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By Garrett CecereFormer Editor In Chief
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By Garrett Cecere Managing Editor On Thursday, April 25, CNN reported that North Korea provided the U.S. with a $2 million bill for the hospital expenses of American prisoner Otto Warmbier before releasing him nearly two years ago. Warmbier, who was a student at the University of Virginia, had been in a coma and spent more than a year in a North Korean prison for attempting to steal a propaganda poster. Upon returning home, his family had said he was unresponsive. The 22-year-old died six days later at a Cincinnati hospital, according to a June 2017 New York Times article that reported his death. The bill was given to Joseph Yun, the former state department special representative for North Korea, who was sent to the capital city of Pyongyang to bring Warmbier to the U.S. CBS News reported that Yun had signed off to pay the bill. However, the U.S. had no plans for compensation. Yun had informed Rex Tillerson — the Secretary of State at the time — of the bill before signing it. Tillerson then told President Donald Trump, according to CNN. Two sources told The Washington Post that the bill stayed with the Treasury Department and was unpaid through 2017. There have been no comments from the White House. “‘We do not comment on hostage negotiations, which is why is why they have been so successful during this administration,’” said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, according to CBS News. Otto’s father, Fred Warmbier, said that the bill seemed like a “‘ransom’” and that he had never been informed of it. The Washington Post reported that North Korea did not tell U.S. officials that Warmbier was in a coma until just before his release, which prompted Yun to bring the student home. While many Americans were already appalled by the brain damage that Warmbier had suffered during his incarceration in North Korea before dying, the request for the U.S. to pay for the student’s hospital bill has sparked outrage from several officials, including Greg Scarlatoiu, the executive director of the Committee for Human Rights, according to The Washington Post. Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown — R-Ohio and D-Ohio, respectively — have also spoken out against North Korea’s role in the situation. “‘They killed a perfectly healthy and happy college student and then had the audacity to expect the U.S. government to pay for his care,’” Scarlatoiu told The Washington Post. North Korea has claimed that Warmbier got sick from food and contracted botulism. The director of North Korea’s Friendship Hospital also said the student’s family’s claims that he died after being tortured misrepresented the truth, according to The Washington Post. Warmbier’s parents sued the North Korean government in December and were awarded $501 million. However, The Washington Post reported that it is unlikely they will actually see the money from Kim Jong Un’s regime. In February, the president supported Kim’s claim that he was unaware of Warmbier’s treatment while he was imprisoned, which led to a backlash from the student’s parents, according to CNN. “‘...Kim and his evil regime are responsible for the death of our son Otto. Kim and his evil regime are responsible for unimaginable cruelty and inhumanity,’” Warmbier’s parents said in a statement to CNN. “‘No excuses or lavish praise can change that. Thank you.’”
By Garrett Cecere and Camille Furst Managing Editor and News Editor The barriers were set up, the tape was wrapped around and Campus Police pulled up outside the Brower Student Center, in preparation for the protest. The Bible Believers, who had previously visited the College approximately one year ago, returned around 12:30 p.m. with new and familiar signs on Wednesday, April 10. For about four hours, they preached their beliefs about various religions, minority groups and acts that they believed to be sinful, which many students defied in various ways, such as shouts, apathy and statements of their own. The group of protesters consisted of four male individuals, two of whom were adolescents. Just as the protest was about to begin, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Sean Stallings sent an email to alert the campus of the group’s presence, encouraging the College community not to engage with the Bible Believers, but rather with the Diversity Summit, which was happening just a few hundred feet away in the Brower Student Center. “From their visits last year, we know that their message is at odds with the diverse and inclusive community that we value,” Stallings said in the email. Stallings’ also acknowledged that the group has the legal right to voice its opinion on campus. “The college recognizes the group’s right to free speech under the constitution and its legal right to occupy designated public use space on our campus,” his email read. While their protest drew a smaller crowd compared to last year, the Bible Believers