Big FooD PAGE 3
MLK DAY MArch PAGE 10
Academy AWards PAGE 11
Spring Sports PAGE 16
Photography By: Donovan Dodds/Donovan Dodds Photography
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CAMPUS NEWS
STAFF Jared Loggins Managing Editor Jared.loggins@yahoo.com Michael Martin Editor-at-Large michael.martin@morehouse.edu Matthew Guthrie Business Manager Mguthrie93@gmail.com Bryan Burke Executive Producer bryan_a_burke@yahoo.com Kristen Harris Internal Relations Director kharri35@scmail.spelman.edu MT EDITORIAL TEAM James Parker Campus News Editor Jamesjr.parker@gmail.com Jayson Overby Fashion Editor bradleycestchic@gmail.com Jebar King Arts and Entertainment Editor JVincenzoKing@gmail.com Jerrel Floyd Features Editor Jfloyd134@gmail.com Kristopher Colley Sports Editor Kcolley5293@gmail.com SEnior STAFF WRITERS Christine Slaughter Opinions Senior Staff Writer Cslaughter93@gmail.com Jonathan Thibeaux Columnist jjthibeaux@gmail.com Michael Scott W&L Senior Staff Writer Mail.michaelscott@gmail.com Annick Laurent Campus News Senior Staff Writer alaurent@scmail.spelman.edu STAFF WRITERS Aiyana Parks aiyanap@bellsouth.net Brianna Gaulding Arts and Entertainment bngauld@gmail.com Darion McCuller Fashion mccullerdarion@gmail.com Joshua Snell jsnell1995@gmail.com Lonnell Mackey Fashion lonnellmackey@gmail.com Nicholas Martin Fashion nick.martin2013@gmail.com Teddy Holliday Sports hollidaytheodore1@gmail.com Ugochukwu Unigwe World and Local aunigwe@gmail.com Copy Edit Will Shelton Chief Copy Editor w.sheltonap@gmail.com Associate Copy Editors Isaiah Avent ikeavent@gmail.com Stephen Fisher Stephen8fisher@yahoo.com Ralph Jean ralphjean1212@gmail.com BUSINEss TEAM Amber Johnson
Big Food Renovations at Morehouse Best Uchehara Staff Writer buchehara@yahoo.com Zoe Johnson Contributing Writer znpratt@gmail.com Aramark Dining Services hosted a preview last Thursday for the highly anticipated Chick-fil-A Express at Morehouse. Doors opened at 10 a.m., offering students a free taste of Chick-fil-A classics. The news quickly spread. Within minutes of opening, swarms of students gathered in Kilgore Hall to take advantage of the free food and to get to know the friendly Chick-fil-A staff.
A Wait Worthwhile Many students expressed gratitude to the staff members, who provided snacks and lemonade to waiting customers. Spelman College student Kayla Evans said her 45-minute wait was worth it. “I’m committed to Chick-fil-A,” she said. “I love their food.” Jamarcus Toomer, a student at Morehouse, said he expected the long wait because the food was free. He added, “The staff members were really nice, always smiling and saying, ‘my pleasure’ when thanked.” The preview day was a huge success, and Chick-fil-A will officially opened on Monday.
What to Expect Retail manager Carl Johnson is pleased with the improvements Aramark is making at Morehouse. “We pride ourselves in providing good service by gauging exactly what students want and building our menus around it, ” he said. He added that students could help the company by partaking in their surveys as often as possible because, “They really help us to continue what we’re doing right and change what we’re doing wrong.” During the Christmas break, Chivers went under construction and has been in limited operation since the start of the second semester. Johnson says counters and service lines have been torn out and are being reworked. Chivers should be fully operating on Jan. 25, with Starbucks opening the next day. Students should expect a more aesthetically pleasing cafeteria with the same great food and service. Which Wich remains under construction. The progress of the sandwich shop has sped up since the Christmas break and it is predicted to open on Feb. 12.
Photography By: Donovan Dodds/Donovan Dodds Photography
SENIOR MANAGEMENT Darren Martin Editor-in-Chief Darrenmartin884@gmail.com
WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
CAMPUS NEWS
WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
SGA Releases Midterm Report James Parker Campus News Editor Jamesjr.parker@gmail.com
The new semester signified that half of the Student Government Association’s (SGA) 85th session has passed. In preparation for this milestone, the SGA published a midterm report detailing the organization’s accomplishments and students reflected on their representatives. Freshman Carl Hayes applauded the SGA for helping freshmen connect with upperclassmen and getting all students involved. Among the organization’s activities last semester, the SGA hosted a Labor Day cookout, Hump Wednesday and snack giveaways during the week of finals. Other students like junior Sahim Wallace expressed concern about the sincerity and motives of some SGA members. “My biggest critique of this administration is that it doesn’t have dynamic leaders, but rather, individuals who participate in and run an organization,” Wallace said. Wallace and others highlighted growing perceptions that the organization benefits its members more than the students it represents. Lodged in the middle of these views is freshman Sterling Campbell, who said that he has only had favorable experiences with SGA members, especially President Michael Gatewood. However, Campbell added that it is unclear what the SGA has done. The recently released SGA midterm report lists many of the activities that the SGA initiated or partnered with. The document is divided into four sections: advocacy, for initiatives during which “the organization represented the interests” of the college; programming, for events orchestrated on behalf of students; civic and community engagement, for activities that involved community members outside of the college; and policy and legislation, including newly implemented legislative actions. As part of their advocacy component, SGA members served on search committees to fill administrative vacancies, including the Vice President for Student Development position filled by Dr. Timothy Sams and the Chief of Police position filled by Major Valerie Dalton. Two members of the SGA also served on the Residential Campus Task
Force advised by the Associate Dean of Housing and Residential Life, Maurice Washington. According to the midterm report, the task force has “created a white paper to explore some of the very important issues that impact campus living,” and also recommended “a number of changes” to administrators. Toward civic and community engagement, the SGA hosted voter registration drives and an election party. Members also partnered with other organizations to lead an awareness campaign against gun violence and a peace rally in response to the indictment decision in the Michael Brown case.
