Ishion Hutchinson

Phillip McField
Staff Writer

    Born in Port Antonio, Jamaica, Ishion Hutchinson not only wanted to make a career but a life out of literature. To him, the exact time where he knew that poetry would become a main staple of his identity was in high school; after submitting an essay to his teacher, his teacher handed it back to him, and said that it was a “long, boring narrative poem.” Luckily, the teacher decided to give Hutchinson a chance to hone this, inviting him to come afterschool to get it out of his system. “It was a punishment,” Hutchinson said, “that turned into a blessing.”

    And what a blessing it turned out to be. With his talent and drive, Ishion Hutchinson earned a B.A. at the University of West Indies, a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A) at New York University and a Ph.D. at the University of Utah.

    His works have appeared in The Common, Poetry Review, Granta, The Huffington Post and other journals and anthologies. Several of his works went on to secure him the PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award, a Whiting Writers’ Award and the Academy of American Poets’ Larry Levis Prize.

    On Sept. 18, the Honors Committee and the Hannah Kahn Poetry Foundation brought Hutchinson to South Campus. Guests entered the Student Life center, some with journals and pens in hand and the rest with just the shirts on their backs, for a live reading from this award-winning author.

    Barbara Nightingale, the South Campus Coordinator, introduced the renowned poet to an applauding audience. He greeted the audience and presented his book, “Far District: Poems,” to everyone before beginning.

    For the next hour, attendees were treated to pieces from his book and brand new ones as well. Each of the 12 poems felt like they had weight behind them; the free verse style he chose for each poem conveyed the character’s emotions in an unrestrained way, making the stories feel genuine and real.

    One poem, called “The Mother Tortured,” was a powerful catharsis about a boy’s sick mother. The boy watches helplessly as his mother goes mad before him and his sister. The mother is bound to the bed, grunting and screaming, and frothing at the mouth. In the end, the boy begs for his father, who abandoned them for the streets of England, to give his mother back.

    The end of every piece was met with satisfied applause from the audience. Whether the guests came just to listen or to take notes from a professional, they got more than they expected that night. “I really enjoyed Mr. Hutchinson’s performance, even though I don’t really [indulge] in poetry myself,” said Michelle Barnett, a biology major. “I do listen to music, though.”

    Demitrey Johnson, a music technology major, expressed interest in having the poet come back for another performance. “I thought it was refreshing to hear somebody with a different perspective than other poets, like his life growing up in Jamaica. I would definitely want him to come back here again.”

    Barbara Nightingale found the event to be a success, and when asked about future literary events on South Campus, she wanted to have a few next semester. “We’re having several events planned, all the way until Poetry Month in April.”

    Ishion Hutchinson is the Assistant Professor of English at Cornell University and a contributing editor to the literary journal, Tongue: A Journal of Writing & Art. His award-winning poetry anthology, “Far District: Poems” (2010), costs $15.99 on his website, www.ishionhutchinson.com.

Educating the World, One Barista at a Time

Jonathan Fernandez
Copy Editor

    Contrary to the popular belief that corporations are greed-infested, profit-seeking, sociopathic machines, Starbucks has declared it would pay college tuitions for its employees, starting this fall. The Starbucks College Achievement Plan is a collaborative effort between Starbucks and Arizona State University (ASU) that offers part- and full-time employees the opportunity to finish their Bachelor’s degrees through online classes. So, is this legit? Or shall I prepare my pockets for when the devil comes to collect?

    The program is available to any “partners” (the term used by Starbucks to refer to its employees) as long as they work at least 20 hours a week. The company promises to pay the full costs of tuition, not covered by financial aid, for juniors and seniors that enroll in ASU’s online courses. ASU provides College Achievement Plan (CAP) scholarships that cover up to $2,420 per semester (based on a student enrolled for 12 credits), approximately 40 percent of the cost of the lower-priced degree programs, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. After CAP scholarships, students will obtain Pell Grants and other government student aid, and Starbucks will pay for the remaining fees. Freshman and sophomores, on the other hand, will receive CAP scholarships of less value than those received by upper-classmen, and Starbucks won’t reimburse them for the remaining costs after student aid.

