Nubian Message, Nov. 8, 2018 — Holmes Hall honors a legacy

NUBIANMESSAGE NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM | THURSDAY, November 8, 2018

holmes hall honors A legacy

THURSDAY, November 8, 2018 | 2

Letter from the editor

THISISSUE 3 IN HONOR OF IRWIN HOLMES, JR.

The Opening of Holmes Hall.

4 LIGHT OVER DARKNESS

Hey y’all, Happy Diwali! Last weekend, BAPS hosted a Diwali celebration on campus for students and the local community. Read all about it on page 4.

Also in recent news, University Commons was renamed Holmes Hall in honor of NC State’s first black undergraduate.

Holmes and others spoke at the dedication last Thursday. Read more about that on the right.

Finding Your Joy for Diwali.

5 AWARENESS BUILDS EMPATHY

Supporting the Trans Community.

6 AWE

As promised, here is this issue’s proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Midterm election results were a mix of things. The country witnessed the success of many progressive candidates from the local to national level. Yet here in NC, an amendment requiring photo IDs to vote passed comfortably.

What are we to do? Well I think we can use the success of grassroots organizing elsewhere to encourage us North Carolinians that our efforts are not in vain. This proverb reminds me that although working toward a better world is long and hard work, it is work worth doing.

Women, power, and entrepreneurship.

7 REPRESENTATION IN POLITICS. What the elections mean for America’s youth.

I am because we are, Keilah

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

Keilah Davis

Editor-in-Chief

Kennysha Woods

Managing editor

Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of the Nubian Message: cover photo by sara trudan

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, november 8, 2018 | 3

Holmes Hall: A Dedication to first black graduate O

n Nov. 1, NC State’s University Commons Oluwajoba ogun was officially recorrespondent named Holmes Hall to honor Irwin Holmes Jr., the first African-American to earn an undergraduate degree at NC State and first African-American athlete to participate in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Holmes graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in May 1960.

NC State students, faculty, staff and alumni gathered on Cates Avenue to witness the renaming. Speeches were given by university officials, like Chancellor Randy Woodson and Debbie Yow, the director of athletics, as well as the honorary guest, Irwin Holmes.

“I would like to thank NC State for bestowing this honor on me,” Holmes said.

“This is something I would not have ever imagined that the university would think I was qualified to receive.”

Holmes suggested that the building’s renaming signified an important moment not only for him, but also for the university.

“In doing this today,” Holmes said, “not only are they honoring me, but I feel that they are honoring themselves in a big, big way. And all of you out here today can join me in making sure we continue and improve.”

Jalen McGee, a Goodnight Scholar and third-year studying industrial engineering, highlighted Holmes’ legacy at NC State as the first African American to graduate, saying, “Thousands of minority students have followed Mr. Holmes’ path and walked the bricks at NC State, honoring the legacy he left behind.”

“I’m fortunate to be one of them,” McGee added.

Woodson recognized the difficult feats Holmes overcame during his undergraduate career.

“Irwin was among a select group of students from his freshman class to graduate in four years,” Woodson said, “and I have to tell you in those days, very few engineering

brandon loyd correspondent

Sara Trudan/Staff Photographer The Holmes Hall dedication took place on Nov 1. 2018. The building formerly known as the University College Commons was named after Irwin Holmes to honor him and his accomplishments.

students graduated in four years.”

Louis Martin-Vega, the dean of engineering, addressed the importance of Erwin’s accomplishments to black students, calling Holmes “more than a role model.”

“You are an existence proof to Jalen and many others who see in you who they are and who they can become,” Martin-Vega said.

Among the attendees was Jamila Simpson, interim associate dean for Academic Affairs, who said that viewing the event was “an honor.”

“His heart is loving and humble and he is making us a better institution,” Simpson said. “We are a better institution because of his legacy and him coming to NC State, and he makes us better as a students as well, because when things get tough for us, we have him as a role model to persevere through that.”

Elizabeth Reidy, a second-year studying business administration, said, “It was nice for NC State to honor someone who was able to initiate change.”

Daniel Cozart, a fourth-year studying

psychology, said, “I can’t even imagine the adversity he had to go through to get to this point, but the fact that we are here says a lot. His legacies, his battles, his endurance, it says a lot. It made me feel like I deserve to be here and I’m meant to be here.”

