SGA Today Photo Journal Vol. 3 No. 1

SGA Vol. 3 • No. 1

TODAY SPRING 2015

When Conflict Meets Change Our Voices: Past, Present, & Future Dinner Dialogue Block Party Black Film Festival Day of Service An evening with martin and langston

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Students work on “Agency Bingo” at the “Our Voices: Past, Present, & Future” event.

SGA Vol. 3 • No. 1

SGA Today Photo Journal is a publication of Student Publications, an affiliated project of the Student Government Association of Florida State University.

SGA Today Photo Journal Vol. 3, No. 1

TODAY SPRING 2015

E-mail submissions to SGA Today Editor Tony Nguyen at tmnguyen@fsu.edu SGA Today, A302 Oglesby Union, (850) 645-0160 This publication is available upon request in alternative format for individuals with print-related disabilities.

Need a copy? Why not go paperless? Visit sga.fsu.edu/sga-today.shtml for a copy of this issue!

Front Photo by Lauren Alsina, Insert Photo by Lauren Alsina, and Back Photo by Julia Crabtree

MLK WEEK SOCIAL MEDIA TO SOCIAL CHANGE: BEYOND THE HASHTAG Photography: Julia Crabtree | Article: Eric Trombetti

SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH DIALOGUE AND ACTION “Social Media to Social Change:

topics were discussed to show the real

Beyond the Hashtag,� was the message

problems that need to be tackled in our

of the 27th annual MLK Week celebration.

society today; being aware of them was

There were a wide range of events to help

not enough anymore.

students get involved and understand

The events showed just what students

the importance of action and change.

can do when talking about change and

Communication is an essential part in

provided the stage to work together

moving a diverse community forward,

and make that change a reality. From

and events to provide understanding

engaging dialogue and performances,

of dialogue and fair discussion offered

to guest speakers, and opportunities

numerous opportunities to get students

for involvement, the possibilities to take

to learn and get involved.

action were endless this week. A strong

The importance was in taking action.

and unified community showed the

Many of the events were centered on

ability to confront the issues of racism,

getting all the students involved and

discrimination, and hatred, building

talking with one another. Hot-button

towards a much brighter future.

1/14 WHEN CONFLICT MEETS CHANGE: A VISUAL RETROSPECTIVE Photography: Lauren Alsina | Article: Eric Trombetti

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WHEN CONFLICT MEETS CHANGE Photographs of various Civil and

involving racial, LGBTQ+, and gender

Human Rights Activists decorated the

equality. The goal was to promote

Integration Statue circle Wednesday

progress and change by focusing on

morning. The event, When Conflict Meets

what everyone can do right now.

Change: A Social Perspective, presented

Rod Kelly, a member of the MLK

those who fought for civil rights and

Planning Committee, offered his thoughts

respect that was not granted to all

of the event and its relation to the bigger

individuals. The event was located around

picture: “There is no one race alimony.

Integration Statue, where students learned

We’re not talking about just one race, or

about social and political movements

just the issue of race, we are talking about

respect for all.” Kelly described the event

movements, peace training for protesters,

as a two-task process: “The first task is

and just how far we have come today.

to reinforce that everyone has a place in

Each presentation ended with a different

a movement, to be inclusive. Once you

question to the audience all-encompassing

find a place, continue the message and

a bigger picture of: “How are you

take action towards the cause and we

contributing to the message of social

can all find a space.”

change and inclusiveness today?”

Posters offered informational segments depicting pursuits of basic human rights, popular feminist

1/14 OUR VOICES: PAST, PRESENT, & FUTURE Photography: Lauren Alsina | Article: Eric Trombetti

Through the Stonewall Riots, the

would be a lot harder to live with.” Pitt

marches in Selma, the foundation of the

said, “If the readers of the past had just

Pan Asian American Union, and strikes

voiced their opinions in the news rather

led by Cesar Chavez, one message was

than taking action, we would not have

made clear at Our Voices: Past, Present, &

the progress we have today.”

Future; in the face of discrimination and

Pride Student Union, Black Student

injustice, people will unite and seek that

Union, Asian American Student Union,

equal rights are for everyone.

and Hispanic Latino Student Union put

Katrina Pitt, Director of Asian

on a collection of powerful speakers and

American Student Union, said the goal

performances to represent the battles

of the event was to, “showcase the events

fought by those to in the past. Each

in our respective history that have helped

presentation provided an understanding of

to shape the communities everyone is

the effects of discrimination and inspired

now a part of and lead.” “Without our

students to promote an environment of

community’s past movements, our present

safe space and unity.

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1/15 DINNER DIALOGUE Photography: Sarah Williams | Article: Eric Trombetti

To promote discussion, Dinner

were then invited to dinner where each

Dialogue with Dr. Debra Austin, former

table offered opportunities to discuss

Chancellor of the State University System

with each other. Questions provided

of Florida, offered an evening of equal

encouraged everyone to share stories

exchanges in communication so that

where they learned something, when

everyone had a chance to be heard.

they stood up against adversity, and plans

Amber Hampton, the Program Coordinator for the Center for Leadership

to take action on what was happening in our world today.

and Social Change, was interested in

After discussion, Austin spoke of Dr.

getting the community to think critically.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and what she calls

“The event is part of a larger concept.”

the five P’s: purpose, power, passion,

Hampton said. “Dialogue deepens the

prayer, and persistence. Austin said

community relation and connection,

that not only should everyone find their

everyone is in a circle and no one is at the

purpose, but also think about how they

front. Everyone has an equal perspective,

move towards that purpose. She then

and they play the part of learning each

opened up for each table to present what

other’s perspective.” Hampton wanted the

they had discussed. Everyone shared their

conversations to go beyond just sharing

new views gained from the experiences

names and occupations and get into what

of others. Through this, conversation

it was everyone was passionate about.

became a unifying platform where all

Members of several organizations across campus, businesses in Tallahassee, and Florida State University students

ideas and considerations were held at equal level.

