SPECIAL FEATURE

BARACK OBAMA: THE ONLY CHOICE

U-N-I: LEADERS OF THE NEW SCHOOL

BLACK STUDENTS DESERVE TO BE IN

COLLEGE TOO!

FEATUREPG.10

QUESTLOVE FOR PRESIDENT? THE

LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN HIP-HOP AND BARACK OBAMA.

FEATUREPG. 8WHAT ABOUT THE BLACK COMMUNITY, MR. OBAMA?

A&EPG. 11SPLIT PERSONALITY:V.M.A WINNERS, U-N-I DISCUSS LEADING THE NEW SCHOOL, WHILE REMAINING AVERAGE JOES.

EDUCATIONPG. 7 THE BATTLE CONTINUES: BLACK STUDENTS FIGHT TO PROVE THEMSELVES WORTHY OF A QUALITY EDUCATION

PG. 5- DIASPORIC AFFAIRS- AFRICANS IN AMERICA- GHANAIANS TIGHTEN BELTS

pg. 13-14-CAMPUS -BLACK STUDENTS DESERVE TO BE IN COLLEGE!- HOW COMMUNITY BUILDING CREATES A BETTER COLLEGE EXPERI-ENCE AND HELPS ENSURE GRADU-ATION.- HERE WE STAND- THE STATE OF THE

CONTENTS

Editor-in-ChiefRenee RidgewayPilar Whitaker

Managing EditorMichael Gallin

Copy EditorMiranda Iredia

Public Relations Manager

Chandamheer Stacker

Business ManagerMatthew Love

Arts & EntertainmentFrances Harris

Campus AffairsChristina Marie Mitchell

EducationBianca Carrion

Contributing Writers: Kendra Arsenault, De’Ja Autman, Leilania Downing, D’Juan Farmer, Danyelle McGill, Leslie Schynder, Richard Stevenson, Jennifer WhiteContributing Writers: Kendra Arsenault, De’Ja Autman, Leilania Downing, D’Juan Farmer, Danyelle McGill, Leslie Schynder, Richard Stevenson, Jennifer White

Staff Writers: Lonisha Green, Brent McCloud, Martina Trejo, Christina Walters

Special Thanks: Amy Emmert, Frieda Farrier, Maria Iu, Emily Jaffe, Mike O’Conner, Maria Renteria, Arvli Ward

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The answer lies in the mis-per-ception of African American youth by their teachers, their administrators, their

peers, sometimes family and friends, but most importantly by themselves; and the impact that perception has on their

EducationBy Leilani Downing “Overcoming Educational In-Equity”

African-American youth are nearly 3 times more likely to be in-carcerated as a minor than their White counterparts in California. Likewise Af-rican- Americans are 3 times more likely than Whites to drop-out of high school without graduating; and of the African- American that do graduate only 25% are eligible to attend a 4 year institution, compared with 40% of White students and 55% of Asian-American students. While it is not conclusive as to whether more African- Americans are in jail than college, it does appear that compared with their white counterparts they are defi nitely less likely to be “tracked” for college than basic high school comple-tion (which currently in California are not equal). It would also appear that the lowered expectations also lead to a higher incarceration and high school drop-out rates for African American youth than the general population, and defi nitely than their white counterparts. What can be done to change these prac-tices?

Standing up and closing the educational gap

Can’t stop, won’t stop: Getting over negativity and into college

Brent McCloud , 1st year UCLA student

You Can Never be Too Personal

By Bianca Carrion

With UC application-fi ling dates quickly approaching (November 1-30) high school seniors are more worried about writing a personal statement than fi lling out tedious applications. While people usually associate personal statements with college appli-cations, in actuality people will continue to write personal statements throughout their life whether it is to get accepted into programs or applying for scholarships. Accepting the fact that you will probably write more than three statements about yourself will ease the writing process. In regards to college applica-tions, when beginning to write the per-sonal statement, think to yourself: “what have’t I already said in the application that will help give a description of my life?” For instance, think about this, if someone were to pick up your applica-tion, what sort of questions would they have? The personal statement is your time to answer those questions. General advice on writing personal statements is to be specifi c and creative. To write is to rewrite, so don’t be discouraged in start-ing over. Moreover, have unbiased peo-ple read it. Avoid overused topics, be-cause reading about common topics does not set you apart. If all else fails and it is the last day of the deadline, do not forget to answer the question that is presented.

future and opportunity. Given the data (on graduation and incarceration rates) and the negative media portrayal of Af-

rican Americans, it should come as no surprise teachers, administrators and classmates who have little experience or

contact with African American commu-nities outside of the classroom/school also have lowered expectations of the abilities of African American youth. So negative perception and lowered ex-pectations of African American youth should be expected by both the youth and their parents. The question now be-comes what impact this perception will have on the opportunities and future of the youth in question. The truth is our educational system is not designed to equally prepare all students for college. Our K-12 educational system is designed to function much like a business; and in business those who have the power make the decisions. Well, who has the power? Who makes the decisions? Does the community collaborate and decide what is best for its youth? Or are the decisions made by outsiders of these communities? Having been a former educator I can attest to the fact that in our current educational system the “de-cision makers” (teachers, counselors, administrators) have no solid under-standing of African American youth.(Continued on Page 14)

By Brent McCloud

“My Acceptance into UCLA was not a Fluke!”

I am a fi rst year college student at UCLA. I am one of the few black stu-dents who were admitted for the 2008-2009 school year. I took a chance, applied to a school I felt I did not have a good chance of getting into, and was accepted. Why did I not feel confi dent about my chances of being accepted into UCLA? People in my community would ask me why I applied to UCLA knowing I was not going to get in. People would make comments like, “the only blacks that ever go there are the athletes and the nerds.” Once I was admitted into UCLA, people’s reactions were just as interest-ing as before. When I would tell people that I was accepted, just about all of their responses would be, “Congratulations, so what sport are you going to play there?” Also, when individuals learned of my acceptance, they would make comments such as, “Young man you are a lucky guy” and “I am sure you believe in miracles now.” It is baffl ing to me why my endeav-ors to enter an institution of higher educa-tion would be looked at as a miracle or

pure luck when my Caucasian and Asian counterparts are expected to get into a uni-versity level college. Why, when we have all performed at equivalent levels that it is me, a student that is black must have had luck on my side instead of the hours I’ve put into my studies, the great applica-tion I submit-ted and my sheer ambi-tion and drive to increase the opportunities I will have for my future. Do we not all equal-ly deserve the same amount of recogni-tion based on our equal accomplishments? My acceptance into UCLA is defi nitely not a fl uke, but a byproduct of continu-ous hard work and dedication exerted by not only me, but by my fellow black stu-dents who came before me. This type of care is what we need much more of in a world that some say care less about the

minorities. There is no question the black inner city communities lack the neces-sary resources to consistently produce college bound, polished individuals who are prepared to take on the challenges

this American society will pres-ent to them. Regardless of the many injustices blacks endure, they must be resilient in their efforts to rise above the odds. As blacks, as a people con-tinue to fi ght for equality in every aspect of life, more of them will surge out of negative situations to shine their intel-lectual splendor. Will you be a part of these brilliant African Americans that display gran-deur in the midst of adversity?

