complicates the path to federal recognition.
She also mentions that within the Bureau of Indian Affairs, “The current representatives who get to vote on those matters are [from] tribes that are already federally recognized.” This is a large opportunity for bias to enter the equation on denial of recognition.
Locklear says bias can also be seen in outdated quantifiers of Indigenous identity, such as blood quantum. Following the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) conference she attended this past October, she explains, “I went to this seminar about blood quantum and how it shouldn't be a test, and [how] we should remove it from how we think of ourselves as Indigenous.”
She expresses frustration with this practice, adding, “During the seminar, people were standing up and introducing themselves as, full-blooded Navajo, or full-blooded Lakota. It's just very stark to see the divide between tribes that are out in the West and how they hang on to blood quantum.” She contrasts the general approach of Eastern and Western tribes on these topics, saying that Eastern tribes had discarded many outdated considerations of identity previously.
consisted
pencil through person’s hair, with the straight it was. If the pencil didn’t fall straight through, the participant would fail. This came from the misguided idea that someone with curly hair would be considered less genetically Indigenous.
This led to a lot of arbitrary statistics being considered official as to how Indigenous a person or group was. Locklear gave the example that, “If you have four siblings, one may be over 75% Indigenous, one may be less than 25% Indigenous, and then the others may be, like half and half, completely random percentages.”
The presence of these inaccurate historical records led to the Lumbee purging the ones of those who were “deemed less Indigenous.” Locklear elaborates, “There's been a lot of hold-
Federal recognition would provide resources to the Lumbee tribe in a multitude of ways. Monetary support like federal grants would increase and be able to better support the wellness of a community of 60,000 plus members. The aspect of acceptance is also an area of large opportunity for improvement with federal recognition.
Locklear explains, “Being recognized by the federal government, [you’re] truly [recognized] by a majority of other federally recognized indigenous tribes that you are indigenous. It's just something I think people need. There needs to be an end to the invalidating of the Lumbee culture and identity.”
Denying the Lumbee tribe of federal recognition is a large issue rooted in racial biases and outdated notions of what makes someone Indigenous. Advocating for education about the Lumbee tribe is an important way to counteract this. Through these challenges, the Lumbee community continues to persevere and support the Indigenous community as a whole.
Julia Cox Correspondent
Unity in heritage
Kaela Belingon/ Photo Editor
Brice chavis, ISSAC EVans, Joseph guillemette, Thorn Grove, Stella Hardin, Trinity Locklear, Mya Lowry
The art and Fashion of the powwow
Melanie sierra Correspondent
This past week, The Nubian Message met with Lee Chavis-Tartaglia, an NC State alum, and member of the Lumbee tribe, to discuss the different arts and fashions used in powwow celebration. The art of the powwow is showcased through beadwork, regalia and dance.
As part of the Lumbee tribe, Tartaglia gave insight into the role of art in powwows. “So powwow is considered pan-Indian because pretty much everybody does it at this point. But everybody does it in their way, where they're adding their own culture into it. So art itself can vary depending on where you're at, what part of the country, what part of the continent and what tribe is hosting said powwow. NC State has its powwow. UNC has its powwow,” Tartaglia said.
She continues, “There's art as in jewelry making, beading and pine needle weaving. But there's also art in dancing, in the regalia that dancers wear, in the singing, in the drumming. So if you're looking at it as including singing and drumming in your definition of art, that is powwow. The singing and drumming. You cannot have powwow without singing and drumming”. When asked about the materials and methods used in powwow regalia, Tartaglia explained, “So there are various forms for each of the dance styles. There's the women's and men's categories and then you have tiny tots, which are the little kids. In the women's category, you have traditional, fancy and jingle.”
Tartaglia continues, “And then with men's, you have traditional, fancy and there's grass dancers as well. But each regalia has its kind of standardized design that usually goes with it. With jingle dress dancers, you have to have the jingle cones on it. There's a very specific type of cone you get. Back in the day, they used to take lids off of tobacco cans and roll them up and put them on the dress because that's what we had.”
Tartaglia went further into women’s regalia, “For women's fancy dance, it's a shawl. You dance with a shawl stretched out in your arms. It's also known as the butterfly dance because the shawl makes wings. And that usually has fringe or ribbon attached to the bottom of the shawl. Usually, ribbons are an easier way to go, but the fringe takes a little more time. And for women's traditional, they also have shawls.
violet beesley/Staff Photographer Nakoma IYaidden dances in his regalia at NC State's 33rd Annual Powwow on Saturday, March 30, 2024. This event featured Native business vendors, traditional drum groups and performances of different Indigenous dances.
