February 15, 2017
Division in Diversity
Emma Gomes, Staff Writer While Obama enjoys a long overdue vacation in Moskito Island, the rest of the world grieves from what feels like a break-up. This election, as any election, has led to a silent divide amongst family members, friends, and peers across the nation. It has been a hard pill to swallow for many. While one side feels hopeful, the other feels afraid. Somewhere down the line, conversations regarding politics have become destructive rather than constructive. Indyah Bryant, a
sophomore at Meredith, hopes to open up a safer conversation through her student documentary, Division in Diversity. The documentary captures the impact of the election on Meredith’s campus as a whole. On Nov. 8, the day after the election, our campus felt quieter than usual. “My professor told me that the sky mourns with us sometimes. It definitely seemed like it that day,” said Bryant. She explained that her vision for this project was inspired that very morning when she learned of the outcome.
There was a clear shift in the atmosphere, she said. Division in Diversity combines snippets of student, staff, and faculty members from Meredith College sharing their views on the election and the impact it had on them. The message that Bryant hopes to embody through this documentary is a heightened sense of awareness and solidarity within our campus. “I want other girls to open their minds and know that when they make a decision, they have to be mindful of people who are different than them and are from different backgrounds,”
Bryant said. She also suggested that we must support one another because at the end of the day, we are a sisterhood. This current political climate has forced our generation to become activists and speak up for one another. Bryant’s documentary contributes to a more unified world in which we are fighting to live. She leaves us with one piece of advice: “This time of struggle won’t be forever. We are making a change. Our voices will be heard one way or another.”
Fashion Students Participate in Atlanta Mini-Internship Shelby-Anne Sanders, Staff Writer This semester, students in the Meredith Fashion Merchandising and Design Program have the opportunity for some handson experiences. Throughout the semester, students will be traveling to Atlanta, Georgia to work for the wholesaler, Americas Mart Atlanta. Ashley Deal (‘17) just returned from the trip, where she had the opportunity to work for the
showroom, Reeves & Company. While working for Reeves & Company for a week, Deal was able to work directly with buyers by showing them the company’s spring lines. This mini-internship is an awesome opportunity for fashion majors as they are able to network and make a positive impression on prospective employers while in Atlanta.
Deal said, “I enjoyed working in a real clothing company. I was able to work alongside professionals and learn from their experiences in the fashion world. Also, I was able to work directly with buyers by showing them the new lines. I did not expect to be able to do that right away.” Deal was even invited to go back to Atlanta next month to fill in for another week as
an intern. All of the fashion merchandising professors are on board with these mini internships. The fashion students are told right away that experience is key when working in the fashion industry. Through this program with Americas Mart Atlanta, Meredith students are getting their feet in the door in a very competitive industry.
Women of MC
Sarah Smerko, Features Editor
Carol Jablonski, Class of 2020 “My favorite part about Meredith is the community that I have grown to be a part of. The community here is like no other that I have experienced. The women here are so strong and are so dedicated to their futures. The faculty and staff care so much about each and every one of us and want us to succeed in everything we do. I know for a fact that Meredith College was one of the best decisions I have ever made.”
Ann Cox, Class of 2018 “My time at Meredith has made me stronger by helping me hone my strengths and figure out how to make my ideas and dreams a reality. The opportunities Meredith has given me have empowered me to develop these aspects in tangible ways. Studying abroad, independent research, and leadership roles in on-campus political organizations have challenged me in many ways, but most importantly, helping me to take an abstract vision of what I wanted to do with my career and make it something tangible.”
Photos Courtesy of Ann Cox and Carol Jablonoski
CORRECTION: The insert of last issue for Feb. 1, 2017 contained an error in the naming of the event it concerned. The headline that read, “Meredith students and alumnae attend 55th Presidential Election” should have read “Meredith students and alumnae attended inauguration of 45th President.”
