THE SENTINEL OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AT NC STATE UNIVERSITY
NUBIAN MESSAGE RALEIGH, NC n VOL. XI, ISSUE 4 n THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM n SEPTEMBER 19th, 2012
Democrats Raise Awareness for Voter Suppression at DNC Kierra Leggett | Editor-in-Chief
celebrities and nationally renowned political figures. Voter suppression involves actions designed to prevent specific groups of voters from casting their ballots.
Reiterated throughout the Sept 6 program was the fact that voters are only required to provide one form of identification to cast their ballot. Another point stressed by the panel was that college ID may not serve as adequate Ben Jealous and America Ferrera identification because any identification that voters present on Election Day must The 2012 Democratic National have an expiration date. Convention in Charlotte provided the Voting Rights Institute with the Along with providing facts about opportunity to shine a national spotlight voter suppression, the panel gave advice on the issue of voter suppression, both on precautions voters can take to make historic and present-day, in a free- sure that they do not fall victim to it in ranging forum discussion that included
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Article Co-Authored by N.C. State Freshman to be Published in Peer Reviewed Journal
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Torisha Dozier | Staff Writer
.C. State Freshman Carl L. Smith Jr. will soon add published author to his long list of achievements. Smith, 18, learned Monday that an article he co-authored at the age of 16 has been accepted for publication in Optics Letters, a semi-monthly scientific scholarly journal. In the summer of 2010, Smith traveled to the University of Florida to study chemical engineering. It was there that he penned the article with five other researchers, many of whom were graduate and doctoral students. While Smith’s article in Optic Letters will be his first published work, this is not the first time one of the teen’s accomplishments has made news.
Michelle Obama addressing DNC
Photo Credit: Jordan Moore
First Lady to Visit Area Schools Staff Report
F
irst Lady Michelle Obama will speak to North Carolina students today on the campuses of North Carolina Central University and East Carolina University. This will be Obama’s second time traveling to the Tar-heel state during the month of September, as she was here earlier in the month for the 2012 Democratic National Convention held in Charlotte.
majoring in marketing and merchandising, the opportunity to hear Mrs. Obama speak live for the second time in one year is surreal. “I heard the First Lady speak at NC A&T’s graduation earlier this year and the message she delivered there has motivated me to be a better student and reminds me that my dreams are accessible.”
NCCU and ECU students began waiting in line Monday morning to get their free tickets to hear the first lady speak. Tickets were not distributed until 11:00 a.m. on Monday morning at ECU, but by 9:00 a.m. a long line had already formed.
Olofintuyi, who also works for the Athletics Operation Department at ECU has noticed an almost tangible excitement in the air, as the University prepares for Obama’s visit. “A lot of students are planning on missing class to hear Mrs. Obama speak, and For Tobi Olofintuyi, the professors are all pretty a senior at ECU double- understanding. The campus is Carl Smith with his fusor
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NCCU Drumline Suspended Amid Hazing Allegations Ryan Barnes | Staff Writer
The 36-member drumline of North Carolina Central University was suspended from performing at all university events after hazing allegations were brought up against it last week. This suspension kept members of the band from taking to the field at last Saturday’s Bull City Gridiron Classic matchup against Duke University.
James Jenkins, a junior at North Carolina While he was not present at Saturday’s Central who is majoring in mass communications, football game, Jenkins had several friends who said this of the drumline’s suspension: “I was were in attendance. surprised, everybody was surprised because “I heard the game wasn’t as fun without it was just so random. No one heard of any investigation, just the immediate news that the the drumline,” said Jenkins. drumline had been placed on probation.” Corey Dukes, an alumnus of NCCU said
Drumline continued on page 3
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2 |September 19th, 2012
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St.Agnes Hospital, A Medical Legacy
Suppression continued from page 1
Sehdia Mansaray | Staff Writer
At the Voting Rights Institute, Congressman John Lewis addressed an audience on the topic of voter suppression along with a panel that included President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Ben Jealous, actress and Voter Latino advocate America Ferrera and Rock The Vote President Heather Smith. MSNBC correspondent Melissa Harris-Perry moderated the panel.