It is draped across their arm. Women's traditional tends to be very slow and purposeful steps to the dance. I will say that every group, every people has their own style of regalia.”
In regards to men’s regalia, Tartaglia explained, “Men's regalia is kind of similar to women's in the way that every location is going to be slightly different. So for men's fancy dance, they have these big bustles that are behind them. It kind of looks like a turkey almost behind them. And that's part of the purpose behind it is to kind of flaunt off your regalia. Fancy dancing is very fast. It's the fastest style of dancing within powwow. So I think in regalia, you'll see a lot of these like bright neon colors. You very, very rarely see dark colors because people want to show off their regalia. It's thousands of dollars! They want people to notice you. And as part of your culture, every piece of your regalia is an aspect of you.”
When asked about the colors in the fashion, Tartaglia said, “I can speak from a Lumbee perspective. I can't speak from like out west or anything like that or anybody else. There are specific colors within our tribal emblem, red, yellow, white and black. And they all have their own meaning. White is for new life and the start of life. Red is your younger years growing up. Yellow is your adult years. And then black is going towards the end of your life.”
Tartaglia continues with recent trends,
“Recently, it's been a lot of neon colors. And I truly don't fully know where that came from. I do think it is from just people wanting to show off their regalia and catch judges' eyes because usually in powwow you are competing. Sometimes people will do regalia in the colors of what college they attended. I've seen people have UNC blue regalia.”
“There are specific designs they'll have to show these are my people, this is who I belong to. In my shawl, I have our tribal seal on it. And it says, Lumbee tribe in North Carolina. I've seen people have florals from whatever part of the country they're from. They'll have floral designs of whatever flower is common in their region. They'll have geometric designs. Usually, if they're coming from the Southwest, that kind of signifies that ‘I'm from the Southwest.’ So I don't want to say that, yes, every color has a meaning. Some people just want to wear purple. But often there is like meaning and a story behind it,” Tartaglia added.
When asked about ways art helps connect generations, Tartaglia explained, “I think just in general, it doesn't even necessarily have to be within the native communities, but art is just such a big expression of who you are. You can kind of identify yourself within art and showcase who you are. And tying it back to native communities, it's so important for us to be able to showcase where we're coming from.”
Tartaglia continues with her personal
experience, “I make beadwork or beaded jewelry. And a big part of why I started doing that is for my grandma because she did everything! She was a quilter and seamstress, she made porcelain dolls and regalia. She did everything. I wanted to kind of do something to keep that memory with her. My aunt and my mom both quilt and are seamstresses. That's something that they do to continue my grandma's legacy, but also just attaching ourselves to our culture and attaching ourselves to our ancestors in general, not necessarily just to my grandma.”
“Everything is circular. It all ties back. There is no start, nor is there an end. Crafting and expressing ourselves through beadwork, quilting, painting, drawing, songs and dancing. It's tying ourselves back to our ancestors who were doing the same thing. And in that moment, as you're doing it, you're repeating the cycle. Whenever you're sharing stories, you are connecting the past and the present. And I think that's the same as whenever you're dancing, singing, drumming, or quilting, you are connecting your ancestors in the past to your current present,” Tartaglia continued. When asked about how arts help promote Native American culture, Tartaglia explained, “I think that arts can help connect ourselves with who we are. Oftentimes you don't see a reason as to why you need to engage in the culture because you have already grown up within it. They don't realize how rich the culture is and that they are engaging in the culture every single day until they go away. You'll find that with most of the Native students at NC State. There is such a culture shock whenever you are leaving.”
Tartaglia continues, “I think the arts kind of help to connect ourselves deeper within our culture and better express it as well as show people who we are. You are doing a design that may be unique to your people or your history, like your family history, your individual history, stuff like that. That's why I like quilting because usually they tell a story. While quilting is pretty big across Indigenous groups, like in the Americas, each Indigenous group has its version of it. And every person tells their own story within their quilt. Like my mom, she loves to do t-shirt quilts for people. She will take t-shirts from somebody and make a whole quilt telling their story.”
