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Friday June 24th

Elevate: Amplifying voices in our community

Elevate is here to do exactly what it says — to give a platform to those whose voices are often silenced. This is a page to celebrate and uplift the underrepresented communities that make up Chapel Hill, who contribute to our culture and daily lives in ways that are often not reported. Elevate adds depth to stories across campus, the town and Orange County.

The page is in part put together and reported by members of the Sharif Durhams Leadership Program, a talent and leadership development course for DTH students from underrepresented groups. Elevate accepts pitches throughout the year for op-eds and letters from members of different groups in our community. Please send submissions to elevate@dailytarheel.com.

Anvita Godavarthi, a second-year student majoring in Business Administration, participates in various activities including blowing bubbles on the Wellness Field Day on Nov. 12.

Asian Health Advocacy Alliance promotes wellness, community mental health support

By Jade Neptune | Nov. 15

On Friday, the UNC Asian Health Advocacy Alliance partnered with HBO Max and Yaya Tea for the wellness day event, which featured activities hosted by UNC Counseling and Psychological Services, the Vietnamese Student Association and WE ARE SAATH at UNC-CH.
The activities included badminton, double dutch rope, jianzi, slime-making and more.
The Asian Health Advocacy Alliance strives to improve the overall health of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in North Carolina through advocacy, education and community engagement.

Ruby Ramirez sanitizes the area where she is going to draw blood from Jerry Esparza during the blood drive in El Paso on Jan. 22, 2021. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service.

Editorial: Blood drives show health is still political for queer people

By Editorial Board | Nov. 15

Volunteer organization Kiran advocates for South Asian survivors of domestic violence

By Meagan Bergstrom | Nov. 14

Students share research, perspectives on Latinx art at undergraduate symposium

By Liv Reilly | Nov. 12

Asian Health Advocacy Alliance promotes wellness, community mental health support

By Jade Neptune | Nov. 15

On Friday, the UNC Asian Health Advocacy Alliance partnered with HBO Max and Yaya Tea for the wellness day event, which featured activities hosted by UNC Counseling and Psychological Services, the Vietnamese Student Association and WE ARE SAATH at UNC-CH. The activities included badminton, double dutch rope, jianzi, slime-making and more. The Asian Health Advocacy Alliance strives to improve the overall health of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in North Carolina through advocacy, education and community engagement.

Editorial: Blood drives show health is still political for queer people

By Editorial Board | Nov. 15

"Those who are eligible should consider donating blood on Dec. 8 at Fetzer Hall, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Whether you’re eligible or not, everyone should advocate for the rights of gay and bisexual men in the public health arena."

Seema Kak, the executive director of Kiran, poses for a portrait on Nov. 9. Kiran's mission is to empower and support South Asian victims of domestic violence in North Carolina.

Volunteer organization Kiran advocates for South Asian survivors of domestic violence

By Meagan Bergstrom | Nov. 14

Kiran provides services in a variety of areas, such as a 24-hour crisis hotline, client advocacy, crisis counseling, safety planning and support groups.

The UNC Latina/o Studies Program (LSP) held a virtual undergraduate symposium on Nov. 8. At the symposium, students and faculty discussed the exploration of art and its relation to history, politics and identity.

Students share research, perspectives on Latinx art at undergraduate symposium

By Liv Reilly | Nov. 12

The symposiums are part of an ongoing series that relate to historical and current events happening in Latinx communities and around the world. “We intentionally create unique symposiums, and the symposiums are really intended to help our campus and broader community expand their conceptions of what defines Latinx people, their experiences, values and cultural and intellectual productions,” said Geovani Ramírez, a postdoctoral teaching assistant professor who moderated the symposium.

Genna Rae McNeil, Professor Emerita of History at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and a scholar of African-American and U.S. Constitutional history, delivered the 2021 Sonja Haynes Stone Lecture.

Professor Emeritus Genna Rae McNeil gives 29th annual Stone Center lecture

By Lia Salvatierra | Nov. 11

During the lecture, the professor emeritus of history at UNC and a scholar of African American and U.S. constitutional history spoke about the lessons she has learned in studying history and critical race theory. "What kind of history will you make with your life?" McNeil asked the audience. "And what kind of society do you want to live? What kind of society do you want to leave for coming generations?"

Janet Mock, a writer, director, producer, and transgender rights activist, speaks at an event presented by Student Life and Leadership and UNC Queer and/or Transgender People of Color on Nov. 10 at Carolina Union's Great Hall. "An Evening with Janet Mock" consisted of conversations focused on leveraging your voice to enact positive change. "You don't have to have it all figured out," Mock says to audience members.

Emmy-nominated director Janet Mock discusses entertainment industry, personal journey

By Claire Tynan | Nov. 11

At the hour-long event, Mock, who directed the FX series “Pose,” gave advice to young QTPOC — queer and/or transgender people of color — and reflected on her personal journey of healing and identity. “What does it look like for these castaways, who have been pushed out of homes, to build a network, family, resources and sanctuary within the ballroom?" Mock said of the show.

Letter to the Editor: Been there, done that — I'm not a token faculty hire

Nov. 11

"I’ve been asked repeatedly if the UNC communications department hired me as a token after they received flack over their abysmally low number of minority faculty. Sounds like it."

Clara Yang, Associate Professor of Piano and Head of Keyboard Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill, plays the piano. Photo courtesy of Clara Yang.

UNC music professor's project emphasizes the importance of female composers

By Aisha Baiocchi | Nov. 8

Clara Yang, UNC associate professor of music and head of keyboard studies, will soon be co-presenting a spring performance highlighting the works of acclaimed female composers Amy Beach, Florence Price and Liliya Ugay.

