The Drum Newsletter

DRUM

THE

NEWSLETTER

The comeback issue brought to you by the Black Caucus Communications Committee

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4-The Drums 2018 Top 15

13-Depression In College

2018 Top 15 Albums

7- Organization Word Search Can you find all these orgs?

8-Culture Vs. Love

Photography 14- Beauty in Blackness Heartlens Photos

Poetry 16-If you can A, you can B 16- Silence 17-Darkness

9-Artist Spotlight: Valencia Are Get know our cover artists inspiration for her piece

10-College Campus Sexual Assault Interview with Freddy Purnell

11- Resource Spotlight: Student Care and Advocacy 12-Self Care

19-Say His Name Osaze Osagie Interview with Danieltta Pantoe and Sargeant Will Slaton

Omou Barry

Jaida Lively

Mamadou Barry

BLACK CAUCUS COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE 2018-19 Mariama Massaquoi

Daniel Gizaza

Aisha Mahrani

Arielle Djokoto

Malik Ward

*Not pictured Abel Fanta and Edred Ethan Richardson II

Welcome to the new age of The Drum! A lot of hard work has been put into making The Drum come back, thankfully because of the people above. The Drum is a publication meant for the community, where the stories, poetry, photography that appear are reflective of who we are.

We hope from this first copy back and the ones to come that this will be a space where the voices of the black community will be heard, unaltered and unapologetic, like the steady beat of a Drum. We hope you enjoy this issue!

By Mamadou Barry

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ho would have thought that 2018 would be such a great year for music? Notably, the music we got this year might be the best thing about 2018 besides Black Panther, which basically gave us another Kendrick album as a soundtrack. From the exciting debuts of artists such as RnB hit-maker Ella Mai and New York native Cardi B, to the ridiculous political statements made by producer/rapper Kanye

West – this year was not short of eventful happenings that brought people together for a listen.

With the vast amount of critically acclaimed albums this year, compiling this list of 2018’s best was difficult. It was so tough that I decided to extend the amount on my list from just 10, and even with this number feels like I am doing plenty of projects injustice. Before we get into it, here are a couple of things that were taken into consideration: We are looking

15.) Dirty Computer

By Janelle Monáe Every year Janelle Monáe manages to top herself with an even more imaginative and original album that fuses all kinds of genres into an Afrofuturistic, contemporary funk. Dirty Computer is no exception to that – essentially being the peak of Monáe’s style. In fact, it is all so smoothly executed that it felt like the quintessential pop record for empowering females and Afrocentrics all over, as well as a homage to the late Prince (who helped her with it before his passing). Good job on this one Monáe.

at full-length albums so no EPs or mixtapes; We are keeping this list to 15 in order of preference; Remember that I have not listened to EVERY album released this year and that this is my humblest opinion. If your album did not make it, let the DRUM know so that we can hear your jam!

Now let’s begin counting down the best albums released this year.

13.) Last Day of Summer

By Summer Walker When I first heard “Girls Need Love,” like most listeners, I was taken aback by the rawness of Summer Walker’s lyrics. The openness that she brings to delicate subject matters makes her a very relatable human being that is drowned in wavy production and a hypnotizing voice. Last Day of Summer is all of that and then some.

There is no doubt she has made one last splash this year in the large pool of RnB records released this year. I am excited to see what she has in store for the future.

14.) Astroworld

By Travis Scott I have always been a Travis Scott fan but, in most of his projects, I did feel that he overstayed his welcome. There is only so much he can say before he loses me. Astroworld put me back onto Travis, with each track giving you a different feeling and energy. Tracks like “Stargazing” and “Yosemite” can feel extremely moody with its eerie and somber production while the criminally underrated closing track “Coffee Bean” has Travis at his most personal lyrically. It’s as complete an album that Travis has ever released and it sounds fantastic.

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12.) Lost & Found

By Jorja Smith I could not choose which debut album would go here, as both Ella Mai and Jorja Smith were equally favorable. I do think Jorja Smith’s album is not as polished as RnB hitmaker Ella Mai’s, but I am leaning more towards Jorja Smith here, mainly due to the odd charm that attracted me to her in the first place. It might be because she gives me strong Alicia Keys vibes, especially with the song “Teenage Love Fantasy” and I love this style of music. The warmth of Jorja Smith’s vocals melts all over Lost & Found, with every sung verse feeling organic and powerful. This is yet another RnB artist that I see great promise in.

