CA

AS

Synergy

HONORING TRADITIONS & CELEBRATING FIRSTS!

3rd Annual CAAS Evening With Authors

Center for African American Studies

Volume 3 Issue 1 July - December 2014

CAAS’ 3rd Annual Evening with Authors recognized celebrated Black au-

thors and leaders within the DFW community. Held in the Carlisle Suite at

the University of Texas at Arlington, the featured authors were: Mr. Reby

Cary, Dr. Constance Hilliard and Ms. Katrina Williams. It opened with an

elegant reception followed by the featured authors speaking about their ex-

periences and writings. The closing of Evening with Authors entailed book

giveaways, book signings, and graduating Emerging Leaders receiving their

CAAS stoles. Overall, this event provided attendees the ability to get up

close and personal with noted authors and celebrate their work in an inti-

mate setting.

Black Maverick Weekend: CAAS Homecoming Tailgate

Provost Ronald Elsenbaumer, Dr. Schnavia Hatcher;

Authors: Mr. Reby Cary, Dr. Constance Hilliard and Ms. Katrina Williams

Current students, faculty, staff and alumni enjoyed games, food, dancing and more

before heading over to College Park Center to cheer on the UTA Maverick Men’s

Basketball Team.

Rain did not stop the fun at the Inaugural CAAS

“Black Maverick Weekend” Homecoming event

with special guest, K-104 radio personality “Cat

Daddy”. This event served to connect Black

Alumni with UT Arlington and CAAS. Partici-

pants of the Black Maverick Weekend were en-

couraged to attend the Homecoming Step Show,

CAAS Tailgate and UTA Homecoming Men’s

Basketball game.

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Inside this Edition: Director’s Note…..……………………………………….3

African American Studies Minor…………………….. 4

Perspectives...………………..…………………………..6

Student Engagement………………….………………7

Faculty Focus.....…………………………………………8

Community-Based Research………...…….…………9

Campus & Community Engagement………..……10

Congratulations ……………………………………….12

CAAS Recognition…………………………………….13

Save the Date………………………………………….14

Give a Gift………………………………………………15

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A Note from the Director

SCHNAVIA SMITH HATCHER, PHD, MSW DIRECTOR

Greetings,

As a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI), with 15% African American students, many stakeholders were elated when the center was

established at University of Texas at Arlington August 2012. With a mission to facilitate the discourse on race and contextualize it

in the historical, cultural, and community influences, CAAS is growing as a vital intellectual and social resource for the

community. As a native of Selma, Alabama, a city best known for its place in the advocacy for civil rights, equality, and social

justice, I remain honored to serve you- on and off campus - as the director of this extraordinary unit.

Three years ago, I introduced Synergy to the community- you- to profile the center and its components: curriculum and instruction;

research and policy analysis; and civic engagement and outreach.

Beginning as a blank slate, I am extremely proud of the collaborations and programs developed, organized, and hosted since we

became operational:

-Fourteen Power Hour Lectures

-Three Evenings of Authors

-Two 2-day Community Research Conferences on Critical Issues in the Black Community

-Four African American Studies Minor graduates in 2013-2014- with approximately Twenty AAST Minors currently declared

-Over One Hundred students participating in our Student Development Initiative in 18 months- with many more volunteering with

our service learning projects

-Nine undergraduate and graduate interns from several units across campus

-Five undergraduate and graduate students supervised in conference courses- independent study classes with me

-Faculty serving as affiliates, with several participating in CAAS students workshops, service learning activities, and research

projects

-AND numerous community partnerships- both formal and informal- that prepare our students to create progressive solutions for

social change.

CAAS also sponsored a trip for three UT Arlington students to participate in The Freedom Ride 2014, a journey that

commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. The students (3 of 49 across the nation) were provided an

opportunity, as a new generation of leaders, to explore history firsthand from civil rights activists, many who were college-age

themselves when they began their journey 50 years ago, and be inspired to actively engage in the struggle for justice.

