Chivone Smith, a student at Clark Atlanta University, shares how her experiences at an HBCU have impacted her life. Read her story and more on page 5.
Broadway dancer James Harkness travels from New York to choreograph Essential Theatre’s “The Color Purple.” Read the story on page 2 and check out the photo gallery on page 4.
In This Issue: News ....... 1, 3 Calendar .... 2 Lifestyles .2,3,4 Opinions ..... 5 Sports ......... 6
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Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Committee seeks to protect LGBT students Bridgett Pittman Correspondent A lack of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender inclusion in Florida A&M’s nondiscrimination policy has upset some students, faculty and staff. The policy protects discrimination against individuals because of race, color, religion, age, handicap, disability, sex, marital status, national origin, veteran status and sexual harassment. Members of the LGBT Fact Finding Committee have been working to adjust this in hopes of creating a comfortable atmosphere for everyone at the university. “I think one of the primary issues is to look at campus policies to create a more inclusive environment for all students, faculty and staff,” said Tanya Tatum, chairwoman of the committee and director of Student Health Services. According to Tatum, no one is excluded from membership of the LGBT Fact Finding Committee.
“I asked a number of students to be on the committee, and after that, it has just been opened,” Tatum said. “We invited members from the entire campus community.” Tatum said all meetings are published and open to the public. The committee plans to develop and implement programs that will welcome campus-wide diversity while empowering students to take part in campus life without having to deal with discrimination. The 17-member committee would also like to identify resources and opportunities that will enlighten the campus population on sexual orientation and gender identity. Tatum hopes to ignite interest and participation from the FAMU community. “We really want to initiate a movement on this campus to really look at what we’re doing,” Tatum said. “Look at our programming. Look at our policy so that we can truly be an inclusive campus so that all students feel welcomed and apply and that all faculty and staff feel like they can be respected and have equaled benefits, equal
Graphic by Allen Goodrum
treatment and be respected in their work environment.” Kaysha Hutchinson, a third-year political science student from Jacksonville, Fla., agrees it is essential that this issue is brought to the forefront. “I think it’s very important,” said Hutchinson, treasurer of FAMU’s LGBT Pride Student Union. “There is always talk about some ‘gay agenda’ like asking for respect and the same rights of everyone else
News Briefs FAMU will host the second annual golf tournament The Second Annual FAMU Athletics Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday at the Southwood Golf Club in Tallahassee. Warm-up begins at 7:30 a.m. All proceeds from the event support the Athletic Department. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. The golf tournament is presented by Parks and Crump LLC.
Gov. Scott repeals Tourist Driving Law after it was discovered the law violated and international driving treaty
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Rick Scott has signed a repeal of a law requiring foreign visitors to have international driving permits. The governor signed the repeal (HB 7059) on Tuesday at the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s International Days event in Tallahassee.
Michael Jackson’s civil trial jury selection has begun with many jurors being questioned LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jury selection began Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by Michael Jackson’s mother against the promoter of the late pop star’s planned comeback concerts. Dozens of prospective jurors answered written questionnaires that gauged their ability to serve on the trial, which may last three months. One 24-page section of the questionnaire focused on each person’s knowledge.
EU countries question Google’s privacy policy legality
WEATHER
PARIS (AP) — Google’s new privacy policy is under legal attack from regulators in its largest European markets, who want the company to overhaul practices they say let it create a data goldmine at the expense of unwitting users.
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Topic of discussion: Do you think the Florida Legislature should pass HB 1097 to allow teachers to carry concealed weapons on campus?
are some secret agenda.” Lindsay Fields, a second-year chemistry pre-medicine student from Jacksonville and vice president of the LGBT Pride Student Union, said everyone is entitled to equal treatment. “Equal rights are not a privilege afforded to the majority,” Fields said. “There are, and have always been, a means to defend the LGBT, see page 3
Organizations seek funding from FAMU student senate Jorge Rodriguez-Jimenez Managing & News Editor
Duwan Morris, a third-year chemistry student from Chicago
“I feel like that you would actually increase the likelihood of one of those incidents actually happening from a teacher.”
Cyndee Ellison, a first-year computer engineering student from Miami
“I disagree because I feel like in the same way students can misuse that right, I feel like teachers can do the same.”
Desiray Williams, a second-year physical therapy student from Barksdale, Fla.
Jermaine Sheppard, a first-year architecture from Pompano, Fla.
“I don’t feel like there’s a need for weapons in the schoolhouse. You’re bringing violence into a situation where it shouldn’t be needed.”
“That’s violence. You don’t know what teachers may do or what accidents may happen.”
