Homecoming 2010 Issue

Black Ink

Dedicated to revolutionary media

Looking Behind the Bars

The New “American DREAM”

Hip Hop Nation

Snapshots of Fame

FACEOFF: Serving in Silence

Black Alumni celebrate 30 years

October/November 2010

Black Ink

A Word from your Editor

There’s something about this time of the year that always makes me smile.

The leaves are changing colors, there’s a nice crisp feeling in the air, fall fashion is in full effect and basketball season makes its return back into my life and on campus…yep it’s fall! And with fall, brings one of my favorite events of the year…HOMECOMING! Last year, the Black Ink celebrated homecoming with our 40th birthday. This year, we decided to help another group on campus celebrate their birthday and that’s the Black Alumni Reunion (BAR). 2010 marks BAR’s 30th anniversary and we had to commemorate this occasion of 30 successful homecoming weekends by including it in our annual homecoming edition.

But don’t fret this issue is still as controversial and revolutionary as our successful Fall Preview, which if you missed can be read on our blog at www.uncblackink.wordpress.com! In this page turning issue, you’ll find articles about real, homegrown hip hop, a famous artists making a snap shot appearance in Chapel Hill, the story of the new American ‘DREAM’ and even learn about a fellow Tar Heel who’s fighting for her rights to serve her country as a lesbian.

I have to say, this edition of the Black Ink brings so much to the table and as our readers, you all will gain a better appreciation and understanding for so many different concepts and topics after reading this issue. With this issue, we wanted to bring a sense of bringing everything full circle and getting all the information out and in the open. (And similarly to our last issue, we’re still quitting all the BS!) So, as you read through the pages of this edition of the Black Ink, I hope you learn something you didn’t know before and I want you take that knowledge and share it with someone new!

Peace, love and happy reading.

Kirstin Garriss, Editor-in-Chief

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Black Ink

A Word from your Assistant Editor

3

Hello readers, So, Homecoming is finally here! And you may ask why is Black Ink so hype about it? Could it be the “oh so anticipated” Stepshow? The eight-hour tailgating? Maybe it is simply seeing a sea of Carolina blue move about campus? Or it could be that we just like releasing a Homecoming issue? All these things do add to the excitement that Homecoming offers. But as we welcome back alumni, we can’t help but to recount all the trailblazers that led the way. That is what really gets us excited! It was only 55 years ago that the first three black undergraduate students were admitted to Carolina. And now with diversity as one of the prime focuses of student recruitment, Carolina has never been the same.

With this in mind, the Black Alumni Reunion is commemorating 30 years of reuniting Black UNC students. And Black Ink is happy to be able to help BAR celebrate. Make sure to check out the BAR timeline in this issue, in remembrance of those who paved the way for us.

In this issue you will also get your usual dose of revolutionary media, but since we want to show off a bit to our alumni readers we decided to expand our horizons. Although Black Ink’s original purpose as being the “Voice of Black Liberation” is still our main focus, we also want to explore the different voices of liberation. As Martin Luther King Jr. said “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. Thus, we are addressing various societal issues including those effecting the Hispanic and homosexual community. So continue to flip through these pages and learn more about the DREAM Act, homosexual discrimination, the evolution of the “Hip-Hop Nation” and other controversial matters.

As always, I hope this issue opens your eyes, expands your thoughts, challenges your ideals and charges that inner revolutionary spirit. We thank you for your relentless support as we uphold the success of this publication. And with your help we will continue to represent the Black presence on UNC’s campus through informative and revolutionary media.

Sincerely, Brittany Johnson Assistant Editor

Black Ink

Take a look at National Issues

The New American ‘DREAM’ Jasmine Cogdell

There’s a large probability that there were Hispanics in your elementary, middle or high school. During high school, I can remember talking about college to some of my Latino friends at lunch. We had been friends since elementary school and practically grew up together. Little did I know that one of my friends was not a U.S. citizen. Though, she came to the United States when she was five years old, after graduation she faced the harsh reality of being an immigrant in the U.S. Many young immigrant students who were brought to the United States as minors are protected under U.S law against immigration liabilities and are entitled to public elementary and secondary education.

However, U.S law does not protect or help provide paths toward U.S citizenship for these same students after high school graduation. This is where the DREAM Act comes into play.

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act would provide benefits for immigrant youth who plan to attend college or serve in the U.S military.

It would allow the youth a chance to obtain a higher education and attain U.S citizenship. One downfall is that under the DREAM Act states are not required to provide any additional assistance or financial aid to undocumented students.

This act would grant undocumented students legal status and eventually citizenship if they were brought to the U.S before the age of 16, lived in the U.S for at least five years, obtained a high school degree or GED, completed two years of college or military service and doesn’t have a criminal record.

Members of the North Carolina Society of Hispanic Profession-

4 als (NCSHP) are pushing to get North Carolinian U.S Senators and House of Representatives to support this act. To pass the DREAM Act the support of 60 Senators and 218 House of Representatives will be needed.

Currently neither Senator Burr nor Senator Hagan supports the DREAM Act. Therefore, members of the NCSHP are asking people to send messages to Congress members to get needed support.