Overcoming the vari-ous forms of academic discouragement requires

strength of mind, the desire to succeed, and the help of others. To conquer aca-demic discouragement and get into col-lege, black students must be equipped to take on all challenges that come their way, such as teacher and counselor be-littlement, lack of family support, and lack of proper resources in schools. Black students must (Continued on Pg. 14)

Students and their mentors stand together to bridge the gap at Washington Prep H.S

3

Arts & Entertainment Don’t call it a West Coast come back! Two regular guys from areas many of us call home are making it on’t call it a West Coast come back! Two regular guys from areas many of us call home are making it

work, and making the West Coast something to believe in once again. Whether it’s Y-O’s curly mohawk, or Thurzday’s infectious smile, its obvious they weren’t the run-of-the-mill rappers trying to pawn their al-bum off on you in Fox Hills Mall that LA is famous for. After getting a feel for their sense of humor, humility, and that infamous laid-back Cali manner at Joyrich on Melrose, NOMMO had the opportunity to spend time on the phone with Yannick “Thurzday” Koffi and Yonas “Y-O” Michael of U-N-I talking music, politics, and

the incredible grind to the top. They call themselves the leaders of the new school.

UNI: Leaders of New School or Ordinary People?

4

NOMMO: When I saw your album ti-tle, my mind immediately went to Little Brother’s Minstrel Show, and Nas’ N. Why did you name your debut album Fried Chicken & Watermelon?Y-O: We did that to grab people’s atten-tion, and really to break the stereotypes. West coast artists are always stereotyped as “gangsta” rappers, and folks think all Black people like fried chicken and wa-termelon. We’re not your typical LA art-ists. We’re breakin’ the mold of all that. We are reppin’ for all the regular people out there, with regular nine to fi ve jobs like us.NOMMO: Aside from the obvious fash-ion choices, how do I separate Thurzday from Y-O as far as styles go?T: We are both very versatile. We try to attack each song differently and not do the same thing over and over. Me, spe-cifi cally, I try to come with something lyrically clever. I try to say something lyrically powerful, you know?Y-O: I always noticed, when we fi rst start-ed, Thurz was very lyrical – he would use words I never heard of, and I’m like ‘hey that’s pretty dope’ [laughes]. He would be writing a song, and just bring out dic-tionary in the studio. I just realized this recently, but I like to paint pictures – I’m very visual, and there’s a melody to how I write. Its nothing I do on purpose, it just comes out like that. On “Love Supreme,” you’ll see a lot more singing from me. Not singin’ like Ne-Yo, but more of a melodic fl ow.NOMMO: What would I see if I looked on your iPods?T: Redman’s Muddy Waters. “Pick it Up” [by Redman] is a good way to start off the day. [I have] a lil’ bit of Slum Village. I got so many CDs in my car--De La – all their albums, Stakes is High, Three Feet High and Rising. I can keep going.Y-O: I been waking up the past two weeks to Umi Says, that song wakes me up every day. Other than that, Santogold, Bob Marley, Kenna, Evidence. Those are like in daily rotation. And, of course, UNI, that Love Supreme!NOMMO: What is U-N-I’s biggest chal-lenge?Y-O: Being independent. It’s a lot of

work, but we get the job done. There’s certain things we can’t do without that major label money behind us, but we defi nitely get the job done. But it’s crazy though; we got two videos out on MTV, but no actual album out.NOMMO: Speaking of MTV, what did it feel like to win the V.M.A for “Best New Breakout Artist” this year? T: It felt great [laughing]!Y-O: Man, I just--I couldn’t believe it. It was like a breath of fresh air. Just from the grindin’, of all the nights of no sleep, and even though we aren’t settling, it all paid off. I really believe in this – if we can do it from the place we came from, makin’things pop off with no money, anybody should be able to do it. You gotta have the right people around you to put you on the right path. Our whole lil’ team just celebrated. It was a wonderful night, a wonderful feeling. The next day, we got right back to work just like we didn’t win anything.NOMMO: Everyone is waiting for the West coast to get its swag back. What role do you see U-N-I playing in all this?T: We are the leaders of the new school!Y-O: That’s my answer.--Thurz just said it.T: Nobody sounds like us. Nobody good as us. We are the new leaders.Y-O: We have our own lil’ formula. Af-ter a couple of Grammy’s, we’ll write a book. But as of right now, we can’t let that out.NOMMO: Yeah, don’t let the secrets out now.Y-O: Leaders of the new school. We de-serve it. We have a bunch of stories, man. [We’re] just strugglin’ to make it.NOMMO: Like what? Tell me a story.Y-O: Hmm, which story should I tell?[Thurzday laughs]Y-O: It’s a lot of hard work, especially commuting from Palmdale to Inglewood, whenever we got something to do in the studio. Even with us having nine to fi ves,Sacrifi cing, making money to go do per-

formances, payin’ out of pocket to just go do shows in different states. Nobody was paying us--we did that. We put our jobs on the line for the music. Man, there was times when people would order our CD online, and we would get the order, and not even have the money to print the CD! But it’s all good, though, you got to go through the struggle to succeed. NOMMO: Where do ya’ll see Hip- hop going?T: Hip-hop is a cycle, like fashion. It started off at a most authentic point, when lyrics mattered, and emcees were like newscasters in neighborhoods – re-laying messages to

people of color. It’s c o m i n g back to that point, but its more di-verse now – across countries , across eth-nicities. No more of

that cookie cutter image. Now you got to be authentic, and have something to say.NOMMO: I know. But I want to switch gears. How does U-N-I feel about the race to the White House?T: Both candidates have fl aws, but like, I kind of agree more with Obama on more things. Its not about color, it’s that he’s the best candidate right now. Go to go with the best option. McCain, based on the debates doesn’t sound fi t for the position – he’s trying to base his candidacy on history, and being a war hero. I don’t think he has the knowledge or persona to fi ll the presidential role. Sarah Palin doesn’t have it at all either.NOMMO: Ya’ll are from Ingle-wood, & the police department has been in some hot fi re lately over killing innocent people. T: [singing] on the count of three say, ‘F the police!’Y-O: F the police! I can’t stand ‘em. I don’t even like talking bout cops. Even when I [was growing up] in Inglewood.

T: There are some good cops out there. I used to be a youth advisor for the Com-munity Service Division out in Pasadena. Some cops were cool, some weren’t. Some [police] get trained wrong, like when it comes to gang activities – they think every Black dude’s going to fi t that profi le. Some even start off good, but they get on their power trip, and start fee-lin’ omnipotent, and try to run sh-t in the streets.NOMMO: Omnipotent – one of those words huh, YO?Y-O: Yup!NOMMO: Switching gears, we talked a lot about grindin’ – but what do ya’ll do for fun?Y-O: Outside of music, we like to go to lil’ functions. I prefer house parties, be-cause in the clubs, you got the same ol’ groupie girls, same dudes we seen from the beginning. Back when we were trying to do something with them they wasn’t tryin’ to mess with us...now all of a sud-den they open their arms, and want to work with us.

Who wouldn’t want to work with the group who have already proven them-selves to be leaders of the “new school?” Whether you catch them at the park, house party, or the V.M.A.’s with a Moon Man in their arms, U-N-I is humble as any “Joe six-pack,” even though their

swag is oh-so-fl y.

“ Nobody sound like us. Nobody good as us. We are the new

leaders.”

