Award-Winning Authors Share Their Stories
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Senior art Spring , • 14. ti Hip Hop 4 P 4-1 r gallery Fever sue • 41It • Summit 1114 c!. , Page 6 Page 7 Page 6 en ■'e the CONCORDIAN The student-run newspaper of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota Vol. LXXXW/22 FRIDAY APRIL 13, 20 12 theconcordian.org Award-winning authors share their stories BY KATIE CAMPBELL Throughout the struggles of learning a StaffWriter new culture, Lai said that the most rewarding thing was reclaiming the power of language. When Nikky Finney, the 2012 National "It was so satisfying," she said. "When Book Award winner for poetry, was asked you re-claim language, you really re-claim why coming to the National Book Awards yourself" at Concordia was so important to her, she When she found out that she won the simply shook her head, pointed to the long National Book Award for her book, the only snaking line of fans eagerly waiting behind word Lai could find to describe it was "sur- me to meet her, and whispered, "That." real." Concordia hosted its seventh annual Na- Finney told how it was her mother and tional Book Awards on March 29. The event grandmother who taught her to love books. featured two 2012 National Book Award She recalled pointing out to her mother that winners: Nikky Finney in the category of po- there were no books about black people in etry for her book titled "Head Off & Split," the library. and Thanhha Lai in the category of young "I guess you'll have to write them your- people's literature for her book titled "Inside self," her mother told her. Out & Back Again." The Executive Director Her winning book of poetry, "Head Off of the National Book Foundation, Harold & Split," contains an array of poems about Augenbraum, was also a guest. the emblematic figures and events in African- According to Augenbraum, college American life, and, as Finney said that night, events like this are important because they al- she does not shy away from the topics of low campuses to be exposed to contemporary politics or other difficult subjects. writers and to put a face to them. By doing 'We have to be able to talk... one-on- so, "even writers of the past become more one about the things we don't agree with," immediate," he said. Finney said. The guest authors took turns throughout Both authors agreed that it's impossible the night explaining the motives behind their to separate politics from their writing because books and the paths they took to becoming politics happen to people in history. authors. Despite Finney suffering from laryngitis, Lai, who majored in journalism, eventu- she still whispered a captivating reading at the ally found it to be "so unbelievably boring" end of the night and stayed to sign auto- that she decided to give fiction a try. But even graphs and talk with students. after that decision was made, it still took a "People come out to hear poetry," she long time for Lai to become the writer she is said. "I want to be there to represent that tiny now book I love so much." "It took decades—it just took forever," Junior Matthew Bergquist went specifi- Lai said. However, the shift seemed inevitable cally to hear Finney's perspective on poetry for her. and to learn "how she became such a word- "If you begin to read, at some point, smith." you've got to write. It just happens," she said. "It was a matter of her being empow- Lai was born in Vietnam and at the end ered," he concluded. - -.7••••■•■■ • of the Vietnam War moved to Alabama with The evening's events inspired him to seek her family at the age of 10. Her winning new opportunities for writing and to find book, "Inside Out & Back Again," is a novel things to write about. in verse, and it tells the story of a 10-year-old PHOTO BY RACHELTORGERSON girl named Ha who moves to Alabama after Thanhha Lai, author of "Inside Out & Back Again," reads a section of her book at the National Book the Vietnam War. This is her first book. Awards event at Concordia March 29. More AWARDS ►I Page 3 Allergies present obstacles to DS Barry Scholars BY MEAGAN MCDOUGALL I ate," Young said. "I thought Stag Writer that was normal. Then, as announced I started talking to people Senior Adele Young BY STEPH BARNHART last round of the screening about it, I started learning sat sipping her drink as her Staff" Writer process for which they cre- that's not normal." ated 10-minute presentations friends dug into their Apple- Business students Young is one of many bee's half-priced appetizers. Christoffer Birch-Jensen and on a business article