Many student advocacy and social groups at N.C. campuses are spreading the word about the DREAM Act. Some members of Duke Students for Humane Borders (DSHB) have been working to raise support for this act. This semester, DSHB students hosted “die-ins” at Duke University, in which they staged deaths and wore signs explaining the act.

On UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus, many Latino/a organizations collaborated to set up a month dedicated to the fight for immigrant rights and raise awareness of Hispanic issues. During Hispanic Heritage Month, members of these organizations put on events such as Latino Food Night at Lenoir to raise awareness of Hispanic culture.

The brothers of La Unidad Latina Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity Incorporated (LUL) volunteered at Fiesta Del Pueblo. Fiesta Del Pueblo is a Latino festival that celebrates and embraces the Latino culture as well as advocate for the DREAM Act. “During this month, we strive to not only bring awareness to issues, such as that of the DREAM Act, but we also try to rectify these problems,” said LUL brother Herrison Chicas.

“There are many bright students out there,” he said. “Yet many Latino individuals are limited because of their lack of documentation.”

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Thursdays: 12:30-2 p.m.

Show your membership at Qdoba and get you food tax free

want to advertise with black ink Contact the Black Ink Advertising committee for more information uncblackink@gmail.com

*Discounts are available for UNC Organizations

Black Ink

The Hip-Hop Nation

The Hip Hop Nation Ari Hines

Hip-hop is more than just a music genre, it is a global community.

For decades hip-hop has been impacting communities around the globe, even communities close to Chapel Hill, like Durham. The Hayti Heritage Community Center in Durham showed a film on October 8th that explored hip-hop’s impact on North Carolina communities and popular culture internationally. The documentary, Words Run Deep, was created by Charles Martin who has been in North Carolina for 16 years.

“Hip-hop maybe the first form of indigenous African-American art,” and has been referred to as the music of the black people. African-Americans do not have the same customs and cultures as people in other countries.

Blacks have embraced and utilized hip-hop as a tool to express interior feelings.

As hip-hop has grown over the years, it has been delegated the role of a scapegoat for the negative portrayal of African-American men. In mainstream hip-hop played on radio stations throughout the United States,

6 African-American men are portrayed as women degraders, drug dealers and “goons”. Although most hip-hop might be viewed as crude, due to its extreme use of profanities and disgusting depictions of women, not all hip-hop is vulgar.

A local rapper, 16, classified his music as “cringe-free entertainment.” Listeners can still get the “hard-edge beats” that lure them into checking a song out without harsh language.

Too often listeners overlook the messages and content of hip-hop music because they are caught up in the beats and rhythms of songs. Content of hiphop music was discussed in the panel that followed the documentary shown at the Hayti Heritage Center. The panelists included Dr. Mark Anthony Neal, a professor of African American Studies at Duke University; Wade Banner, a WQOK 97.5 DJ; Gabriel Clausen, an underground musician and lyricist who goes by the name of Pandomonium; Antwoinne McClendon, the founder and CEO of Flavor Fruit Entertainment and manager of underground artist, 16; and Stephenie McLean, a host and producer of WCOM 103.5.

The speakers challenged consumers of hip-hop music to be responsible listeners. The Federal Communications Commission controls what is heard on the radio, and listeners should be vigilant to determine that what is being played on the radio is not stunting the growth of the people who make up their community.

“I want hip-hop to be as complex as our lives are,” Dr. Neal said challenging the hip-hop community. “I want hip-hop to act its age.”

Hip-hop is not like it was in the “golden era” of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The advancement in technology over

Black Ink

Hip Hop Nation

the years has affected the style of the music.

Does anyone even remember the 8-track?

Young hip-hop listeners may not know what an 8-track is, but they are very familiar with auto-tune. Mainstream artists like Lil’ Wayne and Kanye rely on auto-tune throughout many of their songs.

Technology is not the only factor changing this genre. The love of the art is constantly in combat with the hustle of selling albums. Christopher “Play” Martin from the rap group Kid n Play was interviewed in the documentary.

He said, “We are losing the momentum.” Christopher Martin rapped in the days where house parties were the highlight of everyone’s week.

Will people still remember hip-hop

7 songs that are produced now, like everyone remembers the Sugar Hill Gang who was on Billboard Top 40 in 1979?

It is difficult to determine what the status of hip-hop will be in the future.

The only thing that certain is that hiphop music has grown into a massive, uncontrollable, yet very influential community.

Black Ink

Fashion Commentary

Retail Credit Card Therapy Tia Davis

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F

Even the thriftiest of all fashionistas can fall for the glamour of retail credit cards. Guilty as charged, I am one of them.

In spite of their bad PR seen in editorials and financial new segments, I am here to say credit cards are not evil! Poor management of credit and personal finance, often ensued by immaturity, is what gets shoppers in trouble.

In September, President Obama hosted a White House news conference and discussed the creation of the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

This Fed-independent bureaucracy would aim to dissolve outrageous interest rates and require clarity in credit card fine print.

However, Obama’s progressive efforts shouldn’t create an illusion of bailouts when you max-out at Nordstrom. Complacency is the last thing fashion gurus should fall for, which is second to the hideous trends of last season. As a fellow socially-conscious fashionista, I believe it’s important for us to marry the simultaneous occurrences of financial crisis with financial opportunity. Empower yourself to out-smart the credit card companies.