11.) TA13OO

By Denzel Curry TA13OO is the first work of rapper Denzel Curry I have listened to in full and boy was I missing out. The album’s three acts of light, grey, and dark make this one of the most conceptually interesting and dark albums of the year. The range of Denzel’s subject matter, sociopolitical and sociocultural themes, and colorful flows kept me engaged throughout the whole project. The music video for what is easily the best single on the album, “Clout Cobain”, is an excellent companion piece to the album too.

10.) Negro Swan

By Blood Orange If you are familiar with the name Dev Hynes, you know what to expect with Negro Swan seeing as his alias is Blood Orange. A mix of psychedelic pop and soothing funk with occasional instances of hip hop, RnB and neo-soul – Negro Swan knows exactly what it wants to be and does it masterfully in a weirdly 80s-sounding way.

There is not much more to say besides this is a must-listen if you want an album about an indepth exploration of black individuality and all of the insecurities that come with it.

9.) DiCrapio 2

By J.I.D. Now this is what rapping is about. With as many flows as there are multi-syllabic rhyme schemes, J.I.D. does not hesitate to flex his impressive rap techniques throughout the album and a rap fan could not ask for more. Plus, this album can be hilarious at times. Just reading the track title “Despacito Too” has me rolling. Gets me excited for a potential Dreamville vs. TDE. Make it happen people.

8.) Oxnard

By Anderson .Paak Multi-instrumentalist and singer Anderson .Paak has been everywhere recently. His last album Malibu was one of my favorite albums of recent memory and while Oxnard does not top it for me, it is still a good ass listen.

The album has killer features, executive production by Dr. Dre, and a wide range of soulful tunes that are drowned in old school, wavy grooves. There is a lot to love here and .Paak continues to provide refreshing sounds within his music.

7.) Room 25

By Noname The exciting debut album of Noname is exciting for good reason. Telefone was such a great project that over 2 years later, it is still talked about. The success of her first tape set the bar high for this album and Room 25 does not disappoint. It is still Noname rapping poetically in scattered thought but she is much more mature. The glossy production is now much more subdued, unable to distract you from the introspective nature of Noname. All in all, a fine album and a must-listen.

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6.) Some Rap Songs

By Earl Sweatshirt This record might not be for everyone, even the avid hip-hop fan. Earl Sweatshirt has always been known for his extremely intricate lyricism, depressing outlook on life, and his dark, gritty production. Some Rap Songs in comparison is nothing like what he has put out. It is a series of sample-heavy, lowly mixed songs that stays true to the title. Fans of Madlib or DOOM will find much more than a couple of rap songs in this deep cut though. Underneath these songs lie a personal struggle of loss, resentment, depression, and a trippy acid trip. It is hit or miss, but Earl’s emotional honesty spoke volumes to me and for that it I think everyone should at least give it a try.

3.) Hive Mind

By The Internet An infectious joyride with groovy basslines and catchy melodies, Hive Mind has the band The Internet at its best. Every member provides something special to each song and it all comes together beautifully. Syd who mainly provided vocals in the past, still does her thing here but we get to see more of the very talented Steve Lacy and proves that he can lay it down just as smooth as Syd. As great as their last album was, Ego Death might have been outdone here. This was easily my favorite bop of the summer and at this point, I can’t get enough of The Internet.

5.) Swimming

By Mac Miller As an artist, I listened to Mac get progressively better over the years, especially after the albums Watching Movies with the Sound Off and GOOD:AM. With every album he put out, his music became more and more personal, as well as sonically being more soulful. When this album first came out, I loved how honest and vulnerable he left himself. Every song on this album is a reflection of what he was going through recently.

He knew where he was headed and after his tragic death in September, the messages of him drowning in his depression became ever so clear. Its sad that a man who loved music this much, couldn’t swim no more. R.I.P. Mac

2.) Care for Me

By Saba Chicago rapper Saba has managed to make a modern masterpiece of emotion and sonic artistry. This album is more than just Saba’s most ambitious project, it is a collection of the most relatable narratives told in the most compelling ways possible. The album is inspired by Saba’s close friend that he lost recently and through Saba’s ways of coping, a positive, inspiring message manifests itself and rubbed off on me.