Annette Clapsaddle writing about place
Emma hamrick Staff Writer
Annette Saunooke
Clapsaddle is the first published novelist of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. She came out with her debut novel, Even As We Breathe, in 2020.
The book takes place during World War II featuring a nineteen-year-old young man who was searching for a way to get out of his hometown, Cherokee, North Carolina. He picks up a summer job at a luxurious inn and resort that homes diplomats as prisoners of war. Soon after he is accused of abducting and murdering the daughter of one of the residents.
Clapsaddle also took part in a project, along with NC State professor Carter Sickels, Troublesome Rising. The novel brought together dozens of Appalachian writers to talk about the events of the catastrophic flood that devastated Central Appalachia in, July of 2022.
On Nov. 14 the English Department invited Clapsaddle to read snippets of her work as well as give a presentation on writing about place.
Clapsaddle said that she wanted all of her writing to be able to be used as a lens to look at contemporary American culture and how our country's history got us to the place we are today.
When writing about place, there is a certain level of responsibility to stay true to history. Clapsaddle said “all fiction is historical fiction because we are trying to explain a point in time.” Whether something is considered historical now it will be considered historical at some point. But there is a question about whose history to adhere to. The history written inside textbooks or the history told by the people who lived it? That is something the author themself will have to answer.
No matter which history one decides to adhere to, there is a lot of research involved. Whether that research is looking into historical documents, works of literature, politics, etc. What’s most important is talking to members of the community you want to write about and asking them for their stories.
Clapsaddle said that a lot of people will come to her and ask if they can write a story about Indigenous people or include an Indigenous character in their work. Her answer to that is a question in return: “How many Native American authors are on your bookshelf?”
Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle hands a copy of her book, "Even As We Breathe" to a student at the NC State Fiction Contest Award Ceremony in Caldwell Hall on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. Saunooke, the first published novelist from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, presented a reading of the novel and talked about her experiences as an Indigenous author.
Although that isn’t an end all be all question, it is a conversation starter. She said that conversation is incredibly important because for a long time other people have created the aesthetic of Native American for them. There has been “Native American” literature for so long but it is almost never written by Native Americans.
Clapsaddle told us that there are seven core values that Cherokee use to guide their actions and attitudes, and tries her best to make sure her writing aligns itself with those values as well.
Without going too much into detail, the seven values are spirituality, group harmony, strong individual character, strong connection with the land, honoring the past by knowing one’s ancestors, educating the children by providing valuesoriented education and possessing a sense of humor.
She then spoke to us about her hometown and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. There are three federally recognized tribes of Cherokee people. Two
are located in Oklahoma while the Eastern Band resides in Western North Carolina, the historical homelands of Cherokee Nation.
One of the members of the crowd asked Clapsaddle the reason for her being the first published novelist from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. She said that there wasn’t anything concrete that caused it, but there were a few reasons that she speculated could have made it harder for her predecessors to get published.
The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians live in more rural parts of NC than the rest of the Cherokee Nation. Western NC is also smaller and more isolated, so there is a lack of resources and community for writers. Additionally, the history of publishing Native authors across the country is still new.
It is something that Clapsaddle is actively working to change as she feels a lot of responsibility to tell stories. She realized that she should not be the only one sharing stories because there are so many
storytellers in her tribe.
After the event The Nubian Message talked to Clapsaddle about the work she is doing to help other members of the Eastern Band get their voices out there. She said, “I was able to partner with the Museum of the Cherokee People to create Confluence: An Indigenous Writers’ Workshop Series, to be able to bring in Indigenous writers from all over the country to work with our community, to help inspire writers from our community, to have access to the publishing world - oftentimes we feel isolated in regards to that - but also to have a space where you get to strip away all these conversations about identity. (Conversations) that often happen in writers workshops when you're a Native writer because the first thing you have to do is explain your culture to everybody. But in this Writers Workshop, you just get to focus on your writing, and that's what I think writers in our community crave. It's really important to me that since I've been gifted with so many opportunities that it's my responsibility to provide as many opportunities as I can for my community.”
We also asked her to recommend any novels written by Native authors that would allow others to learn more about the experiences of Indigenous peoples.
