Voice of the Wildcats February/March 2023

B-CU alum named football coach

By Teray Bembery

Bethune-Cookman University officials are hoping the second time is the charm in selecting a new head football coach.

Raymond Woodie, a Wildcat alum and former player, was named to the job Feb. 6. He is the second person named in connection with the job since Terry Sims left in November 2023 after seven seasons and a 38-39 record.

“A new era at Bethune-Cookman University begins today,” said interim President Dr. Lawrence M. Drake II, in a prepared statement. “Word of our pending new leadership has been hard to contain, so we are thrilled to officially welSee Woodie, page 6

Bethune-Cookman University • Daytona Beach, Florida February 2023

B-CU Athletic Director Reggie Theus, left, welcome Raymond Woodie Jr. as the new head coach while interim President Lawrence M. Drake II looks on. Photo/B-CU Athletics

The Voice of the Wildcats is written, edited and published by members of the student body at BethuneCookman University. All opinions are solely those of the author.

Editor Shay Myrthil

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By Shay Myrthil VOICE Editor

WILDCATS PROTEST

During winter break word of a new head football coach quickly spread across the Internet. Former NFL player Ed Reed announced on his social media that he was excited and overjoyed to be joining the Wildcat family.

But, things quickly took a downturn after we finally returned to campus. Apparently, the conditions Reed found waiting for him sent him into a state of disbelief and frustration. He then went live to share his discontent with the university, even going as far as sharing the status of his signing process with viewers.

“I should leave. I’m not even under contract yet!” Reed said on live while riding a golf cart on the field that is supposed to be the practice field for the football team. News about the conditions at the university spread as students began sharing their input and personal experiences.

This chain of reaction prompted both students and alumni to stand up and speak out about their concerns with the university.

Then on Monday, Jan. 23, Bethune-Cookman students organized a protest and showed up in numbers. Not only did they go out to stand with the football team, but they also were taking a stand for themselves as well. By 12 p.m. that afternoon White Hall, the main administration building on campus and where the president’s office is, was packed with students.

One by one students took turns sharing their experiences, discontent and concerns about the university. Afterward, the march began, and students headed to the statue of our founder in front of the perform-

ing arts center.

“Hail Wildcats…Hail Wildcats” was all that could be heard as they marched down Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard toward Lincoln Street. The protesters then turned left on Lincoln, then another left on International towards the statue. News reporters, journalists, alumni, and bystanders all watched the procession. The organized protest was only the first of many protest tactics

licly talk bad about your future employer and still expect to get hired, it doesn’t work like that,” said an alumnus on Twitter. It should be noted that the Hall of Fame athlete ultimately did not get the job.

The media, in the meantime, is eating this up because we are an HBCU. Its goal is not to help us, but embarrass us. We should be dealing with this situation in house without exposing our great HBCU, and causing a social media frenzy.

Still, many students feel differently. They think that exposing the university in this manner is the only way to get the attention of the powers that be. Students have tried protests, town halls and emails in the past to no avail.

While Ed Reed’s approach to shed light on the situation may not have been the best way, we all can agree that he made some noise and people are now listening. More people are talking about what is going on which can start the conversation about what can and needs to be done to make Bethune-Cookman University a prestigious university again.

that students used to get the attention of the board of trustees and interim president Dr. Lawrence Drake. There were a series of events that took place throughout the week that showed that students had enough and wanted change.

On Tuesday there was a sitin at White Hall, on Wednesday students marched to city hall to plead their case with the mayor. Students exercised their first amendment rights and came together to demand change.

Meanwhile, some believe that taking the fight to social media only shone a negative light on the university.

Likewise, others have chimed in that what Reed did was unprofessional and therefore he should be punished. “You can't pub-

Students take to the streets, demand to be heard

Shay Myrthil is a junior mass communication (multimedia journalism) major and editor of the Voice of the Wildcats.

