Tag: Crossroads Community Center

African-American Heritage

African-American Heritage Month at UA will Reflect History, Unity

January 29, 2009

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Crossroads Community Center invites the campus and community to participate in the observance of African-American Heritage Month events throughout February.

The purpose of AAHM is to affirm, recognize and appreciate the heritage, struggles, achievements, progress and diversity of African-Americans, says Brice Miller, assistant director of Crossroads Community Center at UA.

The 83rd celebration of AAHM is an opportunity for the entire community to appreciate the contributions of African-Americans while also celebrating a theme of unity, Miller notes. During this time, the community reflects on the many ways African-Americans have shaped the nation’s history.

An African-American scholar, Carter G. Woodson, created and promoted Negro History Week in February 1926. He chose the week to correspond to the respective birthdays of Frederick Douglass, an ex-slave and slavery abolitionist, and President Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, the week-long celebration expanded to one month.

Now, the annual observance provides an opportunity to highlight features of the rich African-American experience, Miller says. "The campus AAHM observance allows us to recognize and address the range and diversity of contributions African-Americans have made to our UA community," he adds.

A list of AAHM events on campus includes:

Every Friday Morning

Children's activities: storytelling, motivational speakers, classroom activities and more
Brewer Porch Children's Center
Sponsored by Brewer Porch Children's Center

Library Photo Exhibit, month of February
Do you know your famous African-American Alabamians?
Gorgas Library exhibit cases, Capstone entrance
Sponsored by University Libraries

Ferguson Center Photo Exhibit, month of February
What is the Alabama Experience? An African-American Perspective
Crossroads Lounge, 232 Ferguson Center
Sponsored by Student Involvement and Leadership, Crossroads Community Center, Black Student Union and University Printing
African-American Heritage Month Read-In, Monday, Feb. 2, 5:30 p.m.
Crossroads Lounge, 232 Ferguson Center
Sponsored by the Women's Resource Center, Pi Beta Phi and Delta Sigma Theta

First Wednesdays @ Crossroads, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m.
Crossroads Lounge, 232 Ferguson Center
Sponsored by Pepsi, Crossroads Community Center and University Programs

Jerry Ward: The Katrina Papers, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 4 p.m.
Author, professor, African-American scholar Jerry Ward, will speak about and read from his recent book The Katrina Papers. Question and answer, book signing and reception to follow talk. 205 Gorgas Library
Host: Creative Campus Initiative
Sponsored by Crossroads Community Center, New College, African-American studies program, Bankhead Visiting Writers Series and University Libraries

REAL Talk, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 5 p.m.
204-B Ferguson Center
Sponsored by Blackburn Institute, Crossroads Community Center and Sustained Dialogue

Heart Healthy Eating Information Table, Thursday, Feb. 5, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Ferguson Center near Starbucks
Sponsored by Health Promotion and Wellness Office

Community Conversation with Jerry Ward and Brice Miller, Thursday, Feb. 5, noon
Author of The Katrina Papers and assistant director of Crossroads Community Center and son of New Orleans. Campus community discussion about personal experiences during Hurricane Katrina with a facilitating panel.
301 Morgan Hall
Host: Creative Campus Initiative
Sponsors: Crossroads Community Center and New College

Guess Who Is Coming to Dinner, Thursday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m.

Residential Hall Locations
Bryant Community "“ Bryce Lawn 500/101
Apartment Community "“ Lobby of Rose Towers
Lakeside Community "“
Feb. 5 – Lakeside East 4th floor
Feb. 19 – Lakeside East 4th floor
Feb. 26 – Lakeside West 4th floor
Tutwiler Community "“ Tut Hut
Colonial Community "“ Harris Common Room
Riverside Community "“ Riverside Community Center
Ridgecrest Community "“ 2nd floor kitchen/TV lounge of Ridgecrest East.
Paty Community "“ Paty TV Room
Hackberry Community "“ Parham Living Room

First Friday at Crossroads/Mix-It-Up, Intercultural Networking, Friday, Feb. 6, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Crossroads Lounge, 232 Ferguson Center
Sponsored by Black Student Union and Freshman Forum
Co-Sponsored by Student Alumni Association

Academic Integrity Week, Feb. 9-13

Cabin in the Sky, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 6 p.m.
116 ten Hoor Hall
Sponsored by Eta Chi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

Chuck D, Rapper/Activist, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 7 p.m.
Ferguson Theater
Sponsored by University Programs