We are excitedly planning another semester of #CAASIMPACT, particularly our 3rd Annual CAAS Conference February 20-21,

2015. You will receive more information in the coming weeks!

This bi-annual publication will profile the activities mentioned above and several other extraordinary academic, research, and

community events and accomplishments that occurred during the previous semester. As you read about student development and

success, faculty and staff contributions, and community collaborations, I hope that you will be inspired to continue to be in

involved by giving of your time, talents, and treasures this year.

All the best,

Schnavia

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AAST 4399 CAPSTONE is the final required class for AAST minors. The students were tasked with design-

ing a research project that focused on historical and contemporary issues in the Black Community.

AAST CAPSTONE PRESENTATIONS

FALL 2014

Kandra Jones

Psychology, Junior

Code-Switching

Cedrick Finnie

History, Senior

Cool Pose: Answering Gender Role Questions

Boniface Djihula

Social Work, Senior

Challenges Young People Face in DFW and Nationally

Brianna Franklin

Social Work, Senior

Black Women and Identity

African American Studies Minor

Brianna Franklin is the first AAST minor recipient to be awarded the

AAST/School of Social Work Scholarship Award

based on her academic excellence.

Congratulations Brianna!!!

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African American Studies Minor

Requirements include:

18 Total Credit hours

(6 classes) with 9 hrs in AAST

Intro to Black Studies

African American History

Special Topics in African

American Studies

Service Learning Internships

Collaborations with units

across campus including:

ANTH, CRCJ, ECON, ENGL,

LING, MANA, POLS, PSYC,

SOCI, SOCW

Minor Requirements Professional Opportunities

Careers Include:

Business and Technology

Education

News & Media

Literature & Poetry

Medicine & Health

Performing Arts &

Entertainment

History

Politics & Government/

Law

Social Work

Are you passionate about African American Studies?

Become an AAST Minor!

For more information about the AAST Minor contact

CAAS at 817-272-9642 or caas@uta.edu

Brianna Franklin

Social Work, Senior

Black Women and Identity

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A THIN K P IE C E ON ST UD EN T ENG AG EME NT

Be Their Glory: An Open Letter to Our Students Concerning Involvement & Engagement

Perspectives

For information on CAAS Student Development Initiatives, or ways to get involved,

contact Chaunte’ White at 817-272-9642 or clwhite@uta.edu

Student Engagement

CHAUNTE’ WHITE, M.ED.

CAAS COORDINATOR

I’ve always felt that involvement and engagement is important for all students, as it

aids in their development and allows them to reach their highest potential as matricu-

lates in a collegiate environment. I also feel that it is extremely important for Black

students, in particular, to be immersed and committed to furthering the evolution of

their campus. Why is it so important for Black students specifically? The answer is

simple: It is your legacy.

The history of Blacks in higher education can be summed up quickly in a few phrases:

denied access, segregation, separate but not quite so equal, integration, activism, and

access. Our past involves strong courageous collegiate activists such as John Lewis,

Coretta Scott King, Stokely Carmichael, and Diane Nash. Students like Fred Jones,

who was a Black student leader and activist at UT Arlington in 1965 that spearheaded

the fight to abolish the Rebel Theme, can also be considered heroes in this arena. It is

because of Fred’s involvement, and the work of so many other Black student leaders,

that we can proudly call ourselves ‘Mavericks’.

The whole notion of college student activism was born out of the civil rights movement and many of the educational

opportunities that we are afforded today are the result of student advocacy efforts. From the Student Non-violent Co-

ordinating Committee (SNCC) to lunch counter sit-ins, from freedom rides to voter registration marches, students

were major contributors to an activism effort that spurred some of the most important legislative and education action

in this country. CAAS itself wouldn't exist if not for the radical social movements of the 60’s that spawned the crea-

tion of Black Studies centers across the nation.