By Christina Walter

pressPLAY Tired of the same lame stuff on the TV frame? Great! We’ve found some of the best events in LA so get out your agenda... you have something new to add to your TO-DO list!

compiled by Frances Harris

CHANGING SCENES WITH

BETTER LATE THAN NEVERTHROUGH Nov. 8Lost hope in the American dream? Regain it as African-American writer-performer Virginia Watson illustrates her success story along with obstacles she faced born in LA during dawn of the civil rights movement.STUDENT $20. $25 GENERAL. THURS. & FRI. 8:30PM. SAT 8PM. LOST STUDIO. 130 SOUTH LA BREA. (323) 769-5049. plays411.com

OF TULIPS & SHADOWS: THE VISUAL METAPHORS OF DEWEY CRUMPLETTHROUGH APRIL 26Escape 1-2-3 easy to interpret art as you enter the world of paintings and sculp-tures by Dewey Crumplet. The exhibit refl ects the way African-Americans trans-forms oppressing circumstances such as slavery or segregation in a way that is uplifting and empowering.FREE. TUES. - SAT. 10AM-5PM. SUN. 11AM-5PM CALIFORNIA AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSEUM. 600 STATE DR. (213) 744-7432

International Student Film Festi-val HollywoodNOV. 7 - NOV. 11The International Student Film Fes-tival Hollywood is back again and luckily you knowabout it well ahead a time. Join student fi lmmakers from all over the world and share inthe unique opportunity to see the future of international fi lm.$5 Student ($10 General). CALL FOR TIMES. NOHO Arts Dis-trict, North Hollywood 818-506-1066. isffhollywood.org

On the corner of E.41st and Hooper, a classroom of ten stu-dents from Jefferson High School, are learning hip hop “for real”. In the same room where they are groomed to be avid listeners dur-ing school hours, Mondays and Thursdays are fi lled with discus-sion of what Hip Hop really entails. There to answer and foster their growth in the matter are a handful of UCLA students who are part an organization here on campus called 4real Hop. The organization has sought out to promote the passion and truth that is stemmed creatively in Hip Hop at inner city high schools in the Los Angeles area. It is here, at their own walking ground, that the students are introduced to graffi ti art, poetry, dance, and the grand ol’ turn-tables. Mondays consist of tutoring, while bi-weekly on Thursdays the students are taken to The Justice Unit-ing In Creative Energy lab (J.U.I.C.E), that cleverly expresses the way in which hip-hop essentially is creativity. Veronica, director of Public Relation for 4real Hop, says that a difference has already been made in the academic progress of each student. “The students really have made improvements in their grades and have found a place to express themselves creatively outside the classroom”. This is evident through the rise of three students, who have found a place to nourish their talent through the J.U.I.C.E lab, and are now gaining popularity in the area with their group called “Local Stars”. Along with graduating, this has been the success of many high school students who have been affected by 4real Hop at UCLA since 2001. 4real Hop inspires the youth of tomorrow by contributing to their dreams and passions through poetry, Choreography, and all- around hip-hop.... for real hip-hop!

If you would like to volunteer, please contact Veronica at verodone@ucla.edu.

5

Art by Dewey Crumplet

4REAL HOP-De’Ja Autman

He’s no super-model, but Senator Barack Obama has become a modern day muse in the world of fashion, a world where politics has never been as pronounced as now. It is undeniable that the man who may be our next president is a highly inspirational fi gure, even in the world of New York, Parisian, and Italian high- fashion. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, Obama was the inspiration for Donatella Versace’s 2009 Spring-Summer collection. Not surpris-ingly, Versace describes her Obama inspired line as being created for “a relaxed man who doesn’t need to fl ex muscles to show he has power.” BarackObama.com currently sells high-fash-ion Obama clothing from designers such as Vera Wang, Juicy Couture, Tracy Resse, and Russell Sim-mons. In light of this, the Obama camp has truly redefi ned the term “campaign merchandising.” As with all fashion

trends, t h e obses-

sion with Obama apparel has trickled down into the mainstream in the past months. Illustrating the ubiquitous nature of Obama apparel, support-ers are often spotted in places where political conversations are left out-doors. It is not uncommon to spot Obama apparel in nightclubs, sport-ing events, and even the grocery store. “When pop-culture and poli-tics coalesce, it shows the development of a younger voter base,” says 22-year-old Yoon Joon. “Sometimes, in order to reach an otherwise disinterested youth, you need to be able to grab their attention.” Though Obama apparel is often criticized as being nothing more than a fashion trend, wearing an Obama tee-shirt seems to keep the pub-lic engaged in a political conversation, even when politics aren’t verbally be-ing discussed. More noticeably, Obama apparel has helped to spark political dia-logue and statements among those who have otherwise been politically silent. Christian Colbert, store manager of the über-trendy Up Against the Wall at the South Bay Galleria says, “Honestly, I think it’s more than a shallow fash-ion statement. People are really involved and wearing Obama clothes helps get other people involved because it captures attention towards the campaign.” Colbert’s store was one of three locations chosen by the Up Against the Wall corporate headquarters to display an over-sized Obama poster in their store window. The poster was designed by popu-lar clothing company, Obey, whose Obama apparel is also sold in the store.

“We took a risk of losing certain customers and it was a hard corporate decision to make. A lot of people have come by and are proud of the window and respect it. However, I’ve also had customers come in and tell us that they

won’t shop at the store anymore,” says Colbert. “We really did lose business because of it, so the win-dow was a big deal, but still a really important stand for us to make.” With the fashion and political world colliding as they have been over the past few months, there is no greater benefi t than the in-creasing number of voters that have come out as a result of it. “It’s each individual’s personal obligation to bring attention to

the effort,” says Colbert. “Us-ing fashion is a way to do that. It really is the least we can do.”

THE PEOPLE’S MUSETHE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION By Martina Trejo

Model walks the runway in Model walks the runway in Versace’s Obama inspired line. Versace’s Obama inspired line.

Up Against the Wall Barack Obama store window currently on display at the Southbay Galleria in Los Angeles, on display at the Southbay Galleria in Los Angeles,

thethe

A member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc A member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc wears an Obama shirt with his Greek letters at a step-show event. step-show event.

By Pilar Whitaker

While hosting a town-hall meeting in Saint Petersburg, Florida, Barack

Obama’s speech on the failures of gov-ernment was interrupted by a group of young people in the audience who stood up and began an unexpected chant- “What about the Black Community?” If Reverend Jesse Jackson’s comments that he would like to “cut [Obama’s] nuts out” for “talking down to black people” are any indication of the way that many in the Black com-munity have felt regarding his han-dling of the very question that the