In its policy and legislative work, the senate passed eight bills related to student grievance, sexual assault, career planning, student fee redistribution and midterm stress reduction. The group also awarded eight book scholarships worth $250 each. Going forward, Vice President Will Chandler said the SGA will focus on three major initiatives. The first cause of the new semester will be public safety, so the organization is planning a meet and greet with the new chief of police as well as a student security town hall meeting. The SGA will also work with administrators to settle issues related to student fees. Chandler said students should be aware of how the hundreds of dollars that each person is taxed are being spent and whether the money can be used more effectively. Lastly, the organization plans to “create a more efficient financial management process to alleviate some of the stress related to the enrollment, registration, and financial aid [process],” Chandler said. With the publication of the midterm report, Gatewood released the following statement: “Over the course of this semester, our administration has been actively engaged in laying proper groundwork and re-establishing brand prominence on campus. Given the vast amount of changes that the College has undergone and those that we expect in the near future, we have been in the business of positioning ourselves to amplify the student voice at every level of decision-making. This semester will be about continuing those policy and legislative victories, but also engaging with the student body in a way that further champions student advocacy and allows us to continue engaging with our brothers. There is no other work that we would rather be doing.”
Former Student Sues the College
James Parker Campus News Editor Jamesjr.parker@gmail.com
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Cornelius Savage, a member of the class of 2013, recently filed a lawsuit against Morehouse College. In the suit, Savage’s attorney claims that the school “failed to properly secure [the campus] despite prior shootings and robberies” which led to injuries he sustained during a shooting. On Feb. 1, 2013, Savage was shot by Amir Obafemi, a Clark Atlanta University student and son of music producer Chaka Zulu. The shooting occurred outside of Archer Hall after an argument concerning use of the basketball court. In the lawsuit, Savage’s medical bills are listed at more than $100,000 and he is described as suffering from permanent injuries to his left arm. According to the AJC, Savage requests that he be compensated for “pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, anxiety, past and future medical expenses, and bodily impairment.” No dollar amount has been disclosed.
As reported by CBS News, Obafemi claimed he acted in self-defense but was found guilty of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He is currently serving a 10-year sentence. In a statement released last Tuesday, Morehouse Media Relations Manager Elise Durham said, “The shooting incident involving Cornelius Savage in February 2013 is unfortunate. The college continues to take very seriously the public safety of all of our students, faculty, staff and guests. This particular case was an isolated incident and the college is prepared to respond to the allegations as appropriate.” It is not unusual for victims to file lawsuits against the institutions where incidents occurred. After Spelman sophomore Jasmine Lynn was shot and killed in September 2009, her parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Clark Atlanta, where the shooting took place. Lynn’s killer was not a Clark Atlanta student and he was eventually sentenced to life plus 25 years.
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STAFF Public Relations Director ajohn175@scmail.spelman.edu Brianna Gaulding PR & Marketing Associate bngauld@gmail.com Chelsea GPR Associate chelseagibson28@gmail.com Corey Smith PR & Marketing Associate corey.smith@morehouse.edu Danyelle Carter PR Associate dcarterj@scmail.spelman.edu Kailyn Brooks PR & Marketing Associate kbrook10@scmail.spelman.edu Naya Coard PR & Marketing Associate ncoard@scmail.spelman.edu Ramon Johnson PR & Marketing Associate ramonjohnson2017@yahoo.com K’Mani Dowe PR & Marketing Associate kmani_dowe@yahoo.com
Photography/NEW MEDIA Kenneth Greenwood Lead Photographer/Editor kggwood@gmail.com Deshon Leek l Photography eek.deshon2013@gmail.com Deverick MorganPhotography, Graphic Design deverick.morgan@gmail.com Isaac Monk Photography monk_isaac@yahoo.com Lizette Terry Photography lterry2@scmail.spelman.edu Tramaine Monet Lockhart Photography tlockhar@scmail.spelman.edu Tyler Lacey Photography tyler.lacey2@gmail.com Winston Cash Photography winstonewcash@gmail.com TIGER TV Jason Perry Assciate Producer jason.perry@morehouse.edu Keon McKay Associate Producer smckayk743@me.com Darius Johnson Assistant Producer/Reporter dariusjohnson7894@yahoo.com De’Quandre Manley Reporter dequandem@gmail.com Deshon Leek Assistant Producer, Videographer leek.deshon2013@gmail.com Eboni Ellis Editor eellis7@scmail.spelman.edu Grant Nelson Reporter g.grant.nelson@gmail.com Jonathan Thibeaux Assistant Producer jjthibeaux@gmail.com Winston Cash Videogrpaher winstonewcash@gmail.com Zoe Wade Assistant Producer, Editor zoewade1@aol.com All Creatives By: Ahmad Barber Ron Thomas Advisor Ron.thomas@morehouse.edu
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WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
VARIOUS
James Parker Campus News Editor Jamesjr.parker@gmail.com Ben Jealous, the former president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), delivered a thoughtprovoking speech on campus last Friday as part of the annual Martin Luther King Lecture Series. He is a member of the Morehouse College Board of Trustees. His remarks were filled with notable tips and words of wisdom for students to consider. Among the most impactful quotes were:
1. “Power is not given, you must take it!” 2. “Remain hungry!”“Don’t let leadership be limited by age.” 3. “What’s the best thing for you to do before you die?” 4. “Write what you want your obituary to say.” 5. “Within 20 years, 20 percent to 30 percent of [industrial] jobs will vanish.” 6. “Always be a change agent.” 7. “Racial profiling is not your problem, it’s all of ours.” 8. “Please, figure out how to be an organizer.” 9. “Focus on what people do rather than what they look like.” In order to increase attendance at the event, administrators offered a $100 prize to the hall with the most students present. The initiative proved to be mostly successful, with a majority of the Bank of America Auditorium being filled at the start of the event. No winner has been announced. “The most memorable part of his presentation was his advice about judging others,” junior and resident advisor Onteria Harris said. Jealous said that earlier in his life he would immediately assess whether a person he met could potentially benefit him or not. Based on his assessment he would decide if the person was worth speaking to. “Don’t assume you know everything you need to know about a person,” Jealous said. In 2008, Jealous was elected as the youngest national leader of the NAACP at the age of 35. Previously, he was a Rhodes Scholar who attended Columbia University before the University of Oxford. Jealous recently joined the Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kapor Capital, where he plans to continue to increase opportunities for minorities in the tech economy.