Clapsaddle recommended “chekease by Louise Erdrich. The Round House is one of my favorite novels by her. Gosh, there's so many writers today. There's a Cherokee Nation author named Kelli Jo Ford who wrote Crooked Hallelujah. There is, if you like horror, Stephen Graham Jones is a Native writer. He's very prolific. There's several books by him. Andrea L. Rogers is another Cherokee Nation author that I would recommend. Robin Wall Kimmerer wrote Braiding Sweetgrass. That's more of nonfiction and is a beautiful, beautiful text. Those are a few. There's so many.”
Clapsaddle was asked if she had any advice for any up-and-coming Indigenous writers who are trying to follow in her footsteps.
“Well, I hope they're creating their own footsteps, but no, I would say write what you want to write. Don't feel like you're trying to fill a niche or or write what you think people want to hear about Native cultures. Write what feels real to you and is honest and true. I think that's the most important.”
Kaela Belingon/Photo Editor
Preserving the Past Why Archiving Our History Matters
Shaere delguidice News Editor
Looking back at the lives and environments of those who came before us can teach us invaluable lessons about where things stood in the past. It reveals some of what went into causing the conditions of the world today and helps to inform us of where the future may be headed.
After displaying our archives, dating back to 1992, for our launch party earlier this semester, The Nubian Message was interested in learning more about the important process behind documenting, preserving and archiving our history.
We reached out to Dr. Edward Funkhouser, an amateur photographer and decades-long pillar in the Department of Communication, Digital Archivist for University Libraries’ Shelly Black, and University Archivist, Todd Kosmerick for their perspectives.
Photography
Dr. Funkhouser has had a lifelong interest in photography, getting his start taking pictures for his high school journalism club and continued to take pictures and experiment with film while stationed in Korea during his time in the army. When he came to NC State in 1977, it only made sense that Funkhouser would continue in his hobby.
And continue he has, Dr. Funkhouser has photographed many different eras and important moments in NC State’s history, from the destruction of Harrelson Hall, which he won an award from CASE (The Council for Advancement and Support of Education) for capturing, to President Obama speaking at Reynolds Coliseum while on the campaign trail, to long-gone features of Hillsborough Street and much more.
Dr. Funkhouser’s photography is so prolific that former Vice Provost and Director of the NC State University Libraries, Susan Nutter, established the ‘Edward T. Funkhouser Photographs’ archive within the libraries.
Over the years, Dr. Funkhouser has continued to feed into this archive, amassing more than 10,000 photographs of NC State’s campus and rich history and totaling 455 pages worth of content.
The Nubian Message spoke to Funkhouser about what inspires his work and why it all matters.
When asked about the value of capturing the world around us and the changes that it goes through is, Dr. Funkhouser said, “It’s sort of an educational thing, but I think it helps people appreciate what we have here.”
He talked about how people often get so busy that they may not slow down to take a look at what they have around them.
Funkhouser says his favorite change on campus that he’s been able to capture was the tearing down of the old student center, what we now know today as Talley Student Union.
In his photography, he tries to document things that happen “temporarily that people will forget about” so that people 100 years from now can look back and see what came before them.
“After I’m long gone, I think that people might be using these photographs,” he said. “If you want your work to have a lasting impact on the world, photography is one way to do that. My work with photography will probably outlast any other work that I’ve done–my guess is.”
Funkhouser hopes his work causes people to see “the diversity and the beauty of the campus and take another look at all the activities that are on this campus.”
Digital Archiving
Shelly Black, Digital Archivist for NC State’s University Libraries first became interested in archiving when she got a job in an academic library whilst working a communication and marketing role.
“I was really inspired and captivated by everything that the staff in Special Collections did,” Black said.
“When I was in undergrad, I actually had no idea that the archives and special collections existed, so it was really surprising to me to learn that this resource existed and that they collected stories about regular, everyday people in the past, people that looked like me,” she said.
Black detailed, “it was really powerful and empowering to learn more about the histories of everyday people, as opposed to just the people we read about in a lot of history books or what’s taught in high school,” adding that it’s often the stories of
the rich and powerful that are focused on instead.
She says this is what makes archives and special collections so great. You “get a peek into maybe a diary or the records created by people who might not be well known, but really represent what life was like for a certain identity at some point in time.”
Black’s work focuses on born-digital records, meaning records that originated in digital form. “I often work with content off of floppy disks, CDs and old hard drives.”
She spoke about the effort that goes into digital archiving saying, “Contrary to what a lot of folks might think it’s like, to preserve digital documents requires as much intervention and care as it does to preserve physical documents.” She explains by saying, “They might not be affected by humidity or rain, environmental factors like that, but because technology changes so rapidly…maybe the software changes, maybe the company that makes the software no longer exists.”
