Archive for October, 2008:
29 Oct
Here is a list of books about Barack Obama available at the <a href=’http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/aarr/’>AACC Reading Room</a> on the second floor of Witherspoon Student Center. Be sure to check them out!
American Story: the Speeches of Barack Obama by David Olive
Barack Obama by Heather Wagner Barack
Obama: a Biography by Joann Price Barack
Obama, the New Face of American Politics by Martin Dupuis
Barack Obama: This Impropable Quest by John Wilson
Bound Man: Why We are Excited About Obama and Why He Can’t Win by Shelby Steele
Faith of Barack Obama by Stephen Mansfield
Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality by Jerome Corsi Library
Hours: Monday – Thursday 1:00 – 9:00p.m. Friday: 1:00pm – 5:00pm Phone: (919) 515-1397
29 Oct
The Washington Sankofa room of Witherspoon was packed full of children and organizations as they energetically anticipated the start of Heritage Day Saturday. This day was meant to be a day of empowerment and celebration as children learned of their ancestry and how their ancestry relates to life today. It was also a day of honor, as everyone was encouraged to respect themselves, others and their past. Although the day was full of learning, the children never stopped having fun. They spent the day in 30 minute interval workshops where they engaged in many different activities that added to their knowledge and growth.
The workshops were each run by the different organizations that participated in Heritage Day which included; the girls track team, College of Humanities and Social Sciences-Multicultural Association for Students also known as CHASS-MAS, African Student Union (ASU), African American Design Student Association (AADSA), DanceVisions, Black Finesse, Commercial Break, African American Textile Society (AATS), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and other volunteers. At the end of the day the children showed what they learned during the program in the segment “Showtime.” As the children bravely took the stage the whole audience was captivated by the talent, confidence and willingness the children embodied.
The first group to take the stage was the track group. The children in this group learned the importance of stretching before engaging in strenuous activities. They also learned how to properly execute a three point stance and a relay race was provided after the events of the day. Following this AADSA and AATS participants displayed their arts and crafts projects to the audience. This workshop provided the children with a new side to art that they may not have been aware of otherwise. “They were exposed to a culture where the value lies in the craft and in the nature. The beads [in the necklaces] show the value, unlike in the U.S. where the value lies in gold and diamonds,” said Brittany Davis a senior in Industrial Design.
After their presentation Black Finesse, DanceVisions, Commercial Break, ASU and NPHC participants walked the cat walk and performed the new dances and steps they learned for the rest of the audience. Lastly, Toni Thorpe, CHASS-MAS, and some of the student participants shared the story of Sankofa. The Sankofa story reiterated the message of the day, “remember who you are and do not let anyone else define you.”
When asked how she felt about the story, senior Iwinosa Idahor who majors in middle grades education said, “They took a kid, friendly approach to tell a very important message. It was very effective. The children enjoyed it and understood the gist of it.”
At the end of the day, the room was filled with smiles and a sense of pride. One of the students, Chris Hodge an attendee of Daniels Middle School said he enjoyed himself and “learned new steps and how to be together in unity.” Not only did the students enjoy themselves, but so did the volunteers. “It was great to work with the kids and see how excited they were. I think all the kids enjoyed themselves and I enjoyed working with them,” said Charisse James, a senior double majoring in psychology and sociology. It seems like Heritage Day was a great success for all of the participants and everyone left feeling uplifted in some kind of way.
29 Oct
If you decide to straight ticket vote, don’t do it blind.
It may be tempting to pick your preferred presidential candidate, mark the party of your choice in the straight party section and turn in your ballot. However, just because you agree with most of the ideals of the Republican or Democratic Party, doesn’t mean you will agree with the policies and plans of action individual candidates for offices such as senator may have. If it turns out your favorite candidates all happen to be from one party, go for it, but always cast an educated vote. The <a href=’http://www.wakegov.com/elections/default.htm’>wake county website</a> has a neat feature where you can get a peek at your ballot, before you even vote.
Get to know those running for judge positions.
With all of the excitement over the presidential and gubernatorial hopefuls, it’s easy to forget about the judges on the ballot. Ever heard of a case presided by a judge you felt was especially harsh and unfair? Well, somebody voted that person into office – or didn’t vote against them so they obtained the spot. Take some time to research your aspiring judges. Indyweek.com has a <a href=’http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Section?oid=oid%3A33533&category=oid%3A160812′>great section on its website</a> with questionnaires for each of the candidates so you can get a feel for who they are and what they stand for.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions at the polls.