Tips to Staying Healthy During the Spring Semester Jerrel Floyd Features Editor jfloyd134@gmail.com For those individuals not familiar with the diverse nature of Atlanta weather, spring semester can feel like a bit of a shock. Though the shock may not bring an individual to their literal death beds, it can however have an impact on class attendance and attentiveness. The reason is that unlike the previous semester where it felt as though the worst was a slight wind chill, AUC spring semester deviates from snow temperatures to blazing heat in the time frame of three days. In order to help prepare for the shock that is known as spring semester weather, here are a few spring semester health tips. 1. Building the Immune System: With the frequent temperature changes that occur during the spring semester, a strong immune system is the most valuable weapon against sickness. Since a significant number of students share a single room, a healthy immune system may sometimes be an individual’s only tool against the fight with whatever has their roommate sniffling in the fetal position. According to Gaiam Life, Green tea and Chamomile tea are good ways to build one’s immune system. 2. Staying Hydrated: This one should be obvious, but for the 21 and up crowd it can be difficult if left ignored. Since the consummation of alcohol can lead to dehydration if not properly checked, water is a legal student’s best friend during those turn up hours. 3. Exercise: Though probably not the most attractive tip to students, regular exercise can actually increase the efficiency and metabolic function of one’s body. So next time an individual finds themselves in the basement and needing to get to the top floor of Benjamin G. Brawley Hall at Morehouse College, they should attempt to take the steps and not the convenient elevator. 4. Sleep: According to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, irregular sleep patterns can decrease one’s ability to fight infections. During a school period where colds and sickness may be constant, an organized and healthy sleep pattern is a helpful tool. 5. Stock up on Pens/ Pencils and Wash hands: Though it may be tempting to overlook part of this tip, having a supply of writing utensils is a great way to avoid spreading those germs that an individual’s prepared immune system may not be able to fight. This way the constant exchanging of pens is not a factor. Also if stocking up on pens is too extensive, regularly washing hands can be just as helpful and should be practiced regularly regardless if pen usage. 6. Eat Well: Obviously a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables is the best tool to use to help stay healthy during the spring semester, but with Chick-fil-A making its debut within the AUC, a healthy diet may take a back seat for a little while. However, instead of directly going for the chicken biscuits and sandwiches, sometimes a nice Cobb salad cannot hurt. 7. Use a Condom: Hopefully at this point it does not need to be explained. Just do it. Though the climate of the spring semester in the AUC may come as a surprise to those not familiar with it, hopefully these tools will guide everyone down a path of academic success and not one of runny noses, tissues, and missed classes.
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#BlackLivesMatter Syllabus Tyra A. Seals Features Staff Writer tyra1108@gmail.com
With the tweets, posts, photos and other commentary showing varying sentiments of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, education about movements in the past couldn’t be more important. We thought we would put together a reading list of books that are important to read in light of Ferguson. “Assata: an Autobiography” (2001, Lawrence Hill Books, 320 pages) is a compelling novel that recounts the life and activist experiences of Assata Shakur, formerly known as JoAnne Chesimard. Wanted for questioning about a 1977 shootout that claimed the life of a white state trooper, Shakur has long been the focus of the FBI’s administration to deconstruct black power regimes since the late 1960s and early 1970s. The autobiography gives raw detail of Shakur’s time in prison and frames her commitment to the Black liberation movement. The work primarily illustrates the struggle of one heroine for a generation and time filled with revolutionaries. Heralded by The San Francisco Chronicle, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal, “Makes Me Wanna Holler: A Young Black Man in America” (1995, Knopf Doubleday Publishing, 416 pages) is author and journalist Nathan McCall’s synopsis of his rise from poverty to his positions as a writer and reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Washington Post. Including detailing his three-year sentence in prison, McCall’s story
is unique in that along with battling the many obstacles of a Black man in a post racial society, he is an ex-convict struggling to live in and understand the reality that has been decided for him.
“The Ways of White Folks: Stories by Langston Hughes” (1934 original, 1990 recent, Knopf/Vintage Publishing Groups, 248/272 pages), though originally written and published 81 years ago, addresses the influence of white people in the many aspects of the Black experience, a topic still relevant today. Comprised of 14 short stories, few of the scenes and vignettes in the collection include “Cora Unashamed”, “The Blues I’m Playing”, “Passing”, and “A Good Job Done”, which approach the struggles of Black people from the perspective of womanhood, death, the workplace, etc. “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin (Republished 1992, Vintage Publishing, 128 pages) was originally written and published in 1963, yet Baldwin’s plea to end the racial nightmare is still very valid and necessary. The book, comprised of two essays, “My Dungeon Shook — Letter to my Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of Emancipation,” and “Down At The Cross — Letter from a Region of My Mind,” not only requests an acceptance of race differences in a multicultural society for the 1960s, but for all time. Additionally, the book deconstructs the Negro problem in early 1960s America and examines each aspect of it, including the flaws in religious faith and the effect of relationships that extend between generations. Baldwin, a known novelist, poet, playwright, and social critic, takes the title from lyric of a Negro spiritual: “God gave Noah the rainbow sign, no more water but fire next time.”