First, examine the fine print. Retail store cards of-

Black Ink

Fashion Commentary

For the SOCIALLY-­CONSCIOUS

Fashionista ten have rates three times higher than your traditional bank credit cards. With this, stay on top of your payments! Never be late, and always try to pay more than the minimum. Carrying a zerobalance should be your top priority!

efits programs.

The Limited offers a student credit card program that helps to build your credit score while receiving the same benefits as regular card holders.

New York & Company has a non-credit rewards No worries. program that issues $25 coupons for every five consecutive purchases. In addition to these innoYou can still reap all of the fashionable benefits, vative programs, these stores both have amazing such as coupons and free shipping. Credit card threads for the winter season! benefits usually work on a point system based on the total amount of non-taxed dollars spent on Once again, I am encouraging you to do your rethe card. This has nothing to do with how you search. Be bold about asking for miscellaneous pay it off! discounts. You are worth it! I think shoppers would be surprised at what their AAA memberAlso, try to never max your cards out UNLESS ship or student I.D.s could get them. you have the cash to immediately pay it off. High credit limits can be tempting, but your credit Keep these tips in mind when you’re at the score thinks otherwise! This point goes back to check-out counters of your favorite retail chains. carrying a balance of zero.

Credit cards themselves don’t bite, but the misuse of them can and will hurt your personal fiAbove all, if any of this financial verbatim seems nance. So, engage yourself in a little retail credit utterly confusing to you, don’t rush into a rela- card therapy. tionship with a retail credit card. Credit cards truly create long-term relationships and aren’t As always, don’t fall for the hype and happy shopfor everyone. Over the last few years, retail stores ping, fashionistas! of all markets have acknowledged this and have created both credit-friendly and non-credit ben- With love, Tia “Tish” Davis

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Black Ink

Taking a Look at Social Justice

Behind Bars Lauren Houston

Poems, short stories, pictures and paintings that told insightful thoughts and stories lined the walls and filled the tables of the Queen Ann Faculty Lounge in the Campus Y. They all came from youth in various juvenile detention centers.

10 CJAA Meetings When Every Monday at 7 p.m.

Where Campus Y Co-Chairs Amber Koonce and Bianca Bell

The exhibit captured the interest “A lot of the American philosophy and concern of dozens of students concerning prison centers around punishment, even though juvenile at UNC-Chapel Hill. detention centers are supposed to The Criminal Justice Action focus on reform,” Koonce said.

Awareness (CJAA) organization collected these materials to educate According to the Durham County others about the Justice System Youth Home website, the home and bring attention to the environ- demonstrates its rehabilitative efments within the centers that either forts by offering different programs inspire or hinder the youth in their such as anger management, substance abuse and street law. The expression. home also offers an educational “It was very enlightening as well supplement taught by a teacher and as motivating because it allowed teacher’s assistant. The educational me to see the struggle that the kids supplement and the programs are were going through,” said UNC designed to meet the needs of the sophomore Public Policy major youth. However, those students Mycal Brickhouse. who volunteer think otherwise.

The poems and stories of the youth were about their hopes, dreams, regrets and misfortunes, but the most noticeable aspect of these writings was the quality. The majority of the pieces that were written by 14-17 year olds appeared to be the work of six year olds.

Additionally, many of the pictures contained images of the youth’s living conditions of various levels, depending on where they were detained. Scotland had the best conditions, Durham, N.C., with the second best and Ghana, the worst, said Co-Chair Amber Koonce of CJAA who has also volunteered at youth facilities in each country.

“The programs are more for show,” said Bianca Bell, co-chair of CJAA. “When we go there, those programs are seldom spoken of and classes are optional, which shows that education isn’t the primary concern for being there.”

CJAA wants to implement a tutoring program and multiple group visits per week, but the home limits the number of volunteers that can come at one time making it difficult to start these initiatives.

UNC History

The Power to Change Toyosi Oyelowo

1970 marked the turning point in the inclusion of African Americans into the undergraduate curriculum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During a time of deep segregation and racism across the nation and at the University, students of the UNC Black Student Movement demanded their own network of peace, protection, and security. While the struggle for this network was accompanied with many boycotts, pickets, and strikes, we acknowledge today the progress made and commemorate the department that studies the unforgettable experiences and cultures of Africans and African Americans.

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would change, “Things but there’d be much

“

Black Ink

pain before it came.

and successes in the creation of the department. These individuals strived to be the last at the University to revolt against the opposition in a supposed desegregated environment. Yet, they understood, as Lewis so eloquently stated, “things would change, but there’d be much pain before it came.” Despite the pain that accompanied the creation of the department, these black student movers and shakers used their courage and vision to dispel the igOn October 14, 2010, at the 40th norance and hate of the Afri/Afam anniversary celebration of the Af- culture. rican and African American (Afri/ Among others who were inspired Afam) Studies Department, Evand motivated by their reflections, elyn A. Lewis, Abdullah Salim, and Genna Rae McNeil, professor in Townsend Ludington, three of the the History Department, is proud few UNC activists who helped start to know that, “even in a nation the preservation of our lineage, rethat for centuries devalued things turned to reflect on the struggles black, these young people insisted that they have the opportunity to learn and demanded this because they understood the worth of African and African American studies.” While students, such as Amber Koonce, a junior African and African American Studies minor, were “grateful for the opportunity to listen to living history speak.”

