In honour of Madiba

"They made him break rocks, thinking they were breaking his spirit."

A wonderful tribute to an inspirational Black Man, Nelson Mandela, never forgotten. May he rest in peace.

EACS x

'The Season' is Nigh

With the early darkness and cold nights creeping up on us, it goes without saying that

Christmas is almost here. Nevermind Christmas though, it's almost the end of the term and Winter is now less than two weeks away!

Night is falling early and hats, scarves and gloves are being dug out from the bottom of cupboards and drawers. Yes, the chill and short days are dreary and we'll want nothing more than to stay indoors with a warm cup and loads of layers but before that moment arrives and to keep things lively, we have still got two events before the term is officially over (why on earth does time move so fast!?)


So...just to keep you updated...


Movie Night...
Time and location: Thursday 28th November @7:00pm in Queens Building

Come and unwind for a few hours. We will be showing either 'Coming to America' or 'Django'. To cast your vote, please inbox Exeter ACS of your choice. There will be snacks and drinks provided and it's absolutely free for everyone. This is a good chance to escape that essay or coursework that's been weighing you down for a couple of hours.


Winter Ball
Time and location: Thursday 5 December @7:00pm in The Thistle Hotel

The African and Caribbean society presents the winter ball. It's undoubtedly going to be one of the biggest events in Exeter this year.There will be food and entertainment and we promise you an unforgettable night!

The dress code- Black tie & evening dress. We hope to see you all guys and girls in your best tuxedos and evening dresses.

The event is to to raise money for the Meet Kate charity:  https://www.facebook.com/meetkate

Members- £22

Non members - £27


We'll be selling tickets to the Ball on the 21st November (tomorrow) in the forum from 1pm till 4pm. So come and secure your place at ❆ The Winter Ball ❆ and in case you've forgotten what the committee members look like allow us to reintroduce ourselves - http://exeteracs.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-us.html


For more information and updates on the event click on the following link and we will be constantly updating you all via email and our Facebook page so please watch this space for more information! https://www.facebook.com/events/541301475960148/



Love, EACS x

Segregation of the Congregation

"You can't save someone who wants to drown"

Positive discrimination is a touchy subject. So what happens when a group of educated young people, each with varying opinions, come together to discuss a topic which in one way or another influences their lives?

                                     

Dr.Onyeka Osuji opened the debate by sharing his views and continued to add his input, addressing both the panelists and the audience. His presence certainly added another dimension to the debate and kept the panelists on their toes.

The proposition began their argument smoothly, methodically laying down their points. Then the opposition presented the counter, opening with an intriguing poem ending in “segregation of the congregation” which scored them brownie points with some members of the audience. After both sides gave their closing arguments the floor was then opened up to the audience and what followed was an escalation of impassioned discussion peppered generously with good-natured laughter. The response from the audience was strong, at points getting very heated, but then again, what is debate without some heat?

Most of the questions were directed at the opposition, whose stand was that discrimination in any form can never be a good thing, because by discriminating in favour of one you always discriminate against another. With audience members heavily scrutinizing their argument, it was clear which side had the majority vote, nevertheless, they stood their ground and made strong points, suggesting that surely this notion of classifying people as 'disadvantaged' and therefore unable to help themselves unless helped by positive discrimination is rather archaic and doesn’t support the forward direction in which society ought to be going.

The proposition countered, arguing that, it was just semantics. They argued that though the word discrimination has negative connotations, when done well, positive discrimination as it was intended could be highly beneficial. Their point was well reinforced by one of the panel members who noted that 'Affirmative Action' doesn't simply apply to black people, but a large range of people including those that are living with a disability or are underprivileged. He also argued that he wouldn't be at one of the top Universities, or having the debate if he hadn't experienced positive discrimination himself. The opportunities that he has had the privilege of having would simply have been unimaginable if it wasn't for positive discrimination.

The debate was stimulating to say the least and no matter which side of the fence you were on, or whether you thought that both sides made good points, it definitely provided plenty of food for thought.

There was even an African proverb thrown in courtesy of Dr.Osuji: “You can't save someone who wants to drown” which I'm sure will be one for the grandkids when we are all old and wise.

ACS did an excellent job in picking up on an issue, which allowed room for healthy debate! Once again another great event by the committee! Thanks guys!