continued to preach to the students who showed up. One protestor, Pastor Aden, wore a shirt that read, “you deserve hell” and spoke about topics such as homosexuality, Islam and atheism. “Atheism is the trailer trash of all religions,” he said. At another point in their four-hour protest, Pastor Aden displayed his views on homosexuality by stepping on a gay pride flag. He also stepped on the Quran, Islam’s religious text. He only allowed questions from the men in the audience. After being asked multiple questions by female students, he said that he had “not permitted women to speak.” As Pastor Aden preached, one of the adolescent boys held a sign that demanded that “homos,” “muslims,” “witches,” “gamers,” and “rebellious women” to “obey Jesus or hellfire.” On the same sign, they cited www.ChristianInterviews.com, a site which leads to their Facebook page consisting of various videos preaching the same beliefs said on Wednesday. On the same page, the Bible Believers continuously post videos and articles about the times in which they preached to college campuses. Another member, James Ross, who said his name was Brother James, spoke next as he held a sign that read, “gamers are murderers.” “I think we got off on the wrong foot,” he said to the crowd. “We don’t hate you. We don’t. No, God hates you, and that’s why we’re here.” Ross continued the theme of gender roles with his preaching and claimed that women should be trained as if they were dogs. “That dog over there, you see how it’s trained?” James said in response to a dog barking nearby. “That dog listens a lot better than the women on this campus. And that’s a problem.” In response to the group’s claims about the LGBTQ+ community, two male students also stood up on one of the benches and kissed, which prompted applause from the crowd of students. Another student then donned a gay pride flag and confronted Pastor Aden. “It’s really sad just to see, I don’t know,” said Josh Oh, a sophomore political science major who wore the flag. “Christianity is supposed to be a religion about love and acceptance and forgiveness … For me, as an openly gay person, I have no issue coming out here with my rainbow flag and just making a statement.” The two boys also took turns speaking, with the older one holding a sign that read, “women belong in the kitchen,” as he addressed female students and said that they are not real women. “Instead of opening your legs to some whoremonger on the streets, open your heart to the kitchen,” he said. The younger boy spoke about homosexuality as he held a sign that read, “whores deserve STDs.” “It’s not okay to be gay,” he said as he raised the sign above his head. “You’re gonna die.” “We’re all gonna die,” several students shouted in response. Throughout their preaching, they continually criticized many students of being “fake Christians,” in the fact that they have different political beliefs than the group. After being antagonized about her own beliefs, senior special education and English dual major Corinne Petersen felt disheartened by what they preached. “As a follower of Jesus … my role as a believer is not to scream at people and tell them that God hates them, but that God loves them and desires only that have peace and blessing in every way,” she said. “Salvation is open to everyone who accepts Jesus. It’s not about how much we’ve fallen short, it’s about how much God has to give us.” Another student, Victor Mazariegos, stood up on the bench and diverted the students’ attention away from the protesters by sharing his own views. “Alright, you guys aren’t sharing the gospel, I might as well just do it,” he said in response to the Bible Believers. “The Bible says that everyone is a sinner, but Jesus Christ died for everyone’s sins. God loves you and he will not let you die … he sent his only son to die on the cross, so that you may have a relationship with him. These guys are a bunch of fools and lunatics.” His speech garnered an applause from the other students surrounding the Bible Believers. Other students reacted by finding the protesters comical. Daniel Villardi, a freshman mechanical engineering major, said it was the “best comedy I’ve ever seen.” On Thursday, April 11, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs William Keep addressed the demonstration in an email to the campus, commending the College community for upholding its values. “Yesterday, we again demonstrated TCNJ values by: a) celebrating and embracing diversity, b) upholding free speech, and c) ignoring messages intended to insult and provoke,” his email read. Keep also suggested that students avoid engaging with the group’s members if they return to campus in the future. “In a community of learners, words matter. Ignoring inflammatory, insulting, and hurtful words can be difficult,” Keep said in the email. “Wasting time engaging others who are not interested in learning is worse. We write to thank you — our community members — for both celebrating diversity and ignoring those who seek to disrupt our work as educators.”
