EWU Africana Studies Newsletter

2018 AFRICANA STUDIES

ewu.edu/africanastudies

THE AFRICANA STUDIES PROGRAM

The Africana Studies Program has provided students an understanding and appreciation of the rich, complex experience of people of African descent since 1971. The program had its beginnings in meetings of 1968-69, and has grown from a small group of courses called Black Studies into an Africana Studies minor that has graduated hundreds of students.

Africana Studies has given students the opportunity to participate in community internships, academic workshops and research.

THE SANKOFA BIRD Front row, left to right: George Duvall, program coordinator; Scott Finnie, PhD and director; Okera Nsombi, PhD and professor; Tada Ayeni, PhD and professor. Back row, left to right: Ry-Yon Nixon, secretary; Angela Schwendiman, senior lecturer; Gloria Baynes, PhD and professor.

MONROE HALL

Sankofa is an African word from the Akan tribe in Ghana. The literal translation of the word and the symbol is “it is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind.�

Home of the Africana Studies Program

2 AFRICANA BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2018; “SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT.”

The Africana Studies Program celebrated 50 years of service at Eastern Washington University during Black History Month. Africana Studies had a busy, fun and educational month with more than 15 events recognizing the role of African Americans in U.S. history.

The celebration kicked off with Yve Evan’s storytelling and singing about the civil rights movement, followed by a discussion about the male experience growing up in America with Scott Finnie, PhD and director of the Africana Studies Program, Okera Nsombi, PhD and professor of Africana Studies, and George Duvall, program coordinator of Africana Studies.

brothas trumps all of the stereotypes.

My question is where are the cameras?” -Dr. Okera Nsombi.

“Sports can either be a spring board or a cage without a key, so much depends on timing and an accessible support system.” –Dr. Scott Finnie.

Melissa A. Pearson, PhD, from Northeastern University presented a workshop and a discussion about cultural appropriation.

As the month moved on, Africana Studies partnered with many other programs across campus and in the community, such as the Black Student Union, the Multicultural Center, Women’s and Gender Studies, Chicano and Chicana Studies Program, the Pride Center and the NAACP Spokane branch.

Over the course of the month, there were hundreds of students, faculty, staff and community members who attended these events.

One of the concluding events was our silent auction put on by the Black Student Union and Africana Studies.

Students, staff and community members stopped in and placed bids on more than 60 items.

LEAD TO SUCCEED MENTORING

Africana Studies is creating a mentoring program called Lead to Succeed. LTS will focus on training EWU sophomores and juniors on how to become a mentor to high school juniors and seniors who are interested in attending Eastern Washington University. We have about five current students who are interested in becoming mentors. Rogers High School in Spokane has agreed to work with us as we roll this program out.

UPCOMING SPRING EVENTS • EWU’s Black Student Union in collaboration with the Africana Studies Program will attend the Black Student Success Summit in Portland, Oregon.

• EWU’s Black Student Union in collaboration with the Africana Studies Program will attend Alvin Ailey in Seattle.

• Africana Studies and the Black Student Union will support the Spokane African American graduation.

• The end of the year barbecue collaboration with Chicana and Chicano Studies, Native American Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies and the Multicultural Center.

• Africana Studies Program minor celebration

“Beyond the arena of sports, there lacks a substantial support network of African American males. The social support network I have here with my

Silent auction items

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STUDIES BLACK STUDENT UNION

Black Student Union has had our most exciting quarter so far! With a new government and advisor, we have reached record breaking numbers in membership, reaching out to more of EWU’s campus than ever before. Our discussions have touched on topics from black economics to the history of hip hop. We bonded over food at our Friendsgiving and showed off our skating skills at our ’90s themed ice skating event. Winter quarter will be filled with fun events that will be open campus wide.

BSU’s Gliding through the 90’s skate party 11/17/17

BSU officers President Taisa Bernard (junior) Vice president Kianna Hood (junior) Secretary Haley Yoshitomi (freshman) Publicity Chair Henon Mekuria (junior)

Treasurer Nidia Ortiz-Cotton (sophomore)

Junior Class President Tierra C. Walker

Events Committee Felicia Muhammad (freshman), Kiara D. Johnson (freshman), Aamir Trine (freshman)

Sophomore Class President/ Athletic Outreach Kianna L. Baker

Senior Class President Isaiah M. Bridges

Freshman Class President Alexus Betha-Walker BSU advisor Ry-Yon Nixon

4 AFRICANA THE AFRICANA STUDIES LOUNGE

The Africana Studies Lounge is more than a place to just study. Here at Africana, we are a family for our students. Students come to the lounge to meet new friends, enjoy snacks, use our computers and meet with all five professors who are all located in our offices a few steps away.

In 2015, the lounge averaged around eight to 10 people stopping in to study, meet with the professors or just to relax. Since November 2017, we have been averaging 31 students daily in the Africana Studies Lounge. Here’s why our students enjoy visiting Africana daily:Allison Richards is a Running Start student from Ferris High School in Spokane. She has been coming to the lounge since fall 2017.

“I come to the Africana Lounge for food. Plus, my best friend’s mom (Angela Schendiman) works here. I also enjoy the diversity. It feels so much like a community, all are welcome and everyone is kind,” Allison said.

Nidia (Nid) Ortiz-Cotton is an Eastern sophomore who is majoring in nursing. Nid has been coming to Africana since winter 2017.

“I come to the lounge to do work, socialize and to promote the Black Student Union events. And, it feels like a family to me,” Nidia said.

Senior Isaiah Bridges has been coming to the lounge for over two years now.

Isaiah is majoring in sociology. He comes to the lounge “to release from the stresses of college life. And to study and meet with and make new friends. It’s like a family up here.”

Transfer student Angela Jay-Caler is majoring in business accounting. Angela is also a teaching assistant for Africana Studies Director, Dr. Finnie.

“I come to the lounge for the experience of being around diverse people. I feel like I fit in here. I grow up with diversity. Plus, working for Dr. Finnie has been giving me the experience of meeting students from all cultures,” she said.

Africana Studies Program 204 Monroe Hall Cheney, WA 99004

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