Naa Okantey

“Imagination has the ability to take you anywhere you want to go” Floella Benjamin talk.

"If they weren't strong, they were dead, they were gone."


Smiles, hugs and inspiration were among the many things Floella Benjamin distributed on Saturday the 5th of October in the Forum Auditorium. She coated them in song, dance and a dramatic story telling of her journey from a young girl growing up in Trinidad coming to England.

Of her three gifts to us on that day, she endorsed smiling through laughter, constant compliments and courage in the face of adversity and inconvenience. From the first few seconds of encountering her, I could tell she practiced what she preached. Her radiance and personality exuded happiness and accomplishment. She hugged everyone in the room that day and ended the afternoon in what is probably the biggest group hug I will ever participate in in my life.

But above it all, her words of wisdom were unparalleled to any I have ever heard. “Imagination has the ability to take you anywhere you want to go” were her words. Confidence, contentment and consideration are her three C’s. Family, friends, forgiveness and individuality have been her companions throughout her life.

There was a personal sense of pride in meeting her. She signified for me, not only the ambition and ability of black people but the well deserved progress and the eliteness of black women in the world today.

When Baroness Floella Benjamin was done speaking and ended her talk in a heart warming song, her story and her presence left everyone in awe and our minds were so stunned that it took a good few seconds before applauds could break out. When they did, they echoed across the hall. She inspired, she motivated, she advised. She fed souls and on that day, she made us aware of how perseverance, confidence, opportunity and good will can enable us to withstand the obstacles and challenges of life.


Thank you Baroness Floella Benjamin for what will always be one of the most memorable moments of my life.

Disun Vera-Cruz
ACS President

Jack Gilbert, 4th year, Law:

The talk was very engaging and active, very inspirational with real-life examples of theoretical thoughts, with great reflection upon the society as a whole.

Alan Omogbai, 4th year Law:
Life changing. I Felt like I was meant to be here. It was a monumental life event. I will look back on today, at this moment, as one that changed my life.

Tumi Sotire, 3rd year Clinical Science:
Very inspiring. She didn't just talk to us, she performed. She encouraged me to have an open mind about the world around me.

Awele Ikenwe, 3rd year Law

Phenomenal. After this, I feel like I can conquer the world. I Feel more proud than ever to be black.

It's here.

So Black History Month has arrived. After all the anticipation it is finally here...

First thing's first, tune in to Xpression.fm on Wednesday at 6pm to hear the interview with the committee (I repeat, 6pm on tomorrow, Xpressionfm, 87.7).

To follow on from that. . .

BARONESS FLOELLA BENJAMIN, OBE TALK
As you may already be aware, we're hosting a talk from Baroness Floella Benjamin, Chancellor of Exeter University, tomorrow (5th October 2013) in the Alumni Auditorium. The talk starts at 2pm prompt and the doors open at 1:30pm. The Baroness provides an informal talk and network detailing her successes and challenges as a woman of power.

Motivating & inspiring for all! Not to be missed!

DEBATE
In addition to celebrating Black History Month, we are holding an interactive debate and the topic of the debate will be "Can discrimination ever be positive?" In order to pull this off we need four volunteers who would be willing to begin the debate for both sides. Basically, we need 2 people to represent both sides of the debate and lead the discussion with opening arguments. This is your chance to express your opinions and we encourage you to bring your friends along or anyone who has an interest in debating as well.

The 4 spaces will be allocated on a first come first serve basis so the first 4 people who reply to this email expressing an interest in getting one of the spots will get them. Also please specify which side you would like to represent in your email. This event would be held on the 11th October 2013. More details coming soon...

CULTURAL SHOCK

We are also proud to present the CULTURAL SHOCK on the 18th October 2013! This is the day to show off your traditional attires and diverse cultures! :) Let's show how culturally diverse Devon can be! The event will be featuring students and societies from the university with dance acts, spoken word and so much more :)

This is something for you to get involved in if you want! We are trying to display all types of culture that Exeter has to offer. Please reply to this email for further details or if you want to get involved :)

As you can always expect, there will be delicious food on the night :)


For more information on this, check the Facebook event page
https://www.facebook.com/events/494571807293024/?context=create


Dara Omoyele

Vice President

Just a few days away. . .

Black History Month is FAAAAAAAAAST approaching guys and whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat! Have we got a lot in store for you!

