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The GraduatesThe Graduates

|SPRING 2011|

t h e B l a c k S t u d e n t u n i o n ’ S

2 3

P o e t r y & a r t s . . . 6

e d u c a t i o n . . . 1 6

h e a l t h . . . 2 0

2 2 . . . s t y l e

2 8 . . . f e a t u r e : t h e G r a d u a t e s

3 2 . . . e n t e r t a i n m e n t

b u s i n e s s . . . 4 0

h i s t o r y & P o l i t i c s . . . 4 3

t h e s c o o P . . . 4 4

S p e c i a l T h a n k S T o :

k e i T h R i c h c o v e R d e S i g n a n d c o v e R S T o R y

p a T R i c i a M a n nc o v e R S T o R y

T h e c e n T e R F o R B l a c k c u lT u R e

p a u l h e n g e S T e g a n d R e B e c c a F o g e R T y o F T h e o F F i c e o F e q u i T y a n d i n c l u S i o n

M e l i S S a i a n e T T a o F T h e u n i v e R S i T y W R i T i n g c e n T e R

i a i n c R a W F o R d o F T h e e n g l i S h d e p a R T M e n T

k e i T h M o d z e l e W S k ic o v e R p h o T o g R a p h y

M a X S T e v e n SF a S h i o n S h o o T

T R a M e l B l o u n Ti l l u S T R a T i o n S

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hello everyone!

i’m extremely delighted that you now have in your hands one of the greatest magazines to ever hit university of delaware’s campus. Pamoja, which means “unity” in swahili, started as a newsletter in the 60’s and has now become a full-fledged magazine that you can now consume in any way you see fitift. read it on your iPad, take it along to the beach, or delve into its pages on a long, boring road trip. this magazine is a realization of many dreams, mine of becoming a magazine editor in particular. the Pamoja staff has worked hard to bring you a magazine, full of culture, diversity, and articles that will make you really think. enjoy the spreads and the delicious photography and if you see any of the Pamoja staff around, congratulate them on this wonderful success.

Peace and love, ashley Paintsil

editor-in-chief

l e t t e r f r o m t h e e d i t o re d i t o r - i n - c h i e f a s h l e y P a i n t s i l

c r e a t i v e d i r e c t o r s e r i c a s c o t t & r a c h e l J a m i s o n

e x e c u t i v e e d i t o r k r i s t i n r o w e

f e a t u r e s e d i t o r s a l i y m c o o P e r

a s s i s t a n t e d i t o r t a t i a n a b u r G e s s

c u l t u r e e d i t o r J a m e s c h u r c h

P u b l i s h e r / P u b l i c r e l a t i o n s a s h l e e J o h n s o n

f a s h i o n e d i t o r s a s h l e y P a i n t s i l & e r i c a s c o t t

h e a l t h e d i t o r

s e r e n a w a l k e r

e n t e r t a i n m e n t w r i t e r s r a c h e l J a m i s o n , J a m e s c h u r c h & b r a d l e y s i m o n

e x e c u t i v e e d i t o r i a l a s s i s t a n t n ’ k o s i o a t e s

l a y o u t t e a m e r i c a s c o t t , r a c h e l J a m i s o n , J a m e s c h u r c h & s a b r i y a J e f f e r s o n

staff

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PAMOJA            

   

   

   

   POETRY & THE ARTS

My rough elbows. My rough knees.

My rough braids. My rough beads.

My rough speech. My rough tongue.

My rough daughter. My rough son.

My thick lips. My thick talk.

My thick sway in my thick walk.

My thick hips. My thick thighs.

My rough beauty. My thick pride.

M Y

b Y a s h l e e j o h n s o n

I was born into the confusion of north america.

Raped by the continuity.

Fooled by the possibility.

Flesh of africa.

Words of europe.

a confusion infusion.

Unequal ingredients.

Constantly tasted.

Constantly stirred.

Unaware of my potential.

Power.

and Identity.

w h o b e n e f i t e dW h o b e n e F I t e db Y s a l I Y M C o o P e R

In this new era

of supposed understanding

and action.

Where gender ideologies are laughed off.

swept under the rug and

Ignored.

Race.

social division.

hidden among amends.

thirteen amendment ratified people.

still toil.

the proof is in the pudding.

My teeth cage these thoughts.

We must emancipate ourselves.

image : tramel blount

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Caterpillar a put the final remains of the old habitat into the moving box.

“I really think we should move to big leaf. the rest of our family lives there. We’d be right at home! and it’s bigger and brighter!” exclaimed Caterpillar a.

“Well I know you will enjoy yourself on small leaf. Its right under the big oak tree; a nice quiet environment to start our family,” responded Caterpillar b, who was busy loading moving boxes also. For two weeks the Caterpillars had argued over which new habitat to make their own. Caterpillar b, the breadwinner, decided on small leaf despite his wife’s constant plea. he assured her one last time before their big move across hilton Park.

“You’ll love it. I promise.”

later that morning, Caterpillar a sat on her new home as sorrow consumed her. her eyes wandered to the Caterpillar families all over hilton Park. there were plenty of leaf environments; some big, some small, but none quite as quiet as their new home on small leaf. Finally her eyes settled on big leaf, her dream home. a cluster of Caterpillars gathered around each other in laughter, quite obviously enjoying themselves. a few big leaf Caterpillars had even started the cocooning process early: a sure sign of happiness in the Caterpillar world. she returned her attention her small lonely home only to find Caterpillar b reading a newspaper in a small corner of their dark leaf. he was content in his solitude. Caterpillar a sighed and lowered her head in defeat. the world was too much for her.

lisa got up from saying her prayers. she placed her notebook on the nightstand, and turned the lamp off. silently throughout the night, lisa prayed over and over again that this math test would not be the death of her. Certainly lisa knew how to find derivatives and explain proofs. but determining the square root of imaginary numbers frightened her. With all of Professor ben’s lecturing, lisa dug deeper and deeper into calculus oblivion. to pass this exam surely meant the world to lisa; it would complete the three-credit course required for lisa’s graduation in the spring. lisa was accustomed to earning a’s and b’s. but the pressure of this test was too much to bear. For weeks, the

undergrad senior prayed and studied, prayed and studied, prayed and studied. the library had become her best friend, as she turned down invitations to this party and that get-together to ensure that the limit of h as x approaches 0 is indeed a real number.

on the morning of test day, lisa trudged across the college campus. after a final prayer concerning this matter, lisa mentally prepared herself for this semester’s calculus final. she stopped for a cup of coffee then proceeded across hilton Park toward campus. blankly, she stared at the park’s floor, which was covered in fall leaves. they all seemed to be about the same size and color. lisa reverted her attention from the trivial leaves back to her tremendous problem: the calculus exam.

jon folded his notes and slid them into his folder. It had been a tiring day, and it was far from over. he stood up to leave the lecture hall just as jane yelled his name.

“We’re all heading over to get some lunch. Ya comin’ with us?” she inquired. as jon stood in front of jane and two other friends, he considered eating lunch with the crew. then he remembered a math exam he had to take in just one hour, and decided against lunch.

“sorry, guys. not today. I got a calc exam in ben’s class. I’ll see you at dinner!” jon left the crew and headed out to take his calculus exam.

after thirty minutes, jon packed up his bag and prepared to leave. he had finished the easy calculus exam in record time. now jon headed out to his car; his classes were over, and it was time for his treatments at overwood Memorial hospital. jon had learned to cope with the fact that he would need a new kidney, but he hadn’t prepared for the tiresome dialysis treatments. this was only week two, and he had already had trouble staying awake in class. he was seriously considering dropping a few classes. as jon sat in the waiting room among three other patients, his anxiety returned as it did each visit. the waiting list was not getting any shorter, and jon hoped his treatments would get easier as he waited for his lifeline: a new kidney.

PAMOJA            

   

   

   

   POETRY & THE ARTS

s I M P l I C I t Yb Y a s h l e e j o h n s o n

“Yes. I’ll be there. I’m leaving work early tonight….I know but I had to get out of the house and work helps to keep my mind off of it….Ok, Sweetie…see you there……Love you, too.” Sheena hung up the break room phone and returned to the waiting room with her clipboard in hand.

“Jon Smith…” she called out to the four patients in the waiting room. A nervous young man slowly rose from his seat and followed her through the double doors to the treatment area.

After another hour of running up and down the hallways to check on various patients, Sheena changed her clothes and headed out to her car. She thought going to work would help her forget about her father’s viewing tonight, but all it did was hold off her tears for later. Now, with tears streaming down her cheeks, Sheena struggled to keep her focus on the road. Her father had been the one to wipe her eyes, whenever tears had previously obliterated her goals. If she indeed went off track, whether in school, relationships, or life, her father would make sure to show her back to the road. Sheena, so enthralled by her father’s heroism in her thirty-five years of life, wondered: if she happened to wander off the road now, who would bring her back? She closed her eyes, all too familiar with the feeling of defeat, and hoped her father would be there to bring her to victory…yet again.

