Nubian Message, Jan. 19, 2017 — Thanks, Obama

NUBIANMESSAGE NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM | THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017

THANKS, OBAMA

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017 | 2

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Hey family, Happy 2017! I hope that your return to campus and the new year has you feeling as rejuvenated as the Nubian staff is. Recently our President-elect has made it a point to attack credible news organizations and deem them “fake news.” In a time where fake news is a hot topic, I can promise you one thing: the Nubian Message is dedicated to providing you with quality coverage of the diverse happenings of NC State. NC State University is comprised of people from all backgrounds and it is our responsibility to report on those people. It is the responsibility of the Nubian Message to give you real news. While we exist to keep you all informed we also exist to hold everyone on this campus accountable.

With that being said, we cannot hold you accountable if you do not hold us accountable. Send us any tips, questions, comments or concerns you may have and we promise to get back to you. We will be having interest meetings in the coming weeks and we would love to see some fresh faces. The Nubian Message staff strives to be an integral part of your experience at NC State and we hope to hear from you soon.

Be blessed, Stephanie

THISISSUE 3

MARCH ON CAPITAL BUILDING

UNC Black Congress teams with state students for march

4

WITNESS FROM THE BALCONY

A look back at Dr. King’s final moments through a witness’ eyes

4

BLACK GRAD STUDENTS ASSOCIATION Black Grads form organization

5

WHIPPING MAN

“Were we Jews or were we slaves”

6

GOODBYE BARACK

A look at his complex legacy

7 PART 2 OF THE MENTAL HEALTH

SERIES

Why we should support black women and their mental health

The Sentinel of the African -American Community at N.C. State Since 1992.

Stephanie Tate Editor-in-Chief

Ashley Darrisaw

LAYOUT DESIGNER

Anahzsa Jones

MANAGING EDITOR

Allona Wilkerson

LAYOUT DESIGNER

Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of the Nubian Message:

Dr. Yosef ben-Yochannan, Dr. John Henrik Clark, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, The Black Panther Party, Mumia A. Jamal, Geronimo Pratt, Tony Williamson, Dr. Lawrence Clark, Dr. Augustus McIver Witherspoon, Dr. Wandra P. Hill, Mr. Kyran Anderson, Dr. Lathan Turner, Dr. M. Iyailu Moses, Dokta Toni Thorpe and all those who accompany us as we are still on the journey to true consciousness.

NEWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017 | 3

RECLAIM MLK MARCH DEMANDS ACTION KEILAH DAVIS

Staff Writer

On Monday, Jan. 16th at 1pm students from NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill, Shaw, St. Augustine and surrounding universities held a Reclaim MLK march and rally in Raleigh, NC. The march began at the NC State Belltower and ended with a rally at the North Carolina State Capitol building.

“These next four years are gonna be hard for a lot of reasons. It’s important to be engaged and become educated on the issues. It’s okay to be ignorant but it’s not okay to remain ignorant. That’s why we’re here today.” Jerome Simpson, a member of Black Congress.

According to Street, the goal of a student group at UNC-Chapel Hill called Black Congress, is to “engage UNC, NC State, Duke and other Triangle schools to keep students informed on global issues and keep students engaged.” Black Congress

co-organized the event with NC State students Achaia Dent and Amani Manning.

Over 100 students and community members attended the march. Some community members joined along the way.

A member of the Gamma Tau chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Incorporated from Shaw said that he and his brothers wanted to “try to make our voices be heard and make a difference in the community.”

“If people are upset about what’s going on, then you have to do something about it,” Paul Nolan, NC State student body president and senior studying material science and engineering, said. “So instead of talking to strangers on the internet or doing my own thing, I’m out here.”

Participants marched along to call-andresponse chants: “No justice! No peace!”

ELIZABETH BYERS/Staff Photographer Crowd members circle in front of the North Carolina State Capitol building to listen to speakers during the ReclaimMLK March at Raleigh on Jan. 16, 2017.

As the crowd passed the NC Republican Party headquarters on Hillsborough Street, they chanted “no Trump! No KKK! No fascist USA!” “There are very few holidays in the U.S. that celebrate blackness and African-American history and MLK Day is one of those,” Kinesha Harris, a senior studying science, technology, and society, said, “It is important to follow with the work that Dr. King has done and keep moving forward. Showing that we will not accept the way things are now is definitely a good start.”