St. Petersburg hecklers shouted, then the challenge to appease Black lead-ers and intellectuals has been diffi cult, at best, for the man who is on track to becoming our fi rst Black president. “There’s a hunger in our com-munity that’s born out of neglect and dis-enfranchisement- people really want that person to ‘be black,’ and to represent all of the values and goals associated with African-Americans,” says Dr. Darnell Hunt, Director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African-American Studies at UCLA. “Obama’s had to say ‘ok there

are certain val-ues I’ve had, but I’ve had to change them a little to ap-peal to the mainstream’” Though it is unlikely that Obama will lead the Black community to the promised- land and start releasing those long-awai ted r e p a r a t i o n checks once he assumes of-fi ce, the impact

that his presidency will have on racial relations and Black youth will be both unprecedented and far more signifi cant to the development of our community. “Young black kids growing up can now say ‘I want to be President of the United States’ and have a concrete role model to point to,” explains Dr. Hunt. “Someone told me that I could be presi-dent when I was 4, but did I believe it? No. A real benefi t of Obama’s election is col-lective self-esteem if one of us has been elected to the highest offi ce in the land.” Four-year-old Tobias Brown has also taken note of the elections this year, often referring to Barack Obama as “Uncle Bama.” The idea that chil-dren such as Tobias not only recognize the name “Barack Obama,” but feel as though he is somehow connected to him through actual lineage also reinforces the idea that our youth are starting to truly believe that they are apart of and can be something great in America. “Tobias defi nitely gets excited whenever he sees Obama come on screen,” says his mother April Brown. “He’s very

aware of who Barack Obama is and what he’s about. He defi nitely knows its pos-sible for him to be president one day.” Though the election of Obama will instill a more concrete “can-do” at-titude in Black youth, Dr. Hunt warns that the Black community must be vigilant for an onset of complacency towards working towards equality. “The temptation would be very strong for conservatives to say ‘there’s a Black president, what more do you want? The attitude that there’s no more racism can hurt us when we talk about things such as college admissions and affi rmative action,” says Dr. Hunt. For Obama supporters and

community advocates alike, the possibil-ity of ceasing the struggle for equality, however, counteracts the entire founda-tion of the Obama campaign that “Yes, we can,” which is not “Yes, he can.” According to Dr. Hunt, “What Obama does in offi ce will have a real ben-efi t to the Black community in terms of what sorts of policies he enacts. He has to be a president of all the peo-ple, so we want to know if the poli-cies he enacts will benefi t all people, but African-Americans specifi cally.” After all, it is not the President of the United States’ job to fi re all of the crooked cops in the country, hire quality teachers, and fi x California’s budget cri-

sis. Those are the jobs of mayors, gover-nors, and all of the other elected offi cials that stand between the common man and the President of the United States. Ultimately, Black folks not only need to ask Barack Obama “What about the Black community?” but the people who we have a direct hand in electing to offi ce, as well as our children’s teachers. More importantly, on November 4th, we should be asking ourselves “What about the Black community?” because not vot-ing for Obama or not voting at all will be the singular action that sets our commu-nity back- Not because he is Black, but because the alternative is so much worse.

4-year-old Tobias excitedly watches the Presidential debate with his parents. parents.

Hip- hop music has long existed in a complicated on-again off-

again, love-hate relationship with politics, mostly calling for the resis-tance of a system that many claim keeps Black people oppressed. How-ever, times have changed since Tu-pac fi rst rapped, “Though it seems heaven sent/ We ain’t ready to see a Black President.” After more than a decade of a perceived separation, Hip-Hop and the political arena seem to be back “on-again,” though the relationship has evolved into a har-monious duet between the two as a direct result of Barack Obama’s vie for President of the United States. Nonetheless, given their tumultuous history, can Hip-Hop and the po-litical arena truly exist so peacefully with one another, and can they re-ally remain in a stable relationship? From the moment Obama became our Presidential candidate, it suddenly became popular for other-wise non-politically active artists to

release songs and even public service announcements in support of the man who will be our fi rst Black President. Artists and songs such as Nas’ “Black President,” Will.i.am’s “Yes We Can” and “We are the Ones,” as well as Young Jeezy’s “My president is Black” have helped to resur-rect the dialogue between Hip-Hop and politics in the mainstream. Of course, pop-cul-ture as a whole seems to have shifted its focus from the red car-pet to the White House, often standing as an ad-vocate for Obama. Never before has this generation seen its celebri-ties almost unani-mously come to-gether in support of the nomina-tion of a presi-dential candidate.

Like many American citi-zens, celebrities have been inspired by Obama . In an interview with the Huffi ngton Post, Will.i.am stated, “I was never really big on politics...and

actually I’m still not big on politics...So for awhile I put it off and I was going to wait until it was decided for me...And then came New Hamp-shire...And i was captivated...it was

that speech...like many great speeches...that one moved me...It made me think...it inspired me...it inspired me to want to change myself to better the world...and take a “leap” towards change...and hope that others become inspired to do the same...”. Will.i.am’s admittance that he is “still not big on poli-tics,” brings to light the fact that Hip-Hop may simply be “big on” Obama, rather than American politics. Unfortu-nately, this may refl ect a frac-ture in the seemingly strong relationship that Hip-Hop is currently in with Politics. As demonstrated by Sean “P. Diddy” Combs in the 2004 Presidential election with his infamous “Vote or Die” campaign, the heightened dialogue between Hip-Hop and politics can quickly be-come muted once an elec-tion season is over. Many of

us are even asking where has Hip-Hop been during these past four years of increasing gas prices, end-less wars, and a failing economy? With thousands of young people chanting “yes we can” to Hip-Hop beats, however, it seems that the Obama campaign has signifi ed an end to the days of political compla-cency amongst Hip-Hop fans. Even those who simply may just be big on Obama, there’s no denying that the Hip-Hop generation has begun to take an interest in the deeper issues as well. “These hip hop artist have the power to infl uence minds. Their music is a powerful media source that can mobilize masses or at mini-mum awaken people’s consciou-ness” says Estella L. Owoimaha, President of Hip- Hop Think Tank and Chair for L.A/ Local Organiz-ing Committee for the National Hip- Hop Political Convention. Organizations such as the National Hip- Hop Political Conven-tion, as well as artists can be credited with the rising numbers of young voters. More importantly, they can be charged with ensuring that the dialogue between Hip-Hop and poli-tics does not end on November 4.

Hip-Hop and Politics: Together Again

“Yes We Can-Mixtape”

TacklistingTacklisting1. Intro2. David Banner,Busta Rhymes,Talib Kweli “Black President” Rmx pt1 *3. Barack Obama “Stand Up”*4. Nas Speaks on Politics5. Styles P and Cassidy “Make It Out”*6. Jay-Z Speaks “The American Dream”7. Barack Obama “One Mic, One People”8. Russell Simmons Speaks on Obama9. Joe Budden,Twista,John Mayer “Waiting on the World to Change 200810. Angie Martinez “Yes We Need A Mixtape!!”11. Kanye West,Malik Yusef “Promised land12. Wale,Rhymefest,Christina K, Royce 529 “Black President” RMX Pt2*13. Barack Obama “My Life”*14. Jay-z “Lick a Shot”*15. Russell Simmons on Change15. Russell Simmons on ChangeTrack Listing continued at Nommo.info along with download Nommo.info along with download of complete album!

By Danyelle McGill

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6 7

vote 2008 The evening before the fi rst day of early voting began in the swing state of Nevada, nearly 100 Califor-nians battled traffi c to volunteer for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in Las Vegas with organizations such as Bruins for Obama or small groups of friends and family. Even though many

ggwere tired from the lengthy drive, all of them were eager to join the group of 200 men and women at the Obama headquarters for a weekend of canvass-ing throughout Nevada neighborhoods. Carlos Lopez , UCLA graduate and member of Bruins for Obama, re-mained enthused on the drive to Las Vegas

from Los Angeles to volunteer for the man whose personal story keeps him motivated. “[Obama is] the true Ameri-can story of going from rags to riches,” Lopez exclaimed. “I can relate be-cause I am the fi rst in my family to go to college. [Obama] being elect-ed shows that anyone can make it.”