By Garrett Cecere Managing Editor The lights grew dim, a violet glow illuminated the stage and the sound began to reverberate across every surface of the room. Students who came to last week’s CUB Alt Show, held on March 26 in the Brower Student Center Room 225E, eagerly watched three rock performances full of energy, passion and even some humor. The audience fervently watched headlining artist Sam Ray, who had just been on a tour with his band, American Pleasure Club. The band, originally from Baltimore, had performed in cities throughout the East Coast and Midwest, some of which included Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Nashville and Detroit. For the show, Ray chose songs that he felt would fit well with his solo performance and electric guitar. He picked pieces that were written to be played alone, but also chose songs that were performed with the band. “...Some of (the songs) we play live as a full band are fun, but it’s not, like, how I had a song in mind when I wrote or recorded it,” he said. “So sometimes, it’s showing, like, a different version of something than anyone’s ever heard.” Bad Luck, a rock band from Long Island, played numerous songs, which ranged from the title track of the album “Cold Bones” to new releases like “Drug Phase” and “Mean Dudes.” Out of all the songs Bad Luck played, lead singer Dominick Fox said he especially enjoyed performing “Love Song,” which he said is the band’s most popular hit on Spotify. The show was not without occasional funny moments. After performing many songs with expletives, Fox asked if profanity was permitted. “Are we allowed to curse?” he asked the audience and CUB members. “We should be. You guys are in college … fuck,” he said, which garnered laughter from the audience. The next performer, Dustin Hayes, performed solo with an acoustic guitar. Hayes is a member of the band Walter, Etc., formerly known as Walter Mitty and His Makeshift Orchestra. Hayes also snuck in some humor between sets, as he compared the College to his former school. “At least you have bands come through,” he said. “Where I went to school … in Oregon, there was, like, one anarchist coffee shop in the basement that got, like, shut down … no bands, no nothing.” During his college years, Hayes wrote a song called “Howl” while he was at the “Anarchist coffee shop,” which he based on Allen Ginsberg’s poem of the same name and performed at the show. “You know in your, like, freshman year of college, you think you’re … fuckin’, like, so intellectual, so smart?” he said. “I thought (‘Howl’) was … the smartest thing I had ever done.” Hayes especially enjoyed playing a song he wrote about a past relationship called, “I Bought You a Blanket in Mexico,” which he had never performed before. “...it’s kind of fun to play ’cause it’s just so new to me,” he said. Ray, who had concluded the night, said that one of the songs he enjoyed performing the most was “Dead Swans,” which is typically played with the rest of the band. “(‘Dead Swans’) is the one when I say that we play as … a full band version, usually, but I got to do it the way I always wanted to.” Ray also played an emotional song that he wrote with his friend, Ryan, who died after it was written. The song, “Abby’s Song,” was named for Ryan’s former girlfriend because she had sung it. “(This was) the last song I wrote with Ryan,” Ray said. After Ray played his last song and the final note faded into silence, the audience applauded. “It was really cool how intimate it was,” said Josh Tobia, a sophomore electrical engineering major. Ultimately, Ray hoped that his solo performance would resonate well with the audience. “I met a couple people before who knew my music and that’s cool,” he said. “So I guess some of them know it and maybe some don’t, and I hope in both those cases that it comes across really well this way.”
By Garrett Cecere Managing Editor Since last semester’s racial incident at Wolfe Hall, the College has taken several measures to combat future occurrences of bias. A large step came on Jan. 2 when College President Kathryn Foster announced to the campus via email that Ivonne Cruz would serve as the Acting Vice President for Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In a March 1 campus-wide email, Cruz delivered an update on actions that have or are scheduled to occur within the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “Over the past eight weeks, our priorities have been to organize the office, build a mechanism for reporting and responding to bias incidents on our campus and to begin developing meaningful opportunities to build the diverse, inclusive and equitable community TCNJ inspires to be,” Cruz said in the email. Foster also said that Cruz would work to develop a Bias Response Team with Chief Diversity Officer Kerri Thompson Tillett and Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion Don Trahan. Cruz announced the members involved in this team in her recent email. The new team includes Cruz, Tillett, Trahan, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Dispute Resolution Elizabeth Gallus, Director of Campus Police Tim Grant, Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs William Keep, Student Government Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Eashwayne Haughton and other faculty, staff or student advocates, according to Cruz’s email. “The