Some participants held signs that read “#ReclaimMLK,” “Black Trans Lives Matter” and “Not Your Docile Negro.”

“The leaders of this group are very diverse,” James Ennis Street, a member of Black Congress, said. “For example, I’m black, white and Native American. I identify as queer. I identify with disabilities.

There’s a bunch of things that I feel like are part of me that I want to be represented in different movements that all aspire to my liberation. I think that you can’t have an incomplete liberation. It has to be complete and total which means that every single thing needs to be addressed.”

During the 40-minute march to downtown Raleigh, multiple cars passing the marchers on Hillsborough Street honked their horns or rolled down their windows to give the group a thumbs up.

“A lot of people I know take MLK Day for granted,” Colin Beamer, executive chief of staff in NC State Student Government, and senior studying political science said.

“They look at is as a day off to not do anything. I wanted to stop being part of that.

This morning we organized some service stuff with Student Government and I wanted to be out here to be visible. I think that not enough white people use their privilege to stand together in solidarity with communities of color.”

The rally began with statements on Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy as a radical activist disliked by many Americans during his lifetime.

“We’re here to reclaim that legacy in a radical, revolutionary way and show the people that we’re not just docile negros,” Dominique Brodie, sophomore at UNC-Chapel Hill and member of Black Congress, said. “We’re not gonna be quiet.

We’re not gonna respect your peace. We’re gonna make as much noise as we need to until we get our justice.”

Achaia Dent, a sophomore studying animal science at NC State, spoke next.

“I’ve come here today to give a message of hope and forward thinking and to also go back and fetch that which we may have forgotten,” Dent said.

Other organizers and audience members also spoke on topics of injustice including privatization of education, House Bill 2, police brutality, and voting rights. Street also acknowledged the historical and contemporary genocide and violence inflicted on Native American people.

“It is only when the oppressed find the oppressor out and become involved in the organized struggle for their liberation that they begin to believe in themselves,” Amani Manning, a senior studying political science at NC State, said quoting Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed. “We have got to become aware of what our reality is.”

Charity Lackey, a member of Black Congress, led the crowd in a final chant, quoting Assata Shakur, to close the rally.

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom.

It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017 | 4

NEWS

MLK FILM DESCRIBES HIS FINAL DAYS DION FIGUEROA

Correspondent

On Thursday January 12th, NCSU Libraries, along with the Black Jedi Zulu Durham Chapter, hosted a film viewing and Q&A session at State’s D.H. Hill library. The event was held in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. A modest crowd filled the auditorium in the Library’s West Wing to view the 30-minute long documentary “The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306.”

The film gives an account of the tragic day that Dr. King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

Throughout the course of the film, Reverend Samuel “Billy” Kyles goes through the final days and hours of Dr. King’s life.

Leading up to his death on April 4th, 1968, King had come to Memphis to support striking African-American sanitation workers in the city.

Rev. Kyles documents his time with King up until their final conversation together, happening just an hour before the

shot rang out. Rev. Kyles, however, leaves the film with a hopeful message saying that, “You can kill the dreamer, but you cannot kill the dream.”

NCSU’s Dr. Jason Miller followed up the screening with a general Q&A which also gave audience members an opportunity to find out more about Dr. Miller’s discovery of an early audio recording of King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” from a rally held on November 27th, 1962 in Rocky Mount, NC. The rally was scheduled to be held at the Booker T. Washington Gymnasium in Rocky Mount while Dr. King was in town to support a childhood friend, who happened to be a reverend in the northeastern North Carolina city.

Dr. Miller is a professor at NC State’s English department and serves as the director of Undergraduate Studies. His book “Origins of the Dream: Hughes’s Poetry and King’s Rhetoric” discovers the link between King’s speeches and Langston

Hughes poetry.

King used the opportunity to practice not just the “I Have a Dream” speech, but also other speeches that would become famous later on. Dr. Miller is also currently working on a film documenting King’s travels to the town of Rocky Mount. and the impact that King’s visit had on the city.

When asked about updates to his film, Dr. Miller said, “We are excited to announce that as a result of last September’s successful Experiencing King at NC State event, we now have wonderful interviews with Pulitzer-prize winning MLK biographer David Garrow and actor Danny Glover to include in the film Origin of the Dream.”

