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Spelm
The Voice of African-American Womanhood
Volume XXXIV iVo.2
November 1. 1990
Ashby Street
No Thru-Way;
by Angela D. Gravely
Special to the Spotlight
The closing of James P. Brawley
Drive marked the beginning of several
proposed campus changes, according to
an Atlanta University Center (AUC)
administrator.
Mr. Charles R. Stephens, executive
director of the University Community
Development Corporation (UCDC), said
the Brawley Drive closing is part of a
comprehensive plan to connect four
AUC schools - Clark Atlanta
University (CAU), Morehouse College,
Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM),
and Spelman College.
Additional street conversions include
Greensferry Avenue. Westview Drive,
and Welboum Street.
Stephens explained CAU’s move to
close James P. Brawley Drive, between
Greensferry Avenue and Fair Street,
prompted the other three institutions to
examine the effects that the proposed
plan may have on their institutions.
Lawshe Street
AUC Blocks It Off
The plan creates one large academic
community, with vehicular access only
for emergency and service vehicles.
"The presidents of the other schools
wanted to ensure their campus would
be accessible," said Stephens.
The proposed plan consists of two
phases, the construction of three
pedestrian malls and the installation of
two parking decks.
Phase one, the three pedestrian
malls, are estimated to:
* Cost approximately Si.2 million.
* Include wire and lighting
installation; brick work;
landscaping; and security guard
booths at the entrances of CAU,
Morehouse and Spelman.
* Include signs for the AUC
schools to welcome visitors and
create visibility.
* Be completed within three years.
Phase two, the construction of two
parking decks are estimated to:
* Hold 700 cars.
* Create a parking problem for
students during the construction.
"Yes, it is another issue...the
parking deck at Sears in West
End Plaza is a thought, but
talks have not begun between us
and Sears," Stephens said.
* Be completed within two years
following phase one.
A cost fbr phase two has not been
estimated out institutional funding and
governmental assistance will be needed,
Stephens added.
He also noted, however, that the
entire UCDC has not consented to the
construction of the two parking decks.
Interdenominational Theological
Center (ITC) and Morris Brown
College hold equal shares in the land
along with the other four institutions
and may not see any benefit for their
particular schools. As a result, the land
may not be released.
At this time, the presidents of ITC
and Morris Brown have not responded
to the UCDC proposal, said Stephens.
Students expressed mixed reactions
to the proposed campus renovations.
Tandra Simpkins, a Spelman
sophomore explained, "I think we need
more parking space; it’s a must, but it’s
an inconvenience for students who
don’t go to Spelman and Morehouse."
A CAU student can park in the
decks, but wouldn’t be able to park
closer to a CAU academic building,
she continued. "They should improve
student parking at the individual
schools - build decks for each school."
Chris Schwartz, a Morehouse
freshman said, "It would be good to
help unify the campuses, but it leaves
out the other schools - Morris Brown
and ITC."
"It’s a catch-22," said Gary Smith,
a Morehouse junior. "It’s designed to
alleviate problems, but it is creating
more."
He continued, "Traffic is backed up
on Fair and Ashby streets because we
have to go around. There has got to
be a better way."
What You Don’t Know Could Kill You
by Nissa Walton
AIDS, the dreaded four letter
acronym which, for many people, is
synonymous with death, has rapidly
become a formidable enemy of the
world’s population.
AIDS (Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome) knows no
barriers. The disease can touch any
person regardless of age, race, gender
or socioeconomic level. This
characteristic has proven to be
devastating to many people
especially African-Americans.
The AIDS epidemic has hit
African-Americans hard and seemingly
without mercy. According to the
Center for Disease Control, as of
March 1989, 90,990 cases of AIDS
were reported in the United States. Of
those reported cases, 51,987 were
white, 24,328 were African-American
and 13,811 were Hispanic. Although
whites still constitute the majority of
AIDS cases, the numbers of African-
Americans and Hispanics contracting
the disease are far greater than their
relative percentage in the population.
African-Americans constitute 12
percent of the population, yet we
represent 27 percent of the AIDS
cases. Hispanics constitute 7 percent
of the population and 15 percent of the
AIDS cases. In addition to those
discouraging statistics, it has been
found that 56 percent of all children
under the age of 13 at the time of
diagnosis are African-American and
among the cases in women, 53 percent
of the cases are African-American
women.
As we try to fight the crippling
effect of this disease, it is important to
focus on prevention and recognize the
behaviors which put people in the high-
risk groups.
IV drug use along with
homosexual and bisexual activity are
classified as high-risk behaviors. In
the realm of the African-American
community, 41 percent of all African-
American men who contract AIDS fall
into the category of IV drug users or
sexual partners of an IV drug user.
African- American women make
up 72 percent of this category while
our white counterparts constitute 50
percent.
Although IV drug use is an almost
sure-fire way of contracting AIDS, the
subject of sexuality also comes into
play. Homosexual and bisexual
practices are posing serious threats to
the African-American community.
Unlike the white gay community, the
African-American gay community is
not as organized nationally which
makes it difficult for experts to identify
and target homosexuals and bisexuals
for education and prevention programs.
Since there is no cure for AIDS,
education is the only key to controlling
the deadly disease. With emphasis on
prevention, it is important for African-
Americans to leam the facts and take
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Man Enters Dorm At Dawn; See Page 3