To kick the month of celebration off we've got a talk from the University of Exeter's very own Chancellor: Baroness Floella Benjamin. A woman of Caribbean origin and a master of her trades, Floella's talk is most definitely not anything anyone should even think of skipping out on! To find out more about the Chancellor click HERE.

Following that, there's an explosion of colours, diversity and culture, yes, you've guessed it, a Culture Show - but we're calling it a Culture Shock. There will be performances from a variety of societies including the International Society, Islamic and Latin American amongst others. They're bringing flavour through dance, song, vocals, poetry - who knows what else they'll have planned? But it doesn't end there! A debate surrounding the topic of 'positive discrimination' - if you've got anything to say on the matter, you'd better be there!

Last but not least, to close the month, we're ending with a party! Well, a concert with performances from Wiley, Mutya Bueno, Neptizzle and bigtime DJ: Tim Westwood! WHAT?! Sorry, what was that you said? You'll be there? Of course you will...I know I will!

WATCH THIS SPACE for more details or visit ExeterACS on fb and twitter (@ExeterACS

EACS x

Ain't nobody Fresher...

So Clique Mondays, a new, ONE MONTH student party...and guess what, we're going to be there. Why? Cause it's the hottest event to date in Exeter, and ACS is going to make it hotter!

We're hosting our party on the top floor of the Timepiece Club, we've got cheaper tickets, and a better deal - tickets with ACS are only £4 instead of the original £5! With that money you'll get a special wristband that differs from the mediocre £5 ones. These will give you access to ALL areas of the club (upstairs, downstairs, inside,out - you get the picture) as well as a QUEUE JUMP pass and discounted drinks...!

HOW ON EARTH COULD YOU REFUSE THIS?!  It's Freshers, time to 'live it up' for a week before those of us who are not in our first year are hit with the grit! So, join us in adding spice to this fresh event, be there. (There is no 'or be square' option, the only option is to be there!)

Contact us for tickets or see the event page HERE..
You don't want to miss this!

EACS x

Opportunities!

This year we're launching some new programmes for you! We're setting up a Housing and Representatives

scheme. We're looking for volunteers for these schemes! The experience will be a good addition to a 'Life Experiences' list to not to mention how great it will look on a CV. Take a look below to find out more or click the 'Opportunities' link. If you are interested in any of the listed, please don't hesitate to contact us either on our facebook page or any of the other contact options on the 'Contact Us' page.

HOUSING SCHEME:

The housing scheme is a new system by this year’s ACS set up to encourage healthy competition.
By dividing the society up into competitive teams, we aim to promote the family and communal branch of the society.

It will include activities ranging from social events in a relaxed environment to cookouts and even sports.
The competition will be launched during Black History Month with a debate on Positive Discrimination and will be concluded at the end of the year with a sporting day.
Any suggestion for events are welcome and we look forward to an enjoyable year ahead.

REPRESENTATIVES:

After carrying out surveys, we have gathered that not all ACS members are totally involved in the ACS as they don’t really know what is going on. And the ACS definitely loves seeing lots of people from each year at its events!

This is why the ACS committee has opened up positions for a representative for each year! This aims to maximise participation within every year in university. The Representatives will be responsible for ensuring that everyone is included in all ACS activities in which they wish to take part, by communicating information to the different years by various means.

It would be great to see a lot of you volunteer for this new role & it would definitely help you build your CV! Don't forget, we're also looking for:
- Mentors,
- Writers,
- Volunteers for events,
- Sub Committee members,

EACS x

FRESHERS is back with a vengeance!

What time is it? What time is it? Yep, it's that time of year where all the Exeter Freshers hit up the clubs, join societies and sports clubs (okay almost), but for most people, it's time to commence packing for moving out or back to University. We're kicking the year off with a barbeque, tasty, fun and open - open to everyone and all students from all backgrounds. Come along and celebrate the start of the academic year 2013-2014 with EACS! We're looking forward to seeing you there, with music, food, drinks, dancing and awesome people, where can you go wrong?! Did I mention we're awesome? Yes? Okay, great!

Hope to see you there, click HERE for more information and to RSVP.

EACS x

Tune for June!

