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Wednesday, March 8, 2017 • Vol. 44, No. 4 • www.HCCEgalitarian.com • @HCC_Egalitarian
In Today’s Issue
HCC annual Black History Gala Jimmieka Mills The Egalitarian
Maldonado praises college Chancellor Cesar Maldonado shined a spotlight on the college’s improvements
see Community, Page 4
T.J. Watt to be third drafted T.J. Watt is ready to be the third player picked in his family and joining brothers J.J. and Derek in the league.
seec Sports, Page 8
On Saturday, Houston Community College held its 11th annual Black History Scholarship Gala at Hotel Zaza in downtown Houston. The event was hosted by KTRK ABC13 Anchor and host of Crossroads Melanie Lawson and KPRC2 Meteorologist and host of Houston Newsmakers Khambrel Marshall. According to the HCC Black History Committee website, “For the first time in its 11-year history, the HCC scholarship gala takes a decidedly more worldly view of the plight of African Americans, and examines ways in which average citizens and college students can help improve the lives of under served people around the world.” This year’s theme for the annual gala was Thinking Globally Acting Locally. The Honorable Teta V. Banks, Veteran National Chair of the United Nations delivered the keynote address. “We gather here this evening to celebrate the great history of a people that spans the diaspora. Black history is world history, so we celebrate our history and celebrate our faith.” Banks continued, “The blood that runs through our veins is of generations spanning the globe reaching across oceans and eons of time. Ours is the blood of great kingdoms, great kings, great achievements and great dreams. We’ve known rivers, our souls have grown deep like the rivers. Like none other in the history of human kind, the African diaspora has touched every continent and every corner of the world.” Banks along with holding the titles of
Image courtesy of HCC The Honorable Teta V. Banks gives keynote address at HCC Black History Gala Saturday February 25, 2017 at Hotel ZaZa in downtown Houston. writer, civil rights advocate and diplomat is also an English professor at Lone Star College and Prarie View A&M University. She was born in Monrovia, Liberia and raised in Detroit Michigan. Banks who was elected Chair of the United Nations Associations at its annual Leadership Summit in Washington, DC. in July, 2016, is also the first person of African American descent to be elected chair of the UNA in the organization’s 70-year history. Her father Rev. A. A. Banks Jr. and her mother Dr. Victoria Allen Banks were both active in the Civil Rights Movement and worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King
Sr., Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Nettie Washington Douglass, the great granddaughter of Booker T. Washington and great great granddaughter of Frederick Douglass was invited by Banks and spoke her great great grandfather’s influence on the celebration of Black History Month. “When Carter G. Woodson came up with the idea of honoring the accomplishments of African Americans and in particular, Frederick Douglass, he chose the second week in Feb which happened to be the
see
Gala, Page 3
Dr. Siddiqi excited for future of college Ana Ramirez
The Egalitarian
‘Hacksaw Ridge’ gripping Hacksaw Ridge takes us on a journey of the story of a real man, that stood up for what he believed in.
see Culture, Page 10
On February 1, Dr. Muddasair Siddiqi took office and became the new Houston Community College Central President. “I strongly believe that our urban centers or these large cities, are a very critical factor of our national competitiveness as a nation and as a whole and our ranking in the world economy because these urban centers are very diverse and they have a significant number of residents who need educational services at affordable cost.” Dr. Siddiqi continued, “I was looking for a structure where I could go and play my small role as one person in collaboration with other people to make change in our offerings or academic
“Community college rescued me in my bad time and since then I have become a patriot of community college.” Dr. Muddasair Siddiqi HCC Central President programming in the best interests of the students.” Dr. Siddiqui came from Morton College in Cicero, Illinois and considered Houston a perfect place to continue his career citing his passion for working in big cities and urban centers. What helped him make the decision of not only moving to Houston but to join Houston Community College was HCC’S #1 ranking in awarding two-
year degrees to minorities and serving more international students than any other community college. “That reflected a lot, and had a lot of meaning to me,” said Dr. Siddiqi. After finding out that information it increased his enthusiasm and enhanced his flair and interest. He was impressed with the way HCC was helping students with their financial need since most students cannot go elsewhere.
The Official Student Newspaper of the Houston Community College System
Dr. Siddiqi says he came to HCC to be a part of the movement of helping students go to college at an affordable cost and then go on to a 4-year university join the workforce or obtain higher pay at their job. This concept is a familiar and personal one to Dr. Siddiqi who faced his own financial hurdles that community college helped see
President, Page 3