“Slickly rapped poetry” is what I think of every time I played Care for Me this year. For that, it is not only my most listened to album this year, it is this very album that has helped me rediscover

4.) Daytona

By Pusha T As entertaining as it was to see the diss tracks that came from beefs like “Man-Bun” Kelly and “Beard is Weird” rapper Eminem, the meatiest beef of the year was definitely Pusha T and Drake. Not only did it spawn one of the most merciless diss tracks in rap culture, but it reminded all of hip-hop of why Pusha is regarded as a top-tier lyricist. Daytona is already an instant classic, featuring some of Kanye’s greatest sample flips and the same 7 song structure that Ye has been doing this year (which has made me appreciate shorter projects much more with the flood of songs we get weekly). It’s a tight album and there is not much more to say except, “if you know, you know.”

the power of poetic expression. I can go on and on about why this album deserves all the praise it has gotten but all I can say is to give this one a go and let the music speak for itself.

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This concludes The Drum’s list of the best albums of 2018. As I said before, this was not easy among the 100+ albums I listened to in order to make this list. In order to recognize some other great albums, I’d like to give these albums an honorable mention as well:

- Elzhi & Krisis – Jericho Jackson - Ella Mai - Black Panther (Soundtrack) - Teyana Taylor – KTSE - Kids See Ghosts

1.) Isolation

By Kali Uchis The soothing, silky voice that effortlessly glides over Latin pop and RnB grooves makes Kali Uchis my favorite new artist this year. Calling Isolation an earworm would be a disservice to everything this album accomplishes. Each song on this album sounds vastly different from each other, the single “Nuestro Planeto” being a reggaeton song on an album full of funky ass neo-soul songs. These instances where Spanish was used was actually really refreshing; the Jorja Smith, Steve Lacy, and Tyler features made too much sense; “Your Teeth in My Neck” is the coolest song about anti-capitalism I have ever heard. What more is to there to say? It’s a feel-good album that puts you in a great mood even in its sadder, bittersweet moments. Isolation was the hottest album back when it released in the summer and has only grown on me since, as it is my album of the year.

- Black Milk – Fever - Flatbush Zombies – Vacation in Hell - August Greene (Common, Robert Glasper, Karriem Riggins) - Mick Jenkins – Pieces of a Man - 6LACK – East Atlanta Love Letter

ORGANIZATION WORDSEARCH

ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA ALPHA PHI ALPHA ASHE BLACK CAUCUS BMLS KAPPA ALPHA PSI LOCKS MANNRS MULA NAACP NABA NCNW NSBE OTPOC SANKOFA SOVEREIGN WIREDIN WORDS ZETA PHI BETA

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CULTURE X LOVE

By Omou Barry

A

n important argument was imposed on me recently while watching the movie Meet The Patels,where the main character Ravi V. Patel goes through a journey to find a bride that would not only be right for him, but also assimilate into his Indian family. The movie introduces the argument Culture Vs. Love... He had to ask himself whether or not it was worth it finding love out of the generational restraints placed on him from generations of the same types of arranged marriages.

In the movie he goes on this journey where he goes on a series of “dates” arranged by his parents to find the love of his life. Unbeknowst to his parent before his acceptance of marrying an Indian girl, he was dating Aubrey, an American girl who he was so scared to tell his parents about because she wasn’t Indian. They broke up because of his fear. As he goes literally around the world on dates to find his future wife, the movie concludes with him finding no one. When he finds no one he tells his parent the truth about Aubrey and tells them that he wants to marry someone he loves rather than someone who is Indian. Eventually he gets his happily ever after and gets back together with Aubrey and introduces her to the family.

Ever since I was a little child the marriage talk has been evident in my family albeit jokingly

but still there. In passing when we were around family and family friends when the kids got along, the adults would jokingly make comments about marrying them off in the future. I even have an uncle who constantly reminds me of my brother's betrothal of me at the age of 2 to my cousin.

Marriage comes in different forms around the world but at it’s most present form, it’s seen as something shared between two people who love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together. However in other parts of the world like Guinea, my parents ,grandparents and generations before them didn’t see marriage that way. If you married someone you loved great, for the most part marrying someone who was African, Muslim, Fulani or Mandingo was key. Staying within those cultural lines was and is key to some extent today.

