Serving Children of Incarcerated Parents

 

By Erin Pennington

On April 17th, 2018 Ole Miss Most Beautiful winner Asya Branch kicked off her brand new organization, SCIP.

SCIP, Serving Children of Incarcerated Parents, is a new service organization that will aid children with incarcerated parents with mentors and many wonderful opportunities.

Branch is also the child of an incarcerated Parent and understands the suffering that loved ones can endure. She is also working alongside Applications Analyst, Deetra Wiley, to advocate her platform.

Wiley was also the child of an incarcerated parent and believes that is is important for the community to come together and advocate for children on campus and off campus who are just like her.

For more information or questions email:

Asya Branch, adbranch@go.olemiss.edu

SCIP, scip@olemiss.edu

Deetra Wiley, dawiley@olemiss.edu

 

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Oxford Community Market opening soon

Image found on public domain.

Story by Allen Brewer

Oxford community market is kicking off its 2018 season on Tuesday, April 17, but earlier this week a test testing event was hosted by the Lafayette County-Oxford Public library.

The event was hosted at the library on Tuesday, April 10 at 5 p.m. The food was catered by Carrey Drigger from 7D farms.

“The library and the friends of the library are putting on this program to also celebrate the wonderful Oxford Community Market and all they do for the community,” the library’s district manager, Laura Beth Walker, said.

The director of the farmers market, Betsy Chapman, was excited about the upcoming season.

“Next week is a very busy day for us,” Chapman said. “We will have our 2018 season kick off, which is our first market of the year. It is totally free to the public and it is going to be a big community get together with lots of music and a lot of fun.”

Foods that will be sold at the market include honey, vegetables, fruits and meats.

“The Farmers Market offers a variety of things like eggs, bread, ice cream and strawberries,” Drigger said. “There will be a lot of fresh strawberries this year.”

The farmers market is located across the road from the Library, on Bramlet Street, in the Old Armory Pavilion.

Citizens are welcomed to come to the markets opening event and speak with the farmers and buy fresh produce. Along with food,  the market’s will host live music, actives, games, giveaways and cooking demos.

The Market will open on April 17 at 3 p.m.

 

The Big Event is THIS SATURDAY

By Annie Sharp

OXFORD, Miss-  On March 24th Ole Miss will be hosting another Big Event the help serve the community of Oxford and Lafayette County. In the past The Big Event has been named the largest community service event in the history of Ole Miss. The president and other board members hope to keep that tradition up by inviting as many volunteers to come out and serve the community, as they can. Last years Big Event had a tremendous turn out even through the rain and early call time, this year the sun is said to be shining so Savannah Smith, co director of The Big Event, is eager to see the turn out at the Pavilion on Saturday. For anyone who has yet to sign up to volunteer can still be a walk on the day of the event.

March 24th at the Pavilion all volunteers will meet at 8AM with a ceremony following at 9AM. Around 9:30AM people will go out in to the community and serve until they finish. This is a great way to give back to the community that gives the college students and other residents so much during the year.

 

 

 

Women’s History Month: Tarana Burke

By: Seyna Clark

 

OXFORD,Miss– On March 20 The Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement, In partnership with numerous departments and student organizations, hosted the Women’s Empowerment Address at Fulton Chapel in celebration of Women’s History Month. Tarana Burke, Founder of the #metoo movement and the keynote speaker, conveyed a substantial and far-reaching message about her involvement in the fight against sexual violence.

 

Tarana Burke started #metoo in 2006 to help survivors of sexual assaults. #metoo went viral 6 months ago on twitter after the Harvey Weinstein controversy. Within 24 hours 12 million people from around the world used the hashtag #metoo, now the hashtag has been used by 94 million individuals. The movement is a global community of survivors.   #metoo gave them words and a safe space to talk about their traumas. With #metoo victims are heard and seen and can share their stories. #metoo is committed to helping and taking down sexual harassment.

 

In Burke’s message she said, “I stand up here for the people who said it, and the people who didn’t.”

 

Her goal to give empathy to say ” I see you, I hear you, i believe you, I am you”.

 

Jasmine Minor, junior,  said how student organizations are involved in the #metoo movement

“Organizations like RASA and FEMISS are really important in this #metoo movement because they do real work on campus, to educate students about sexual assault and how do you avoid this.  What do you do when you see it? What does bystander intervention look like? How do you help survivors? And i feel that moving forward as a university with Tarana Burke’s message we can learn how to help survivors.”