The African American Cultural Center hosted Living Legends St. Agnes: The Untold Story on Sept 12. Focused on the history of St. Agnes Hospital, which at one point was the only place in Raleigh where blacks could receive medical attention, Living Legends St. Agnes: The Untold Story featured employees of St. Agnes and the local medical community as guest speakers. Through their storytelling, orators at the program took the audience back to the Jim Crow year of 1896, the same year Plessy v. Ferguson declared that separate facilities must be equal. One of these “separate facilities” was St. Agnes. Founded by Sarah L. Hunter in 1896, many of the staff members at St. Agnes were white males along with four white female physicians. In 1934, Julia Reeves, an African American woman, was given the chance to go to school at St. Agnes and study nursing. Reeves, who grew up in Richmond, Va. described during the program how she saved up $15 from babysitting and paid for her tuition. Because of a limited funding of the hospital, she also had to
bring six white aprons with her to nurse at St. black doctors were restricted to the emergency Agnes. There were 28 students in her freshman room, needing approval by the overseeing class. board to be moved elsewhere. Entrances and the hospital wards were separated based on race and The number of students who came to St. white nurses and patients made it clear of their Agnes to study nursing or receive care steadily discomfort under black supervision. increased until eventually more than 500 interns graduated the nursing program. The panel of speakers at Living Legends agreed that St. Agnes paved the way for better When other hospitals around the area care for African Americans, along with an turned away patients because they were black, opportunity for them to train in medicine. St. Agnes accepted patients without question of their ability to pay or race. Despite the fires and Many students at the program had never power outages the hospital often endured, care heard of St. Agnes, but the story of its impact was still provided to its patients. on the Raleigh area during the early 1900s still affected them. Ravyn Njagu, a freshman St. Agnes was mostly aided by monetary majoring in Biological Sciences, felt inspired gifts from the community. Despite a widespread by the presentation, saying it, “gave me more belief that St. Agnes was still needed, the motivation to pursue [my] dreams and work hospital closed in 1961 when Wake Memorial hard.” Hospital, a larger and newly integrated hospital was established. St. Agnes can still be found downtown, standing empty yet tall on the campus of St. Although Wake Memorial was Augustine University, serving as a reminder to considered an integrated hospital, the integration some and a lesson to others of the progress that was not exercised until 1966. For a long while, has been made since the days of Jim Crow.
First Lady continued from page 1 extremely excited. Barack Obama was here in 2008, and now to have a visit from Michelle is amazing.” Security at both events will be tight, with ECU students reporting to have seen secret service agents, “casing out the area,” in the days leading up to the event. Obama is expected to speak to students about the importance of voter registration, encouraging students to register to vote with the website Gottavote.com.
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Sentinel of the African-American Community at North Carolina State University KIERRA LEGGETT | EDITOR - IN - CHIEF CHELSEA GARDNER | MANAGIING EDITOR
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Freshman continued from page 1
this year’s election.
him with an explanation of the terms, the thenthird-grader took it upon himself to go to the library and get some knowledge on the subject matter. After reading several books on nuclear engineering, his interest in the field only deepened. Smith also credits Bill Nye the Science Guy for nurturing his love of math Demonstration of Smith’s fusor and science. Aside from Nye the Science Guy, another scientist who inspired Smith was Philo T. Farnsworth, With his fusor, Smith is the inventor of the fusor. able to create a very small amount According to figures of radioactive material from provided by the N.C. State which he can determine what substance became radioactive. Minority Engineering Program website, in 2010 a total of 420 Smith’s interest in African American students studying nuclear engineering were enrolled in the engineering was sparked by a videogame, program at N.C. State. something that many argue is Despite the relatively a detriment to today’s youth. small number of African American students enrolled the engineering program, “Color isn’t even infor Smith, race is not a factor.