But whether its history, her story, or our story, we must learn from it all and unite as one movement to address the ongoing struggles that still plague the Chapel Hill and national societies.

Current UNC students who interacted with the Panel. Back Row from left to right Camile Jones, Toyosi Oyelowo, Townsend Ludington, Evelyn A. Lewis, Kristen Maye, Abdullah Salim, Eric Campbell, Amber Koonce, and Tina Kawatu. Front Row from left to right Bianca Bell, Sarah Stanfield, Dianna Houenou.

Black Ink

Music Commentary

Welcome to the 9th Wonder of the World Olivia Hart

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Stepping into Duke University’s Nasher Museum of Art’s newest exhibit called The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl, visitors might wonder about the crates full of old vinyl albums that line the main wall. To an outsider, these collections may appear to be nothing more than that: just boxes of old albums. But to the artists, including North Carolinian hip-hop musician 9th Wonder, who own these assortment of vinyls, these albums represent the sources of inspiration for many of their works.

current National Ambassador for Hip Hop Relations and Popular Culture for the NAACP. Today 9th Wonder uses samples from Soul of a Beatmaker, as well as from other records he has collected, to create new hip-hop beats.

Although his music includes samples from mostly 70’s Black funk and soul artists, such as Curtis Mayfield, Roberta Flack, and The Brothers Johnson, 9th Wonder reintroduces the artists to a new generation by producing beats that can still be enjoyed by today’s youth.

Growing up in North Carolina, Patrick “9th Wonder” Douthit was constantly surrounded by music. Being exposed at a young age to everything from pop to funk to gospel, 9th Wonder began to characterize each member of his extended family as a popular artist from one of these genres.

His Soul of a Beatmaker, a collection he calls “my dear aunties and uncles, my family, and my soul,” is currently on display at the Nasher Museum as part of the “Cover to Cover” album project in The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl. This installation project, which includes the album collections of ten featured artists, allows visitors to examine the album art and listen to each of the vinyl records in order to better understand the story that is told by the cover visuals. 9th Wonder’s collection, which will remain on display as part of the exhibit until February 6, 2011, should certainly give those interested in the foundations of hip-hop insight into the complex history of the genre.

After listening to these musical styles throughout his youth and into adulthood, 9th Wonder soon realized the artists in these genres formed the foundations of hip-hop, similarly to the way aunts, uncles, and other relatives form the basis for a family tree.

Throughout the years, 9th Wonder compiled records into a collection and he entitled it Soul of a Beatmaker.

Now he is a prominent DJ, Grammy award-winning producer, college lecturer at North Carolina Central University and Duke University and the

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The 43rd Annual Coronation Ball of the Black Student Movement Presents:

ONYX

AN OPPULENT OCCAISION

Come experience an elegant, classy affair with your peers, staff and alumni

Friday Nov. 12, 2010 8-­12 pm

Carolina Club (Alumni Center)

Ticket sales start Monday, Oct. 25 in the pit

Black Ink

Art & Culture

Flashes of Genius Warhol’s Polaroids are at the Ackland Art Museum Kerri Kearse

The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe and Che Guevara are just a few of the famous faces artist Andy Warhol has portrayed with his trippy surrealist factory prints.

And, of course, who can forget those Campbell’s soup cans? But what most people don’t realize is that Warhol’s artistic brilliance extended to film and photography as well.

From October 2 to January 2, 2011, The Ackland Art Museum at UNC will be hosting an exhibit called Big Shots: Andy Warhol Polaroids featuring 250 of the Pop Master’s Polaroids and 70 of his black-and-white gelatin photographs.

The Polaroids -- ranging from The Last Supper’s figurines to ‘70s pop singer Carly Simon -- appear to be experiments in the aesthetics of posture, with a series of models making subtle position changes.

The most fascinating pieces in the exhibit, by far, are the black and whites gelatin shots. Arranged in a photomontage pattern dominating two walls, these photographs make the viewer feel like they are getting a glimpse into the day-to-day life of Warhol. There are shots of Warhol’s friend, the world-renowned African artist Jean-Michel Basquiat playing with his dog, the exterior of a stunning neo-Gothic cathedral in New York City, an old man cruising down the street in an electric wheelchair, and several im-

14 Film Schedule November 18 Chelsea Girls (Andy Warhol, 1966)

November 20 Midnight Cowboy (John Schlesinger, 1969)

December 2 Basquiat (Julian Schnabel, 1996)

December 4 Empire with a live musical accompaniment (Andy Warhol, 1964)

ages of celebrity friends at a party. While the subjects of the gelatin photographs sound simple enough, Warhol’s use of light and shadows turn them from ordinary documentary pieces into stunning and dramatic works of art.

If this exhibit isn’t enough for die-hard Warholics, there is another exhibit running concurrently at the museum entitled Enduring Likeness, which features four of Warhol’s famous outlandish popculture portraits as a part of a tribute to the centuries old tradition of immortalizing important social figures in art. On Saturday, November 6, 2010 there will be a benefit gala for the Ackland Art Museum with a Silver Factory theme in honor of the Warhol exhibit.

