NEWS 1-4 LIFESTYLE 5-8 OPINION 7

IN THIS ISSUE

ENROLLMENTAND OVER-

CROWDING, P. 4THE CHALLENGE

OF WINTERCYCLING, P. 5LOVE IS IN THE

AIR AT HWC,P. 8

VOLUME 19, NUMBER 6 “KEEPING YOU IN THE LOOP” FEBRUARY 2011THIS NEWSPAPER IS ORGANIZED, DESIGNED AND PRODUCED BY HAROLD WASHINGTON COLLEGE STUDENTSTHEHERALD

Photo by Lawrence PrzybylThe blizzard of 2011, dubbed “Snowpocalypse” by many, shut down the City Colleges of Chicago for over two days and left most residents of Chicago digging them-selves out of nearly two feet of snow. Deemed the third worst blizzard in Chicagoʼs recorded history, CCC kept students up updated via Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, auto-mated calls and text messages. Classes resumed after Chancellor Cheryl Hyman was ensured that it was safe for students, faculty and staff to travel to the colleges.

Clubs unite for BHM Transferfair hasnew facesBy Keith DowStaff WriterThis spring’s transfer fair

will be held on Wednesday,Feb. 16 in Room 103 from 10a.m. to 1 p.m.The transfer fair is an

opportunity for students whoplan to transfer to another col-lege or university to meet withrepresentatives from manyprominent colleges in bothChicago and the Midwest,including University of Illinoisat Chicago, DePaul University,and Northeastern IllinoisUniversity. New schools for thissemester’s transfer fair includePurdue University-Calumetand Indiana University-Purdue UniversityIndianapolis.“My goal for students at a

transfer fair is that ultimatelythey have picked three to fiveschools where they can seethemselves attending,” saysEllen Goldberg, director of theTransfer Center at HWC. “It isnever too soon to start think-ing about transferring. Somany of the schools havetransfer guides, so when youtalk to the rep tell them ‘I wanta copy of the transfer guidesfor my major,’ so that you’retaking the same classes that youknow will transfer to the schoolof your choice.”The Transfer Center also

has a Facebook page wherestudents can find out moreinformation and read updatesfrom Ellen Goldberg.

Finding child care help

By Leanna BurtonManaging EditorFebruary is Black Heritage

Month at HWC and ScienceClub, African StudentAssociation (ASA) and BlackStudent Union (BSU) are col-lectively exemplifying thetheme of the month, “UnityNow”, by unifying themselvesto plan some of the month’sfestivities.This month marks the first

time in recent history that threeclubs have simultaneouslyassisted in the organization ofBlack Heritage Month events.The collaboration has been in

the making since lastNovember, according toTrinidad Gonzalez, vice presi-dent of Science Club.“It was at the last Club Day,

and [club members] were out-side talking to the vice presidentof SGA,” Gonzalez said.Science Club’s initial involve-ment with the events was min-imal, but soon expanded to amore central role.“We had planned to do

some small things; we alreadyhad some posters up featuringfamous black scientists, so wejust decided it’d be a good ideaif we expanded on the idea,”

he said.The clubs were officially

commissioned to participate inevent development by MyraCox, co-chair of the BlackHeritage Month committee.“Professor Cox had already

had in mind that she wouldbring us to be a part of theBlack Heritage Committee,”said Olurotimi Akindele, presi-dent of ASA.Activities coordinated by

Science Club, ASA and BSUwere generally aimed at widen-ing the horizons of minoritystudents.

By Jeffrey NevelsStaff WriterStudents at HWC are

struggling to find ways to jugglethe responsibilities of being astudent and in many cases alsobeing a parent. Students atcolleges and universities arepressured to excel in theirscholastic endeavors as well asfind adequate childcare optionsfor their children. There areresources here at HaroldWashington forstudents seeking help.The Maryville Crisis

Nursery offers free childcare forfamilies in crisis. This option isavailable for any parent whohas no support and needs suit-able care for their children. Aninflux of families strugglingwith employment, schooling,and medical issues are the typ-

ical clients. Any parent whoneeds childcare can just call thetoll free hot line, speak to a liverepresentative, the representa-tive will evaluate the currentsituation and then decide fromthere if it would be a suitableoption."We want this to feel like the

kids haven," said KatieHoward, a family advocateworker at the nursery. "There'salways someone here to makesure your needs are met."Another program available

is the The Illinois Departmentof Human Services Child CareAssistance Program. Thisprogram helps families findaffordable childcare.The Wellness Center at

