Page 6
The Blue Banner
May 1,200i
Campus
Students get off their butts to create an impact
Several students travel to Washington D. C. with Sudan-native Dr. Elmoiz Abunura for a closer look at life in
Africay while the campus Habitat for Humanity chapter continues their service work in our community
Ryan Kelly
Margot Jackson
Guest Reporters
On March 4, 2003, four UNCA
students, Emily Carter, Elizabeth
Ford Cox, Ryan Kelly and Margot
Jackson, piled into a car with pro
fessor of Africana Studies Elmoiz
Abunura. We were headed towards
our nation’s capital to the first an
nual Model African Union (for
merly the Model Organization of
African Unity).
The African Union is the equiva
lent of the International United
Nations, focusing specifically on
the continent of Africa. Within this
conference each school present rep
resented a different African coun
try. Students were encouraged to
follow their country’s true political
attitude, even if they as individuals
disagreed.
The conference was four days in
length, with activities ranging from
committee meetings discussing
politics to celebrating with African
dancing. UNCA was assigned to
represent Sudan, a political hot spot
Luckily, Professor Abunura is a
native Sudanese and was able to
provide first hand insight into the
history and current situation in
Sudan. One of the highlights of the
trip was meeting the Ambassador
to Sudan while visiting the Sudanese
Embassy.
We were able to further our re
search by asking questions of the
Ambassador while l?eing t;reated to
cookies and pop. Each student was
assigned to a different committee
where various issues effecting Af
COURTESY OF MARGOT JACKSON
A group from UNCA attended the first-annual Model African Union
in Washington D.C. From left to right, students Margot Jackson, Ryan
Kelly, Liz Ford Cox, Emily Carter and Professor Elmoiz Abunura.
rica were introduced and discussed.
Following Robert’s Rules of De
bate, each committee then proposed
resolutions dealing with the con-
This culminated on the final day
when all committees joined together
to decide collectively what resolu
tions would be passed. UNCA suc
ceeded in .posing two resolutions,
one in the social committee dealing
with women’s rights and another in
the economic committee concern
ing debt relief for Africa. In addi
tion, student Liz Ford Cox received
an award recognized by the confer
ence for her outstanding represen
tation of Sudan.
It was an amazing experience to
witness the intricate processes sur
rounding political affairs, especially
in a continent as diverse as Africa.
In addition to the conference, we
also had time to explore Washing
ton, as we indulged in ethnic cui
sine and various city sites.
Compiled by UNCA’s
Habitat for Humanity
It’s 8 a.m. on a Saturday morn
ing. The UNCA campus is asleep,
except for a small cluster of people
standing at the top of the stairs in
front of Mills Hall in paint-spat-
teredjeansandfadedT-shirts. ''^y
are they leaving so early, and where
are they going dressed like that?
They are volunteering for Habitat
for Humanity. This year, Erin
Trigonoplos, Emily Carter and
William Voit started a Habitat chap
ter at UNCA that is responsible for
one work date each month during
the school year. Helping low-in-
come families get homes of their
own is a great way for us to give
back to our community.
Habitat for Humanity is a non
profit organization founded by
Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976.
The Fullers tested their model for
providing housing in Zaire for three
years before returning to the States,
and Habitat is now in 80 countries.
Its goal is to eliminate substandard
housing around the world by using
volunteer labor to construct safe
and affordable homes. Families do
pay mortgages for the houses, but
they are much lower than usual
because Habitat does not pay site
laborers, charge interest or make a
profit. These payments, in turn,
help build other houses.
Homeowners also invest “sweat
equity” by working on their new
homes or on other houses. Families ,
that need housing, and are willing,
to work.^with-the progfaiU, and'
have a job, are chosen. This is not
a hand out because each family pays
COURTESY OF UNCA HABITAT FOR HUMANIB
Students Sheila Bonar and Katie Potter enjoyed working on a house
for UNCA’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
with labor and money, gaining dig-
nitjf in the process by purchasing a
new home.
Habitat has been in North Caro
lina since Asheville Area Habitat
began in 1983. Check out the Web
Siteatwww.ashevillehabitat.org. 10
to 12 houses go up each year, and
the 112* was finished in February.
The newest houses are going in on
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard,
where Habitat has purchased six
lots, and on three London Road
lots near the Biltmore Estate. Habi
tat is also preparing its new home
Store -on.Meadow, Roac^fpf occupa-
tiqn,. When completed,, it will have
\fdr6h'oUse Space' ftfr donated and
purchased construction materials,
offices and plenty of room for the
new home store and all the
donated for sale.