Administators urge clubs to be safe Eric Winkfield PR Coordinator Students and administration gathered for a clubs and organizations town hall meeting Tuesday night. Henry Kirby, dean of Student Life, spoke about students serving as representatives. “When involved in clubs and organizations, we have a tremendous responsibility to represent the university well,” Kirby said. According to Marvin Green, director of Student Activities, the objective of the meeting was to have a conversation with all clubs and organizations on campus and inform them of what they are doing well and not so well. Green congratulated all students who have joined organizations this semester and encouraged freshmen to research and consider joining organizations when they are eligible. In the fall, the Office of Student Activities banned all freshmen from participating in any club or organization on campus that required new members to participate in an intake process. “We had a long year, but it was imperative that we did things right and, more importantly,
safe,” Green said. Interim President Larry Robinson gave thanks to all advisers of these organizations for their hard work and commitment to the students. Eugene Matthews, an academic adviser, further informed students that advisers are there to help, but students must remember that their advisers still have a job to do. “Advisers can be accessible, but you have to remember they are here working another job,” Matthews said. “You must let your adviser know you are coming prior to showing up.” He also told students that advisers should always stay in the loop so they can support the guiding students on the correct ways on doing things. Robinson said the administration is pleased that students are utilizing the university’s anti-hazing website. He reminded students that reporters of hazing have the option of being anonymous, and all communication on that website is strictly confidential and will be taken seriously. There are also consequences for those who choose to report false incidents. Kirby followed by telling students that the judicial process of Florida A&M is real, and MEETING, see page 3
The Florida A&M student senate discussed updates on committee meetings and heard from organizations on budgets and funding for the upcoming academic year during its weekly meeting Monday. After a slight delay to the start of the meeting, student senate President Tonnette Graham started the meeting with fervor. Student Body Vice President Charles Garner gave updates on the happenings of the executive branch. Garner said there had been meetings with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools committee. He did not say what was discussed in the meeting but said there are more meetings scheduled. “We had an academic review policy committee meeting,” Garner said. “We discussed military affairs and the paramount need of the Office of Veteran Affairs because right now we are not in regulation with the board of governors.” After the judicial and executive branch update, the Campus Activity Board had the floor to speak about the need for continued funding. Gabrielle Hitchens, junior class president, represented the CAB. Hitchens highlighted the CAB’s efforts to decrease the amount of funding it would need from the university by seeking outside funding. Hitchens mentioned the funding that had been given to the CAB from the campus bookstore and Proctor & Gamble Co. “Each class has a $3,000 budget that we get,” Hitchens told the student senate. “So we have a $3,000 budget, and from there we have been able to do some cool things. But the biggest issue is our funding, and I know that’s a big issue we will be getting into tonight.” Hitchens urged the student senate to keep the functions of the CAB in mind when making the budget, breaking down the costs of hosting an event for students. According to Hitchens, out of the $3,000 budget, $1,000 would go to security for one event, and the CAB’s budget has been cut each year. “We host different social activities,” Hitchens said. “Each prospective class is responsible for hosting their own event per what they said they would SGA, see page 3
2 Calendar
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013
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Announcements April 4 The Office Student Activities will host Thursday Night Cenima in the Rattlers den. All students are welcome to attend.For more information students can speak to a representative in the Office of Student Activities. The Athletic Depatment presents Rattlers Round Up at The Moon at 6 p.m. April 5 The Althetic Department will host its second annual Golf Tournament at Southwood Gold Club at 8 a.m.
“The Color Purple” musical will be presented March 29 in the Charles Winter Wood Theatre, Edmonds Stage. Admission: $20 Adult, $15 Senior Citizen, $8 Student/Child, FAMU Student Free admittance with I.D. (May not be suitable for children 10 and younger.) April 6 The Athletics Department will host the Spring Orange and Green Game at 2 p.m. at Braggs Stadium. The Office of Student Activities and SGA will host Be Out Day at 4 p.m. at the FAMU Recreational Center.
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Classifieds April 9 The Office of Student Activities will Host Rattlers Pride Awards in Lee Hall Auditorium at 7 p.m. April 12 The 2013 Non-Pan Hellenic Greek Step Off will be in the Al Lawson Center at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the FAMU box office. Visit www. ballingerproductions. com for more information.
