VOLUME 70 | ISSUE 7 November 22, 2017
THE TSU HERALD
EXECUTIVE DECISIONS Ending Rape Culture on College Campuses | Mental Health for Students | Changes in American Politics
UNDER THE COVER
EDITORIAL STAFF Todd Travon Rogers EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paige Hubbard MANAGING EDITOR Nicole Tall EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tasha Poullard Kyndra Snoddy Januel Burton Kailyn Hamilton Earnest Rogers Faye Timmons PHOTOGRAPHERS Brandon Aninipot Mikol Kindle Jr. Kordell Tilley Jameelah Reid Akayla Harris GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kendrick Davis CIRCULATION/DISTRIBUTION Tiyosha Turner PUBLICATIONS MANAGER
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COVER: Kernard Jones pictured with 44th U.S. President Barack Obama. 2
Photo courtesy of Kernard Jones IG @thejones_
Kernard Jones on Changes in American Politics Words by Todd Travon Rogers 1. What do you think is the most important political issue at the moment? Today, tax reform is the most important political issue at the moment. Right now, House and Senate Republicans have passed a GOP tax reform bill that will hurt the country in the future. In this reform bill, big businesses win (the corporate tax rate is cut significantly), the wealthy receive a lot of benefits in the bill, and in 2023 a key middle-class tax break will expire. 2. Do you think people’s political views change over their lifetimes? Absolutely. Whenever there is a change in time, there is also a change in how people view different things. In the 90’s, healthcare for all seemed impossible, however, now healthcare for all is a popular notion.
3. What do you think of our country’s politicians? A vast majority of them are just crazy. When you watch C-span, or even go to a local city council meeting, you realize that half of what these people are saying just doesn’t make sense. However, there are politicians like Senator Kamala Harris, Michigan State Rep. Jewell Jones, Mayor Sylvester Turner, and some more who are really fighting for the people. 4. Why do you think people get involved in politics to begin with? People get involved into politics because they get tired of sitting on the sideline watching ‘public servants’ take advantage of their community. I got involved in politics for this exact reason. I want to ensure that this community and country are still around for my grandchildren.
5. What, in general, do you think are the qualities of a good political leader? For any political leader to be great, they must first learn to listen more and talk less. 6. Is not voting a political statement? Yes, it is. It shows that you are not supporting the crooked system “they” are trying to force upon you. Although, I wouldn’t suggest not voting altogether. If you don’t want to support presidential elections that’s fine, but please vote when it comes to local elections. 7. How are policies controlled by big business corporations? The majority of the policies that are passed support big businesses because a lot of our politicians get under hand money from large corporations.
HBCU BUZZ
AUC Tackles Rape Culture, Students Publically Accused on Campus By Amy Rock Campus Safety Magazine
Frustrated students, who say widespread sexual assault and little consequence by school officials is commonplace on their Atlanta campuses, took matters into their own hands by calling out both administration and accused rapists. On November 8, students at Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College and Morehouse College, all part of the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUC), plastered signs across the campuses to address the schools’ lack of accountability and effort in investigating reported sexual assaults.
Some signs aimed at administration read, “No More Secrets” and “Morehouse Protects Rapists – Spelman Protects Rapists”. Others adorned the names of accused rapists and organizations they are affiliated with, accompanied by the hashtag: #WeKnowWhatYouDid. The signs were covered in plastic to protect them from rain, but were eventually removed by local police. “It’s very often where victims stay silent and are kept silent, so I think it’s beautiful whoever put those posters down,” says Spelman senior Micaela Harris.
(continued on page 7)
Frustrated students, who say widespread sexual assault and little consequence by school officials is commonplace on their Atlanta campuses, took matters into their own hands.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Send your responses to tsu.heraldeditor@gmail.com
Texas Southern Honor Student Receives Executive Leadership Council Scholarship By Kendrick Callis TSU Communications Anthony Collier has been announced as a recipient of the Executive Leadership Council’s (ELC) 2017 Alvaro L. Martins Scholarship. Collier, a senior honors student from Manor, Texas, has a double major in History and Political Science. ELC is the preeminent member organization for the development of global Black leaders. Its scholarship programs build a pipeline of Black corporate talent by supporting the academic achievement and development of Black undergraduate and graduate students.
for me,” Collier said. “I have been able to meet and network with some very prominent African-American business people who lead Fortune 500 companies. Seeing people who look like me and are in high levels of leadership in Corporate America has been amazing to witness firsthand.”
