lbe*npx ]nformer i\"onheastern Cniversity l\"onheasrern's l\"e,vspaper Designed for Pe ople of Color October 1994 Northeastern's Warnings What Up! Community By Kathia Desronvil Onyx Staff By Dilan Mahendron housing they would have Onyx Staff to move where the state All freshmen; I know offered them housing , not ya'll are " trippin " be Since t he nineteen six where the tenant chooses. cause ya 'II are in college ties. Boston city lines and The community east or and you know your the neighborhoods have been behind the \".U. Librarv man or miss thong. For constantlv redrawn . is of particular concern t~ many of you this is the These cl;anges were the \"ortheastern Univer fir st time you ' ve been made po ssible through sity student .. This area is away from home . Moms HCD ·s urban renewal Roxbury and South End and pops ain't here and plan. Th e alterations which merge at Massa tive iss ue of nomen 4. Remodeled Roxbury you are in cha rg e. You were in population move chussetts Avenue. :\"orth clature an even mor e dire Community College brothers out here got ments and simple demo eas tern Un ivers itv is issue is the inevitabl e 5. Madison Park High your gear all rea dy and grap hics caused by state geograp hically locat~d in gentrification of Roxbury School your lines in full gear for action and planning . Roxbury but for so me and South End. Over the 6. Duclley Post Office the fly "honeys", ready to When there is an or reaso n \. U. do es not past few years thi s area 7. Luxury Apartment profile on the campus ganized attempt by any include Roxbury in its has undergone significant complexes (Parme lee scene and at the parties. g iv en power stru ct ure address. · changes in its landscape , Court Home s and You sistas got yo ur outfits such as stare an d lo cal It is the sam e raci st m eaning new deve lop Douglas Park ) and your hair all done up government to di splace a ideology that Videosmith m ents. Th ese develop 8. ExpansionofN.U. readv to catch the broth specific communit y it is clisplays when t hey nam ments have been pas sed The se new buildings ers.:. but I'm her e to known as genn·ification. ed it s recently opened off as a positive change hardly serve the majority make sure that va·ll don·t Gentrification most bran ch on Huntington for the communitv . This of th e minority com sleep! · co mmonh • occurs in Avenu e, ca lled th e wou ld be true if your munities in Boston , yet College is a jungl e and minority ~nd low socio "·Huntin gto n Avenu e looking through the eyes they are being placed survival of the fittest will economic communities. Videosmith. " Thi s Vid of naivete and ignorance. unrecognized area of depend on how each of Beca use so me of the eos mi th branch like The corners of this area Roxburv. One ca nnot you approach this jun gle. hou sing i s public or \"ortheastern is in Rox that have be en under help but to notice these You can have a blast but regulated by the city or bury and unlike all the development include changes and question if only if you learn from the state , it is verv simple for other Video Smiths which from Symphony Hall. they are for the better start w ha t it takes to these institutions to shut are named after th e \"orthea stern Univer sitv ment of the Roxbur y survive. There are manv down and remove popu districts that they are and both ends of Duclley commu nit y. To many in pitfalls which can b~ lations. For example. the located in. The re~sons Str ee t is a list of new the community the easily avoided with some s sta te ca n claim that a why th ese in st itution buildings that were gentrification is ~vident minor precautions. parti cul ar project is and bu sines ses do not constructed over the past but little pu bli c protest First of all. each of you strn ctur ally un safe and include Roxbury in there decade: has occ ur red. The only need to realize that v~ur the tenants would be address is bec~u se Rox 1. Registri • of Motor recent protests were education should be your provided public housing bur y connotates violent Vehicles about the la ck of first priority. Before· you in anoth er part of the neg1:oes, gangs, and over 2. Dudlev Station Bus minority construction go out profiling , make cit ,•; th erefore. if tho se sexual bucks. Termin'al workers ·and the lack of sure vour work is don e. te~ants needed public