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Former Broadway dancer choreographs ‘The Color Purple’
Courtesy of the Essential Theatre
Ayanna Young Deputy Lifestyles Editor Standing in front of the sound booth wearing a beige blazer, a collared button-down shirt layered with a black vest and sneakers, one cannot help but notice James Harkness’ attire. His 6-foot stature complements the brisk walk he takes toward the stage. As guest choreographer for “The Color Purple,” Harkness
worked to perfect the actors’ choreography before the opening of the play, which debuted Friday. Growing up in El Paso, Texas, dancing was not an issue for Harkness. “It chose me,” Harkness said. “I can’t really lie about that. I really enjoy dance, and it’s an amazing way to express yourself.” Harkness said he started dancing and choreographing for talent shows as a child, but he didn’t plan on doing it as a living. “I thought I was going to go into business once I got out of the military,” he said. Among his long list of accomplishments, Harkness performed in his first Broadway show, “Aida,” in 2000, which featured well-known artists such as Elton John and Tim Rice. Harkness said being involved with “Aida” gave him the clarification that theater was more than singing and dancing. “I booked ‘Aida,’ and my agent said it was for a Broadway show and a national tour,” said Harkness, who thought he’d be able to go out and travel. “I always wanted to move to New York. Then when I got there and watched the show in the audience, I cried.” It gave him a new appreciation for dance, he said. Harkness said he learned a lot from the director down to the crew. “I learned about storytelling,” Harkness said. “I learned about theatre, and that instilled my love. Having danced in a number of Broadway shows such as “The Color Purple,” “Chicago” and “Dreamgirls,” Harkness said it was difficult to choose which show he preferred. “I’ve enjoyed them all for different reasons,” Harkness said. ”Every show has been a blessing, and not just the Broadway shows, also special engagements.“ Harkness hasn’t choreographed or directed any plays on Broadway yet, but he said this is one of his goals. He has, however, choreographed musicals. “There’s something in every show that I’ve choreographed that I enjoyed immensely,” Harkness said.
“Choreographing this has been fun but a challenge. As a choreographer and director, you try to get the best out of the people. I have enjoyed that because it is making me a better choreographer.“ Michelle Robinson, who choreographed last year’s play, “Smokey Joe’s Café,” recommended Harkness Luther Wells, director of “The Color Purple,” said working with Harkness is an enjoyable but intense process. “He knows what he wants,” Wells said. “He wants you to get it the way he conceives it. He videotapes all the rehearsals so he can see what he needs to work on. “He also sees things as a director looking at the whole picture: the acting, the blocking and how the story is being told. He’s not the typical choreographer.” Tiondria Cooper, a graduate vocal performance student from Miami who plays Celie, said Harkness’ teaching style is distinctive. “It’s different,” Cooper said. “He enjoys living in the music. In our first large number, ‘Mysterious Ways,’ he would give us freedom to be artistic in how we move.” With the limited time Harkness has with the dancers, he aims for consistency with repetition. He said he’s kind of a taskmaster. “It’s not much different than when you take class,” Harkness said. “You have to put the effort in to reap the rewards. Go for it full out.” Harkness hopes the play touches the audience and gives attendees enjoyment. “For the older generation, maybe a step or two might remind them of, ‘Oh, we used to do that or we used to do something like that,’ ” Harkness said. “I want them to take away from the complete production, but it going to be different for every single person. It’s a very powerful show.” “The Color Purple” will show Friday through Sunday in Charles Winter Wood Theatre.
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013 LGBT, from page 1
discrimination, whether it be on the basis of sex, race or sexual orientation.” Members of the LGBT Fact Finding Committee benchmarked FAMU against other schools within the state university system and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference through the use of surveys. In doing so, the committee found that FAMU is the last to adopt a policy that caters to the LGBT community. “A lot of the other HBCUs have made some changes,” Tatum said. “While they may or may not enforce it or are active about implementing it, for the most part,
the policies are in place.” Tatum said the university has been receptive to the committee’s cause. She said the committee’s next step is go to the faculty senate. “We are currently identifying the members of who will present to faculty senate because I think having support coming from the faculty senate is something that could also be brought up to the board,” Tatum said. The policy has not been changed, but Tatum is optimistic that it will be.
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News 3
New gun bill unnerves teachers, students
SGA, from page 1
Chris O’Meara/AP If passed, HB 1097 would allow certified employees to carry concealed weapons on campuses.
Masani Bailey Correspondent
Jorge Rodriguez-Jimenez/The Famuan The student senate heard from organizations asking for funds and budgets to be considered carefully. The Campus Activities Board stressed the need to retain its current budget.
do prior to running. So it can go from a range like a dating extravaganza or speed dating, barbecues, car washes, Halloween costume parties, sneaker parties, any type party that they feel as though their class will enjoy.” The CAB as a whole is a committee of all class presidents and vice presidents who work together to host university-wide events, such as the breakfast before finals week. Many organizations can expect to receive funding for their prospective groups and needs. However, 100 percent allocation of funds is questionable. While organizations are not asking for a lot of money, certain things are cause for concern, according to Ronnie Graham, a sophomore senator and member of the Organization Finance Committee.