Caterpillar A, in the depressed state she came to embody, sat with her husband after dinner watching the news. As he snuggled closer to her long slender body, a line flashed across the news screen, which caught their attention.

“Woman Is Killed In Terrifying Car Crash” appeared suddenly on the bottom of the screen. Caterpillar B wrapped his arms around his wife and the two creatures marveled at the simplicity of life.

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hold me like I’m one year old…

and I am too weak to hold myself up and too innocent to be defeated by the failure to do so.

Understand me like I’m five years old…

and although my broken crayons are not a priority in your busy world, you share in that sympathy for my unfinished drawing because you know that it is a priority to me.

discipline me like I’m ten years old…

and I should be punished for what I do wrong, but my imagination and creativity lead to a curiosity as to what lies in that grey area.

trust me like I’m fifteen years old…

and worry about what I do when no one is watching, because although I beg for privacy, I am screaming for attention.

love me like I’m eighteen years old…

and care for me unconditionally because I say that I am growing up, but all of my previous years still look for your guiding hand before crossing the street.

I walk by you on the bus and you judge me. I sit next to you in class and you don’t say a word. My books fall on the floor and you don’t bother to help. You see me all

alone in the cafeteria and don’t come to keep me company. You see me getting bullied in the hall and don’t stick up for me. You see the cuts on my arms and try

to pretend like you didn’t. I’m not walking by you on the bus. I’m not sitting next to you in class. I didn’t drop my books on the floor. I’m not sitting all alone in the

cafeteria. I’m not being bullied in the hall. this goes on for days; you don’t see me at all. You start to wonder where have I gone. and that’s where I am, gone forever.

You wish you would have said something, when I walked by. You wish we would have worked together when I sat next to you. You wish you would have helped me pick up

my books when they fell. You wish you would have came and sat with me when you saw me all alone. You wish you would have asked me if I was ok or if I needed someone

to talk to you would be there to help me through it when you saw the cuts. If I was there I would ask do you see me now, now that I’m gone and it’s too late to see me.

PAMOJA            

   

   

   

   POETRY & THE ARTS

d o Y o U s e e M e n o W ?b Y t a t I a n a b U R G e s s

s t I l l h o l d M eb Y a s h l e e j o h n s o n

h a v e Y o U e v e R M a d e l o v e t o a s U n G o d d e s s ?

have you ever made love to a sun goddess? and I don’t mean make love as in lightly scolding your lips as you embrace the scorching warmth

of her chromosphere. but I mean “make love” as in allowing yourself to completely incinerate as you excite the inner workings of her

radiative zone, until your electromagnetic pulsations cause her core to cave in on upon it self, fully engulfing you in the light show of her

planetary nebulaic fluids. Flanges flicking filaments, tongue kissing her sunspot, stimulating the succulent photospheric granules of her

supernova. she screams out, vibrating the surface of your ear drums with the echoes of spanish/French/patwa/mandarin Chinese or whatever it is

sun goddesses speak cuz I only know english so whatever she said was gonna go over my head anyway. but it’s irrelevant, cuz all physical bodies

speak the same language. and that’s the only one that matters. Interlocking fingertips as her love begins to disintegrate every particle of my epider-

mis and muscle tissue. I burn for this love. as if I’m one with the phoenix itself, I become encapsulated in the flames of passion. ashes of what used

to be known as insecurity blow as embers in the wind, breaking apart the foundation of my resonance as her burning hand smothers my smoldering

heart. this pain is pleasure. or do I find pleasure in pain? cuz frequently do I catch myself standing with no umbrella in a shower of her scorching

rain. and I can’t quite these flames, because every time the chemical make-up of my love drenched hands contacts her skin we ignite again, and

again, and again. Until again becomes never, never becomes what we wished, and what we wished becomes reality. see, when you make love to a

sun goddess, dreams and reality polymerize in a collage of spectral fireworks and magmatic eruptions. and as my teeth sink into the surface of her

red giant its lava drips through the cracks of my charred lips. do you know what the sun taste like? It’s like taking the light of heaven into the palm of

your hand and swallowing it. she told me that one night with her could quench my thirst for eternity, so we made love on top of a lemniscate and one

night became a bath in infinity. the way I see it, why settle for a physical love that will only last as long as I can breathe, when I can breathe forever

in the arms of my sun goddess? so when people ask me what my relationship life is like, I simply reply, “have you ever made love to a sun goddess?”

b Y j a M e s C h U R C h

Image Credit: tramel blount

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Black Bold and Beautiful

thomas grew up in camden, new Jersey and ended up at yale university’s art program, creating the fabulous works of art we see now. thomas’ art represents strength and black femininity to a degree that can’t be explained until you see her art. “my art is a statement, just not for popular culture,” thomas said. her art, life, and words can show us all more about strength and black femininity.

“my upbringing and childhood have everything to do with what i make and how i make it,” thomas said, referencing her childhood in camden, new Jersey. when she was younger, thomas wanted to be a lawyer, rather than an artist—showing that what we plan may not always be what’s best. Growing up, the women in thomas’ family became her heroes—her grandmothers, aunts, and mother all served as role models. this women-centered childhood likely influenced the tone and subject matter of her art.

The first time I saw Mickalene Thomas’s art I was about thirteen years old. I picked up a copy of the now defunct Suede magazine off of a dusty corner in my cousin’s house and flipped randomly onto a page with Ms. Thomas’s art. I was blown away. Anyone who knows me personally, knows that I am obsessed with shiny, glimmering, flamboyant things; so when I saw a painting Thomas had done with crystals, I was immediately captivated. I kept seeing her art everywhere, and I knew I had to find

out more.

w r i t t e n b y : k r i s t i n r o w ei n t e r v i e w b y : a s h l e y P a i n t s i l

i m a G e s b y : m i c k a l e n e t h o m a s s t u d i o s

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academia also served as a prominent influence in Thomas’ life. She spent some time in lismore, australia at southern cross university. “studying aboriginal art was the most exciting part of the trip,” thomas said.

thomas also received her bachelors of fine arts in painting from Pratt institude and yale university. “i chose Pratt because it was located in brooklyn…yale has one of the best mfa programs in the country.” thomas values most the knowledge of art history she has gained from these two institutions, and says at yale, she came up with the idea of using, rhinestones, acrylic, and enamel in her work.

thomas has also residencies at yale norfolk summer of music and arts, vermont studios center, studio museum, durham Press, anderson ranch arts center, and currently at versailles foundation munn artists Program. she has also collaboarated with moma, the museum of modern art. “all of those places provided great experiences,” thomas said.

Thomas’ influences range from the Hudson river school, to Édouard manet, henri matisse and Romare Bearden. These influences come together in your mind to produce fun, colorful pieces of art, by “process of elimination,” said thomas. though she lives and works in brooklyn, she travels quite a bit, and states that “everywhere she goes” gives her inspiration, as well.

when asked about her largest challenge as an african american artist, thomas replied that, “everyone has challenges, no matter what they do in life.” as a black artist, thomas’ culture shines through in much of her work, which many people say references the Blaxploitation period of American filmmaking. “That’s only ten percent of the concept,” thomas said of these comparisons.

she also portrays the black female as powerful, sometimes using sensuality to show black femininity. “why not?” thomas asks in reference to this artist decision.

to students who wish to pursue art as a career, thomas has a few words of advice. “have strong studio practice! Go to school, it doesn’t matter which one. be aware that you will face challenges.”

You can find Mickalene’s Thomas’s art on her website: www.mickalenethomas.com

“ e v e r y o n e h a s

c h a l l e n G e s n o m a t t e r w h a t t h e y d o i n l i f e ”

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though the university of delaware is a predominantly white college, a diverse assortment of races attends school here. Until they find others like themselves, some minority students may sometimes feel out of place or out of their comfort zone. the university of delaware knows that its minority students would like to come together as a community and they give them the opportunity to do so. there are many multicultural programs that a minority student can join, to not only come together with people of other races as well as their own.

one multicultural program is asPire (academic support Program inspiring renaissance educators), which designed for students who are education majors from underrepresented groups. asPire helps its members by preparing them for careers as teachers and educators. asPire is not only open to elementary education majors, but also students from arts & sciences disciplines, marine studies, agriculture, health sciences, human development and leadership who wish to pursue a degree in teaching. “asPire helps minorities education majors come together as one” sophomore lawrence “bain” manley said.

another multicultural program is rise (resources to insure successful engineers), an engineering program designed to recruit and encourage academically prepared students who are underrepresented in engineering. their main objective is to help these students successfully obtain their degrees in engineering. “rise helps by bringing in other minorities all in to contact with one another. not only do we get a chance to connect, but we get a chance to help one another out and build each other up through our weaknesses,” sophomore clyde broderick said.

these programs, along with many others, foster a sense of belonging and togetherness in a predominately white college. they also provide worthwhile academic support, eventually creating better students. through these programs, minority students work together to help achieve their life goals.