DTH Photo Illustration. The Harder They Fall (2021) is a new Netflix film that falls into Holleywood’s pattern of colorism. Pictured is Zazie Beetz, an actress from the movie that is centralized in this conversation.

Column: 'The Harder They Fall' doesn't quite get it right

By Zari Taylor | Nov. 8

"'The Harder They Fall' is a great movie that highlights an important and underrepresented part of our country’s history. We should be able to celebrate this piece of art while remaining critical of its flaws, especially those that play into harmful trends of colorism and fatphobia in representation that plague the industry."

The Old Well is pictured on Oct. 17, 2021

Editorial: UNC is asking the wrong questions about police on campus

By Editorial Board | Nov. 8

"The assumption behind questions about UNC Police’s presence and programming is that UNC Police plays some kind of beneficial role for UNC students and staff and with improved service and trust, UNC Police could make the campus safer."

Tiffany Melenzio, founder and owner of Cup of T, poses for a portrait with their signature handmade items. Products range from tote bags to crocheted tops. "Now, that's my cup of t," smiled Melenzio.

'Colorful, bright and deserving of space': UNC student starts crochet business

By Jade Neptune | Nov. 7

Tiffany Melenzio has been knitting and sewing since they were a kid. But it wasn’t until quarantine that the UNC junior turned their hobby into local, Black-owned business, Cup of T. “I decided that if I love it enough then other people will love it too," they said. "One of my love languages is gift giving so I decided what better way to do that than have a business.”

Two players compete for the ball at a kickball game as a part of UNC’s Unified Sports kickball league. Photo courtesy of Johnny Andrews.

Unified Kickball fosters community with Special Olympics athletes

By Brooke Elliott | Nov. 7

This semester, UNC Campus Recreation and Special Olympics North Carolina hosted a Unified Kickball League at Hooker Fields. Unified Sports was started to create an inclusive environment and shared community for Special Olympics athletes and UNC students.

The Unsung Founders Memorial pictured on UNC's North Quad on Nov. 2. The memorial represents an earlier effort to interrogate the University's history, similar to the efforts archivists at the Wilson Library are putting forth currently.

'On These Grounds': Library project reconstructs stories of enslaved people

By Emily Orland | Nov. 7

UNC is one of five testing partners for the national "On These Grounds" project, which aims to reconstruct the lived experiences of enslaved individuals at and around the University. Launched in 2020, the initiative is now led by a team of digital history experts, archivists and historians from various universities.

Bingham Hall sits on the edge of the Quad on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020.

Chancellor's committee recommends the name removal of Avery Residence Hall, Bingham Hall

By Lia Salvatierra | Nov. 2

The Chancellor’s Committee to Review History Commission Resolution unanimously agreed to recommend the renaming of Avery Residence Hall and Bingham Hall. The committee also made recommendations for Battle Hall at their meetings last week.

UNC's Carolina Hall, which was recently renamed by the university is pictured on Oct. 30.

Column: UNC must prioritize renaming campus buildings

By Zari Taylor | Nov. 2

"There is little to be done to change the history of our University and the actions of those we once chose to honor, but there should be swifter steps in taking a close look across our landscape and being sure we can fully be proud of what we see."

Theodore S. Gonzalves spoke at the Asian American Center on Oct. 28.

Asian American Center holds first fellowship visit with Theodore S. Gonzalves

By Aisha Baiocchi | Nov. 2

Gonzalves, curator of Asian Pacific American history at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and the interim director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, spoke in a lecture Thursday on Filipino American history and dance performance.

The Ida B. Wells Society's yearlong project with Riverside's journalism program kicks off at Riverside High School in Durham. Photo courtesy of Benjamin Meglin.

The Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting celebrates five years

By Nayeli Jaramillo-Plata | Nov. 2

The organization was founded in 2016 by Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist and Hussman School of Journalism and Media alumna Nikole Hannah-Jones, Associated Press International Investigations Editor Ron Nixon and ProPublica Race, Inequality and Justice System Reporter Topher Sanders.

Senior health policy and management major Takhona Hlatshwako has been named UNC’s 52nd Rhodes Scholar, allowing her a fully-funded one-year interdisciplinary master’s degree program in international health and tropical medicine at Oxford University.

UNC senior studying public health named University's 52nd Rhodes scholar

By Kellie Finch | Nov. 1

Takhona Hlatshwako will be participating in a fully funded one-year interdisciplinary master’s degree program in international health and tropical medicine at Oxford University. Hlatshwako, originally from the Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is the one of the first from her home country and the 33rd Morehead-Cain scholar to receive the Rhodes scholarship.

The Bhangra Elite perform at the UNC Diwali Night on Oct. 29. The Bhangra Elite strive to promote and educate the UNC dance community on Punjabi culture through high-energy and traditional dance.

After a year in the dark, Hindu YUVA brings the light back for Diwali Night

By Uma Bhat | Nov. 1

Diwali marks the celebration of hero Rama’s rescue of Princess Sita and has historically been a cacophony of music, food and community building.

Sarah Waugh of the UNC class of 2020 gives a tour inside of the Burwell School Historic Site in Hillsborough, N.C.

'Different dimensions of history': Burwell School site celebrates 200 years

By Katie MacKinnon | Nov. 1

The site is home to the former all-white girls Burwell School, which still stands in historic downtown Hillsborough. In recent years, historic commissions have worked to add more context about the lives of Black enslaved and free people who lived and worked at the school.