When asked what we can learn about societal or cultural progress from looking at archives, Black said that while things in the present day often feel tumultuous, “The power of having historical records is that you’re able to get the long view.”
She said having archives help us to realize how long people have been fighting for certain causes and see how things have already changed. In doing so, archives help “give you the perspective and grounding to better understand current events” and how we got to those things.
When it came to advice for those interested in learning more about archiving, Black said, “Just visit archives. No two archives are the same. We all have unique materials, and I think there’s an element of serendipity.” She says, “You never know what you can find. Even for those who work in the archives, we have such a big volume of stuff that there’s always something that surprises us or just delights us.”
Physical Archiving
Todd Kosmerick, University Archivist for NC State’s University Libraries, says his interest in archiving started while working in the library at the University of Michigan.
He worked with a lot of microfilm that had old newspapers on them and says he
really enjoyed this work and “did some exploring and learned about the world of archives and decided that’s what I wanted to do.” After that he went to the University of Maryland and got a double Master’s in Library Science and History. He worked as a professional archivist in Maryland and Oklahoma before landing at NC State, where he’s been for the past 20 years.
Kosmerick says, “we can’t really understand what’s happening today unless we understand our past and the documents are key to trying to understand that.”
He says “Even though we are a STEM campus, people are still, nonetheless, very interested in the history of the institution and in the full history of the institution, its past that can be celebrated but also its past that was not always good,” adding, “we try and capture all of it in the archives.”
NC State Libraries University Archives are comprehensive, dating back to 1879 and contain reports, meeting minutes, flyers, newsletters, organizational charts, speeches, student organization records, architectural drawings, maps, motion picture films and video and audio recordings and more.
Archives can help us see the ways in which places, people and cultures change over time. From these photographs, documents and other records, we can better understand the mistakes of the past to know what to do as we move into the future.
Kaela Belingon/Photo Editor
The Influence of low-info voters in the 2024 presidential election
Writer
After the 2024 election, the blame game for Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign loss quickly began: Was it the leftists' fault the Democrats lost? Was it third-party voters? Or was it someone or something else?
All of these factors may have contributed in some way; we've already had several voters explain why they hesitated or refused to vote for Harris before and since the election. Still, the main reason Democrats lost this election was because of low-info voters, or voters who don't pay much attention to political news.
A 2020 study found roughly 37% of voters knew the month's second most important political news story. The study determined what the, "second most important stories," by assembling a panel of journalists. The stories they found weren’t trivial. They covered crucial information, like the Supreme Court allowing the Trump administration to hasten deportations for crimes or Trump firing the US Intelligence Committee's Inspector General.
These numbers dropped further for the third-most-important story. Even the stats regarding the most important story are concerning, considering only 64% of voters knew the most important story of the month. Even if that's a majority, that means that one-in-three voters are failing to research even the bare minimum.
Expecting voters to know every candidate's campaign is unreasonable but knowing the month's news highlights is the minimum, and much of the US doesn't even do that.
These news stories have a significant impact on our country. If someone sees a presidential nominee is convicted of crimes or plans to give them a tax break, they'll be inclined to vote for or against them, and for good reason.
These stories should inform our every political decision. Yet, the average citizen knows less than two of the most important stories that month – a clear sign of an uninformed electorate. And, if the electorate is uninformed, it’s making decisions based on fragments of a much bigger picture.
Difficulties accessing relevant news are part of the reason low-info voters exist. Minority voters were more unlikely to know about news stories, partially because
they couldn't connect with the story and partially due to wealth inequality.
This is an entirely fair criticism of journalism, which is a less diverse field than other jobs in the country. When a field is so focused on telling people's stories, a lack of diversity leaves out essential stories. At that point, why keep watching if the news isn't telling stories relevant to you (at least on the surface)?
If journalists want people to care about these second- and third-most important stories, then there needs to be news that appeals to everyone, not just those with privilege. Take sources like the 19th, which focuses on women and the LGBTQIA+ community, or even our very own The Nubian Message, which focuses on students of color at NC State. These sources create trust in the news, and help spread our most important stories.