HWC provides free servicesand programs to help studentsalso. They offer live counselors

to talk to students in crisis andthey also help with theapplication process of somecity sponsored programs.Something that's currentlyunder development is a focusgroup aimed at students whowant to succeed in college butjust aren't aware of theirresources.“It’s a college success group

of sorts, to assess what needsthe students have, and providethose services in order to helpthem be as successful aspossible." said Robert Rebecca,an intern at the WellnessCenter.Some of the groups being

started are; “No to Abuse”“Stress and TimeManagement” and “LifeTransitions”. The WellnessCenter is located in Room 733.

See Collaboration, p. 2

2 - FEBRUARY 2011 NEWS theHERALD

Editorial StaffEditor-in-Chief:Brian AlexanderManaging Editor:Leanna BurtonNews Editor:Gregory FairbanksLifestyle Editor:Victoria Ross

Staff WritersJason Astorga, Keith Dow,Daniel Collins, Jeff

Advertising StaffDaisy Pantoja

Advertising Manager:

Sylvia McGhee

Faculty AdviserMolly Turner

ICCJACMAACPTTHHEEHHEERRAALLDD

hwc_heraldnews@ccc.edu30 E Lake St., 60601

Room 635

Collaboration brings new participants to BHM celebration“Engineering Possibilities”, an event

that stemmed from Science Club andASA collaboration, focused on encour-aging minority students to pursue acareer in engineering and science.“Most minorities don’t like science,

especially at community colleges peoplesay, ‘I don’t know anything about sci-ence, I hate science,’ but science is a partof life … you need to know thesethings,” Gonzalez said. “There are a lotof opportunities [in science], such asjobs and scholarships. As minorities, wedon’t want to be excluded from thatworld.” Another collaborative endeavor pro-

duced by the two clubs was a moviescreening during which Dr. JamesShoffner, chemistry professor atColumbia College, presented a docu-mentary.The documentary focused on the life

and accomplishments of Dr. PercyJulian, an African-American professorwho conducted research during the JimCrow era.The idea of presentations such as

this is to inspire discourse and increaseknowledge about minority scientists,and that concept is not exclusive to aspecific race, according to Gonzalez.“We’re trying to reach everybody

who is a minority; it’s mostly aboutspreading awareness,” he said.The clubs are also planning social

and educational events to celebrateBlack Heritage Month, such ASA andBSU's upcoming field trip to theDuSable Museum scheduled toward theend of the month, and a presentationfeaturing Carribean dancers, alsoduring the final week.ASA and BSU want to not only

spread awareness among HWC's gen-

eral population, but also among the clubmembers themselves, according toAkindele. To ensure that this expecta-tion is met, both clubs are requiringtheir members to attend any of the edu-cational presentations scheduledthroughout the month.Though club officers are putting an

effort into creating collective cognizanceamong students, Akindele believes thatan integral part of a club are its mem-bers, and they should be more involved.“I think our members are not as con-

nected as our officers, we need to shareideas and create an active communityfor students, ” Akindele said.Club officers hope that this integra-

tion between separate groups serves asan example to members and other stu-dents, and inspires them to learn aboutdifferent cultures themselves.“We become more responsible, we

learn more about each other; our cul-tures our different, but we have a lot ofsimilarities,” Akindele said.Angie Shum, interim president of

SGA, echoed these statements, sayingthat Black Heritage Month is the idealvenue to foster student involvement andinterest.“It’s important that students get

involved in these events. Not just bycoming to them, but to help organizethe events as well,” she said.Black Heritage Month, like all her-

itage months at HWC, is the chance forstudents to become actively involved inlearning about other cultures as well astheir own, according to Shum.“America is a melting pot, and as

time goes on people forget where theycame from; what is their background,what is their culture, what does it meanto be the color of their skin?” she said.