Harris-Perry, who is also a professor of political science at Tulane University, began the discussion by asking each member of the five-person panel a question related to their specific field of expertise. For Jealous, that question was how the NAACP was devising a strategy to combat “the complex array of voter suppression efforts.” Jealous responded that the presence of the NAACP in all 50 states served as an advantage in getting the word out about voter suppression and when referencing supporters of the grandfather clause and white primaries he said, “ You can’t hold off the future forever. … The future caught up with them last time, and it will catch up with them again.” Best known for her role as Betty Suarez on the television show “Ugly Betty,” Ferrera was asked to comment on the difficulties of building a coalition between Latinos and African Americans during this election. Ferrera first responded by saying, “Nothing made me happier last night [Wednesday, Sept. 6] than seeing Michelle Obama sitting next to Julian Castro. I think that is incredibly indicative that Latinos and African Americans see themselves in each other’s struggle.” She went on to say that empowering the Latino community, a community that “feels attacked” to participate in voting is an “enormous policy,” and also that Latinos can learn a lot from how their, “ African American brothers and sisters have handled themselves in this country.” Krystal LeaPhart, a senior in Legal Communications at Howard University was present at the Voting Rights Institute, and had this to say, “I thought it was a really productive event. On one side it addressed the issues and things that are going on [to suppress votes] but I also enjoyed that they [the panel] provided solutions to the issues. I especially appreciated NAACP President Ben Jealous’ comment about the poll tax analogy. You know the laws are here, and the restrictions are here so now we have to follow them to get rid of them later because we still need to cast our votes.” The institute concluded with remarks from Congressman Lewis, who was arrested 40 times during the 1960s as a result of his efforts in the Civil Rights Movement. “I believe it in my gut that there are forces on the other side in a systematic, deliberate way, want to steal this election before it even takes place,” said Lewis. “We cannot and must not let that happen.”
September 19th, 2012| 3
The early stages of Smith’s fusor
a word in my dictionary. It’s all about passion.”
Smith, a Parks Scholar majoring in nuclear engineering, first —Carl Smith Jr. received notoriety for a Farnsworth fusor he created for his high school senior project. He received a perfect score on At age 8, Smith began the project, which in total he playing his first videogame, spent about 200 hours working “The Simpsons Road Rage.” on. With the object of the The Farnsworth game being to assist the citizens fusor is a device used to create of Springfield in restoring their nuclear fusion. Smith created town back to normal from his fusor using both used radioactive transit buses, Smith and refurbished parts that became inquisitive about the he began collecting around terminology used in the game. Christmas 2010. It took Smith When his father, a six months and $1,600 to collect the parts for his fusor. medical doctor, could not provide
“I can do the work and I’m more than passionate about it. Color isn’t even a word in my dictionary. It’s all about passion,” said Smith. In addition to the academic aspects of being a college student, Smith loves the individuals he has encountered while here at N.C State and hopes to build numerous friendships. Smith hopes to continue his research in the field in a more interdisciplinary setting and ultimately become the fourth African American male to receive a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering.
Drumline continued from page 1
this of the bands suspension: “I hope it gets settled and it’s not as serious as it has been made out to be so they can keep performing. Central and Durham in general already have a bad reputation and this just added to it.” Outlawed in North Carolina by the N.C. General Statute Chapter 14 Article Nine, all people involved directly or indirectly in hazing will face legal disciplinary action, should the claims prove to be true. NCCU’s drumline is not the only band to find itself in trouble regarding hazing. Last year, on Nov. 19, Robert Champion Jr., a Florida A&M University band member, died from shock due to severe internal bleeding after he was beaten with drumsticks and mallets during one of the band’s routine hazing rituals.
“I hope it gets settled and it’s not as serious as it has been made out to be so they can keep performing.” — Corey Dukes As a result of Champion’s death, 13 people were criminally charged and the FAMU Marching “100” band has been suspend. Champion’s family has also filed a lawsuit against the university. Members of the NCCU drumline will remain suspended from performing until NCCU campus police have finished investigating the matter.
4 |September 19th, 2012
Perspectives
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The Haute Seat
Christopher Lynn | Staff Writer In Runway Fashion, there are few men, and absolutely no room for anyone of any gender to be overweight. Even in “ready to wear” fashions, though extended sizes exist, selection is limited, often mundane and quite ghastly. With all of this already against us, we still have to take into account our body shape and height. I am someone who is between sizes. Usually, I can pour myself into an extra large, but there is always that one brand from which I have to buy an extra-extra large to fit into. Not to mention I have to be careful of slim and custom fits … and don’t even get me started talking about pants. But anyway, before I go off on too much of a tangent, let me address the real issue here. Though there are numerous factors to sort through when shopping as a husky fellow, it is still your responsibility to shop responsibly. No, this is not a Public Service Announcement concerning alcohol but it should be taken just as seriously.