Making stories that readers can connect with or see as necessary is vital to the news, especially considering how far away federal politics can feel from local issues. Journalists also need to teach how important consuming the news is not just for the readers, but for news outlets. Journalism as an industry is going through hard times. Reading the news helps people stay informed and ensures journalists can
keep telling the public the news they need to hear.
Keeping physical newspapers worldwide allows access to news without using the internet, which remains a significant problem worldwide. Even though physical newspapers are going through a decline, as long as people can't reliably access the internet, physical newspapers will have its place in the world.
“as long as people can't reliably access the internet, physical newspapers will have its place in the world.”
It's all about access and content. If we make content people want to see and make that content easily accessible, it can reduce the number of low-info voters.
That's how we get through to voters who can't or have reason not to access the news. But I want to focus on another group: the disinterested voters– those who can access the news but choose not to. Despite how vital access and inclusion are for encouraging attention, there is probably an audience who is simply disinterested in the news.
Honestly, I get it. Politics is exhausting,
and this election cycle in particular was terrible for my mental health. I watch as politicians debate whether or not I deserve rights– whether or not my friends deserve rights. And all the while, I watch as people treat both sides of the issue as viable options.
I am tired. But I still tune in because I don't have the luxury of not knowing what's going on, and neither does anyone else. Politics affect everyone, regardless of how uncomfortable or frustrating it feels. Being ‘not into politics’ is like being ‘not into water’ –you probably still need it at the end of the day.
Every election determines something that will directly affect you, whether it be your local school board or who can appoint future Supreme Court justices. Regardless of how overwhelming the news cycle is, you have to stay informed so you understand who you should choose when you get to the voting booth.
I will say it again: less than 40% of voters know about the second-most-important story of the month. But, who knows what that second-most important story of the month could be?
That second most important issue of this month could be Trump's plans to appoint someone who's repeatedly pushed misleading ideas about vaccines to the head of the Department of Health and Human Services. It could be reports that Trump is pressuring senators to approve his controversial attorney general nominee.
Even if those headlines don't feel as important as the election results, it doesn't mean they won’t affect you personally or on the international stage. Even if these election results don't change everything about this country, it will change a lot.
I'm not saying politics should be all people care about. I know from experience that doomscrolling through news stories all day is a great way to destroy your mental health. Live your life. Do whatever makes you happy, especially in these turbulent times.
But please pay attention to the news for at least a small part of each day, whether it's local politics, a national scandal or a presidential address. Look at a quick online daily news recap if that's all you can do.
Just pay attention to what's happening in this country. It's our civic responsibility and the bare minimum.
Ross emelle Staff
Image courtesy of creative commons
Make it do what it do Support and community in times of uncertainty
Isaac Davis Managing Editor
On Wednesday, Nov. 13th, The Nubian Message sat down with Gavin Bell and Justin Richardson, Lumbee and HaliwaSaponi staff members who have made immeasurable contributions to NC State. We covered a lot of ground, but prominent themes of community, trust and patience shown through.
If Richardson is the bridge that connects Native students to NC State, then Bell is the net that catches them on the other side.
Richardson is the Assistant Director of Recruiting for the College of Engineering, where he facilitates college access, readiness and community building. Richardson brought back the Annual American Indian Recruitment Weekend, a major link between small hometowns and campus. It is one of the biggest opportunities for Richardson to connect with prospective students.
“I have a lot of access points to Native high school students who are thinking about college,” said Richardson. He continued, “[Through American Indian Recruitment Weekend,] I get to meet with students a lot before they get to NC State.”
Richardson noted that his realm of influence is mainly with Native students considering a future at NC State.
“Once they come here, I hope they stay connected… It's a large campus, though, so sometimes it's hard,” said Richardson. From there, he points the students toward Bell, who provides more relational, day-to-day support.
As an Assistant Director at Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA), Gavin Bell excels in helping students get and stay connected with their communities on campus. Bell is a cornerstone of the center’s programming, as he organizes many of MSA’s cultural and Heritage Month celebrations.
“We’re kinda like a bridge, and I’m on the other side,” Bell began. “There’s a lot of ways we do that in MSA, like the multicultural symposium.”
After the American Indian Recruitment Weekend, Native students can meet Bell at The Symposium for Multicultural Scholars, one of their first opportunities to connect with the thriving Native community on campus.
Bell advises the Native American Student Association (NASA), where he collaborates with students to host cultural celebrations, such as Native Heritage Month, Indigenous
People’s Day and NC State’s Annual Powwow.