of their students that have a lim- choice. A panel of judges in- As chips dove into her fa- Matt Gantz have been select- ited diet at Concordia. Each vorite appetizer, spinach and ed as recipients of the first cluding Dean Greg Cant and spring, Dining Services ad- artichoke dip, Adele nibbled Barry Scholars Endowment. Marty Hoffman, a represen- ministers a survey to gain an her no-name, horrible tast- The scholarships, total- tative from The Barry Foun- idea of how many students ing allergen free power bar. ing $20,000 each, are a gift dation, asked questions of they have with special eat- The smell of the warm foods from The Barry Foundation. the candidates based on their ing preferences, such as veg- wafted through the air, and John Barry, the foundation's presentation. etarian or vegan. Of the 603 she looked on enviously, real- chair, is a member of the "I was just super excit- respondents last year, 24.7 izing the white rice and tuna Offutt School of Business ed," Birch-Jensen said of the percent said they had specific leftovers she ate before going Global Leadership Council. announcement that he had limitations, due to preference out for her 22nd birthday din- Each year, two sophomores won. "I had spent so much or allergies. ner were not comparable. with declared majors within time preparing my applica- After years of thinking "I normally don't miss the business school will re- tion and the presentation. I throwing up once a day and normal food much," Young ceive the endowment based wanted to give that personal needing—not wanting—to said. "They tasted good, but on their demonstrated leader- touch to it; it was so much fall asleep after a meal hap- I remember how it made me ship, high impact community work, so I was exhausted. pened to everyone, she want- feel, Yeah, I'll skip that feel- service or entrepreneurship, When I got the call, it took a ed answers. In December while to sink in that I actually ing?, and overall academic achieve- 2011, she tried cutting soy got it. I feel honored." In December, Young ment. out of her diet because of discovered that the reason Four finalists were se- Gantz, too, felt that he its prevalence in a wide vari- food felt "like it turned into a lected from a larger pool could breathe easier after be- ety of foods. She didn't feel rock" in her stomach was that of applicants who were re- ing notified of the results. better, she has food allergies – a lot quired to submit a resume "I was just mostly re- She then went to Cata- of them. After four rounds detailing • their involvement, lieved," he said. "We'd been lyst Medical Center in Fargo of testing, the doctors con- grades, class experiences and waiting on that moment for for allergy and food intoler- three months." cluded that wheat, eggs, a letter explaining how they ance testing. milk, corn, peanuts, chicken, view themselves as a leader Both Birch Jensen and "I'm not sure how I'm pork and beef cannot touch in the business school. Jacob Gantz have known they going to survive without my her plate, and pesticides and Amos and Reagan Whit- wanted to enter the business mom's tater-tot hotdish," she grass complicate the fresh ney were the other finalists. world for most of their lives. said. "It's my comfort food." PHOTO BY MEAGAN MCDOUGALL foods she can eat. Senior Adele Young stocks her apartment refrigerator. She was Like a March madness brack- "I always felt sick when More ALLERGIES * Page I 0 recently diagnosed with several food allergies. et, the final four entered the More SCHOLARS Page 3 INDEX WEEKEND WEATHER CONTACT US E-mail: [email protected] News pages 1-4,10 Campus Mailbox: FPO 214 "We are always the same age inside." Sports page 5 News Phone: 218.299.3826 PULSE pages 6 -7 Office: Fjelstad B03 -- Gertrude Stein Opinions pages 8-9 Ad Phone: 218.299.3827 Friday 60 °/46' Saturday 56 °140 ° Sunday 5 1 0/30 0 Online: theconcordian.org FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2012 NEWS SPOTS CONCORDIAN Obama, Romney dual over status The Niblet ASSOCIATED PRESS Both Romney and Obama have made appeals to the country than over-regulation of the free TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's economic ally One candidate is worth up to $250 million, Americans by highlighting more routine endeavors: market system, chosen by 37 percent. China urged all sides Tuesday in upcoming ran a private equity firm and plans to build an el- Obama ventured into an Irish pub on St. Patrick's Others, however, caution that Obama's nuclear talks to show "flexibility and sincerity" evator for the cars at his beach house.