Once the goggles are on, every girl you see receives a three to four point rating increase. If you end up picking out a girl who ranks as an eight or nine, in reality she’s probably about a four or five. You get her number, call and text her for a couple of days, then finally decide to go out. In your conversations she tells you she looks like Amber Rose, but when you finally see her again, without your beer goggles she looks more like Rosie O’Donnell. Tragic, right? Now, say you go to the mall with a bunch of clothing stores. Again, all you see is opportunity. You walk around for a while, see a couple of nice pieces, but they’re not your size. You feel slightly defeated, and decide to broaden your search so you won’t leave the mall emptyhanded. After a couple stores, it’s safe to say you’re pretty desperate. The B.E.E.R. goggles are in full effect. Once the goggles are on, every shirt you see extends two sizes. You look at yourself in the dressing room mirror, tugging on your shirt slightly, and say, “Eh, it’ll stretch.” With this thought in your mind, you buy it and walk out the store a happy camper. But what happens when you get home to try it on, thinking it’s the “one,” but it looks more like an onesie? Tragic, right?
Have you heard of beer goggles? You know, the goggles used to simulate the feeling of being intoxicated? Well, some people look through Brash Evaluation for Everything Retail (B.E.E.R.) goggles when they go shopping. These two terms hold roughly the same meaning. Buying a large shirt For those of you still confused, when you obviously need an let me explain. extra-extra large is something I hate seeing. I feel like it gives a Say you’re at a party bad representation of big guys with a bunch of girls, all you as a whole. With that being said, see is opportunity. You walk please buy your correct size. around for a while, see a couple When I see you around campus, of cute girls, but you aren’t ready I shouldn’t have to wonder, to seal the deal with any of them “Bruh, do you need a wonder just yet. You take a few sips of bra?” beer to ease the pain of possible rejection. After a few sips, So, all you muffin-top you’re feeling pretty sauced and men, living on Drury Lane, this maybe even a little desperate. Haute Seat goes out to you. For certain though, your beer goggles are now in full-effect.
Perspectives
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Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number ... Or Is It?
Photo of the Week:
Destiny Diamond| Staff Writer With age comes experience, wisdom, and knowledge, but whether that statement applies to all people is debatable. While I personally cannot speak for anyone but myself and my experiences, I think it’s safe to say that in the case of dating, dating someone older is automatically better than dating someone the same age, or younger.
“Ball so hard, Head of State wanna dine with me.”
Chris Brown Tattoos Face of Battered Woman Destiny Diamond| Staff Writer If you haven’t heard and are completely oblivious to the world around you, Chris Brown got a new tattoo. Of course, it wouldn’t be enough for the tattoo to be a simple Bible verse, or some more stars. Instead, this idiot decided to get a woman’s battered face inked on his neck.
someone new, and making poor decisions.
The Brothers of Lambda Theta Phi Fraternity, Inc. saluate’ at Salsobar. Photo Credit: Kali Scurlock
As a fan of Brown’s music, I am disgusted with the tattoo, a little bit surprised at the shear disrespect, and shocked at how stupid this boy truly is. This tattoo will be on his neck forever, and if his decision to get it shows that he will likely continue Brown told sources that the to live his arrogant life and not be tattoo is a sugar skull, associated affected by public opinion. Does that with the Mexican Day of the Dead, sit well with you? which he decided to get after seeing I don’t think that it is OK for a M.A.C. cosmetics advertisement Brown to continuously act like the depicting the skull. world is his playground where he Brown was charged with one cannot be touched. count of assault with the intent of Yet, we who listen to his doing great bodily injury in 2009 to music and go to his concerts help his then-girlfriend Rihanna. encourage this behavior. Some try to The new tattoo Brown got, claim that it’s his music that they like, shockingly enough resembles the not Brown as an individual, but see image of Rihanna that surfaced on here’s the deal. You cannot separate the web, after their domestic dispute. the two. Brown’s idea to get a tattoo of a battered woman completely baffles me. Whether the tattoo is of Rihanna or not, it is still of a battered woman. I would think that Brown would try to stay as far away from any associations or references to abuse as possible, especially since he is so sensitive to the topic of his and Rihanna’s tumultuous relationship. (Remember the Robin Roberts interview?) What message is he trying to send to the public?
