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Thursday, November 3, 2011
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Issue 54 I N D E P E N D E N T
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Africa Week hits I-House, promotes diversity Kyle Turner News Editor In keeping with UT’s emphasis on diversity, African Students Association (ASA) is hosting a week of events to highlight different aspects of the African continent. “UT talks about diversity, but many times forgets about those smaller groups on campus,” Fiona Njororai, president of the African Students Association and junior in accounting and information management, said. “We want people to know we have a voice and sometimes feel left out and help bridge that gap between African students and UT.” Africa Week at UT is aimed at raising awareness through the sharing of cultural differences while still focusing on inclusion. “We want people to realize that diversity is a good thing” Njororai said. “We are trying to get rid of the stigma and help people celebrate their identity with the incorporation of UT students.” The planned events highlight many African nations with Somalia and Sudan being the focal points. This year’s theme is “Two Nations, One Struggle,” in light of South Sudan’s recent independence. “South Sudan, being a new country, is able to reap the fruits of their labor,” Njororai said. “Somalia will one day be able to rise up and overcome their struggles and gain true independence.” The event Wednesday focused specifically on Somalia and Sudan with speakers and authentic dishes provided to attendees. According to Sudi Issak, fundraising chair of ASA and sophomore in biology and business, the event helped show aspects of African culture that are rarely seen by most people.
Highlighting two nations specifically helped to emphasize Africa as a diverse continent and not just one large group. “We want to make sure people understand the differences,” Issak said. “Most think of one Africa. We share similarities but really have individual cultures.” This Tuesday, the I-House hosted an evening of jewelry and sambus making. A sambus is an East African dish of pastry dough filled with meat, vegetables and spices. Attendees thoroughly enjoyed making the challenging yet delicious sambus. “I wanted to try something new and step out of my comfort zone,” Wardy Watkins, junior in psychology, said. “I love cooking and wanted to learn how to make a new dish. Events like these are something I would consider coming back for.” Brightly colored necklaces and bracelets were made as well to highlight the life and vibrancy that is many times overlooked when thinking of African culture. A wide range of students and community members attended Tuesday’s event. Macedonians, Bulgarians, Colombians, Kenyans, Somalis and many other nationalities turned out to experience another culture. On Thursday, students will have the option to attend a panel hosted by ASA to cap off UT’s Africa Week at the I-House. The event is a discussion-based program that aims to bring a focus to the issue of human trafficking. Human Trafficking 101 will take place at 6:30 p.m. and will cover the issues of identifying human trafficking, forms of human trafficking and the thriving sex slave industry that persists in much of the world. Wade Rackley • The Daily Beacon All students are encouraged to attend Students play music before the beginning of ceremonies celebrating 50 years of this event as well as future ASA meeting for African-American achievement on Monday, Jan. 31. This week, the African Students those interested in learning about Africa. Association is hosting events promoting African diversity around campus.
SAA promotes respect of UT’s seal Kyle Turner News Editor
George Richardson • The Daily Beacon
A dead bird lies on a football programs booth outside Neyland Stadium on Monday, Oct. 24.
Run With Bulls mixes blues, rock Caroline Snapp Staff Writer Run With Bulls, a band based out of Nashville, is playing at the Longbranch Saloon Thursday night at 10 p.m. The band, which could be categorized as a throwback band, looks forward to performing on the Strip again. “We’ve played Knoxville twice now, Preservation Pub and the Longbranch,” Brad Sample, the band’s lead guitar player and manager, said. “Both shows we had a blast. We love playing Knoxville — pretty good crowds who just don’t seem to want you to stop playing! We love that. Hoping that we have a great crowd of rowdy people wanting to hear some good tunes this time around as well.” The band is composed of guitarist and vocalist Sample, bassist Chris James and drummer Philip Turner. Formed in the spring of 2009, the band has been touring all over the country.
“We have played in about a million venues all over America, from The Gramercy Theatre in New York City, to Cardinal Stadium opening up for Joan Jett, to little dives from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean,” Sample said. Their love for old rock ‘n’ roll comes through in their music. The band’s first studio album, “Brand New Tongue,” has a classic rock feel with some blues undertones. Besides classic rock, the band members have a multitude of musical influences. “From Dwight Yoakam to Lauryn Hill to Radiohead, and I think we incorporate a little bit of it all into our music,” Sample said. “I know Chris James loves the Black Crows, Philip is a huge fan of J. Roddy Walston and The Business and Coldplay, and my favorite musician pretty much ever is a Nashville cat named Buddy Miller.” Although the band has been successfully working together since 2009, the band
was somewhat formed by accident. Sample met Chris James in 2007 at an illadvised practice for an old band. “We needed a bass player really bad,” Sample said. “He showed up and I was pretty sure I was not going to like him.” Sample did like James, and the pair has been making music together ever since. Philip Turner was added to the band in a similar way. After the three finally came together, their musical chemistry was evident. “Chris and I had been playing together for a few years and ended up being without a drummer for a gig the very next day,” Sample said. “I met Philip through a mutual friend, found out he played drums, said he was hired, and I hoped for the best. I planned on firing him as soon as we were done with the gigs, but he fit so well and played with such conviction that we all decided to officially form a band with the three of us after only a few months of playing together.”
The Student Alumni Association (SAA) has embarked on a mission to reinforce and remind students of the meaning behind the university’s seal. “The UT seal represents our university, everything it was founded upon,” Alex Mullins, alumni liaison for SAA and senior in logistics, said. “So many people on campus don’t have any idea what our seal is made up of or its history, don’t even know what it looks like or don’t have any respect for it whatsoever. Our purpose is to bring this to people’s attention and provide information on the seal and why we want to ‘save it.’” Students may have noticed representatives from SAA standing near the seal handing out literature about this ongoing campaign titled “Students Saving the Seal.” The handouts are urging all students not to tread on tradition. The seal, currently flanked by orange cones, is a emblem of pride that should be valued, according to alumni members. “So many universities have such respect for their seal that it is enshrined or people respect it enough to walk around it,” Mullins said. “That is what SAA would like to see happen here at UT. We want a university-wide respect for this great symbol of our university.” Most freshmen learn the superstition that graduation will be delayed to all those who walk across the seal. This notion has served as the impetus for students to brazenly cross the seal daily. “I think one of the most important things about this campaign is reframing the issue,” Daniel Aycock, senior
in accounting and member of SAA, said. “Not walking across the seal will hopefully be out of respect of UT and what the seal stands for.” The seal, though changed over the years, is meant to represent enlightenment, peace and science, incorporating the words “agriculture” and “commerce.” “To me, the seal represents the exchange of ideas and the core values of what a university is supposed to stand for,” Aycock said. For the greatest exposure, SAA has intentionally chosen to kick off this campaign during Homecoming Week to bring visibility to students, faculty, alumni and community members. “We want this to be a test run, and our ultimate goal is to have this event every Welcome Week and to partner with many different student organizations on campus to provide T-shirts and other items about saving our seal,” Mullins said. SAA, which is composed of students from many areas of campus, hopes to make lasting partnerships with other organizations in an effort to increase awareness for the seal and reach as many students as possible in the hopes of starting a new tradition. The group plans on distributing T-shirts and other media to help get their message known. Wednesday through Friday, students can speak to SAA representatives at the seal for more details on the campaign. “SAA’s motto is ‘Students serving students — past, present and future.’” The seal is something that has tied together Volunteers for over 200 years,” Mullins said. “It is a common bond that all ages of students have, regardless of things like religions, political beliefs, etc. The seal represents what makes the university so great.”