There are people there on site to assist you if you have any questions about filling out your ballot. It’s better to ask than to incorrectly complete your ballot or misunderstand its instructions. Remember, it’s all about making your vote count.
Take a friend.
Even though this year’s election is considered to be historic and a voting location is right beside campus at Pullen Park, long lines, classes, busy schedules and procrastination can keep some students from the polls. If you and a friend (or a few!) plan to go together, you both can feel more encouraged to vote. It also gives you someone to talk to during the wait!
29 Oct
Hip-hop is free-expression that we have all come to love. However, hip-hop has a dark side that subjects you to listen to dark and twisted lyrics. Some of the genre’s most successful and favorite artists have all taken odd roads to the booth. All throughout hip-hop, artists sometimes channel an odd ideal for creative inspiration. They tell tales of murder, demonic affiliation, and dangerous thought struggles. Halloween is this upcoming Friday, and if you are feeling in the mood for songs that send chills through your spine, here are my Top Ten spookiest songs.
10. “Dance with the Devil” by Immortal Technique – This track is eerie because of the tragic tale within. Men are trying to gain their street credibility by brutally hurting a woman, with its unexpected ending, you can bet on an uneasy feeling. The lyricists highlight the consequences of participating in evil crimes. The main character of the song pays a severe price when he realizes the woman they beat to pieces was his mother. The man looks for a way out of the situation on top of a building, the only way out is down. Immortal Technique ends their graphic tale with ”and you’ll be one of God’s children who fell from the top, there’s no diversity because we’re burning in the melting pot, so when the devil wants to dance with you, you better say never because a dance with the devil might last you forever.” The story is true.
9. “Stan” by Eminem – If you know the story of Eminem’s obsessed fan Stanley, then you can understand why it made the countdown. ”Hey Slim, that’s my girlfriend screaming in the trunk/If she suffocates, she’ll suffer more.” Weird lyrics right? The song becomes even more gruesome. All of this craziness came from Slim Shady not responding to fans. Well, Eminem sure got his point across about how far fans will prove their celebrity obsession.
8. “Lucifer” by Jay-Z – Jay-Z has been in the “underworld” limelight for supposed subliminal messages against Christian beliefs, though it has not been proved, this song however does exist. It can be classified as spooky regardless of positive/negative intent. The lyrics are deep, and thought provoking. With lyrics like, “He got them dark forces in him, but he also got a righteous cause for sinning, them to murder me so I got to murder them first.”
7. “Murder was the Case” by Snoop Dogg – “Pumping on my chest and I’m screaming, stop breathing, I see demons.” Creepy view, huh?
6. “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” by Geto Boys – “My hands were all bloody from punching on the concrete, my mind is playing tricks on me.” It seems everyone is going insane, from paranoia to plain fear to thinking they saw a man they shot in the past. They are seeing things that are not there-either their mind was playing them or just leaving them.
5. “Interview with a Vampire” by RassKass – He has a conversation with God in this song asking questions that he has wondered. This song is strange because of the beat and the abrasive tone that God uses with Rass. Anybody would be taken aback to hear a voice like that. Another thought: If he is talking to God, why does the title say a vampire?
4. “Mystic Stylez” by Three Six Mafia- All of this groups earlier songs were kind of, well, satanic, and it’s happened again. This song goes past creepy directly to bone chilling. They say, “Devils in me, so I can get so violent.” This surpasses just talking of evil to having a demonic inhabitant within.
3. “Hell Sent” by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – “Nine, ten, we’re out to kill again/Put back on earth to destroy all worshipers of peace:” why would they want to do that? With an intro like that, it is good they switch to fighting evil at the end. It is just that the minds of these rappers get so twisted with their thoughts and lyrics in this storyline.
2. “Diary of a Mad Man” and “6 Feet Deep” by Gravediggaz. Their name is strange enough but their lyrics go right down terror lane. These two songs possess all the qualities of a complete Halloween Hip-Hop track. With names like Killer Priest, you can only imagine what their lyrics are like. The ending to “Mad Man” says enough- “Stab you with a dagga of Jacob’s ladder, thoughts become shattered, confused, and, tragic, fiery thoughts of gravediggaz.”
So, be careful what you take in, and listen carefully before you sing-along. Happy Halloween!
29 Oct
Students learned about what the black Greek is really about at a program hosted by the Black Students Board last week. Kornelius Bascombe, a sophomore in criminology and chair of the BSB gave an introduction about the speaker Rasheed Ali Cromwell, ESQ, CEO of Harbor Institute, lawyer, and graduate member of the Kappa Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. In Washington D.C. Cromwell is a professional speaker on the topics concerning Greek affairs, personal leadership, and motivation.