the rela- Setting aside 3. Ruggles Train Station Continutd on Page 2. you studied for t hat quiz and vo u fini shed that pope;. You can have the Got ''Trouble'' hip life but you must Drug Users learn to balance vour By Shanan X a chemical placed in a an Iv in the ~1iss ion Hill AIDS and a whole bun ch education and vour ;ocial Onyx Staff unknown percentage of a·reas , and it ca n kill of other stuff, but I life. · the city's contraband is vou " haven't heard of this stuff There are several The Boston Depart letha l. · · When a sked about the (Trouble). and I'm scar places to go if you need ment of Hea lth and The new form of hero chemi ca l, so me com ed . but you know J"m to concentrate or escape Hospita ls ha s iss ued a in, known as "Trouble ," munity h eroin users ex hooked ," exp lained Al your friends ' influences warning recently to hero ha s caused 12 cases of pr esse d fear about the Douglass. in order to do your work, in users, telling them that overdo se in the South department 's report , be The Boston Police De such as the NC librarv , End and Ylission Hill li eving that th e new partment area B-2 Drug the study halls in Dodge INSIDETHE ONYX INFORMER communiti es within th e chemical i s alleged ly a Cnit raided a Mission hall on the second and REPRESSING HAITI last month . Hea lth De plan to kill them off. Hill apartment; however, third floors , the John D. Whal'sgo ingon ...... P.2 partment officials say, "I have been in the se thev have declined to o·Bryant In stit ut e Li • MusicREVIEW th at of th e twe lve vic street s for over fifteen co~ment on if the raid brary , or the Copley Biggie Smalls & Craig..P. Mack 4 tim s, no cases of dea th something years and ain't was in connectio n to the Library which you can • SPORTS have been report ed. never been no shit lik e narcotic "Trouble. " get to by taking the 39 Pearlof NU & Dav e Lettao.... P . 6 Th e report i ssued by this going around: s ome Dr . Mover was not bus on Huntington Ave . Don ·1 be intimadated to • SPORTS Dr. P ete r Mov er stated body's trying to get rid of availab le f~r questioning DaveLe itao...... P. 7 ··ther e's some· bad stuff us,- said Cedric Williams. at Onyx Inform er pre ss ask questions or for help . going around. particular- ··J have lost fri ends to time. Continued on Pa~ 2. Pagel The Onyx Informer October 1994 international
economic and social devel no longer can bear thi s sys Repressing Haiti opment. Pre sident Ari stide tem of oppression , repres is a man of principle and sion , and depression thats By John-Marra Youte Duvalier s pre sidency ca n peop le st ill maintained a justice. He detests the vio been imposed upon them be defined as a mas sive high level of poverty and lation of human right s of even after they made a Haiti is a country of cor rupton ; as a form of discontentment . the people by the military choice at the poll s that they revolution where the peo instit utionali zed state ter Thi s discontentment regime and the Tonton wanted demo cracy as their ple hope that the process of rori sm. Francois las ted for a period of 29 Macoutes . His attempt to sys tem of government. evo lution will so meday Duvalier 's c orrupt govern years under the dictatior dismantle the military and Democracy has come and take place. The Republic ment was re spon sible for ship of the Duv alie rs. In the Tonton Macoutes led to gone and as a result, thou of Hai ti , s ince gaining the existence of over 60 1986, the people of Haiti hi s removal by the mili sands have headed for U.S. aquision of independence percent of the people of led a revo lt aga in st tary. He was forced to flee boarders only to die at sea in 1804 by defeating the Haiti who lived in condi Du va lier' s regim e. the country he proudly or be stored into in consen powerfu l Napolean army; tion s of pov e rty an d However, Re agan's admin loves. With exile of presi tration camps and are treat has adapted a demora ctic despair. In the co urse of istra tion during this upris dent Aristide, the invasion ed like our ancestors be to sys tem of government; a Fancois Duvalier 's brute ing provided Jean-Claude of the military and the auctioned off. But in the political system where citi government thousands and Duvalier with a plan to Tonton Macoute continue case of Cubans, they enter zens ca n voice their con thousands