Also, the museum is hosting the ArtNow/CinemaNow Film Series, which will screen films at the Varsity Theater on Franklin Street, by Warhol and other filmmakers who sought to capture the wild excitement, passion, and creativity of the New York City arts scene in the late 1960s.

Big Shots is not an exhibit to miss. It has more than enough subtlety and depth to satisfy seasoned art-lovers and enough visual drama and celebrities to attract newcomers to Warhol’s work. Between his gelatins and his Polaroids, Warhol proves his artistic genius in this extensive collection 320 more than times.

More information on the Andy Warhol exhibit and other upcoming events that the museum will host can be found at www.ackland.org.

Black Ink

A New Look at Social Media

The Digital Revolution Kandace Watkins

Through the international popularity of social media, it has become easy to spread information and ideas. As members of this social media generation we can receive breaking information instantly. We are more connected globally than ever before. We can efficiently and affordably communicate to anyone in the world at anytime because of social media.

Many people have bashed the impact of social media and have criticized its use; however, I believe social media is changing our world and could facilitate social justice movements.

Example one: The 2009 Iranian election. This election spurred many protests in the major cities of Iran, where dissatisfied Iranians decorated themselves in green and marched the streets to protest the unjust election and political process. The “Green Revolution” was born from these demonstrations, but what made this movement so powerful was its use of social media; it was often referred to as the “Twitter Revolution.”

People in Iran were using their cell phone cameras to record the demonstrations and share their experiences with the world and express their discontent. As videos and pictures spread through Twitter and Facebook, the world had the ability to experience the revolution with the people of Iran. The videos and pictures captured military and police brutality against the demonstrators. The people of the Green Revolution used social media to humanize the election and connect to the world.

Social media has the power to connect people from around the world almost instantly. Photos, videos, and thoughts can go viral across the web in a matter of seconds. The potential to strengthen the voice of the neglected and the unnoticed is what makes social media such an impactful tool. An organization

15 or person has the ability to communicate with the world in real time. Our generation has the potential to harness this connectivity to ignite change.

The 2009 Green Revolution used social media to foster international support and recognition. The people were able to express their anger and dissatisfaction against the government and the election. Social media pushed the revolution into the media because the people had the ability to tell their own stories, take their own pictures and record their own videos. The Green Revolution was proactive in its effort to gain positive awareness and defend social justice.

Social media has transcended from being simply pointless chatter and picture tagging. Now, one can use social media to spread a message to connect the world and spark change. Groups that are silent and unnoticed have the potential to create a voice and garner the support they need.

Black Ink

Don’t Ask Dont Tell

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FACE

Gay, queer, “faggot”, fruitcake, homo or “obviously confused individual” are just some of the slang terms or phrase used to describe the human beings that are politically known as homosexuals. Aside from the stereotypical flamboyant male or the super “butch” female that may cross our paths every once in awhile, it is sometimes hard to distinguish between those individuals who prefer same-sex relationships and those who are heterosexual. With this basic ideology in mind, I will present the various reasons I strongly contest the U.S. policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” This completely irrational guideline bans openly gay and lesbian men and women from serving in the military.

The one feature of this regulation that I consider most important, yet is the most overlooked, is the fact that individuals excluded from military service are undoubtedly United States citizens. Therefore, it seems logical that comparable to the rest of the population these homosexual citizens should have the same opportunity to serve their country, regardless of their sexual preference. For the cliché purpose of quoting the context of every high school American history-textbook, I will present the argument that our Constitution was originally developed to ensure that individuals would no longer I believe that Isaacson, as have to unjustly compromise their freedoms. Now riddle me this … is this well as all other homosexusituation not one of those instances of injustice?

al soldiers, has the physical But aside from the whole historical ideology involving the Constitution, the capacity to fight to the same Founding Fathers, etc., I’d like to address the fact that this policy is signifi- extent as anyone else. cantly affecting our local community, which further propels my opposition.

Fellow Tar Heel and former member of UNC ROTC Sara Isaacson made the brave decision to come out to her commander, which led to her dismissal from the organization and the loss of her $80,000 ROTC scholarship. In my opinion, this entire situation is bizarre and completely unnecessary. I believe that Isaacson, as well as all other homosexual soldiers, has the physical capacity to fight to the same extent as anyone else. Her open expression of her sexual preference does not change her ability to be a soldier.

Overall, the primary concern that the military forces should more closely examine goes beyond their undercover methods of discrimination. Instead, they should decide whether it is better to have a homosexual fight to serve our country or have no one available to serve at all. In light of this situation, I hope that as Americans pledge allegiance to “one nation under God” it will be a unified nation that eventually becomes stronger and everlasting.

Black Ink

OFF

Serving in Silence

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Kirstin Garriss – When you joined ROTC, what were your thoughts about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”?

Sara Issacson – “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) was always something that I thought was wrong and unfair and unjust, and through high school and researching the military but it wasn’t something that I felt like was going to affect me personally or something that I disagreed with enough that I was not going to join the military in protest of this policy.