How exactly does one honor such a rich lineage of cultural greatness? By being visible and being active. UT Arling-

ton serves the largest number of Black students in the Texas System, but what does that really mean if they are not

visible and actively integrating themselves into the fabric of this institution? Granted, the students most likely to read

this piece are the students who are already ‘involved’. If this is the case, I encourage you to do more and to do better;

become more visible and get more involved. Seek out leadership opportunities and work hard to be a contributor. Al-

so, reach out to someone else who may not be as active, and help get them connected to the campus.

My argument is simple: you have a responsibility to carry on the legacy. How can you not put forth an attempt to be

your greatest self when so much effort has gone into securing the freedoms & opportunities that you enjoy today? As

the current events in our country begin to mirror our past, I encourage you all to seek out ways to be involved and

engaged on campus and in the community like never before. Ferguson, the NAACP Building Bombing, the Nigerian

Massacre, whatever the cause, I implore you to draw upon the legacy of great Black college student leaders and be

inspired by the past to change the narrative of our future. I am hesitant to say that you owe it to them, but…you do.

Bear the torch, keep the flame lit, run with it…Say thank you, not just with words, but with actions. Make sure the

efforts of those that proceeded you were not made in vain… make them proud…be their glory.

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Student Engagement Study Breaks

Study Breaks provide stu-

dents the opportunity to use

CAAS as a resource to sup-

port and further their aca-

demic success. This reoccur-

ring event is designed to

promote positive student

interaction in a focused,

supportive environment.

Monthly Student Development Workshops

Monthly workshops are held for CAAS Emerging Scholars

and Leaders to work on various student development

goals and objectives. Workshops were held in October

and November of the fall semester and focused on men-

tor training, developing strategies to achieve success,

and navigating the professional course as young Black

men and women.

G.O.O.D Mentor Mixer

The G.O.O.D Mentor Mixer was the first event

for the Getting Out Our Dreams Mentor Pro-

gram. During this event, students were

matched with their mentee for the year and

participated in activities designed to facilitate

their connection and bond moving forward.

Master Class

Master Class Community Mentor

Dinners are designed to connect

students to professionals from the

DFW community to discuss person-

al, academic, and professional

challenges, develop strategies to

overcome such challenges, and

celebrate accomplishments.

Progressive Steps Toward

Student Success!

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Faculty Focus

Dr. David Sparks is currently serving as a fellow with the UTA Center for Service

Learning where he is developing a service learning course for the UTeach pro-

gram. He was awarded a $2,000 Fellowship from the Center at the end of last

year. Dr. Sparks also recently received a $5,000 grant from Academic Partner-

ships to be conducted with Dr. Kathryn Pole. The title of their project is “Using

Anonymous Avatar-Based Discussions to Engage in Discourse on Stereotyping

in Master’s Level Diversity Courses.” They will be conducting the research with

online diversity courses in the Master’s programs in the Department of Curricu-

lum and Instruction. Dr. Sparks also has an article accepted for publication en-

titled “An Exploration of the Connections Between Institution Type and Per-

ceived Levels of Stereotype Threat in African American Engineering Students”

which will be published in the Spring 2015 edition of the Journal of African

American Males in Education.

Dr. Sonja S. Watson recently published a book, “The Politics of Race in Pana-

ma: Afro-Hispanic and West Indian Literary Discourses of Conten-

tion” (University Press of Florida, 2014) which deals with the forging of Afro-

Panamanian identity from the 1920’s to the present. Her article, "La identidad

afro-panamena: pasado, presente y futuro" (Afro-Panamanian Identity: Past,

Present and Future) was also accepted for publication with the Mexican jour-

nal, LiminaR: Estudios sociales y humanísticos.

Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney recently published

his research about Julia Scott Reed. She

was one of the first blacks to work in the

newsroom of a major daily newspaper in

the South. Her biography is to be pub-

lished in the book Texas Women: Their His-

tories, Their Lives. This book is edited by

Stephanie Cole, Rebecca Sharpless and

Elizabeth Hayes Turner and published by

University of Georgia Press (2015). Dr.