By Gregory FairbanksNews EditorHarold Washington College has a

venerable tradition of honoring anEmployee of the Month throughouteach semester with an award and cere-mony.The beneficiary is chosen by anony-

mous votes explicitly from students sub-mitted "to and through" the Employeeof the Month Committee."The selection is subjective based on

the legitimacy of the student’s CCCemail account; the narrative of theballot; and the service excellence exam-ple described in the ballet narrative,"committee member Saed Rihani statedin an email.This month, Diane Richardson, a

college adviser and a CCC employeefor 21 years, has graciously acceptedFebruary's award, much to the delightof her colleagues."I think she deserves it because she

has allowed herself to bend backwardfor people a lot of times and in a lot ofways. Most of it unsung, nobodynotices," said Charles McSweeney, afellow adviser in Room 101."The interesting thing is that this

(nomination for the award) was just onethat got someone's attention this time.What about all the other times?""I felt honored, because it is a nom-

ination from the students. You workhard for the students all year long, andit's a good feeling to know that you aredefinitely helping students." DianeRichardson said. "It is what we are herefor."Richardson connects with students,

perhaps when they need it most, andcan sympathize with everyone from

high-school dropouts to single mothersand older students that are returning toschool or starting for the first time. Shereceived her General EquivalencyDiploma and then an Associate Degreein Applied Science from City Collegesbefore obtaining her B.A. and M.A.from National-Louis University. She hasexperienced most of what the studentswho come to her are going throughwhen registering, such as being a singlemom who is starting college for the firsttime."She connects particularly with

women who are discouraged by the factthat they have to be here balancing chil-dren (and school). And she's done it, sothey can identify with her and know it isnot just someone talking for talking'ssake," McSweeney said."It is not an advisers job to just put a

student in class, its to help them on theirprogress toward graduation. To helpthem prepare for their future goals ofemployment or higher education,"Richardson said.Richardson has worn many hats

during her career with CCC. Sheworked in the Public Chaffuer TrainingInstitute at HWC, is an advisor for theEncore program and also is president-elect of the American Association forWomen in Community Colleges. Shealso plans to instruct a college successcourse at HWC in the near future."I strongly believe in empowering

women, just motivating somebody tomake a positive change because somany people did it for me."Students who wish to vote for an

Employee of the Month can visit theStudent Services office in Room 201 formore information.

Adviser ‘reachesout to students’

Photo by GʼJordan WilliamsDiane Richardson is always available for students who need help on the path toacademic success at HWC.

Continued from p. 1

theHERALD NEWS FEBRUARY 2011 - 3

By Courtney OʼDonnellStaff WriterHWC’s Loop Players will be per-

forming Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’sHouse” for two weeks beginning March23. It will start at 7:15 p.m. onWednesday and Friday, and at 7:00 p.mon Tuesday and Thursday. Accordingto director Kathryn Nash, a “collegenight” will be planned, and admissionwill cost less for students of HWC,around three dollars. These nights willbe a sort of dress rehearsal for the castand crew.Auditions were held with director

Kathryn Nash, January 24-28 from 6-7PM. Student Michelle D. Butler, a finearts major, decided to audition on awhim.“[Auditioning is an] impulsive reac-

tion because I missed last semester'saudition for “Twelve Angry Jurors”,”said Butler. “To be perfectly honest Iam not sure what role I would be suitedfor. Just being in the play, or affiliatedwith the play, would be satisfactory forme. I auditioned to see if I still had ‘It’.”This is Butler’s first time auditioning

with The Loop Players, but has hadexperience acting in the past.According to The Broadway League,

this play takes a highly critical look atsocial mores and conventions related tomarriage at the time. Also, “A Doll’sHouse” is touted as the first feministplay by some. The play was chosen bythe director to coincide with Women’sHistory Month because of its feministquality.“I chose to produce Henrik Ibsen's

"A Doll's House" because, first of all, Ireally love the play, and secondlybecause I think the theme of ‘women'sstruggle to attain respect and the rightsof independence’ is universal,” Nashsaid.“Today we often fail to remember or

even understand how women weretreated as property in past years.Unfortunately, in some countries thisattitude still exists, and even in ourcountry women often are not affordedthe same rights and responsibilities ofmen depending on the situation - orthe job - or the career,” the director said.