As a person-al sacrifi ce to the Obama campaign, most of the volun-teers exchanged their only break from a long week of work, school, and other responsibili-ties for fi ve hours a day of walk-ing from door-to-door to strangers’ homes. For many of these volunteers, however, this sac-rifi cial exchange has become rou-tine, as this is their third or fourth trip. 37-year-old

Andy Kerr, a Long Beach native, husband, and father of three children is among this group of men and women who have added a another responsibility to their al-ready full plate. Like many Obama vol-unteers, Andy’s contributions to the cam-paign have evolved over the past year. He began simply giving small donations before becoming a precinct captain dur-ing the primary elections. Working as an unpaid volunteer in the fi nal stretch of the campaign seems to be the natural step to take for an Obama supporter like Andy, who has never met the man whose campaign he is so deeply committed to. “The big part is him, and even though I haven’t met him., I really feel like I know the man,” says Andy who says that the Obama campaign not only inspires, but “empowers people like [himself].” Regardless of the outcome of the campaign that Obama’s volun-teers work so hard for, it cannot be de-nied that individuals like these have not only witnessed history take place, but have taken part in it as well, redefi n-ing the now popular word, “progress” for themselves. One can only imag-ine that Barack Obama must be proud.

Volunteers gather to gather votes

Volunteers take calls at the busy Los Angeles Obama Campaign Headquarters.

By Martina Trejo

If this is how those African-Americans who claim to be die-hard Barack Obama supporters get the fi rst Black President of the United States elected, then we aren’t doing a very good job. The fact that many Black or-ganizations and leaders have chosen to silently endorse Barack Obama through-out most of this election season is not nearly as disappointing as the num-bers of community members who have failed to actively involve themselves in the Obama campaign. With much of the Black community still grouped in the “unlikely voter” category on polls, the need for African-American volun-teers to represent our most disenfran-chised communities has been crucial. Unfortunately, as the racist rhetoric of the Republican party has strongly infl uenced those who are ad-mittedly uncomfortable with voting for a Black man with a “funny name,” the race is signifi cantly closer than many Obama supporters think. Though wear-ing Obama shirts and declaring that our president is black over a tight beat seems to be enough, it simply is not in the face of a raging political machine that will stop at nothing to delay the prog-ress that our country desperately needs. As you read this article, citizens

Continued on pg. 14 Continued on pg. 14 As you read this article, citizens

Continued on pg. 14 As you read this article, citizens

Support is more than a ShirtSupport is more than a Shirt

By Pilar WhitakerBy Pilar Whitaker

Many of us can be faulted for treating this historical presidential contest like a game show. It is as if the prize for the election is a ‘64 Buick and the conse-quences of our voting decisions will have no greater impact than losing the bot-tom priced $100 question on Jeopardy. Many Americans do not even realize the implications of our political decisions. Even though this race has sparked national dialogue over issues that have never before been talked about in mainstream media, none of the deeply entrenched problems associated with is-sues such as racial relations, a failed U.S. economy, and foreign and domestic poli-cies will disappear with the election of ei-ther president in a single term. As a result of the limited agency afforded to both candidates because our country’s eco-nomic and social issues, the candidacy is no longer a question of if we want to feel the effects of these conditions, but through our votes, to what extreme do we want to feel the effects of these conditions? The oversight of an entire coun-try by a Black male can mean chang-ing the racial dynamics in America for-ever. It is possible that both black and non-black children of all races will see

a man of color reach the highest posi-tion within American society and the doors for the possibility of greater mi-nority achievement to exist will open. Obama’s policies will undeni-ably add a new element to the types of politics that we engage in. He is a man, who has undoubtedly endured the mar-ginalized experience of a Black man liv-ing in America. These incidences have shaped Obama’s vision for America, which is re-directing our society’s fo-cus on money and excessive luxuries, to people, the only real treasure of a nation. The Capitalist system is like a pulley; the ones managing the strings are going to pull from one side or the other. Money will be taken. The question we get to ask through politics is from whom will they take the money? Obama’s answer to this question is a more hopeful one, he has made claim to ease the economic burdens of the average hard working American. However, not all of these chang-es may be easy ones to cope with. In terms of inter-racial dynamics, if Barack Obama is the “people’s” president, the question of whether or not Black culture will become mainstream culture arises. This could mean that African-Americans will lose

claim to certain elements of our culture. In addition to the racial issues that may arise during Obama’s presi-dency, the economic crisis we are enter-ing does not make for a more promising situation. In Obama’s plan to generate change, he will not have a great pool of wealth to pull from. After passing the 700 billion dollar bail out plan, the lower class is already given the responsibility of bailing out the irresponsible decisions of major corporations. We will continue to feel an economic strain of taxes for wealth that many of us have had no ac-tive hand in. However, it is a policy that both Obama and McCain voted ‘yes’ on and it is a critical piece of legislation that will have harsh tangible consequences on our lives regardless of who is elected. Alternatively, John McCain who, for some of us, will affi rm that change is impossible. John McCain’s election is much easier for some of us to conceive because it would relieve the American public of having to take on the personal burden of tuning their minds to-wards progressive thinking and believing that America can make positive changes.Not only would John McCain’s presi-dency prevent signifi cant change from

OPINIONSo you voted- Now, what?OPINIONBy Kendra Arsenault

Continued on pg. 148

It is not often that one gets a chance to contribute to a source with the stature, distinct voice and the legacy of NOMMO. In a time like the present, Afrikan people have come to realize just how precious and powerful our voice has become. With much of our Diaspora living in turmoil and continuing their age-old struggle for human rights, it becomes more and more crucial for us to speak across our communities. It is essential to recognize that we are rising up and speaking around the world in the face of oppressors that work tirelessly to silence us. We struggle to get through misinformation and entire schools of thought that seek to reinforce the idea that Afrikans are disconnected, ignorant and have been rendered inactive. Without our voice, how would we ever know that young Afrikans in Central and South America are fighting for living wages and equality, that young Afrikans in the Niger Delta are leading armed struggle against the multinational corporations that continuously cause the degradation of their environment? How are we to know that Afrikans in France are standing up against violent attacks in low-income housing projects across the countryside? How many of us know of the Afrikan people in Japan that are organizing Afro-Japanese to create policies for mutual support of their people in Africa? This is an interesting time for our people in America. The presence of a viable Afrikan presidential candidate can be both inspiring and perplexing in a time when our youth still enter a school to prison pipeline, our families are pushed to homelessness due to medical expenses, our youth becoming infected with HIV and AIDS, our elders without living wages as they pass retirement age, our people being made agents of sexism, racism, elitism, homophobia, and other forms of self-hatred and prejudice. It is at this crucial time that we choose to take a stand. In the aftermath of great advances, this year the Afrikan Student Union at UCLA has set out to identify four central issues in our community at large and organize our people to make change in each of these areas:

In this historic presidential election season, there has been much talk about race and what it means. The particulars of the discussion have run the gamut, but what’s clear to everyone is that race matters. One blunt measure of this reality is the various polls that indicate a good percentage of American voters refuse to vote for a black candidate, whatever his qualifications. This does not surprise the UCLA Black Alumni Association. But we are deeply concerned that a similar kind of knee-jerk racial suspicion is casting a pall on a success story we should all be embracing. In 2006, incoming black freshman at UCLA hit a 30-year low at fewer than a hundred; today, thanks to a new holistic admissions policy, intense outreach and financial aid efforts by concerned alumni and others, that number has more than doubled. Yet this modest progress has prompted not celebration, but skepticism. Last year, anti-affirmative action crusader and former UC regent Ward Connerly accused blacks of disproportionately benefiting from the new holistic admissions. Last month, UCLA professor and faculty admissions committee member Tim Groseclose made headlines when he resigned from the committee after speculating that black students were being given an unfair or illegal edge by admissions staff because of race. Both men said that they were only raising questions in the interest of maintaining fairness and integrity in the admissions process. But as we have seen so many times over the last decade, this is another example of acute—if not obsessive--race consciousness masquerading as colorblindness. At least the people polled about the presidential race told

the truth about their bias. The biases in these instances are much more insidious, and their impact on the still-frail position of black students at UCLA potentially devastating. UBAA would therefore like to set aside perceptions that tend to drive discussions of race and remind people of the facts. After the dismal news of 2006,

several things happened that had an immediate and positive effect on black student enrollment at UCLA. First was the formation of the Alliance for Equal Opportunity in Education, a group of alumni, c o m m u n i t y o rgan iza t ions , elected officials,

civil rights leaders and others who came together to address the black student crisis on many fronts: recruitment, community education and outreach, admissions procedures. The Alliance held town-hall meetings, application workshops and radio forums to educate prospective students and the community about UC requirements and the UCLA admissions process. Another development was the creation of the UBAA Legacy Scholarship program, a merit scholarship program funded by private donors and administered by the California Community Foundation; its goal was to provide scholarship money for every admitted black freshman. The UBAA has had a significant role in both the recruitment and the Legacy scholarship program. We have hosted receptions for black UCLA admits who were also admitted to top colleges and universities around the country. This past year we committed to raising $500,000 for the freshman class of 2009, a goal that’s already more than half fulfilled. (continued on page 14)

Richard Stevenson, Chair of Afrikan Student Union at

UCLA

Education, Health Care, the Prison Industrial Complex, and Cooperative Economics. Our goal is to invest our people in these four areas and take ownership of them. Concretely, we will be filtering our people into the advisory committees, funding boards, work groups and think tanks that can produce better solutions for our people in these areas to secure more decision making power. This will give our people the ability to directly implement policies that work to serve our communities rather than harm them. We hope to find you, our community members by our sides, speaking out as students, parents, mentors, educators and advocates. As we embark on another year, it is my hope that we will come together as a community and achieve successes far beyond our expectations.

Change -- Through Education & MentoringAcademic Supports Program coordinator discusses the importance of mentoring college studentsBy: Leslie Schnyder

Change. According to Webster’s dictionary change means to make radically different. Change as a concept means something different to all people. There are experiences and events that may indicate a particular change to one, but not to another. One thing is for sure—Change is constant, regardless if it is for the good or the bad. In current times, our community faces societal factors, such as economic hardship, that allow for unemployment rates to soar, cost of food to rise, home ownership to decline, and gas prices to fluctuate. This recession, similarly to the 1980s Reaganomics period, has caused many Black people to become mentally distressed, disillusioned and hopeless for change. During the 1980s the lack of support from governmental institutions was also reflected within the university, which created similar hardships for Black students. UCLA had dire retention rates, with low numbers of Black students entering in the Fall 1985 as freshman graduating within 4 years, as opposed to their white counterparts, whom had a higher graduation rate. In recent times, one person who has sparked Black people’s belief in progress is Barack Obama. For many black people the thought of wearing pins on our shirts, mounting posters in our homes, and sticking bumper stickers on our cars to promote a presidential candidate is a foreign concept. In our lifetime, many of us have never witnessed a black person grow and maintain such a critical level of influence. As seen in

past history, it is during these times, that we as a people tend to focus on the individual. We disconnect from the reality of change, and become connected to the idea that “If Barack Obama made it as an individual,

then so can I”. Those great leaders from the past may be remembered and idealized as creating progressive societal change on their own, but the reality is they were very reliant on community. Change for most black leaders, meant change for all. Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights activist, not always highlighted by history, but who understood the importance of community in any massive change, indicated “Nobody’s free, until everybody’s free”. For Barack Obama to make any great impact as a president, and for any change to actually take place, it means everyone changing. As black people we must

develop a communal determination based in love that allows us to handle the major test ahead of us, as a result of this recession. What does this mean for the UCLA Black community? Many students will face the

challenge of overwhelming family expectations and financial burdens. Since we are a community that is indeed changing with increased admission rates, it becomes easier to understand the necessity of community. It means that as a black community on campus we must work to improve our support system, to help make the lasting change we need. Supporting each other in our retention is imperative. Students entering in Fall 2002 as freshman graduated at a low rate within 4 years, as compared to white students whom graduated at a much higher rate. Although the retention rates have drastically improved due to large efforts by students taking responsibility for their community and creating support mechanisms like ASU’s Academic Supports Program (ASP), it is during times like these, when students, staff, and faculty will face various challenges, and have to decide to focus inward or outward

for support. We encourage everyone to rely on, lean on, and support each

other. It is during these times, that formation of community is the most important. It is during these times that ensuring your community members are going to class, forming study groups, maintaining balance, financial empowered, and physically and mentally healthy is necessary. It is during these times that a focus on communal change is imperative. The staff, counselees, mentors, mentees, interns, and alumni within ASP have participated in creating change for the past 20 years. This change is a radically different approach to student retention and community development. We

Breaking through the Racial BarriersThe Harambee Council takes Action

by: D’Juan Farmer

The African c o m m u n i t y o f t e n e x p e r i e n c e s times of internal c o n f l i c t , compet i t ion , and threat. We often become overwhelmed with the work load forced by the low numbers of leadership and forget the very essence of our organizational

establishments, to provide support to a community suffering from disenfranchisement and prejudice. The internal issues we often face disillusion our communities and threaten our ability to respond to the needs of our populations because our focus has been deterred from the ceiling restricting our growth. As in all movements and struggles to empower change and enrich the lives of the community, there always comes a time when leadership recognizes the significance of uniting and developing an agenda to push progress. The Harambee Council of the Afrikan Student Union at UCLA is no different. The council represents leadership from every student run organization on the campus that primarily services students of African descent. Together, we feed our mother organization and facilitate the process of improving the climate of African experience within the university.

(Continued on page 14)

ASP mentor Stephanie Sneed with mentee Stpehanie Anyanwu in Student Activity Center

D’Juan Farmer, Harambee Council

Chair

“In 2006, incoming black freshman at UCLA hit a 30-year low at fewer than a hundred; today, thanks to a new holistic admissions policy, intense outreach and financial aid efforts by concerned alumni and others, that number has more than doubled.”

Campus News

Unfair? I Don’t Think So!UCLA Black Alumni Association on the UCLA Admissions Process

by: Jennifer White

A New Day for a New PeopleThe Chair of UCLA’s Afrikan Student Union addresses the Black Cmmunityby: Richard Stevenson

To Be Continued...“Journey to College”Continued from pg. 3have the ability to determine what they truly desire in their hearts and stop at nothing to gain it. They must not re-main a negative statistic for blacks, but to alter that statistic and make it one the African American community can be proud of. Blacks have to realize that the time is now, and there is no time for rest, or complacency. The future lies in their hands and it is up to them to de-cide what they are going to do with it.

