X L IV Abortion Rights Ignite Spelman Discussion
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Tuesday, Aprii 11, 2006 www.spelmanspotlight.com i gjj ïSJgiæj.. N o ■ ■ XLIV ‘Purlie’ takes center stage Spelman students put their on famous Ozzie Davis Broadway play, “Purlie Victorious.” Volu m e Toni Cade Bambara conference promotes activism Nicole Barden Staff Writer Featured contrib utors include Nikki March 24-26, 2006, Giovanni, Audre CAMPUS NEWS Spelman hosted the 6th Lorde, Alice Walker, BREAKING NEWS: Annual Toni Cade Bambara and Bambara herself, MISS SPELMAN— Scholar- Activism Conference among others. WHAT WENT to promote activism among It filled a void in students. The event was spon literature about black WRONG? sored by the Comparative women’s history Who should wear the crown? The latest information about the Women’s Studies Department authored by black Miss Spelman fiasco. and The Toni Cade Bambara female writers. Collective, a coalition of stu Bambara died in P3 dents who organized and led 1995 of colon can the conference. This year’s cer. Spelman students pose at Sixth Annual Toni Cade Bambara Scholar-Activism Conference ENTERTAINMENT theme was centered on cele Bambara’s only brating previous and current child, Karma, was ^azz .ensemble azzles audience Spelman activists, as well as also in attendance for the women’s struggles and oppres documentary by Spelman Spelman College Jazz Ensemble community leaders. opening ceremony. For her, sion. alumnae. The film explored showcases their vocal talent at The opening celebration watching people honor her Workshops also ran simul the Nelly controversy as well their annual Spring Concert. featured poetry, dance and mother was a wonderful expe taneously in the afternoon, as activism on Spelman’s cam music, in the lobby of Cosby rience. including a showing of pus. The visibility of progres Academic Center. “I always knew her as a Bambara’s film “Bombing of sive student organizations on Performances were aimed at mother. To see what she Osage Avenue,” a documen campus was also addressed. promoting activism and meant to other people amazes tary about the police bomb There was also a discussion P6 uplifting Bambara’s legacy. me,” said Bambara. “She ing of the black, radical in which President Dr. Beverly Bambara was an author, meant so much to so many organization MOVE in Daniel Tatum took center professor, filmmaker and people.” Philadelphia, which killed 11 stage. When she asked how LadyTerps make social activist who is generally On Saturday, people came people including 5 children. the school could better sup recognized for publishing the in large numbers to view panel The film earned Bambara port students, holding the NCAA history in first major feminist anthology, presentations, participate in an Academy Award for Best administration accountable 2006 Women’s The Black Woman, a collec discussion forums, and attend Documentary. and defending students’ rights tion of essays, short stories, interactive workshops. The day concluded with a were the main ideas expressed. Championship and poems that was first pub Panelists presented papers viewing of “Sisters on the “I think fostering a radical lished in 1970. centered around black Sojourn,” an award-winning see Bambara on Pg 2 »> Abortion rights ignite Spelman discussion P8 Kibkabe Araya Dalton, director of health As we saw in Staff Writer services; Dr. Patricia the ’70s, when On March 28, 2006, “Back McFadden, Endowed Cosby they [didn’t] to the Hangers,” an event Chair in the Social Sciences; have financial sponsored by the Spelman Alisha Thomas Morgan, means, they Feminist Majority Leadership Georgia State Representative; [took] desper Alliance, focused on the prob Spelman alumna Becky Rafter, ate measures. ability of women reverting to executive director of NARAL We need to take illegal, unsafe abortions if the Pro-Choice Georgia; and a stand or we reproductive rights granted Malika Redmond, c' 2002, co will let people from 1973's Roe vs. Wade founder of Spelman’s FMLA. dictate our bod Supreme Court decision were Abortion is defined as the ies,” said senior to be taken away. termination of pregnancy, and Ayana Boswell. Morehouse A panel discussion explored expulsion of an embryo or To advertise crowns Male the history of how reproduc fetus that is incapable of sur the event on vival. An induced abortion is a campus, FMLA Spelman junior Eniola Mafe is tive justice for women was crowned Miss Maroon and gained in the United States, deliberate termination of preg attached photo- Morehouse student Mihlyar Alfinaidy speaks at the White 2006-2007 and the possibility of having nancy by the administration graphs on hang-®Pelman Week event sponsored by the FMLA. to deal with issues of the past of drugs or mechanical means. ers, of a young woman discov many women in the past have if the right to abortion is “As a women’s college, espe ered dead in 1964 after giving