want to be an ally,” Nelson said. That evening, Black Student Union members and supporters gathered at the ALANA Cultural Center to continue the day’s observance with a discussion of “Political and Economic Power through Solidarity.”
Basil Childers
Dylan cover concert for peace
Zagat highlighted Slices (aka Hamilton’s New York Pizzeria) as one of the “10 pizza joints in the U.S. that are worth some travel time,” noting its “pillowy, bubbly upper crust covered with the most satisfying ratio of sweet tomato sauce to salty mozzarella.”
come barriers that separate people. Some called out to passing students to join the speak-out and to recognize issues of race faced by minorities. “You are not students of color, you are Colgate students,” said Thomas Cruz-Soto, associate dean for multicultural affairs. “This is your Colgate.” Vice President and Dean of the College Suzy Nelson told the group that the students’ experiences were difficult to hear, but that listening to those who have been the target of overt or subtle racism is important. “I don’t want to be silent, and I do
Brown bag Thanksgiving misgivings
Natalie Sportelli ’15
fore Election Day as a time for people of African descent and supporters to abstain from social, political, and economic activities in peaceful protest. “White privilege is an issue on campus,” said Black Student Union President Imani ‘Yellow’ Shabazz ’13, who took to the podium and talked about being ignored by a group of white students during an interaction with a white friend of hers. “How do you act like you do not see us?” Shabazz asked, adding that the encounter gave her a greater awareness of the issue of race and racism. “Sometimes it has to be put in your face to be aware of it.” Black Student Union Co-vice President Drea Finley ’13 shared an experience from her first year when a white student told her after class that she was smarter than he had expected. “I asked if it was because I was black, and he said, “Yes!’” “On a weekly and monthly basis, we hear of these micro-aggressions,” said Jamie Bergeron of subtle actions that often result in making minorities on campus feel uncomfortable. The assistant director of LGBTQ initiatives and the Center for Leadership and Student Involvement, Bergeron said, “These are the things that I think about and try to make better on campus.” The group of about three dozen listened as a variety of speakers — students and staff members — got up to share their frustrations as well as express sentiments of support and encouragement for finding ways to over-
Strains of “Mr. Tambourine Man” came spilling out of 110 Broad Street during Jamnesty: Bob Dylan Does Human Rights. Coordinated by Colgate’s chapter of Amnesty International, the November 10 fundraiser was a way to raise awareness of human rights issues. Throughout the night, student bands interpreted their favorite Dylan songs from the famous folk singer’s canon — with covers ranging from a rock version of “Jokerman” by Body Electric to an acoustic “Tangled Up in Blue” by Ben Diamond ’13. Jamnesty convened students from different groups and class years, with sponsors including Amnesty International, Broad Street Records, Peace and Conflict Studies, and Philanthropists at Colgate (whose dining room at 100 Broad Street hosted the event). Between sets, Simone Schenkel ’14, president of Colgate’s Amnesty International, presented facts on human rights issues. Hoping to make Jamnesty an annual event, the group plans for next year’s gathering to highlight a different artist, but with the same mission. — Katie Rice ’13
Primal scream: Benjamin Rangel ’15, Myles Davis ’15, and Hugo Fetsco ’15 joined in the fun on December 9 when students filled Case-Geyer library’s terrace for the first “Raider Roar,” a late-night group scream aimed at relieving stress from studying for final exams. Led by megaphone-wielding Matt Ford ’13, the Student Government Association president, students roared into the dark at exactly midnight.
For many Native Americans, the fourth Thursday in November is not a jovial celebration with football games, parades, and a hearty dinner, but a time to fast and grieve. As part of Native American Heritage Month in November, professors Michael Taylor and Jordan Kerber led a lunchtime discussion about the many misrepresentations that characterize the mainstream story of the first Thanksgiving. The event opened with a reading of an account of a Thanksgiving Day protest in 1970, when a group of Native Americans attending a feast in Plymouth, Mass., walked out. They decried the happy caricature of the relationship between the Pilgrims and Indians as a cover-up of their strife in the aftermath of English colonization, dispossessed of their traditional way of life, religion, and lands. The demonstration began an annual day of mourning for Native Americans in the region, and the trend has continued to spread. “We have a distorted view of the Thanksgiving that may or may not have happened in 1621,” said Kerber, a professor of anthropology and Native American studies. “But after that one day is over, Native Americans disappear from the public consciousness.” Students in attendance shared their personal experiences in grade school, where stereotypes are often perpetuated. Kelsey John ’13, who is half Navajo Indian, encountered this problem in first grade when her teacher instructed her to dress up as either a Pilgrim or an Indian. “For Native American students, it is strange to dress up as you, but that depiction really isn’t you,” said John. Education will be the force to dispel these stereotypes and enlighten future generations, said John; her notion was echoed by others in attendance. To raise awareness, “A more sustained effort needs to take place, more than just a day,” said Kerber. — Natalie Sportelli ’15
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