Cromwell’s topic of the mis-educated students of the black Greek was to help inform Greek and non-Greek college students the truth behind the Black Greeks as well as kill the common and ignorant stereotypes.
Cromwell used his personal knowledge about black Greeks to catch the attention of the audience. Information such as many of the great black leaders that are members of the Divine Nine. He mentioned leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. who was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Michelle Obama an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Robert Johnson a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Langston Hughes who was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc, Shirley Chisholm a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Huey P. Newton a Member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Sheryl Underwood a member Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., and Bobby Rush a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. These are just a few leaders who were Greek. Cromwell asked the audience “Can someone give me a 10 second summary of [the film] Stomp the Yard?” A student from the audience replied, “Drumline with stepping.” Cromwell used this to help the audience understand how the stereotype of black Greeks became misconstrued to the thought of “All we do is step, stomp, and hop.” He opened the eyes of the audience and made them see that there was so much more meaning. He mentioned how a black Greek letter organization is a brother/sisterhood of African-Americans coming together to make a change and to make leaders.
There was a point in his speech where the message seemed to be directed to the Greeks instead of the non Greeks. He said how the organizations have to do better with the pickings. He said don’t not pick someone because they are your friend or because they are popular but go back to picking people that are leaders. Don’t, not pick someone because you don’t like him or her if they have leadership qualities. Cromwell then mentioned the ways to get “back to the basics” which are to refocus and leave a legacy, recommit and choose better members, lead and serve and live to learn.
After talking to a few of the students in the audience there were no negative comments concerning Cromwell’s speech. In fact many were inspired and enjoyed it a lot. Miles Payton a sophomore in business management said, “It was educational and seemed to help with any confusion as well as helped with making decision concerning joining or being interested.”
Tiffany Stringfiled a sophomore in biochemistry said “I thought it was really good! It was really informative about the historical issues and the contemporary issues. I thought it was really great!”
When asked what made the board members choose this topic and how they thought it was important within the black community, Bascombe said, “We believe this event would empower the students to be more informed about black organizations”understand misconceptions are social and help to uphold names and mottos.”
Kwame Boatwright a freshman first year college added “We choose it because a lot of African Americans are informed about Black Greeks and it is a great opportunity for them to learn more.”
Delisha Smith a sophomore textile technology said “because people just see the organizations stomping and stepping and don’t low what the true meaning of it and it a better way to inform them.”
The Mis-education of the Black Greek was a great program and had nothing but good reviews and responses overall.
29 Oct
It is that time of the year when many will begin their search for the perfect pumpkin and spend countless hours figuring out how to carve it into a Jack-O-Lantern masterpiece. This is the time of the year when pumpkins will manifest into creatures during Halloween night; when mothers will spend countless hours in the kitchen making their homemade recipes of pumpkin pie and pumpkin rolls. This is also the time of the year where pumpkins adorn the walkway to houses and sweaters. However, while pumpkins may be useful as decorations for the fall season, they provide a greater purpose to serve as health benefits to the body.
Pumpkins are filled with many vitamins and minerals like copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and zinc. According to Rachel Levine, a writer for thefoodpaper.com, Levine emphasizes that pumpkins contain a wide source of beta-carotene, which is not only responsible for giving pumpkins their orange color, but helps fight against free radicals and reduces the risk of cancer. Pumpkins are also high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which scavenge free radicals in the lens of the eye. Therefore, they may help prevent the formation of cataracts and reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a serious eye problem that usually results in blindness. Levine also says that pumpkins are a good source of alpha-hydroxy which is commonly used to promote healthy looking skin.
Pumpkin extracts are used in many skin care products because of its alpha-hydroxy content. Alpha-hydoxy promotes smoother and younger looking skin because it helps increase cell renewal. According to carefair.com, a website that focuses on beauty and nutrition, pumpkin oil is very nourishing to the skin and has excellent lubricating properties, making it perfect for all skin types. In anti-aging terms, the presence of pumpkin seed oil on the skin can actually fight the appearance of fine lines and excessive dryness, allowing for proper hydration and prevention against moisture loss. Here are two directions to making a facial mask and body scrub as provided by carefair.com:
Facial Mask: Combine two teaspoons of cooked or canned pumpkin, ¼ teaspoon milk or whipping cream, and ½ teaspoon of honey in a small bowl. Next, apply the mixture to your complexion and use your fingertips to apply it in circular motions. Avoid the eye area. Let the mask sit for between 10-15 minutes and then rinse with warm water, pat dry and moisturize.