B-CU students demonstrate for better conditions

Wildcats, feeling frustrated and ignored by the administration, took their concerns public on Jan. 23 with a demonstration. Students gathered at White Hall before marching across campus, down Lincoln Street and turned at International Speedway Boulevard. There they gathered at the statue of founder Mary McLeod Bethune in the courtyard next to the Performing Arts Center.

Read what B-CU students have to say about the demonstration on page 6.

Photo/Emmanuel Fields

Wildcats gather outside of White Hall on Jan. 23, 2023

Photo/Dylan Jatan

Creators of ‘The Proud Family’ say new shows are aimed at grown ups

By Sidney P. Brown

More than two decades since the animated sitcom series “The Proud Family” debuted on the Disney Channel, Penny Proud and her family are back and louder than ever.

Season 2 of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” premiered Feb. 1 and is available on Disney Plus.

Disney’s Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar, executive producers of the original show, are once again at the helm of this latest venture. The two say their primary goal then and now is has been to add diversity to cartoons.

Back in 2001, Smith said he felt that “animation was missing a black family.” Having grown up watching popular cartoons such as The Flintstones and The Jetsons, both based on white families, he wanted to create a cartoon that the African-American community could heavily relate to.

However, Smith, who studied character animation at the California Institute of the Arts, chose to not write the series like the traditional family stereotype. Instead, he formatted the characters’ dialogue like The Simpsons, which made the characters seem more realistic and authentic.

Furthermore, he said that the character of Penny Proud was meant to represent the empowerment of young black women. He called her the “spine of the show,” during a recent interview with a group of journalist from various HBCUs.

When asked what was the difference between the original show and the new spin-off, Farquhar was quick to reply, “The Louder and Prouder part.”

“We have been trying to get back for the last 15 years,” Farquhar said in an earlier interview.

Seriously, he noted that because the old and new series are over 20 years

apart, there is obviously a huge generational gap that cannot be ignored. In the original series, children were the main

their journey before securing jobs with Walt Disney Animation Studios. Networking, making a good first impression, and being patient are important for anyone serious about this industry.

The Disney deal, however, is not the first time that Smith has been in the spotlight for his work in animation. He was the director for the short-animated film titled “Hair Love” that won the 2019 Academy Award. Other notable works include “Bebe’s Kids” and Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog.”

audience, so storylines were more censored in order to be more appropriate. In this latest series, however, Farquhar, 71, and Smith, 61, say they decided to

A veteran of the film and television industry, Farquhar began his career writing for the classic ABC television series “Happy Days.” He also was a writer for such shows as “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” “Moesha,” and “Married. With Children.” He attended the U. S. Military Academy at West Point before getting his bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Illinois.

Sidney P. Brown is a graduating senior majoring in mass communications (multimedia journalism).

direct the new series to more of an adult point of view. The Proud Family is no longer a “children’s show,” Smith said.

While the original characters did not change, a whole range of new characters have been introduced, particularly with respect to gender identification and the LGBT community.

Viewers can expect to see bolder storytelling, more emphasis and focus on the secondary characters (such as Penny Proud’s friends) and a bigger “jump into our blackness,” according to Farquhar.

The two men stressed that landing a job in the industry can be challenging. Both noted that others helped them along

STUDY ABROAD IN TOULOUSE FRANCE SUMMER

PROGRAM 2023

JUNE 22 – AUGUST 05

Join us for four weeks in France while you earn six credit hours at the same time. The credits will be transferable to B-CU. For more information contact Dr. Wallenberg at (386) 481-2733 or stop by his office in Fine Arts

FA336

Screenshot of the Disney's 'Proud Family'.

Screen of Farquhar, left, and Smith.

Roland Martin broadcast Town Hall live in Daytona Beach

Roland Martin posed with students after the town hall on Feb. 3. Martin urged students to be more active after he learned that only 20 freshmen reportedly attended a meeting the night before with President Drake. The freshman class is composed of about 1,000 students.

Motivational speaker Tundra M. King, who is a B-CU alum, was among those asked to take part in the program at Hope Fellowship. King said she has been a supporter of the inspirational Gospel Chorus.