Brown is an artist and his music is an extension of who he is. Whether listening to his old hits like “Run It,” or his newest single, “Sweet Love,” I feel that it is hard to claim you don’t condone his actions when you know the lyrics to all of his songs.
Ultimately, this new tattoo wasn’t the best idea for Brown who constantly holds up a (figurative) middle finger to the world, not thinking twice of the consequences of In 2009, after pleading his actions. Whether or not we allow guilty to the charges against him, him to continue to get away with it is a remorseful and deeply saddened up to us. man was portrayed to the public, one with intentions to better himself due to the events that occurred. It seems though, that now that things have cooled off, Brown is back to normal. He is now back to making music, public appearances, and even dating
September 19th, 2012| 5
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I have this idea that older guys (an older guy is someone who has graduated college or who is at least five years older than you are) have their heads on straight, know what they want and are tired of playing games, though this is not always the case. As someone who has dated an older guy for a while, I can definitely see some positives and negatives to the situation. As juvenile as it may seem, right off the bat older guys have an air about them that younger guys don’t. They have their own car, their own place and in most instances, more money than you. This all seems great, especially being a college student who is trying to get to where they are. However, it isn’t so awesome when you are stuck with the task of making a relationship work between two people who are in completely different worlds. I mean, let’s be honest, the college world and the business world are not one in the same. Sometimes people aren’t able to mesh the seams of the different lifestyles, and complications arise, breaking the two apart. Also, conversation topics can sometimes differ, making it hard to have simple conversations between two people with major age differences. For example, after a crazy week of exams, house parties, and friend drama, I might want to call up the “boo-thing” and tell
him all about what’s going on with me and my life, and though he may listen and give some advice on troubles, he, too, has his own problems, most likely problems that I wouldn’t be able to relate to. That can be very frustrating. If I can’t relate to whomever I am dating on a base level, it makes normal everyday things much harder than they need to be. Next, there is the obvious issue of going out to clubs. If you’re dating someone who is 21 or older and you aren’t 21 yet, I hate to say it, but you’re not going out with your man on Saturday night. This is when dating someone your age can be a better choice. Not only are the two of you going through the same social issues, but both of you are probably going through the college struggle, and at the end of the day can snuggle up in a little twin size bed and cupcake until the break of dawn. A downside to dating a guy your age or younger, is having to put up with the additional crap younger guys are still dishing out during their college years, better known as their “dog phase.” They are kind of lost, really dumb, and quite frankly most of them cannot make up their mind on what they want. So, instead of dealing with that bull, it might just be easier to date someone older anyway. Ultimately, at the end of the day, age doesn’t matter, and when you get to college the age gap essentially disappears. It is all about what you want and being happy with whom you are with. One thing to keep in mind however is that whether in a relationship with someone older or younger, the grass isn’t always greener.
6 |September 19th, 2012
Perspectives
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New York City Fashion Week
Robert Marshall| Staff Writer The Kappa Omicron chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. hosted a program entitled “Party Rock or Party Fail?” on Sept. 6. The program focused on the ideas of gender and sexuality, specifically in the entertainment industry, but expounded on how it affected the mentality and actions of society in a larger sense.
Students Suffer in Chicago Teacher Strike Chelsea Gardner Staff Writer Editor’s Note: The Chicago teacher strike came to an end Tuesday. Union leaders signed off on an agreement with Chicago Public Schools. Class will resume for students today. Last week, the Chicago Teachers Union and school board resurrected a 25-year power struggle. The two groups are in a heated dispute about new contract terms. Some of the key components of the contract include: the influence of principals in the teacher hiring process and an update of a “40-year neglected” teacher evaluation system. This system holds teachers accountable for poor test scores. The Union has protested for six days, beginning Monday, Sept. 10. Chicago teachers are sick and tired of being sick and tired, and the school board is livid. Parents are growing impatient. But, in all of this disarray, I can’t help but wonder about the concern for students.