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Opinions
WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
Cosby: Legacy is in the Eyes of the Beholder Kadijah Ndoye Staff Writer kndoye@scmail.spelman.edu “Bill Cosby has the f****** smuggest, old black man persona that I hate. He gets on TV, ’Pull up your pants, black people. I was on TV in the ’80s. I can talk down to you because I had a successful sitcom.’ Yeah, but you rape women, Bill Cosby, so turn the crazy down a couple notches.” – Hannibal Buress in an Oct. 16, 2014, stand-up comedy performance that went viral. Hannibal Buress, like many comedians, underscores overlooked interpretations of the world. Buress referred to Bill Cosby’s infamous “Pound Cake” speech at an NAACP ceremony in 2004 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education. Cosby chastised the Black community for its lack of fathers in the home, the names Black people give their children, promiscuous Black women, and the absence of the Black church as a source of morality. Buress merely pointed to the hypocrisy of his speech as Cosby is dealing with at least 10 sexual assault allegations that dated back 30 years ago or more. It is unfortunate that a segment of a stand-up performance that lasted for one minute and 41 seconds caused more uproar than the many women who had come forward before
Buress’ routine to tell their experiences with Cosby. The purposeful silence of women to maintain the legacies of men is all too familiar. Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court Justice nomination and the “anti-lynching” rhetoric he employed caused many Black people to rally behind him while dismissing Professor Anita Hill’s sexual harassment claims. Instead, the women’s stories become characterized as attempts to gain money, power and prestige. I separate, however, Cosby from the multicolored-sweater-wearing, goofy-dancing, hoagieeating Heathcliff Huxtable that he portrayed on television. I consider television characters to be just that, characters. For some, Heathcliff Huxtable was and continues to be a father figure and an example for being a respectable father, son, uncle, and grandson. In fact, Cosby actually is the father of two Spelman sisters who must grapple with their own father being criticized and scrutinized by his fans and enemies alike. As a student of Spelman, we are bound up in the Cosby case because we have an academic building named in honor of his wife, Camille Olivia Hanks, and a professorship in both their names. Personally, the legacy of Bill Cosby was first tainted by the Pound Cake speech that generalized and negatively stereotyped the Black community. The sexual assault allegations make it growingly difficult to swallow the pound cake.
It’s 2015…Where is the Equality in News Coverage?
Tiffany Pennamon Opinions Editor tpennamo@scmail.spelman.edu
topic on Twitter and people were shocked and frustrated that they were just learning of such a disturbing incident and had to learn about it from Twitter so long after it happened. Ingrained in hundreds, maybe thousands, of those tweets was a frustration at what appeared to be a minimization of the importance of the attack.”
The final months of 2014 saw several shooting deaths of African Americans, protests fueled by unjust police brutality, and the Black community left in frustration without justice.
In Ricochet Media, Tracie Powell wrote “Although the Paris attacks of Jan. 7 were deadly and the NAACP bombing resulted in no fatalities, the latter is quite relevant given racial tensions surrounding the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The Paris attacks were instantly labelled as a terrorist attack by U.S. news organizations, but the NAACP bombing was not. CNN and other cable outlets spent much air time speculating about terrorists abroad while refusing to label or discuss hate crimes here in the U.S. that should also be considered terrorism.”
In the shooting deaths of Mike Brown and Antonio Martin, and the recent NAACP bombing at the Colorado Springs location, news outlets did not immediately cover the story until hours later. In the new era of technology and social media, online activism is now a relevant source for information – when reported from an unbiased perspective – through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and others. However, the leading news outlets such as CNN, Fox and MSNBC have some explaining to do. The Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris were covered from the initial attack until the suspects were killed. On the other hand, the NAACP bombing in our own country only received a small rolling tagline under the Hebdo coverage. Additionally, in Nigeria, hundreds of people were massacred, yet the incident was belittled to a sentence at the bottom of the screen. This did not help with the already growing racial tensions in America. Does a threat to our community and personal safety not count as a national security threat? Is a hate crime against an organization geared to represent African-American rights not a “terrorist attack” as well? Questions such as these remain unanswered by top news sources in America. Shaun King of Daily Kos wrote, “CNN released its first piece about the bombing a full 16 hours after it happened, and the incident wasn’t mentioned on national nightly news broadcasts. By Tuesday night, the hashtag #NAACPBombing was the No. 1 trending
Artist Questlove wrote on his Twitter account, “wait...there was an #NAACPBombing for real? Man ... thank god for social media cause i woulda never known otherwise. oh well *shrug*....right?” Other Twitter users from around the country and in the AUC questioned if the bombing was not considered a terrorist attack because no one died. Hashtags such as #BlackLivesMatter, #Ferguson, and #NAACPBombing became leading Twitter trends in the aftermath of their correlating events and that is how many people became aware of what was happening in their own country. Just remember to challenge everything you see on the news, as it is sometimes biased against African Americans. The anger, pain, frustration, tears and helplessness is building up and many African Americans don’t know what else to do in a system that was built for them to often fail. Is this the America that promised freedom and justice for all? Is this the country where our lives seem to matter more in the news if it’s about sports or reality television? It’s 2015 and this is the world we really live in?
ART & ENTERTAINMENT
WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
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Jazmine Sullivan Album Review
get me trips to places I can’t pronounce right/He said he’d keep coming if I keep my body tight”.
