Finding Strength Through Loss Being Black at a Mostly White Institution

Felton withdraws Visit our website for more infomation on Jalek Felton’s withdrawal from UNC on Thursday. 125 YEARS OF SERVING UNC STUDENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2018 VOLUME 126, ISSUE 4 Finding strength through loss Being Black at a mostly white institution Institutional whiteness at UNC can isolate Black students By Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez Staff Writer At a University where only 38.7 percent of students are people of color, and only 7.8 percent self-identify as Black or African-American only, it is common for Black students to feel uncomfortable or targeted by microaggressions. Senior Aaron Epps, president of The Black Student Movement, said Black students often struggle to adapt to the environment of predominantly white institutions like UNC, especially if they come from a majority Black community like he did. “It’s just a different pool at UNC,” he said. “It’s hard to navigate a very, very inherently institu- PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ROHLMAN FAMILY tionalized white space.” Current UNC men’s basketball player Aaron Rohlman with his mother, Deborah, and his father, George, after a high school football game. Having previously attended predominantly Black schools and a more diverse university before UNC, junior Alex Robinson said she Aaron Rohlman is driven by his late father, George, and faith felt out of place when she transferred to the University as a sophomore. JV team in his first year, he is finishing up his First, there was always classic rock — George’s “All of the resources for transfer students and By Chapel Fowler second straight season on the varsity roster. favorite genre. He and Aaron sang along to it on out-of-state (students) that focus more on social Sports Editor He is a national champion, and poised for a every trip. Then, there was a running joke that life, they’re very predominantly white as well,” medical career after he graduates in May. worked best when Aaron sat shotgun. she said. “It was really intimidating, because Leaning back in a leather chair in the His drive to succeed stems from tragedy: the “If I was wearing shorts, I’m getting even in these spaces that were ‘geared toward Smith Center players’ lounge, Aaron Rohlman death of a parent a little over three years ago. smacked on the inside of my left thigh,” Aaron me,’ they were very much so predominantly recites Jeremiah 29:11 from memory: On his senior night, his mother Deborah will said. “I’m like, ‘OK, well that’s just unneces- white, and honestly I was really uncomfortable.” For I know the plans I have for you, declares be in the crowd. His father George will not. sary.’ We had so many good times together.” Robinson said at Carolina she sometimes the Lord. Plans to prosper you, not to harm “It’s hard for us to step back and look from The Rohlmans lived in Silver Peak, Nev., a finds herself being the only Black person in the you; plans to give you hope, and a future. God’s view and say, ‘All right, that’s what He’s small mining town, until Aaron was 10. It was a room, and therefore she feels the obligation to Rohlman is 11 days away from his first and doing. This is what He’s doing,’” Rohlman job offer that took George, who worked in chem- constantly be a representative for her race. only career start as a member of the North says. “We just get what we know, and we don’t ical production, and his family to Gastonia, N.C. “I feel like it’s traumatizing to have to be Carolina men’s basketball team. Against know a whole lot. I pray for understanding Aaron was soon involved in recreational in these spaces and have people say ignorant Miami on Feb. 27, he will play the first two every night — ‘Why did you take Dad?’” basketball, football and baseball. And George, things to you, or about you, or about your race, minutes of the game on senior night and leave “It could be anything,” he continues. “It who was a black belt in taekwondo, was dedi- and having to correct them constantly and hav- the court to a standing ovation. could be to give me this story.” cated to a men’s recreational league. ing to educate them,” she said. But for now, Rohlman, wearing a white George said his palms were too small to dunk According to the UNC Office of Institutional Jordan brand T-shirt and taking sips from a ‘Best dad I could ask for’ a basketball, but bragged about being able to Research and Assessment, admission rates for bottle of Propel, reflects on what brought him to where he is today. After failing to make the On car rides, two things were certain. SEE AARON ROHLMAN, PAGE 7 SEE PWI, PAGE 7 Student government grants DTH $1,000 for travel money DTH staffers have paid up to Now with the DTH facing From that request, the committee that we wanted to answer before financial difficulties, the Board granted funding of $1,000 which we went to ask the student body hundreds of dollars out-of- of Directors decided to take may decrease pending a final for this,” Hess said. “It’s why we pocket for travel. advantage of the paper’s status as review. asked specifically for funding for an officially recognized student “Since we’re serving the travel. It does not impact the jour- By Lorcan Farrell organization and apply for a small University with our sports cov - nalistic integrity of the DTH by Staff Writer amount of funds to cover student erage, we’re serving our students saying, ‘We’d like money to drive expenses. that way. We think it’s fair that we to San Antonio.’” When the Undergraduate “We realized that at this point ask for some money to cover that,” Even if the money was for some- Senate met Tuesday evening, it was students are paying out of pocket Queen said. “The board’s posi - thing other than travel expenses, business as usual. But with a sim- to send other students, or to go tion last fall, when we resolved to the amount would be too small to ple procedural approval of the con- (themselves), to things like the make this request, is that now is as make a significant difference in the sent agenda, the Undergraduate national championship game, for good a time as any to ask for some DTH’s budget. Senate did something it had not which they are not being reim - money to help with the things “It is a very small amount of done in 25 years: approved student bursed,” said John Hess, treasur- that serve students and serve the money in the grand scheme of government funding for The Daily er of the DTH Board of Directors. University community.” our budget, so it’s not going to Tar Heel. “These costs are not coming back The DTH originally stopped make a big difference in day-to- “The DTH used to get a sig - because the DTH simply doesn’t receiving funding from student day operations,” Perel said. “But nificant amount of student fee have the money to reimburse fees in order to remove any ques- the board wanted to look at ways funding – in the six figures,” said them.” tions of journalistic integrity. This they could use our status as an Erica Perel, general manager of The board made a presentation new funding is different and will in officially recognized student the DTH. “We defunded ourselves to the Undergraduate Finance no way affect the paper’s indepen- group to enhance student expe - DTH/NATHAN KLIMA in 1993 because of the conflict Committee asking for $2,000 said dence, Queen said. rience.” Computers lined up in The Daily Tar Heel’s there.” Matt Queen, the board president. “That was one of the questions [email protected] new office after the move. Celebrating the PRINT NEWS AND 125th Anniversary of RAISE HELL The Daily Tar Heel THE DAILY TAR HEEL AND THE EVOLUTION OF A MODERN UNIVERSITY unc “The Daily Tar Heel serves as the university’s gyroscope.” KENNETH JOEL ZOGRY press —Former UNC System president William Friday 360 pages 130 illustrations $39.95 #PRINTNEWSRAISEHELL Available at Student Stores or at www.uncpress.org Good night, and good luck. EDWARD MURROW 2 Friday, March 2, 2018 News The Daily Tar Heel The Daily Tar Heel www.dailytarheel.com Beating Duke just became even sweeter Established 1893 The winners of Saturday’s WANT TO GO? 125 years of editorial freedom contest will win free waffles When: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, TYLER FLEMING March 4 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF from Waffle House. Where: E. Franklin Street Waffle [email protected] By Laura Brummett House, but only if UNC wins JESSICA SWANSON What: Free waffles MANAGING EDITOR Staff Writer [email protected] Waffle House will be giving away House is also giving the winning RACHEL JONES free waffles, hash browns and coffee school a donation of $10,000 for ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR on Monday to the fans of the win - their general scholarship fund. [email protected] ning school in Saturday’s Duke vs. Waffle House has done similar COREY RISINGER UNC rivalry basketball game. events in the past and in total has DIRECTOR OF ENTERPRISE The Waffle House Wager giveaway served fans over 8,100 waffles, 5,100 [email protected] will last from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. at orders of hash browns and 6,000 KIANA COLE either the 9th Street location in cups of coffee and given out $35,000 DIRECTOR OF PROJECTS AND Durham or the East Franklin Street in scholarship money.

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