Body Scrub: Combine ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ cup cooked or canned, pureed pumpkin, and ½ cup brown sugar in a bowl. Now step into your bath or shower and use a damp washcloth to apply the scrub to your entire body, excluding your face. Use circular motions and work your way from your feet upwards. Once that’s been completed, rinse off completely and apply lotion/moisturizer as usual.
According to health.learninginfo.org, an online A-Z health reference, Native American tribes were among the first people to notice the beneficial aspects of pumpkin seeds. They used them to treat kidney problems and to eliminate intestinal parasites. Pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, are found in mass quantities inside of pumpkins and provide many other health benefits. According to Lisa Mosing, MS, RD, FADA and special guest contributor to LifeScript.com, pumpkin seeds contain a chemical substance called cucurbitacins that can prevent the body from converting testosterone into a potent form of the hormone dihydrotestosterone which may be helpful, for supporting prostate health. Pumpkin seeds have also been shown to support strong bones and help to fight cholesterol and arthritic inflammation.
A Few Quick Serving Ideas from whfoods.com, an online food information website:
Add pumpkin seeds to healthy sautéed vegetables.
Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top of mixed green salads.
Grind pumpkin seeds with fresh garlic, parsley and cilantro leaves. Mix with olive oil and lemon juice for a tasty salad dressing.
Add chopped pumpkin seeds to your favorite hot or cold cereal.
Add pumpkin seeds to your oatmeal raisin cookie or granola recipe.
Next time you make burgers, whether it be from vegetables, turkey or beef, add some ground pumpkin seeds.
The next time you engage in pumpkin carving and are tempted to just throw out the inside, don’t! Save it and make a pumpkin pie and roast the pumpkin seeds. It would be a terrible waste to throw away all of those health benefits.
28 Oct
Have you ever been through a period of time where you just feel super tired and lethargic and you don’t ever feel like doing the things you really love to do? Well here is some interesting information that can help you to create a great personal makeover.
First let’s talk about fatigue. Fatigue is a lingering process that is constant. It also highly limits your level of productivity. If you have ever experienced the flu or have ever missed a lot of sleep, then you would probably have a good idea of what fatigue is like. According to WebMD, with fatigue, you have unexplained, persistent, and relapsing exhaustion. It might be time to check with your doctor if you are indeed struggling with ongoing fatigue.
People who deal with fatigue regularly wake up in the morning and feel like they have not slept at all, find it difficult to take care of business whether it be at the workplace or at home, and feel too exhausted to even take care of routine daily affairs.
Here are some tips from Cathy Wong, writer for about.com*, for ways to boost your energy. First try diaphragmatic breathing. In Chinese Medicine, energy is often referred to as “qi” [pronounced "chi" (chee)]. There is positive qi and negative qi. Deep breathing helps us to relax and thus produce positive qi. Stress, poor posture, a snug waistline, and lack of good breathing habits inhibit our full breathing capacity so our breath does not make it down to the bottom of our lungs. According to Wong, diaphragmatic breathing (Tip #1), which is also called belly breathing by many, is a simple way we can increase our positive qi energy and improve our stamina.
Here is how to breathe with your belly:
Step 1: Calm your mind. Get rid of all distractions and negative thoughts, worries, and stressors.
Step 2: Improve your posture. Sitting up straight definitely gets air into your lungs and helps with proper energy flow in your body.
Step 3: Place one hand flat against the abdomen with your thumb close to your navel. Breathe in through your nose at an even rate. Allow your abdomen to expand, rather than your upper chest. You should feel the hand on your abdomen being pushed away as your abdomen rises. Slowly count to yourself.
Step 4: Breathe out slowly and evenly through your mouth. Again count slowly and try to make sure your count on the exhalation is about twice as long as your count on the inhalation.
Step 5: Repeat twice.
Tip #2 is to get a good night of sleep. Okay, we all know that getting those eight hours of sleep is great, but knowing the actual time you fall asleep holds a great deal of weight too. What many people don’t know is that sleeping from 1 am to 9 am is not the same as sleeping from 10 pm to 6 am, for example. According to Wong, the reason why those two eight hour time periods are not the same is that hormone secretion, body temperature, digestion, and other important restorative processes follow a 24-hour cycle that is linked to natural light exposure. The later in the evening we hit deep sleep and the later in the morning we wake up, the more out-of-sync our cycle becomes.