were killed and escape to France and hide to violate , torment and sur the boaders of this co untry cerns a bout the welfare of their bodie s were never out with most of Haiti 's press the peopl e of Haiti 's by the thousands on boats the country and the need to found by their families to wealth. Instead. those that ri ght to free democracy. cla imin g to be politi cal improv e eco nomi c co ndi buried in dignity. are in po sition of authority For example, a seve n prisoners and are accepted. tions. However, for the last Another factor that choose to further the igno month pregnant woma n When it comes to Haitian s, 40 years, many Haitian s contributed to the current rance of most Americans was impaled in public by the policy changes totally. are living in fear of a gov political c risis i n Haiti was to believe the conditions of the he artles s military to Maybe it' s me, but I sme ll ernment who ha s done the continuation of oppres Haitian people. And you domon strate and convey a double bias sta nd ard or nothing constructive to ele sion and lack of democra often ask why do the peo their syste matic oppression racist sta ndard th at the vate the nation and its peo cy by the new pr esi dent ple of Haiti live in a state over the people of Haiti . In U.S. government has ple to a high level of eco Jean -Claude Duvalier who of oppresson by a system additio n, to the execution, established for Haitian nomic self- development. took reign of power after atic government that can there are other maliciou s people. During the presi Since the glorious days, of the death of his father be manuvered U .S. foreign acts that the military com dential election in 1992, our forefathers, Toussaint, Francois Duvalier in 1971. policy. mit s to instill fear in the Mr Clinton claimed, unlike Dessaline, and Jean-Claude was responsi The uprising of Haitian heart of all people . An his opponent George Bush , Christopher, Haiti 's politi ble of the continuation of people in 1986 created a illustration of this is the he would provide th e ca l system ha s fallen dictatorship with the assis sense of freedom and their constan t invasion of hous Haitian people with politi tremendou sly for th e tance of U.S. government belief that true democra cy es where young men and cal assy lum if they quali worst. However , through in providing financial aid can be obtained. young women are continu fied. But like all politician s out Haiti's history, the peo to Jean-Claude reign. In Unfortunatly, the people's ously, brutally assalted in he lied like the past presi ple remain strong against 1974, U.S. aid to Haiti sense of empowerment and the middle of the night by dents who held office . the regime that took power increased from 9.5 million justice was short lived the military . "Ca nt 't trust it". Until a and deprived them of a to 35.5 million . The money when the military and the Now , it is 1994 , year or les s ago, the new s basic human right; to self was to improve conditions Tonton Macoute reestab President Aristide has not avoided the situation in govem. in Haiti . Unfo rtunately, lished their power of domi yet returned to Haiti and Haiti and the human rights ln 1957 , due to a mili the corrupt government of nance by sini ste r acts of democracy in Haiti i s a violation that was taking tary coup d'etat , Francois Jean -Claude Duvalier as aggression against the peo word of death and puni sh place till it became a con Duvalier was able to well as some American ple of Haiti . ment. The Clinton admin vience to increase their rat obtain hi s presiden cy of lobbyists funneled many of In 1990, the people of istraton has established an ing s and add mi sco ncep the Republic of Haiti . It the financial aid for their Haiti elected Jean-Bertrand economic sanction on Haiti tion to a pas sive news should be noted that there own personal wealth. Due Aristide with 67 percent of but it is the poor people audience nationwide . has never been a democrat to the lack of democracy, the votes . Jean-Bertrand who already have less to On Septmeber 15 , ic election in Haiti until the financial aid did not Aristide gave the people of begin with who are affect 1994, from the desk of th 1990 when Jean -Bertrand serve the people of Haiti . Haiti a vision of hope with ed by thi s so-called sanc Oval office, Mr. Clinton Aristide was elected. Consequently, the Haitian the change of education, tion. The people of Haiti tried to obtain American