Dr. Miller has also garnered the help of Danny Glover to do some voice-over work, and has also gotten international artist Synthia Saint James to contribute original artwork to the film.

Miller was also a part of NC State’s “Experiencing King,” a two-day event

hosted back in September 2015 covering showcasing projects around campus, like Miller’s that focused around Martin Luther King, Jr. The event ended with the performance of “An Evening with Martin and Langston” starring actors Danny Glover and Felix Justice The other hosting organization was the Black Jedi Zulu Durham chapter, an organization who as stated on their website “is to be dedicated to improving and uplifting ourselves and our communities through both Hip-Hop music and culture.” Their website is www.blackjedizulu.com where they post information about events hosted in the community.

For more information about events sponsored by NCSU Libraries check them out at www.lib.ncsu.edu/ events. For information on Dr. Miller’s work on King, visit www.kingsfirstdream. com. The film, “The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306,” can be found on

ASSOCIATION FOR BLACK GRADS RE-EMERGES ANAHZSA JONES

MANAGING EDITOR

On Tuesday, Jan 17, NC State’s Student Involvement approved the re-emergence of the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA). The BGSA is an organization that offers both structured and informal opportunities for supportive mentorship, peer support, service learning, social capital and professional growth for African American graduate students.

Whitney McCoy, a first year doctoral student in the teacher education and learning sciences program is currently serving as the vice president of BGSA, alongside the president Marcus Howard, another PhD candidate in educational leadership, policy and human development.

“BGSA means that I will have a community of people that look like me and have similar interests here at NCSU,” said McCoy. McCoy attended Winston-Salem State University, a historically black university,

and values the opportunity to aid and interact with students she identifies with on several levels.

“I understand how imperative it is to be surrounded by people that have similar interests, goals, and backgrounds when you are working towards a graduate degree,” said McCoy. “Being involved with BGSA gives me a way to build a support system and network with other African American graduate students during my time here at NCSU.” The concept of an association for African-American graduate students is not new to NC State. Until last semester, the Association of African American Graduate Students (AAAGS) was an active part of the campus community. For reasons unknown, the association became inactive.

After the die-in and town hall meetings that occurred last semester, it became clear that there was a gap to be filled in the community. The Dean of the College of

Education, Mary Ann Danowitz, hosted a racial climate forum for graduate students.

Many students voiced their concerns and it was made clear that there was a need for an organization of and for black graduate students.

Dean Danowitz took the information to the Dean of the Graduate School, Maureen Grasso. Dean Grasso then hosted a meeting with some students and voiced her full support for re-vitalizing the association.

The BGSA is a collaborative effort between alumni, advisors and current members who are dedicated to facilitating cultural enrichment. To this end, the association will offer workshops, guest speakers, and meetings where members can learn from one another and others in the community.

McCoy said, “BGSA strives to foster inclusive professional and personal development opportunities for African American students.”

It is their goal to provide a support system for underrepresented students in graduate and professional programs. This includes duties that range from emotional support and networking between African American students and alumni to assisting the university in recruiting qualified underrepresented students.

According to the NC State Graduate School, as of the 2015-2016 academic year, 6.2% of the students enrolled are African American. Of those with degrees conferred, 5.5% are African American. And of the applications received by the graduate school, African American applicants make up 3.7%.

“That is a very small population and it is essential that they feel supported here at NCSU,” said McCoy. “I am hoping that BGSA will also push other African American undergraduate students to become graduate students here at NCSU.”

OPINION

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017 | 5

THE WHIPPING MAN: A STORY OF RACE AND RELIGION PENNY LAWRENCE

Correspondent

The audience walks into a burnt house and is instantly transported to Richmond, Virginia in 1865. Right at the end of the war, when slaves have been freed. The lights flicker and a storm brews outside, setting the stage for an intense and intimate experience. The audience was in the scene, sat in chairs in the middle of the house. The lights go dark and start the beginning of a dramatic and suspenseful story.

The play is in Raleigh Little Theatre.

Directed by Patrick Torres, and acted out

by Ryan Ladue, Phillip Bernard Smith, and Chris Helton. The Whipping Man emphasizes the hypocrisy of celebrating Passover while owning slaves as well as questioning the definition of family and the effects slavery has on religion. An outstanding line, “Were we Jews or were we slaves?” served as the overarching theme of the work.