So with that I posed this question in the 21st century.

How does the generational restraints on marriage stay constant?

So to begin, I asked my mom, who has been married to my dad for nearly 30 years and was “set-up” by her brother.

Why has it been so important in African families for marriage to stay within the culture in the past generations?

“This is a common sense, you always want your kids to go back to Africa. You marry to Fulani or you marry to a Mandigo person in the long run you’ll go back home. But you marry to an American, you will not end up in Africa. Africans don’t necessarily want someone from the same tribe but country so when you grow old you will return back and build a house.”

When it comes to culture you have collectivist and Individualistic. African culture is a collectivist culture; the eastern hemisphere is family-centred, where decisions are made as a

unit. Family is important and that is why several marriages are done to maintain cultural values and to not stray away from such, like my mom mentioned.

Arranged marriage is often coupled with a negative stigma where parents introduce the kids on the day-of their marriage or forcibly put them into the sanctity of marriage without their consent. And yes, that has happened and continues to happen in rural areas of the world where education is lacking. However most people in the eastern hemisphere woke up, saw the light and figured out that no, that’s not right.

That's why families, rather than forcing children, give out suggestions of future spouses that fit the criteria to become a part of their families like what happened with Ravi who went on “dates” with several girls to find the one...

While on the other hand, western culture is a more individualistic. In this culture the individual has more pull on the decisions they make for themselves. When it comes to marriages in western culture, who someone marries to is less centered on what the family thinks than eastern cultures.

Although western culture is more individualistic, religion in most families is the one thing that cannot be played with when it comes to marriage.

VS. “Love is love is love is love,” Lin Manuel Miranda said those echoing words during his Tony award speech. And what he said holds a large amount of weight to it because simply put, in its purest form, love is love and is the best way to describe it. It's hard to really describe a feeling that has so many variations, with its immense power. Particularly, collectivist and individualistic cultures have different views as to

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what it means.

If I married someone that wasn’t African, would you be okay with that? She said although she would prefer someone who was Guinean, she wouldn't be against me marrying someone out of my race or culture but… they had to be Muslim.

So do generational restraints remain constant?

The answer is no, it can’t. Perspective is the central theme to this argument. Marriage is about perspective. An individual perspective on what is right for them and will work within their goals of a fruitful future. Their perspectives of eastern culture and western culture cultivate different types of values among spouses.

The generational restraints on marriage are going through a schism. As the world becomes smaller with technology, so does the generational restraints, which are being watered down, because perspective is evolving at a quicker rate than the past.

After the movie I asked my mom,

There is this fear of loss that comes when change occurs, that's why so many famiilies hold on tightly to their culture and pass the torch to their kids, and expect them to keep the culture alive. But what parents need to know is that change is inevitable, and change is just something evolving into something new that's not necessarily bad but different and needs to be adapted to.

My mom and my oldest brother

Artist Spotlight

This piece is called “Black.” It has a monochromatic color scheme and explores the variations of the meaning of “black.” Immediately after hearing the theme of the event, I thought about the literal beauty of blackness. Black skin, Black people, Black culture, and even the color Black itself. I used all of these to influence my painting. The monochromatic color scheme plays into the varying shades of Black people, while the figure itself is a Black woman. She has a short cut which alludes to the beauty in the texture and versatility of black hair. Also, in the outline of her hairline, there is part of the shape of Africa, which serves as a reference to the origins of Black/African-American culture.

I started painting my senior year of high school, initially as a hobby but now it has turned into much more. I feel that “Black” is my best piece yet and I hope other people can see the beauty I tried to capture in this painting.

Follow @art.by.are on instagram for more of her work!

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COLLEGE CAMPUS

SEXUAL ASSAULT Interview with Freddy Purnell

by Jaida Lively

S

exual assault on college campuses has always been a major problem. With the recent surge in movements like #MeToo and other various outlets, there has been more conversation regarding sexual assault. Universities across the nation are putting in more effort to combat the increasing number of sexual assault to protect the safety of their students. On campuses, there are more resources and outlets available to victims of sexual assault that offer a multitude of resources to aid victims.