KG – What made you decide to come out to your commander?

This past month, I had the opportunity to have a chat with Sara Issacson, a fellow Tar Heel, who’s fighting for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Issacson recently lost her $80,000 ROTC scholarship when she came out about her homosexuality to her commander. Black Ink wanted to share just a little bit of her story and her fight.

SI – I came out to my commander because I felt like I was no longer able to live with integrity and integrity is one of the seven army values. And those are the things that are supposed to drive every soldier 24/7 whether you’re in the uniform or not, you don’t get to chose whether or not you live by those values. And I felt like DADT was putting me in a position where I wasn’t able to live by those values. So I came out to him so I was no longer lying to my commanding officers, my peers, people who are looking up to me. And also looking forward to my career as an officer, I was going to be a platoon leader and lying to my soldiers who I was entrusted to lead every single day and I wasn’t ok with the thought that asking these soldiers to trust me with so much as their leader and that I was going to be lying to them all the time so how can I really expect them to trust me, if I was always lying.

KG – And did you think there were going to be any consequences?

SI – I had done some very thorough research before I came out to my command. And I knew that I would almost certainly be disenrolled as a cadet and that there was a possibility that I would have to repay any scholarship money I had received.

KG – What happened after that?

SI – In the meeting where I came out to my commander, he let me know that I would be disenrolled as a cadet and that I would no longer be expected at any of the training or classes.

And also informed me that he would recommend that I had to pay back the scholarship.

Black Ink

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

KG – Who is your support system group?

SI - I’ve had a really wide support network. I have Terri Phoenix and Danny from the LGBTQ…and then I have a really great support network of friends, my roommate from has last year has been really supportive, my family’s been supportive. I’ve also been able to get a lot of support from non-profit organizations that do work to repeal DADT. KG – what have you done to speak your mind about the issue?

SI – I think that talking to the media and telling my story is one way of advocating for the repeal of the policy. The more people that I’m able to reach with my story, I think the more impact it has because so many people don’t think about it and… they don’t get to see or hear from the people who are impacted it. There are approximately 14,000 who have been discharged but there’s also the 4,000 people every year who chose not to reenlist because of DADT, there’s the 66,000 people who are currently serving in silence.

And particularly the 66,000 who are not able to hear from because they risk their careers by speaking out so I hope that I’m speaking out for them and opening people’s eyes. I’ve also been doing some political work.

I’ve been to D.C. three times in the past couple of

18 months to lobby and meet with staffers and members of Congress to show them what the concrete harms are to having this policy and this law and why Congress needs to act to repeal this law.

KG – What do you think of the status of the laws right now?

SI – Where the law is right now, it’s really hard to make a prediction on what’s going to happen moving forward. The hope is that during the lame duck session, once the Senate comes back after the midterms that they will vote on the National Defense Authorization Act and leave the repeal of DADT in tack and won’t change it from the language that’s currently attached to that bill. However, no one’s able to predict what’s going to happen during lame duck and they were able to vote at the end of September and move that bill forward to debate on the floor and that did not get the 60 votes that it needed to move forward so I’m unsure of how optimistic to be about repeal.

KG – Ok, so thinking of the future, what do you want to have happen within the next year or two?

SI – I want DADT bill to be repealed and I want to go back into the military and I want to serve as an officer.

Black  Ink

Serving in Silence

KG – Anything else you’d like to share with Black Ink about this issue and your story?

SI – I think what’s really important for people to understand is that DADT is more than just a not being able to sit down with your peers or friends or colleagues and say explicated that you’re gay. It’s really something that affects you every day because people who are straight have the opportunity to come out in all sorts of subtle ways they may not realize.

They’re able to talk to their partner at work without worrying about what name or pronoun they’re using, they’re able to have a picture of their partner on their desk at work. The military is supposed to be a family, your unit is supposed to be your family. The military life is something very stressful, on service members as well as on their families and the military has a great support system and support network in place to deal with that, that the partners of members of the LGB service members are not allowed to access. So that puts an additional burden on the service members on their families KG – Thank you again for talking with me. **Black Ink

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BREAKING NEWS

--- October 12, 2010 3:39:11 PM RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- A federal judge has issued a nationwide injunction stopping enforcement of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, ending the military's 17-year-old ban on openly gay troops.

U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips' landmark ruling Tuesday was widely cheered by gay rights organizations that credited her with getting accomplished what President Obama and Washington politics could not.

U.S. Department of Justice attorneys have 60 days to appeal. Legal experts say they are under no legal obligation to do so and they could let Phillips' ruling stand.

For more information, visit washingtonpost.com

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Black Ink Release Party

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Back to Basics

Where R

Cafe Beyond

Thursday, September 30, 2010 11pm -­ 1am $5 all night

Come out for the first release party for the Black In and we’ll go back to the basics with black and wh supplies at the party to donate to New Horizons A Magazine will be released at 12:30!

Photography by John Daniels and Graham Mulvaney

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Where Revolution meets Reality

Revolution meets Reality

nk Magazine. It’ll be classy, it’ll be chic hite attire. And we’ll be collecting school Academy of Excellence in Durham, NC.

y

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Black Ink

Black Alumni Reunion

BAR

1980s

Ebony Shamburger

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Can you believe it? … Duke push for a black alumni assoinfluenced the making of Car- ciation by black graduates that olina’s BAR. resulted in the 1980 establishment of the Black Alumni ReHow is that so? union.