The Office of Student Activities and the Department of Campus Recreation take up most of the allocation money that could be going to other organizations, Graham said. But student involvement in the recreation center has prompted the student senate to continue funding the organization. Yet, Graham said organizations should not fear losing funding entirely. He said the chances of funding are actually good. “The problem would be that they probably won’t get 100 percent of the money they asked for,” Graham said. “Organizations on campus are used to getting a certain amount of funds, but with the drop in enrollment also drops A&S (activities and services) fees we can let, so that means we have less money to utilize so everyone has to take a cut.”
A bill that would allow possession of firearms on school property for individuals authorized by principals and district superintendents has gained support from the Florida House K-12 Subcommittee. House Bill 1097 would require designated employees to be armed at all times during the school day. It needs the support of two more committees to pass. The proposition is a result of the school shootings becoming more common in schools across America. Some students hoping to enter the field of academia do not want the bill to be passed. “I am excited about graduating and becoming a teacher, but if I wanted to walk around with a gun on my hip all day, I would have become a cop,” said Kendra Smith, a graduating senior elementary education student. “Teaching as a whole requires a fun and comfortable environment, and I don’t feel that I would be comfortable as a teacher with a gun.” If passed, it is possible that school personnel would have to go through extensive training prior to being able to carry the weapon on school campuses, and it could extend to both public and private schools.
Christopher Williams, a student at Rickards High School, said guns in school are kind of extreme. “Teachers carrying guns in school just doesn’t seem right,” Williams said. “I don’t feel unsafe at school, so I don’t really see the need for teachers carrying guns, especially if they don’t want to.” The teachers’ union, parents and school boards have all shown opposition to HB 1097. The bill explained that because Florida could not afford to put a school resource officer on every campus, having school employees carry a concealed weapon is the other option. “Yes, the government is concerned about people from the outside coming into a safe environment with guns, but what about how unsafe it will be if guns were placed in an environment that is already safe?” asked Bonita Holmes, a 10th grade math teacher in Pinellas County. “It’s safe to say that students could be safer from outside intruders, but what about negative situations that could happen from the inside? Overall, I don’t see the outcome of this as being a good one.” Holmes, who has taught for more than a decade, said she enjoys how the classroom is set up and is worried about ruining the flow due to paranoia.
MEETING, from page 1
Graphic by Vontaé Wilson
A star’s impression on our youth’s progression Mirasha Brown Correspondent From the latest on the music powerhouse that is “King Bey” or updates on Kim Kardashian’s bun in the oven, it seems as if Generation Y can’t get enough of celebrities. Millions of Americans are fixated on celebrity culture, and as technology advances, it acts as a bridge between celebrities and today’s youth. Bloggers such as Necole Kane and Perez Hilton have made careers of informing their readers about celebrity sightings and news, and the celebrity entertainment channel E! provides hourly updates online and on television. James Houran, a clinical psychologist and author of “Celebrity Attitude Scale,” has conducted extensive research on celebrity worship. Houran told USA Today that all people have a small need to know what is happening in celebrities’ lives and a desire to be connected to them. Whether impacted positively or negatively, some agree that today’s youth is heavily influenced by celebrity culture. While social media may play a role in society’s fascination with celebrities, some feel it is not responsible for the need to “be in the know” about celebrities. Kristen Williams, a thirdyear pre-pharmacy student from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said social media isn’t the total blame but has a lot to do with celebrity fixation. “In today’s society, our youth’s biggest influence is social media because they spend so much time engaged in technology,” Williams said. “They have nothing else to look to, so they allow social media to control them in a way.” Denzell Graham, a first-year engineering student from Jacksonville,
Fla., believes celebrities have a negative impact on today’s youth through social media platforms. “I feel as if a majority of celebrities promote drugs, sex and alcohol on various social mediums using videos and music,” Graham said. While some forms of celebrity fixation may be considered negative, others have a positive effect. Many celebrities host events for charities and donate money in support of various causes. Because of their deep admiration for certain celebrities, much of today’s youth consider celebrities to be role models and may mimic the admirable aspects of celebrity life. Tarre Stanley, a third-year biology student from Miami, said there are many celebrities who do serve as good role models, and the actions of said celebrities who dedicate their lives and careers to helping others are commendable. “Celebrities like Oprah speak on issues that are plaguing our society,” Stanley said. “They give their time and effort to rectify these problems.” According to Marquis Stewart, coordinator of clinical programs at the Office of Counseling Services, the images seen in the media may influence students and pressure people to comply with what they observe on television and see from celebrities. “The media can provide very unrealistic expectations of healthy masculinity and femininity,” Stewart said. “Every day we are presented with images that normalize behaviors and appearances that can result in pressure to conform to such. But in reality, celebrities are just regular people with both strengths and weaknesses like everyone else. We should recognize that as we seek to foster our own sense of individuality.”