Collier is involved on campus and in the community, serving as a member or leader in several organizations including the Thomas F. Freeman Debate Team, Political Science Club, Student Government Association of the Barbara JordanMickey Leland School of Public Affairs, Pre-Law Society, Collegiate 100, NAACP “Receiving the Alvaro TSU Chapter, Political Action L. Martins Scholarship has Committee Student Orgabeen a wonderful experience nizer for the NAACP Hous-
ton Branch, and the Wesley Foundation at TSU. He co-founded the Southern Student Leadership Association (SSLA). Collier has served as a Congressional intern for U.S. Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee and participated in the Texas Legislative Internship Program (TLIP) in the Austin office of Senator Borris L. Miles. He has studied abroad in Israel, Spain and Ghana, and represented Texas Southern in the International Competition for Entrepreneurs (ICE) in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where TSU became the first HBCU to compete on a global level. Collier and a team of four peers won first place in the competition, the first HBCU to win the title.
Anthony Collier said receiving the scholarship has been a wonderful experience.
The Alvaro L. Martins Scholarship was created in honor of ELC’s founding member and first president/ CEO. It is awarded annually to 13 top undergraduate Black male students attending one of the nation’s top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
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ARTS & CULTURE
Despite Cast Changes and Technical Difficulties “Nona’s Place” is a Hit By Tasha Poullard Staff Writer
Sawyer Auditorium two days before opening day. Ironically, the production board went missing following a staging discrepancy with the organizers of University Program Council (UPC) Apollo Night. The cast and crew of “Nona’s Place” were forced to present their production to the world with no house generated sound system, minimum lighting, one operational spotlight, and a karaoke speaker provided by a lead in the play. Two of the original cast members left production; one in the middle of a live performance. The cast was left to pick of the slack. Despite the egotistical battles among staff, the incon-
sistent willingness to commit to a standard of professionalism, and TSU excellence from cast members, plus a lackadaisical attitude towards sound and lighting equipment and rumors of slander – the cast of “Nona’s Place” did a great job. Written by TSU Theatre students and Prof. Rosarito Rodríguez-González, Nona’s Place is a musical set in a small Jamaican restaurant located in 3rd Ward, Houston, TX. Conflicts unfold as characters come and go in this world full of love, memories, anguish, hope, loss, friendship, and music.
I Wrote This on A Little Piece of Paper I wrote this on a tiny piece of paper in remembrance of you. Remembering the tiny sentimental gestures you used do to get my attention. To get my attention, Get my attention, My attention, See how much retention is contained within my attention, See how much care is embedded in my actions, so deeply rooted with the tiniest seed called my feelings that flourished into green lights which led me back to you over and over again. The setting is modernday Houston, Texas. This stage play takes place in the heart of Third Ward, in a family-owned Jamaican restaurant called Nona’s Place. The small eatery is owned by Naomi “Nona” St. James and her son, Leroy. With a small staff that includes her niece and nephew, Liza and Marcus, Nona’s Place feels like home to everyone that steps foot inside. Two of the restaurant’s workers, sisters Rochelle and Cassandra, battle with issues pertaining to domestic violence and self-love. “Nona’s Place” deals with issues that plague the Black community like the two sisters who are caught in the cross hairs of domestic violence. Both Rochelle and Cassandra have experienced a cycle of violence from their relationships and look to Nona for 4
guidance. The play also tackled politics, marriage, and the lives of military families. The play was written, produced, directed and casted by the students and faculty of Texas Southern University’s theatre department. The play was originally supposed to feature the staff of Café de Begerac, however an unprecedented decision was made last minute due to directorial differences. This inconvenience left the cast, crew, and production team no choice, but to spring into action and rewrite an entirely new script from scratch in under 4-weeks. Along with cast and script changes, the sound and lighting boards were stolen from the production booth in
I wrote this on a tiny piece of paper in remembrance of you. Thinking about the moments, When you would tell me about how you’ve dropped every piece of infidelity that caught your.........eyes. Those eyes that told me all your secrets willingly, They had that special twinkle as the little stars on a starry night Reflected off the sea of doubt that ran through my mind every night once you said good bye. I wrote this on a tiny piece of paper in remembrance of you. Dreaming about you and all those times, when I wished things were different or happened differently. That somehow gave me a vision of a better destiny. Resembling me and you together and happy From many encounters of sight adding in the bed and subtracting the eyes of man adding the eyes of the soul. No. Never had sex But the product of my heart combined with memories of the past of you Birthed Beloved. -Original poetry by a girl with something to say
Close Enough to Touch Photos by Jameelah Reid
ARTS & CULTURE
What’s Wrong with This Picture, Black Women?
By Nicole Tall Editorial Assistant
The internet sent several women into a frenzy when a photo was posted from fashion retailer J.Crew’s website showing a Black model, Marihenny Pasible, with poorly styled undone hair. Many of the company’s models wore messy bun hairstyles during the photoshoot. The brand’s concept for the styling was a “natural and comfy” look. Questions and critiques flooded social media as several users online expressed their concern of the preparation taken to style this model’s naturally textured hair. One Twitter user reacted by saying the model’s hair looks like the stylist didn’t even try because there’s no sign of product, or moisture. “The natural hair and makeup fit right in,” Dominican-born Pasible said. “These days it is all about women embracing their natural looks, so here it is.”