Growth hormone is a hormone tied to those restorative processes I mentioned earlier. 80% of growth hormone which is a must for lean-muscle development, favorable immune function, and strong skin, is secreted during sleep between the hours of 11 pm and 1 am. So try to go to bed before 10 pm. It might be difficult to get used to hitting the sheets at an early time, but you will see your reward in the form of increased energy.
Tip #3 is to eliminate “energy-sappers.” Make sure you eat foods that are alkaline forming, avoid excess sugar, take in plenty of protein, try to cut back on coffee if you are a coffee drinker, and try to get in a milliliter of water for every calorie you eat. Avoid taking in fluids at night though as this might result in waking up during the night to urinate and that leaves you with unrefreshing sleep. (Avoid drinking at least two hours before bedtime.) Try to stay organized. The less disorganized you are, the less you’ll stress out about trying to take care of important things. Make time to do the things that fuel you, not deplete you. Then, keep a positive attitude through it all.
Tip #4: Take at least a half-hour each day just for you.
There is no miracle formula for revitalizing your body and spirit, doing the above takes time, but once you get into the swing of things, you’ll see an improvement in your overall health and wellness.
* (Note: All About.com content focusing on diseases, conditions or containing health claims is reviewed by a team of board certified physicians and certified health professionals from leading institutions. The Medical Review Board was formed in October 2006 and all content created from that date forward has been closely reviewed for medical accuracy and consistency with source material.)
24 Oct
Relationships. All of us (whether we want to admit it or not) have had them or want them at some point in our lives. The truth is that no man is an island and we need something called love to survive. Unfortunately, the ideas of misguided generations have created barriers to what kind of relationship one should have. One of the largest barriers is labeled race.
When thinking about the concept of diversity the United States of America should be at the top of the list. There’s a good chance that you can find someone of almost any culture and/or race right here in the United States. It is true that America has had its share of racial tension, but that should be in the past right? Wrong! In a way, I feel that even though some areas have been legally corrected, many of us are emotionally separated. We are separated because we don’t understand each other, and therefore, this makes us scared of each other.
In my twenty years on this earth, I have heard many excuses as to why two people of different races couldn’t possibly fall in love or love each other properly. Some say, the two individuals wouldn’t have anything in common. Others worry about the social pressures and being stared at. They say “What about the kids? Won’t they be confused?” Then the rest fail to give reasons because “That’s just the way it is.” We do not realize that these problems are only problems because we have made them this way. We would understand each other a lot more if we actually sat down and talked. You may find that you have more in common than you think.
It seems as if people already have in mind who they are going to date or end up with. They start naming all of these physical features and most of the time their ideal person is the same race as they are. I understand that people have their personal preferences, but what if we put them aside for a second? If we just focused on personality traits we would find ourselves opening up to the idea of people who may not exactly look like us. I’m not saying completely disregard the people of your own race, but be open minded when considering potential partners.
America has had an increase in interracial marriages since the first epic ban was lifted on June 12, 1967 in the Loving v. Virginia ruling. For example, black/white marriages have increased from 65,000 in 1970 to 422,000 in 2005, according to Census Bureau figures. Sociologists at Stanford University found that out of the 59 million marriages in America in 2005, that at lest 7 percent of them were interracial marriages. From these numbers it looks as if younger generations are becoming more accepting of each other and willing to try new things with different people.
We have come far as a country but that doesn’t mean we do not still need to strive for the better. Tension towards interracial couples is still prevalent in some areas. I believe this is due to lack of experience with other races and the misguided teachings of older generations. For example, Bob Jones University of South Carolina just lifted their ban on interracial dating in 2000. I was rather shocked when I read this. It hurt to see that a university which is supposed to create diversity and openness was condemning people from loving each other. A year later 40 percent of the voters objected when Alabama became the last state to remove a no-longer-enforceable ban on interracial marriages from its constitution. In Cleveland, two white men were sentenced to prison earlier this year for harassment of an interracial couple that included spreading liquid mercury around their house. From these examples we see that some people today are still filled with so much hate. When it comes to interracial couples, you may not be burning their houses or protesting their funerals, but a harsh word or objective stare still makes you a condemner. It is common for people to bring their injustices back to God and justify what they are doing by biblical principles. No matter what god, spiritual being, or lack there of you believe in, I highly doubt any doctrine would support this kind of behavior.