Dulaney’s research on Mrs. Reed is titled

“Julia Scott Reed: Presenting the Truth

about African Americans in Dallas” (pp.

389—409).

News and Updates from Some of UT Arlington’s Finest!

Dr. David Sparks

Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction

and Uteach

CAAS Faculty Affiliate

Dr. Sonja Watson

Department of Modern Language

Women and Gender Studies, Director

Former CAAS Research Fellow

Dr. W. Marvin Dulaney

Department of History ,Chair

CAAS Faculty Affiliate

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Community-Based Research

The Seventh Bi-Annual REP Conference was hosted by Texas Christian University's ADDRAN College of

Liberal Arts at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Fort Worth. Approximately 400 participants attended,

representing a large range of disciplines. UT Arlington CAAS conducted several sessions (Friday, October

24). CAAS provided a great introduction for the Center for African American Studies to attendees, with Dr.

Schnavia Hatcher serving as moderator during the sessions. The sessions began with a presentation by

Dante Bryant explaining his study on capturing the true experiences of the African American male on a

predominately white campus. Dr. Hatcher then detailed the purpose and growth of the Center. She was

followed by Chaunte' White who described the assessment of the Center's student development programs,

such as the Emerging Scholars Program and Emerging Leaders Initiative. Following them was Dr. Ifeoma

Amah, who informed attendees about the dynamic changes the school system is facing regarding a more

diverse community. Undergraduate student assistant, Christopher Woolen, presented a joint-project with Dr.

Eusebius Small, profiling the health inequalities between the communities of Texas and how it affects the

HIV/Aids epidemic. The session was concluded by undergraduate student assistants, Kent Justin Brown and

Iriel Hampton, summarizing the impact of the Center of African American Studies for students on the

campus of UT-Arlington, along with its social capitol growth. CAAS was honored to be a part of this

conference.

Race, Ethnicity and Place Conference October 2014

Dante Bryant, MSW

Social Work Doctoral Student

Bob Ray Sanders, Keynote Speaker

Dean Andrew Schoolmaster (TCU), Con-

ference Organizer

Dr. Schnavia Hatcher, CAAS Director

Chaunte’ White, M.Ed.

CAAS Coordinator

Dr. Schnavia Hatcher, CAAS Director

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Campus & Community Engagement

State of the Black UT Arlington Student

CAAS Power Hour Lecture :

The Freedom Ride

3rd Annual Opening Lecture: This lecture fo-

cused on the experiences of three students

who were sponsored by CAAS for Freedom

Ride 2014 travel to Washington DC. The three

students spoke and met with several original

Freedom Riders involved in the Civil Rights

movement, learning about their social justice

background. The lecture, moderated by UT

Arlington professor Ray Jordan, also commem-

orated the 50 year anniversary of the Civil

Rights Act.

October 2014

September 2014 State of the Black College Student:

In partnership with the Black Student

Association (BSA), CAAS and several

other campus organizations came to-

gether to address the current state of

affairs for Black students at UT Arlington.

Three main areas were highlighted: Ac-

ademics, Health & Wellness, and Cam-

pus Involvement. Guest speakers in-

cluded Latoya Oduniyi, Student Health

Center Development Specialist, and

Chaunte’ White, CAAS Coordinator .

Members of A Collection of Brothers

(COB), National Association of Colored

Women’s Club (NACWC), African Stu-

dent Association (ASO), National Pan-

Hellenic Council (NPHC), National As-

sociation for the Advancement of Col-

ored People (NAACP) were all present-

ed and contributed to the dialogue, as

well as the presentations.