died from illegal abortions, reversed. cially a black women’s college, herself an abortion. The which has remained a hidden The panel included: Brenda this issue hits us the hardest. image supported the fact that see Back to hangers on Pg 2 »> Tuesday, April 11, 2006 www.spelmanspotlight.com 2 News 2005-2006 EDITORIAL BOARD Bambara dents was highly debated. tution but also themselves. broke down some stereotypes »> continued from Pg 1 “Everything that I’ve been “Stay true to your feminist that she and other participants environment at Spelman will doing for the past 35 years at principles and don’t make had of students. Shayla Ball benefit the entire school,” said Spelman has been to disrupt excuses for yourself when you “It gave a very humanizing Co-Editor In Chief senior Sarah Thompson, patriarchy at this institution,” don’t do that, just get back on aspect to Spelman women. It Student Government said Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, the right track.” has also given me something I Alexa Harris Association President and the Anna Julia Cooper profes All those in attendance can know and love about Kristilyn Whigham Toni Cade Bambara sor of women’s studies and appeared to enjoy the activi Spelman.” Managing Editors Collective member. director of the Women’s ties and discussions. “Able” The conference appeared to Terricha Bradley “It’s always useful to hear Research and Resource Center. Mabie Thomas, the State be a success on many levels. News Editor what the student’s experience Many participants expressed Representative for the 55 th Moya Bailey, c'2005 and at the college is so you can discontent with the mixed District was in attendance as member of the Toni Cade Monique Hathorn make it better,” said Tatum messages that the college well. Bambara Collective thought Feature Editor who thought the input was sends. She was thoroughly the conference succeeded in beneficial, and appreciated the Despite the environment of impressed by the presenta achieving its goal of using for Deanna Jenkins students’ suggestions. the entire school, most stu tions in the past and says she mer students to encourage cur Gina Lawrence In the panel titled “Shading dents and faculty agreed that always puts the conference on rent students to be activists Arts & Entertainment Editors the Ground on Which We the Women’s Center is a very her schedule. inside and outside of the Walk: Young Black Feminists progressive and active part of “I met Toni Cade Bambara Spelman community. Juanice Sills Furthering Scholar-Activism,” the campus. and loved her. The impact she “I really think that having so Sports & Wellness Editor graduate students who were “Here in the Women’s made with her voice has been many alums come back and Katrina Moore activists during their time at Center we are re-radicalizing magnificent and she really participate in the conference is Ad Manager Spelman addressed the change feminism,” said Dr. M. Bahati never got the total recognition a testament to the Women’s their activism took. Kuumba, associate professor of for her impact on society. So Center and Toni Cade Jaaonne Jackson In graduate school more women’s studies and associate for Spelman to take note of it Bambara. So many people Tjazha Mazhani emphasis is placed on the director of the Women’s I felt it deserved my constant dedicated money and time. Courtney Petty scholar while papers and Research and Resource Center. support,” said Thomas. We did a lot to reinvigorate the Copy Editor essays are the tool used to con “I did not believe that I Spelman was not always so spirit of scholar activism at tinue activism. could do what I needed to do welcoming to Bambara. As a Spelman,” she said. Nenne Akpan The students felt that they at Spelman in the English writer in residence at Spelman Despite the debate over Layout & Design were able to make this transi Department,” said Guy- from 1974-1977, she volun Spelman’s identity and its level tion because they were ade Sheftall, who founded the teered to teach a course, but of activism, attendees agreed Quisa Foster-Wittingham quately prepared while at Women’s Center. “This work was denied the opportunity by that Spelman is a place that Renita Mathis Spelman. in the Women’s Center has the administration. This did offers students an array of Advisers “Spelman empowers you probably been the most radi not stop some determined stu opportunities that other insti and you realize that you too cal. It is really the only dents who went to her house tutions do not have for their have a voice,” said panelist autonomous Black feminist to take the course for no cred black female students. Fallon Wilson c'2005. space in the academy.” it. “Even the people here at Spelman continued to be “You’re always building the This was Taliba Sikudhani’s Spelman don’t know what they the topic of many discussions institution that you want to second time attending the have here,” said Guy-Sheftall.