THURSDAY, november 8, 2018 | 4

BAPS hosts Diwali celebration

news

yesenia jones Staff Writer On Nov. 3, a Diwali celebration took place in Riddick hall and was centered on joy and spirituality. According to BBC, Diwali is defined as the triumph of good over evil or light over darkness. Members of the Hindu faith celebrate the five-day holiday which normally occurs in early November.

This year, the celebration officially began on Nov. 5.

Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) campus fellowship hosted the event, which included music and talks from spiritual leaders. The evening began with singers from the temple performing traditional Hindu songs and playing drums. Lessons on morality followed the performance.

In these lessons, local Hindu leaders told stories about characters in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” that echoed the central theme of the night, which was a simple principle that is common across all religions: you will only find joy, if you bring joy to others.

“It’s a message that anybody can apply to any situation in their life,” said Khushvoo Patel, an attendee and student from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Thinking of others before yourself, being selfless and remaining humble. It’s a message that can be applied in a lot of different ways.”

During the celebration, it was suggested that students could bring joy to others by simply being kind and completing community service. Being kind and good is a key element of the celebration of Diwali.

To reinforce the idea of light prevailing over darkness, those who celebrate Diwali often light candles, oil lamps and fireworks. At the end of the night, each guest was given a candle and asked to light it during a dedication of food to the gods. All of the food was hand prepared by students and placed on a large display in front of the Hindu gods and goddesses.

As the program concluded, guests were asked to stand before the gods and pray for their good fortune and the good fortune of others.

Traditional Indian foods catered by BAPS were offered to the attendees at the end of the celebration, but according to students who practice Diwali yearly, this is not how the event is normally celebrated.

“Usually at home it’s more about certain rituals that you do with your family,” Khushvoo Patel said. “It’s basically a family event.

There’s certain holy rituals you do and there’s always a lot of food and friends.”

While the event is not a perfect representation of how Diwali is normally celebrated, many students appreciate having the Hindu celebration on NC State’s campus. According to Jessika Patel, a second-year studying elementary education, it is the perfect way for her to help maintain spirituality and stay in touch with her heritage.

“I like that we have these events,” Jessika Patel said. “I don’t get time to go to temple every Sunday because I have things going on.

But when it’s this close, there’s no reason for me not go.”

Khushvoo Patel also agreed that she likes having Hindu and Southeast Asian events that are local and for university students. She says this is especially important for maintaining and sharing culture.

“I think it’s really nice to have another part of you, that people don’t really get to experience,” Khushvoo Patel said. “Your culture and your heritage are a part of who you are.

And, when you go to college there’s all of these different things that you are introduced to. So, it’s really nice to have that one thing that you can go back to that is a part of you.”

By holding Diwali celebrations at NC State, students like Khushvoo Patel and Jessika Patel are able to maintain their culture and carry on their traditions while living on campus.

Amrita Malur/Staff Photographer Attendees of the BAPS Diwali celebration receive food and blessed offerings, and answer trivia about the festival on Friday, November 3, 2018 in Riddick Hall. Diwali, or the festival of lights, is considered the new year for Hindus. BAPS is branch of Hinduism and together with their temple and campus fellowships across North Carolina host the event annually.

features

THURSDAY, november 8, 2018 | 5

Fighting Transphobia with Awareness

Anna Lee/Graphic Designer

Kevin Moye Staff Writer

I

n modern American politics, transgender people may be one of the most persecuted groups in our society. Their rights are constantly assaulted by transphobic lawmakers too scared of their existence; they face a society that is still too stuck in traditional values to accept them for who

they are; and now, they must grapple with the fact that they have a president who wants to completely render them invisible.

In October, The New York Times reported on a policy proposal by the Trump administration that would restrict the definition of gender to being “a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth.”

Many experts vehemently disagree with

this decision by the Trump administration, including our GLBT Center leaders at NC State.

Andy DeRoin is the program coordinator for NC State’s GLBT Center. They view the proposed policy change as not only grossly inaccurate but also incredibly damaging for the future of the transgender community.