Diversity Advocates program was actually initiated last semester by Dr. Don Trahan,” she said. “The campus community (faculty, staff, and students) were invited to volunteer for the program. I believe we currently have 86 Diversity Advocates.” Cruz also announced that the Office of Disability Support Services will include the new position of disability specialist, whose responsibilities will include ensuring accommodations in classrooms, residences and dining areas, as well as developing programs, workshops and panels on topics pertaining to disabled students’ experiences and sharing the information with the campus. Megan Sellett, director of DSS, is coordinating the search for a disability specialist, according to Cruz. An online “bias incident” form is also in development. According to Cruz, a draft of the form has been developed but is still being tested. She hopes the form will be finalized by next week and sent to the campus after spring break. Until the form is available, students can report incidents of bias to the Office of Student Conduct. Some students expressed how they felt the development of a team represented a step in the right direction. “I think it’s good … to diminish that feeling of hatred,” said Debra Schafer, a freshman journalism and professional writing major. Xuanyi Zhao, a senior physics major, thought that the team’s presence shows commitment to countering racial incidents. “I think it’s always good to have people dedicated … they want to improve the situation,” Zhao said. In addition, OIDEI has developed the Diversity Education Series, which includes workshops pertaining to inclusion and diversity, in an effort to further the office’s principles. The next workshop titled, “It’s Not Just Personal: Examining Institutional and Systemic Inequalities,” is scheduled for March 26 at noon in the Brower Student Center Room 216. In addition to the series, the second annual Diversity Summit is scheduled for April 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Center. “The Keynote Speaker will be Sonia Aranza, who will address the topic of Cultural Competence for a Complex World,” Cruz announced in her email. Cruz said that more details will be communicated to the campus as OIDEI continues to expand. “We are committed to advancing a cultural shift that creates an environment where all members of our community feel safe, heard, and valued,” her email read. “Having diversity of thought is important, but making sure we can all engage in respectful dialogue and shared values is the key foundational element to this process.”
By Garrett Cecere Managing Editor President Donald Trump announced on Feb. 25 that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping would engage in a “‘signing summit’” as the two nations approach a trade deal, CNN reported. The announcement is a sign that the trade deadlock may be approaching an end, as the deadline for negotiators was set for Friday, March 1, according to CNN. However, The New York Times reported that Trump said he would delay the deadline for increasing tariffs on Chinese imports. “‘...I will be delaying the U.S. increase in tariffs now scheduled for March 1,’” Trump tweeted on Feb. 24, according to The New York Times. “‘Assuming both sides make additional progress, we will be planning a Summit for President Xi and myself, at Mar-a-Lago, to conclude an agreement.’” While Trump backed off on raising the tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, the president was optimistic that he would be signing an agreement with Xi “‘fairly soon,’” according to The Washington Post. On Sunday, March 3, The New York Times reported that the Trump administration and China are nearing a deal to “roll back tariffs on both sides of the Pacific.” A person who knows about the agreement said that China wants all of Trump’s tariffs to be eliminated. It is uncertain if Trump will remove all tariffs or have some remain in effect, stated The New York Times. Under the agreement that is being discussed, markets for farmers and financial services firms in the U.S. would increase, with the stipulation that China purchases farm goods and energy — such as soybeans and liquid natural gas — in high quantities, The New York Times reported. China’s government has been open to discussing purchases of commodities for factories and adjustments to its foreign investment laws, according to The New York Times. However, those who are knowledgeable of the position of the nation’s government say China will not accept policy changes that it does not find beneficial. The New York Times reported that much of the necessary legal work for passing a law on foreign business investments has been done. “The law will be the framework for China to reduce its limits on foreign stakes in Chinese banks, insurers and asset management companies — something that Mr. Xi had agreed to do in November 2017, when Mr. Trump came to Beijing for talks ahead of the trade war,” The New York Times reported. Last week, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer went before Congress and indicated that much work still needs to be done before coming to an agreement. According to The New York Times, he said that the U.S. and China were attempting to enforce a system that involves meetings at different government levels and the threat of tariffs if China were to go against the trade agreement.