I recently spoke with a student on campus who works with other students to take on the issue of sexual violence. Freddy Purnell is a junior here at Penn State working in the Gender Equity Center, is a part of the organization Men Against Violence, and also deals with consent education. We spoke briefly to discuss the issue of sexual assault, specifically here at Penn State, and assess the school’s success in combating sexual violence. I asked Freddy about Penn State’s policy regarding sexual assault, and to my astonishment, was told that it is actually more expansive and inclusive than the statement of Pennsylvania. While Pennsylvania covers intoxication, mental disabilities, and overall consent, Penn State includes domestic violence, sexual misconduct (not just penetration), and sexual exploitation. An expansive definition of sexual assault, as Freddy mentioned, allows the school to tackle more specific assaults that occur on a daily basis. With having an inclusive definition, I wondered if that helped limit the number of sexual assaults or increase the number of victims who come forward. To my disappointment, Freddy explained that around 85% of sexual assaults go unreported.

hoops to go through for filling out a legal report, which include victim blaming and shaming. Also, a lack of education about the campus’ resources for sexual assault victims. People don’t want to go to the police and get in trouble for alcohol, not knowing Penn State has an amnesty policy that if you are sexually assaulted while alcohol was present, you won’t get in trouble for underage drinking and/or your fraternity/sorority won’t be punished.”

These justified fears and common misconceptions result in a lack of reports. Understanding why people tend to not report sexual assaults, I asked Freddy how he thought Penn State can advocate policies and resources on campus for victims. As well as, change the report process to eliminate victim blaming and encourage people to come forward.

ward, and society portrays men as hypersexual beings who always want sex so men don’t realize certain things are sexual assault.”

In a few last remarks, Freddy expressed his hopes that we, as a student body, will do more to eliminate the harmful stereotypes surrounding men, sex, and sexual assault. Also, for people to hold their friends/peers accountable for their actions and to believe survivors when they come to you with their story. Here are just a few things everyone can do to help combat sexual assault occurences on campus: make stepping in and asking if someone is okay the norm (which will help discourage sexual assault), squashing the norms (of joking about sexual assault catcalling/ grabbing women at parties without permission), know your resources and how to listen to and help survivors.

Freddy responded: “Keep the current standard, but have more education on sexual assault. Teach students how to interact with survivors, and bystander intervention in freshman seminars. Having people from the Gender Equity Center, who are trained in this field, to teach about sexual assault and consent.

That would be what it is, how to get it, how to ensure you have it, and what states of mind you can give consent in. And importantly, putting policies in place that support survivors.”

Sexual assault continues to be an ongoing, global problem. While this issue is universal, change begins with us here and now. Even as bystanders, there is more we can do to create a safer environment for all of us and an environment in which survivors feel supported. By making sure we stay educated and removing the harmful stereotypes and norms we’ve become accustomed to, we can begin to make our campus a better place for all people.

Resources available here on campus, all of which provide confidential resources to victims who Freddy explained that by incorporating education wish to not report: in freshman seminars on all its campuses, Penn State would be able to reach a wider range of Gender Equity Center students and help prevent sexual assault from Boucke Building happening. On average, 28% of undergraduate CAPS women experience sexual assault compared UHS building to 6% of undergraduate men. Women and the Centre Safe LGBTQ community are the most vulnerable but 24 hour hotline that number would change if more men felt OFFICE OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT PREVENcomfortable coming forward.

TION & RESPONSE “Most cases go unreported due to systemic bar222 Boucke Building riers such as the survivor worrying they won’t be “Bias towards men experiencing sexual assault believed by police or the school and many legal affect the number of male victims coming for-

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Resource Spotlight

Student Care & Advocacy Often, when things get rough, students have no idea who to turn to, where to go, or where to start. Penn State’s Student Care and Advocacy is a great place to start. They provide many resources and services that aim to help students make their difficult situations a bit more manageable. Located in 129 Boucke, drop in any time from 8am to 5pm on a weekday and talk to somebody about your situation in confidence. Once reviewing it, they then can go on to work with you about the best way to help you deal with your unique needs. Their mission statement reads that “We believe that managing complex student needs is best accomplished through a coordinated team effort and suggests a course of action that considers the needs of the individual in the context of available resources.” Their goals include acting in the best interests of students and providing them with information on university regulations and policies, building relationships with students as individuals and encouraging mutual respect throughout the processes, collaborating with other staff and faculty to resolve issues, and coordinating the response to crises and other assistance to all affected students and their family members. It’s definitely a useful resource, so give it a shot. Shoot them an email at studentcare@psu.edu or give them a call at 814-863-2020.