Richardson and Bell’s support extends far beyond their programming. A key component of their roles is to provide students with guidance, especially during their first semesters on campus.
“A lot of students would just come in for one-on-ones… those first bad grades, culture shock, the transition [to college] or even communication, especially if they have certain dialects and ways of navigating,” said Bell. He helps students process their, “passions, goals, anxieties and fears,” and he doesn’t expect students to open up right away.
“That culture shock? It is real, and it hits them hard,” Richardson added. He stressed that Native students “are not alone up here, and they have a community that feels like home.”
The critical step in addressing culture shock? Richardson and Bell agreed that its building trust with students through consistent support.
As Richardson stated, support is often “so simple that people overlook it.”
“It has to be about relational resources,” Bell began. “... We're coming from a lot of native communities where family and genuine connection to the people around you is very important.”
Identity plays a significant role in building trust, especially when it comes to language and dialect. “I want to be a
familiar, friendly face, someone easy to talk to,” Richardson said. For him, authenticity and realness can ease the anxiety of being in an unfamiliar place.
“When I started as a professional, I felt I needed to code-switch a lot… But nowadays, it's just being myself and being real with students. I think they appreciate that realness to build trust and rapport,” said Richardson
“I'm not gonna speak super formal at first… If I can tell they got the dialect, then I'll speak with the dialect … language is important, and I'll make sure that they feel comfortable in that way,” added Bell.
Richardson and Bell have a deep awareness of the cultural contexts that Native students bring to NC State. As a marginalized community, society places expectations and stereotypes on Native students about “looking, sounding, or acting” a certain way.
“First of all, they're not a monolith. They come in with a bunch of different contexts about what it means to be ‘native,’” said Bell.
He continued, addressing his students directly, “I don't expect you to come to all of our events. I don't expect you to come to NASA… We would love for you to, but my support of you is not contingent on whether you do those things… You don't need to show up in a certain way to be received by the Native community as a whole, or let alone by us as mentors… ”
Bell wants to remind his students that within themselves is credibility and heritage in how they show up. “That comes from ancestors. That comes from lineage, not what somebody projects based on their assumptions.”
Consistent support also comes from the university and student allies.
“There's not going to be as many Native staff and faculty on this campus, just statistically, ” noted Bell. He emphasizes that universities need to maintain strong ties with the communities that Native students come from through strategic partnerships with community elders and local school systems.
“Notoriety, for native folks in particular, carries way more significance and credibility, especially when folks send their students [to NC State]. And, maybe that's an unfamiliar territory,” Bell said.
Richardson also stressed the importance of allyship as a student body. If your peers are struggling in class or adjusting slowly, “being intentional” and asking if they need help can provide critical support.
“The more we continue being allies and kind of just looking out for Native students … or any students on campus, it makes us all better and grow more and more,” said Richardson.
Lessons go both ways, Richardson and Bell have learned a lot from their students.
“Students have taught me to be powerful in my identity and who I am as a person. It's something we tell students coming into campus…They’ve helped me grow as a professional and as a person as much as I’ve helped them,” Richardson said.
In his time with students, Bell has learned how to give students more space, even allowing them to fail. “ I never wanted to [have] a dynamic where students rely on me so much that if I'm not here for whatever reason…things fall apart. I want them to be able to stand on their own two feet, and I want our job to be to pour into them and to affirm them,” he said.
As a final reminder, Richardson wanted us to know that it will work itself out, and we must keep going forward. “Make it do what it do,” he said. “I don't know where I got it from, but it's one thing I love saying to students. You just got to keep pushing forward… It's so much stress we put on ourselves nowadays, but remembering the impact we have is sometimes not immediate; it's for the years to come, and it works out.”
Courtesy of Gavin Bell
Photo of Gavin Bell
Courtesy of Justin Richardson Photo of Justin Richardson
A Justification, Since You Asked
With this issue, The Nubian message celebrates it's 32nd anniversary. 32 years later, we are still expected to prove our worth to the university and its investors, and they use our "niche" audience - the black and marginalized students of NC State - as an excuse to threaten our funding. The nubian was born a fighter, and we intend to live up to that legacy. we are not going anywhere.