Browsing on a followers tumblr, I stumbled upon Younikk's 'Come a Little Closer'. After a conversation friend, it has been decided that we're going to have an artist of the month/song of the month! So for June - since this was the inspiration, we have 'Come a Little Closer' - we love it! So will you! Well, to be fair, only you can decide whether you like something or not, so press play, right now and be the judge! Keep a lookout for our favourite tracks right now!

Happy Listening,

EACS
x


Click here to purchase this 'Come a Little Closer' on ITunes!!




Something About Younikk by Younikk

Segregation, a Right for White?

The Segregation Series:

   "Recently The Gordon Parks Foundation discovered over 70 unpublished photographs by Parks at the bottom of an old storage box wrapped in paper and marked as “Segregation Series.” These never before series of images not only give us a glimpse into the everyday life of African Americans during the 50′s but are also in full color, something that is uncommon for photographs from that era.

Today...some fascinating photos from the 1950’s. I love the colors in the pictures. I think we think of that time in black and white but of course the real world was in color." (Take a look below - talk about CRAY-ZY!)

Imagine living in a world where 'Blacks' did everything in a separate place to 'Whites'. Imagine stopping for food - you're hungry, famished, no wait - you're starving and you get told to leave a restaurant because the 'don't serve 'Blacks'. Or queuing beneath a 'Coloured Only' sign. Talk about dystopian, and strange, degrading and real. 

It's no alien topic, segregation. It existed and thankfully the segregation Law was abolished, I believe, in 1964, or something close to that time. What does segregation tell you? What does it say, preach and dictate? Inequality. It's such a contradiction to suggest that a person has 'equal rights' when they are being forced to use a separate exit to you, a separate playground and a separate toilet. Is it just me or does every human being, lower, middle or upper class, Black, White or Coloured digest their food and have to excrete it in the same way? I think so!

As far as I'm aware, anyone who thinks that separating the human race is a good thing is completely out of their minds. What good can come with not being exposed to different types of people? It's how we learn. I couldn't imagine being forced to operate with one type of of person. How on earth do you grow?

Through something as simply as these photos (see below), we can see that people were pushing for change back then. Merely photographing the situations seen below is pushing a boundary and questioning the socalled norms of society. How normal is segregation today? Change is inevitable, if there's anything I've learned, it is that. So, carry on pushing for change. Change what isn't right in your life. Morality and conscience are things that are supposedly innate and tell us when something's fishy or not right. You're slacking? Not working to the best of your ability? Falling out with friends and family? If something's wrong in your life, correct it. It's cliché, yeah, but life really is too short. You many never wake up again after tomorrow. 

Yours,

EACS 
x

Photos courtesy of blackhistoryeveryday.tumblr.com

Just a reminder...

Just to remind everyone about the End of Exams social...IT'S 2 DAYS AWAY!!

Everyone's welcome!!!
Reasons why you should come: there aren't - you just should! Buuuuuuuuuuuut if we were to give you a few:

• There will be food, 
• Drinks, 
• Good music and from what I hear, it looks like there'll be good weather too!!  
• Fantastic opportunity to socialise and catch up with people before that long summer break and 
• Another good one to unwind after exam stress.
• Exams are done, what are you really doing with your life.
• You have to eat, why not come eat (at our social)
• It's the final event of the year, 
• Missing it is actually NOT an option! RSVP here, now!

- There will be a walking bus leaving campus at 1PM - meet at the traffic lights by Lafrowda

- If you're lost or need more info - call/text - 07507966373

All you need to do is show up! :D

For more information, see and or contact us on our facebook page!!

Yours,

EACS x

Rollin' with hoodies?

WE WANT STASH! WE WANT STASH!

Do you want stash?

So we're thinking of getting stash. Hoodies, maybe t-shirts - definitely hoodies! But we need you to tell us if you want them or not. I don't know about you guys but I definitely want an ACS hoodie to walk around campus in, personalised or not! So here's what we need you to do: VOTE! It's as simple as. Don't vote 'No' because a friend votes 'No', vote for you because in the end, you'll be the one wearing that aweeeeeeeesome ACS jumper! 

So, how can I vote?

- and yes you all need to vote, even if you are unsure.

Just go to the grey tabs hidden away on the right hand side of the page. If you select the first tab you will find a poll. Please fill this out as soon as possible so that we can begin preparing and know how many hoodies we'll need to put in for and if it's even worth doing!! Just wanna throw it out there...if you're not up for some sort of stash, you might just be a little craaaaaaaaazy!!