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Campus & Community Engagement

CAAS Power Hour Lecture:

Black in Business

Critical Conditions:

Minority Health Panel & Discussion

“Black In Business: The Realities of the Journey to Independence and Ownership”

Mr. Jamie Grant, CRPC, President of JDG Wealth Management Group and Chair-

man Fort Worth Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, lectured on the importance

of business and working to become your own boss. During this lecture he shared the

steps he took to go from employee to entrepreneur, and how his commitment to

empowering his community granted opportunities for himself.

CAAS and the UT Arlington Central Library collaborated on Critical Conditions:

Minority Health Panel and Discussion. The panel, featuring experts from the fields of

mental health, health psychology, and nursing covered prevalent health issues

faced by minority communities, including mental health disparities and other major

health conditions.

November 2014

Campus & Community Engagement

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Congratulations!

Continue to strive and give your best efforts so that you will obtain your greatest rewards.

We hope you stay connected to CAAS so that we may follow your growth and success!

Fall 2014 Graduates

Dimekia Hicks, Social Work

Undergraduate Intern Rita Hill-Wales, Social Work

Undergraduate Intern La’Keali Felton, Social Work

Emerging Leader

Cedrick Finnie, History

AAST Minor

Michael Coleman II,

Advertising

Emerging Leader

Valene Garr,

Biological Chemistry

Biology Minor

Emerging Leader

Shunkecia Lewis

Public Relations

Emerging Leader

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Continue to strive and give your best efforts so that you will obtain your greatest rewards.

We hope you stay connected to CAAS so that we may follow your growth and success!

CAAS Recognition

Christopher Woolen

CAAS Undergraduate Student Assistant 2014 Maverick of the Month Award

This award is given by the UTA Ambassadors in recognition

of Christopher’s outstanding service to the student body

by living the Maverick Way .

Christopher serves as an academic peer leader,

CAAS Emerging Leader, and a Student Congress Senator.

He also serves on President Karbhari’s Principles of

Community Committee.

Chaunte’ White, M.Ed

CAAS Coordinator 2014 GEM Award Recipient

This award is given by the School of Social Work to individuals

that have “Gone the Extra Mile” by contributing to the SSW, the

community, and to the success of UTA.

Dimekia Hicks

CAAS Undergraduate Intern 2014 Outstanding Bachelor’s Student for

UTA School of Social Work

This award is granted to students with high academic

performance and commitment to social work.

Dimekia was recently accepted into the Social Work

Graduate Program at UT Arlington.

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Save the Date

UPCOMING EVENTS

The New Black: Exploring Racial Identity from a

Contemporary Perspective

February 4, 2015

Dante Bryant and Dr. Jason Shelton

3rd Annual CAAS Conference

UT Arlington University Center

February 20 - 21, 2015

Women’s History Month Lecture: “Octavia Butler”

Co-Sponsored with Women and Gender Studies

March 4, 2015

Dr. Susana Morris

The Audacity of Injustice:

Power & Contemporary Acts of Violence

April 1, 2015

Dr. Anne Bain-Nordberg

CAAS Honors Recognition Ceremony

May 1, 2015

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Give a Gift

Established August 2012, the Center for African American Studies (CAAS) at the University of Texas

at Arlington aims to cultivate an exceptional transdisciplinary experience through teaching, civic

engagement, and community-based research focused on the diverse contextual conditions of Blacks in

America and society at large. Our purpose is to foster the development of student, faculty, and

community capacity to create progressive solutions that address social problems.

Endowed funding is being sought to support:

Lectures, events, and conferences

Student enrichment initiatives

Undergraduate and graduate scholarships

Faculty and student community-based research

For more information on how to support CAAS, please contact:

Dr. Schnavia Hatcher, CAAS Director, at shatcher@uta.edu

To give a gift, go to www.uta.edu/caas/support.html

Thank you for your

Gift!!

2014 Donors

W. Marvin Dulaney

Eddie Freeman

Schnavia S. Hatcher

Elvira A. Smith

2014 Sponsors

College of Liberal Arts

History Department

School of Social Work

Texas Rangers Ballpark

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Get Connected!