According to UNC-Chapel Hill graduate Paula Newsome, at Duke University, black alumni had been invited to attend its homecoming, but not at UNC-CH. This led to the

For the first BAR, Angela Bryant and Richard Epps, board members of the General Alumni Association, helped with the planning of BAR. Later, in 1981, Johnnie Southerland began hosting alumni reunion parties. This year marks its 30th anniversary!

Former 1983 and 1984 BAR co-chair, Phillip McAlpin, compares BAR’s first celebrations to more current ones.

“We were struggling to get the critical mass,” he said. “”We had to buy everything and lug it from one location to the next.”

During the 12 years that McAlpin helped plan the BAR, he said that banquets were held at the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and Lenoir Hall.

In addition, he said that BAR used to have seminars on African-American issues, such as health, education, political community building and economic development in the black community. One of his most fond memories is when

Black Ink

Black Alumni Reunion

“ Because of the amaz-

ing people, the great fellowshipping, and a wonderful network of people that really try to continue that bond.

“

– Charity Bell, UNC ’88

BAR members Dr. Jon Regis Charity Bell, enjoyed the many and Dr. Allen Mask held an events and activities that fostered fellowship. This includes informative health seminar. gatherings at football games, Since BAR was created, its cel- step shows, Saturday night dances and tailgating events. ebrations have changed “It’s more fellowship [now],” “I thoroughly had a great UNC-CH Alumna Jackie Ed- time,” Bell said. “If I had it my wards Walton said. “It’s not way, I would come every year.” quite as educational.”

Though she’s only been able Walton has attended 26 re- to make it to a few reunions, unions. She remembers when due to her busy work schedule the reunions were held in Sep- and personal obligations, Bell tember, instead of October, is marveled by the rich tradiand BAR members used to tional history of the event. stay at Granville Towers.

Reflecting on BAR’s most fond In 1988, black alumni created memories the BAR committee during a strategic planning session to Former BAR co-chair, Miimprove its structure. From chael Moseley, said that his this meeting, the BAR’s mis- most memorable reunion was sion was made: Bring together in 1989. He emphasized that all black alumni for a weekend more people said they would of fun, enrichment and fel- come during homecoming, so that’s when he and his colowship. chair, Johnnie Southerland, A UNC-CH graduate of 1988, planned them.

23 “The main thing is that we wanted more people to come,” he said.

At the NC Mutual Insurance Company in Durham, Moseley and Southerland merged their contacts to plan a more formal BAR. These plans were made easier by the General Alumni Association’s staff and financial assistance in 1989.

From this planning, the BAR turn-out increased from about 200 to 800 people. It also led to the formal presentation of the Harvey E. Beech Award, which was first presented to Harvey Beech, the first African-American to get a UNCCH degree.

“We worked to bring back black first,” Moseley said.

He acknowledged black first as a reference to some of the first black students enrolled or admitted to UNC-CH, including John Brandon, Ralph and LeRoy Frasier, Kenneth Lee and Karen Parker.

“And all of them came, which was amazing,” he said.

Walton said that her favorite BAR was when Karen Parker talked about her loneliness at Carolina as a female black stu-

Black Ink

Black Alumni Reunion

dent. She also admires the warm environment that BAR provides former graduates.

According to Walton, the BAR influenced 1964 UNC-CH graduate Edith Mayfield Wiggins to return to Carolina. After Wiggins graduated she detached herself from the university. However, after Wiggins’ attended BAR she later came back again in the ‘80s.

So, why should future black graduates attend BAR? Bells said, “Because of the amazing people, the great fellowshipping, and a wonderful network of

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people that really try to continue that bond.”

Information for this article was gathered from alumni.unc.edu and the Black Alumni Reunion History.

Special thanks to Charity Bell, Phillip McAlpin, Michael Moseley, Tanea Pettis, Charles Waddell and Jackie Edwards Walton. Your contributions made this timeline possible.

For more information about the Black Alumni Reunion visit their facebook page and the General Alumni Association website.

Black Ink

BAR

1990s

Briana and Averi Harper

Black Alumni Reunion The 1990s was a prosperous time— the end of the Soviet Union, the advent of the internet and significant expansion of BAR.

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dates the UNC experience.” It is also a time for alumni to share their experiences at UNC with current undergraduate students.

Joy Paige ’85 and leader of 1995’s reunion mentioned, “As chairStarting in 1992 and lasting person I really wanted black throughout the 1990s, the Black alumni to come back to be menAlumni Reunion had record- tors to undergraduate students.” breaking participation. With the number of alumni steadily In the 1990s BAR brought Black increasing, BAR got bigger and alumni back to campus in record better. In 1992, BAR created a numbers. The Carolina Firsts networking booklet that con- program brought some of the tained information on careers, first black students back to the internships, and mentoring pro- University despite the fact that grams. In 1996, BAR hosted its many of them vowed never to first Partner Lunch, which al- return. Harris said “It was a very lows numerous undergraduates powerful and emotional proto connect with alumni. In 1997, gram that set the tone for the reBAR hosted its first golf tourna- union. It allowed many students ment. In 1999, BAR even had an (past and present) to discuss how official host hotel for all alumni the Southern Part of Heaven at participants. The list of expan- times seemed like the southern sions and improvements to the part of hell.” homecoming celebration is unending.