News Iran responds to President Trump’s executive order Seung Pang, Staff Writer
Leila Ghannad, a daughter of Iraniawn immigrants, has a mother who had been planning a trip to see her family in Iran one more time before she is too old. But now, the trip is no longer her summer plan. After President Trump signed the executive order, the Iranian government also put restrictions on US citizens entering Iran. Ghannad’s mother doesn’t know if she will be able to travel to her home country again. “There’s a risk of her not being able to get into Iran and not get back into the US,” said Ghannad, an assistant director of international programs at Meredith College. “It affects me pretty directly when it’s your mama, right?” she said. President Trump recently
announced the new vetting measure, so-called refugee ban, which restricts nationals of “countries of particular concern” from entering the US. Those countries on the list are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. “We’re not admitting into our country the very threats our soldiers are fighting overseas. We only want to admit those who will support our country and love deeply our people,” said President Trump at press conference. “We will not forget the lessons of 9/11 nor the heros who lost their lives at the Pentagon.” “It will be recorded in history as a great gift to extremists and their supporters,” said Iranian Foreign Minister,
Mohammad Javad Zarif. He criticized President Trump’s executive order as the “imprudent decision to apply collective discrimination against citizens of Muslim nations.” “While respecting the American people and differentiating between them and the hostile policies of the U.S. Government, Iran will take reciprocal measures to safeguard its citizens, until the US restrictions against Iranian nationals are lifted,” said Zarif in a statement. “The executive order is temporary, except in the case of Syrian refugees,” said David McLennan, a professor of political science at Meredith College. “After the original period, refugees may resume entering
the US.” Under the 1980 Refugee Act, the president was given the right to set the number of refugees that would settle in the United States. President Obama increased the number of refugees from 85,000 in 2016 to 110,000 in the 2017 fiscal year, from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017. President Trump’s executive order stops refugees from seven countries for six months, according to McLennan. Ghanand has had international students ask her “if their countries are next.” “I hope my international students don’t feel like they’re not being supported,” she said.
Supporting Our Muslim Family Yessy Anorve-Basoria Meredith’s Refugee
and Immigrant Club and Meredith’s International Association invited the Meredith community to participate in World Hijab Day on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. Refugee and Immmigrant Club President, Nabiha Khan, and vice president, Leslie Arreaza, greeted students and faculty members in the Diversity Room at 9 a.m. to assist with transforming a scarf into a hijab, along with answering questions of what a hijab represents. Arreaza explained that a
hijab is a headscarf that can be “accompanied by the wearing of loose-fitting, non-revealing clothing, also referred to as hijab” and is a choice Muslim women make after puberty for a variety of reasons. These reasons include faith, law, cultural identity, and modesty along with other reasons that are not verbally spoken of. “In the light of everything that has happened, it is important to stand with our Muslim brothers and sisters. It is hard to reach everyone individually, but by starting with a simple step it shows
Continuing Their Legacy
we stand together,” explained Arreaza in response to why we, the Meredith community, should participate in World Hijab Day. Khan added, “It is also a peaceful way to stand by people from different backgrounds.” Like the community at Meredith College, New York State assemblyman David Weprin said in a statement that “the World Hijab Day movement seeks to end the discrimination and judgment that comes with wearing a hijab.” Many individuals, whether they are participating by wearing
a hijab, marching for rights, or boycotting transportation systems such as Uber, are all aiming to stand by the Muslim community.
Nabiha Khan, Staff Writer Two years ago on Feb. 10, 2015, the world lost three beautiful Muslim-American lives as the Abu-Salha and Barakat families lost three children. Deah Barakat, his newly-wed wife Yusor AbuSalha, and her younger sister Razan Abu-Salha were shot and killed, execution style, by their neighbor in the couple’s home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This tragedy happened because a 46 year old man decided to take his gun over to his neighbor’s house and end their lives over a supposed parking dispute. “I think the anniversary kind of comes and goes and a lot of people seem to want to remember them more on the days of the anniversary, but I can tell you that we don’t forget, like the anniversary is literally just another day for us,” says Farris Barakat, Deah’s older brother.