university policies support their decisions. “I don’t have a problem with making a decision,” said Kirby, supporting his statement of not tolerating students misrepresenting the university. The meeting concluded with several students expressing why joining an organization is a great thing to do and why they chose their organizations. Vice President-Elect Evan Bailey, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., encouraged students to join organizations by comparing the organizations’ values to their own. “I joined my organization because I seen something in each of the members of
the organization that I wanted to instill in myself,” Bailey said. Felicia Barnes, coordinator of Student Affairs, announced that certification applications for clubs and organizations will be made available on July 1. Applications can be turned in from Aug. 28 - Sept. 30. Brandi Tatum, coordinator for Greek Life, said that all executive board members for the next school year must be submitted by April 22 at 5 p.m. New members are required to have a minimum 2.5 GPA, 24 credit hours and at least 30 hours of community service. Current members must maintain a 2.0 GPA.
Applications are available in The Famuan office (3rd Floor, SJGC Building) and online at www.thefamuanonline.com. For more information contact famuanadviser@gmail.com.
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Alvin McBean/The Famuan Production design, choreography and a host of talent come together to produce the first musical interpretation of “The Color Purple” in Tallahassee.
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Alvin McBean/The Famuan Bryan Mitchell as Mister (top) and Tiondra Cooper as Celie (above) deliver performances that rival the original cast of “The Color Purple.”
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Rehabilitation or retribution? How to handle the Steubenville rape case
Christopher Batson Correspondent If there is one thing to be learned about the Steubenville, Ohio, rape case, it is that the subject of rape is still one the country collectively has to discuss more if rape prevention is to prevail. As hard as it is to believe, a lot of the “technicalities” of what consists of rape are still muddled in society, especially among males, and these vague notions of what rape is and is not can clearly be manifested through frightening actions. In the case of the two teenage perpetrators, their ignorance manifested in digitally penetrating their 16-year-old, unconscious victim and sharing their experiences with their friends via text messages and social media. It is unfortunate that such incidents are still needed well into the 21st century to spark national discussion, but at least it is another step in fading out the idea of a “rape culture” in America. With that being said, it is worth examining whether the two teenagers were dealt with appropriately. There are a number of similar cases across the United States that result in varying sentences for the people who committed the acts, and unfortunately there is not an established precedence for sentencing
these rapists. As such, it is difficult to determine whether a proposed national policy on rape would be “in line” with their sentencing – one year in juvenile detention for Ma’lik Richmond, 16, and two years for Trent Mays, 17, with the possibility of both being held in juvenile detention until they are 21. Alternatively, there are a number of arguments to be made that their sentencing was far too lenient. Some would say that the two should be tried as adults and that their combined three-year sentence is a paltry consequence for committing an act with such extreme negative historical and emotional connotations. However, what is important to remember in any of these arguments is that we live in a country where it is acknowledged – socially if not officially – that a person should be able to overcome any misdeeds to be a productive member of society. There is no doubt that the teenagers should face negative repercussions for their actions. What they did was heinous, and no sympathy should be spared for any official punishment they have to endure. But at such young ages, it would be a crime in itself to not give them the opportunity to improve, ideally through social programs and rape awareness when they are incarcerated and some form of sufficient monetary security once they’re released. If for no other reason than it would make our law-abiding citizens’ lives better, the issue of how much punishment these criminals should receive should be considered less important than how the sentence can result in their self-improvement and our benefit.
FAMU shortchanges its customers Eric Winkfield Staff Writer Sometimes I wonder if our administration remembers who its No. 1 customer is. It’s not the board of governors, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, administrators, faculty or even alumni. The university’s No. 1 customer is the student. We, the students of the university, pay the bills. We pay professors’ and administrators’ salaries. Whether we pay it out of pocket or the school receives money to fund our education from the federal government, we are the cash cows of colleges and universities. Without the milk we produce, the bones of the university will wither and die. Sometimes when the administration and board of trustees are making decisions, I wonder if they are asking themselves about the possible reactions from current or prospective students. Happy students equals loyal students. If students were provided quality customer service and were able to feel that the university is working for them, they would be more supportive.