“These days it is all about women embracing their natural looks...” As the natural hair movement pushes through the beauty industry, there are more models and public figures wearing their natural kinks and curls to help rede-
Dominican-born model Marihenny Pasible wears natural hair during J.Crew campaign photoshoot.
fine the standards of beauty. Even so, models of color still feel underrepresented and not properly taken care of in the beauty department. “I feel like there have been a lot of situations where Black models have been made to feel like second class citizens during fashion week or during their jobs,” said Victoria Secret model Leomie Anderson. J.Crew is not the only company being called out for their inability to deal properly with Black models and their needs, however they did issue an apology via Twitter: “J.Crew strives to represent every race, gender, and background. We sincerely apologize for the styling of this model and the offense that was caused. We assure you that we are taking steps to address it, and to prevent this from happening again.”
What are your thoughts on this group of photos? Send your responses to tsu.heraldeditor@gmail.com 5
HEALTH
HEALTH
Steve Fund and JED Launch Mental Health Framework for Students By Lexy Siegel Contributing Writer
dents) found that students of color (in comparison to white students) are significantly less likely to describe their campus as inclusive (28% to 45%) and more likely to indicate that they often feel isolated on campus (46% to 30%). These statistics indicate a need for a more tailored approach to protecting the mental health of students of color.
The Jed Foundation (JED), a nonprofit that exists to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for teens and young adults, and the Steve Fund, a nonprofit created to address the mental health needs of young people of color, announced the Equity in Mental Health Framework (EMH Framework) to help colleges The EMH Framework and universities support and enhance the mental health provides academic institutions with a set of ten actionof students of color. able recommendations and Research indicates key implementation stratethat students of color at gies to help strengthen their American colleges and uni- activities and programs to versities are almost twice as address the mental health likely not to seek care when disparities facing students they feel depressed or anx- of color such as mentioned ious compared to white stu- above. dents. Additionally, a recent “The Equity in Menonline Harris Poll of 1,000 tal Health Framework fills an college students conducted by JED and the Steve Fund urgent gap at colleges and (with equal samples of Afri- universities, and across our can American, Latino, white society,” said Evan Rose, and Asian American stu- President of the Steve Fund. COMMENTARY
“Our young people face daunting challenges as they transition to adulthood...”
programs for students of color,” said John MacPhee, JED Chief Executive Director. “Our goal is to stimulate discussion and new research while helping more schools prioritize these efforts in order to ensure mental health equity for our nation’s college students.” Videos on the EMH Framework site feature supportive statements by higher education leaders from Morehouse College, the University System of Maryland and Trinity Washington University.
The investigative efforts behind the EMH Framework included a comprehensive examination of studies on the unique mental health challenges students of color face and a number of current “I favor increasing the interventions and programs level of support available to aiming to meet their needs. students of color at our national college and university “We created the Eq- campuses,” says John J. Deuity in Mental Health Frame- Gioia, President of Georgework to provide colleges and town University “This is a universities across the coun- very special moment and we try with accessible informa- need to seize the opportunition, ideas and examples to ties present here to provide inform and strengthen their the best communities for all mental health supports and of our students.”
Mental Health and Gun Reform, Decision Making
By Earnest Rogers Contributing Writer
TSU has finalized its Campus Carry Policy. The policy that went into effect August 1, 2016, was established in compliance with Senate Bill 11 passed by the 84th Texas Legislature.
Within the last two months, this country has experienced two mass shootings, in which both shooters died and left citizens in the dark as to what motivated these deadly acts. Like clockwork, many outlets made the issue about mental health in concern of the men behind the gun, instead of 6
“Inequity in mental health is a dire national problem which impedes well-being of communities of color. Our young people face daunting challenges as they transition to adulthood, including those fortunate enough to pursue higher education.”
how the country needs bet- time innocent people lose their lives – it shows that the ter gun control. gun laws we have in place This country’s gov- are not meant to protect us. ernment cannot continue to To speak on mental overlook the laws we have in place to regulate the pur- health issues as a way to chase of guns. If these laws sway the public eye from were so concrete, then these faulty gun control is insults “mentally ill” men would not those who truly have mental have had the opportunity to health conditions. purchase bullets, let alone There are people who military grade weapons. fear of the fact that a per For better gun con- son with a mental condition trol in our nation, it is going can have access to firearms. to take a strong collective Conversation should be made voice to truly get the ball about the process in which a rolling because even though person, mentally ill or sane, “people kill people”, guns obtains a gun and uses it to aide them too. By overlook- commit a deadly crime. Mening a call for reform, every tal health should have prior-
ity when legislation is being passed that omits mental healthcare coverage in its plan. According to Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America (SARDAA), approximately 3.5 million people in the United State are diagnosed with schizophrenia. Three-quarters of persons with the disorder develop it between 16 and 25 years of age. Citizens should put pressure to lawmakers to create legislation that will benefit everyone.