Darion McCuller Contributing Writer Darion.McCuller@morehouse.edu She’s back! The soulful songstress Jazmine Sullivan has made her comeback to music. After a four-year hiatus, Sullivan has blessed her fans with another soundtrack for love and life with her new album, “Reality Show.” Over the past few years, reality television has been one of America’s most popular genres, thus Sullivan chose to use it as her muse. Toxic relationships, greed, and drama are some of the many themes of reality television. This album captures those very same themes. Sullivan is known for being a soulful artist, and that definitely shines through on “Reality Show.” In addition, listeners have the pleasure of hearing different sides of Sullivan, with hip-hop songs like “Dumb,” “Brand New,” and “Silver Lining,” and the jazz influenced “Stupid Girls.” On this album Sullivan gives listeners a taste of her world. Honesty was one of the key messages. As the album’s primary songwriter, Sullivan uses her pen game to critique society’s obsession with money, validation and what people will do to achieve success. “Mascara,” one of Sullivan’s recent singles, tells a story about altering one’s natural self for vanity and material gain – a cultural critique that is often seen in reality television and this social media obsessed generation. “Yeah my hair and my a** fake, but/so what?” “I get my rent paid with it/ And my t**s
On “HoodLove,” Sullivan explores the dangers of a toxic love. A soul-folk narration of a lover who will ride or die for her gang-banging, dope-selling partner, regardless of the consequences. “Bang,bang/Every king need a queen/So I’ll fight for my n***a Take a life for my n***a” Sullivan croons. Sullivan’s powerhouse voice and husky vocals shine like gold on “Masterpiece (Mona Lisa),” an anthem of self-discovery and self-love. Although reality television stories are often about insecurities, society’s moral defects, and love of money, Sullivan uses this track to speak to the power of seeing beauty and value within oneself. “I’m a work of art, a Mona Lisa/I’ll share my picture with the world/I’m not afraid to let it show anymore/I can light the night,” she sings. “Now that I know the truth/Time to show and prove.” Unafraid to take risks and willing to challenge the way we consume R&B music, Sullivan is back on the scene. “Reality Show” is a timely piece of art. A contemporary snapshot of today’s society, it makes us stop and think about what we value. It reminds us what true beauty is, and the danger of trading our morals for money and attention. This album gives listeners a full scope: the good, the bad, and the ugly. That’s what reality looks like and what music should always reflect when listening. Thanks to Sullivan, she’s back to help lead the change in music.
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The Maroon Tiger remembers the strong Toni O’neal Mosley who transitioned from life in late 2014. In 2013, Mosley personally advised MT on the content placed in its notable “Body Issue.” Without her support and guidance--and her dedication to the students and mission of Morehouse College--we couldn’t be who we are today. We pause to say thank you and may you forever rest in peace.
CAN A STUDENT DISCOVER THE TRUTH FOR AMERICA? When you’re a part of the CIA, you can. The CIA has paid student internship, scholarship and co-op opportunities in several fields of study. No matter what you do here, your contributions have great impact – and there is plenty to do. From accounting and finance, to economics, engineering and information technology, the CIA needs talented and intelligent professionals to continue the work that keeps our nation safe. The CIA is seeking motivated individuals with a sense of service for an exciting and rewarding yet challenging experience. Do you have that drive inside of you?
THE WORK OF A NATION. THE CENTER OF INTELLIGENCE.
For additional information and to apply, visit:
www.cia.gov An equal opportunity employer and a drug-free workforce.
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Photography By: Monet Gibson
WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
ART & ENTERTAINMENT
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Academy Awards: Whitewashed or Coincidence? Anthony R. Bond/Brianna Gaulding Contributing Writer/Staff Writer Anthony.bond@morehouse.edu/BNGauld@gmail.com For the first time in nearly 20 years, the lineup of Academy Award nominees for the 87th Academy Awards hasn’t a drop of color in sight. All of the actors nominated across the board are white! This is the first time that this has happened since “Titanic” won Best Picture at the 70th Academy Awards, back in 1998. In addition women, regardless of race or ethnicity, were also excluded from Best Director and Best Screenplay nominations. According to a 2013 L.A. Times analysis, the voting body of the Academy is comprised of an overwhelming majority of white and male members, 93 percent and 76 percent respectively. Most of the Academy is also over the age of 50, meaning that their interest in seeing women and people with melanin gracing the Oscar’s stage is likely far lower than those of our generation. Frankly, the lack of diversity among the voters and the nominees themselves is disappointing. Media representation of marginalized groups has been shown to increase the confidence of those viewers who are represented, yet it can’t be enough to have casts and crews full of Black and brown men and women and give them no honor and accolades for their craft. This rift between who entertains us and who is awarded for it is a large part of the representation problem and part of a historical pattern within the Academy Awards.
Malcom X, respectively, and received no Oscar for their portrayals of these historic and powerful men. One could argue it’s possible that none of the Black acting and directing was Oscar worthy, but that argument is easily met with an inquiry about why more white people in seemingly similar roles would be more Oscar worthy than their peers of color. Based on the history of America, the reason for the decline of success among minorities is because of the white, patriarchal society that Americans have always been trapped in. Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the Black woman who is President of the Motion Picture Academy, refuted the idea that racism and sexism had any hand in the creating the nominee pool and defended the company by insisting that those who weren’t nominated would still benefit. “This year was very competitive,” Isaacs told Access Hollywood, suggesting that this was a matter of talent and accomplishments rather than race. Isaacs’ position that this isn’t about race would be more believable if there wasn’t such a striking racial imbalance in the Academy itself. In the acceptance speech she gave after accepting a Critic’s Choice Award, Jessica Chastain defended those who were slighted. She quoted Dr. King as she publicly rose to the challenge of speaking out against the system and demanding diversity in the industry. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” Chastain said. She then encouraged everyone in the room to “please speak up.”
“Selma” director Ava DuVernay will join the eight other women directors in Oscar’s past whose movies have been nominated for Best Picture, but passed over for Best Director.