See below for visual instructions!! 

Love,

EACS x

"The “Love Laws" that lay down "who should be loved, and how. And how much.”

The Alphabet Review: A

Arundhati Roy 

• Born 24 November 1961
• Indian author and political activist
• Best known for the 1998 Man Booker Prize for Fiction winning novel ‘The God of Small Things’ (1997) and for her involvement in environmental and human rights causes. Roy’s novel became the biggest-selling book by a non-expatriate Indian author.

"It didn't matter that the story had begun, because Kathakali discovered long ago that the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably. They don't deceive you with thrills and trick endings."

I first read GoST when studying English Literature in my 1st year of college, the theme for our course was ‘The Struggle for Identity’ and right there and then I fell in love with Literature all over again. The topic: 'The Struggle for Identity' allowed me to read novels, poems and films by ethnic authors and playwrights; I was able to explore the worlds of a number of talented artists. I decided to read GoST after reading the quote "The 'Love Laws' that lay down 'who should be loved, and how. And how much." I felt as though it was such a strong statement, not to mention the chance to educate myself a little bit about the Indian culture, as there would be no point in simply limiting myself to the works of African-American authors when considering 'The Struggle for Identity'. 

Review

The story primarily takes place in a town named Ayemenem or Aymanam, part of Kottayam in Kerala state of India. The temporal setting shifts back and forth from 1969, when fraternal twins Rahel and Estha are seven years old, to 1993, when the twins are reunited at age 31. It is narrated in the third person, however, during a great part of the narrative, the reader sees everything through Rahel's eyes, giving them a very special insight into the happenings and characters within the novel. 

As GoST focuses on and their impressions of the world, Roy uses various techniques to represent the children's viewpoint and their innocence. For example, the capitalisation of particular words and phrases to give them significance. Similarly, the children recombine things that adults say and place emphasis on words and ideas in a different way to the adults, thereby creating a new way of viewing the world and echoing their perception of the it in comparison to the grown-ups that surround them. 

‘Ammu loved her children (of course), but their wide-eyed vulnerability, and their willingness to love people who didn’t really love them, exasperated her and sometimes made her want to hurt them – just as education, a protection.’

 GoST shifts around in time allowing expressions from an older perspective, like the extract seen above and the disjointed narrative structure that Roy employs echoes the process of the resurfacing of a repressed memory. There are various moments which cross each other throughout the book. For example: in 1969, when Rahel is a seven-year-old child, we see the events of the book through a her 'child eyes'. Whereas, twenty-three years later, when she is in search something she lost in her childhood, has become a woman and her eyes have become more critical, facts, objects and people are seen in a completely different light. 

Although Roy uses a young narrator throughout the majority of the book, this does not affect the way in which each detail is described. We still feel how ‘May in Ayemenem’ was ‘a hot brooding month’. The reader is able to relate  to each character, whether it be personally or empathetically. We are still drawn in to listen to their stories, despite the fact that they are told through the eyes of a seven-year-old; it is possible that Roy uses a child  narrator because children tend to see people's true colours and often pay closer attention to detail. 

With the novel being written by a woman from an ethnic minority, you might expect  the novel to take a feminist approach, especially since the protagonist is a female. However Roy has chosen, instead, to tackle the issues including: love, death, cultural identity, morality, racism, loss of innocence along with many others. Amongst flagging up some of these issues,  Roy gives us with a taste of Kerala life through the liberal use of Malayalam words and presents the reader with aspects of Kerala living such as: communism, the caste system, and the Keralite Syrian Christian way of life.

GoST is a patchwork of flashbacks and lengthy sidetracks that weave together to pull gently on your heartstrings whilst telling the story of the Ipe family. It was captivating from beginning to end and I would definitely recommend it to literature lover! It is a true roller-coaster; at times you smile, laugh and may even cry. It will have you glued to pages and reading ahead of any book club you may have started it with!

Sarah Akinsola
Publicity Secretary

End of Exams Social!!!!!!

So, exams will be over and done with for most of us by the end of May, WOOOOOOOOOO! I think that's a call for a celebration...