Approximately 350,000 Chicago public school students were out of school this past week. During Sunday’s meeting, an agreement was not reached, and the strike has resumed.
So…again, I must ask, what about the students? They may have been excited at first, beguiled by the idea of an extended summer. Maybe they were even blinded by the weeklong freedom from the return of a monotonous school routine. However, this moment of elation will quickly fade, because the strike is negatively affecting the children. With Union members shouting “It’s not over yet,” elementary, middle, and high school students have no choice but to suffer. School resumed from summer vacation just a few weeks ago and now students are being deprived of the school setting. How is this going to help students prepare for tests, which is a critical component in this issue? I totally understand that teachers want to make a difference in the community, by getting their voices heard. However, until an agreement is reached this conflict is hindering the success of the children. They need a suitable environment for learning. Parents with demanding jobs and financial instability are struggling to manage in this chaotic situation. Also, who will supervise students who live in dangerous areas of Chicago? What are the children supposed to do with this
time? Where are students expected to go? These are questions that need answers. Chicago is the nation’s third-largest school district. Clearly, the priority of the school should be to educate and serve the students. I wonder if that is the priority? The Chicago school system clearly needs to make some adjustments, but not at the expense of education. A compromise is necessary and with the weight of this situation, I feel “sooner rather than later” is best. I only hope that the school board and teachers union can re-focus to better serve the kids.
September 19th, 2012| 7
Fashion Chronicles:
Masculinty as Defined by Hip-Hop to watch out for myself. Therefore to be called the ideas that it sends to its massive audience. In a girl is to have gone against what I was always many music videos women are portrayed simply taught. as objects of a man’s sexual desire or enjoyment. Women are constantly portrayed in settings and One person from the film can be quoted as are involved in acts that they appear to like. saying that there is nothing worse for a man than They smile for the camera as they are fondled to be called a woman, or to be identified as having as drinks are poured on them and are stared at any of the traditionally “female” characteristics. as they perform for a man’s enjoyment. These Many times, we as consumers, listen Is the idea of homosexuality so hated within the images can severely confuse an impressionable to music or watch music videos not realizing Hip-Hop community because of the mentality young man, and can cause him to emulate these the messages being conveyed to us, nor the that precedes that statement? The stereotypes of acts in order to be seen in the same light that their subconscious connections and ideas that are a homosexual man often do not align with the favorite artists are. They mistreat and disrespect impacted on our psyche. “Hip-Hop: Beyond “manly” traits that Hip-Hop portrays. Maybe it women and even when the women’s reaction Beats and Rhymes,” a film discussed at Party is the stereotypical homosexual man’s perceived does not match what they have already seen, Rock or Party Fail?, was the first film to discuss acceptance of a non-traditional role that confuses their subconscious ideas of masculinity can push this idea. This film showed how Hip-Hop, and and infuriates the Hip-Hop community. them to continue to act in the undesired manner. its male leaders, have perpetuated the idea of This idea of defining the gender role rears manhood to be defined as the anti-woman. Many At the program, a video was shown of the of the specific terms used in the film may not itself again and again and is pivotal in explaining 2000 Puerto Rican Day Parade. In the short film be politically correct, but being college students, how people of different sex should interact with you can see women being sexually assaulted, we have all heard them and possibly even said each other. having water thrown on them, their clothes them ourselves. torn off, and then being fondled and harassed. Women also have played their role in Can Hip-Hop or media be blamed alone for the Speaking as a man, I have to ask if you defining the man. They have an idea from media actions? No, but I do feel as though there should can really blame Hip-Hop alone for these ideas? outlets and from growing up that they play their be more accountability for the images they Growing up, I was taught that when I fell down role as the anti-man and that what a good man portray and the light that they place women in. I needed to get back up, if I got hurt, to suck really is. A good man will not hesitate to protect it up and stop crying because I was a man, his woman. He will be a breadwinner, support The truth is that there is no one group and definitely that if any man disrespected my his family, make sure the cars work and the grass that can be blamed for the definition of the sister or mother, to handle them appropriately. is cut. sexual roles and how we as men interpret that This placed within me two ideas. The first, that definition. There are many integral parts and at In my opinion the music industry, and the end of the day it us up to us to decide the kind a woman was something to be protected. The second, that being a man meant that yes, I was even media in general is not totally to blame, of man that we want to be and how we want to supposed to be strong and often emotionally but they are definitely not faultless in their influence the next generation. perpetuation of stereotypes and ideas that do detached from situations. damage to the male’s mind, and his perception This definitely implanted in my mind of reality. that I was essentially the anti-female. My sister Hip-Hop has constantly been attacked for could cry, but I couldn’t. She was fragile and to the images it portrays, the language it uses, and be defended, while I was the defender and had
Lifestyles
I
Joelle Purifoy| Contributer
was invited back for the second year in a row to assist with Tracy Reese’s Spring/ Summer 2013 Fashion Show. Having interned with Reese in the summer of 2011, this was one of the wonderful perks that enabled me to get more involved, by meeting and networking with people from different aspects of the industry.