Feminism takescenter stage inlatest HWC play

4 - FEBRUARY 2011 NEWS theHERALD

By Jason AstorgaStaff WriterThe student population of HWC has

been steadily growing year after year.Enrollment of last year’s spring semes-ter was 8,333, but this spring semester,enrollment exceeded 9,000.“One of the main reasons why we

get so many students is that we are moreaffordable than four year colleges andthe education quality is just as good, insome cases better. Students [transfer-ring] to four-year colleges come here tocomplete their gen-eds.” said dean ofinstruction, Donyel Williams.Community colleges do provide

affordable classes but affordability isn’tthe only factor. Since HWC is locatedwithin the loop, transportation is alwaysreadily available.“We are right in the middle of down-

town. We are really accessible to publictransportation; Red, Green, Orange,Purple … it’s easy for them to get here,”Williams said.Students like Efrain Juarez favor the

downtown area, which is why HWC isthe community college of his choice.“That [the location] is what brings

many people to HWC. It’s downtown.Who doesn’t want to come around

here?” said Juarez.Large class sizes not only affect stu-

dents but staff and faculty. The head ofthe math department, Jashed Fakrid-Deen, has noticed a change due to thehigh student population.“The impact of departments is that

we have to find more faculty to coverand teach classes, so it becomes a strug-gle for us,” Fakrid-Deen said.As the new semester rolls in, basic

prerequisite classes such as math areoften filled more quickly than otherclasses.“The majority of the students see

their [placement] test results in the 98 or99 math course. That is the bulk of thestudents, which is why they get filled upso quickly,” Fakrid-Deen said.An assistant in the registration office,

Efren Moreno, who helped studentsregister, has seen enrollment reach itshigh.“It has been more hectic than the

past semesters … for the majority of theregistration, we had lines wrappedaround the building, so it made it moredifficult to handle everybody and to bemore attentive."

Student enrollmentat a new high

Photo by GʼJordan WilliamsJammed escalators and elevators are the norm during the few minutes betweenclasses at HWC due to another semester of record enrollment.

theHERALD LIFESTYLE FEBRUARY 2011 - 5

By G'Jordan WilliamsStaff WriterAt any given time, there are several

bikes chained to the racks outside of theschool, even during the winter months.“Besides cab drivers and bus drivers,

the biggest challenge is staying dry,”Gabriel Sorell said. He claims wearingmultiple layers while exerting yourself,no matter what kind of weather, willeventually make you sweat. He advisesriders to wear performance gear that ismade of waterproofed and syntheticmaterials. According to Sorell, sportslayers also help keep the rider cool whenthe body heats up from the physicalexertion.Born and raised to a cycling family in

San Francisco, a city with its own promi-nent bicycle culture, Sorell has beenriding for as long as he can remember.Like many other Chicago cyclists, hefeels that a bicycle is far superior toChicago’s public transportation. He hasridden the "El" once in the last fouryears.“The way it’s set up, you’re going to

be in the cold anyway,” he said.“Whether you’re waiting on those[freezing] platforms or walking to yourdestination.”Like Sorell, Drew Bly, a photogra-

phy student living in Pilsen, also feelsthat keeping dry is a challenge. “I carryextra socks in my bag,” he said.Keeping his feet dry is Bly’s main con-cern. He does not wear boots becausethey do not fit into the pedal straps cor-rectly, so he wears his low-top sneakersdespite the weather. He sometimesresorts to wrapping his feet in plasticbags to keep the snow out.The reason for keeping the snow out

of his shoes is yet another commonobstacle for Chicago cyclists; “Theydon’t shovel spots to lock up the bikes,”he explains.Jason Carrazco, a criminal justice

student who lives in Wicker Park, cyclesat least five days a week. His biggestchallenge for riding in the winter is notstaying warm, but dealing with highwinds and icy bridges. Ice is a commonobstacle for any person living inChicago. A thin layer of ice can appearinvisible to cyclists, drivers, and pedes-trians alike. Bike maintenance is a serious issue

as well.“Street salt can damage your chain

and tires,” said Corrazco. He is a firmbeliever in keeping a healthy bike.Sporting a pair of shorts, a hat, twolong-sleeved shirts and a messenger bag,he doesn’t seem to be concerned withstaying warm. “I get a block up thestreet and I start sweating,” Corrazcosaid, shrugging.Brent, 28, a lab manager in the art

department, cleans his bike once ortwice a week. He takes his bike apart,degreases the chain, and washes otherparts in his bathtub with dish soap andwater. He is proud that riding in thewinter has forced him to be a bettermechanic. His commute to HWC isabout seven miles from his LoganSquare residence.