“Closing the Gap” Continued from pg.3

Research shows that col-laboration and full investment by all parties with which the youth interact gives youth the greatest chance of suc-cess. So don’t rely on the system to determine the success or failure of your-self or (if you’re a parent) your child! In the life of a student the one with the most power is the student him/herself. The second most powerful indi-cator for an individual student is his/her family and friends. If you are encounter-ing teachers, counselors and/or adminis-trators who don’t expect you to be success-ful educate yourself and TAKE ACTION!

Steps Towards taking Action and Ownership of Your Education

Educate yourself:To educate yourself is to become an informed decision maker; to be-come an informed decision maker is to make the system work for you. Who are the other decision mak-ers and where does their power lie?

1) In the classroom - the teacher has the power to determine grades, and success or failure. Teacher ex-pectations are the best indicator of student success in the classroom.

2) At school, the counselor has the power to determine a student’s post-graduate options; whether it be col-lege or the workforce. Their expecta-tions will very heavily infl uence what advice they will give a student and how they track a student to graduation.Take Action:1) Join an organization which helps you be an informed decision maker and allows you to make decisions you believe in. 2)BE INTENTIONAL!a. In the classroom - Students need to communicate with teachers, let them know you are a real person! What are your interests and long-term goals? What is your vision for your future? Par-ents similarly need to engage your child’s teacher. A teacher who knows someone at home cares about the success or failure of a student will be much more likely to also be invested in the success of said student; a partnership is established, so to speak.b. In your school - Counselors are ex-pected to schedule classes for all the stu-dents are their caseload (which in Cali-fornia is close to 500 students!). So the goal is to infl uence their expectations positively! As a student, tell them you want to go on to college (even if you’re not sure). As a parent, be involved in the process, especially in the initial stages (9th grade and junior high school) and anytime your child is express-ing diffi culty or frustration in this area.c. In your community – be a mentor, be a mentee, work with purpose, and speak with truth.

“Know Your Props” Continued from pg.6

Proposition 8 has been one the most widely discussed propositions be-cause it seeks to revoke the right to marry in California for the LGBT community. Regardless of how an individual feels about a topic, their opinions concerning the matter should not be manifested into legislation. Since when does “equality for all” translate into “equality for all who follow the hegemonic structure of Amer-ican society—don’t ask anymore ques-tions please?” Proposition 8 is not simply about people’s right to be in a relation-ship-it’s about ensuring that human rights remain intact. It’s also not about children, as Proposition 8 does not require teach-ers to teach children about gay marriage. In closing, we must hold our offi cials accountable for creating respon-sible legislation that meets the tangible needs of a starving community. Why not pass propositions that will ensure food, shelter, and quality education up until our doctorates for everyone in California? That is legislation I am confi dent will re-turn no complaints. It is time we charge our offi cials to make policies more ac-cessible and comprehensible to voters.

“Breaking through the Racial Barriers” Continued from pg. 9

However, the goals of the council tran-scribes into the larger community. The primary role of the council is to address issues directly affecting the com-munity. Time after time, we fi nd our-selves fi ghting small, individual, and personal battles that represent a larger struggle. Circumstances such as police brutality, harassment, and racism are per-ceived as mirco-level situations that indi-vidual organizations take on in an effort to accommodate the anguished members of their bodies. However, such a space as the council reinstates the continuity of the African experience in America and demands that the response no longer be individualized but addressed on a larger scale. By doing so, we recognize the im-pact of collective efforts and divest from the individualist mindset of American so-ciety. As Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This can not be more rel-evant than within the African community. The battle an organization faces trans-lates into that of the larger community. The Harambee Council represents a larger effort to break down barriers in-stitutionalized in the African population to encourage the tactic of divide and conquer. The recognition that collective efforts, agendas, and goals are the pri-mary way of improving the African ex-perience must become widely spread. It will only be then that we will encounter a time where we have access to qual-ity resources and no longer have to face the hostile circumstances of the current.

“Unfair? I Don’t Think So!”Continued from pg. 12The net result of all this effort, plus the new holistic admissions policy that takes into account an applicant’s life circumstances and challenges, is 235 en-rolled black freshmen at UCLA for fall 2008—more than double the 96 who enrolled in 2006. But numbers don’t tell the whole story. Though a dramatic im-provement, 235 out of a total freshman class of 5,000 is still only 5 percent. The admit rate of African-Americans has only increased from 11% to 16 % over the last two years. The larger truth is that black students remain underrepresented at UCLA and still have the lowest ad-mit rate of any ethnic group (they did slightly surpass American Indians this year). In other words, we have far to go. In the meantime, we sincerely hope that the public regards the gains made so far as something positive and benefi cial to the university rather than an ominous sign of quotas, reverse dis-crimination and all the distinctly nega-tive associations that have all too often been attached to black students. The will-ingness to cast an increased black pres-

10

ence in a bad light refl ects just the sort of prejudice that advocates of so-called colorblindness claim they are work-ing to prevent. UBAA believes it’s well past time to be proactive, not preventive, about black students and their future at the university and in the world at large.

around the country are phone banking, canvassing, E-mailing, and more impor-tantly, organizing in order to ensure the election of Barack Obama. This elec-tion is about more than talking about Obama, it is about holding ourselves accountable for producing the change we would like to see in our federal gov-ernment- just like we expect him to do the same for us once he is elected. In these fi nal days, it is not too late to play an active role in the elec-tion of Barack Obama. Organizations will be working overtime up until No-vember 4th to ensure that Obama is elected and there’s no time like the pres-ent to get involved. However, for those who still choose to forgo true involvement in this campaign, and by extension, owner-ship of it as well, there is no act great-er than voting. Regardless of the cli-ché, every vote counts, and the term “unlikely voter” should eternally be disassociated from our community beginning with this very campaign.

Obama Support- Cont. from pg.8

taking place, it could mean moral dev-astation for those who are socio-eco-nomically starved and living at the bot-tom rung of the ladder. Unfortunately, Governor Palin does not represent the change we need in government because the change we need is not in gender, but in policies. If our government continues to enforce the same tyrannical laws that continue to sodomize our constitution, what difference does it make if the per-son wear’s red “panties” or red “boxers?” Regardless of McCain’s claim that he is a “maverick,” he is still a mem-ber of the Republican party, and Palin is an even more “conservative” member of the party. His election might mean the utter disregard of human rights, as our last eight years have proved to be. Mc-Cain would undoubtedly “cut taxes” which would mean cutting the funding for social enablers such as education and healthcare programs. Should the oppor-tunity present itself, there is a possibility that McCain, having openly expressed his views against abortion, might appoint a Supreme Court justice that would over-turn Roe V. Wade, a fundamental concern affecting women’s right to privacy. An action such as this would negatively af-fect the position of women in this country. His campaign has claimed re-form through revised economic and environmental sustainability. Ironi-cally, such reforms call for fi nancing the war that McCain refuses to end. We, the public, are not exempt from criticism. We have a responsibility to ask questions, to hold those in offi ce accountable to the lofty promises of their campaigns. We have a responsibility to prepare for either scenario, which no mat-ter what outcome, will change the politics of America forever. We can be certain that we are entering into a phase of American history that is unprecedented and we, as intelligent individuals, must make neces-sary preparations to ensure that the rights of human beings will be held sacred in a time where money is becoming a mini-mal indicator of security. On Novem-ber 5th it is certain that the anticipatory question on everyone’s mind will un-doubtedly be, “So, I voted. Now what?”.

