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Characters Unite Tour Leaves Its Stamp on NC State

On February 6, 2014, the USA Network's national Characters Unite Tour stopped by NC State. Passers-by in the Brickyard were invited to step onto the USA Characters Unite RV and stamp a shirt that had the statement: “I will not stand for….” The stamps added words such as  “hate” “violence” “bullying,” and "racism."

If you have been following OIED's Diversity and Inclusion unit, you may remember another tour earlier this year that stopped in the Brickyard, the Inside Out 11M initiative. (See the September 3, 2013 and September 9, 2013 issues of the Digest.)

These traveling participatory activitst art exhibits are meant to raise awareness at a grass roots level and get people involved in improving the world around them, one stop at a time. We hope you have had the opportunity to take part in these events and come away with not just a poster or T-shirt, but a meaningful experience and thought-provoking dialogue on multiculturalism and social justice.

USA Characters Unity Tour RV

Characters Unite Tour RV

Characters Unite Tour RV

>Characters Unite T-shirt stamping

Characters Unite Tour T-shirt stamping

Characters Unite T-shirt stamping participants

Characters Unite T-shirt stamping participants

Characters Unite T-shirt stamping participants waiting in line

For more photos from the recent NC State Characters Unite visit, please see the photo gallery.
Unfamiliar with West African Dance, But Interested in Learning More? Don't Miss Out!
If you cannot view the video below, you can view it on YouTube.

West African Dance Series video link

The Department of Multicultural Student Affairs is partnering with University Recreation to provide an opportunity for the NC State Community to engage in learning through movement. This dance series offers an active way for individuals to learn more about the history and traditions associated with this aspect of West African culture and also, to experience another way that fitness can be incorporated into daily life.

Natasha Bannister, founder of Katandi West African Rhythmic Movement, is the featured instructor for the series. Natasha is a professional West African dancer and certified ACE fitness instructor, having studied under several notable masters of the dance and performed with three dance companies. Her classes focus on connecting with the rhythms of the djembe drums while learning fundamental and traditional movements derived from Guinea, Mali, and Senegal. Natasha will be joined by renowned drummer Michele Casey, who will play a variety of drums and allow the class an opportunity to learn more about the art of percussion.

The West African Rhythmic Movement Series will be held Mondays, February 10, 17 & 24 from 9:00-10:00 PM in Studio A at the Carmichael Recreation Center. The class is open to all Carmichael members and will be capped at capacity, so please arrive early. It is not required that individuals come to all classes; feel free to check out one, two, or all three! See also the flyer.