1/16 BLOCK PARTY Photography: Sarah Williams | Article: Eric Trombetti

Project Conversation, Askew Student

on graduate school and graduation,

Life Center, and the Center for Leadership

community outreach programs, and tips

and Social Change teamed-up to promote

for a safe and healthy college life. Several

unity and conversation at this year’s

of the organizations also provided games

Block Party. The event helped students

with prizes for students to participate.

get involved with the many communities and on-campus opportunities.

Nathan MacDonald, Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator for the Center

Healthy Noles, the Career Center,

for Leadership and Social Change, invited

and the Counseling Center provided

students to come out and see what the

students with resources for counseling

event had to offer. “We want to surround

them in engagement, community service,

for students to sit down and discuss

and exploring new culture,� MacDonald

some of hard-hitting questions about

said, “talking about engagement and

race and identity. The conversations

dialogue, and to create that dialogue

provided students with the opportunity

between students, everyone can be

to feel like they could get involved and

vulnerable.� MacDonald said the event

make a difference with more than just

is a call to action and resources show

what they say, but with what they can

that the possibility of engagement are

do right here and right now.

endless.

Project Conversation had a station

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1/16 BLACK FILM FESTIVAL Photography: Sarah Williams | Article: Eric Trombetti

The 3rd annual Black Film Festival,

come and share in the experience.

sponsored by the Black Student Union

The Black Student Union selected

and ASLC Film Committee, celebrated

a wide variety of thought-provoking

African-American cinema over the recent

cinema that highlighted the progress

years. The film festival showcased movies

made by many successful film directors

that helped to represent a positive outlook

in promoting a call to action against the

on race. The event, which was free and

harmful stereotypes of black culture in

open to all, attracted many viewers to

both the past and present. Several of the

films won awards for their message and

invited everyone to view the world from

pushed students to engage in dialogue.

a different perspective. After viewing the

Films included “Journey 450 – The Rise

films, students, local Tallahassee residents,

of Lincolnville,” by Lura Scarpitti, “H.A.M,”

and faculty discussed the image of black

by Kariin Charlier, “Scapegoat,” by Khadie

culture in cinema and hoped to present

Sanders, and “Wireless,” by Fred Johnson.

a clear picture of how these films spoke

All of these films were created by Florida

about African-American identity.

State University students and alumni, and

1/19 DAY OF SERVICE Photography: Lauren Alsina | Article: Eric Trombetti

After a week of thought-provoking

“day off” became a “day on” for Tallahassee

performances, engaging dialogue, and

residents, local businesses, and several

the message of unity by action and

students of Florida State University to

change, the SLICE Office and Tallahassee

address the major issues affecting the

Community College sent out the call to

community right now.

action asking all to give back in service

The President’s call to service initiative

honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The

asked everyone to come out and help to

create a solution to problems like injustice,

The community at large put the

civil wrongs, poverty, homelessness,

knowledge and experience gained from

and pollution. One participant said the

the events this week to the test, showing

important message is that to show just

that “Social Media to Social Change:

what can be done when everyone comes

Beyond the Hashtag� was truly about

together regardless of who you are, what

the action and change that everyone

matters is what it is that you want to do.

can take part.

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1/20 AN EVENING WITH MARTIN AND LANGSTON: FEATURING DANNY GLOVER AND FELIX JUSTICE Photography: Lauren Alsina, Sarah Williams, and Julia Crabtree | Article: Eric Trombetti

AN EVENING WITH MARTIN AND LANGSTON The Golden Tribe Lecture Series and

speeches. A student in line said, “they are

Student Government Association brought

two prominent actors, and they have a lot

an evening of honoring two major figures

to stand for. It’s going to be nice to hear

in Civil Rights movements. Dr. Martin

about their work in civil rights.” Another

Luther King, Jr., and Langston Hughes

student commented, “I am excited to see

were embodied in a recreation of some

what they have to say, and to broaden

of their famous speeches through special

my views on a lot of subjects.”

guests, Danny Glover and Felix Justice.

Felix Justice, portraying Dr. Martin

Students lined up in anticipation,

Luther King Jr., recalled injustice and

sharing their thoughts about the upcoming

racism that was rampant in America at

the time. He spoke of the various threats

and hatred that cost the lives of many of

and struggles that King faced during his

his brothers and sisters.

speeches, and his stance on anti-violence

After the event, students inspired

not just on his home-turf, but also the

by the evening’s performance offered

impact of the Vietnam War taking place

their thoughts. One student said that,

at that time.

“having the chance to see them in-person

Danny Glover followed, playing the role of Langston Hughes. Performing

talking about civil rights was definitely an experience.”

works written by the famous poet, he narrated Langston’s awe at the injustice

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