As far as plays go, this one shows an interesting take on the end of the civil war.

It follows a Jewish “family” of sorts during

their holiday of Passover, a celebration to mark the time when Jews were released from slavery in Egypt.

The family will get together and reenact with food and wine what it was like at that

“The play speaks truth

on so many levels - social, religious, political and familial.”

-Patrick Torres, Director of Whipping Man

time. Two former slaves and their slave master’s son celebrate this together in the play. It leaves the audience and the characters to question the definition of family and what it meant for Jews that owned slaves to celebrate the end of their own slavery. Torres explains, “The play speaks

DAVID WATTS/Contributed Ryan Ladue as Caleb, Phillip Bernard Smith as Simon

truth on so many levels - social, religious, political, and familial.”

Each actor in the three character play added his own mark. The first to appear on stage was Caleb, portrayed by Ryan Ladue. The son of a previous slave owner, and an injured veteran, Caleb comes home to find an empty house ravaged by war.

Ladue adds a weakness and naivety to the character. However, as Ladue explains, that is not the entire character, “It’s also very interesting that Caleb could be interpreted as sort of the villain of the piece, being from the slave owning family, but I don’t think that’s fair to how well rounded he actually is.”

Simon, the second on stage, was played

by Phillip Bernard Smith, was a former slave to Caleb’s family and a loving father.

Smith did an amazing job bringing the character to life. The strong and morally strict character is revealed to be human and has his complex inner workings brought out through Smith. He does a wonderful job portraying the raw emotion in some of the more intense scenes, as well as bringing some humor to the scenes in a way that did not topple the tension.

The last on stage was the character John, played by Chris Helton. He was an intelligent and young former slave of the same family. Helton portrayed an inner conflict as though he himself were the character.

Helton explained, “Not only do I understand John, but I empathize and resonate with John. I see a lot of him in me.”

Helton says of John, “John’s biggest strength is his intelligence...His intelligence has become a survival skill for him.”

Yet, “He feels invincible and his lack of worldly experience often causes him to blindly make decisions without understanding the consequences.”

John’s words were light hearted while at the same time infinitely serious. Helton did a good job showing the change through the character.

The makeup was done well to make Ca-

leb look injured and sick, and he wore an interesting costume that made the scene even more realistic.

Most stunningly were the lights and sounds that went along with the play.

There were flashes of lightning and peals of thunder. As well as seamless transitions with music that seemed to add a dreaminess to the play.

It felt like a memory with the set and surroundings. Torres explained why the audience was in the house, “It is hard to distance yourself from the characters and the story in our production because you are sitting in the house where the action unfolds.”

As was written in the director’s note, “Americans owned millions of slaves, even as their founding document announced the self-evident truths ‘that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.’”

This is something that affects society today. It is something that people question and fight against regardless of the evidence. Here at North Carolina State University, there are a diverse number of people, but that has not stopped the campus from having issues with hate speech and disrespect.

As Torres also said, “In the Seder ritual, participants name the things in their lives they are still slaves to - and Simon asks this question in the play. I think this question is what makes the play ring true.

What are we still slave to as individuals?”

This is true for everyone, no matter what it is. It could be habits, money and even drugs.

Everyone at campus could use this intimate insight into these characters’ minds.

Because in order to understand and respect another’s’ point of view, you have to be introduced to it. This play makes the audience think and question themselves in a way everyone should. It is definitely worth seeing.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017 | 6

OPINION

GOODBYE OBAMA, THE END OF AN ERA On January 20, 2009, a chilly Tuesday in Washington D.C. and a snow day in High Point, NC, I sat cross-legged on my living room floor in awe. The inauguration of President Barack Obama was a reSTEPHANIE TATE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF quired viewing in my household. All other electronics had been turned off in order to give this momentous occasion the attention it needed and for one of the first times in my life, I watched my father cry. At 51 years old, the son of two immigrants never thought that he’d see a president that looked like him.

For me, a young and scrappy eleven year old political junkie, the joy would come when I could go back to school and debate with my classmates as to why Barack Obama was going to be the best thing to ever happen to our country.

Which is why his presidency causes me to have so much cognitive dissonance. There were so many fine moments in his presi-

dency and so many I wish I could erase.