    In an email to USA Today, Jaime Riley, a Starbucks spokeswoman said that the scholarship represents 22 percent of tuition costs for freshmen and sophomores and 42 percent for juniors and seniors. The coffee shop giant will reimburse students on their paychecks after they complete 21 credit hours, rather than pre-pay for fees.

    In a recent interview on “The Daily Show,” Chairman and CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz said, “We are a public company. We have to build long-term value for the shareholder, but we've recognized a long time ago when we provided health care for our people, ownership for our people, the only way you can build a great enduring company is by linking shareholder value with value for employees.”

    When asked why other companies failed to do programs like this, Schultz responded, “there has been a zero-sum game, that the only thing that matters is profitability...You can’t just focus on profitability, and an enduring great company has to be based on more than that.”

    Nevertheless, there are critics of the college plan. Some see the program as a savvy PR move and criticize the fact that the College Achievement Plan forces Starbucks baristas to attend ASU, rather than a college of their choice. Others argue that Starbucks isn't paying for much of the costs.

    Joe Carter of the Action Institute Power Blog says, “Students who don’t work for Starbucks will be paying the normal tuition rates in order to subsidize the education for out-of-state baristas. That ‘free tuition’ Starbucks claims as a ‘benefit’ is actually being paid for not by coffee profits but by the students in Phoenix who don’t get the benefit of working for a crony in Seattle.”

    It’s obvious that Starbucks and ASU both benefit from the deal. The College Achievement Plan fortifies Starbucks’ reputation as a people based company; meanwhile, ASU gains access to a steady flow of students. Additionally, baristas are inspired to continue working for Starbucks—a byproduct that saves Starbucks money by potentially reducing turnover. In a sense, the plan can be considered an investment.

    Despite its criticisms, it is my belief that the intentions of a corporation (usually to make more money) don’t matter, as long as the public isn’t being wronged. In this rare scenario, corporate interests and the benefits of workers were synchronized, and therefore, it is irrelevant to compare the amount of money Starbucks spent versus ASU on the College Achievement Plan. The sole fact that these institutions are combatting income inequality and record-high student debt costs, is an admirable endeavor. Let’s just hope this new educational model is functional and effective.

Simply Liza

Jared Michael Kenwood
Contributing Writer

    After twenty-one years, the Legendary Liza Minnelli returned to the Broward Center For The Performing Arts in FT. Lauderdale, Florida on Feb. 16th. This time kicking off a brand new tour called Simply Liza, A show devoted to songs that have been most requested by her fans. It’s an hour and a half of just Liza, backed by a band of seven men, including the talented Billy Stritch, in a very intimate show.

    One could only feel a wave of exhilaration sweeping over them as the band plays the Overture, anticipation throughout the venue. Then Liza walks out onto the stage, sending the sold-out house into rapturous applause. Dressed in all black, draped with a red scarf around her neck, and looking absolutely stunning, she greets the audience, “Wow! Hi Guys!” And immediately launches into her opening number, “Teach Me Tonight”. A reminiscence of her Radio City days, despite the voice having changed since, she sounds strong and determined to give it her all. Boy, does she deliver.

    Being the daughter of Hollywood’s Greatest Director, Vincente Minnelli, and Legendary Entertainer, Judy Garland, it was only natural that talent would be in Liza’s DNA. Lets not get carried away though because success was something that she had achieved all on her own. For years it has been over emphasized that Liza is the daughter of two famous people, and that paved a way for a show biz career. But for Liza, it only meant that she had to work twice as hard. Minnelli is a star in her own right. In 1965 Liza landed the title role in Flora, The Red Menace, and at 19 years old she was the first young person to win a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance. Not long after was she releasing albums and performing in nightclubs. By 1973, Liza Minnelli reached legendary status, receiving an Oscar for the 1972 film Cabaret and later an Emmy Award for her first television concert, Liza with a “Z”.

    Liza then sits down and goes right into her second number, a beautiful rendition of “Here I’ll Stay”/ “Our Love Is Hear To Stay”, it’s touching lyrics cause Liza to choke up, “I get emotional,” she admits to the Broward audience, who respond with cheers of empathy.