The day of the show, the other interns and I dressed up in all black, as required, and met at Lincoln Center, where most of the shows are held. Once inside, we were assigned to our models, and reviewed how to dress them in their assigned accessories, clothes, and shoes in the quickest way possible. This was all in an effort to assure a smooth runway presentation.
I began my weekend with Fashion’s Night Out. F.N.O. is an annual celebration throughout major cities where retailers and designers throw events, parties, giveaways, and more for the public. There are several celebrity appearances, and plenty of opportunities to network and connect with other people in the fashion industry, be it bloggers, emerging designers, photographers models or whomever.
Minutes before the show started, we were individually thanked by Tracy for volunteering. Despite being chaotic, backstage during the show was fun. We snapped photos of celebrities like Lauren Conrad and stylist June Ambrose, who congratulated Tracy, and complimented her on her designs. Later on, we attended the private after party at the Stone Rose Lounge, on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Building. There, screens displayed video Photo Courtesy: Joelle Purifoy from the fashion show, and there was an open bar and dancing. The next couple of days I spent in the [design] studio, making bracelets, hand sewing labels and Tracy’s employees and colleagues all buttons on clothes, and assisting Tracy and her got on the dance floor and danced to Whitney designers with anything else they needed me to Houston, Rihanna and more! do.
A highlight of F.N.O. for me this year, was attending Diana Von Furstenberg’s party at her flagship store. Diane von Furstenberg is a major designer and icon of the fashion industry, and the president of the Certified Fashion Designers of America. The party was packed and Solange Knowles was the DJ. She kept the party going all night playing different genres from old school R&B to present day Pop, while people danced, indulged in the open bar, and had their fortunes told. I worked with the other interns spending long hours each day until the wee hours of the morning After that party, I went to the annual to help prep for the big runway show. Though Tracy Reese Dance-a-Thon, where wine was I was completely exhausted by the end of it all, served, and people danced in the store windows I had so much fun and learned a ton about what to another live DJ. goes into a show for Fashion Week.
I had an amazing weekend full of fun and learning and advise anyone that’s looking to be in the fashion industry to do an internship in New York!
Photos Courtesy: Joelle Purifoy
Joelle with June Ambrose
Tracy Reese design studio
Tracy Reese after show
To see more pictures and video from Joelle's experience, visit her blog at www.thecolorsofjoelle.com
8 |September 19th, 2012 Arts & Entertainment
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Giving Movies the Remix DeErricka Green | Staff Writer
H
ollywood has fallen into a pattern, and old-school movies are being remade left and right, much to the chagrin of some viewers. In the weeks since the release of the highly anticipated remake of the film “Sparkle,” as well as the hype surrounding the upcoming release of the made-over “Steel Magnolias,” featuring an all-black cast including Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad, and Jill Scott, the conversation of whether “classic” films should be revamped lingers on.
that they form with each other, likened to the force of metal and the allure of flowers. It also touches on issues of marriage, childbirth, women’s health, as well as death, all of which can relate to the lives of women in all walks of life, including African-American women. So, in theory, there is no reason why the cast of this movie should not focus on black women. This version of the film will be featured on Lifetime, and directed by Kenny Leon, who also produced the 2008 remake of “A Raisin in the Sun”.
Now, at the heart of this conversation are two areas of debate.