So you voted- Cont. from pg.8

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cessible and comprehensible to voters.

DIASPORIC AFFAIRS

NEW YORK – In a store in the Bronx that smells of unrefrigerated raw fi sh, a middle-aged Ghanaian woman is rummaging in her purse for money. She, like hundreds of other Ghanians in New York, comes to money transfer rooms in-side African grocery stores like Eddie’s Place, to send money back home to Gha-na. But as the economy crashes in the United States, the remittances are shrink-ing even as the need is as great as ever. Ghanaian money transfer “You hear what my auntie said?” asks Prince, who is manning the money transfer room, its door covered with phone card ads – Home Boy, Black Horse, Ham-burger and Bang Bang. “School’s begun in Ghana and she has two kids there. They’re saying ‘Send the money, send the money.’ All her money from this week’s work is going for their school there.” The woman nods in agreement before handing over a stack of mostly $20 bills. “Take it easy, auntie, take it easy,” says Prince, in a comfort-ing tone, as he counts the $510, including the $10 transfer fee.“That’s right,” she says, re-signed, as she picks herself up and starts to walk out of the store. It’s a scene that is replicated at money transfer centers across the city. The crisis on Wall Street is trickling down to West Africans sending money to fam-ilies back home. According to the 2000 Census, 96,000 of the 3 million foreign-born New Yorkers are of African origin. Many of them live in New York City: Highbridge in the Bronx, south of Coro-na in Queens, or Flatbush in Brooklyn. When money is short, remit-tances drop or become less frequent. For those who try and send the same

amount home, it means life in the United States gets that much tougher. “Banks’ interest rates have gone down and the cost of living has gone up,” says Ivy Quarshie, secretary general of

the National Council of Ghanaian As-sociations and a projects manager at J.P. Morgan. “Money transfer will con-tinue, but there’s not enough savings.” According to a report on Ghana by the Department of International De-velopment in the U.K., remittances to Ghana from individuals and NGOs ac-counted for more than 13 percent of that country’s Gross Domestic Product in 2003. That’s four times the foreign di-rect investment from multinational com-panies. Sending money back home is an

integral part of the African diaspora life-style and is not restricted to one’s imme-diate relations.Ghanaian money transfer “In Ghana, when we say family, we talk about wife, kids, siblings, par-ents, uncles and their families. If every

family sends one person out of the country, I say you can save the entire country,” says Eb-enezar Nkrumah, a nurse assistant at the Manhat-tan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. N k r u m a h supports his wife, children and par-ents who live in Tamale, in north-ern Ghana. But something has got to give. “I owe my land-lord rent for two months,” he says. Local busi-nesses are trying to entice new cus-

tomers. Family Link Money Transfer matches exchange rates with competi-tors and has been offering free phone cards for customers after every transac-tion. People send an average of $100 per transaction according to Nana Owusu-Manu, the fi rm’s marketing manager. The city’s four options, Western Union, Moneygram, Vigo, and Family Link, all have roughly the same transaction fees. Family Link used to get 35 to 40 cus-tomers per day at its head offi ce. That has now dropped to about 15 customers.

But not all remittances go through an agent. “Many people bypass transaction fees by having people at both places,” says Sidique Wai, presi-dent of the United African Congress and community relations specialist at the New York Police Department. This is largely facilitated by individuals who travel between the two countries, and can carry cash for friends and family or to a delivery man back in Ghana. Fam-ily Link’s Owusu-Manu advises against this. “The black market always causes the exchange rate to fl uctuate,” he says, agitatedly, before touting Family Link’s relations with more than 100 Ghana Commercial Bank offi ces in Ghana. But despite the diffi culties and due to societal pressures, people rarely stop sending money. “They are all build-ing mansions in Ghana but living in small holes here,” says Kweku, the owner of an African grocery store near LeFrak City, Queens. As a result, they are poorer. “Life is not a rehearsal. This is it! Live it out,” says Kweku, trying to advise them. But many West Africans are pragmatic about the economic crisis. “If money is not injected, it will affect the entire economy,” says Quarshie at J.P. Morgan, feeling that govern-ment intervention and market over-sight are the right solutions for the fu-ture. “You can’t give mortgage loans of $300,000 to someone who makes $20,000. Blame goes all around.” That won’t address Faustina Larbi’s current predicament though. The caregiver is next in line at Prince’s money transfer counter. “My daughter is getting married, and I have to send $1500. What am I going to do? I’m go-ing cuckoo!” she exclaims.

Ghanaian Immigrants Tighten Belts in Economic CrunchNew America Media, News Report, Venkat Srinivasan

Africans in AmericaBy Lonisha Green

There are approximately 35 million Black people living in this country,

and approximately 1 million are African born. These immigrants come from diverse African nations such as Nigeria, Ghana, Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia, and South Af-rica. Furthermore, they are self-driven, and among the most prosperous group of people in America today. Research has placed African immigrants as the highest educated immigrant group currently in the U.S. 86% of African immigrants 25 years of age or older possess a high school de-gree or higher. And of those individuals, 19.4% have attained a Graduate degree. Africans far exceed white adult Gradu-ate degree rates (8.1% ) by more than

double. Sadly, African-Americans stand at a low 3.8% Graduate degree statistic. On average, African immigrants make more money than their African-Amer-ican brothers and sisters, but still make less money than their White and Asian counter parts with the same degree or lower. This kind of disproportionate distribution of in-come demonstrates that racism is still in af-fect today in this so called “Land of the Free”. Thus, we stumble upon the most signifi -cant similarity between African-Americans and Africans-slavery. Although slavery hasn’t been practiced in this country for over a century, both African-Americans and Whites still fall victim to the psycho-logical effects of slavery. As the socio-

economic oppression in our communities is so great, the brightest Africans and Af-rican-Americans still fi nd themselves be-ing held to lower standards than Whites. Some may argue, however, that the African-American population, spe-cifi cally, has increased in univer-sities, but others argue otherwise. In the year 2004, The New York Times pub-lished an article titled “Top Colleges Take More Blacks, But Which Ones?” Reveal-ing the truth behind Black admissions on college campuses, the article stated that two-thirds of Black students in the Ivy League are African immigrants, fi rst gener-ation African-Americans, or of mixed eth-nicity. Though this fact certainly speaks to

the success of African immigrants, it causes alarm that African-Americans are not tak-ing full advantage of the higher education that is available to us in our own country. If African’s, in fact, share the same ancestry, then why are African-Americans, too, not enjoying the same success as our brothers and sisters? Perhaps we have tak-en for granted the opportunities that Afri-can immigrants travel across the globe to obtain. No matter the reason, it is time that African-Americans stand with our African counterparts to work harder in order to achieve the greatness we are meant to pos-sess, and destroy the limitations of our race. Lonisha Green is a fi rst year Biology Lonisha Green is a fi rst year Biology Lonisha Green is a fi rst year Biology Major at UCLA. Major at UCLA. Major at UCLA.

OPINION

Ebenezar Nkrumah sends money to his family in Ghana at the local Western Union.