    “Listen, do you mind if I just keep sitting down?” Liza asks the audience, and explains about her injured foot, a consequence resulting from trying to get a handsome man’s attention at the pool. Not even an injured foot could keep her from the stage. Having already sacrificed both knees and hips from a lifetime of extensive dance numbers, what’s a sprained ankle? Nothing seems to stop her.

    The next number she performs is a quaint and rather jaunty number, written especially for her by Fred Ebb and John Kander, “Liza with a “Z”. The song serves as a reminder that its Liza and not Lisa. There is a moment of Minnelli on Minnelli as Liza sings a beautiful song, “What Did I Have That I Don’t Have?” from her Father’s film, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. As she sings the song, she jokingly throws in her own lyric, “What did I have that I don’t have? ‘Balance’ ” The audience roars with laughter.

    The set-list continues with two Charles Aznavour songs, “You’ve Let Yourself Go” and “What Makes A Man a Man”.

    Then comes the beautiful ballad, “Maybe This Time” more famously known from the film Cabaret, she is singing it more beautiful then ever. There is a solo behind the voice, while she sings “Everybody, oh they love a winner, so nobody loved me,” Ross Konikoff on trumpet creates the most lovely bit of music to fill in her phrases. “I love playing big, beautiful solos,” says Konikoff, “ always aspiring to play the way Harry James used to, soaring into the sky with his incredible, emotional sound and style, and the fact that Liza lets me do that is reason alone to love her forever.”

    And love her forever is what her fans will continue to do, and so comes the next song, the title song from the film Cabaret where she can only love her fans in return by reassuring them that when she goes, “I’m NOT going like Elsie.”

    Liza then decides to take a break and hands over the mic to another singing talent on the stage. “Ladies and Gentlemen, it should say, the show is ‘Liza Minnelli with Billy Stritch, my wonderful arranger and composer. Wait until you hear this. Oh Billy, I’m crazy about you.”

    Billy Stritch, a talented singer and pianist, croons “No Moon At All”. Originally recorded in the 1940s by Nat “King” Cole, “No Moon At All” is a perfect song for Stritch’s unique vocals, his ability to scat and play piano. He sings like the singers of the 40s but better and with a modern day twist.

    “It has been in my repertoire for a long time,” says Stritch, explaining why he chose to sing this particular number. “ It’s a great chance for me to scat sing and improvise, and it’s a song that’s not done by many people, so I like doing it.” To hear more from Billy Stritch look for his albums, especially Billy Stritch Sings Mel Torme which is overwhelmingly breathtaking. His talents have no limits.

    The two entertainers, Liza and Billy then come together and perform a beautiful duet of “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” dedicating it anyone who has a birthday in the audience.

    “Singing “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” with Liza is one of my favorite parts of the show,” says Billy, “I think it’s a nice moment in the show, not only for me but for Liza as well. It shows our collaboration and affection onstage and the audience seems to enjoy when we harmonize and sing together. We’re always thinking of new songs to do and perhaps there might be another duet or a different one in the show at some point. People seem to love when Liza sings the old standards and we always get a great response for “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”.

    Liza continues her show with the song “Ring Them Bells” and three songs from her 2010 album Confessions. Proudly, Liza introduces her Band, “I love them so much and I’ve been with them so long. They are really the best. There’s not a lot them up here but we make quite a sound”. The gentlemen in her band, dressed in white tuxedos, each play a very crucial role in creating this beautiful show. Some of these men have been with Liza for practically her whole career. Ross Konikoff first started out with Liza back in 1977 as a trumpet player for the Broadway musical The Act.

    “In the summer of 1977 I was called for a Broadway show called The Act, starring Liza Minnelli. I had certainly known of Liza, but until that point I had been primarily a jazz trumpet player.” Konikoff left Berklee College of Music in 1971 and moved to New York City and began performing with Show Bands. In 1973 he toured with Kiss Me Kate and in 1974 No No Nannette. Then from 1975 to 1977, Konikoff joined the Buddy Rich band, being offered the Jazz soloist position.

