Tag: Violence

Rap Music Didn’t Cause Inner-City Violence…Poverty & Broken Homes Did

Hip-hop often faces a substantial amount of blame for the inner-city violence that occurs in communities across the country. This ideology has been perpetuated by politicians, media personalities, journalists and scholars alike. The genre has been heavily scrutinized for its influence and impact on Black youth for decades. The polarizing genre’s criticism dates back to the “Gangsta Rap” protests headed by National Political Congress of Black Women chair C. Delores Tucker, and the mass protests against rap group N.W.A.

May 26, 2021

A Brief History Lesson and Open Letter to the Nation’s Schoolchildren and College Students about White Male Power

Dear Generation Z Students, you are digital natives. So, this letter would better reach you by video, Instagram, Snapchat, maybe Twitter or a hashtag. But I need more letter characters and time than these platforms allow. Please bear with me as you read.

July 9, 2020

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A Letter to George Floyd

I do not know at a biological or emotional level what it is like to be Black. White privilege was my birthright. Poverty, and homosexuality, and a propensity toward obesity were equally my birthright, and I have experienced prejudice for all of those reasons. Still, I do not pretend to know what it feels like to be racially profiled or to know that my ancestors were violently separated from their homeland and brought in chains to serve people whose race is the same as mine.

June 2, 2020

Maryland Expands Definition of Hate Crime In Honor of Slain Black Student

The Maryland General Assembly passed a bill Monday that would expand the definition of what a hate crime is, ultimately making it easier to convict someone accused of one, reports The Diamondback. Currently, the law reads that a person cannot commit a crime “because of another person’s or group’s race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, […]

March 18, 2020

2nd Lt. Richard Collins

2020 Emerging Scholars: Dr. Apryl Alexander

Alexander began her research by focusing on individuals who had experienced various levels of trauma such as sexual assault, abuse, neighborhood violence or natural disasters. She studied how those violent incidents impacted them.

February 5, 2020

Nonprofit to Implement Global Education Program for Girls

Plan International USA, a non-profit organization focused on ending poverty, recently received a $12-million donation to fund a new program to help young girls around the world pursue an education and feel safe within their communities.

August 14, 2019

Giving Thanks Amid Political Uncertainty

In my family Thanksgiving has never been about pilgrims having a mythical dinner with Indian tribes they tried to eradicate. Instead, Thanksgiving provides an opportunity to show our gratitude for family, friendship and community. Over the last year, however, the mood in the United States has felt incredibly heavy. From mass acts of violence that have claimed the lives of innocent Americans to the more mundane political battles that amplify longstanding tensions, finding gratitude in this contentious political space seems elusive.

November 20, 2018

UMass Students, Faculty & Community Walkout in Protest of White Supremacy and “Right-Wing” Terror

University of Massachusetts (UMass) students, faculty and community members participated in a campus walkout on Wednesday outside of the Student Union to peacefully protest against the recent rise of White supremacy and “right-wing” terror present across the nation. Around 50 people participated in the walkout, which was hosted by the new student organization UMass Students […]

November 8, 2018

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Accused Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooter Appears in Court for First Time

Robert Bowers, 46, appeared in court yesterday after being taken into custody for opening fire and killing 11 innocent people in a Pittsburgh synagogue on Saturday. Pittsburgh authorities said that Bowers barged into the Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue located in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, shouting hateful remarks towards Jewish people in a […]

October 29, 2018

The Hate We Give: Voting Against Violence

Lifting your voice can be subversive. This is a lesson learned by Starr Carter, the main character in Angie Thomas’s debut novel The Hate You Give. Thomas shattered that mold by crafting a complex narrative of the repeated messages that tell young people their lives have less meaning than others simply because of where they live, who they love and how they look. The book is an affirmation of the beauty of young people and their ability to challenge the boundaries of community both real and imagined: “Your voices matter, your dreams matter, your lives matter. Be the roses that grow in the concrete.” Let’s be roses. Together.”

October 29, 2018

The Reality of Meeting Hate Speech with “More Speech”

On the one year anniversary of the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, it seemed important to reflect on how we, as concerned citizens, can and have responded to the continued existence of hate in our communities.

September 19, 2018

University of Minnesota to Host 50th Anniversary Conference of Kerner Commission

In honor of the 50th celebration of the Kerner Commission, the University of Minnesota (UM) will host a free national conference where scholars, politicians and the public are welcome to discuss the controversial report. The Commission, created by President Lyndon B. Johnson’s commission on civil disorder, sparked controversy with its famous conclusion: “Our nation is […]

September 4, 2018

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