By Garrett Cecere Managing Editor Bundled up and waving signs, faculty members marched across campus on Feb. 13 to show their support for members of the College community. The Faculty Senate organized the march, which began at the bronze lion statue near the Brower Student Center at 11:30 a.m., continued through a slushy Alumni Grove and concluded on the steps of Green Hall after approximately 25 minutes. “I thought (the march) was terrific,” said College President Kathryn Foster, who walked with the faculty. “It’s such a sign that affirms our values when something happens on campus, so I thought it was outstanding.” Professors marched for various reasons. Some marched in support of sexual assault and hate-crime victims, while others marched in general support of the campus community. Nonna Sorokina, a professor of finance, walked for a safe campus for everybody, no matter their role at the College. “(We are marching for) students, faculty, staff, guests, anybody who happens to be here,” Sorokina said. The march also became a way for some professors to voice their support for those affected by social biases. One sign read, “be aware of your bias!” while another read, “I support survivors of hate crimes and sexual violence. I believe you.” While some members held posters in support of assault victims, others walked for inclusivity. We’re marching to support an inclusive campus for all students at TCNJ and … just show faculty and staff support for the students,” said Nick McBride, a professor in the music department. One poster had several phrases, some of which included, “not if she was drunk,” “not if she was queer,” “not if she was wearing a miniskirt” and “not if the victim was male.” In the middle of the poster were the words, “rape is never the victim’s fault.” Joanna Herres, a psychology professor walked for victims of sexual, physical and racial violence. “I’m marching in support of women who experience sexual violence and people of color who have experienced violence because of the color of their skin,” she said. Candice Feiring, also a psychology professor, said she marched for many reasons, some of which included the need to spread more awareness of Anti-Violence Initiatives. “(I march) in support of students who are struggling with assault, encouraging them to come forward, that we want to listen to what they have to say and help them,” Feiring said. “And we do, I think, have a pretty good program in AVI, but it can be better.”
By Garrett Cecere Managing Editor In an attempt to gain the billions of dollars necessary for a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Friday, Feb. 15, The New York Times reported. This decision came after lawmakers would not meet the president’s request for funds, according to CNN. Trump and his top officials made the argument that there is a crisis at the Mexican border, while Democrats countered by saying that the situation is more of a humanitarian than a security issue. The Washington Post reported that Republicans are split on Trump’s decision, as many of them find the declaration unsettling, while others do not want to challenge it with the upcoming elections in 2020. Some Democrats spoke out against the president’s actions, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer D-N.Y, who claimed that Trump’s decision is unconstitutional. “‘This is plainly a power grab by a disappointed president, who has gone outside the bounds of the law to try to get what he failed to achieve in the constitutional legislative process,’” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement, according to The New York Times. CNN reported that Trump expects challenges in court against his declaration. However, he rejected critics who claim his decision will set a bad precedent and said that he is “on firm legal ground.” Under the National Emergencies Act of 1976, the president can declare a national emergency when he feels the circumstances are appropriate, according to The Washington Post. Presidents have declared national emergencies approximately 60 times, The New York Times reported. However, many of the emergencies have been associated with issues such as foreign crises and blocking trades and exports, as opposed to redirecting money without the approval of Congress. Past presidents who have spent money without legislative approval include former Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush during the Persian Gulf War and after the 9/11 attacks respectively, according to The New York Times. The Washington Post reported that presidential scholars said Trump’s declaration could be viewed differently from past presidents’ desperate decisions if he backs up his choice with the National Emergencies Act, since his action comes after Congress refused him funding, rather than in response to a crisis that is evident to American citizens. The president’s declaration does not automatically guarantee a border wall. The Trump administration could face legal challenges from House Democrats, as well as landowners who would be forced to give up property for barriers, according to CNN. House Democrats could bring in a resolution that repeals the national emergency and vote on it before it goes to the Senate. CNN reported that Trump could veto the decision even if it hypothetically passed through the Republican-controlled Senate.