-Tatiana Burgess

PAMOJA            

   

   

   

   EDUCATION

E N R I C H M E N T F O R M I N O R I T Y S T U D E N T S

&

KRISTIN ROWE: when did you fall in love with hip-hop?

DR. PAYNE: i am hip-hop. hip-hop is organic. i grew up in harlem, new york and north Jersey—black communities. i was brought up in the culture…it is me. that’s like asking “when did you get interested in being black?” i’m one of the most educated people, but educated people can be hip-hop. the two ideas aren’t opposites. i was always in love with hip-hop; it’s a lifestyle more than a hobby.

KR: how has hip-hop played a part in your life?

DR.P: i was a rapper; i was making a career out of rap. My first performance was at a talent show in fifth grade. My [rap] group Black Prodigies performed regularly at the apollo, we were popular in new york and north Jersey. i still listen to hip-hop today…when i leave this interview, i’ll get in my car and cam’ron will be in the stereo. there will never come a time hip-hop is put on the shelf for me.

KR: why choose to study and teach hip-hop?

DR.P: hip-hop has gotten to a point that it needed to be academically analyzed. i see the 90’s as the golden age of hip-hop. it was making so much money and impacting the culture in such a way that it could no longer be ignored. it was impacting blacks, whites, and people across the globe. cultural phenomenon that impact people in such a way must be studied. academics like michael eric dyson set the foundation for people like me.

KR: do your colleagues or others ever question the academia of hip-hop? how do you cope with this?

DR.P: in my personal experience, people don’t question it. my boss asked me to teach the hip-hop class, and i receive a lot of love for my work and my ideas. however, to be taken seriously i had to gain the respect from my boss and peers. it is assumed that i will treat cam’ron lyrics as an intellectual exercise, and that i will not deal with them in a juvenile way. i choose quality music to study. we will not compromise the integrity of academics or the values of hip-hop.

In his office, among a storm of thick academic books, papers, and posters, sits Dr.

Yassar Arafat Payne. Behind him hangs a penciled portrait of rap artist the late Tupac Shakur. “I am hip hop,”

Dr. Payne has said of himself. Thirty six years old, raised between Harlem and Inglewood NJ, Payne went on to receive a ph.D at CUNY in

New York. The self-proclaimed “Realest P.h.D Alive,” Dr. Payne teaches a Black American Studies course called “Hip Hop in the Black Community” (BAMS 373). BSU’s

own sophomore Brooklynn Hitchens said, “Dr. Payne’s hip-hop class is unique because rather than analyzing gangsta rap artists from a negative and condescending light, we

privilege their voices and lived experiences.” I sat down to talk with Dr. Payne about this course, hip-hop in general, and what we can learn from both.

b y k r i s t i n r o w e

P A Y N e

hIP - hOP

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kr: who is your favorite rap artist of all time? in today’s hip-hop, who do you prefer?

tupac is my favorite of all time. he is better than anyone you know. he is the best rapper dead or alive…and he is alive. lil wayne is my favorite today…i’m not a bandwagon fan of him, though. i’ve liked him since tha block is hot, when everyone thought he was corny. i also like drake, Jay electronica, J. cole, Jadakiss, cam’ron, and nicki minaj. i don’t like Jay-Z though. he waters down the culture.

kr: but nicki minaj doesn’t?

DR.P: no. not yet at least. i like that song “dear old nicki” by her. classic du boisian double consciousness… the struggle between two selves.

KR: nicki minaj? du boisian?

DR.P: yes. i like her…she’s smart. she’s aggressive. she’s demanding…she asks for and takes the same things “bosses” like lil wayne do. hip-hop is a masculine game, yet she writes her own stuff. that’s why we respect her. that’s why i respected old foxy brown, and lauryn hill before she started singing all over and going crazy. she gives black women a voice in hip-hop, and that’s good.

KR: what are your thoughts on the current state of hip-hop? in particular, how is the internet affecting hip-hop today?

DR.P: artists have less freedom and creative control today than ever before. internet and technology have cut artists’ profits. Though downloading is illegal, obviously it happens a lot. you really need people to really love you to have a chance at making good money in this industry. i don’t critique the music itself. The content is a reflection of where society is. We are greedy and selfish—but most rappers would argue that we must be to survive. technology is hurting the art. artists are desperate to become famous and willingly sell over their art for a deal. young money’s business premise is what i would like to see more of…artists owning their own companies.

KR: what can students learn from your hip-hop class? from hip-hop in general?

DR.P: from my class, students will learn an alternative perspective on gangsta rap music. they can gain a more critical understanding on an art form that affects millions. they’ll learn that they don’t know it all… that hip-hop is historical. in the 1600’s men were rapping about these struggles. they needed to. hip-hop is adaptive. as long as there is structural inequality, there will be hip-hop.

“Be, be’fore we came to this country/ We were kings and queens, never porch monkeys/ There was

empires in Africa called Kush/ Timbuktu, where every race came to get books,” (“i can”, nas)

with these lines, nas attempts to do what very few have before him— educate his listeners on the magnificent history of african empires, before white imperialism changed the continent forever.

in his book The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks, scholar randall robinson argues that without learning our original history, we as a race are destined to feel incompetent and incomplete. he argues that with these feelings of defeat and unworthiness imbedded in mainstream culture, it will be much more difficult for us to deal with many of the social problems we face today. he even implies that historically whites/main stream america intentionally choose not to teach this rich history, in order to make the oppression of the black race easier.

But exactly what history is Robinson referring to? And is the University of Delaware enabling this history to be taught?

this “original history” is one made up of brilliant african empires untainted by slavery, imperialism, stratification and continued oppression. Civilizations such as kush, benin, meroe, djenne, Ghana and songhay were all extraordinary, yet they may sound unfamiliar to even the most educated americans.

robinson cites a quote from africa in history that reads “scholarship further accepted what the Greeks had laid down as patently obvious: classical Greek civilization derived in its religion, philosophy, its mathematics and much else, from the ancient civilizations of Africa… [To Greeks] any notion that africans were inferior, morally or intellectually, would have seemed silly.”

despite this vast heritage, slave trading in african countries became a driving force towards the society we live in today. slavery of yesterday contributes to the worldwide psychological and socioeconomic devastation

within the black community today. robinson argues that widespread education on the true greatness of africa will help mend this devastation. this would mean a drastic educational revolution in a world where ancient Greeks, romans, and Great wall of china are often the highlighted in the typical american world history classroom. is the university of delaware providing adequate diverse educational opportunities?

upon searching the spring 2011 class database on ud student information services for the keywords “africa” and “african,” a few classes pertaining to africa pre-imperialism were found. “Peoples of africa” (anthropology 333), “history of africa” (history/ black american studies 134), and “art, Power and architecture in africa” (black american studies 203) are a few of the classes that seemed to focus on ground-breaking ancient african empires. a few other classes, such as “world history i,” also list ancient african history as a component of their curriculum.

when searching within the same database for classes involving ancient Greek culture, 10 courses are found.

overall, ud is providing opportunities for students to learn about the great, but often forgotten, ancient african empires. it is now up to us as students to educate ourselves on true black history— to see blacks through a lens untainted by imperialism and prejudice. in “i can” nas raps, “if the truth is told, the youth can grow.”

Regaining Our History

b y k r i s t i n r o w e

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Growing up, i knew about diabetes mellitus, commonly called “sugar” around the way or simply diabetes. i did not understand exactly what it was, but for me it seemed no different than a common cold. everyone in my family seemed to have it, and if they didn’t eventually they would. it was not until i was older when i realized that it was a disease, but it was hard for me to accept it as one. the word seemed to carry such a negative connotation. when i thought of a disease, i thought of some rare infectious illness, and none of my family seemed severely ill from any infectious disease. it was probably not until one of my aunts suffered from a heart attack when it occurred to me how severely diabetes can affect people.

diabetes is a disease that consists of inadequacies with the body’s ability to produce insulin. there are three main types: with type 1 diabetes, the pancreas is incapable of producing any insulin at all. type 2 diabetes, is when the pancreas produces an insufficient amount of insulin. Finally, gestational diabetes is a type only developed during pregnancy. the importance of insulin in relation to diabetes is its ability to transmit glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into the body’s cells. once transferred into cells, blood sugar levels are decreased and the glucose in the cells can be used for energy and growth. without insulin or with insufficient amounts, this transfer of glucose from the blood stream into cells is not able to take place, resulting in diabetes.