A Northeastern has to struggle to get Massachus setts Avenue Another warning ... and of course AIDS and Continuedfrom page I. around on the horrible and Melina Cass avoid filing for credit other STD diseases are organized MBTA bus sys Boulevard is yet another ca rd s. There wil I be awaiting you . Don't minority recruitment of tem . One would have clue into what the city numerous salespersons become the next victim . labor. Unfortunately, some thought that the train sta plan s for this part of throughout the year trying No brother or sista is worth community members are in tion below the bus plat Roxbury. to lure you into getting sacrificing your health! favor of building these forms at Dudley was filled them. DON 'T, they are a When the weekends plants that are not desig in or torn up, but in fact A Warning trap. You are in college, so come and you are ready to nated for the community to the train station expect to be broke, don ' t unwind, keep your drink is still Continued frompage t. use. For example , black being maintained by the get yourself in more debt ing and smol(jng at a limit. construction worker s were MBTA. Why would the Remember a stupid ques than you allready will You are better off smoke protesting about the lack of city still maintain a train tion is one that was never be!!!!! free and alcohol -free, but if black workers on the new station that had been shut asked and answered. Take On another serious you must, be aware that Dudley Station. The sad down for several years? advantage of the tutorial note, on the social scene excessive intakes of ciga irony is, that th e city had The gentrification is programs available to you. please take off your blind rette s and alcohol will put ers! Now abstinence other plan s for Dudley obviou s and the city has There are no n erds in col is the your health at risk. And best policy but if you must Station that don't include bee n pl anning to ex pand lege only smart individu let' s not forget to stay do the "wi ld the black community. the Bo ston Metropolitan als. Good study skills is Clear of drug s. You are thing" ..... Brothers put your hear to enlighthen your Dudley station is in fact area for three de cades into the way to go. keep sev strap s on and sistas keep mind. Don 't waste your used to b e an orange line Roxbury first by redi stric t eral copie s of all records your legs down if the brains for the sake of being train sta tion a few years ing in the early six ti es. especially all financial aid broth ers won 't co mply Cool! ago but that was shut down records. They have a ten The recent proposal of the with a condom . Syphillis, and the co mmunity now Megap lex between dency of losing student 's papers. Gonorrhea, Hepa titis B, Oclober 1994 Th e Onyx Informer Page3
Haiti ;\°scion's troops. The mili Continued from page 2 . tarv Chief Raoul Cedra s support 10 invade Haiti , ca~ be coerce d to step Think Before although, the so-called down allowing exile presi poles demonstrated that dent Aristide to step in . the majority of Americans This action would fa cili You S~ing! do not want U.S. troops to tate the mas ses to revolt invade Haiti Moreover , against economic and so Mr. Clinton. as pitiful as cial condition s of poverty. By Kathia D esronvil detrimental nl) •tl1s which abuse. Th is state alone he look ed, tried to per Coder th e leadership of Onyx Staff women need to be aware makes it very har d to suade a dead nation full of Aristide. economic, politi of concerning the causes leav e, and reinfor ced by organized confusion to ca l and social condi tions Domest ic vio lence is a of th.is act such as: other ob struction s such as ralh • behind him and would be improved in growing an d an a larmin g 1. II can't 1,app en to fear, social and economic im•a·de Haiti. Hi storv is a order for Haitians to have reality which is verv "close me. constraint s, lack of self continuou s process ~nd it a better life stvle. to h~me " for to~ many 2. J ea lou sy and pos esteem. and too oft en lack women in the Cnited tends to repeat itself more :\-lore rece~ tly a group States. sessive11ess are a of inte r vention beca use According than peop le rea li ze. In of negotiators were sent to to Ylassachus