Deah Barakat was a 23 year old student in his second year at UNC’s School of Dentistry. Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha was 21 years old; she studied human biology at NC State and planned to join Deah at the School of Dentistry at UNC. The two were engaged in February of 2013 and were married December of 2014. Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha was a 19-year-old student at NC State University studying architecture and environmental design. Deah spent much of his time volunteering for the homeless to provide free dental supplies and food, as well as helping fundraise for Syrian Dental relief, an organization that helps victims of the Syrian crisis get dental care. Razan supported charities like Global Deaf Muslim. After the murder of Deah, Yusor, and Razan, Farris decided
he had to tell their story, and would do so through the house that his parents inherited through Deah: “I remember stepping on the stairs and I said well what if we called it The Light House, two words, because my brother’s name Deah directly translates from Arabic to English as meaning light.” Other than telling the Muslim-American narrative, The Light House is run mostly by volunteers and used as a space to provide the youth with a unified and structured community.
Farris said that there is this understanding in Islam that with difficulty comes ease. He then talked about how he decided on calling them Our Three Winners: “If you think back to the December that they had before their murder, they were at the pinnacle of their lives, they had just gotten married, Yusor just got accepted into dental school, they just renovated their apartment...they were at the best of their lives in a sense...so right away I was like if this is true that they are killed...if this is true, then they won.” He added how at first he was going to call them our three angels but decided that they are actually winners. Our Three Winners’ legacy is continued not
only through Farris but also many other members of the community.
Arts & Entertainment Carolina Roller Derby Yessy Anorve-Basoria, Staff Writer Carolina Rollergirls (CRG) is Raleigh’s roller derby team and the original league for the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). Roller derby is a women’s contact sport that includes five players per team. Two teams play against each other and each team includes a jammer, a pivot and a blocker. All ten women wear helmets, but not every helmet is the same, and some of them have different meanings. Meredith College Professor Carmen Christopher, was in attendance at the Raleigh Convention Center on Saturday February 11, 2017, where she volunteers as an announcer for the Carolina Rollergirls bouts. She let the audiences at the 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM bouts know what was going on to further explain the direction of the game. Jam, jammers, pivot, blockers, and bout are all terms that probably do not make sense unless you have been to a roller derby. These are the main terms broken down: Jam: A pack of women that are
made up of the blockers and pivot. Bout: The game itself is called a bout. May be called a match, but most commonly known as a bout in the community. Jammer: Wears a star on her helmet, is the point scorer who tries to make as many rounds as possible through the jam. Pivot: Wears a stripe on her helmet, plays defense in the jam but is the jammer’s backup in the case of an incident. Blockers: All three women wear plain helmets and serve as defense to build a jam. You may still not find sense in these terms, however, you are still connected to these women who are described as strong, encouraging, confident, and persistent by their Carolina Rollergirls sisters. Just like at Meredith College, these women call each other sisters as well. “I love the sisterhood. It’s more than just a team. They always have your back. When I tore my ankle, the women put a cooking list and they visit you in the hospital. This happens for any girl that is injured,” said Deanne
T Krist about her connection with her derby sisters. “[Roller derby] is one of the HARDEST things I have done but one of the BEST things I have also done. The community of women is incredible, because they give each other strength and encouragement. I have body acceptance. We are all different sizes and of course some of us jiggle. We are comfortable in the shape that we are,” said TinkerHell about her acceptance in the roller derby community. These women in Carolina Rollergirls support not only
current members, but also former members. “All the [roller derby] teams are very involved in the community. Like right now [Carolina Rollergirls is] raising money towards a charity. We are focusing on the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. We are in many parades,” said Pistol Crystal about the charity and bout, which were in honor of their former sister, Violet Femme.
musical director, in their decision. “As always, it is sometimes challenging to find a musical comedy with mostly female roles,” said Rodgers. There are six male cast members, four from NCSU and two from the community, but “the really rich and engaging characters are portrayed by our young Meredith women,” Rodgers explained. These women include junior Victoria Mitchell, playing Princess Winifred, and senior Sarah Koop as Queen Aggravain. Both performers appreciate the musical’s focus on strong female characters. “I hope the audience is delighted by the fact that this show turns the idea of a delicate princess on its head. Women are pushed into very narrow stereotypes, and this show
celebrates breaking societal norms,” said Koop. Koop elaborated on her role in the musical, the Queen, describing herself as a character actress who plays a lot of eccentric roles. “As a senior it feels good to have this role for my last semester of character acting at Meredith.” “[The musical] shows [audiences] that even the ‘weird girls’ can be the heroine. Most girls can’t identify with [the classic] princesses because they seem too perfect to be true,” said Mitchell, who describes Princess Winifred as “spunky” and “energetic.” This story portrays a “socially awkward” and imperfect character who “ends up [as] the heroine of her own story,” said Mitchell. Once Upon a Mattress promises lots of laughs and clever tweaking of fairytale expectations.