Roland Martin listened as students and faculty laid out their concerns during the town hall on Feb. 3, 2023.

Photos/Courtesy Adam Lowery

WOODIE

Continued from page 1

Raymond back home to Bethune-Cookman University. Throughout our search process, we stressed the need for a leader who understands our university’s history, traditions, and values, in addition to possessing firm athletic leadership prowess. Coach Woodie embodies each of these qualities.”

Athletic Director Reggie Theus also expressed confidence in the new coach.

"We are elated to have Raymond Woodie, Jr. return to Bethune-Cookman University to lead our storied football program,” Theus said. “We felt confident in his experience, his leadership, and his ability to embrace the spirit of our founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune in this 100th year of B-CU football. We are locked in the vision for providing a championship culture through his detailed plan for recruiting academically talented student athletes, along with a sustained desire to provide a high-level experience."

Coach Ed Reed?

In late December, Bethune-Cookman University announced that “an agreement in principle” had been reached to hire NFL Hall of Famer Ed Reed as the new head coach. The announcement received a thumbs up from students and alumni, who have been disappointed in the last couple of years since the team jumped to the SWAC. In 2021 and 2022, the team had a record of 2-9.

Question: What are your thoughts about the protest and what changes do you want to see here at Bethune-Cookman University?

Louis Dandridge

“I feel like this was a good start, a good tip of the iceberg. With Ed Reed, that just like sparked the movement of us being heard. Like I said we’ve been speaking out for months, semesters, and years almost; and it’s not just our generation, it’s generations before us. I just feel like if we continue to be consistent with it, and we continue they’ll eventually get tired of us and will eventually hear. Something has to happen. Something has to change. If we were able to have a town hall meeting, we would want to invite the board of trustees or with administration or with the people who are accountable for the dorms, the café, the quad, and maintenance. We should have one good meeting. I feel

A few weeks after the Reed announcement, the former pro decided to go on Instagram Live and tell people that things were not what he expected to be when he arrived at the school and things were not right on campus. He went on to bash the school about how his office wasn’t clean when he got to Bethune, and how he and the team had to pick up trash.

College administrators took a second look at Reed and decided not to follow through with the offer. Reed did offer an apology but the damage was done. Reed said that he was disappointed in their decision and he also said that he did not want to leave the university.

The story made national news and Drake went on the Roland Martin show and said “it was his decision” to not go through with hiring Reed as head coach because “his behavior was unacceptable.”

Wildcat Roar

Who is Raymond Woodie?

Woodie, a four-year letter winner as a linebacker and 1996 graduate of Bethune-Cookman College, takes the helm of Wildcats Football following an impressive career as an assistant coach at numerous Power 5 schools including Florida Atlantic University (2020-22), Florida State University (2018-19), the University of Oregon (2017) and the University of South Florida (2013-16).

He has been recognized as one of the premier recruiters in college football, serving as an assistant under Head Coach Willie Taggart across multiple coaching stops. He has recruited seven players that were eventually selected in the NFL Draft.

In his time as a student-athlete at Bethune-Cookman, Woodie was a two-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) First Team Defense selection, as well as a two-time Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) All-America selection. He was also the first Bethune-Cookman student-athlete to be named a GTE Academic All-American and have $25,000 donated to the University in his name.

Information from B-CU Communications was used in this story.

like we never really had a meeting with them. We need to continue to be consistent with it because we will eventually be heard.”

“I think what’s going on campus is very unfortunate, I think that it’s time

for a change. We’ve been dealing with this since my freshman year and I’m now a junior about to be a senior and it’s still going on. My main concern is the health of the students. That is something that B-CU prioritizes in its motto, so the fact that it’s being said but not shown is a little frustrating because people are getting sick. It's not just we’re dealing with the mold, people are being hospitalized because of the mold, people are having health issues, and some are leading to chronic issues. I just want B-CU to prioritize the health of the students and their well-being. Not only is this trying our physical health, but it’s trying our mental health as well. Having to go into a hot room after a long day of classes is frustrating. Having to bathe in cold water is frustrating. I just want people to look at the students and think of our well-being as a whole.”