And now as an adult, I am having to learn one of the hardest lessons of life: people are complex. Our heroes are never black or white but rather fifty shades of gray and just like all of us, they are human.

While it is irresponsible to diminish the impact of President Obama’s legacy to his race, I would be remiss not to acknowledge the unapologetic nature of his blackness. Watching our commander-in-chief sing Love & Happiness transported me to holiday traditions of collard greens soaking in the sink and belting out the classic song alongside my mother. Watching him sing Love & Happiness to his black wife was like the ice cream on top of warm peach cobbler. When will we ever see another president codeswitch his handshake the way President Obama did with Kevin Durant? Most importantly, I’m not sure if we will ever hear another president say “folks want to pop off.” While his blackness was not the only positive aspect of his legacy, it was an integral one. He and Michelle would go on to serve as representation and role model for little black boys and black girls all over our country, all by

JOSEPH PHILLIPS/Staff Photographer Smiling, President Barack Obama takes the stage. Obama encouraged everyone to continue to work hard and about how he was offering his support. Obama spoke in the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Complex Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014.

being themselves.

President Obama’s commitment to the Affordable Care Act was another commendable piece of his presidency. In the face of opposition from the other side of the aisle, the Affordable Care Act provided quality health care coverage for most Americans, plummeting the percentage of uninsured Americans to well under ten percent. Students, like myself, definitely reap some of the best benefits of this bill, including access to little or no cost birth control, and the ability to stay on our parent’s insurance until the age of twenty six.

Probably the most popular part of his legacy will be President Obama’s ability to save America’s failing economy. Supporting the federal reserve, bailing out the auto industry and implementing a number of stimulus packages helped save our country from what many argue could have been the next Great Depression.

For many of the elderly in the black community, Barack Obama falls right below Jesus on the ladder of sanctity which is understandable to some extent. For those who have struggled so long to receive equal treatment and representation, having a black president is refreshing. The transition from fear to freedom that those individuals must feel is phenomenal.

While I would love to say that the first black president has enabled me to transition from fear to freedom as well; I cannot. For myself and many of my peers, President Obama’s legacy is as complex as those before him and all those who will come after. There were many positive aspects of his presidency, but other aspects of his presidency were devastating for some communities.

For many who were undocumented, President Obama’s legacy will be one tainted by fear. President Obama has deported well over 2.5 million undocumented individuals, more than any other president. While some may consider this an accomplishment, for others it is horrific. That number symbolizes millions of families that were broken up and millions of people who were denied the opportunity to have a sliver of the American dream.

While the focus of his deportations were supposedly on those who have criminal histories, another focus was on unaccompanied children. The aggressive nature of his immigration policies have real impacts on those who contribute to our country

and inevitably contributes to the “us vs. them” attitude of many Americans.

The least appealing part of President Obama’s legacy can be heard in the tears and cries of those who have fallen victim to the United State’s accelerated use of drone strikes. While the Obama administration refused to acknowledge our use of drones until well into 2013, drones have been utilized in most of the War on Terror. Some sources like the Bureau of Investigative Journalism have found that drone strikes are responsible for the death of thousands of civilians. Even the White House released that over two thousand civilians had been murdered by a United States drone. While opinions on the War on Terror vary amongst Americans, I am almost positive that even his most ardent fans would argue that the amount of deaths that resulted from drone strikes is the most shameful part of President Obama’s legacy.

To say that President Obama is without flaws would be to lie. To refuse to critique problematic policies he implemented simply because of his skin color would be reckless. It is not enough to exclaim “my president is black,” if one cannot analyze and assess the impact of his policies on communities, especially communities of color. However, acknowledge and be inspired by what his presidency did for black America. Be critical but also reverent. History will look upon Barack Obama favorably, as is our prerogative.

“To refuse to critique

problematic policies he implemented simply because of his skin color would be reckless. It is not enough to exclaim “my president is black,” if one cannot analyze and assess the impact of his policies on communities, especially communities of color. ”

OPINION

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017 | 7

KENTON’S CORNER: BLACK WOMEN AND MENTAL HEALTH Simply put, the greatest privilege of all non-black women is the fact that they are not constantly typecasts and forced to be monolithic. Black women have to fit into certain boxes and cannot step outside of KENTON GIBBS those boxes without Staff Writer instantly being bashed for what society feels like they should be. To add to this stress is the times that black women are told that their struggles do not exist. Meanwhile that problematic space is normalized in society, the mental health and well being of black women are constantly under attack.