Although diabetes is the end result of the deficient levels of insulin in the body, the disease can result in several complications, adding on to a person’s list of health issues. complications consist of problems with the eyes, feet, skin, heart, blood pressure, and even hearing. diabetes is the number one leading cause of blindness in the united states, and is also the leading cause of kidney failure. there are plenty of stories of heart disease and strokes occurring from people with diabetes. it is a wide spread disease that can be very detrimental to one’s health and is seen as an epidemic in america.

b y s e r e n a w a l k e r

PAMOJA                

   

       Health

d i a betes mellitus

while affecting a number of people across the country, diabetes is especially prominent within the black community. diabetes is currently one of the top causes of death and disabilities in the united states and african americans are almost twice as likely to have the disease as non-hispanic whites. according to the most recent statistics taken in 2007 and reported by the american diabetes association, 23.6 million children and adults have diabetes. out of the 23.6 million 6.6% were non-hispanic whites, 7.5% were asian americans, 10.4% were hispanics and 11.8% were of non-hispanic blacks. the association also reports that about 1 out of every 4 african american women over 55 have diabetes, and a quarter of african americans between the ages 65 and 74 have diabetes.

these are statistics taken from 2007 and it can be assumed that these numbers are still rising as a recent publication by webmd health news in november of 2010 projects about half of all americans will develop diabetes or pre-diabetes by 2020. such a prediction can be appalling to hear, but it’s important to remember that predictions are not facts. this wide spreading of diabetes is believed to be preventable through healthy eating, weight loss, and increased physical activity. this solution is not as easy as it sounds, due to common lack of accessibility and motivation.

eating healthy is not always easy when your grocery store around the corner does not supply the community with a lot of organic food, or if such foods do not fit into one’s budget. exercise can be a hassle, when a single mother is working two jobs and trying to raise her children, or when the price to join a local gym is simply another bill you cannot afford. issues like these commonly arise in lower income areas. for some people eating organic food and exercising on a daily can be considered an unaffordable luxury. People have to go to work and take care of their families. finding motivation to do anything can be difficult once a long stressful day has taken place, but no matter the situation it is important to take time out for one’s health and tend to it accordingly. if the local grocery store does not offer a choice food that you desire, contact the manager and ask if they can start selling it, and if the gym cost too much ride a bike or run outside. we should all take our health seriously, before something such as diabetes seriously takes our health.

b.b. king

halle Berry

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ouch!

s t y l i n G : e r i c a s c o t t &

a s h l e y P a i n t s i l

P h o t o s : m a x s t e v e n s

a l l c l o t h i n G : s t y l i s t s ’ o w n

m o d e l : a y o m i d e o s u n k o y a

S h i e l d y o u r e y e S f r o m S p r i n g ’ S

v i b r a n t h u e S a n d e x p l o S i v e

c o l o r S .

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{

Be DARING! Try by mixing

your ethnic accessories

with your costume

jewelry!

Elegant with a

twist! Multiple

patterns make a

bold statement!

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The Graduates

By Ashley Paintsil

when you hear the words “art student,” you may think of creating on canvases from scratch, paint-stained jeans, and sleepless nights in a studio creating works of beauty. A sport, such as soccer, doesn’t quite fit into that picture. however, for senior keith rich, art and soccer go hand in hand.

with drive, talent, and diverse interests, rich is on his way to success. here he opens up about his art, his life, and what it means to be black at the university of delaware.

when i asked him what aspects of life excite him the most, i expected to hear about the entrepreneur’s latest website venture, or his final art presentation for his Visual communications major. instead he replied, “soccer of course. it’s like i’ve been playing since i was four years old,” he says.

“obviously i’m here doing art which isn’t so bad, but soccer is like the thing i love doing most,” rich continued. “whenever i’m upset i just like play soccer, and everything goes away. that’s how i got into art too, because i would go online and check out these soccer blogs, and people were making digital art based on soccer. so it was kind of like the best of both worlds for me. so besides art, i would say soccer is my biggest hobby.”

rich is an extremely talented digital artist, as his work has been featured in the Huffington Post. However, he is also an accomplished entrepreneur, starting a website development company, flagship, with two of his roommates.

rich is charming and friendly, participating in many diverse groups on campus. he acts as the art director for udance, and is a member of sigma Phi epsilon fraternity, art ambassadors, and elbow—a small, up-and-coming group connecting senior visual communication majors to freshman and sophomores with an interest in the major.

when asked about his endearing personality, he answers with a modest “oh my god, i didn’t even know that. i would just say i enjoy a lot of different things, so it kind of touches on other people’s interest, as well as mine. i guess my interest in different things kind of connects me to everyone.”

where does keith rich’s talent and inspiration come from? rich cites surrealist artists rené magritte and dadaist marcel duchamp, along with origami—the Japanese are of folding paper into geometric shapes—as inspirations for his art. Rich says his first encounter with art was in his parents’ room as a child.

“i used to be in my parents’ room, and they had this thing like Photoshop. i would just play with that for hours until they kicked me out of their room. everyday that was what i would do—make crazy things in Photoshop. then in high school, it kind of made its way to web design. that’s where i wanted to go from there,” says rich. “i feel like i’m not great at drawing or painting, but it’s not a really detrimental thing for me. a lot of art is based on ideas and, execution comes after a good idea.”

rich says he also owes some of his success to the university of delaware, which he chose because of its stellar study abroad program to london for art majors, as well as its close proximity to his home. rich says that while in london, he experienced world cup festivities, and spent five weeks and learning from world famous design agencies and artists. rich says that design is “pretty much solving problems,” and that the most important thing that he’s learned from his major is to not censure himself when creating his art.

“i’ve learned to just do whatever comes to mind, no matter how crazy it is.”

rich says that after graduation, he plans to move to Philadelphia and continue designing websites with his company flagship. in his wildest dreams, rich says he would like to be art master for a soccer team in england, designing jerseys and anything art-related for the team.

when rich was asked about what being back meant to him, keith had this to say.

“for me, i noticed in my major, i am the only black person,” says keith. “it’s kind of a weird situation, because no one else is like you. at times, no one really understands where you’re coming from, so it takes adjusting.”

rich also acknowledges that he is “like one of only two black people” in his fraternity. in being a minority he says “a lot of it is people learning from you, and you are learning from them. it takes getting used to. but at the same time, back home, my best friend was white; so i kind of grew up with it. usually i don’t really think about it, i kind of just go with the flow.”

You can see Keith’s work at http://www.keith-rich.com/ and if you want a website of your own, contact him

at flagshipcollective@gmail.com

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P a t r i c i a m a n n , a P e r s o n w h o m a n y o n c a m P u s d e s c r i b e a s “ s u P e r o r -G a n i Z e d , ” “ d o w n - t o – e a r t h ” , a n d “ r e -a l l y s w e e t ” , s a y s s h e t h i n k s i t s b e s t n e v e r t o c o m P l a i n , t o t a k e e v -e r y t h i n G w i t h a G r a i n o f s a l t a n d P r a y w h e n e v e r l i f e G e t s s t r e s s f u l .w h e r e d o t h i s a t t i t u d e a n d a m i n d -s e t G e a r e d t o w a r d h a r d w o r k s t e m f r o m ?m a n n s a y s G r o w i n G u P i n n e w h a m P -s h i r e , f o r h e r s t r i c t n i G e r i a n f a -t h e r a n d J a m a i c a n m o t h e r , e d u c a -t i o n w a s t h e m o s t i m P o r t a n t t h i n G .“ f o r m e a n d m y s i s t e r G r o w i n G u P , w e h a d t o G e t G o o d G r a d e s , s a y s m a n n . “ t h e r e w e r e n o e x c u s e s . s c h o o l a n d e d u c a t i o n a l w a y s c a m e f i r s t . ”t h e s e n i o r c r i m i n a l J u s t i c e m a J o r s a y s s h e e n d e d u P a t t h e u n i v e r -s i t y o f d e l a w a r e , b e c a u s e o f h e r o l d e r s i s t e r w h o G r a d u a t e d f r o m t h e u n i v e r s i t y i n 2 0 0 8 . a f t e r a v i s -i t t o t h e s c h o o l d u r i n G w h a t w e n o w c a l l , d e s t i n a t i o n d e l a w a r e ( i t w a s c a l l e d d e l a w a r e ’ s m i n o r i t y

with diverse roots and interests, combined with drive and leadership skills, Patricia mann is poised for the success of the lawyers and civil rights leaders who serve as her role models.

on campus, many describe senior criminal Justice major Patricia mann as “super organized,” “down-to–earth,” and “really sweet.” mann says she thinks its best never to complain, to take everything with a grain of salt, and pray whenever life gets stressful.where does this focused attitude come from? mann says growing up in new hampshire, her strict nigerian father and Jamaican mother emphasized the impor-tance of education.