“I find riding in the winter to bemore enjoyable than in the summer,”Brent said. There are less bikers “thattake ridiculous chances” to share theroad with. He feels he gets more respectand etiquette from motorists for beingout in frigid conditions.Brent feels that the best benefits are

more substantial. “I perform better atwork when I ride my bike here,” he said.“It gives me more energy.” Brent has been bike commuting seri-

ously for three years. He attributes thisto living in Chicago, a city that ranksnumber ten on Bicycling magazine’s topfifty list of America’s Best Bike Cities.“If I didn’t live here I wouldn’t be thecyclist that I am,” Brent said.Much of that attribution comes from

working at HWC. Working here withother bike enthusiasts has inspired Brentto be the cyclist he is today.Motor vehicles, especially taxis, seem

to be a common obstacle for winterriders as well. According to manyChicago cyclists, taxicab drivers are veryrude and do not maneuver the roadwith bikers in mind.Bike lanes are located on the sides of

roads and avenues, between the motorlanes and sidewalks. Taxis have to sharethat space with bikers, because theyhave to pick up customers from the side-walk. Brent, who is an experiencedrider, broke his collarbone when he anda taxicab simultaneously occupied abike lane.Leonel Hernandez, 29, who works

in the photography lab, was involved ina serious accident in October of 2005.He ran into the side of a car, while thedriver was violating traffic laws andended up getting his ankle caught andcrushed in the storage “cages” locatedon the back of his bike.Hernandez now only rides in the

warmer months but when he was ridingyear-round his biggest winter obstacleswere train tracks and the slush located inthe street. He advises cyclists to be cau-tious riding at night, for fear of reckless

motorists. “Drunk drivers, be carefulwith those guys.”Growing up in South Lawndale,

Hernandez regularly took early-morn-ing bike rides with his father, whoseenthusiasm for cycling was passed to hisson. With extreme emphasis,

Hernandez delivers another importantpiece of advice for safe winter riding.“And the cages. The cages gotta go.”Whatever the challenges may be; icy

roads, bridges and train tracks, toincompetent motorists, biking inChicago is definitely an experience.

Snow, sleet or wind: Chicago winterscan not stop dedicated cyclists

Photo by GʼJordan WilliamsBicycles can still be found locked outside of HWC in the winter months as dedicated cyclists brave the cold to ride to school.

By Reginald HesterStaff WriterEach new semester means the rein-

vention and introduction of studentclubs at HWC.The variety of clubs at HWC gives

students an opportunity to support aclub that interests them or join a club todiversify their college experience. Theclubs allow students to resource theirsocial networks and attempt to take onleadership roles within the SGA(Student Government Association)Black Student Union, Chess Club,

Pride Alliance and the Organization ofLatin@ American Students (O.L.A.S.)usually have booths at Club Day. TheFor More Teachers club is a new clubthat is garnering a lot of attention atthe school. Its’ motto is to providesocial, financial, and educationalresources to aspiring teachers.Student clubs are also actively

involved in many of the events thattake place at HWC. They help organ-ize and volunteer for the things thatmany students may not know about.Such as the Science Club having a textbook exchange program and theCreative Writing Club publishing theGarland Court Review each Springsemester."Our mission is to stimulate the

intellectual, political, cultural and social

growth of all HWC students," saidVice-President Richard Sullivan of theBlack Student Union.This Spring, two new clubs were

added at HWC. The PhotographyClub was ratified in February alongwith the Philosophy Club. Both clubshope to use the club days as a way tomake the student body aware of theirpresence here at HWC. Students might see the name of a

club such as O.L.A.S. and think that itsjust for Latin American students.However, all clubs are open to studentsof any race, color or creed. A mini-mum GPA is required for admission toany club.With so many clubs to choose from

and the requirements for admissionbeing so similar there is pressure for theclubs to stand out from one another.So, clubs have different events that theysponsor to bring attention to their club.These events range from simpleKaraoke nights to rallies for differentpolitical causes. Recently, O.L.A.S. hasbeen fundraising for a scholarship thatthey are setting up. They have had atamale sale, a Valentine’s Day date auc-tion and plan to raise more money inMarch through other events.Requirements to begin a new club at

HWC are that you have 50 student sig-natures, 5 officers and a G.P.A of 2.3.