Alianna Kendall-brooks Editor-in-Chief
They say where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Rewind to Sep. 25, 1992, and you’ll find both at the Brickyard of NC State as some 200 students burned copies of the Technician in a rally for an alternative black newspaper. The protest came two days after inflammatory opinion pieces containing racial slurs, one of which suggested an impending race war, were written and published by white writers at Technician. Criticizing demands for an African-American Cultural Center at UNC Chapel Hill, blatant ignorance and racism bled through the pages of NC State’s predominately white newspaper responsible for reflecting the views of the collective student body. According to a Technician article responding to the alleged bias, protest leader Greg Washington wittily pointed out, “How are we going to have a race war when the army is black?” Washington continued, “We need a black paper on this campus that will give coverage to give a black perspective…This is not separationist. This paper will give us a voice.” Thus The Nubian Message was born with the release of its inaugural issue on November 30, 1992.
“To All My Nubian Brothers and Sisters, WHAT'S UP?” wrote the first Editor-in Chief, Tony Williamson, in a message that cemented the goal of Nubian “to represent the African-American community at NCSU totally, truthfully, and faithfully.” Henceforth, over the course of thirty years, The Nubian Message has blazed a trail for Black representation at NCSU uncensored by those simply unable to relate. In the year of its 32nd anniversary, Nubian’s impact has proven to be everlasting and expansive, offering a diverse range of content with inclusive coverage for all minority groups. Nubian continues to keep it real with NC State students from current news to hot takes and everything in between so whether you like it or not, you’ll know what’s up. No matter the subject, this publication has been a platform for marginalized students to express themselves authentically and
truthfully, and continues to amplify voices that may otherwise go unheard.
While great progress has been made, the issues that sparked our birth a mere thirty years ago continue to run rampant in society and on campus, such as the
an article by INDY, “Black faculty are most present in the lowest levels of academia (about 1 percent of assistant professors at NC State are Black) and least present at the highest levels (only 0.4 percent are full professors).” Furthermore, Black and
lack of Black faculty members at NC State. According to the previously cited Technician article, Washington and other protestors also shared discontent with representation in faculty thirty years ago, “They lied to us five years ago about hiring more Black faculty and professors,” said Washington.
NCSU is a predominately white institution meaning a majority of its faculty are also white, however, I was not prepared to walk into classes such as African-American Cinema and find a white professor explaining “antiquated language” to my majority white class. According to
minority educators have been resigning from NCSU at alarming levels with at least ten Black professors leaving just this year. Representation for minority faculty, who often do not receive tenure at the same rate as their white counterparts, is unsurprisingly on the decline at NCSU making it clear that the issues of the past have persisted into the present.
The lack of minority faculty means it is important to celebrate those that not only teach, but often carry the incredible burden of representing minority students. Let's go back in time once more to Augustus M. Witherspoon who was the second Black
student to earn his Ph.D. at NC State and then returned to become the first Black professor in NCSU’s history in 1971. While producing groundbreaking research in his field, Dr. Witherspoon also helped found the Eta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first Black Greek Letter Organization on NC State's campus, and spearheaded efforts to break down racial barriers at NCSU. In 1994, the Student Center was renamed in his honor and the “Witherspoon” building is now a beacon of community for Black and POC students. Home to The Nubian Message and the African American Cultural Center, freshmen can get embarrassed by upperclassmen in a game of Spades at the AACC, and then vent about it in an article for Nubian.
Some may wonder if Nubian is still a necessary publication and to those readers I pose this question: is it not only natural to seek representation for the communities you align with? Whether it be religion, gender, sexuality, or even robotics club, we all have facets of our identity we wish to see represented not only on campus but in society as a whole. When our sense of belonging is stifled especially by discrimination, change is not only necessary but inevitable.
NC State has made admirable progress in diversifying the university, however, every year the graphics for incoming freshman classes read the same in touting and possibly overrepresenting the true amount of BIPOC students at NC State. The university has a clear interest in pushing diversity rates, yet has failed to publish its diversity data for the 2024-2025 school year.
Thirty years ago and long before, revolutionaries had to demand the change we see today. The Nubian Message quite literally emerged from the flames of oppression as over 200 students stood their ground on the Brickyard and fought for equal representation at State. Their efforts were not in vain and never will be as Nubian continues to represent Black and minority students totally, truthfully, and faithfully.
Photo courtesy of argomeck
A photo of Tony Williamson, a founding member and the first Editor-In-Chief of The Nubian Message. Williamson served in his roll from 1992-1994, but he tragically passed away before completing his second term.