    “The Act was great fun to play, “ Konikoff recalls. “The large orchestra was lined up against the back wall of the stage, all dressed in tuxedos, in full view for the entire show. I was seated next to Jay Leonhart, Liza's first bass player, and Bill Lavorgna, who had already been Liza's drummer for a few years. Liza was a ball to work with every night, looking back at the band or doing something to make us laugh.”

    Konikoff reflects on how he permanently joined Liza’s band, “When they announced the closing, Bill Lavorgna had a little talk with some of us and told us that Liza was taking her night club act on the road and that she wanted twelve of us to go with her to be her permanent band. I loved Liza and I loved traveling, so I accepted happily.”

    The places they traveled to have been all around the world, and it’s been quite an extraordinary journey, one that Ross Konikoff is very proud to be a part of.

    “I love traveling, and with Liza, it has always been absolutely first class. Nobody is more loving and respectful to her musicians than Liza. She let's me stand up and play my heart out on a few tunes and that makes me very happy. Then of course, playing for her as she sings has always been exciting and rewarding. We make music history every night. Who could ask for more? I am 50 times the trumpet player I might have been had I not met Liza and played in front of millions of people over these past 35 years.”

    In the 70s Konikoff had the privilege of being Liza’s dancing partner in a number “Everybody Gets The Blues”. “I was scared to death. I had never danced anything with anybody prior to that routine. Fred Ebb told me I could do it, and that he would make me a star! Everybody Gets The Blues started with me playing some soulful, bluesy licks all alone, indicating that I was feeling very sad. Then Liza turned around and asked me what was wrong. We had a little back and forth, then I walked down next to her and she sang as we danced this routine. I played at her, she sang at me and by the end I was all cheered up and ran back to my chair.”

    Billy Stritch has been with Liza now for twenty-three years. He had been work nine years prior with his vocal group, Montgomery, Plant and Stritch.

    We had already made a splash in New York,” Says Stritch. “having worked many engagements at the Algonquin Hotel Oak Room as well as concerts at Town Hall and Carnegie Hall, so I had somewhat of a following in New York by then.” Then one night he was playing the piano in a restaurant and in walks Liza Minnelli, who was immediately drawn to Billy.

    “Liza was beginning rehearsals for her show "Stepping Out At Radio City Music Hall" and she invited me to be part of the creative team, crafting vocal arrangement for her and the twelve women who co-starred in the show. That was the beginning of my collaboration with Liza and the rest as they say is history. I've learned so much from this collaboration and I think Liza would say the same. She's made it possible for me to work all over the world and has certainly promoted me in ways that I never dreamed possible. She is unfailingly generous and kind and it has certainly been the most important professional relationship in my life. Twenty three years and counting....”

    Simply Liza draws to a close with Liza singing her two highly anticipated songs “But The World Goes Round” and of course, “New York, New York.” She then encores with an emotional rendition of, “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye”, leaving the audience wanting more. There is simply no other performer like Liza Minnelli.

    For those who missed this One-night only performance at the Broward Center, perhaps in the near future Liza Minnelli will bring her Simply Liza show back to South Florida. The Broward show was most certainly a success.

    “I love Florida,” says Konikoff, “Getting my life batteries recharged by that beautiful, pure sunlight is the best thing there is to keep one alive and healthy. Any time I have the opportunity to go to Florida, I am thrilled. In addition, the Broward Center theater is a fantastic place to perform. The whole group looks forward to performing there at every opportunity.”

Clash of Rivals

Stephon Hall
Sports Editor

    Broward College’s Men’s Basketball loss against in-state rival, Miami-Dade College on Jan. 29, at Central Campus gym 67-66. The beginning stages of the game started off slow for both squads as Broward went ahead by two early in a first period that was intense, to say the least. Miami Dade didn’t make it easy against the Seahawks as both team were tied at 16 during the first half.

