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PERSPECITVE
2 September 2013 SpelmanPaper@gmail.com
The BluePrint
PRESIDENTIAL CORNER
Living the Dream at Spelman
By Dr. Beverly Tatum, Spelman President
As the nation observed the 50th anniversary of
the March on Washington, I listened to many speeches
about the unfinished agenda of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr.’s dream. One of the best I heard was that given
by Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who like most of our
Spelman students today, was not even alive when the
March on Washington happened.
He said, “My father told me, ‘You are enjoying
freedoms, opportunity, technology, things that were
given to you bought by the struggles and the sacrifices
and the work of those who came before....You
drink deeply from wells of freedom and liberty and
opportunity you did not dig,’’’
That statement is true for all of us. We all “drink
deeply from wells...we did not dig” and so we must
pay it forward with our commitment to excellence
and positive social change. We must be committed to
opening doors of opportunity for people who look like
us and for people who don’t, for people who speak like
us and for people who don’t, for people who worship like
us and for people who don’t, for people who love like us,
and for people who don’t.
For many people, coming to college represents the
first opportunity to engage deeply with people whose
life experiences are very different from their own.
Even though Spelman is a historically Black college for
women, there is much more diversity than one might
imagine just looking across our campus. Some of the
people we get to know may be people we have been
taught to mistrust - maybe because of social class, or
skin color, or sexual orientation, or religion, or physical
disability, to name just a few of the categories that
sometimes separate us from each other. Engaging in a
meaningful way with those we have been socialized to
mistrust requires some courage. Why? Because we have
to be brave enough to have our assumptions challenged.
The reality is we all have misinformation about people
different from ourselves.
"that misinformation has come to all of us from the
way we heard our parents and teachers and friends talk
about other people, and the way we saw those “Others”
treated in comparison to how we ourselves were treated.
No matter who you are or
how old you are, you have
been a part of this process.
That misinformation is so
common, so pervasive, it is
like smog in the air, and none
of us can avoid breathing it.
And if you breathe in smog,
you are sooner or later bound
Dr. Beverly Tatum to breathe some out.
This is why we have to
be courageous enough to be willing to make mistakes.
Because if you want to engage with people different
from yourself, you are bound to make mistakes, perhaps
inadvertently using offensive language (because that is
the language you grew up with), or acting on erroneous
assumptions (because they are so deeply ingrained). If
we are honest, we can all think of a time when we said or
did something that revealed our smog-breathing past.
We can take comfort in knowing that everyone
makes mistakes. But, knowing you will make mistakes
does not mean that you don’t have to take responsibility
for the mistakes you make. Ignorance is common but
in a learning environment it cannot be tolerated as a
permanent condition. We now have the opportunity to
seek out new information and correct the misinformation
we have internalized. When we do that it increases our
ability to truly see, hear, and understand each other in
our full humanity. We all want that affirmation - to be
seen, heard, and understood - for who we really are, not
as the figment of someone’s imagination shaped by years
of incomplete or distorted information.
The beloved community of Dr. King’s dream is
within our reach if we open our hands to embrace it.
Readers, I hope each of you thinks about how you can
make Spelman a welcoming place for all through the
interactions you have with each other every day - in
person - or in the virtual world of social media. When
we do, we honor the efforts of those who came before us
and one important way we can all “pay it forward!”
Letter from the SGA President
Greetings to the Class ot 2017!
I hope that you are adjusting well to your new home
away from home. Within the past few weeks I have had
the opportunity to be among all of you during your New
Student Orientation activities, so in that capacity I am
sure to be a familiar face. I want to however take this
opportunity to introduce myself a bit more informally.
I am Shanteal Lake, a senior Political Science
major from Augusta, Georgia. I have an older
sister, a younger brother and a nephew on the
way!
When 1 arrived at Spelman I had some
pretty focused plans. I knew exactly what
residence hall I wanted to live in, what I
wanted to major in, and what I wanted to
do after graduation. What 1 did not know
was how the heck I was going to get there. I tried a few
things, joined a few organizations and even had a few
jobs. However, the act that gave me the most clarity
was listening: listening to God, family, mentors, and
especially myself.
I could tell you all about my journey from the time
I received my acceptance letter to Spelman up until now.
But I would rather give you a few words of wisdom and
save that conversation for when we meet in person.
Right now, I want to share with you the three things that
have kept me going through my matriculation:
Keep God First
Knowing that I have an unwavering source of love,
trust, guidance, and support in my Lord and Savior
keeps me motivated and hopeful in everything in which
I am involved or experience.
By: Shanteal L. Lake, C’2014
slake 1 @scmail.spelman.edu
Remain Genuine and Passionate.
Stay true to WHO you are and WHAT you are.
Never compromise your beliefs and morals. Involve
yourself with things and people that add value to your
life. Value can often be determined when a high level of
nurture, consideration, and respect is present. Whenever
you find yourself wondering if something
or someone is truly for you, ask yourself,
“Am I always being nurtured, considered
and respected?” It is even more important
to make sure you are doing those things
for yourself.
Shanteal Lake
Hold your head up HIGH
In life there will be times when we face
opposition both expected and unexpected.
Either way it is imperative to vigilantly pursue your end
goal. When you know that the path you are on has been
forged specifically for you there is nothing that can stop
Him. So walk with pride, courage, and strength and
know that the only way to discover treasure is to take
the time and dig.