By Garrett Cecere Managing Editor Students, faculty and members of the local community overfilled Mayo Concert Hall on Feb. 6 to hear two women’s powerful stories of loss, recovery and activism, as they continue to advocate for justice and police accountability. The Black Student Union co-sponsored the event with the department of African American Studies to invite speakers from the Mothers of the Movement organization, a political activist group created by and for the mothers of children who were killed by police or gun violence. The speakers, Gwen Carr and Samaria Rice, are the mothers of Eric Garner and Tamir Rice, both of whom were killed by police officers in 2014. The deaths of their sons launched Carr and Rice into an ongoing fight for justice. “What they’re telling me at the Department of Justice is everything is just at a standstill,” Rice said. “There was no indictment, as we all know, for Timothy Loehmann, which was the shooter.” Carr explained that Daniel Pantaleo, the officer who put Garner in a chokehold, heard him say, “I can’t breathe,” 11 times before he died. Pantaleo has remained with the New York Police Department at a desk job. “How does someone on desk duty make a six-figure salary?” Carr said. “That’s an insult to injury. We know that there was no indictment.” As Carr and Rice continued to share their experiences, activist and journalist Bakari Kitwana, who moderated the forum, reminded the audience of the importance of activism and perseverance. “The people that give up are the people that lose,” Kitwana said. Kitwana lauded Carr and Rice for continuing to be active members of Mothers of the Movement. “This is a question, I feel, for every black political movement that there has been,” Kitwana said. “What do you do when there is no pathway to justice? What do citizens in a society do when they have exhausted all of the legal, institutional, structured methods of attaining justice, and they still have no justice?” Kitwana illustrated his point by using a historical example of Vincent Harding, who wrote speeches for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He spoke of Harding’s comparison of the Black political struggle to a river, saying that every new generation spawns people, leaders and organizations to jump in the river and keep it flowing. “We’re in the river,” Kitwana said with a laugh. “We’re in the river right now and we need to inspire that next generation … to jump in here with us.” Diamond Hackley, a junior psychology major and president of BSU, met with Carr, Rice and Kitwana backstage before introducing them to the audience. “They were so kind and welcoming backstage,” Hackley said. “It was really awesome to share that moment.” Hackley admitted that while she felt nervous introducing Carr and Rice, they made her feel calm before appearing onstage. “They were just … that mother sense of trying to calm me down,” she said. “And they told me, ‘no matter what, just keep talking. Just relax ... you’re here for a reason.’ And they were just really, really encouraging.” Hackley believed that there was no better time to hold the event, given the racial incidents that occurred on campus last semester and the sanctions that Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Sean Stallings announced in a campus-wide email on Feb. 1. Hackley also thought that hearing the experiences of Carr and Rice showed students the reality of life for African-Americans, as well as reasons and methods for change. “No matter what role you are, what ethnicity you are, we all have a job to do in terms of bettering our community and bettering our country,” she said. “I feel like having (Carr, Rice and Kitwana) to … encourage us and help us to understand what that really looks like on … a human level, it meant so, so much." Kitwana continued the forum by asking Carr and Rice about their recoveries and the actions that they have taken to seek justice. Rice has continued to help other women recover, including Michelle Kenney, the mother of Antwon Rose, who was fatally shot by police in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in June of 2018. “When I went out to Pittsburgh, I … went out to support (Kenney),” Rice said. “I just wanted to be there for her. Sometimes it’s good to have that out-of-town support come in.” Rice said that they support each other as mothers as they continue to give each other strength and love while they recover. Since she joined the movement in its early stages with Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, Rice has been able to connect with many people under similar circumstances not just limited to police brutality. There were certain events she attended where the mothers described children who died in drownings, car accidents and even in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. “I got a chance to meet different types of moms and understand different types of levels of pain,” Rice said. “We all know we just lost a child.” In terms of educating young people, Rice said she purchased a commercial building last year with the hope of forming a youth center to provide performing arts and political programs. “Basically, in the inner city of Cleveland there’s no after-school programs,” she said. “I just wanted to give back to my community, back to mothers of children and families … by developing programs to help our youth.” Rice thought it was important for the teachers there to prepare children for playing important roles in their communities, such as becoming a member of a local municipality. “I think it starts with a councilman,” she said. “And it goes to being … a mayor to make changes to … support the people in the community because that’s where it all starts at – with the council.” Rice continued to give back to her community and honor her son by developing the Tamir Rice Foundation. Within the foundation is the current development of the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Cultural