Hollywood’s dirtiest little secret is that most in the industry don’t care about black and white. For some, it’s all about the green. In a country dominated by greed classism, racism and sexism are clearly excusable in the name of getting paid. Sarcasm intended.
David Oyelowo, who played Dr. King in “Selma,” will also join Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington, who played Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, and
You can be blinded by the 87th Academy Awards’ whiteness on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 at 7 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT on ABC.
The Rise and Demise of VH1’s Sorority Sisters D'Shonda Brown Staff Writer Dbrown86@scmail.spelman.edu Congratulations, VH1! You have finally gotten Black America to complain about another reality show that isn’t Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta! VH1’s “Sorority Sisters” is a reality show that is comprised of the “Divine Nine” Black Greek letter organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sigma Gamma Rho, Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta. All of these organizations carry famous members such as Ruby Dee (Delta Sigma Theta), Rosa Parks (Alpha Kappa Alpha), Zora Neale Hurston (Zeta Phi Beta), and actress Ella English (Sigma Gamma Rho); however, if this show was the first time you’ve ever seen Greek letter organizations in action, you wouldn’t believe any of the aforementioned women were affiliated. To some, it’s a complete misrepresentation of the organizations that pride themselves on sisterhood and service. Drama and petty feuds are played up and scripted for the cameras about which sorority is more relevant than the other, whose businesses are better (Adrene versus April) and even petty comments about each other’s relationships. Ironically, Adrene and April are both members of sororities: Adrene is a member of Delta Sigma Theta, while April is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. These two sororities are known for having constant headbutting feuds since the beginning of time. Premiering as the No. 1 non-sports cable program among women between the ages of 1849 with 1.3 million viewers, most of Black America was in an immediate uproar about BGLOs being dragged into the world of reality television. Even prior to its premiere, “Sorority Sisters” was petitioned not to air with over 40,000 signatures. Some argue that “Sorority Sisters” could not have come at a worse time, especially with the inequities of the “Black Lives Matter” protests. Singer and reality television star K. Michelle, who is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. herself, has proudly claimed acting a fool on television but “didn’t do it with Delta Sigma Theta tatted on my back in front of people,” as stated when interviewed by Kiki Brown on 92Q radio station in Baltimore.
“You don’t get on TV in the name of women that came before us and do what you are doing,” the R&B songstress continues, “especially at a time when our black community is struggling so much with things. The sororities and fraternities are the one thing we look to in college that uplift the community.” Black America has always held a quiet disapproval about reality television and its depiction of black people — namely black women. Some say that portraying black women in the negative light on reality shows has become the normative standard. Alpha Kappa Alpha made an official statement on its website expressing that it is “saddened by the producers’ desire to elevate harmful, negative, and stereotypical imagery of African American women in their quest for ratings.” In addition, cast members and members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Rwanda “Joy” Hammond and April McRae have been suspended until July 15, 2016. As their sorority expresses in its statement, these women “willfully misrepresent the ideals of our illustrious organizations, betray the privilege of membership bestowed upon them, undermine our collective promise to uplift communities and each other, and detract from the transformative programs carried out by our members worldwide.” As the show began to unfold episode by episode, more and more drama began to unravel. A rapidly growing list of advertisers pulled out including T-Mobile, Coca Cola, State Farm, and Honda. Ava DuVerney, director of Selma, even opted out of displaying movie ads during the screening of the show. Much to the satisfaction of Black America, the controversial show was taken off the air on Friday, Jan. 16, the final three episodes showing from 8 p.m. to midnight EST.
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WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
FASHION
Because Deep Down We’re Not Ready Jayson Overby Fashion Editor Jayson.overby@theposhandpoise.com
Because deep down, we’ll always be ‘05 boys—oversized white t-shirts pulled over our hands, fresh off an existential crisis, with a magazine full of the best fashion ever. We’re still focused on the idea of preparing for the fall in spring, the season in fashion that only matters when layering and pastels are still acceptable. Unlike every other editorial and online blog, we’re going to tell you what the spring season of fashion means in three words: it’s doesn’t matter. Considering that you’ve read every other magazine and style blog and they’re telling you what’s hot for spring—they’re lying. It’s one of those tactics where they’re trying to keep you focused on something else in order to conquer and control. Control the fall season that is. Everything you’ve ever known about fashion has been a lie, a new season is on the rise and this means that the threads
from last season doesn’t matter anymore. Even though you spent $865 on that Belstaff tee to stunt all fall, in the eyes of the style gods—nothing matters anymore. You’re either with the swag crowd or against it. But just wait, we’re college students struggling to pay tuition and buy textbooks that don’t help conquer the fashion game.
After forwarding your parents an email to a forum that others who share your unconditional love for expensive fabrics have wept on and are fashionably struggling, a sweat suit from Nike or Adidas won’t cut. It’s not couture enough to convince your peers that you’re a style influencer on the campus. Designers have embraced the struggle look, if you’re unfamiliar with the style defined as struggle look than you’ll be lost. Coined by athletes like basketball players, the style consists of a sweat suit. Worn loose and relaxed, the style can’t be worn by all. Somehow designers and fashion houses have found a way to struggle, struggle in couture.
Fashion houses such as Bottegna Venetta have embraced pastels, sweats in an assortment of soft tones. Loosely fitting and falling off the shoulders, the designer understands that sartorial gods have set goals to destroy social networks and corner store bistro mirrors. Standing outside, posted up on the block in the hottest fabrics fresh off the runway.
If you’re not ready to pace a campus in sweats, topcoats embossed with fur collars, and shearling jackets, than disregard everything I previously said. Disregard the fact that spring doesn’t matter and that you shouldn’t be worried about this season while others are preparing for the fall. Although you may be lost and unable to stunt like others this fall, you’ll still be fine. Fashion is about purchasing new threads every fall to find out that everything you purchased will not work next fall. Either you’re one of those guys who’s stylish enough to rock pieces from last season and swag, or you’ll just not be remembered because you’re not ready for fall.
WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
An Unlikely Fit
Jayson Overby Fashion Editor Jayson.overby@theposhandpoise.com The thing about dressing for an interview is that it can serve as the critical reason you may or may not receive the position. There have been enough presentations and GQ guides to instruct on how to dress interview ready, but it just isn’t adding up. The shoes were too dressy, shirt was too flashy, and the suit wasn’t interviewy enough. After you learn to suit up correctly everything else will fall into place, including the job. A bespoke or a perfectly tailored black suit is the befitting wardrobe for an interview, accompanied by a simple white or blue oxford. Select shoes with a slightly rounder toe, to let your employer know that you’re not stuck in ’01 like the square toe shoes you almost wore. The Twenty-first-Century man makes a statement by not making one— or at least looking as if he’s not trying so hard to make one. His suit is simple and streamlined, perfectly constructed. That’s the look you want. However, the twenty-first-century man is also mindful that he doesn’t wear gaudy prints and colors to an interview. “I was once interviewed for a position with an organization, and I wore a khaki suit to show my style,” Justin Carter said. “Luckily my craft and talent overshadowed my appearance, or I wouldn’t have received the opportunity to join the organization.”
FASHION
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The New Guard
Jayson Overby Fashion Editor Jayson.overby@theposhandpoise.com Every Sunday, you wake up in the afternoon following a long night of partying to get a haircut in order to stay refreshed. But after the third call, and fourth day, when you’ve finally realized that your barber doesn’t plan on cutting your hair—to the next barber you go. Somewhere written in an etiquette guide for barbershops, you’re not supposed to let anyone else touch your hair. However, all of those guidelines you’ve been following for years have went out the window today. Well, at least for me. I’ve now become the one-nightstand client, hopping from barber to barber. The guy that everyone talks about but fails to acknowledge every time he walks into a new barbershop. “We’re gonna give you something you want, but we’re going to give you something better,” the barber said, after I sat in his chair. He started offering different hairstyles I should try, considering that my hair was at a respectable length for any style. I didn’t want one of the hairstyles he offered from the poster that had been up on the wall for at least 12 years—not today at least. For the last year, I’ve been getting the same haircut: a low-cut caesar with a deep fade. It’s important, as a client, to know the preferred hairstyle you want. The ability to have autonomy over everything, but most importantly your hair is an essential part of life. “Expect the worst every time you risk getting your haircut by a new barber, although you’ve surveyed the room for a while watching who cuts the best,” Armani Owens said. “There are very few barbers who are consistent when cutting hair, and consistency matters.”
We’re talking no aggressive plaids, no I’m-the-man pinstripes, and no four-button jackets. It’s important to research the company, no matter the case. It’s better to be overdressed rather than underdressed.
With every new haircut there comes a new guard—and barber. Unfortunately, many men today are missing out on the benefits of having a regular barber. The tradition of the barbershop has faded; the modern man goes to the nearest barber to get their haircut. Each time they get, they go, ending up with a different barber and are forced to explain over and over the meaning of a low cut caesar.
“I hate wearing suits, but I understand that if I want to be considered for a position I have to dress the part,” Nate Suarez said, a sophomore business marketing major.
“I’m always traveling throughout the country for work, so I’ve never had a set barber since like college,” Shea Buston said, a senior manager for a finance firm. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the reason why I don’t look approachable, this bald fade doesn’t cut it anymore.”
It doesn’t matter what kind of suit you’re investing in, whether it’s $100 or $1,000—it has to fit. It has to fit right, or else there’s no point in wearing it. A good suit should hug your shoulders, not slouch off them. By dressing accordingly, you’ll give off a lot to a possible employer: smart, confident, thoroughly put together.
In all honesty, barbers are like our guardians—hair guardians. Their chairs resemble the thrown of a king in which we take our place to rule the kingdom and guide those with hair woes. Therefore, you resemble a knight rather than a king if you’re aimlessly letting any barber cut your crown. Yeah, that’s what it is—a crown. Always watch the way you guard it.
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VARIOUS
WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
Tigers Bounce Back Kris Colley/Malcolm Banks Sports Editor/Sports Writer Kristopher.Colley@morehouse.edu/Malcom.Banks@ morehouse.edu This past week was exceptionally busy for the Maroon Tigers basketball team. First, they were defeated at home by the Stillman Tigers 77-63 Thursday evening. They were able to rebound with a win against Kentucky State 68-44 Saturday afternoon. Against Stillman (7-5, SIAC 3-2), Morehouse turned the ball over a season-high 26 times. It is nearly impossible to pull out a win when a team gives away possessions at that rate. Also, the Maroon Tigers did not help themselves by shooting only 34 percent in the second half. Stillman’s guards made themselves known in Forbes Arena. Their physicality and intensity was overmatching and it appeared too relentless for Morehouse. Four Stillman players ended with double figures in points. Jamon Jackson-Wilson led with 14 points and Markeith Madison added 12. The game was competitive in the first half with the Tigers leading 34-32 at the half. However, the impressive 7-for-16 3-point shooting by the Tigers couldn’t help them continue their five-game winning streak. Saturday afternoon, the Maroon Tigers were back at it against the Thorobreds of Kentucky State University (4-9, SIAC 3-4). The win against KSU brought Morehouse’s record to 8-6 overall, 6-1 in the SIAC. The Maroon Tigers and the Thorobreds were close early and a change in defensive philosophy helped Morehouse hold KSU to 29 percent from the field. Morehouse shot a season-high 76 percent at free-throw line (13-for-14 in the second half). Tyrone Brown played big down the stretch, scoring 10 of his 15 points in the second half. The Maroon Tigers’ next game will be in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Saturday, Jan. 24 against SIAC East Division foe Claflin University.