Brown Bag Lecture featuring Amalia Amaki, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 12:30 p.m.
"Double Consciousness in Three-D: Sculptor Nancy Elizabeth Prophet as a Negro Renaissance Model and Why It Matters Today"
308 Manly Hall
Sponsored by Women's Resource Center and Department of Women's Studies

REAL Talk, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 5 p.m.
Ferguson Center, Anderson Room
Sponsored by Blackburn Institute, Crossroads Community Center, and Sustained Dialogue

Selma, Lord, Selma, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m.
Ferguson Center, Room 100, Campus Programs Lounge
Sponsored by the Kappa Alpha chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

Heart Healthy Eating Information Table, Thursday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Ferguson Center near Starbucks
Sponsored by Health Promotion and Wellness Office

Community Conversation with Beverly Hawk and Brice Miller, "Understanding the Value of Integrity," Thursday, Feb. 12, 4 p.m.
Crossroads Lounge, 232 Ferguson Center
Sponsored by Crossroads Community Center and Academic Integrity Week

Movie: Four Little Girls, Thursday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m.
30 ten Hoor Hall
Sponsored by: Student Government Association, New Student and Parent Programs, African-American Studies and Housing and Residential Communities

NAACP Centennial Celebration, Thursday, Feb. 12, 6-8 p.m.
100 Ferguson Center, Campus Programs Lounge
Sponsored by the NAACP

Black Law Student Association Community Service Project, Sunday, Feb. 15, 3-7 p.m.
Painting the gym at the Boys and Girls Club in Alberta City
Sponsored by Black Student Union and co-sponsored by the Ferguson Center

Potluck Luncheon Celebrating African-American Heritage Month, Monday, Feb. 16, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Little Hall, Student Lounge
Sponsored by the School of Social Work

Four Little Girls, Monday, Feb. 16, 5 p.m.
205 Gorgas Library
Sponsored by Student Government Association, New Student and Parent Programs, African-American Studies, Housing and Residential Communities, and the Black Law Students Association

Speaker: Dr. Shirley Wesley King, "A Survivor's Story: The Birmingham Church Bombing," Monday, Feb. 16, 7 p.m.
205 Gorgas Library
Sponsored by Student Government Association, New Student and Parent Programs, African American Studies, Housing and Residential Communities, and the Black Law Students Association

Black Women On: The Light, Dark Thang, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 6 p.m.
Ferguson Theater
Sponsored by Women's Resource Center and Housing and Residential Communities

Hip Hop Summit Panel Discussion: Exploring Hip Hop's Global influences on Cultures, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 3-5 p.m.
Ferguson Center Forum, Room 360
Sponsored by Ferguson Center Student Union, NAACP, Black Student Union, Counseling Center, Community Service Center, Crossroads Community Center

Hip Hop Summit Common Ground Poetry Slam Competition, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m.
Ferguson Center, Heritage Room
Sponsored by Ferguson Center Student Union, Common Ground, SquareRoot, Counseling Center, Speak the Speech and Crossroads Community Center

Heart Healthy Eating Information Table, Thursday, Feb. 19, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Ferguson Center near Starbucks
Sponsored by Health Promotion and Wellness Office

Crash, Thursday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m.
*See Feb. 5 for list of locations
Sponsored by Housing and Residential Communities

Hip-Hop Summit Main Event, Thursday, Feb. 19, 8-10 p.m.
Ferguson Center Ballroom
Host: Ferguson Center Student Union
Sponsored by Ferguson Center Student Union, NAACP, Black Student Union, Counseling Center, Community Service Center and Crossroads Community Center

Annual African-American Heritage Month Colloquium, Friday, Feb. 20, 2-3:30 p.m.
Theme: Community Organizing and the Social Work Profession
Speakers: Dr. Harriett Ivory Means and Elbert Lee Means, community activist
223 Little Hall, Reception following in the Student Lounge
Sponsored by School of Social Work

Don't Forget the Lyrics: UA Hip Hop Edition, Feb. 20, 7-10 p.m.
Ferguson Theater
Sponsored by Black Student Union

History of African-American Tuscaloosa Tour, Sunday, Feb. 22, 1-5 p.m.
Bus Tour Price: $3 Students, $5 Non-Students
(Bus leaves from Foster Auditorium. Sign-up in the SGA office on the main floor of the Ferguson Center.)
Sponsored by Black Student Union, Student Government Association, African-American Graduate Students Association and the Crimson Ride

Annual State of the Black Union Address, Sunday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m.
205 Gorgas Library
Sponsored by NAACP