Dandridge McFadden

Don’Neisha McFadden (Miss Junior)

Courtesy photo from Sidney P. Brown

Film Review

'Meet The Snows' delivers on action, message

Independently produced film highlights human trafficking

By Jasmine Hall

“Meet The Snows” is an action-packed thriller starring Ronald Taylor as Ex-Navy Seal Ryan Snow. Directed by Robert Peters, the one-hourand 46-minute film displays the lengths to which we would go to protect our family.

Ryan and his wife Vanity Snow (played by Prieska Outland) have 24 hours to find their daughter Ye ( played by Bree Poppy Davis) and rescue her after she is taken by a black-market human sex trafficking organization. Vanity’s character is a former CIA operative, so the pair work well together.

The independent film, produced for roughly $150,000, made its debut at Sandhills 10 Carolina Cinemas in Southern Pines last December. It also was screened here at Bethune- Cookman University on Jan. 21, 2023, in observance of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Keidra Ponder, whose production company Keedie Productions, produced the film has family ties to Daytona Beach. She also is a co-writer on the film with Taylor, whose company, G4 Elite, was co-producer.

The story begins with two men having a conversation outside of a nightclub and suddenly they are stuffing a woman into the back of a big car. Meanwhile, the Snows are enjoying their lives in Atlanta, Georgia, while daughter Ye is getting accustomed to college life. Ye informs her parents she is going to a lounge with her

Black History Trivia

friend Naomi while her parents are also having a night out on the town. The next morning The Snows wake up to the devastating news that their daughter Ye did not make it home last night and is missing. Some might say the films has some of the hallmarks of the popular “Taken” film trilogy but with soul.

You may recognize Bree Poppy Davis as the actress who played the youngest daughter on the “My Wife and Kids” television show.

The storytellers did not have to look too far for inspiration for this movie. Research suggest that between 15,000 and 50,000 women and children in the United States are subjected to sexual slavery annually. Exact figures vary

greatly because the issue is so hard to study. Meanwhile, 1,343 people were charged with human trafficking in 2020 compared to 729 in 2011, an increase of 84 percent. Likewise, the number of people convicted of federal human trafficking charges increased between 2011 (464 people) and 2019 (837 people), before declining in 2020 to 658.

Taylor and Ponder are to be commended for their effort in producing this independent film. I only saw a few things that they might want to watch for in the future. In a few scenes we see Ryan Snow dress up in tactical gear on his way to kick butt but the next time we see him, there is no gear insight. Also, the sound quality in some scenes could be better. Turn down the rap music.

Overall, if you get a chance to view it, do so. It just might inspire you to try your hand at filmmaking.

Rating: **** out of 5

William Tucker, son of indentured servants from Great Britain, was the first recorded African child to be born in the colonies in 1624. Vermont was the first colony to ban slavery in 1777. In the 1770s, a Quaker named Anthony Benezet created the first school for African American children. courtesy of www.paycor.com

Jasmine Hall is a junior mass communications major.

Black History Trivia

In 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler graduated from the New England Female Medical College as the first Black woman to receive a medical degree in the U.S. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson had an older brother, Matthew “Mack” Robinson, who broke the Olympic record in 1936 in the 200-meter dash. However, he took home the silver medal because he finished behind Jesse Owens Before becoming a professional musician, Chuck Berry studied to become a hairdresser and has a degree in cosmetology.

Campus Life

Black History Trivia

Between 1810-1850, an estimated 100,000 slaves used the Underground Railroad to escape to the North.

William Wells Brown’s novel, Clotel; or The President’s Daughter, is the first written by an African American to be published in 1853.

Hattie McDaniel became the first Black person to win an Oscar for her supporting role in "Gone With the Wind" in 1940. Sidney Poitier was the first Black man to win, 24 years later, for his leading role in "Lilies of the Field".