One example of a moment where the obstacles in front of black women were ignored was when Charlamagne Tha God tweeted during finals season last semester.

After catching fire for spending time with the ultra conservative “I don’t see color”-ist Tomi Lahren, he tweeted, “Would be dope if a young black or Hispanic

‘WOKE’ woman used social media to create a Platform to be a voice like Tomi Lahren did.”

For a second we will pretend as if there are not already plenty of black women already using their platform to talk about their views. What he doesn’t reference are all of the multiple traps laid to destroy black women’s ability to do that. The first of which being whenever black women speak their truths in a manner that people see as too strong or forceful, they are instantly labeled as bitter, masculine, unladylike and unable to keep a man.

Another thing that I wonder is why doesn’t Charlemagne use his immense platform to put some of these women on his radio show? Since they will generally have the exact same demographic base as him, wouldn’t it be beneficial to all parties to uplift them instead of condescendingly saying what they aren’t doing? But this is just one example and I don’t want to make this a tirade about an uninformed radio host.

Another way in which society disavows black women’s ability to be individuals is that if their strength is accepted, their

weakness won’t be. The strong black women are not allowed to deal with their mental health like other groups of women are. Nor do we glorify their attitudes and dispositions as being sexy. They are not allowed to seek help for mental ails, it is instead, “Oh you know how loud and angry they are.” Just because a black woman is outspoken about her lack of equal treatment does not mean she shouldn’t be allowed to have moments of frailty.

I had always wondered why so many black women were so intent on pushing self love, but in things I have recently witnessed it is clear that they have a legitimate gripe with feeling unloved. Their entire being is over-examined and belittled on a regular basis only to be appreciated and glorified on others. Hairstyles that are deemed unprofessional on them are fashion forward and urban on a celebrity.

Their bodies are not appreciated unless they are half naked and all breast, thigh and ass, with no stomach. So no wonder they push for self love. Living under an unending state of scrutiny and judgment would take a harsh toll on anyone. Yet, they don’t have anxiety or bipolar disorder.

They’re just difficult, unapproachable and more trouble than they’re worth.

As Malcolm X once said during his May 1962 speech in Los Angeles, “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman.

The most neglected person in America is the black woman.” With all of those factors leaning against black women it is vital that we tell our sisters how special, important, powerful, beautiful, loved and needed they are. I urge everyone reading this to understand the daily battles that black women fight. They win these battles in glorious fashion but they still need to hear it from time to time.

Check on the black women in your life and regularly ask are you okay with the intentions of actually being there for them when they are going through a tough time. Without black women, this world would be a much worse place, so cherish our queens and hold them in the highest esteem.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2017 | 8

OPINION

CREATING COMMUNITY FOR GLBT STUDENTS OF COLOR THROUGH QPOC DISCUSSION GROUP Institutions of higher education often cite diversity and inclusion as a central component of their mission.

Students are asked to bring their whole selves in the hopes of building comPRESTON KEITH GUEST COLUMNIST munity, furthering dialogue, and celebrating the diverse identities present. Oftentimes, diversity is only seen from a singular perspective and focuses on one aspect of a person’s identity. If we are truly to create equitable spaces on college campuses and support the whole student, then we must recognize that people carry multiple identities, each shaping the way they navigate and move through this world.

I am reminded of the work of Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term intersectionality to recognize the multiple identities that we hold. Each of these identities present different opportunities of privilege and oppression, which impact the way we engage interpersonally with others and systemically with NC State and other institutions. In her work, Crenshaw critiqued feminist theory for its lack of attention on

the influence race and class had on her experiences as a woman. Intersectionality examines the ways that systems of oppression are interconnected and cannot be readily parsed from one another. The interconnected nature of these systems of oppression disproportionately affects the lived-experiences of those with multiple marginalized identities. For instance, the way that I may be perceived by and interact with law enforcement as a Black, cisgender, gay man would be completely different from that of a White, cisgender, heterosexual woman.

So what happens when we apply an intersectional lens to the GLBT community?