“Sex is made up of internal and external genitalia, our chromosomes and the way our bodies produce hormones,” DeRoin said. “It is a decision primarily made based off our birth-given genitalia.”

“Gender identity is our deep internal sense of who we are,” they said. “While our society is built on the idea that sex informs gender, it does not.”

The Trump administration has already gotten rid of Obama-era policies that allowed for a more fluid view of gender identity. Rollbacks of recognizing gender identity in schools and homeless shelters have already been put in place by government agencies like the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, this move would be the most austere in an already long line of harsh attacks against the community laid out by the administration. According to The New York Times, around 1.4 million Americans would lose federal recognition of how they identify themselves.

In the event that the policy is implemented, DeRoin believes that NC State’s transgender students would be relatively shielded from the impact of the decision because of our non-discrimination policies.

“NC State protects against discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression,” DeRoin said. “Similar to HB2 [The Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act] where another governmental entity was trying to treat people differently, we can refuse to do so based on our non-discrimination policy.”

While the policy may not even be implemented, it could still lead to long-lasting damages against the transgender community.

“It really reinforces this idea of biological essentialism that prides biology as our guiding concept,” DeRoin said, “but doesn’t allow for us to question what our goals are as a society to categorize people.”

DeRoin continued, “This memo can feel like the bars are coming down on respect and legal visibility for the community. Even if the memo does not come to fruition, it still is going to make an impact on the collective consciousness of our culture and affect the ways people make policy in the future.”

Even though it increasingly seems like transgender people cannot look to their elected officials for help, we as fellow students and citizens can still provide comfort to this victimized community.

“The more that people talk about trans issues — especially other intersections of identities — the more empathy we can build,” DeRoin said. “The more empathy we can build the easier it will be to challenge these lasting effects.”

TransGender Awareness Week 2018: Honoring the Intersections Tuesday, November 13 MAJOR! Film Screening and Discussion Talley 4101 | 5 - 7 p.m.

Wednesday, November 14 Politics of Transgender Health Care Talley 3285 | 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 16 Cultural Values about Gender and Violence in the Trans Community Workshop Talley 4280 | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Sunday, November 18 Paint the Free Expression Tunnel Free Expression Tunnel | 6 - 9 p.m.

Monday, November 19 Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil and Program Talley 3285 | 5 - 7 p.m.

THURSDAY, november 8, 2018 | 6

features

AWE returns to nc State

Anna Lee/Graphic Designer

Kennysha Woods Managing Editor

F

or some people, the idea of entrepreneurship is liberating. You get to choose your own hours, you don’t have a dress code and you can work from anywhere you want in the world without having to answer to anyone but yourself. You are your own boss.

But then there’s everything else, like the constant attention you must pay to the fluctuating stock market, the stress that comes with trying to balance your personal life while running the business and the never-ending process of developing products and services that cater to the demands of your market.

So while being an entrepreneur can be fun, the role still comes with responsibilities that may be daunting to people looking to start their own business—especially to women, who face institutional barriers such as lack of mentors, the gender pay gap and unequal access to funding when trying to start their own businesses.

Luckily for the Wolfpack, however, we have organizations like Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), which provides networking and engagement

opportunities to aspiring entrepreneurs in a woman-focused space. It consists of a board of NC State students who are referred to as “AWEbassadors.”

“The idea of AWE,” said Dakota Batch, a second-year master’s student in the Wilson College of Textiles, “is just a space for women—not only women, but focused on women—to come share ideas and experiences in entrepreneurship. A place not feel judged or competitive or anything like that.”

The group first emerged in 2015 as a result of a grant proposal written by Dr. Rosanna Garcia, a former associate professor of marketing and innovation.

“You don’t know everything about entrepreneurship and you probably won’t when you first start,” said Kristen Adejuwon, an AWEbassador and second-year doctoral candidate in textile technology management. “So when you can sit down with people who already have experience in entrepreneurship and what it takes, it gives you that support system you need to be successful.”

Dr. Katherine Annett-Hitchcock is AWE’s current program director and an associate

professor in the department of textile and apparel, technology and management.

“The grant was successfully funded by the Extension, Engagement and Economic Development fund,” Annett-Hitchcock said in an email interview with Nubian Message. “It ran for a year funded, then another year non-funded with limited events and then dormant until the vice chancellor for finance and administration [Scott Douglas] asked me to resurrect it.”