"Race, Politics and Media in the Age of Obama", Monday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m.
Speaker: Mayor Larry Langford of Birmingham
125 ten Hoor Hall
Sponsored by the Capstone Association of Black Journalists

Book Discussion: Great Speeches by African-Americans: Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Barack Obama, and Others., Tuesday, Feb. 24, 6-8 p.m.
100 Ferguson Center, Campus Programs Lounge
Sponsored by the Ferguson Center

REAL Talk, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 5 p.m.
Ferguson Center, Anderson Room
Sponsored by Blackburn Institute, Crossroads Community Center and Sustained Dialogue

Every Woman Book Club: "Beloved" by Toni Morrison, Thursday, Feb. 26, noon
The Globe Restaurant in Northport
Sponsored by the Women's Resource Center

An Evening with Paul R. Jones, "Preserving the Legacy of African-American Artists," Thursday, Feb. 26, 5:30-7 p.m.
205 Gorgas Library
Sponsored by the Black Faculty and Staff Association

The Great Debaters, Thursday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m.
*See Feb. 5 for list of locations
Sponsored by Housing and Residential Communities

"What is the Alabama Experience? An African-American Perspective," Friday, Feb. 27, 2 p.m.
Crossroads Lounge, 232 Ferguson
Sponsored by Crossroads Community Center, the Ferguson Center and the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership

Saturday, Feb. 28, 7:30 a.m., Trip to National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis, Tenn.
$51 per person, leaves from Law School Parking Lot
Contact muhammad.abdullah@law.ua.edu for more information
Sponsored by Black Law Student Association

All events are open to the public. For more information, contact the UA Crossroads Community Center at 205/348-6930 or stop by the office in 232 Ferguson Center; also go online to www.crossroads.ua.edu for updates.

Crossroads Community Center is an initiative of the UA Office of Community Affairs under the direction of Dr. Samory Pruitt, providing campus leadership in the areas of cultural and intercultural education by facilitating relationship-building across cultures through innovative programs and initiatives.

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is in the midst of a planned, steady enrollment growth with a goal of reaching 28,000 students by 2010. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state’s economy, is in keeping with UA’s vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state’s flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.

Procrastination is Not Part of Joseph Seals’ Vocabulary

April 23, 2008

By NiCarla J. Friend
CCBP Student Intern

As spring semester 2008 winds down, many students, some for the first time all year, start thinking about what they'll do during the summer break, or if they are seniors, what comes after college.

Joseph Seals, a junior from Selma majoring in language arts, is the perfect example of a student who did not procrastinate about his future. He arrived on campus with a plan and immediately set about to build his experience portfolio.

For example during "National Veterans Awareness Week," last November, Seals set up a giant card display to encourage the campus to keep veterans in mind leading up to Veterans Day. Seals had been inspired to do something to for veterans after spending time at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center and carried out his project under the guidance of UA's Community Crossroads Community Center.

 "A lot of the soldiers at the hospital are lonely and away from home, so I wanted to get people to give them the attention they deserve," Seals explained. "People don't know what it's like for them." While spending time with the veterans, Seals noticed that many had no family visitors and felt forgotten or unappreciated.

He decided to do something. With backing from students and staff at UA's Crossroads Community Center, Seals created a giant Veterans Day card and set it up in the Ferguson Center for people to sign and show their support and appreciation for local veterans. Later, he presented the card to the veterans at the VA.

But the project won't end there, Seals said. He wants UA students to do something unique for veterans each year. Almost immediately on completion of the Veterans Day card, he and other students began discussing ideas for next year, "so the project does not become a cliché," he said.

Crossroads Community Center, which recently celebrated its third birthday, leads students and others in the University community in programs that promote awareness, knowledge and understanding of different cultures. Each year scores of students work with African and Native American Heritage, the Intercultural Student Council, Sustained Dialog and many other programs. Dr. Beverly Hawk is director and Brice Miller is the assistant director of the Center.

Seals began his quest for career-building activities early, attending UA's Multicultural Journalism Workshop as a rising senior in 2004.

As a student assistant at Crossroads, as well as residential adviser at Burke East, president of the Intercultural Student Council, a member of the Residential Assistant Selection Committee, a leader in the 2007 and 2008 Hip Hop Summits, as well as several other activities, Seals has little spare time on his hands.

 "UA is what you make of it," Seals said. "You have to get involved and try new things."

In doing so, Seals proves it's never too early to be doing something, somewhere for someone that benefits others and helps secure your own future in the world of work. His long-term plans are to become a junior college teacher.

(For more about Crossroads Community Center, go to http://crossroads.ua.edu/)