They work with people who have been impacted by: -Hospitalization -Medical emergencies or long-term illness -Mental health concerns -Chronic conditions -Death of an immediate family member -Food insecurity -Housing insecurity -Natural disasters -Academic distress -Unexpected events or challenges

“Our purpose is to empower students to overcome obstacles to their growth both inside and outside the classroom.

We encourage students to maximize their educational experience and prepare them for involvement in the larger community and for life beyond college.”

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SELF CARE

By Arielle Djokoto

W

4. Learn your love language.

The five love languages are words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, quality time, and physical touch. If yours is quality time, spend quality time with yourself.

If it’s giving gifts, buy yourself something nice every once in a while. If it’s acts of service, cook yourself a nice meal or make sure your room is clean for when you get back from a long day.

e’ve all heard the term “selfcare” get thrown around every now and then, but what does that really mean? While I’m in no way an expert in self-care, I’ve picked up some tips from counselors and friends along my journey through college.

1. Do something that makes you happy.

Even the little things you find joy in can help get you out of your bag.

Hang out with friends, read your favorite book, play your favorite sport, light your favorite candle… whatever that looks like.

2. Take time for yourself.

As a student, I know how hard it is to find time between classes, school, work, assignments, friends, and extracurriculars to just breathe. Some of you may feel like it’s a waste of time, that you’d just be slacking off; but taking care of yourself is a job in and of itself. Setting aside time to recharge means you’ll be less likely to burn out and can work more efficiently. Take a few minutes, a few hours, or a day!

3.

Hype yourself up.

Think about a time you hyped up the ish outta your best friend. Now, treat yourself like that friend and do the same for you! Tell yourself you look good every time you pass a mirror. For every achievement—whether big or small— make sure you tell yourself that you did that. You deserve it, just like your friend did.

5. Practice self-maintenance.

Make a checklist. Ask yourself: Do I need a fresh new cut? Are my nails done? Have I showered?

Have I eaten? These things may seem basic, but they are exactly the basis of self-care. I can guarantee that they really make a difference.

One last thing I should mention is that caring for yourself is not an overnight process. Like lots of things, you need to practice it often for it to be part of your routine. And out of all the things in your routine, I hope this is something you look forward to. Remember, you’re worth it.

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DEPRESSION IN COLLEGE I look back on those days and force myself to understand why I experienced such a terrible thing and I noticed something: I hated my major. I was genuinely not interested in anything to do with my classes anymore, and for good reason. I had to take a step back and picture myself practicing medicine for possibly the rest of my life. Sadly, I couldn’t not see myself practicing being a doctor without hating myself, that being said it’s a amazing profession with wonderful benefits and is a very noble career to pursue that is necessary to sustain human life, but nah that aint it chief.

suffered through sleepless nights and dreadful mornings, did I mention I had a 9am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Helpful note, 2 hours of sleep and morning classes do not mix BELIEVE ME! Nevertheless, I discussed options with my advisor and she helped me decide on other options for majors.

I am proud to say that I have successfully graduated from Penn State with a major I am truly in love with.

But this didn’t come easy, even after switching majors, escaping depression’s clutches was a quest that would take part of 2015 and some of 2016. But a change of campus, a couple of talks with my family and close friends, and a new girlfriend helped me propel myself out of the sinkhole that is depression.

“For all those who may be freshmen, sophomores, or even juniors in college, take it from me as a recent college grad, take your time!”

By Anonymous

D

uring my sophomore year at the Pennsylvania State University, I fell ill to one of the most deadly mental illnesses known to man: Depression. The months of October 2015 through May 2016 were some of the worst months ever in my entire life. I remember the sleepless nights plagued with insomnia, the tiring mornings due to the empty breakfasts caused by a lack of appetite, and the overall bleak outlook on life every day.