after learning of their deaths and subsequently began working on his memoir; Baldwin passed away in 1987 leaving the work unfinished. I Am Not Your Negro draws parallels between Baldwin’s memoir and modern day racial injustices. His words are spoken over images of police brutality, mass incarceration, and civil rights protests that this generation is far too familiar with. The film unveils a deeper
question: What does America really stand for? Director Raoul Peck tells James Baldwin’s story skillfully and unapologetically. In observance of Black History Month, I Am Not Your Negro should, without a doubt, be placed at the top of your ‘to watch’ list. The soonest screening begins Feb. 17, 2017 at The Carolina Theatre.
For more information go to http:// www.carolinarollerderby.com/ Photo Credit: Joshua R. Craig
Newest Meredith Ensemble Play Laura Culpepper, Staff Writer Meredith Ensemble
Theatre presents Once Upon a Mattress February 21-26 in Jones Auditorium. This adaptation of Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer’s book, a variation of the classic “Princess and the Pea” story, features music by Mary Rodgers and lyrics by Marshall Barer. Theatre professor and Meredith Ensemble Theatre Director Cathy Rodgers describes Once Upon a Mattress as a “‘leave
your troubles at the doorstep’ musical comedy.” “There are some wonderful tunes in this musical, from hilarious and raucous to romantic and melodic. The design elements (scenic, lighting and costume) highlight the cartoonish, and not quite medieval, vision we have for this show,” Rodgers said. Not many musicals are composed by women, which influenced Professor Rodgers and Dr. Jim Waddelow, the ensemble’s
Photo Credit: Josh Walker
Documentary Review Emma Gomes, Staff Writer “ThestoryoftheNegroinAmericaisthestoryof America. It is not a pretty story.” (Many Thousands Gone, James Baldwin).
Raoul Peck, Haitian filmmaker and political activist, delivers an eye-opening documentary called I Am Not Your Negro, which dissects the white-black racial tensions in the United States that still persist today. The central focus
of the film is James Baldwin, an African American novelist, essayist, and social critic. I Am Not Your Negro narrates Baldwin’s unfinished memoir titled Remember This House, which confronts the assassinations of three civil rights leaders: Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King. Unlike these men, Baldwin moved away from the United States to fight against racism in the United Kingdom. He returned to the States
Editorials Second Semester Woes Rachel Crawford, News Editor Leaving Meredith… be honest, you’d never say it — or maybe you would — but you’ve thought about it. At one point or another, even the most enthusiastic Meredith College devotee will take a step back from it all and wonder, “Is this really the right place for me?” Brandon Stokes, director of student retention and success here at Meredith, says that thoughts of transferring are “very common,” particularly for second-semester freshmen. “We all have thoughts of what we expect college to be like as we’re leaving high school. When we get to college, we find that not all of those expectations are accurate,” Stokes said. He says that while the knee-jerk reaction might be to transfer to another college,
students who transfer are likely to experience the same issues. Therefore, the key is to fix those issues in the first place by developing the skills to utilize college resources and put yourself out there. Stokes adds that whenever students question if Meredith is the right fit for them, he encourages them to remember why they chose Meredith to begin with. “Usually, it’s not because they were looking for their new best friend or that they thought Meredith would give them the best roommate,” Stokes said. “On the other hand, it’s usually our academic programs, proven development of strong women, the sisterhood and all of the traditions and network of alumnae that come with it, and so on.”