In the beginning, AWE was operated primarily by faculty members, but in its newly-revived formation, AWE is more student-led. In addition to Annett-Hitchcock, Adejuwon and Batch, there is Behnoosh Farashahi, AWE’s project manager and a PhD candidate in textile technology management, as well as 10 AWEbassadors belonging to different grade levels, majors and colleges.

“Every college needs something different and has a different set up,” Batch said, “It’s good to make sure that not only are events getting published in every college… but to get an idea of what every college needs.”

AWE also facilitates connections be-

tween other entrepreneur groups scattered throughout campus.

“Every college has something different, and no one is really connected and trying to build up that resource,” Batch said. “We provide the contacts and resources for all of the entrepreneurship stuff around campus.

We provide speaker series, so local women who own their own businesses come and speak about the challenges and advantages and what they went through—to hear all of that from their perspective.”

Although AWE is woman-focused, the group an open to any NC State or local community member who wants to join. By participating in the group, people can be involved in the discussion about women in entrepreneurship “The topic of women and their experiences is very different from the male perspective,” Adejuwon said. “Also, that way they can understand the disparities that we go through, help us when we need help and be an additional support system. Women are very powerful on their own, but at the same time, it’s even more wonderful in everyone is a part of that empowerment.”

opinion

THURSDAY, november 8, 2018 | E

Election “Firsts” allude to positive future With the closing of polls across the country on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 6 came an exciting wave of ‘firsts’ for many national and state positions.

Some of the many historical elections included: Jared Polis to GoverAnna nor of Colorado, the first Carlson openly gay man elected Correspondant governor in the U.S.; Rashida Tlaib to the U.S. House of Representatives for Michigan and Ilhan Omar to the U.S. House of Representatives, the first Muslim congresswomen; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to the U.S. House of Representatives for New York, youngest woman elected to congress; and Deb Haaland to the U.S. House of Representatives for New Mexico and Sharice Davids to the U.S. House of Representatives for Kansas, the first Native American congresswomen.

These elections are not only impactful for

the individuals being represented in their respective states, but they also indicate a positive change towards better representation for many people across the country.

Each of the above-mentioned individuals represents a minority community, whether that be that of the LGBTQ community, the Muslim community, the Native American community, etc. By holding a position like that of a state governor or one within the U.S. House of Representatives, these newly-elected officials offer people who identify with these same minority communities a voice they never had before.

Simply seeing someone who looks like you—or someone who identifies in the same was as you—in a position of significant influence can impact the way you see yourself.

Lupita Nyong’o, a highly awarded actress, once described this impact on her life in a 2014 interview with Glamour magazine.

“Until I saw people who looked like me, doing the things I wanted to do, I wasn’t so sure it was a possibility,” said Nyong’o.

“Seeing Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah in

‘The Color Purple,’ it dawned on me: ‘Oh - I could be an actress!’ We plant the seed of possibility.”

This “seed of possibility” is the same inspiration that is implanted into the minds of minority youth when they see themselves in the people who work within our state and federal offices.

These elections, then, are extremely significant to the youth of America with aspirations to change their communities through politics.

By seeing women like Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib win offices, young Muslim girls can more easily see themselves in positions of influence. By seeing people like Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids making an impact in the U.S. House of Representatives, young Native Americans can more strongly feel like their people have a voice. By seeing Jared Polis as the face of the state of Colorado, LGBTQ youth can take one more step towards feeling accepted in this country— and the list goes on.

This inspiration will not only touch the

lives of the United States’ youth but it will also influence the mentality of the country’s young adults, like those that make up the majority of NC State’s student body.

Seeing young women like that of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez take action, for example, will only fuel the passion of the country’s future lawmakers on this campus to stay dedicated and pursue their career aspirations.

While there are still very few Muslim American, Native American, and openly gay individuals in prominent public offices when looking at the country as a whole— and while that still is a problem that must be continually addressed—these historical elections indicate a positive shift in the national political sphere.

They prove that the country is moving towards creating a more diverse government, and, thus, a more fairly represented national populous, which is something worth celebrating.

THURSDAY, november 8, 2018 | 8

opinion

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