Treating a university like a dictatorship by making decisions that cause students to question whether the administration’s decisions are in students’ best interests can highly affect a student’s loyalty. Honesty is key. If the university would come clean to students and ask for input, respect would be granted. Covering up incidents and surprising students with extreme decisions causes them to question leadership and their decisions. We are Florida A&M University. Our slogan is “excellence with caring.” It’s obvious our students and faculty are living this slogan by winning awards in numerous categories and by professors traveling and enhancing their abilities to teach in the classroom. But the real question is: What is our leadership doing? This university has a history of restoring itself. However, in that history, unity around the campus has always been present, along with the removal of bad seeds. I guess the question now is: What’s going on this time? When will the unity begin, and when will our administration work together to find a solution? The majority of the leadership at FAMU consists of master’s and doctoral degree holders. Why can’t anyone come to the simple conclusion that the students should be the main priority? It is one thing to tell us what the plans are, but actions speak louder than words. We are the university’s stakeholders, and we want to know our return of
Faith is key to finding the right one Amos Landers Correspondent I’m skinny, light-skinned and six feet tall. Because of this, I always have friends telling me stories of how they accidentally said hello to someone on campus who looked just like me. This always ends with the biggest laugh because of how crazy they felt when they finished saying hello to the wrong person. I’m single at the moment, but when I plan to get married, I will have the long-awaited conversation of explaining every relationship I was involved in prior to her and vice versa. I always thought I would hate hearing about her being with someone other than me. But this will actually be one of the funniest conversations we will have. He most likely looked just like me. One of them probably was as caring as me, danced like me, cooked like me or even dressed like me. But he wasn’t me. She knew which character in this story of life she wanted all along, but since the man she planned on being with wasn’t anywhere to be found, she settled for characteristics instead of the character. This is when we will have the biggest laugh about how crazy we felt about sharing these moments with anyone else.
Then, when she asks: “Why did you remain abstinent? Why did you avoid the strip clubs and dollar bills? Why did you give up pornography and learn self-control, and why didn’t you choose this girl or that girl?” my response will be, “Because I knew you were coming.” Of course, I don’t enjoy being single, but when you stay single long enough, people think you prefer it. I would love to be in a relationship. Relationships are so important. This is why the owners of Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter make so much money. Not only because they specialize in creating a superficial form of a relationship but because it’s simple, and there is no real commitment. Plus, you can create your own groups to fulfill the need to belong. Luckily, you do belong in a relationship. This is where Jesus comes in. He wants what you need, and you need what He wants. He wants a relationship, and you need it. You need His love, and He wants to give it. I want to be in a relationship, but it’s not my main concern. Many people say they put God first, yet they put “if” on the highest throne in their life. To be honest, my relationship with God isn’t hanging on a thin string called if: if He heals my family, if He sends the perfect person my way, if He helps me financially. No, my faith is more like an anchor – drowned in the sea of his love and stuck in his ways.
Being black in America: Lessons from CAU Chivone Smith Correspondent I am a graduating senior at Clark Atlanta University. It has been a long but adventurous road to say the least. Throughout my matriculation at a historically black university, I must say that my eyes have never been as open as they are today. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to learn about what it meant to be an African-American. I was fortunate to learn about my ethnic history and what being black meant back then. However, CAU helped me realize what being black means today. It helped me see my relevance, and it helped me understand my position in the world. I feel like I was exposed to the “real world,” if you will. I didn’t know that I had so many things fighting against me as a young AfricanAmerican female. I assumed that going to college was enough to show my Caucasian counterparts that I was just as good as them. To my dismay, I learned that going to college is just a start. I learned that I have to work twice as hard to become successful because not only am I African-American, but I am also a female. I am competing against Caucasian people and other minorities and international members who have experienced some level of discrimination. CAU exposing me to the definition of being black in America has given me confidence. I remember sitting in a room of nearly 100 NBC
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interns in New York last summer, and of all those interns, I counted no more than seven African-American students. That baffled me. When I noticed that, I immediately felt intimidated, and I thought I wasn’t good enough to be in that room. I still struggle with the reason behind my insecurities that day. However, I soon snapped out of that mindset. I became honored to be in that room and thought that I stood out because I was one of the few African-Americans present. I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world. I am more aware of myself and the world I live in. My sights are, and forever will be, to continue to be the change I want to see in this world. Chivone Smith is a senior mass communication student at Clark Atlanta University. She is the editor-in-chief of the school’s student newspaper, The Panther.
Has your HBCU experience changed your life? A. Yes, a lot B. Not really C. I don’t know
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Defense takes Syracuse to the top
Pablo Martinez MonsivaisAP Photo Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams (1) celebrates after cutting down the net following their 55-39 win over Marquette in the East Regional final.