But, while it seems as though race should not be much of a factor in this matter, as Americans, we know that race is usually an underlying issue.
One dispute asks: should “classic” movies be touched at all by film directors today? Granted there have been some, arguably, successful film adaptations, generally if you ask Americans for a list of films that should never be made-over, a common answer will be given, including movies such as “Casablanca,” “The Godfather,” and “Gone With the Wind.” Likewise, if you were to ask AfricanAmericans for this same list, there are just some black films that should not be touched; “Friday,” “Boyz N The Hood,” and “Coming to America” all come to mind (though there have been rumors floating around IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes that Martin Lawrence is planning an adaptation of “Coming to America,” telling the story of a black man who learns that he is the heir to an African kingdom, slated to be called “Back to Africa”; that’s a whole other story, entirely). Everyone has differing opinions on the matter. For some, why should Hollywood mess with a good thing or fix what hasn’t been broken? Still others argue that many of these “classic” movies could benefit from a modern interpretation or from telling the story with a different perspective. This brings into play, another question: does race matter? While there is heavy anticipation for the release of “Steel Magnolias,” there are a few angry bloggers that say Sally Field is the only M’Lynn Eatenton and Julia Roberts the only Truvy Jones. Is it okay to take a “classic” movie, like that of “Steel Magnolias,” and feature an all-black cast?
Some critics of cross-racial remakes are those such as John Lahr, New Yorker writer, who feels that original productions should not be given the “minority treatment.” In response to the April 2012 multiracial adaptation of “A Streetcar Named Desire, ”featuring Blair Underwood and Nicole Ari Parker, Lahr wrote in an article entitled “The Best Theatre of the Year, ”that he wished for “no more infernal allblack productions of Tennessee Williams plays unless we can have their equal in folly: allwhite productions of August Wilson.” This has been seen before. It’s the age-old, “if they can do it, why can’t we?”, argument majority members have used to combat against aspects of minority culture such as Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, affirmative action or language. It’s an argument that has plagued Western culture for decades, and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. However indiscreet Lahr’s comment may have been, does he have a point? If people of color and other minorities get to remake classic films from their perspective, should members of the majority share the same privilege? If we were to explore Lahr’s idea of having “all-white productions” of black productions, which remakes would viewers want to see? Would they be successful? And which other classic productions could benefit from the chocolate touch? • “The Wizard of Oz”: It’s already been done, quite successfully. Anytime you get Diana Ross and Michael Jackson together on screen, there’s bound to be magic made.
“Steel Magnolias” tells the story of a • “Forrest Gump”: Terrence Howard has group of Louisiana women, and the relationship already proved he’s a master at faking a
smooth Southern accent, which is why he’d be perfect in a remake of this movie. Not to mention, a version of this film that focuses on minority perspective of the events recounted in the original, would be an interesting spin. • “Friday”: Everyone’s agreed that this movie should never be touched. It’s bad enough two lackluster sequels are already in existence, with the rumor of a third floating around. With an all-white cast, a remake of this would produce something like a “Hangover”, but still not as sidesplitting. • “School Daze”: This also would be an interesting spin, especially with the recent allegations of hazing within the UNC Interfraternity Council. It might lack the cultural impact of the original; unless of course Spike Lee signed on to assist with the revamp. • “Rocky Horror Picture Show”: This role was just made for RuPaul. And anyone that says different- be prepared to “lip sync for your life!”
Sure, it’s a funny idea once you start to think about it, but realistically, everyone wants their own spin on Western culture. While allblack remakes may seem inclusive often times they are necessary and serve a purpose in showcasing a voice that has not always been heard. This is why these remakes happen—with all groups of people, not just African Americans. And though the idea that “if they can do it, why can’t we?” in theory should stand, the reality is that it usually does not. It is seen that majority members usually can and already have done what minorities fight to accomplish by producing some remakes; there are also events in minority culture of which outsiders have no experience, preventing the production of other remakes. This is a result of our history as a nation and its consequences. Either way, expect to see more stories like these getting the so-called “minority treatment”. With the success of the aforementioned productions, and expected praise for “Steel Magnolias”, this trend may prove to be one of the ways in which black actors can find diversified roles that will further spotlight their talent.