I do not believe love has a face, color, or even sex for that matter. How can you ban something so beautiful from the others? Anyone in this day and age would be lucky to find true, unconditional love. I think any kind love should be embraced by all, no matter the packaging.
24 Oct
With elevated gas prices, a severely damaged economy, and many of our friends and loved ones fighting a war, it is needless to say that voting is more important now than it has ever been. Not only is it important to get out and vote. It is important to weigh the options and make an informed decision that will affect your future.
Coming from a long line of Democrats, I initially thought the decision would be a no-brainer, but after seeing Michelle Obama at Reynolds Coliseum in April, and listening to the many issues and controversies on my own, I’ve found that I had to vote for a candidate based on what is important to my future, independent of what my family believes. Luckily, my values and situation are not much different than my family’s, but for some people it is not a simple choice. Many people are struggling to make a decision simply because of what one of the candidates looks like, and how old the other is, but the true challenge for everyone should be to find a political truth.
In my opinion, finding your political truth means accessing your personal needs as they relate to American society. For me, college loans, the economy, and gas prices are most important to me at this time. Barack Obama’s plans for these issues are in my best interest. As a Christian, I’m sure I could easily find favor with some of John McCain’s proposed policies, but economically would that really be what’s best for me? I believe the average American can find something positive in both candidates, but the true test is evaluating which candidate would best suit your needs, at this time.
This election is one to be remembered forever. It means different things to different people. To me it reinforces the idea that I can be anything I can imagine in a country that hasn’t always been so kind to people of my color. To my ailing grandfather, it is an indescribable privilege that hasn’t always been real. For some, the outcome of this election could literally be a matter of life or death, as our flawed healthcare system prevails. To you, it may not seem so important, but I believe if you think carefully about the issues that affect your life the most, you will find political ground.
On the campaign trail, Barack Obama has been quoting Dr. Martin Luther King, as he talks about “the fierce urgency of now”. This phrase pertains to the immediate need for change, before it’s too late. Not too late in the sense of the world ending, but in the sense of the degradation of our society beyond any repair that our generation will live to see. This is why it is so important to make it out to the polls and make a clear, sound decision on November 4th.
So, as you go out to the polls, take it seriously. Think about the many men and women who were physically and mentally scarred, so that you can vote. Think about our country as it is and how it can be. For once, put aside family tradition and peer pressure. Vote based on who can best serve you. Look beyond here and now, but most importantly, think-vote!
24 Oct
On Saturday, October 25th the African American Cultural Center (AACC) will welcome scores of area kids for this year’s Heritage Day. Heritage Day is an annual event that involves students from multiple student organizations working with area students, most of them ranging from six to fourteen years old.
During Heritage Day, younger kids enjoy activities such as craft making, storytelling, face painting, quilt making, and stepping. The teen participants enjoy workshops such as a running technique workshop with the track team, and an African American dance workshop with DanceVisions. New skills are not the only thing that the AACC hopes kids take away from Heritage Day, event organizers hope that participants take away broader messages from Heritage Day.
“We always hope that Heritage Day entices students in middle and elementary school to think about going to college,” said director of programming Toni Thorpe. For many area students, the opportunity to see a college campus up close and interact with college students is rare, and the experience of Heritage Day allows for college to seem like a more realistic possibility for them.
The nature of Heritage Day itself is beneficial to students who attend, as Heritage Day encourages cooperation and teamwork as children have to work together to learn a skill and, in many cases, perform it together by the end of the day. Before the activities even begin, students work together to establish “Village Rules” for the day, learning about the value of rules and what it takes to form a strong community or family. Attendees also learn facts about African American history, and by the end of the day, the kids have learned that they are capable of learning new facts, giving them renewed confidence in their own academic abilities.
Here at North Carolina State, we have many programs for many different things, and they all have their own value in different ways. But programs and events like these may be the most important and the most beneficial, because they allow students to give back to their communities and advertise positively for the university at the same time. Heritage Day shows off not only what NC State is but what students here are capable of doing. The event is organized almost entirely by students, and student organizations are completely responsible for all the workshops and youth zones that kids enjoy.
The benefit to minority students in particular should not be downplayed, as it allows them to see people who look like them succeeding academically. As senior Brittany Davis notes, “Heritage Day represents an opportunity for minority children to be exposed to a large university.” Exposure to successful students who they can relate to often helps young people to feel like they can be successful in the classroom.
Heritage Day is an example of the many different ways students at NC State are talented, and of the willingness to give and serve the community that the student body has. In the end, Heritage Day is a positive experience for all involved.