My strongest recommendation? Get involved with a club, organization, or activity that interests you. Not only will you get the fulfillment of participating in something you’re passionate about, but you’ll also meet classmates with similar interests as you, all while making a valuable contribution to your school. If I’m going to be honest, I had my own doubts during my freshman year about whether or not I was supposed to be here or even in college in general. I eventually realized I only felt that way because I had filled up my time with things I didn’t care about. After that realization, I jumped into things that excited and challenged me — particularly undergraduate research and off-campus ministry. Ever since, my days
have been much brighter, and Meredith has felt more and more like home every day. If you still find yourself feeling like Meredith isn’t home, talk to someone you trust, whether it’s a classmate, a professor, or a staff member in the Counseling Center. Whoever you are and whether Meredith feels like home to you or not, the people in your life here on campus want to make sure you feel included. Stokes urges students, “If you’d like to meet with someone to discuss your options and how to go about gathering information, I’m always happy to help. I’ve helped many students discuss their options and make the best choice for them. At the end of the day, we simply want each student to be successful… ideally, at Meredith!”
send kids to for-profit schools. As a pre-service teacher and future public educator, I am both dumbfounded and horrified as to how someone who is as unqualified and completely against the spirit of public education as DeVos could possibly be appointed to such an important position. Based on her confirmation hearings, it was evident that she knows absolutely nothing about public education. During her Jan.17 confirmation hearing, DeVos appeared not to know what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was, and said that the matter was “best
left to the states” (Washington Post). So individual states should decide whether students with disabilities should get a free, appropriate public education, something they are already entitled to under federal law? I would like to see Ms. Devos read an IEP or attempt to differentiate instruction for students with special needs. While pretty much everything that has happened in the Trump presidency has been alarming to me, the confirmation of DeVos as Secretary of Education was a personal blow. It is my life’s passion to be a public school teacher, and with each passing
day in this new administration, I am seeing new threats to my students. I will serve children with special needs, language minorities, refugees, immigrants, and students with low socioeconomic status who cannot afford private school. No, Ms. DeVos, public schools are not a dead end. They are a safe haven, a hot meal, a new book, a loving teacher; a friend to sit with on the bus. I wholeheartedly support public education, and it is my hope that our new Secretary of Education would at least try to see its merits.
Dump DeVos
Sarah Smerko, Features Editor On Tuesday, Feb. 7, the United States Senate confirmed Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. In a historic tiebreaker vote of 51-50, Vice President Mike Pence gave DeVos the winning vote that would secure her the position. DeVos, who once described public schools as a “dead end,” is a public educator’s worst nightmare. DeVos has no teaching experience, and has never attended public school herself or sent her children to public schools. In addition, DeVos is a huge school choice advocate, supporting charter schools and vouchers that use tax monies to
Yours, Mine, and Ours: The State of Our Nation
Teressa Berton, Staff Writer Since the national election on Nov. 8, 2016, one of the most divisive elections in our nation’s history, we have seen the two major political ideologies polarize even further. Hashtags stating #notmypresident or #notmyamerica have gained popularity in the past few weeks, often sighted on social media. They declare the disapproval of the current events within the country and the actions of other citizens.
Parties on the left and the right have taken to disowning the nation as a whole based on the actions of those they disagree with because it is no longer what they know to be America. “It’s not my America, it’s their America,” they seem to be saying. But it has never been their America, it has never been my America — it has always been our America. The United States has never been a nation that did not have
opposing ideologies battling for control. Despite this, it has always been a nation governed by its citizens — our nation. It is easy to forget this miracle of governing that is the American system, particularly when we feel it is not servicing our personal goals, or if we feel that the system has turned against us. But we must remember that no matter our personal belief, it is still our nation. It has been our nation
STAFF
for over two centuries, and over those centuries we have seen our nation transform into what it is today — our forefathers have shaped America, our families have borne witness to our history, and now we are making our history — the history of our America. Do we want that history to be one of a nation divided against itself, or of a nation that came together in love to trump hate, and make America great again?
Emily Chilton, Editor in Chief. Sarah Kiser, Associate Editor. Sarah Smerko, Features Editor. Caroline Garrett, A&E Editor. Morgan Whithaus, Op-Ed Editor. Rachel Crawford, News Editor. Mallory Dean, Layout Designer. Olivia McElvaney, Online Editor. Staff Writers: Katrina Thomas, Yessy Anorve-Basoria, Carolina Brust, Lizbeth Hall, Anesia Fletcher, Teressa Berton, Seung Pang, Shelby-Anne Sanders, Emma Gomes.