Class of 2017 get ready for an integrated
learning experience that will blow your mind. I have
recognized your talents, seen your beauty, and felt your
passion. Now I am ready to hear your voices. You have
arrived and your time is now. Welcome to Spelman
College!
With sisterly love,
Shanteal L. Lake
Student Government Association President
Why Syria Matters to Everyone
By: Ko Bragg C2015
Syria has the attention of the
entire world. College professors,
dictators, diplomats, and everyday
citizens alike are all attuned to what
has been transpiring in Syria during
this period of civil unrest, as can be
confirmed by the overwhelming
media coverage.
Background
To give a little background
information, Syria was a contributing
nation to The Arab Spring in March
of 2011, during which many Middle
Eastern nations revolted against
their oppressive governments. In
Syria the protesters openly expressed
their desire for the end of the Ba’ath
Party regime, which has been largely
maintained by President Bashar
al-Assad whose family has been in
power since 1971.
The Assad family, though
stemming from a minority Islamic
group themselves, has been noted to be discriminatory
towards Syria’s ethnic minority groups. President
Bashar al-Assad’s father, and former president of
Syria, implemented free market policies that benefited
businessmen closely linked to the family and
consequently increased prices for common folk.
As Fox news documented in 2012, most of those
rebelling in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, were poor,
religiously conservative, and ergo not receiving the same
benefits of wealthier Syrians in the religious majority.
These people were deeply affected by the increase of
free market policies, which broadened the gap between
Syria’s rich and poor. All of these factors were major
components in the Arab Spring.
The Arab Spring showed how fiercely people wanted
to organize change, and due to the technological age in
which we live, the world had a transparent view into
what was really going on from a citizens’ perspective.
However, what started as an uprising has violently
turned into a civil war in Syria. Though the Syrian civil
war started just about two years ago, recent unfoldings
have re-launched the crisis into the forefront of world
news.
Recent Unfoldings
On Aug. 21 the nation watched in awe as men,
women, and children of all ages were gassed to death
using chemical weapons that violate international law.
Even when the long-term suspicion that Syria had
been using chemical weapons against its civilians was
confirmed, the Obama administration was hesitant to
send military support and weaponry despite Obama’s
declaration in 2012 that chemical weapons cross a “red
line” and trigger immediate, forceful responses.
Now, here we are in 2013, the red line only bolder
and more solidified after the world saw unconfirmed
videos and images of the chemical attacks in Ghouta,
Syria—specifically in a district that adjoins the capital,
Damascus.
According to Doctors Without Borders, an
international medical humanitarian organization, the
three hospitals they support received “3,600 patients
displaying neurotoxic symptoms in less than three hours
of the morning of Wednesday, Aug 21. Of those patients,
355 reportedly died.” The UN is currently investigating
the attack.
President Obama spoke on Tuesday, Sept. 10 after
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has decided to take a more diplomatic route. Secretary
of State John Kerry has been involved in a series of
meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
in Geneva. On Saturday, Sept. 14 the U.S. and Russia
formed a pivotal deal that aims to dismantle Syria of its
chemical weapons.
According to a report by The New York Times, as of
Sunday, Sept. 15, Syria has been given a week to submit
a comprehensive list with names, type, and quantity
of the chemical weaponry it currently holds and all
information pertaining to storage, production, and
development. Ultimately the goal is to rid Syria of all
chemical weapons by mid 2014—a very ambitious goal
that has no room for deterrence.
Our Role
Sometimes as Americans, who are far off in our
own isolated union of states, we have the luxury of being
able to turn the other cheek to events in the Middle
East. More specifically as college students it is easier to
tune out peripheral distractions as a way to be the best
student possible—even if that means falling behind in
current events.
No one can afford to overlook Syria right now. Often
times events of this magnitude can sometimes seem so
convoluted with government jargon that it’s hard to
even know where to start. Nevertheless it’s important to
realize that we live in a world that is interconnected now
more than ever, and mass atrocities and denial of human
rights should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
As Spelman women we matriculate under the
promise that we will leave ready to change the world;
you have to know about the world in order to change
it. Even though you are not in the boardroom with
President Obama nor are you boarding private jets to
attend meetings with Russian diplomats, you as a citizen
of the world have a responsibility to understand what is
going on.
Check back in future editions of The BluePrint,
The Maroon Tiger, as well as online sources such as
CNN (which has daily breakdowns in a listed format of
new developments), and credible news sources’ twitter
accounts.
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First Edition Staff
Editorial Staff
Ko Bragg, Editor-in-Chief
Ayanna Runcie, Managing Editor
Jasmine Ellis, Associate Editor
Raquel Rainey, Copy Editor
Contributing Writers
Lydia Hayes, C’20l4
Houston Scott C2014
Kamron Taylor C’20i5
Karys Belger C’20l6
Karimah Noble C201S
Simone Sears-Lyken C"2016
Alaja Phillips C2015
Kevona Belcher C'20l5
Dedra Mitchell C2014
Analisa Wade C'2016
Jordan Daniels C2016
Teri Davis C’2016
Alexis Dulan C’20l6
Business Team
Danyelle Carter, Public Relations Manager
Marli Crowe, Advertising Manager
Graphic Design
Aba Armoo-Daniels, C’2016
Featured Writers
Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum
Aysia Pate C’2014
Shanteal Lake C’2014
Emily Heyward C’2016
Andre Wilson, Morehouse College C’2015
Ain Ealey, C’2014
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