FALL 2010 a Choice to Change the World
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THE ALUMNAE MAGAZINE OF SPELMAN COLLEGE VOLUME 121 NUMBER 1 FALL 2010 A Choice to Change the World SPELMAN Messenger EDITOR Jo Moore Stewart COPY EDITOR Janet M. Barstow GRAPHIC DESIGN Garon Hart EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Eloise A. Alexis, C’86 Joyce Davis Tomika DePriest, C’89 Kassandra Kimbriel Jolley Renita Mathis Sharon E. Owens, C’76 Kenique Penn, C’2000 WRITERS Tomika DePriest, C’89 Renita Mathis Lorraine Robertson Angela Brown Terrell PHOTOGRAPHERS Spelman College Archives Curtis McDowell, Professional Photography Julie Yarbrough, C’91 The Spelman Messenger is published twice a year (Fall and Spring) by Spelman College, 350 Spelman Lane, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30314- 4399, free of charge for alumnae, donors, trustees and friends of the College. Recipients wishing to change the address to which the Spelman Messenger is sent should notify the editor, giving both old and new addresses. Third-class postage paid at Atlanta, Georgia. Publication No. 510240 CREDO The Spelman Messenger, founded in 1885, is dedicated to participating in the ongoing education of our readers through enlightening articles designed to promote lifelong learning. The Spelman Messenger is the alumnae magazine of Spelman College and is committed to educating, serving and empowering Black women. SPELMAN VOLUME 121, NUMBER 1 Messenger FALL 2010 ON THE COVER Kiran Ahuja, C’93 PHOTO OF KIRAN AHUJA COURTESY OF U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 8 True Blue in the White House BY TOMIKA DEPRIEST, C’89 Contents 12 Alumnae on Capitol Hill BY RENITA MATHIS 31 Reunion 2010 2 Voices 4 Books & Papers 18 Alumnae Notes 35 In Memoriam It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. Voices – UNKNOWN 2 SPELMAN MESSENGER Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations: Spelman College Commencement Address excerpts – May 16, 2010 ras of change often cause us to cherish the ters who will bring health to wounded bodies and strength to suffering souls. values that do not change, to reaffirm the And we need one of you to become the first African American woman Presi- dent of the United States. principles that define who we are as a peo- “But always remember that with greater opportunity comes greater ple and a nation. This is such a moment responsibility. All of us who cheer so hard for you also expect you to give back ‘‘Ewhen we are called again to test the founding proposition of – to continue the legacy of local, national and global service that is the Spel- our republic that all men – and yes, all women – are truly man way. We are confident that you will all play your part in what President Obama calls ‘a new era of responsibility’ – that you will embrace your duties created equal, and endowed by our Creator with certain to your cities and communities, to your country and the world we share. … inalienable rights. … “Ultimately, America is what we make of “Now, America is an inspiring model of it. I love our great country not because it is equality and justice for many in the world, perfect but because it is perfectible. I love but it is not nearly a perfect one. We still have America not just for the genius of its cre- miles to go. But the struggle only makes the ation but also for the glory of its ongoing promise matter more. … maturation. The American idea is not “America doesn’t mean equality of out- rooted in complacency or callousness. It is come, but it does mean equality of opportunity. rooted in the belief that we can be better America doesn’t guarantee you a result, but it together and do more together. It is rooted should guarantee you a fair shot – whether you in energy. It is rooted in daring. And it is succeed or fail or wind up somewhere in rooted in hope. between should be up to you. … “As I look out at you, I see more than the “So set high goals, show some hustle, stand Class of 2010. I see another generation tak- up for yourself, prepare better than anyone else, ing its place in the world. I see the learn from everyone else – and when you get generation after Joshua. You grew up in a knocked down, pick yourself up and get back country that has knocked down the legal in the game. A Spelman woman should come walls that once would have held you back. to play. She should come to compete. And, she In a society that isn’t yet free of the heavy should compete to win. … hand of past injustice but is itself a powerful “That’s because we need you to make the engine of change. So, if the Joshua genera- mark. We need you to become lawyers who tion was about coming into a brave new will