The 1990s was a definite success for BAR thanks to the leaders With all the new programming that organized and alumni that added to BAR during the 90s, participated. The homecoming BAR leaders never lost sight of the celebrations allowed black alumtrue purpose of the reunion. It is ni to celebrate the unique experia weekend that allows alumni to ence of being a black student at reminisce about college days and UNC. network with each other. Rodney Harris ’91 and leader of 1999’s reunion said, “It’s an opportunity for networking, making connections, and seeing friends from 20 years ago…. All members of BAR can connect and this vali-

Black Ink

Black Alumni Reunion

BAR

2000s

Julia Craven and Kirstin Garriss

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The new millennium brought twice as many people to the Black Alumni Reunion and even more new innovations to the weekend celebrations.

The year 2001 kicked the start of several major events happening on campus – all of which BAR made sure they were apart of! In July 2001, BAR celebrated the 50th anniversary of the integration of UNC Chapel Hill after the Supreme Court case McKissick v. Carmichael and the first black students admitted into the Law School – both major accomplishments in Chapel Hill’s history. Closing the year in November, BAR discussed Carolina’s excellence in diversity and how UNC was ranked #1 in diversity in an article by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

2003 brought much excitement as much anticipation grew for the opening of the Sonja Hayes

Black Alumni Reunion

Stone Center for Black Culture and History and the now annual Partner Lunch with alumni and current students continued to be a success. As the years continued, Black alumni wanted to do much for students and The Light on the Hill Society scholarship began at the 2005 Black Alumni Reunion.

Alumni were challenged by organizers to contribute $1,952 each, which represented the 1952 class of Harvey Beech, UNC’s first black graduate, in order to become founding members of the scholarship fund. Since 2005, more than 300 Carolina alumni and friends have donated to the fund. The Light on the Hill Society Scholarship serves as a tribute to Carolina’s earliest African-American graduates and as a means for alumni to support African-American first year students who exhibit academic excellence and the potential to contribute while at Carolina and after graduation.

In 2006, a few members of BAR decided to honor those who came before them and the UNC Black Pioneers were created. The purpose of the group was to reunite African American graduates who attend UNC between 1952 and1970. This includes more than 300 UNC grads of which 270 are still living.

“While some of the individuals had returned to the University’s annual Black Alumni Reunion,” said Wade Chestnut, UNC 1966. “There was a desire to have this group of early pioneers return to campus for a celebration of all that being a Carolina graduate meant during the years as a student as well as in their professional lives.”

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“ It is with great pride and joy to see

for subsequent to that period, there have been thirty occasions when African American alumni have come together for reuniting and reminiscing of their time at Carolina.

“

Black Ink

– Wade Chestnut, UNC 1966

The Black Pioneers is still a new addition to the BAR family but in its fourth year, the group has continued to sponsor a successful annual banquet for pioneers. The group has an active membership and hopes to grow in the future years. “The group is looking to expand the scope of its activities with the idea of supporting Black student organizations on campus throughout the school year,” Chestnut said.

Closing the era of the new millennium, the summer of 2009 brought Project Uplift 40th Anniversary Celebration, which was held July 10-11, 2009. Project Uplift is a special program that enables high-achieving rising seniors to experience college life at Carolina and was designed for students from minority communities including first-generation college students and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Project Uplift creator, Kelley Alexander said, “I am extremely impressed by what the people at Carolina after me did with the program. It’s expanded...when I found out that Uplift was still running at Carolina 40 years later, I was flabbergasted. I was flabbergasted simply because most things don’t last that long.”

The year 2010 BAR celebrates its 30th anniversary and there’s no telling what the future might hold for Black Alumni at this university.

Executive Board Kirstin Garriss Brittany Johnson Ebony Shamburger Kandace Watkins Shana Smith Averi Harper Briana Harper

-‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐

Editor-‐in-‐Chief Assistant Editor-‐in-‐Chief Copy Editor PR Coordinator Ad Committee Chair Blog Master Alumni Relations

Graphic Designer Jeffrey Sullivan

Contributing Writers Meah Barrington Kourtney Bradshaw Jasmine Cogdell Julia Craven Tia Davis Matthew Eades Ari Hines Lauren Houston Olivia Hart Kerri Kearse Jessica Kirby Mariah Monsanto Jasmine Nesi Toyosi Oyelowo Helin Park Charnelle Wilson Warren Wyatt

Photographers Lee Chapman John Daniels DJ Latham Graham Mulvaney Portia Polk

Interested in joining the Black Ink Family? Contact Kirstin Garriss at uncblackink@gmail.com for more information

Our mission remains: “If Blackness can be trans-‐ formed into pictures and words, we intend to do so, by any means necessary.” *The Black Ink is a recognized publication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This is-‐ sue was paid for, in part, by student activity fees. **If you have questions or concerns about the Black Ink please email uncblackink@gmail.com