“for me and my sister growing up, we had to get good grades, says mann. “there were no excuses. school and education always came first.”

mann ended up at the university of delaware, after her older sister graduated from the university in 2008. after a visit to the school during what we now call “des-tination delaware” (previously known as “delaware’s minority overnight”), Patricia saw that the school had some diversity. she thought it would be the best choice for her since she was considered the “token black girl” back at home.

“even though it is a predominantly white campus, i still have a very close relationship with cPab, bsu and the center for black culture,” says mann. “i still feel connected to my community and i don’t regret coming here at all.”

as a freshman, mann chose to study criminal justice. she had been involved in the naacP in high school, and had always been interested in issues dealing with the social well being of people. she says that the most important thing she has learned from her major are major themes which cement the information in her head, and allow for success in her work outside of school. She cites her internship at a law firm in Wilm-ington, delaware, as an example.

“i think mostly what i’ve found in all my courses is that the themes are kind of repeated,” says mann. “so for example, I’m working in a law firm in Wilmington, so it actually has helped me. i know what a deposition means so in that sense, i know that my professors do know what they are doing.”

Patricia says one of the first groups she joined on cam-pus was the caribbean student alliance. she then found out about cultural Programming advisory board (cPab), and joined fall semester of her sophomore year. mann says she took baby steps in joining CPAB, by first becom-ing its secretary and then eventually becoming its presi-dent. mann says what attracted her to cPab was the close-knit, family-like atmosphere that the group shared inside and outside of the board.

As the board’s president, it can be difficult at times clocking all the members and keeping up with every-one’s scheduled programs. another hardship that occurs from running a board of this type, mann says, is trying to figure out what students on campus really want to see.

“our plan a could turn into plan G,” says mann. “so that’s always the hardest part.”

when dealing with stress that so often comes up in planning events, mann says that stress is relative. “it’s all what you make it,” says mann. “i think if you want to make it stressful then it can be stressful.”

mann says her dream career would be to follow the path of dr. martin luther king or michael eric dyson with a position as a civil rights or constitutional right lawyer.“i like that they have the talent of using their words to get their message across,” says mann. “i mean, i know i have to start somewhere, so i guess law is the best thing. you’re dealing with the issues directly.

as the interview came to a close, i asked Patricia what being black meant to her and i received these poignant words.

“being black means that i have a responsibility to prove a lot of people wrong, by that i guess i mean i feel like i really need to succeed. it means that you’re beauti-ful. it means that you’re human. it means that you have the same rights and privileges as everyone else. being black means catering to your community and giving back to the people who gave you the opportunities you have now,” mann said.

“basically, i’m glad i’m black. i would rather not be any-thing else.”

Image Credit: Keith Modzelewski

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I was first introduced to Miguel last summer, skipping through the music video channels on tv. the video had a strange, futuristic theme and i immediately noticed J. cole in a rainy setting spittin a nostalgic verse. overall, the song, “all i want is you” didn’t leave too much of an impression on me. i thought it was average at best and not really worth listening to again. as time went on, the buzz over the single got stronger. this time, i actually paid attention and began to fall in love with it. miguel’s lyrics were sincere and thoughtful. his voice laced each lyric with passion and a purpose.

miguel Jontel Pimentel is a 24 year old of mexican and african american descent. he started off his career as a songwriter, penning songs for usher, mary J blige, and musiq soulchild. with a plethora of multi-genre musical influences, he describes his style as “fly, funkadelic, intergalactic-hip-hop-meets-sexy-orgasmic crazy, dope shit” (Paper magazine). miguel has been busy lately; he’s recently wrapped up a tour with mary J blige and Jazmine sullivan and the omG tour with usher and trey songz. his second single “sure thing” is currently climbing the charts.

miguel’s debut album All I Want Is You is easily one of my favorites within the past year. his talent as a songwriter and vocalist leave little room for disappointment. i enjoyed almost every track. ranging from smooth, sexy tracks like “vixen” and “teach me” to upbeat, futuristic songs like “Pay me” and “to the moon”, miguel covers all aspects of his persona. he goes through various facets of love and lust while still maintaining a creative energy.

all i want is you(2010)

BY RACHEL JAMISON

PAMOJA            

   

   

   

   ENTERTAINMENT

MIGUEL: “ALL I WANT IS YOU”

mickey factz has proven himself as one of the most talented up and coming mc’s in the game today. he’s been holding down underground hip-hop for years now but took a lengthy hiatus after the release of his mixtape “the leak vol. 2: the inspiration.” however near the end of last year, mickey factz returned with the release of his latest mixtape I’m Better Than You. he says the title was not chosen to proclaim a macho statement that he is better than the game, but instead it is an introspective statement made to the man he sees in the mirror, himself.

the mixtape begins with a very upbeat track called “diamond dust” produced by mickey factz himself. the track has a very interesting and intrinsic sound, yet it serves as an excellent intro track to his project. as usual mickey covers the beat speaking on his current life and decorating his experiences with intricate metaphorical lines, while still fitting in relatable bars. he says things like “staring at my blackberry’s bbm feature/ and i know she read it, i see the “r”/ if you wasn’t gonna respond then what you read it for”. this track is then followed by the mixtape’s title track “i’m better than you” where mickey factz freestyles over “u know” by drake. here he shows why he should be considered a lyricist and a metaphorical, finding time to throw some joke lines in such as “cats scheming, when will these kids learn/ until they a** get spotted like montana fishburne”. he then follows up with an array of heavy

tracks like the first two, with songs such as “legend,” “Paradise remix,” “we young,” and a great freestyle over drake’s song “light up.”

after he shows why he is an mc, mickey factz then begins to showcase his creative side and enters a more personal portion of the mixtape. he starts it with the song “empty bottle” talking about his need for alcohol in a time of his life that was dark and drama-filled. Then he follows with songs like “interlove” and “friend Zone” which highlight his ideals on relationships, showing a more romantic side of himself. sadness culminates in a personal favorite of mine titled “again.” factz discusses the destruction of a relationship and the turmoil he feels in thinking he will never see her “again” after their dispute. one of the true highlights of the mixtape was also made into a music video, the song “skyscraper.” essentially in this song, mickey factz just speaks his mind; spitting his ambitions, fears, frustrations, and beliefs. he gives the listener a slice of his life during his hiatus and touring.

I’m Better Than You is a perfect rentry for mickey factz into the underground scene and mainstream as well. it’s a solid mixtape that could most definitely pass for an album. it’s a project everyone reading this review should check out.

MICKEY FACTZ:

“I’M BETTER THAN YOU”

BY JAMES CHURCH

i’m better than you(2010)

heaven’s fallout(re-release 2011)

love.lust.lost(2011)

34 35

PAMOJA            

   

   

   

   ENTERTAINMENT

M.I.a. is a sri lankan artist hailing from West london. her first single, “Galang”, debuted in 2003 and quickly became and underground sensation in dance clubs and fashion shows. M.I.a.’s dancehall, electro, jungle, worldly elements made her an international success. her complex, colorful, political themes give her a unique edge in the industry. the success of “Paper Planes” in 2008 catapulted her into collaborations with some of hip hop heavyweights such as Kanye West and jay-Z. her best albums arular and Kala will not leave you disappointed. With tracks like “Pull Up the People”, “sunshowers”, “bamboo banga”, and “World town”, Maya submerges you in her world and exposes you to a new sound. her protégé Rye Rye is a similar artist with a baltimore club-based party sound. the 20-year-old rapper and dancer gives a fun, youthful approach on her latest mixtape, Ryeot PowRR.

biG on the under——Ground2011 seems to be the year for the female rapper. it

has already shown us three comebacks, a few mixtapes, and the continued dominance of one artist in particular, nicki minaj. lil kim made a comeback last year, fueling a beef with so-called “copycat” nicki minaj. most of her new singles ridicule minaj’s style and “fake” image. foxy brown most recently got in the mix stating that she will

release a double album sometime this year.

the rise of the female emcee has been rather underground for the past few years; artists such as m.i.a., kid sister, amanda diva, rye rye, Jasmine solano, and marz lovejoy have remained on their grind despite their relatively small mainstream success. so who are these women that so few people know about? is their music any good? yes we all know about the eccentric

kid sister rose to critical acclaim in 2007 with her release of “Pro nails” (featuring kanye west) off of dJ a-track’s fool’s Gold label. with an electro hop, club, and hip hop sound, the chicago based artist quickly became one of kanye west’s protégé’s. Despite a few setbacks, her album Ultraviolet was finally released in 2009 with hits like “Get fresh”, “right hand hi”, and “control”. be sure to check out her latest effort kiss kiss kiss – a mixtape that was released this past december.