LIFE & STYLE
Three Ways to End the Perpetuation of Rape Culture Right Now
By Kailyn Hamilton Contributing Writer
We live in a society where rape culture has been normalized for so long that many people have a hard time not engaging and an even harder time acknowledging its existence. Rape culture is a sociological concept used to depict a setting in which rape and assault is overwhelmingly prevalent and systemic due to societal views and definitions of gender, sexuality, and acceptable behavior.
order (PTSD). Jokes about rape culture and related subjects could very well trigger an emotional response. While there are plenty of other reasons one should not joke about these types of things, understand that people’s emotional wellbeing alone is worth an occasional filtering of your public conversation.
petuating rape culture is to not victim shame. There are plenty of societal ways of shaming victims of rape. There is a long history of doing this, especially on college campuses. Silencing those who choose, or have chosen to speak freely about their experiences falls under the shaming category. According to the National Sexual
Rape culture is the reason why we tend to ask victims questions like, “What were you wearing?” or “Were you drinking?” There are people who want to do their part in combating this issue. Here are three important tips to keep in mind:
AUC Continued (continued from page 2)
The following day, the Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel on the Morehouse campus was spray-painted with the words, “Practice what you preach Morehouse + end rape culture”. The graffiti was covered by campus police with a brown tarp. Spelman and Morehouse are both private, historically black liberal arts colleges
3. DO KEEP AN OPEN MIND Sexual assault does not have a look. You cannot judge a book by its cover. Whether or not someone has ever had to endure the rotten treatment perpetuated by rape culture directly cannot be determined by the way they speak, dress or behave. There’s no way to know if someone has been sexually assaulted. The truth is, many men and women will go their entire life without telling anyone about their experiences. Keep this in mind and don’t assume anything. Texas Southern University (TSU) is a strong proponent of Title IX enforcement and in ensuring that sex discrimination and sexual violence is eradicated.
1. DON’T ENGAGE IN PLAYFUL BANTER ABOUT RAPE Rape and sexual assault are no laughing matter. While in public, remember you may be within hearing distance of someone – victims of rape, sexual assault or abuse – who suffer from post-traumatic stress dis-
dent. If someone has decided to say something about an assault, silencing them is definitely wrong.
2. DON’T VICTIM SHAME The definition of victim shaming can be very broad and extensive. One simple way to avoid per-
Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men will be sexually assaulted while in college and more that 90% of these victims will not report said inci-
whose alumni include activ- their own experiences with ists Alice Walker and Martin sexual assault. Luther King Jr. According to CBS 46, In addition to the signs only one rape has been reand graffiti, students also ported by Spelman College lined up outside of the Spel- since 2014 and only two man and Morehouse campus cases of dating violence have police stations demanding been reported since 2016. law enforcement take action in pending, or suspected Spelman released a sexual assault cases. statement on its website, saying in part, “The College Many showed sup- is committed to combating port for the actions on so- sexual assault and harasscial media using the hashtag ment on campus. Our efforts #WeKnowWhatYouDid. Some in this area are focused on used the hashtag to recount prevention of these acts and
Dial 911 or contact directly at 713-3137000 for assistance.
are directed at every member of the college community.” Morehouse also released a statement, saying the school has a zero-tolerance policy for any type of violence, harassment or unwanted contact. Morehouse and Spelman are both currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for possible violations of Title IX related to its handling of sexual assault cases. 7
TIGER CLASSIFIEDS
Campus Sexual Assault BASIC SAFETY GUIDELINES 1. KNOW YOUR LIMITS
Alcohol intoxication can make you significantly more vulnerable to assault by impairing your judgment or inhibiting your ability to physically fight off an attacker.
2. WATCH YOUR DRINKS
Take your drink to the restroom with you, or pour it out before you step outside. Never drink a beverage that has been given to you by someone else, or taken from a communal alcohol source like a punch bowl.
3. TRUST YOUR GUT
If you get a bad feeling about a location or a person, leave immediately. We often subconsciously process body language and other danger indicators without realizing it.
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DATES TO REMEMBER THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY November 23-25, 2017 LABOR DAY CLASSIC Thanksgiving Day C100 CUFFIN SEASON PANEL DISCUSSION November 29, 2017 Pab 114 @7:30PM IRON SHARPENS IRON GENTLEMEN ONLY November 30, 2017 PAB 114 @7PM WINTER COMMENCEMENT December 16, 2017 H&PE Arena @9:30AM
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