For all those who may be freshmen, sophomores, or even juniors in college, take it from me as a recent college grad, take your time! Honestly, college may be stressful but post grad life is even more stressful, but if you follow your passion and make the right moves post grad life will be a breeze. To prepare for the real world, take time now in college to choose the correct major that matches your interests, provides benefits for you in the future ($$$), and something you genuinely like. Now you’re probably wondering, “Did he ever get out of his depression?”

I’m glad I could share my story with whoever is reading this and I hope my story could help you write yours, but if there is one thing I want you take away from this, it’s that mental illness isn’t a small issue. It’s a powerful nemesis to the functionality of the human psychosis. If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of mental illness, consult with a professional, be there for your friends, and most of all love them and yourself.

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress” - Fredrick Douglass

Good news! Yes I did but it wasn’t easy. I

“THE SAFE PLACE” is a Minority Mental Health app that educates and raises more awareness on Mental Illness in the Black Community some App features: - Black Mental Health Statistics -Self Care Tips During Police Brutality -Mental Health in Black in The Black Church -Inspirational Videos and Podcast -Mental Health Resources -Informative Articles and More

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HEART LENS PHOTOS

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If You Can A, You Can B

By Mamadou Barry Actively being black creates controversy Black is brash but cool, Calling in diversity is draining, Dumbing down every effort at equality Equity is exhausting for folks Faced with a forever foreign feeling Guilty as charged How could they not?

I guess they are Jubilant judges just cannot be just Killing me softly but I've digressed Lets not get ahead of ourselves Mustering might marks maturity Never needed no one mentality yet nestled next to someone --- needless to say, Open armed heroes die overdramatically Pressure placed upon peers punctures personalities Questioning identity quells confidence Rationally reaching others resides in resistance So simply stated, searching saves us Try taking time to teach that Unite your brothers and sisters Varied victories over various circumstances Where do we walk from here?

X marks the spot but who cares Yappin on and on but what's most important is that you are NOT a Zero

Silence

By Anonymous

Do not presume to know me For i am wont to know myself I change and grow And yet cannot keep up with myself.

Do not presume to hurt me For i am wont to hurt myself I keep the toxic close to me Because i know nothing else.

I know not how to change this cycle I know not how to break this cliche I know not how to leave this pattern i make I’m sorry, this chain will bind me.

And yet i seek No help or guidance.

I share no worries or burden.

The guilt lies within myself The cycle continues unbroken And i will rest in peace Forevermore With lips sewn tight.

Forevermore Out of sight.

Forevermore Goodnight.

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DARKNESS

By Omou Barry Descending

Through filth and ecstasy Through tragedy and wealth It works its way into the core

Appealing Masses of unnerved humans Droges of unclassified beings Money’s green smirk Reminiscent On all that was absolved but never forgotten On all that was destroyed beyond savior Knowing Knowing all the secrets kept within Pandora’s Box Knowing all that was ripped away Nervous With all the power that it holds And all the sadness that it contains With all the fear that it brings Everlasting Is all it wishes it can be Is all it wants for Searching Searching Searching Solitude In all its years

Dark-ness Is man's best friend For It teaches him to grapple with reality Search for true meaning Listen to instincts And find the light that should be cherished We walk a path filled with whispers of predestinies Stumbling across pebbles of uncertainty Finding sticks of infidelity We walk our path to find our destiny With darkness revealing our true character.

A character of man is destined in how he acts when he can no longer see the light.

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Say His Name doesn’t. I feel like as a black community we need to gather together because I cannot be happy until that officer is in jail. They have to be convicted.

Murder is a crime! Let’s reciprocate that same energy with our police force that we do with our civilians.

Interview with Black Caucus President Danieltta Pantoe

How did you hear about the death of Osaze Osagie?

I heard about the death because I was on Twitter. Tom Sarabok is a UPUA representative, and a member of College Dems- he retweeted the article from Onwards State.He quoted it saying “Black Man killed by police officer in State College.” that’s how I started looking more into the story. I read the article he retweeted and then started doing research and looking at other stories.

What can we do to push this investigation forward?