sig 11of true love. family member s, friend s, Haiti to reach an agre setts :\'1edical Society: and the police hand le the I 915. th e U.S. in va ded e 3. Victims bring on Appro x imat eiy 95 % situation with cas ualt y. Haiti to prot ect so-called ment with th e mi litarv fl, e abuse fl,em of tl,e victims of dom For a batter ed woman to American businesses and leaders in Haiti before YI~. selve s. estic violence are wo Tl,ey ask effect ively escape an explo it ed th e Haitian Clinton commited the act for it. mark et to meet the needs of invading Haiti on m en ... tl,e 11umber of unrelenting assailant, she 4. A lcoliol causes of the U.S. The inva sion Ylondav , September 19, batteri11g injuries suf• a mu st have a "safety man to batt er. lasted for 15 vears w here 1994. The task force con fered by wome11 is plan. " The woman must the Hait ian rn'ilitarv were sisted of form er chairm an greater fl,a11 f/,e total 5. Most batt erers are first determine her dang er 11umb trained to exploit ~nd 10 of the joint chief of staff e r of injuries bum s and crazy ri sk, she should have a commi t malicious acts Colin Powell, former pres s us tain e d from car people. safe place to go with sup against th e people of ident Jimmv Carter and accidents, muggings, 6. Tee11 dali11g vio portive friend s, fami ly Haiti. In 1934 , U.S . se nat e ar~ed servi ces cmd rapes combi11ed." le11ce is11'I really members , etc. and have invasion in Haiti en ded chairman Sam N unn . Tl,e abuse ca11 be tl,af se riou s. acces s to oth er dail y onlv to leave the countn • Their mission was to per eit l,er p!,ysical, p sy necessities to get away and It is a dilemma which in the worst condition ,,o~ suade the milirarv leaders chologi cal, ve rbal stav away . occ urs a mong a ll ra ces can imagine . They ieft to step down ·without a11d/or economic. This an:icle is an app eal and socioeconomic groups. their brute militarv ta ctics conflict and leav e the The v iolence is a cycle to the Northeastern female First and foremost. one and weapon s in Haiti so country in order for elect consisting of three pha ses: stud ent s, who might b e in seven women seen for the Haitian militarv could ed president Aristide to a) the tension-bui lding pr esen tl y in an abus ive genera l medi ca l ca re in forever surpress th~ people step in . The reality is that phase. which i s the period relation ship , to r each for office practices and one in which it suppose to protect th e Haiti an people will of constant and incessa nt th e help b ei ng offered four women who attempt from foreign invader s like continue to f eel the pre s altercation s, followed bv, through Th e Onyx Inform suicid e are battered . the United tates. I believe ence of Raoul Ceclras and b ) the abus ive stage ~f er. It is also a forebode to Yloreover , more than one that Ylr. Clinton ·s solution his regime even after thev batt ery, a nd terminating the other fema le bodv to in ten teenag ers exper or lack of political leader exile from Haiti . Bv Octo· with the , c) ''•hea rt s and be cautious of whom ·vou ience physical violence in ship i s nothing but a ber 15, of thi s v~ar, th e flowers ·, pha se where the are getting involved w·ith. dat in g relation ship s. So vehicle to obtain a second militarv lea ders ar e ex abuser convinces the vi c Aft era ll , these abu siv e wake up, you could be term as president . I am a pected ·to lea ve and give tim th at he is sorry and the r elations hip s si ar t a s next victi m! Only 2% of realist and understand the up their power. Is that a th e in cident will ~eve r regular loving , com batterers are psyc hotic, nee ds of the Haitian joke? Mr Clinton does not reoccur. mitted , and promi sing meaning that the remain people. I do not support seem to compr ehend Hai Cnfonunat ely, domestic relationships. ing 98% ar e perfectly in nor am I agains t th e tian politi cs if he actuallv violence is prevalent on Som e of the ear h 1 contro l when committing inva sion . True lasting think th e so-call America~ co ll ege cam pu ses, and indi cators of a batt ering the abuse . democracv for the Haitian style or difinition of demo l\onheaste rn Cniversitv is per sonality are extens ive peopl e i~ my objective cracv will work in Haiti . not excluded. ln past y~ars Th e aim of the violence jealou sy and pos sess ive reality