Jason Brown Finding a perfect bracket this late in the NCAA Tournament is almost impossible. The men’s basketball tournament is living up to the “madness” of the term March Madness. Surprise Cinderella teams such as Florida Gulf Coast University, Wichita State University and La Salle University made a historic run this year. Powerhouse programs Georgetown University, Gonzaga University and Indiana University were eliminated from the tournament earlier than expected. Even President Barack Obama had trouble keeping his bracket in the winning percentile. Predicting the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles would beat both top-ranked Georgetown and San Diego State University to become the first No. 15 seed to make it to the Sweet 16 or Harvard University defeating a surging New Mexico University squad would have been lucky guesses. The biggest surprise of the tournament is Wichita State. The Shockers played their way into the Final Four after surviving the rigorous West Region. Forward Cleanthony Early, who averages 13.7 points and 5.3 rebounds a game, and lefthanded guard Malcolm Armstead, who averages 10.9 points and 3.9 assists, lead the Shockers. Wichita State knocked off No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 13 La Salle. Entering the tournament with a high seed automatically puts a target on your back. Lower seeded teams are always up for the challenge. Final Four favorites Indiana, the University of Miami and Kansas University all watched their tournament championship hopes disappear. The road to the Final Four was no easy trip for Louisville. The Cardinals lost their key
reserve, Kevin Ware, to a gruesome leg injury in their Elite Eight victory over Duke on Sunday. Louisville is an experienced team headed by legendary coach Rick Pitino. Talented guards Russ Smith, averaging 18.9 points, and Peyton Siva, averaging 9.9 points and 5.8 assists, anchor a team that made it to the Final Four in 2012. The Cardinals are the top seed overall, and I believe they can go all the way. The Syracuse Orange stumbled into the tournament after falling in the Big East Championship to Louisville. Slated in one of the tournament’s toughest regions, the Orange cruised through it behind its stifling 2-3 zone defense. Syracuse point guard Michael Carter-Williams is also responsible for the Orange’s run to Atlanta. The sensational sophomore is averaging 12.1 ppg and 7.7 assists. Carter-Williams scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds and added six assists and five steals in the Orange’s Elite Eight win over conference-rival Marquette. The Michigan University Wolverines reached the top spot of the AP poll before slumping through the end of the regular season. The Wolverines are surging through the tournament with strong play overall. Michigan rallied from a double-digit second half deficit to beat top-seeded Kansas by two in overtime. John Wooden Player of the Year candidate Trey Burke leads the Wolverines with 18.8 ppg and 6.8 assists. Balanced scoring from key players Tim Hardaway Jr, Nik Stauskus, Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary make Michigan a serious force heading into the Final Four. The Big East conference managed to forge two teams into the Final Four. The Final Four will begin in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturday. Wichita State will take on Louisville in the first game at 6:09 p.m., and Michigan will battle Syracuse at 8:49 p.m. The championship game is scheduled for Monday at 9:23 p.m. The Final Four and championship games will be broadcast on CBS.
Paralyzed ex-athlete’s foundation helping others
Jae C. Hong/AP Photo Hal Hargrave Jr. laughs with his trainer Chris Fitzgerald.