Come and join us for our 'End of Exams Social'! Everyone's welcome, there will be food, drink, people (obviously) and good music. It'll be a great chance to socialise and another good one to unwind after exam stress. The final event of the year, I don't think that missing it is even an option! RSVP here! For more information, see and or contact us on our facebook page!!

Once again, best of luck with exams, enjoy the sunshine, but not so much that it costs you your degree. Knowledge is power, and to some extent in today's society, so are qualifications. 

Yours,

EACS x

Now I know my ABC's, maybe I should read something a little more engaging...

Hey guys!

Hope that revision, exams and all that malarkey is going well (yes, I recognise that exams and essays are not nonsense or in anyway meaningless!), but we've got something new for you: The Alphabet Review!

So, what is the The Alphabet Review you ask? Or not because it's kind of a tautology...well, it is...

A monthly column, written by our very own Publicity Secretary: Sarah Akinsola! We're taking you all the way through The English Alphabet with reviews on texts (films included) written or directed by ethnic authors and directors, with either a first or last name beginning with the letter of The Alphabet that is relevant that month. Obviously, we're starting with 'A', so 'A' is the letter of the month for May. 'B' will be the letter for June and so on so forth .. Keep a lookout for the reviews! If you're looking for something good to read, you might find your next book right here on our blog!

Yours,

EACS x

It's that time.

Sitting in the library staring aimlessly at words on a page, trying to find the urge to carry on reading. That's right, revision. Well an attempt at it. Be well equipped for work/study, reward yourself with play.

Yessir, the sunshine has decided to grace us ever so slightly with its presence. Why not spend a few hours with your head in the books and then take a trip to the park, but don't let the weather get the best of you! Yes it's calling, it's a little irresistible, but how much more rewarding will it be to see that goal grade on your certificate?!

So, a few inspiring words, keep focussed and work to the best of your ability, it won't be soon before you can actually swamp yourself in meaningless activities, lazy days, extended periods of sleep or whatever tickles your fancy.

I've got my books and those much needed but a little too tattered highlighters.  Last but not least that iPod. The minutes are ticking away...Better start revising!

Best of luck to everyone for their exams and essays, assignments, dissertations etc! Work hard and prosper.

Love and good wishes,

EACS x

Ignorance is bliss, until it hits you.

Scrolling down The Voice Newspaper's tweets, I came across a tweet which caught my attention. Opening

with the hash tag 'HealthMatters', my brain registered that the few characters may be worth looking at. What followed was the fact that 'Black men are 3 times more likely to develop prostate cancer than White men'.

 I was watching the television a few days ago (yep, that's right guys, a tv - I'd almost forgotten how to use it) and an advert about prostate cancer came on. The male actor and his wife were both white, seemingly middle class and it crossed my mind that the advert was targeting White men. The first thought that passed was: aren't Black men more likely to develop prostate cancer? Second thought: so why is the actor a white man? Okay, I get that there's only room for one male actor in this particular commercial, but shouldn't you tackle the majority first? It's a Utilitarian principle which can be pretty useful at times.

For those of you that don't know what I mean when I mention Utilitarianism, it's a normative ethical theory which proposes that any action must maximise utility and happiness and reduce suffering. That's the theory in a nutshell but obviously, as with many theories, there are several different and interesting branches that stem from the basic principle, look it up.

Denton Wilson Click to find out more.

But back to 'business', prostate cancer and men's health. The fact is, there's often a lot of publicity and raising awareness concerning women's health, but not men's, and it's no secret that African and Caribbean men are not really big on talking about their health. I don't know, maybe it's something to do with Pride. But honestly let's get real now. Pride verses Sickness, Suffering, Pain and Death leading to suffering of the family and friends...it's absolutely nothing to just go get yourself checked out. Sometimes there aren't any symptoms. Take Denton Wilson as an example, so he's was 42 and most of you are the reverse of those digits, but you won't be for long. So, Denton might also be an actor, this I am unsure of of, but regardless, the point he's making is important.

Guys, you may be young, girls, your brothers may be young, but what about your fathers? Let's be Health Aware, and not consumed with pride What good is being ignorant and proud? Ignorance may be bliss but when the crap hits the fan and it rebounds and sprays up in your face, pride becomes redundant and you just look like a fool. You can be proud, but be proud and wise.

Keep it in the back of your mind...

Find out more about prostate cancer.