In December 2014 the AUC lost brother Kendall Clark, Morehouse College class of 2016. The Maroon Tiger pauses to stand in solidarity with the students who continue to celebrate the life of brother Clark. May he rest in peace and always be remembered.
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WEEK OF 1/23 - 1/30
SPORTS
Malcolm Banks Staff Writer Banks812@gmail.com Genuine, kind, and positive are a few words that briefly summarize Brandon Key as a person. Standing tall at 6-foot1, 255 pounds, he was often known as a gentle giant. Key put his gifted measurements and size to good use as a high school standout at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tenn. Key was accepted to attend Morehouse College in the fall of 2013. Continuing football was never in doubt as he took his talents to the Maroon Tigers team, where he played on scholarship. On the evening of Jan. 3, haunting news announced that 19-year-old Key had passed away. Although details of his death are scarce, it was ruled a suicide. Key was born on June 9, 1995, and was raised in Nashville. His abilities on the field were impressive, but his impact on friends, loved ones and community far outweighed any tackle or touchdown he could have ever made. “Outside of even the football field, Brandon and myself had a close relationship; we would talk a lot about music and that’s how we got close,” Morehouse punter Temitayo Agoro said. “I actually had a dream about him and it was showing just his positivity as a person and I remember telling him to keep it up, you’re going to be special one day.”
Key loved listening to music in his spare time. Big K.R.I.T. was known to be one of his favorite artists, and he loved listening to thought-provoking songs such as K.R.I.T.’S “The Bigger Picture.” Other members of the AUC outside of the football team were also touched and impacted by Key. “I was Brandon’s roommate freshman year,” Morehouse sophomore Ryan George said. “We didn’t get along that well early on but we grew to become friends and appreciate each other. “He loved to talk about different things – thinking outside the box. Brandon truly knew what it meant to have his brother’s back.” Love and appreciation are clearly two things friends always had for Key. Back home, he had a supportive mother who loved her son. “He had a loving heart. He was smart. He was involved in his community,” his mother Tomika Willingham-Minnis said in a report from the MSMV website. The website also noted that Key was a bright kid who aspired to be an engineer, and a good soul who would help the homeless and was active in his church. “Most of all, I’m just going to rely on God, keep trusting in God, because that’s what Brandon would have wanted me to do,” Key’s mother said to MSMV. “He would always tell me, ‘Momma, it’s going to be all right. It’s going to be all right Momma. You just gotta keep praying.’ ” Testimonies from friends, his mother’s undying love, and his work around the community show that this young man with great potential had his sunset too soon.
Kris Colley Sports Editor kcolley5293@gmail.com
their events and they are versatile enough to make noise in others. Along with their individual accolades last season, the Morehouse team won the 2014 SIAC All-Academic award.
Welcome Back!
Morehouse baseball has been improving every year for the past couple of seasons, finishing last season 9-28. The incoming freshmen class is expected to shine in their first year on campus and will surely ignite the Tigers. But the stellar sophomores will undoubtedly lead the team. As freshmen they made it obvious that their presence marked a new era of Morehouse baseball and left their imprint on the program.
Second semester is a time of new resolutions, an adjusted academic approach and opportunities for greater growth. Spring semester also brings with it exciting Morehouse sports: track and field, swimming, tennis, baseball, golf, and the remaining basketball schedule all occur this semester. Track and field will be revitalized after a second-place finish in the SIAC. The Maroon Tigers have become very accustomed to taking home the conference championship, and not winning the title last year will only motivate them further to succeed this semester. The Maroon Tigers are returning many decorated athletes this season. Two seniors, Jeremy Blue, who was first team All-SIAC for discus in 2013, and Nicholas Hall, who was second team All-SIAC in 2014 for the 5000 meters event, will continue to be leaders for this Tigers team. But it is the talented juniors that have so many people around the SIAC looking out for Morehouse this upcoming season. The class produced four first team All-SIAC athletes a year ago: Gerald Jones, 1500M; Dahir Mohamed, 3000M steeplechase; Phillip Stephens, shot put; and Cullen Watkins, hammer. They are each supremely talented in
“I think the sophomore class is very strong in all aspects,” sophomore Caleb Psycher said. “We have Daron Bowling, who is a really good pitcher. Zack Lowe behind the plate who is very good defensively and can swing the bat. We will be looking strong this year and for the next few seasons.” Pyscher is the only member of the Maroon Tigers who was named to an All-SIAC team (second team). His glove in right field as well as his timely hitting and quality innings pitching will be critical for Morehouse this season. The season begins Feb. 1 at home in Perkerson Park against Concordia College. Eight months removed from a second consecutive secondplace finish at SIAC Championships, the Morehouse tennis team looks poised to continue chasing that elusive title. The
team landed its top recruit, Steven Hill from Chicago, and is enthused to add him to an already very talented collection of players. Hill, and others who had limited roles in last season’s championship run, will be asked to step up and take those positions left by the key graduated seniors. Morehouse is a likely favorite to compete for the SIAC conference title and hopefully can advance to the NCAA Division II regional playoffs. Their quest begins Feb. 1 at home. The Morehouse golf team is also looking to avenge a second-place SIAC finish last season. Morehouse was a heart-wrenching five strokes short from bringing home the crown last season. Morehouse has four out of the five finalists returning this season. This can become a team that the program highlights as one of its best. The competition will be great and challenging, but the Maroon Tigers have the depth to succeed. This spring sports season is filled with incredible opportunities for redemption across the board. Every program has done a remarkable job of reloading already exceptional arsenals and continuing on with winning cultures. As well as having successful individual teams, Morehouse has claimed the last six out of seven SIAC Commissioner’s Cups, an annual award to the conference’s best overall athletics program.