John Rogers Associated Press CLAREMONT, Calif. (AP) — The irony is never lost on Hal Hargrave Jr. that it was handicapped-accessible bathroom doors he was delivering to Las Vegas when he lost control of his truck on a desert highway and flipped it four times, a crash that paralyzed him from the neck down. If it was a sign to the strapping 17-year-old athlete, who once routinely benched 300 pounds, that his life was headed off in the wrong direction, it was a harsh one. Still, that’s pretty much how Hargrave sees it these days as he runs an organization that in just four years has raised $1.2 million to provide wheelchairs, remodel homes and subsidize the costs of rehabilitation therapy for more than 100 paralyzed people. When he’s not fundraising for the nonprofit Be Perfect foundation, the former high school athlete, who had planned to study business and play baseball in college, is still working out 15 to 20 hours a week. He even goes to the same
fitness center he frequented as a high school baseball player. Only this time he heads to a new, 3,000-square foot wing that he persuaded the gym’s president to add to benefit dozens of other spinal cord injury victims. In the 5½ years since his accident, the friendly, outgoing Hargrave has gone from the big likable kid everyone around here seemed to know to one of this tight-knit community’s true folk heroes. The teenager who used to take his wakeboard to the beach to do backflips now enjoys rolling around town in his wheelchair, helping others. “Here’s a 17-year-old boy who had a debilitating, life-changing accident,” said Mike Alpert, president of the Claremont Club where Hargrave works out. “So many people that go through that would give up. Would be depressed. Would blame everybody else. Here’s a young man who just said, ‘I have a calling to change the world and to help people through what’s happening to me. And then he goes out and does it! How special is that?” Not that he works 24-7 on the foundation. Hargrave, 23, is also a full-time student at the nearby University of La Verne, where he maintains a near-perfect 3.8 grade point average. “Don’t you just love him?” said the university’s president, Devorah Lieberman. “He’s an amazing young man.” None of this, the foundation, the section of the Claremont Club that Hargrave helped persuade the San Diego-based spinal cord recovery center Project Walk to place its first-ever franchise in, not even the La Verne education, would have happened, Hargrave says, if he hadn’t swerved his truck to avoid debris in the road on that July day in 2007. He had initially turned down an academic scholarship to La Verne to attend California State University, Long Beach, where he figured he’d have a better shot at a college baseball career while studying business administration. By now, he figured, he’d have his degree and be ready to
move up in the family business, Apex Imaging. He’d been working for the company that summer, helping remodel a Las Vegas restaurant. Still, in the back of his mind, Hargrave kept thinking he wanted something a little more challenging out of life. “I got it,” he says with a smile over lunch at the Claremont Club’s cafe. “I understood at that point that this was intended to happen, for whatever reason.” Not that the epiphany came immediately. First he had to fight just to stay alive. “It was very touch and go the first two weeks,” his father, Hal Hargrave Sr., recalled. “They had him on breathing machines. He got pneumonia. ... We didn’t know if he was going to stay with us or not.” It was during those days that Alpert looked him up in the hospital, as did scores of other people in this town of 35,000 nestled at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, 30 miles east of Los Angeles. When he got out of the hospital, Alpert suggested, Hargrave should return to the club, where he had many friends. He was splitting his time between there and Project Walk in the San Diego area when he became friends with Brian O’Neill, an electrician who had suffered a similar injury in a dirt bike crash. One day, as the two said goodbye, O’Neill told his friend he wouldn’t see him again. He’d lost his job and house and couldn’t afford the rehab sessions. The idea of a foundation to help people like O’Neill was born then and there, Hargrave says. Soon he had moved O’Neill to the Claremont Club and was creating Be Perfect. At the foundation’s first fundraising dinner in 2009, he expected to raise maybe $30,000. When $250,000 came in, he recalls thinking “maybe this is going to be bigger than I ever expected.” As things took off, he asked Alpert if he could start bringing more disabled people to Claremont
to work out with him. Alpert, who said sure, soon realized he had no space to provide the specialized care they needed. “To make a long story short, I basically lied to my board of directors and said I needed a second Pilates studio,” he recalls with a laugh. “Since then I’ve told my board the truth, and they didn’t fire me. So here we are.” The new Project Walk studio, which opened last month, includes two dozen members who use its state-of-the-art equipment, including an $80,000 gait trainer that helps a paralyzed person simulate walking. When he’s not busy working out there, Hargrave is recruiting, saying the facility can accommodate dozens more. When he was injured, doctors gave Hargrave only a 1 to 3 percent chance of walking again. Since then, he’s regained the use of his arms and is able to extend his legs. His fingers haven’t recovered enough for him to shake hands (he has to fist bump), but he can manipulate an iPad well enough to take notes in class. When he was ready to return to school but wanted to be closer to home, to his surprise La Verne simply reoffered him his scholarship. He hopes to eventually become a sports broadcaster. Another goal is to eventually walk again, no matter how far off in the future that might be. However that goes, Hargrave says he couldn’t be happier with the turn his life has taken. He hopes to eventually build an endowment that will allow the Be Perfect Foundation to be helping others long after he’s gone. “I had dreams of going off and going to school and becoming a baseball player and doing this and that,” he says. “But when I think back on it, it was so selfish. And now my dreams are much different. My dreams are to keep people in therapy and my dreams are to help other people. That’s what my life is about at this point and I understand that and it’s something I’m passionate about and it’s something I want to do forever.”
Upcoming Rattler Events April 3 - MTennis vs. Nicholls State 1:30 p.m. Baseball @ FIU 6 p.m. April 4 - WTennis vs. Troy TBA April 5 - MT&F Florida Relays @ UF WT&F Florida Relays @ UF April 6 - Baseball vs. BC-U 1 p.m. 4 p.m. MT&F Florida Relays @ UF WT&F Florida Relays @ UF April 7 - Baseball vs. BC-U 1 p.m. Softball @ NCA&T 1 p.m.