but have yet to be Acc~rding to latest reports ther e hav e been several is to asse rt p owe r and ness, quick involvement , seen by the Hait ian peo the U.S. militarv already coveted incidents of dom maintain control! isolating yo u from friends esti c violence on female ple. A step for a resolut ion took some civili~ns livei. Some ab users do beat and famil y, and mo st students. A recent tra is to prop erly oust of the Why does that not sur gedy their partner s when th ev importantly a past inci has brought the issue to corrupt government of the pri se me ? :\ow , you tell are und er the influence ~f dent of violent behavior . light. ; a star militarv wit h assistance me what 's next. Ii's 1915 athlete had alcohol , but th e alco hol grave ly battered a girl from the Haiti an peop le all over again ; as I stated acts as an excuse. Th ev For additional infor associate. here in the C.S. , France, before, history is a contin choo se to hit and ar~ m a tion or h elp please There Canada a nd the Cnit ed uing process. are num ero us accountab le for their ac conta ct Tl,e Onyx tions. Th ev need to think Informer or th e or before the°y swing . There ganiza tion s and num are other alternative s to bers li sted below : hitting such as tuning tbe Roxbury Comprehensive other parmer out, walking Community Health W:be
State of Fall '94: The Onyx Flow, Blows, & Afros ... 'T Jh-oh head s up cause we' re droppin some shit.. " Combing Through the Rap Game - Jeru the Damaja Get the facts stra ight: By Korey Whitfield \Vhatevet you call him , new flava in ya ear" with 1. For th e pas t 6- 7 month s th e face of Onyx Staff B.I.G.; Biggie Smalls, or his debut single, but his t he Onyx Inform er ha s not appeared on Biggie , none can deny . LP. in compariso n with i'llJ 's camp us. Keen musica l insight that he's been Blowin' up the work he ha s done and powerful produ ction everything in his path for pr evi ously , is a slight 2. The last time it appea red was skill s have prop ell ed more than a minute . letdown . While the pro November 1993. Sean "Puffy" Combs into R ea dy to Die is a duction is tight, and 3. Becuase of our track record , we have the mainstream spotlight. universa l explosion. The Craig Mack's delivery is a rec ieve d very littl e supp ort from th e fa cul ty His talent has influenced production is in th ere, the new realization on a and staff gere at NU . the who le of rap for beat is thumping and the familiar and recognizable 4 . To elate, the facu lty/staff and stud ent years. "Puff y" was in lyrics are on the next {read Erick Sermon, body here is clu eless as to th e strumental in the mone level. B.l.G tran scends Redman, and/or K-Solo), wh erea h outsof the Onyx Inform er... nor do tary explosion of :vlary J. th e erod ing division by the third or fourth cut they ca re ...... Blig e's debut "I flip boy- eee" album and it 's '·Here comes a Brand n ew Fl ava in your I 1!1!!!!1111!!!1!!!•!!!!11becomes tired and ri se to multi it becomes quite ear ... Time for new Flava in yo ur ear ... ;, the notorious •=1m · - Craig Ma ck Pl at n i mum clear that , al status. Recent Iy , though the Black Th ese fa ct s ar e sad but unfortunat ely two guest artists man can rhym e, true . \'{!h en I think bac k to last year , on Mary's work he isn 't rea lly tr emb lin g at the thought of the continu ous have utiliz ed it saying any-thing. strugg le to achieve what litt le we h ave now ; as a step pin g Th e album is the only word t hat comes to mind is sto ne for about four hit s miracle. releasing their deep , and that's The ta sk t hat is placed before us due to own so lo LPs . str each in g it. lack of commitment and using an They are The Th ey includ e the organi zation for oth er pe rsonal benefits is No - tor i ous afo;e-mentioned tidiou s. '.\'ot onl y do we hav e to produce B.I.G's Ready to " Flava in Ya thr ee con sec utive exce llent issues, but we Die. (Bad Ear '·, "When God have to rai se funding in ord er to do so. Boy/Arista), and Comes " , and If you ,viii allow me to digres s for a Cra ig Mack 's "Real Raw". mom ent , I will take you on the journ ey of project: funk the I ha ve vastly th is paper that my mind travels on a dialy wo rld .