Club day bringsnew clubs to HWC

6 - FEBRUARY 2011 LIFESTYLE theHERALD

By Daniel CollinsStaff WriterThe CCC French Pastry School

hosted its sixth annual “For the Love ofChocolate” fundraiser on Feb. 5, at theMerchandise Mart.The school was founded in 1995 and

is well known for having award-winningchefs on staff to teach students the art ofpastry.Money raised from the event sup-

ports scholarships to students who arequalified in the specialized training ofthe pastry arts, and are enrolled full timeat the school.Besides providing scholarship oppor-

tunities, the fundraiser gives students achance to interact with professionalchefs and helps showcase their talentsand hard work.“It is nice to be a part of [the event]

as a student and fun to be able to net-work and communicate with chefs,” saidSarah Lanenga, a new student of TheFrench Pastry School.“It is an adventure, more than I

expected after all the weeks of hype. Itexceeded my expectations,” said studentBrooke Wilson, who helped the featured

chef Rick Bayless setup prior to the event.

Along with anarray of chocolatedesserts, the eventoffered many formsof arts and musicalentertainment.Several women modeled elegantchocolate fashionsand some dressed asliving centerpieces.In common with

the women who modeled chocolatefashions and posed ascenterpieces, somepeople dressed with acandy theme. Thesethemes included a Willy Wonka looka-like and someone wearing a dress deco-rated with stitched on bubblegum ballsand human candy canes.On center stage, DJ Anacorn illus-

trated his musical talents, providing theaudience with a mixture of rap and hiphop. A more relaxed setting was foundin the Coco Sutra, which included anIndo-Arabic rock band led by Chris

Freeman, body painting, a belly dancer,hookah, massages and psychic readingsby Diana Cameron.Meanwhile, musicians Erin

McDougald, Rob Block, Lorin Cohenand Brian Ritter, performed jazz for theguest at the coco lounge.“A blast that was above and beyond,”

said Debbie Thompson whose friend

Lauren Baeza agreed. The two said thechocolate dipped coconut macaroonwas their favorite dessert of the night.The fundraiser accommodated over

900 guests and raised over $70,000 inscholarship money for their students. Event sponsors included the

Madeleine, Brioche, Baguette andÉclair sponsorships.

Culinary schoolraises moneywith chocolate

Photos by Daniel Collins(Left) An actress from Redmoon Theater serves chocolate cake while dressed as Marie Antoinette.(Right) A selection of the chocolate treats available at the “For the Love of Chocolate” event.

theHERALD OPINION FEBRUARY 2011 - 7

Staff editorials reflect the majorityopinion of THE HERALDʼs student editorial board and not the opinions of Harold WashingtonCollege, the City Colleges ofChicago, or THE HERALD.

Send Letters to the Editor to:via mail: THE HERALD,

30 E. Lake St.Chicago, IL 60601

via fax: 312-553-5647via email: hwc_heraldnews@ccc.edu

Letter requirements:» Should be typed» Should be fewer than 300 words» Should include the authorʼs

name, affiliation, and phone number.

Anonymity may be requested.Letters may be edited for length,clarity, style and grammar. Letters,columns, and cartoons contain the opinions of their authors, notTHE HERALD.