M.I.A.

KID SISTER

there’s no one quite like amanda diva. the multi-talented rapper, radio personality, poet, and visual artist even managed to receive a master’s in african american studies from the prestigious columbia university. she appeared on russell simmons’ def Poetry Jam in 2002 and 2005 and soon began making her own music. amanda has worked with artists such as Q-tip, the roots, and lupe fiasco, promoting a positive image of a black female in the hip hop community.

marz lovejoy is the youngest of the bunch. the 19-year-old eccentric rapper is currently on tour with the group Pacific Division and made her debut on their don’t mention it mixtape. marz represents for the l.a. hip hop scene and seems to be one of the only females on their roster. her debut project, this little light of mine, was released this past november. with poetic rhymes and a down to earth soul, her music exudes positivity and passion.

Jasmine solano is a brooklyn-based rapper and dJ. Jasmine and dJ wonder released “that’s not it” (her debut single) and circulated a variety of her dJ remixes around the blogosphere, arousing a good deal of buzz for the rapper in the process as well as an opening slot on an international tour with punk/hip-hop group ninjasonik. solano recently wrapped up the deal or No Deal tour with Wiz Khalifa has his official DJ, performing nationwide in front of sold out crowds in the 60-city tour.

as you can see, there’s more to female rap than nicki minaj. there are so many other artists out there trying to make a name for themselves who aren’t all about the glamour, glitz, and sex appeal. i honestly believe that they have so much more to offer with their raw talent and refreshing sounds. so go ahead, quench your thirst for something new with these artists.

JASMINE SOLANO

MARZ LOVEJOY

b y r a c h e l J a m i s o n

/\/\ /\ y /\m.i.a. (2010)

kiss kiss kiss kid sister (2011)

that’s not itJasmine solano (2010)

this little light of minemarz lovejoy (2010)

madame monochromeamanda diva (2011)

36 37

b y : k r i s t i n r o w e

emmy award-winning director spike lee is known for black cinematic gems such as do the right thing, crooklyn, Jungle Fever, and School Daze. Director Tyler Perry’s films are box office sensations, his family-based dramas and Madea franchise proving financially lucrative film after film.

the two powerhouse directors have taken shots at each other before. recent comments from Perry, at a press conference promoting madea’s big happy family; have resurfaced the ongoing rivalry between them.

“i’m so sick of hearing about damn spike lee,” Perry said (via Box Office Magazine). “Spike can go straight to hell! you can print that. i am sick of him talking about me, i am sick of him saying, ‘this is a coon, this is a buffoon.’ i am sick of him talking about black people going to see movies. this is what he said: ‘you vote by what you see,’ as if black people don’t know what they want to see.”

Perry’s comments reference criticism from lee on the Tyler Perry film franchise in 2009.

spike lee criticized his work when interviewed by ed Gordon on our world with black enterprise, saying, “each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors but i still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is ‘coonery’ and buffoonery. i know it’s making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better … i see these two ads for these two shows [Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns and House of Payne] and I am scratching my head.”

when Gordon cited Perry’s success among black audiences and asked spike if Perry wasn’t just giving

black america what they wanted, he responded, “you vote with your time sitting in front of the idiot box, and the man has a huge audience, tyler’s very smart. …we shouldn’t think that tyler Perry is going to make the same film that I am going to make, or that John singleton or my cousin malcolm lee [would make]. As African Americans, we’re not one monolithic group so there is room for all of that, but at the same time, for me, the imaging is troubling and it harkens back to amos ‘n’ andy.”

in october 2009, during a 60 minutes interview, Perry was read a quote of spike lee’s comments about his work and responded, “i would love to read that [criticism] to my fan base. …That pisses me off. it is so insulting. it’s attitudes like that, that make hollywood think that these people do not exist, and that is why there is no material speaking to them, speaking to us.” Perry also stated that “all these characters are bait – disarming, charming, make-you-laugh bait. i can slap madea on something and talk about God, love, faith, forgiveness, family, any of those.”

most of the criticism of Perry’s movies revolves around accusations of stereotyping—sassy irrational black women, simple and lowbrow jokes and slapstick comedy, formulaic plots, and esmaculated black men. many critique the character of madea herself, citing the use of tyler Perry himself dressed in drag as a source of buffoonery. Popular adult swim cartoon the boondocks spoofs and critiques many of these Perry archetypes in a hilarious 2010 episode titled “Pause.”

however, many support Perry and his commitment to employing blacks on and off screen. oprah winfrey, who worked with Perry on the praised 2009 drama Precious: based on the novel Push by sapphire, is one avid supporter.

winfrey said in a promotional interview for Precious, “I think [Perry] grew up being raised by strong, black women. and so much of what he does is really in celebration of that. i think that’s what madea really is: a compilation of all those strong black women that i know and maybe you do too? and so the reason it works is because people see themselves.”

PAMOJA            

   

   

   

   ENTERTAINMENT

game against the hornets. the blake-less clippers would go 29-53, irrelevant and stuck in the shadows of kobe bryant and champions the los angeles lakers. although the clippers are not yet at the level of the lakers, they are an exciting team that is drawing much attention this year, in part due to blake’s acrobatic above-the-rim style of play.

In Blake’s first full season in the NBA he is averaging 22.5 points, 12.5 rebound, and 3.5 assists per game. not only is he posting stellar numbers, he is also embarrassing all those trying to get in his way as he flies to the rim. At times, Blake Griffin has jumped so high that he has hit his head on the bottom of the rim. no one is safe from being posterized by the hottest young star in the league, including seven foot tim duncan and timofey mozgov. additionally, during the nba all-star weekend, blake participated in the rookie-sophomore game, the all-star Game, and the slam dunk challenge. in the sprite slam dunk challenge, Blake Griffin displayed his tremendous leaping abilities, winning the fan vote after jumping over the hood of a kia to defeat washington’s Javale mcGee.

while the fans love the athleticism and the aggression Griffin shows on the court night in and night out, many players feel disrespected by the young gun. veterans such as lamar odom and andre miller are just a few of the players who have expressed their animosity for Griffins “reckless” style of play. Whatever the players’ opinions may be, the truth is that blake is becoming a fan favorite for his effort, determination, and furious play. the fans love the slam-dunk, and no one throws down harder than the man from oklahoma.

blake Griffin: A MAN

AMONGST BOYS

b y b r a d s i m o n

With the first pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers selected Blake Griffin from the university of oklahoma. after an excellent sophomore year as a sooner at the university of Oklahoma, Griffin decided to forgo his final two years and take his talents in basketball to the professional level. with the mentality of a monster and his 6’10, 250 pound frame, Griffin possessed all the qualities needed to immediately dominate the league. however, a knee injury delayed his arrival and changed everything. now, with the Clippers relevant for the first time in years, the league is seeing a superstar rise in the league, and above any player standing in his way.

Blake Griffin was born on March 16, 1989 in oklahoma city, oklahoma. sports played a huge role in Griffins upbringing, as he starred in basketball, football, and baseball at a young age. as his body began to grow into that of a future Power forward, he began to hone in his focus to basketball. in high school, Blake and his older brother, Taylor Griffin, played for the oklahoma christian school, which was coached by his father (talk about keeping it in the family). The Griffins enjoyed much success, winning four state titles in the four years blake was there. blake then went on to join his older brother at the university of oklahoma, where his powerful, aggressive style of play caught the eye of fans and nba scouts. the clippers won the nba lottery and chose Griffin with the first pick, hoping he would be able to fix what was possibly the worst franchise in professional sports.