( Bad re a d y t 0 die different impr es· bas is. we are under m icroscop ic watc h by Boy/ Arista) sions from these the :'viedia Advi sorv Boar d whom , b eca use The release of two new releases, of lack of producti\ rit) ' sliced our bud get rhe singles, '·Part y and between East and West but I give props to both thr ee tim es thu s far. Bull -sl1*t" off of the Coast on his debut , and of these artists for having Who's the M an hits hard on nearly every the inn er drive to come T he ana lysis of ou r past history with our soundtr ack. "Fla~'a in Ya cut on d1e album . I leave out at all. Both products rea dership tell s us that our paper is at times Ear " have pr eci-pit ate d my self wide open for must be recognized as du ll. bor ing. r epeatat ive in sty le. and muc h an ticip a-tion for prais ing individual cut s, what they are; slices of lac king orgina l format. Ther efore a to tal solo proj ects. Th eir but my current favol'ites time in the temporal con metemorphi sis of th e newspaper had to fn estyle add-ons ha ve are "Ready to Die" "The tinuum of Black music , take plac e. I made them under-ground What " (la.st spr,iu g's and therefore historically Th e history of the Ony.'CI nformer tells us Dons. :\ow it 's up to subterranean A-Bomb)," significant. Unfortunately that we are on e of the on ly type of Biggie and Craig Mack to Everyday Struggle", and for the listener, some of newpap er in existanc e in th e grea ter Boston set it off and Jive up co "Unbelievable". these slices are B./. G.ger a rea . Cat erin g to issu es conc erning the their fat billing. Craig Mack had ·'t he and '·fatter" than others. min ority community on campu s and abro a d. Thu s it is imp erativ e that we continu e t he trad ition t hat wa s laid down for u s by our fou n der s over twenty years ago. m'.be®npx 3Jnformer --Rusk. kill , de strov , So ·ess .... Rush , kill , Co-Editor Lori D :\elson clestr v. Str ess.. .. · Co-Editor Kimberly Jones · - O,ganized Confusion Managing Editor Kathia Desronvi.l I had to tak e you on that menta l journ ey Sports Editor YlerlinAubourg with me ... ther e ar e som e thing s th at a.re Copy Editor Korey Whitfield hard to compre hend on your own ... it is beca use of thi s that The Onyx Informer Staff Ylakda Bertrand, Valeska Daley, needs th e support of our readers now mor e th an ever. Shanan X Jones, Chuck Knight, Dilan Mahendran, Kyra Ramos, Yeah , I kno w y 'all are thinkin ' support Dina Shackleton, Carleen what ? Stlpport som ethin g n ew, som ethin g that will cater to what you want to r ead and Thelot, John-Mara Youte nee d to know. Please address letters to: So for all y'a ll who feel that we are n 't The Onyx Informer, Northeastern University, Room 447 about anyt hin g pl ease k eep watching th e Fill Center, Boston, MA 02115, (617) 437-2250. sign for som ethin g n ew and imp rove d . The views expressed in The Om•x Informer arc those of the - Lori Nelson author and not necessarilv those of the administrationof ~ortheastern T.;niversity Orthe Onyxln former'Editorial Board. October t 994 The Onyx Informer Page5 Consciousness of Love By Dino Shack leton
As we sisters grow in awareness, we continue to transform our lives and develop a deeper sense of our wonh. Love is an absolute nourishment for the soul, yet at time s it can be a di sastrous cancer for the heart. Women today have a gift, an essence to love unconditionallv . Our black wo~ en's efforts to keep hope and love alive are being seen in our black males ' eyes from a weary distance. We sisters and brothers need to create s pace for di sagreement and di scussion without slaying each other. We have to make an effon to co=unicate with patience and clarity witho ut bittern ess or an ger. The challenge is to maintain a loving center regardless of how th e other per son is behaving . Now this does not mean we should settle for less: however, by making our prioriti es clear to ourse lves, our choice in what we should and shouldn 't tolerate will b e determined . Each of us is at a different point in ach.ieving self-awaren ess and understanding her life . We must try to love one another as we would like to be loved. The type of love that suppon s us whether we are right or wrong , whether we behave with that strong affection and tenderne ss, or in a bad mann er. Love is not perfect . we just n eed to simply accept people for who they are and how they are. As long as their behavior i s not life-threathening