deepen and widen our liberties in an era PHOTO: JULIE YARBROUGH, C’91 world, perhaps your generation will be of change and challenge. We need you to about blazing paths along new frontiers. If become engineers and scientists who will cure modern-day plagues and the Joshua generation was about coming into the land, perhaps your gener- save our warming Earth. We need you to become business leaders and inno- ation will be about making it a truly blessed place – a story of how young vators who will create prosperity that works for all Americans. We need you people born into times of great promise shouldered their responsibilities and to become teachers and professors who will instill a love of citizenship and built mighty towers. learning in the next generation. We need you to become doctors and minis- “But that is your story to write, not mine. I know you will write it well.” FALL 2010 3 more try at luck instead of being this phenomenon for the book for 10 BOOK REVIEWS thankful for his redemption? years. She writes about the rights of people used for scientific research, A NGELA B ROWN T ERRELL Dr. Benson, who has published 12 novels, including Sins of the Father, the ethics and legal complications, and The Amen Sisters,” and won and how minorities and poor people A Million Blessings many awards, has worked in technol- have been taken advantage of in past medical experiments. It was 20 years Three novellas by Angela Benson, ogy and engineering, holds two Marilyn Griffith and Tia McCollors. master’s degrees, and a doctorate in after Lacks’ death that her family (Dafina Books/Kensington) instructional technology. She cur- even became aware of their relative’s rently is an associate professor of important contribution to science. Showers of Blessings – educational technology at the Uni- Ms. Skloot first learned of HeLa, a novella versity of Alabama. as the cells are known, in a biology by Angela Benson, C’81 class at age 16. Her curiosity grew as she studied biology and journal- Showers of Blessings, a novella, is ism in college, but heard little the latest from this prolific Romance/ else about these cells that had Christian writer. In this anthology, been the first immortal human she joined with two other authors to cells discovered. Her high school tell tales of how people react to win- teacher had said the cells were ning great sums of money in instrumental in the advancement lotteries: some are led astray, some of modern cancer research; they find salvation and others find new were used to develop polio vaccines purpose in their lives. and chemotherapy and in treating When an assistant church pastor leukemia and hemophilia, Ms. battles with a gambling compulsion, Skloot writes. he finds himself on the verge of losing Curious, Ms. Skloot wanted to his home, his family and his reputa- know who was this woman who tion. But just as he finds himself at the seemed to disappear from scientific end of his rope, he wins a lottery worth The Immortal Life of information channels. Where was millions. Will this sudden splurge of Henrietta Lacks her family? Why had she never been money help him find his way out of recognized? Who profited from the his addiction, or by Rebecca Skloot distribution of these living cells? will he be tempted (Crown Publishers) One source who helped the author to indulge in one A secret kept for many years has gain access to Henrietta Lacks’ life affected the lives of most of us living and family was Dr. Roland Pattillo, a today. Most people have never heard professor of gynecology at the More- of Henrietta Lacks – a poor Black house School of Medicine in Atlanta. woman whose story illustrates the He had organized a symposium to Angela Benson, C’81 insensitivity of racism. Yet this honor Lacks, which Ms. Skloot dis- woman, who died in 1951, is immor- covered. tal through her cells, which scientists Henrietta Lacks grew up and have kept alive and multiplied by the farmed on the same land in a small billions, and has been instrumental Southern Virginia town that once in saving the lives of millions of peo- housed her slave ancestors. She was ple across the world. married and the mother of five chil- Rebecca Skloot, noted science dren. Poorly educated in an era of writer, who was convocation speaker segregated schools, she and her Books&Papers at Spelman in March 2010, researched extended family lived simple, hard- 4 SPELMAN MESSENGER working lives. They had little dent covering the White House and invaded their beach home. For years woman was contending with an knowledge of health care and international affairs, looks back nos- afterward, after finishing high African American man for the almost no access to medical care.