Center, where children will be able to participate in various programs surrounding education, culture and art, according to Clevland.com. “It’s a process,” Rice said. “But I’m not going to stop ’til it’s done because this is what Tamir would have wanted.” Jasmine Green, a sophomore finance major, particularly enjoyed what Rice said about the foundation and the programs it had to offer. “I come from an inner city too and we don’t have that many after-school programs that much, so that really resonated with me,” Green said. Rice than spoke to audience members about what her son’s interests were. “He liked the normal things from basketball to football to soccer,” Rice said. “Even at 12 years old, he still played with legos.” Rice said that Tamir also enjoyed video games and shows such as “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” “Scooby-Doo” and “Dragon Ball Z.” “He had a chance to have that real American life,” she said. “From … playing basketball with the big boys, shooting three-pointers, swimming, from helping little kids at his school with their bookbags, tying their shoes … He was the glue that kept the family together.” Naomi Odusanya, a sophomore psychology major, felt that the description of Tamir showed the humanity of the speakers and their children. “I feel like throughout the whole … movement, these people … have become figures and not necessarily a person,” Odusanya said. “So her explaining that to us, it really … humanized (Tamir) and I totally enjoyed it.” Carr described her recovery from the tragedy of Garner’s death as emotional. She said there were mixed feelings surrounding his death, especially because it happened in such a violent manner. She took to her bed the day after Garner’s death and did not want to get up or see anyone. Ultimately, she turned to prayer for help. “I’m a very religious person, so I used to pray a lot,” Carr said. “I prayed to God. It looked like one night, it just seems like he whispered in my ear and asked me, ‘Are you going to lay there and die, like your son, or are going to get up and let the world know who he was?’” About one or two days later, Carr decided it was time to join groups and find out what she could do. “It’s too late for my son, but the struggle is for the grandchildren, your children, the unborn, because we got to save our generations,” she said. In 2016, Carr worked with former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on her campaign. She and approximately six other members of the Mothers of the Movement traveled to various cities every week. Carr read from her new book, “This Stops Today: Eric Garner’s Mother Seeks Justice After Losing Her Son,” which includes a foreword by Clinton. She read an excerpt from her book that addressed how people are bound to know about the incident due to the video evidence, and that social media would play a vital role in making people aware of the issue. “‘The one consolation was that with this evidence, things had to change. At least this would save other black men and women from this inhumanity,’” she read. Carr explained how the first story that came out about Garner’s death reported that he had a heart attack. “They didn’t know at the time that there was a video,” she said. “Nobody knew.” Carr said that she belongs to various groups that have helped her move toward change, whether that meant calling press conferences or taking a trip to Albany, New York, to see Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “We brought makeshift coffins up to Albany and put them in front of his door,” she said. They asked him, “‘What are you going to do with these bodies?’” Carr said that both she and other mothers wanted an executive order that would put cases such as her son’s in the hands of the state attorney general rather than the local district attorney. In 2015, nearly one year after Garner’s death, Carr and her fellow activists stood behind Cuomo as he signed the executive order. With every small step of change, she still advocates for justice. “Pantaleo should have been fired that same week that he murdered my son,” Carr said. “And now that they know… how involved I am now, they know I have no problem going to Albany face-to-face with the governor, with the senators, with the assembly people, because I want what I want and I’m not going to stop ’til I get what I want.” Carr also noted that there have been many incidents that have not received media coverage. “You’re also the voice of the voiceless, the face of the faceless, because there are many mothers out there that you all don’t know about.” Carr made it clear that she would be persistent in her fight for justice and accountability. “There were at least 12 more officers … involved with my son’s death that day. Some of them filed false reports, some of them pounced on him, some of them didn’t try to de-escalate the situation. I’m going after all their jobs.” At the end of the forum, both women were asked about what students at the College could do to support the organization’s movement on campus. Rice said that people could spread the word and see social media pages of the Tamir Rice Foundation, while Carr told the audience about how to serve as sponsors to help bring mothers together for an event she organizes, where they can unite help others who have experienced similar tragedies. The Garner Way Foundation, according to its website, is dedicated to educating people about combating injustice and racial inequality. “What I do every year is I bring mothers from all around the country so that we can gather together and … voice our problems and maybe one can help another mother with a problem,” Carr said. Kitwana closed the forum with a final request of the audience. “Please educate yourselves on this issue. We cannot let this issue go,” he said. “We cannot live in a country where we let people get killed by the police and nothing happens. This can’t be the end of the story.”