 

For more information on the #metoo movement visit www.metoomvmt.org

There are several events to celebrate Women’s History Month. For a calendar of these events visit The Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies website. 

Conference of the Book starts this week

Above photo of (left to right) Oxford citizen, Eddy Rester, talking to author Michael Farris Smith at the conference’s opening event at Off Square Book Tuesday night. (by Allen Brewer)

By Allen Brewer

The Center for the Study of Southern Culture is hosting the 25th annual Oxford Conference for the Book this week with events scattered across town.

The associate director of publications at the center, James G. Thomas, organized the events

“I started directing this event in 2015, but I was here for the first conference,” Thomas said. “The conference brings all kinds of scholars and writers to the University.”

The conference kicked off Tuesday at Off Square Books by Oxonian author Michael Farris Smith. Smith just published his fourth novel, the Fighter, this month and was present to sign copies and talk about his book.

Smith’s Book, the Fighter. (Allen Brewer)

“For me, this is a first-time experience, but for a first-time experience I really enjoyed it,” senior exercise science and pre-physical therapy major Mat Windom said. “Judging off this one, I would like to be able to make more of the other events.”

The Events continued Tuesday at the J.D. Williams Library with a welcome lunch at the archives and Special collections on the libraries third floor at 11 a.m.

Reading and Conversation continue that night at Off Square books with author Jonathan Miles at 5 p.m.

On Thursday, a panel called ‘The Latino Experience in the South” hosts in the Overby Center at 9:30 a.m. Thacker Mountain Radio also hosts a special conference show at the Lyric Theater at 6 p.m.

The events wrap up on Friday with the closing reception and book signing at Off Square Books at 5 p.m.

“I think it’s a great opportunity,” Manager of Square Books Len Roberts said. “I really think there is an event for everyone no matter what you like to read or what your personality is.”

For a list of all the events featured in the conference, go to www.oxfordconferenceforthebooks.com.

Black Alumni Reunion Picnic

The 2018 Black Alumni Reunion kicked off its Saturday morning with the Greek, Athletic and Organization Picnic. The smell of good food, laughter, music and nostalgic moments filled the atmosphere at the Manning Center.

Alumni in attendance were thrilled and impressed with the changes the University has made since their graduation dates.

“Oh my gosh it feels, so surreal! It has been what.. 30 years? Oh my gosh. And everything looks so different because the school has just really grown. It’s nostalgia in some areas,” said alumna Sheila Horne on her thoughts and emotions about returning to her Alma mater.

Several of the campus’ organizations were present to talk with Alumni and students about their programs including The Meek School of Journalism, The Pharmacy School and the Law School.

James Meredith was also in attendance at the picnic signing copies of his book “A Mission from God” and taking photos.

Students were also thrilled to network with Alumni and meet new faces. Junior African American Studies major Jasmine Minor discusses her experience at the picnic, “It’s really amazing because I don’t get to see alumni that much, so to be able to see people that really paved the way for me to be where I am today is amazing.

The Greek, Athletic and Organization Picnic was just one of the many Black Alumni Reunion events that brought friends and family together. The event was full of joy, smiling faces and love.

 

A Walk For Champions

Just 2 weeks ago on February 14th, tragedy struck the community surrounding Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. A former student of the school opened fire on campus that day as school was letting out taking the lives of 17 people and sending 14 more to the hospital.

Today marks the first day back to school for students and faculty of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and one alumni wanted to show support for her Alma mater.

Current Ole Miss student, Alexa Johnson, organized an event she called “A Walk for Champions.”

“The student’s and faculty’s first day back to classes is tomorrow [February 28]. We want them to feel to feel like they know they have support from not just Florida, but every single state in the nation. We want to show them that they are champions, and that is why we are walking down the Walk of Champions because if they can pull it together and walk through those doors where a massacre happened two weeks ago, than that is a champion to me.”

Dozens of Ole Miss students gathered in front of Farley Hall to hear Alexa talk about her hometown in Florida, and how grateful she is for her second home and the community she has here in Oxford. Those in attendance walked from the Meek School, down the Walk of Champions, and over to The Lyceum where students yelled “We stand with you,” for a video being sent to the students and faculty at Stoneman Douglas High School.