Yours,

EACS x

Success starts with schooling: Septima Poinsette Clark

Septima Poinsette Clark (1898-1987), a Charleston native, an educator and civil and human rights activist, was one of the mothers of the modern civil rights movement.

Clark began her career as a teacher on John’s Island. In 1929 she began teaching in Columbia. At that time she also became active in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), working to obtain equal pay for black teachers who were paid substantially less than whites. In 1956 she was fired because South Carolina prohibited teachers and state employees from maintaining membership in the NAACP.

One of Clark’s greatest contributions to the civil rights movement was the development of citizenship schools. Working with Esau Jenkins, Bernice Robinson, and later, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, she organized schools throughout the South. From 1962 to 1964 she trained more than 10,000 teachers for the schools and registered 700,000 black voters.

*Courtesy of Kim Katrin Cosby

Dark Girls are not Smart Girls, not Pretty Girls or Relationship Girls.

"Dark-skinned women, I don't really like dark-skinned women...they look funny beside me. I'd rather not date a dark-skinned woman."

What IS it with the issue regarding skin-tone? Didn't anyone hear Tupac when he said: "The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice"!? 

Beauty and 'The Skin'; we'll be looking into this a little further, look out for pieces, interviews and maybe some media posts tackling/discussing the topic.

For now, take a look at the video posted below:

Yours,

EACS x

Fed up with Eggs?

Eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, EGGS. Quite honestly, 'Eggs' doesn't look like a word to me anymore! If you're fed up with eggs for Easter but still love to eat that chocolate (and don't mind baking), why not try something else chocolately. Cornflake Cakes. They're quick and easy to make and you only need a few ingredients to make 20! Be creative!

Ingredients:

• 100g butter
• 5 tbsn golden syrup
• 200g dark chocolate
• 150g cornflakes
• 2 bags of mini eggs

Method:

• Line 2 muffin trays with cupcake cases
• In a glass bowl over a simmering pan of water (make sure the water DOES NOT touch the bottom of the bowl) melt together the butter, syrup and chocolate.
• Pour chocolate mixture into a mixing bowl over the cornflakes ( I did this a bit at a time)
• Place large spoonfuls of the moisture into the cases
• Top the mixture with 2 or 3 mini eggs
• Place in the fridge to set

If you've already had the Cornflake Cakes, try using crushed Shreddies instead. Those. Are. Good. 

*Recipe courtsey of Bakesweetcakes.

Intelligence is not a Black trait.

Imagine being put on trial to prove that you were capable of producing a piece of work. To prove that your intelligence was not forged or plagiarised. Imagine having to prove yourself worthy of something you know that you produced. Phillis Wheatley, the first African-American and first African-American woman to publish a book was.

Born in West Africa around 1753, Phillis Wheatley was named after the slave ship that brought her to Boston between the ages of seven and eight, on 11th July 1761. There she was sold to the Wheatley family by the slave trader, John Avery.  She spoke no English upon her arrival in Boston however, she proved to be an intelligent young girl. The Wheatley's recognised Phillis' talents which lead her to be tutored in various subjects including: English, Latin, Biblical Studies, Religion, History and Geography. She was treated more like a family member as opposed to a servant, and acquired an education deemed suitable for a young woman raised in an 'elite Boston family'..

The idea that people below a particular 'level of humanity' were incapable of reading, writing poetry and other intellectual activities was widespread during the 18th Century, as seen through the well-known "declaration attributed to the American politician John C. Calhoun: “Show me a nigger who can parse a Greek verb, and I’ll admit he’s a human being”. Wheatley, however, challenged such narrow minded beliefs by surrounding herself in Western Literature and demonstrating knowledge of Classical authors like: Ovid, Virgil and Homer, and the ability to adopt a particular writing style familiar to such authors.

Because Phillis was deemed to be 'below a particular level of humanity', she was put on trial to prove that she was the author of her collection of work and actually capable of producing poetry. There was a lot of speculation as to whether the manuscript of poems (Poems on various subjects, religious and moral) were really the writings of Phillis. She was thus examined by some of the best judges and only after examination was she thought qualified to have written them.

Are you worthy of intelligence? Who says it's not a 'Black' trait? How can any race of people have come to own intellect? Phillis Wheatley should be an inspiration to everyone, somebody who fought for their right to be a clever and talented individual. Just because somebody tries to tell you that you are stupid, does not mean that you are. People told Phillis that she was 'stupid' and incapable, look at what she achieved. 

