Thursday, February 23, 2017 Volume 101 Issue 38
student printz SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
www.studentprintz.com
Guy stresses social, racial issues JULIUS KIZZEE
sports editor
This year’s Armstrong-Branch Distinguished Lecture Series featured Jasmine Guy, who is famous for her role as “Whitley” in “A Different World.” Guy stressed her views on social issues, women’s rights and even telling audience members to put their phone away to take in a moment in real-time. “I don’t like talking to people who ain’t looking at me,” Guy said in reference to the numerous millennials in the crowd who were holding their phones up to record the famous speaker. On Feb. 21, Bennett Auditorium was filled to near capacity as not only students were invited to attend the festivities, but also community members, who took part in the hourand-a-half long lecture. The lecture also honored the legacies of previous Southern Miss students Gwendolyn Armstrong-Chamberlain and Raylawni Adams Branch and their impact on the community. The two women enrolled at the university in the 1960s and were met with harsh criticisms in their daily walks at Southern Miss. Guy says that she would have handled the criticism in the only way that she knows how. “I had my own personal compass,” Guy said. “I wasn’t an explosive person. I’m not going to go at people
every time someone comes at me like that.” Ajanae Tolliver was one of the people in the crowd with their phones up in the air when Guy starting speaking. Once Guy told the audience to put their phones down and pay attention to what she had to say, all of Tolliver’s attention went straight to the NAACP Image Award winner. “When she told us to put our phones up, I was one of the ones that had my phone out, too,” Tolliver said. “I wanted to record it, and I wanted to have this memory for a long time. I wasn’t realizing what she was actually saying in real-time.” During her speech, Guy spoke about her experiences working with celebrities such as Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, Whoopi Goldberg and even Spike Lee on the movie “School Daze.” Through all of the prominent actors that she shared the stage with, she showcased the history of black prominence and how it should not be overlooked. “Our history is not racial history – it is American history,” Guy said. “Our black American history should be incorporated into the American story. Be smart about what you’re learning.” She spoke about social and racial issues facing minorities today. “Do we care about white people losing their jobs?” Guy asked the crowd. “Let me tell you something,
Kenyatta Ross | Printz Clarence Magee presents a plaque to Jasmine Guy with a hug following her speech on Feb. 21 in Bennett Auditorium. it’s not trickle down – it’s trickle up. If you help us at the bottom, we’ll help y’all. Y’all will still be billionaires. But give us a chance to educate our kids and take care of our parents. We’re in this thing together.” In her closing remarks before giving
recognition to both ArmstrongChamberlain and Branch, Guy said something that seemed to resonate with most of the students in the audience. “While you’re in school, please take advantage of the people who are
interested and invested and educated to give you enough to help you get into your field,” Guy said. “I still don’t see a lot of kids rising to the occasion, rising to the present. We may not be able to change the world right now, but you can also self-educate.”
Students ‘checked out’ ACCESS’ Human Library MADISON ETHERIDGE printz reporter Students and visitors went to Shoemaker Square Wednesday, Feb. 22 and encountered The Human Library. Campus advisor for Advocacy for Civility Change Equality Safety and Social Justice (ACCESS) Marie Adkinson helped students select “books” to “read.” Some of the books on the “shelves” included “Female to SelfMade Man,” “Political Awakening: My Vietnam Protests,” “Gay Pastor: Activism is Ministry,” “From Gang Banging to Graduating,” and 15
other “books” were there as well. Each “book” was represented by a person with a story to tell and stereotypes to dismantle. In this way, they constituted a Human Library. The Human Library began in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2000, according to humanlibrary.org. The founders, Dany Abergel, Asma Mouna, Christoffer Erichsen and Ronni Abergel originally started a “non-government youth movement” called “Stop the Violence” after their friend was attacked during a night out. According to the movement’s website, the organization was asked to create an event for the Roskilde Festival in Copenhagen, and they introduced the Human Library. The
original event lasted four days, eight hours each day and featured more than 50 “books.” Since 2000, the Human Library has spread all over the globe. In order to arrange the Human Library on USM’s campus and use the organization’s official logo, Adkinson had to apply for a special license. When Adkinson was accepted, she reached out to several friends with unique stories and asked the ACCESS members to refer people to her for the event. This Human Library was among the first in the state of Mississippi, comprising of eight non-students and 11 students. ACCESS member Jesslyn Williams referred her younger sister, Jayla
Williams, who was born with hemihypertrophy – a genetic disorder in which half of her body grew larger than the other half. The disorder affected not only her face and body, but also her brain, which caused her to have learning disorders. Jayla continues to face constant bullying in school, but has a large family support system in Birmingham. Jayla’s mother Deborah contributed to the “reading” process, because communication does not always come easily for Jayla. “She recently had surgery on her face, to reduce the asymmetrical appearance,” Deborah Williams said. “She thought it would change her life, but the kids at school still harass her.”
Jayla is classified as a junior in high school and takes part in an Individualized Education Program. She dreams of becoming a physical therapist or opening a cupcake business. Danni Lee, a member of ACCESS, joined the Library to talk about her father and his struggle with a severe drug and alcohol addiction. She said she remembers adoring him as a little girl but grew suspicious when his disappearances were sporadic and strange. He called to apologize to her for his failings as a father after several months of separation. continued on | pg 4