However, it would take Griffin a full year before he saw his first real playing time. After being named the mvP of the nba summer league in las vegas, blake fractured bones in his knee during the Clippers final preseason

l e e V S P eR RY

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b y n ’ k o s i o a t e s

in the table of contents page in the november 2010 issue, actress, kerry washington exclaims, “i do not want to ignore my blackness.” her assertion serves a preface to the articles essence cover in the magazine. essence’s message even transcends into its advertisement pages. in the october 2010 issue of lays an advertisement with a full-figured Black woman, sporting a curly Afro with shimmering dark brown skin reflecting the light. Centered-right the words appear in bold: “my black is a gift from nature, my beautiful is how i enhance it”. in the october and november 2010, 97% of ads and images depicted women of color, with skins tones of every shade from fair to dark. Publicizing black women of all colors reinforces essence’s commitment to praise all shades of black essence emphasizes that the black women’s beauty remains exquisite and authentic.

the essence team also strives to inspire black women to attain a more meaningful life. essence’s “body and spirit” section is the largest section in the magazine. in the november 2010 issue, essence dedicated thirty-three pages to the body and spirit section. in the midst of everything black women encounter throughout life such as racism and sexism, nothing uplifts them more than to know that the higher power serves as the ultimate source of their needs. in an interview with essence.com Jada Pinkett-smith declared that in an industry that can emotionally break down black woman, “you got to have a spiritual foundation: you got to access something beyond this material world”. bishop t.d. Jakes, Pastor of the Potter’s house in dallas, texas writes the “Get lifted” column where readers ask him questions about personal dilemmas, where he supplies advice and inspiration complete with scripture from the bible.

essence also inspires black women to follow their passions, dreams, and believe that their possibilities are limitless. the last page features the “superwoman” column that encapsulates essence perfectly inspiring black women to exceed.

black women’s beauty thrives in the stride of their step, the language they speak, and the compassion within their hearts, and the confidence they exude. Beauty comes from within and this intangible quality cannot be altered, only accentuated. when black women live authentically the walls of insecurity will collapse. essence provides women with an outlet, that demonstrates that they are not alone and that there is a black woman with the same body issues, the same financial situation, and the same aspirations. I believe this magazine provides Black women with a sense of validation in society, which proves that it should be considered as one the most beneficial magazines for Black women. it touches their lives, it opens them up to themselves, and it lets them embrace their heritage.

for forty years, essence has left a positive mark on black female culture in america. in fact, according to essence.com 8.3 million black women in america annually subscribe to the magazine. created in 1970, essence (essence Communication, Inc.) served as the first general-interest magazine targeted toward Black women. Prior to the development of essence, black women read fashion and lifestyle magazines such as vogue, marie claire, harper’s bazaar and Glamour, but these magazines did not contain any substance pertaining to the black woman’s culture. not everyone feels the same. critics like amy odell believe that essence has conformed to the mainstream culture. in July, essence decided to hire ellianna Placas, an australian freelance editor who happens to be white. essence is a magazine compromised of mostly black workers, and critics suggest that for the editors at essence to hire a white person compromises the integrity and depth of their readership. in response to the negative comments, editor-in-chief angela burt-murray defended her position on theGrio.com, saying, “forty years ago essence was founded to empower, celebrate, and inspire black women to climb higher, go further and break down barriers. our commitment to black women remains unchanged as we continue to stay laser-focused on those principles no matter who works with us.” essence has granted a woman with an opportunity to bestow her ability and knowledge to the magazine. essence has welcomed Placas into their world. blacks must remember that not everyone knows about the black community, including the traditions and the beliefs that we possess. People who lack african descent would not truly appreciate and understand the meanings and experiences of the black culture. in order to understand the black culture, others must be educated and willing to learn more about the various communities, neighborhoods, businesses, and even magazines.

essence has struck a chord within the black community and society at large, prompting dialogues on topics such as race, political crimes, the criminal-justice system, war, and religion. however, the true uniqueness of essence stems from the notion that it serves as a guide to live a better life. since the creation of the magazine, its objective has been to inspire black women. susan taylor, who joined the magazine at its inception, became editor-in-chief of essence in 1981. Taylor modified and perfected Essence’s message, conveying that Essence’s purpose was “to inspire, inform, and uplift black women, to help our sisters move their lives forward so that they can spread the word and thereby hopefully uplift our race.”

T h e e s s e n c e o f e s s e n c e

images courtesy of essence Publications.

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BUSINESS            

   

   

   

   PAMOJA

   

b l a c k i s t h e

n e wG r e e n

ashley Paintsil: what college did you attend and what did you major in? do you think your education prepared you for what you do today?

leonard burnett: florida a&m, school of business. as for preparing me for what i do now as ceo or Publisher, my education does not help me day to day, but the training i received in education and of business and the environ-ment of business school along with rigorous and academic professional development and three years of corporate america helps me today.

aP: i read that your have over 20 years of publishing experience and have successfully launched 7 magazines. how did you get into publishing?

lb: out of college. at 23 my roommate from college and wanted to start a magazine and at 23 i started desktop publishing in the late 80’s.

aP: as an entrepreneur you have dealt with the triumphs and challenges of creating and growing your own busi-nesses. what is the biggest piece of advice you could give to students looking to create their own businesses?

lb: create something you feel passionate about and make sure you are set up to have full knowledge of it. Get a mentor. Just do it. Don’t get caught up in the business plan. The hardest step is the first step. Desire to be the best.

aP: now here are some questions about the book: where did you come up with the idea to create this book and why do you think it is so important for marketers to read? is it important for college students to read?

lb: my partner and co author andrea hoffman the idea came from her. we pitched the idea to publishers and with my work with Uptown, I saw this as a definitive way to reach this market. It’s great for college students to read because you get to understand the marketing process. it will help you realize your self worth and culture as an african american.

AP: In the book you talk about the significance of marketing to those you call “Triple A’s”. Why do you think it is nec-essary for marketers to reach out to, specifically, to the African American community? What do you think the most important thing marketers need to know when targeting the african american community?

lb: companies try to pigeonhole communities. our community has been underserved.

aP: this is my favorite quote from the book, because i believe that it accurately describes us a college students ahead of the curve. “african american kids tend to be trendsetters in what they buy, so the industry thinks if it can get more african american kids to buy, it can also get their white counterparts to buy.” why do you think this is so? do african americans have an “it factor’ or a special touch that suddenly makes a product desirable?

lb: african americans have always been the trendsetters in fashion, technology, and music, so if you can get a con-sumer, we are the best consumers. we set the pace for the rest of the world.

aP: i’m a history buff so i really enjoyed reading chapter 2 of the book. you mentioned the poor marketing done in the1960’s and 70’s to try and capture the money of african american consumers. why do you think marketers did such a bad job of appealing to black customers during that time?

lb: there were no folks in corporate america to market to us. they didn’t think we could afford the products. busi-nesses like ebony and black enterprise provide a platform to an overlooked audience and of course racism and preconceived notions came into play.

aP: you also talked about the lack of african american executives in advertising agencies and you mentioned adver-tising pioneers luis díaz albertini and vince cullers. today, what people of color in advertising are on your radar? what people of color are the future of the advertising world?

lb: there are more people than there has ever been, but there is not enough. the reality is that we are at the cusp of tapping into the american marketplace, but the marketing world needs to understand different cultures.

aP: where did you come up with the idea to create this book and why do you think it is so important for marketers to read?

andrea hoffman: the “book” was originally conceived very differently from what it turned out to be. i was consult-ing for len burnett and uptown magazine. after getting to know len, and of course being the strategist that i am, i thought that len should write a book about his background as an urban media pioneer. when i pitched to the pub-lisher, they suggested that Len and I write a book together about “marketing to Affluent African Americans.” Len loved the idea so here we are.

aP: why is it important for college students to read this book?

ah: i feel that the book is important for college students on a number of levels. first, it provides a more accurate per-spective about a segment of the african american market that is large but often ignored. it also provides a look into the size, scope, economic, social and political clout of a growing and influential consumer market. Secondly, it lets readers know that not only athletes and celebrities are influential; but other people who frankly, make up a more size-able portion of the consumer market--ceos, lawyers, doctors, and other executives. finally, that “power” is not only possessed by the most conspicuous of consumers, but also by people who choose to fly under the media radar.

aP: why did you decide to team up with leonard e. burnett, Jr. to write the book?

ah: he was a client and we were on parallel paths, also because i think so highly of len and his drive and determina-tion. this was a great way for us to tell our story to the masses, and writing a book helps to cement anyone’s position as an expert in their respective field. Even white executives supported the book, and that’s evident from some of the book quotes and testimonials.

b y : a s h l e y P a i n t s i l

“Black is the New Green,” by Andrea Hoffman and Leonard e. Burnett takes a closer look at niche marketing to upper-middle class African Americans. The book highlights the huge buy- ing power of Affluent African Americans (“Triple A’s”), and how it is often overlooked or mishandled. I spoke with Burnett and Hoffman about lessons that can be learned from the book.

42 43

she is gone, but not forgotten.

in april 2010, President obama stated in his eulogy to dr. dorothy l. height that “dr. dorothy height deserves a place in this pantheon,” referring to esteemed leaders with legacies taught tirelessly in schools. “she, too, deserves a place in our history books. she, too, deserves a place of honor in america’s memory.”

last month, thanks d.c. delegate eleanor holmes norton, dr. height legacy will be embedded in today’s society.