Throughout the three semesters I’vebeen navigating the lumpy, 9,000-strongriver of students ascending anddescending HWC’s stories, they havebeen there waiting. I say “waiting”because they’re not moving. They mustbe waiting for something … or they’rejust lazy.Maybe this is some huge misunder-

standing. For all I know, they’re thehardest-working people I’ve ever met.In fact, maybe they stand on both sidesof the escalator and/or take the eleva-tor from the first to the second floorbecause they work so hard and just wanta break.Maybe they stayed up all night cov-

ering orphans with electric blankets andfeeding dogs steak at the pound beforethe plug’s pulled. Or maybe they’reundercover social scientists, stealthilydocumenting every grimace made whenthe elevator clumsily interrupts its ownjourney four floors before stopping isjustifiable. I don’t know.What I think is that surely those

people make up a nanoscopic percent-age of the students that DO take theelevator up one or two floors. So every-one that isn’t a sleep-deprived saint:take the stairs or the escalators.Maybe what we need is what airports

have! Some sort of speaker system that

tells passengers on the moving walkwaythat if they’re going to take the oppor-tunity to stand around looking awesome,just do it on the right side- the left is forpeople that have somewhere to be. I’veheard an argument asking why, ifpeople want to walk, don’t they just takethe stairs? A fair point, really, consider-ing the stairwells are so empty most ofthe time that I could eat my breakfast inthem without interruption. But checkthis out: those stairs don’t move, makingthem a whole lot slower, not to mention

harder. You know which stairs do move,though? The escalators.Fellow students have also shrugged,

saying that it simply isn’t that hard tosay, “Excuse me,” when wending theirway through everybody. Boy, do I envythose students’ patience. That’s like

being perfectly content to drive a carbehind a runner, because, really, youcould just ask to be let by.If you can handle the audible sighs

of fellow passengers when you push the2nd or 3rd floor button in the elevatoror when people get so close behind youon the escalators (which they do becausethey’re surprised second-by-second thatyou’re really not going to move) that youwonder if they’re trying to rob you, justkeep on keepin’ on. If you like the ideaof some sort of traffic organization, like,

for instance, a STAND TO THERIGHT sign posted on the escalatoritself or on the sloping ceilings, let theStudent Activities Coordinator TanyaHill know in Room 204.Don’t be shy. even ask around

whether there’s any way we could getan express elevator, which is designedto basically depart from the first floorand skip the first few (or several) floorsuntil it gets to a high enough one to jus-tify taking it up.Until either of those things happen,

let’s just all go ahead and take the stairsif we’re going up one or two floors- I’mspeaking for more than just myself whenI say we could use the exercise (peoplepushing the handicap button to open adoor instead of just opening the door,I’m talking to you). And if you want torelax on the escalator, just relax to theright. Then, and only then, are happiertravels ahead for all of us.

Moving around campus is a real pain in the neckBy Lora Allbritton

Staff Writer

Last Thursday, a misappropriationof educational resources, the objectifi-cation of black women and an affront toblack educators and students every-where occurred at HWC. During anevent billed as “Open Mic Music,Movement and Songs,” which was partof Black History Month festivities, stu-dents were given free rein to conductthemselves as they saw fit that evening.Some of the music throughout the

event that night, while technically soundand contemporary, held offensive con-notations to black culture and evenmore predominately toward women. Atone point, the Master of Ceremoniescalled all the women to come up and“strut” to the background music of“Make it Rain” by Travis Porter, withthe "prize" being a photo shoot and thepromise of a chance to appear in a rapmusic video. As the bass line thumped,Porter’s lyrics featured a female sayingrepeatedly, “If you wanna see some ass,I wanna see some cash.” Then later asthe crowd cheered the women on,Porter could be heard repeating,“I'mma make it rain bitch.”

The entire principle behind BHM,which was conceived by Dr. Carter G.Woodson, seemed completely lostamong the black students. Dr. Woodsonbelieved that black people deserved tohave their history celebrated and

observed parallel to the history ofAmerica. At a college that prides itselfon racial diversity and is named after aman who brought people togetherregardless of race, how does paradingwomen to the misogynistic lyrics of arap song in front of hundreds of stu-dents and passersby celebrate Dr.Woodson's initial vision? At HWC thismonth, there are various educationaland entertaining events, such as moviescreenings, a marketplace featuringblack businesses, and guest speakers. All

of these events are to celebrate blackhistory and culture, not detract from it.It is not that we don’t listen to rap

music, or enjoy popular music in gen-eral, it is that we as Harold Washington

College students regretted witnessingthe miseducation of those in attendance.We ask ourselves, "Is this how we wantour school to be represented?" As aschool that facilitates the stereotypes andbehaviors that have carved a negativeview of black women into the collectiveconsciousness? We would like to ask Mr.Porter, "How much is a young blackwoman's dignity worth?" And we wouldlike to ask our fellow students, "Whenwill we actively stop contributing to ourown oppression?"