About ten volunteers are needa
to work from 8:30 a.m. to 3:3('
p.m. on the UNCA chapter Satur
days on houses under construction
Tasks include everything from
painting the inside of nearly
pleted houses to landscaping yards
Hey, that could be you with
the top of the stairs in front of Milli
E-mail Erin at Etrigl6@aol.
Emily at eecarter@bulldog. or Wil
liam at wvoit3@chart.net for
information. Join us May 5 from
6.p.m,. to 8 p.m. for a cookout jus
outside the Laurel Foruni to s«
what we’re; all about and Scelebrafi
the end of the first year of Habitat’
UNCA chapter.
Upcoming film screening promises eclectic evening
COURTESY OF JUSTIN CARHART COURTESY OF KARIN GOODHUE COURTESY OF HILARY MCVICKER
These scenes from films appearing at the May 9 screening are just a taste of the ftin to be had at this year’s student-film extravaganza. From left to right, Justin Carhart at gunpoint, Cupid and Hilary McVicker.
The advanced video student film screening delivers death and love, triumph and failure, and oh yeah, a drunk Santa
Stuart Gaines
Editor in Chief
It is time once again for the mass
communication department video
workshop spring screening. This
year’s lineup of student films prom
ises to be the best yet, showcasing
the talents of five advanced video
students, acting as directors, pro
ducers, writers, sometimes-actors
and everything else under the
movie-making sun.
The work that goes into these
short films is hard to fathom for the
common man and woman. Liter
ally hundreds of hours of filming,
planning, editing and more go into
each of these short films, but the
results are worth it; emerging as
phenomenal in terms of student
film making, quite impressive in
terms of independent film making
and who cares what Hollywood
thinks.
Karin Goodhue’s film “True Life:
I’m a Fantasy Figure” mocks the
polluted sea of reality shows flood
ing your television these days with
sarcasm, wit and originality remi
niscent of the best years of “Satur
day Night Live” or MTV’s former-
gem, “The State.”
The film examines the real life
dramas of four, old-time favorite
fantasy figures: Cupid, The Easter
Bunny, The Tooth Fairy and Santa
Claus. The multi-talented Karin
Goodhue took on the role of The
Tooth Fairy with daring originality
and Glam, earning chuckles
throughout her performance.
A slightly inebriated Santa Claus,
played by (you guessed it), a pre-
haircut/beard trim Stu Gaines,
comes through in the clutch in the
film with some elf-stomping antics
that will make you question the
next glass of eggnog offered to you
this Christmas.
There are too many other hilari
ous scenes in this film to mention,
but the Easter Bunny does the fun
niest thing I’ve seen in months to
an unsuspecting little one. To see
it, checkout the community screen
ing Friday, May 9 in Lipinsky Au
ditorium at 7p.m. Bring a date and
get out to a free event, supporting
your UNCA cohorts and your
greater sense of art in this world
Here’s a brief description of the
other four films appearing at the
screening.
“Morbid Confessional” is a film by
Jason Moore and starring Doug
Davidson in the role of Mike, a
man tormented by his unrequited
love for his darling Stephanie. This
dark look at love will leave you
seriously ponderingyour next grave
yard visit.
“Substance (Or Lack Thereof)” is a
film by Hilary McVicker. This
mockumentary explores the real-
life trials and tribulations of the
movie-making world. Hilary sal
vaged her original project, “Sub
stance,” in record time after her
lead actor left town indefinitely and
her main shooting location was sold
and remodeled, all with the film
only half-shot. Spur of the moment
comedic recoveries are often best
when disaster strikes. Don’t miss
this epic recovery.
“Lost Days” is a film by Justin
Carhart exploring the aftermath of
a wild party, where a woman ends
up dead. The film explores how the
surviving group decides to dispose
of the body rather than calling the
authorities. The film features the
manipulative Danny, played by
Carhart, clashing with the others in
the group, and their consciences.
“Perfect Life” is a film by Jenifer
Clickner. The film portrays the
character Angela in her room, remi
niscing her romance with her hus
band Hank. Angela’s view of her
marriage is romantic and optimis
tic, despite some marital problems.
But is it really? When Angela’s sis
ter pays a visit to the room though,
her world is turned upside down.
The Mass Communica
tion Department Video
Workshop Screening is
Friday, May 9 at 7 p.m.
Get out and support the
hard work and impres
sive fdms of your peers.
COURTESY OF JUSTIN CARHART
Jiistin Carhart’s film “Lost Days’
features this bloody saw.