The cultural narrative of the GLBT community has widely catered to the needs and experiences of White, middle-class, gay and lesbian identified people. The developmental models we often use for GLBT identity have centralized the voices and created frameworks to support the White, cisgender GLB community. While this approach may support a portion of those who identify along the sexuality and gender spectrum, entire populations of people are left without a frame of reference or representation in the larger GLBT community.

Recognizing the diversity in race, ethnicity, class, ability, culture, etc., is

important to create space that affirms and validates people across and at the intersections of identity. In order to create this space, we must first acknowledge and affirm that GLBT people of color deserve to be incorporated into the cultural narrative, and that the way we construct communities and build support should be racialized.

Research cites that GLBT students of color may experience identity negotiations between their race/ethnicity and their gender or sexuality. For many, there is a feeling or pressure of having to choose which identity is more salient to them and as such, more central to their identity.

This dichotomous way of thinking sends the message that one cannot occupy the space of a being both a person of color and identifying as GLBT simultaneously.

For GLBT students of color there are often overlapping instances of harassment and discrimination, creating a culture that does not support their whole selves.

Furthermore, GLBT students of color may experience racism from the larger GLBT community, while also experiencing homophobia or transphobia within community of color spaces. Yes, that’s right, the GLBT community is not immune to racism. In fact, racism within this community is implicit in the ways community

is built, how relationships are sought, how “dating preferences” are defined, and how we engage with one another. This lack of inclusion creates a need for spaces that allow for full integration of all of their identities.

Recognizing that a space needed to exist which intentionally centered the voices, experiences, and perceptions of GLBT students of color, the NC State GLBT Center created QPOC (Queer People of Color). QPOC is a student-led discussion group aimed to provide a safe space for African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American, Native American, multi-racial, and communities of color who identify as GLBT. QPOC provides a space for students to share their experiences, discuss how their racial/ethnic and GLBT identities influence each other, and connect with other students who are navigating multiple communities and what that can mean in terms of feeling welcome, accepted, and included. If you identify as GLBT person of color, I encourage you to attend a meeting.

QPOC meets twice a month on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Visit the NC State GLBT Center website, or contact Preston Keith, Assistant Director of the GLBT Center, for more information.

2017 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CAMPUS COMMEMORATION FEATURING

RESCHEDULED EVENT DATE

ROLAND

MARTIN

NEW LOCATION & DATE: MONDAY, JANUARY 23RD 2017 | 3:00-4:00PM STEWART THEATRE, TALLEY STUDENT UNION

SPONSORS UNION ACTIVITIES BOARD -COLLEGE OF SCIENCES BLACK STUDENTS BOARD GRADUATE SCHOOL NUBIAN MESSAGE COLLEGE OF TEXTILES TECHNICIAN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY SCHOLARS NC STATE LIBRARIES COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND POOLE COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT SOCIAL SCIENCES COLLEGE OF N NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS

HOSTED BY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER For accommodations requests, please contact Joyce Stevens at 919.513.1396.

S.T.A.T.E. Village

HOUSING SELECTION 2017

There are FOUR opportunities to sign up for Housing Selection for 2017-2018. Requests for housing are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis in each sign-up period.

OPTION

1 2

OPTION

OPTION

3 4

OPTION

SPACE SAVERS ENDS JANUARY 19 STAY IN YOUR CURRENT APARTMENT OR VILLAGE* see website for details

*

PLACE SAVERS

JANUARY 23-24

GROUPS

JANUARY 17-20

CHOOSE A DIFFERENT APARTMENT IN WOLF VILLAGE OR WOLF RIDGE

REQUEST AN APARTMENT OR RESIDENCE HALL SUITE FOR YOUR GROUP

PARTIES OF 1-2

JAN. 31-FEB. 2

FIND A NEW SPACE IN A RESIDENCE HALL, APARTMENT OR VILLAGE

FIND OUT MORE:

go.ncsu.edu/housing_selection

Networking dinner with Black Male Initiative

Villages beyond the First-Year Experience ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS THROUGH FEBRUARY 2

To apply for a Village: Complete a village application online and participate in OPTION 4 for Housing Selection on January 31.

OPTION

4

PARTIES OF 1-2

JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 2

FIND A NEW SPACE IN A RESIDENCE HALL, APARTMENT OR VILLAGE

FIND OUT MORE:

go.ncsu.edu/housing_selection