Dr. Woodson wrote, "Philosophershave long conceded, however, that everyman has two educators: 'that which isgiven to him, and the other that whichhe gives himself. Of the two kinds thelatter is by far the more desirable.Indeed all that is most worthy in man hemust work out and conquer for himself.It is that which constitutes our real andbest nourishment. What we are merelytaught seldom nourishes the mind likethat which we teach ourselves."So what are we teaching ourselves

here at Harold Washington College?That a woman's worth, especially ablack woman's, is determined not by heraccomplishments and self-respect but bythe size and proportions of her physi-cal endowments. Or that black culturemainly consists of offensive languageand chauvinistic ideals? At HWC we donot need to propagate the same misin-formation that has been handed to usby previous generations and is continu-ally spewed into society by the main-stream media. We need to challenge thestereotypes, critically examine blackpopular culture and educate the rest ofsociety on what black culture really is.

By The Herald Editors

What does black history mean to HWC

“Is this how we want our school to be represented? As a school that facilitates the stereotypes and behaviors that have carved a negative viewof black women into the collective consciousness?”

Maybe what we need is what airports have! Some sortof speaker system that tells passengers on the moving walk-way that if they’re going to take the opportunity to standaround looking awesome, just do it on the right side- the leftis for people that have somewhere to be.

By Victoria RossLifestyle EditorThe Student Government

Association (SGA) along with the helpof the Black Student Union,Organization for Latin AmericanStudents, Student Services, and PrideAlliance, hosted a Valentine’s Day event,"Love-Palooza," Feb.14.Love-Palooza had two main events; a

date auction and speed dating. PrideAlliance had a bake sale and OLAS soldlatin gelatin snacks. All profits from thisevent were donated to the

scholarship that OLAS is in the processof establishing.“We plan to one day have a

scholarship worth $20,000,” said MariaGonzalez, OLAS president.Students had to bid on a person of

their liking to take out on a date for thedate auction.During the speed dating, students

had two to three minutes to give asmuch information about themselves towhomever they chose and move to thenext person. “What gave me the idea [is] I’m a

fan of Valentine’s Day … I feel like youdon’t get a lot of events [at] HaroldWashington for Valentine’s Day.""Hopefully we can make it an annual

event,” said Kailin Hightower, memberof SGA.“I think it’s a good way for people to

socialize … it’s a good way for new stu-dents and old students to sociallygather,” said Richard Sullivan, vicepresident of BSU.There were a few mixed feelings

about Love-Palooza in the halls ofHWC. As flyers were posted up and

passed around the reaction among thestudents was not all positive.“I saw a sign … I think it’s kind of

weird the school mixing in with person-al lives… the auction might be good ifit were for charity,” said Nicole Hall, anHWC student.“It’s gonna be really fun … it will be

great way to meet new people … it’sgonna be an exciting atmosphere,”Sullivan said."This event went perfect, I couldn't

have hoped for more ... the best partwas when I came from class and I sawevery one here," Hightower said."It was excellent, I'm glad for the stu-

dent turn out," said Devon Nissen,HWC student and treasurer of SGA."It went as good as it could go," said

Sterick Wills, treasurer of SGA.The students bid from $5 to $100 on

a date and there were also two for onedeals. Before the auction, the speeddating gave the students a chance to getto know each other before the auction. "I'm very excited about the date, I

like her hair texture, it reminds me ofmine," Hightower said."I feel great about the purchases I

made ... in the spirit of the event I pur-chased dates," Nissen said.Many the students that were auc-

tioned off seemed to be in good spirits."I was sold for the high price of

$11.25," Wills said.

8 - FEBRUARY 2011 LIFESTYLE theHERALD

SGA plays matchmaker at ‘Love-Palooza’

Photo by Gregory FairbanksSGA President Angie Shum takes aim at cupid Joaquin Reyes prior to the date auction at “Love-Palooza”.