We need to advocate for justice and call for accountability of the system, the state troopers, The Pennsylvania State Police. One of the Pennsylvania State police officers called me, and I have a meeting set up. They called me so we can talk, the fact that they’re open to communicate and try to make this system more transparent. But like I said, I’m not even sure how transparent the cops will be. So always calling for transparency, for accountability. The officer needs to go to jail. Never forget. Never forget. Continue to make noise until the trial is over and onwards. We will not forget the life of Osaze Osagie.

Why do you think it took some time for the news about Osaze’s death to reach students?

Because people don’t care that a black man was murdered by police or that black people are being abused, used and mistreated in America as a whole.

Where do you think the black community can go from here?

How did you feel when you heard about his death?

I just felt distraught and shocked. I was writing my lesson plan, I just completely had to stop and email my professors I cannot continue right now, can I please have an extension. Thankfully I have culturally aware professors, that understood the magnitude of the issue, and agreed I could get an extension. I was just so distraught. That could be anyone, that could be my brother. You need to know how to deal with someone with a mental illness.

Because they’re black now, now you’re just scared?

Were you surprised that this happened in State College?

No! I feel as if just because its Happy Valley, there is this color-blind nature that happens in State College. The things that go on in the real world don’t happen here because we’re so secluded. I found out we’re named Happy Valley because during the Great Depression everyone else got hit except for State College- it didn’t really affect them. That’s why they called it Happy Valley because they were like, no matter what happens we’ll still be good here. So I feel like, because of that when it comes to Black Lives Matter, police brutality and more, as long it’s not happening in State College, it’s not happening in the world. This just revealed that racial tensions are a thing in State College. I’m not surprised but it’s still shocking and devastating. I feel the simple fact that it’s normalized in my head whether its State College, whether its Pittsburgh with Antwon Rose, its just becoming normal to me and others.

How did the reception of Osaze’s vigil make you feel?

It was so beautiful, just to see the State College community, just seeing everyone in one place for his life was beautiful. It was nice to see not just students, but members of the State College community caring.

How do you think the murder of Osaze Osagie has impacted safety and race relations?

I feel as if it brought a lot of awareness to the black community that this issue is very present in our community. It also brought a kind of disconnect almost in this moment you see who wants to do something and who

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We must love each other, we must understand and deconstruct what you understood before when it comes to race and when it comes to the effect white supremacy has on you as a person is a process. We must be willing to teach our fellow community members and understand and listen to other fellow community members. We also must be willing to understand not everyone is on the same boat in this system. Sometimes you gotta leave some people behind, always fight for them, always fight for your whole community. Often times when you’re doing the work, not everyone can do the work with you and that shouldn’t stop you. We must love each other in this time, not just the Penn State community. Let’s get to know the State College black community.

There’s a whole community out there thats full of love and networking that we can reach out to, but we don’t because we’re in this Penn state bubble. This situation shows that it’s larger than Penn State.

State College is a place.

Danieltta Pantoe, youngest Black Caucus president ever, holding a picture of Osaze Osagie during the vigil on March 21st, 2019 Photo credit: Lily LaRegina

Osaze Osagie Sergeant William Slaton,Interviewed by Danieltta Pantoe. Slaton is the Commander of Pennsylvania State Police Heritage Affairs Section which falls under the Equality and Inclusion office (State police headquarters in Harrisburg).His job includes collecting several pieces of evidence, looks at hate crime and instances across the state, and submits charges to DA. Slaton said Osage had called his family before and said that he was going to harm himself and harm/murder others. A 302 Warrant- means whoever the warrant is served to has to go with the police officer. He mentioned that that’ll take a number of weeks for Osaze’s murder to go to trial.

Was there a body cam?

No, they were not given body cameras because it’s not up for their budget, they will possibly get it this fall.

How would you have handled the situation? Is it different from how the State College police handled it?

I wasn’t there, so it’s difficult to answer.

Why is a gun the first weapon of choice when dealing with many suspects and not a taser or mace or baton?

Three total officers responded and two involved in the situation. The taser was unsuccessful. All in all we need to do better for people with mental health issues. They took less than five shots, all four were not direct hits.

If someone is known to have mental health problems, what are you trained to do to detain them?

We’re trained with the crisis intervention method. People should call crisis centers in the future.

Slaton said he deals with mental health calls on the job 2-3 times a week.

Slaton also said that most of the police officer in the State College Police Department are white, and they’ve only had one Black officer who has since retired.

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