President obama signed h.r. 6118 bill in law, which designates the united states Postal service on 2 massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C. as the Dorothy I. Height Post Office. This marks the first time that a federal building in the nation’s capital has been named after an african-american woman.

dr. height, also known as the “Godmother of the civil rights movement “and founder and former President of the national council of negro women, dedicated her efforts to equality for african-americans.

sponsored by delegate norton, the bill was a priority for her as it was only introduced in september.

“This Bill making it the first time a federal building in the nation’s capital has been named for an african american woman, is cause for ce capital.” lebration…congress has recognized that she deserves a visible place of honor and distinction in the nation’s pantheon.

-n’kosi oates

PAMOJA                

   

       HISTORY & POLITICS

D R . D O R O T H Y L . H E I g H T

aP: in the book, you talk about how the african american community’s buying power has been a “well-kept” secret? why do you think that is so?

AH: My company, Diversity Affluence, was the only company to paint an accurate picture of this in the way that I did. This was back in 2006. Prior to that, no formal research existed about this group of consumers, only a few case studies here and there from the financial sector. As you can see, if no formal validating research reports or insight existed en masse, how can an executive make an informed decision to “target market” to a group, let alone acknowledge that group ex-ists?

aP: how did you become interested in marketing to, as you call them, the triple a’s?

ah: about 15 years ago i worked at a marketing communications agency and mercedes-benz was a client. my direct report at mercedes was african american. he got the sense that i understood target marketing and niche groups. my circle of friends was very diverse and as a result, my work perspective was more diverse. back then, i guess i was a progressive thinker. the only one that understood my marketing strategy suggestions was the client. so he asked me help with their diversity strategy and entertainment strategy (that included a diversity component). i was good; no i was great at it. I can elaborate on examples that illustrate this, but I think that it’s sufficed to say that sometimes things are just someone’s nature. i have a natural aptitude and inclination to understand or try and understand this audience. and since I come from a luxury marketing background, it all fit together. It’s important to note that my company reports on Royaltons ®. Royaltons is a term that I trademarked that defines affluent ethnic consumers. Royaltons are not confined to Affluent African Americans. It just so happens I wrote about Triple A’s, and spent a lot of time reporting on this demo-graphic. Next up for my company is a focus on Affluent South Asians.

aP: i saw an example of how you facilitated a partnership of hermes and evidence dance company to market to the members of an affluent African American community in Brooklyn. What would you say to people who may think that this is a manipulative way of marketing to a certain group of people?

AH: I forged the partnership with the understanding that the typical Evidence supporter is an Affluent African American. while the dance company is based in brooklyn, our supporters are regional. hermes understood this and thought that our supporters and the cultural arts fit into their strategy. Let’s be honest. Marketing, by its nature, is manipulative as it’s a sales tool. that’s just a fact. never, ever think that if a company welcomes a target market with open arms, that it’s manipulative. it’s better to show them just how right they are that you have power. if afterwards you feel unjustly ma-nipulated in some way, show them your power again by going to the competition and spending your money there. that’ll teach them the lesson they need.

aP: as college students, we all have hopes of becoming somebody. what would your advice be to some of us who aspire to become “triple a’s”?

ah: i am sure that you’ve heard the saying “it’s not about how hard you work; it’s about how smart you work.” work smart! that doesn’t mean try and beat the system. it means continue to get a good education. constantly seek knowl-edge. always put money in savings and invest, then have fun with the rest. Pay it forward by helping others and by giving back. donating your time and/or money is written into the dna of triple a’s, and that’s been so for 150+ years of the black middle class. in 2004, for example, african americans made $11.4 billion in contributions to churches, faith based organizations, charities, education, politics and other causes. And finally, get a mentor that can continuously impart wisdom onto you. knowledge is great, but wisdom is greater.

Find Andrea Hoffman online: DiversityAffluence.comtwitter: @andreadiversity

find leonard burnett online: uptownmagazine.com

visit: www.blackisthenewgreenthebook.com

image: tramel blount

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PAMOJA            

   

   

   

   THE SCOOP

dear amani,

don’t panic. stink bugs won’t hurt you and really are more of a nuisance then anything else. so listen to some lauryn hill or Jill scott to calm down before you break something in an attempt to kill it. before i provide you with some advice, i wanted to give you a little background on your unwelcome guests. the stink bug, or as it is referred to in scientific circles, Halyomorpha halys, appears on the East Coast in the warmer periods of the winter and throughout the spring. they’re attracted to the light and warmth that emanate from our apartments and dorm rooms. they usually gain entrance through our windows, small spaces beneath our doors, and sometimes even our ventilation systems.

Your first option is to grab a bowl and a magazine. After locating the winged beasts, place the bow on top of as many as you can and quickly slide the magazine underneath the bowl. once you’re sure they are trapped inside the bowl, take your captives outside and set them free. the next option is not the most pleasant, but it gets the job done. there is a caveat, if you in anyway agree with Peta’s sentiments regarding animal cruelty, i advise you to not take this bit of advice.

i call this one the “look ma, no hands option.” after locating the stink bug, slap the living daylights out of it. using a magazine, shoe, or bat are all viable options. Just be aware that if you choose this option the stink bug’s body will release a less than pleasant odor.

if you don’t agree with either of these ideas you should just suck it up. to clarify, i don’t mean you. what i mean is, take your vacuum and literally suck up the stink bug. with this option, your stink bug problems are gone and you’ve done a little vacuuming. a win -win situation.

hope this helps,

saliym c.

While I was out last night stink bugs invaded my room. What do I do?

While I Was Out...

While I was out, stink bugs invaded my room! What do I do?-amani c., sophomore“ ”

dear anonymous,

i would like to start by stating that these statements are highly controversial. though others might have qualms with your opinions, as an open-mined african american male that believes in free speech, i do not. however, i advise against muttering this under your breath on your way to class or shouting this in trabant. regardless of where you say this, i am sure drama will ensue. and i am positive you know the type of drama i am alluding to.

from this point on, i will refer to the unpleasant retail person from your question as evelyn champagne. you could have seen ms. champagne at her most ignorant for a multitude of reasons, but the reason i think you saw her this way is because she was having an off day. i’m pretty sure you have had a few days where you have been a bit short with your peers. whether its sleep deprivation or a long wait at chick-fil-a, things happen throughout your day that make you not quite yourself. ms. champagne may also not have been the nicest employee because she may not be a people person. you have to remember that some people are just genuinely unhappy, and they allow their negative attitudes to affect their professionalism. more importantly, just remember that ms. champagne is only human and all of us have our faults.

speaking of humans, let’s remember that even though these events occurred with an african american person, people of all races have flaws and bad days. In the words of Cornel West, we must remember that those with the issues aren’t only from chocolate town; they come from vanilla town too. let’s try to be positive, and avoid reinforcing the negative stereotypes that already exist regarding african-americans.

Positivity works wonders. Just think, being pleasant with evelyn while she was being aggressive towards you could act as positive reinforcement. also, don’t immediately get angry if the next retail person has the same attitude as evelyn. a few of the wrong words could lead to video on “worldstarhiphop.com,” and that is not a place where you want to end up. if your politeness does not bring about a change in her behavior inform her manager. the most important thing is that you do not stoop to her level, but make your voice heard.

all the best,

saliym c.

dear leron,

i would like to start by stating that this is common problem on the ud campus. to tell you the truth, i feel like a student hasn’t fully experienced ud unless the class he/she wants to take is full or the parking space he/she wants is taken. this problem comes with the territory. sadly, i ran into this same conundrum a few weeks ago when a friend came to visit. it wasn’t the most enjoyable hour of my life. to save you from this, i have two pieces of advice.

The first, if you are looking to park for 24 hours or less then I would suggest a day permit. This permit can be purchased at Perkins for just $7.00. if you need to park your car for a long period of time, like an entire semester, i would suggest a parking pass. depending on when you decided to purchase it and the type of student permit you choose, it could run you anywhere from $110.00 - $470.00.

A more cost effective option is to find a spot with a meter. Have plenty of change and be ready to leave the given event you are attending in order to feed the meter. another less expensive option is to ask a friend that owns a house in the area ask if you can park in their driveway. Remember that finding a good parking space is most often based purely on the luck.

sincerely,

saliym c.

While I was out, I noticed I had no where to park. What should I do in the future?

-leron f., senior

While I was out shopping, I noticed the arrogance and ignorance displayed by African Americans in retail environments.

-anonymous“

“

”

”

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B l a c k

S t r o n g

U n i t e d

t h a n k s f o r r e a d i n g

P l e a s e s e n d y o u r Q u e s t i o n s , c o m m e n t s , o r c o n c e r n s t o :

a s h l e y P a i n t s i l n ’ k o s i o a t e sP a i n t s i l @ u d e l . e d u n o a t e s @ u d e l . e d u