and dangerou s. It is possible to be happy with a lover who is not the model p erson we had in mind . I'm not suggesting that w e should c9mprom ise our stan dards. but that we relax our demands . We tend to g et fru strated with our partners for not being that By Shana n X Jone s perfect si gni.ficant other which we call our Well. h ere we are " dream man. " Al bac k at th e old NC, though we shouldn 't t rying to fi gh t the settle for less and we powers of op-p ress ion should strive for p er one ":\10 " time. And if fection. we shouldn 't we ru·e blessed we shall . let that 10 percent of Let me, before we go what is mi ssing ov er· an v further , state mv shadow the 90 percent case to YOU: Blac k that i s great . You don 't :\ NOlfJltEASTERN FJELDH OOCE'r NORTHEASTERN VOLl.EYIIAlt. NORTlffAS'TDN WIN'S aoss COUNTKY NOaTHLUTDN WOMEN'S aoss COUN'RY ScrnMIUI SU'nMIDI JUff.MIUI VNH.~•UCONN ,.,,.. ~ ,.,,.. a\lT CEU l UO P"" Fri. ,S.,t lln"P"'T OUmatfWfll """"'"'" ....,._H~ ~· ' NOUliWDTEllN l 8 1ack Like Me, 1 Isn't that what you see? BL .ACK FAC T 'S Am I not a reflection of what you SEPTEMBER 1. 1975 see in your family tree? Do you General Daniel (Chappie) James Jr. was promoted to rank of four dislike what I do causing you to star general and named commander-in-chief of the North American Air ridicule? Do you dislike my sense Defense Command. of peace to which because of you SEPTEMBER 12. 1974 must cease? Why don't you like me Haile Selassie was deposed by military leaders after 58 years as the ruling monarch in Ethiopia . shou ld I care, should I bother? Is it Jack of my understanding when I SEPTEMBER 15. 1963 Four black girls were killed in the bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist holler stay strong my Brother, my Church in Birmingham. Sister. Are the words difficult to SEPTEMBER 15, 1964 conceive or is it just that you don't Reverand K.L. Buford and Dr. Stanley Smith were elected to the truly believe that you are black like Tuskegee City Council. They were the first black elected officials in me? Shouldn't we rejoice in this Alabama of the Twentieth Century. our race, from where all creeds of SEPTEMBER 27. 1912 greatness trace? To the sister W.C. Handy's first published blues composition, "Memphis Blues," went walking by while others snicker, on sale in Ylemphls. suck their teeth and sigfr be proud to be who and what you are , as we struggle through this place learning not to trust any smiling face , should we think of unity and its effects on him , her and me. To the brothers who always prove, either too blunt, too cool, or too smooth is there any way to bring about any type of peace to place without the business of unity? Put aside the petty past , it is only us who who will watch our own backs , let us look to how to improve our brother and sisterhood. Not only to a fraternity or soror ity _but to any one who looks like him, her or me. To disrespect by any means we should not do, if the shoe's reveresed would you like the disrepect to be smiling at you? Are you really black like me, for surely then you would see , it is no longer a question or second guess, we have to be strong together to Dear Zora By Makda Bertrand successfully pass this test. Where do we go from here you may ask? Hit am hoping back to the looking I am Zora , the new advisory columnist (Dear Abby) for the Onyx Informer. First , I would like to welcome all the newcomers and glass, for deep soul searchi ng is upperclassmmen. I look forward to responding to letters seeking what we need to bring about the advice regarding any type of issue and other important information as unity of our creed . If you are not well. strong enough stay behind, we As a part of life, we are faced with a variety of problems every day, need the strong, the sure, and the but we sm;netimes find ourselves in predicaments that we cannot proud to fight this blind. Unity for handle nor decipher. There will be times when you do not have anyone to confide in; times when you feel that you do not posess any you and me, a better sense of direction. If the situation becomes extremely difficult or underst anding of the essence of seems enigmatic, and you want to find a way out, well your girl Zora being black like me. is here to provide you with wise, prompt and effective advice or information. - Lori Nelson