    The teams were neck to neck until Guard, Mikhail Rolle shot a two-pointer, putting BC in the lead with a score of 33-32 at halftime. One Seahawk, Daniel Ramis, scored 18 points, which included five 3-pointers. “I work on my throws, mostly getting a lot of reps during training,” said Ramis. Other contributors include Kareem Roach and Dashawn Richmond with 9 points, William Cruz with 12 points and David Gaberlavage had 13 points. These players helped by adding points to the scoreboard with free throws, 2 pointers, as well as 3 pointers. In the last half, BC struggled but managed to keep up with Dade. BC’s Guard, Cruz, suffered injuries to his knee, wrist and his head in the second half, but kept on playing despite those issues.

    Miami-Dade wasn’t to be denied as they kept the game close with them tying the game up until they took the lead in the closing stages of the game. Miami Dade also took advantage of the free throw line with 29 attempts and making 20 of them. Dade took the lead against BC 67-64 late in the period and Ramis made two crucial free throw shots, cutting the deficit to one; but, unfortunately, the Seahawks ran out of time to complete the comeback as Miami Dade escaped a close one.

    Early on in conference play, BC defeated Dade with a score of 85-61. “The Officiating was very poor. The worst part is, the Head of the Referees, was standing in the stands not doing anything about it,” Said Head Coach Bob Starkman, who, clearly was frustrated with much of the officiating throughout the game.

    Despite a great effort from the bench by Daniel, he understood the missed opportunity of this game. He also kept it in the perspective with optimism. “We’re a team so we’re going to bounce back from this but it’s a tough loss against our rival, Miami-Dade,” said Ramis.

    There are only a handful of games left for the Seahawks to play against state rivals and February is filled with crucial match-ups against Indian River (Feb 1st at Home & Feb 15th Away), Eastern State (Feb 5th & the season finale on Feb 22nd at Home), Palm Beach State College (Feb 5th) and Miami-Dade (Feb 19th Away) The Seahawks are 16-6 on the season with a 4-2 record in conference play.

Kim Coles Comes to Campus

Frankie Rosso
Managing Editor

    Have you ever had that “OMG moment” in your life; where you cannot believe that an opportunity
has been granted to you? I had that moment when I met and interviewed Kim Coles on March 18th. She lit up the room with her grace and wonderful sense of humor as she lectured about some of her experiences. “I’m a comedian, it’s what I do!” she said.

    Coles came to Central Campus as a speaker in honor of Women’s History month; providing messages of self-worth, finding your true identity, self-acceptance, and her journey through the world of television.

    “I love to inspire and teach others through my own real world experiences. It gives me great joy to be with you all,” Coles said as the program began.

    Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Coles is an American actress and comedian, best known for her starring role as Synclaire James on the Fox television series, Living Single. She also starred in Frasier and In Living Color, made guest appearances on The View, The Talk, and Dr. Oz Show, and even hosted her own show on the OWN Network called Are You Normal America? She’s also the author of two publications: I'm Free but It'll Cost You and most recently, Gratitude Journal.

    Coles spoke about the importance of loving yourself and being comfortable in your own skin. Her lecture provided insight about what it’s like to be an African American female performer and some of the struggles she faced throughout.

    “I’ll never forget the time I was on the Red Carpet looking fabulous, and I had $27 to my name.” said Coles.

    She stressed the importance of saving money and being a “responsible spender”. As students, we often fail to take into account the responsibility of money and saving to build a better future. We rather spend now and save later, and Coles’ message proved that lacking funds not only makes life harder but devastating. She shared about her experiences when she underwent a depression and her breakthrough. Her book highlights the “gratitude” she displayed though her breakthrough.

    “In my book Gratitude Journal, I wanted to promote positivity. If I can change just one life, I’m satisfied, “ said Coles.

    I felt inspired by her words and moved by her motivation and determination to succeed despite the obstacles she faced. I’m humbled to know that she was such a people person and spoke to us as if she’s known us forever.

    “I thought the event was dope. I think a lot of people needed to hear the message she came with. I was very moved. I especially enjoyed her book and even gave it my girlfriend,” said Music Technology major, Jahfar Campbell.

    Cole’s lecture was comedic, inspiring, diverse, and informative and left students with a lasting impression that TV celebs are people too. Inspiring others and changing lives one student at a time, the event was an overall success.