Yours,

EACS x

What, N*gger?

This is a clip taken from, "Take this Hammer"in which KQED's mobile film unit follows author and activist James Baldwin (during the spring of 1963). Baldwin reflects on the racial inequality that African-Americans are forced to confront and suggests that: "There will be a Negro president of this country" but claims that "it will not be the country that we are sitting in now."

It seems as though Baldwin knew what he was talking about when he said there will be a Negro president. 

Yours,

EACS x

*You can see the full version here: https://diva.sfsu.edu/bundles/187041

It started with the banners, and then the manifestos came.

Elections at Queens

Elections for the new, 2013-2014 ACS committee took place on Friday 22nd March. Students ran for positions including: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Social Secretary, Publicity Secretary and St Luke's Representative (a new addition to the positions). There was lots of campaigning and competition between opposing candidates; some took took a creative step and campaigned with videos whilst others used tasty treats (sweets, nomnomnom) to persuade members to vote. Students began to really voice their opinions, resulting in the possibility of two positions for Social Sec as opposed to one.

Potential candidates were slightly cautious when giving current committee members a taste of their ideas during spontaneous discussion in the Forum and ---

ACS Committee 2013-2014

All candidates presented themselves extremely well and demonstrated great passion in their speeches, once again, congratulations to everyone who made it onto the 2013-2014 committee, well done to all candidates for participating and a massive thank you to and *round of applause* for the 2012-2013 committee. The new committee sure 'got boots to fill and need to keep the ball rolling! But no worries, Obama's got the right idea!


Members then made their way to the ACS After Election Party at Monkey Suit, which was at first struck down by the power cut that took down the whole of Sidwell Street. KFC was defeated, Subway resorted to selling cold sandwiches, but the celebration triumphed, and after a slow start, ended up being a fantastic night. 

There was, obviously, a lot of dancing, plenty of Azonto and damn, do people love to dougie! What a great way to celebrate the new committee, old committee and ACS in itself, as a society.

Hopefully everyone that attended had a good time, and for those of you that missed it, we hope to see you at the next ACS event!

Yours,

EACS x

Afro-Caribbean Living.

African Problems?

On Thursday 7th March, Students from Exeter participated in a debate entitled: 'This House believes that giving Aid is the best way to deal with poverty in Africa'. The PROPOSITION  consisted of:

From left to right:
Sandiso Moyo, George Norwell,
(AH) Tumi Sotire,  Toni Maria and
 James Bartholomeusz

• James Bartholomeusz, English Literature (3rd Year), Campaigns Officer for The Exeter University Amnesty International Society

• Antoinette Maria, Medicine (1st Year), Member of African-Caribbean Society

The OPPOSITION:

• George Norwell, Medicine (1st Year) 

• Sandiso Moyo, Medicine (1st Year), Member of African-Caribbean Society.

The first debate hosted by the ACS, on the benefits and harm of celebrating Black History Month, set high standards and excited me for the prospects of the upcoming debate on Foreign Aid to Africa.

As soon as I read about the event, I thought the debating topic was a stimulating one and had come up with a long list of challenging questions to ask the panel before the debate had  even begun. So, I arrived at the Queens lecture theatre with high expectations, but they turned out not to be high enough...


With everyone seated and the room silent, proceedings began. Introductions by the ACS president, Tumi Sotire, were brief. Naa Okantey, a proud member of the ACS, gave an elaborate speech on the wonderful work her organisation does to provide a safe place for less fortunate Ghanaian children.  If the debate didn't not enlighten anyone on that day, then the inspirational work of the 'Meet Kate' foundation must have hit home and while there were dry eyes in the room, hearts were opened and everyone present got to see the charitable side of ACS, with the profits from the bake sale going to Amnesty and Oxfam.

The contribution from ACS members (Toni and Sandi) was immeasurable! With their fantastic  insight into the problems of Africa, an understanding of the dynamics of African culture and a passion for the progress of the African continent, my seemingly intelligent and challenging questions seemed rather foolish.

That's what the ACS does. It stimulates me intellectually to question myself as an African through such academic and educational events.

ACS President
Disun Vera-Cruz