“Eat Cat Food.”

Illustration by: Kiara McGruder

While the recent bouts of rain in Atlanta have made for some soggy days, they have also brought some surprises along with them. One result of the stormy weather was this unusual symmetrical puddle in Midtown’s Ardmore Park.

Illustration by: April Dukes

After revealing and accepting her own physical insecurities, MFA Photography student Rori-Tai Williams was asked and honored to help others accept their own insecurities, both physical and psychological. This volume of the collection reflects some of those insecurities along with the stories of struggle and acceptance that others were willing to share. Being a mixed media and process artist at heart, Tai views the collecting of others insecurities as a sacred and private domain. These individuals have trusted her with their secrets and she takes the process seriously. While capturing both digital and 35mm film images she gives an “interview” and collects audio of the subject speaking about their insecurities. The most captivating words or phrases from the audio create the text that accompany each image. In this column the subject speaks.

Subject: Justin Melton
Occupation: Professional Basketball Player/ SCAD MFA Photography Student

“The Beaver”

“My eyeball?”

“I was skinny”

“Not anymore!”

“[Now] when I hit the court, I say

‘I’m taking that ball!’”

“Rules for one” is a bimonthly lifestyles column that investigates how to be successfully single.

Caroline Huftalen, Opinions editor

On paper he was perfect. That should have been my first clue. He was going to school to be a dentist. This meant money and good hours to spend time with your future family and loving wife. He was tall with dark hair. Two superficial things I really do enjoy in a man. And he was a musician on the side. There is nothing better than a guitar-accompanied lullaby. I was set to say I do to the Post-it version. I was unprepared for the real thing.

It was a blind date. I had seen zero pictures but had heard nothing but rave reviews. I ignored all the warning signs that were flying right by my blissfully ignorant face, like “STOP, TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE APPROACHING.” We met for dinner, and he exceeded all of my visual expectations. After sitting down at a private back table, I was ready to order an amazing cocktail from the elaborate drink menu, when I heard a “no, thank you” from across the table. I felt an ounce of panic course through my nervous system as the waiter looked my way and I politely said, “just a sparkling water, please.”

I had to face the sober elephant in the room immediately. I asked about the drink refusal in a polite and genuinely curious manner. “I’m a Mormon,” was the reply I received. All of the things I had heard regarding Mormons started surging through my brain: No alcohol, possible bigamy, no sex before marriage, thousands of children. I wished he would have said, “I’m a recovering alcoholic.”

I have nothing against any type of religion but when it comes to certain views and practices, it’s like oil and water: we just don’t mix. I believe in the consumption of alcohol. I enjoy a toast of champagne, a glass of wine at the end of a long day, a beer on St. Patty’s. There are certain rituals in my life that just need a bit of booze, and this booze needs to be shared. Although, on second thought, I guess it would be kind of nice to have a constant designated driver by my side.

Even more importantly, and for lack of better words, I like to try on that pair of jeans before I buy them. I’m with Dr. Ruth on this one. Sex needs to be had – before the alter. Plus, relationships are stressful enough, can you imagine the tension between two sober, under-satisfied people?

When it comes to certain things, opposites really don’t attract, no matter what those mathematicians say. We are not magnets. I could have dealt with anti-death penalty views or pro-life. I could have accepted a Republican. I could have been completely cool with someone who believed that Nutella was less than peanut butter in yummy factors. Or that cats are better than dogs. These are the wonderful things that make for great debates. A good challenge of views can be fun.

But this budding romance wasn’t about Bush or Obama. It had nothing to do with coffee or tea. There were topics at hand that I could not turn a blind eye too. I could not change this man. He was a Bible-toting son-of-a-gun, and this carpetbagger couldn’t do a thing about it. As he began to talk about politics and the stock market – all the topics that get lost somewhere between ear and brain – I nodded and said the appropriate “yeahs,” “uh-huhs” and “oh nos.”

When the inappropriate first date topic of Jesus came up, I excused myself to the bathroom and hightailed it to the bar. I asked the bartender for a large favor and an even larger glass of vodka on the rocks. He put it in a water glass and gave me a sympathetic smile. I went back to my seat and sucked happily from my straw as I tried to veer the conversation down a different road until we ended the night with a handshake.

I may not entirely know what I want from a partner, but after that night I have a few more things on my list of needs. Like a man who can hold his liquor better than I can, and a healthy premarital sexual appetite. Sorry Mom and Dad, but this young lady needs to see a  list of contents before buying the entire package.

Connector, SCAN and SCAD Atlanta Radio staff were in the in the Hub on Wednesday, January 25th for Student Media Day. Throughout the afternoon, staff members answered questions about Student Media, gave away stickers and buttons and handed out copies of the newest issue of SCAN. To learn more about how to contribute to The Connector and SCAN Magazine, email editor@scadconnector.com or come to our weekly Friday meetings at 10am in the Spring House computer lab. To learn more about becoming a DJ, email program@scadatlantaradio.org or some to our weekly Friday meetings at 1pm near the Spring House white tables.

The fundamental criteria that defines slavery is that a person is completely under the control of another person, violence is used to maintain that control, the slave is exploited, used for money and it’s impossible for them to walk away. Although this sounds more like the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, this Kevin Bales definition of slavery is even more applicable to the 21st century. According to Bales, a leading abolitionist who has written books on modern-day slavery, there are more slaves around the world today, than in human history. The estimated number of slaves is 27 million which more than doubles the Georgia population.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says modern day slavery is the third largest international crime industry, believed to generate profits of about $32 billion. Even if this kind of “business,” is lucrative, women, men and children are being held in generational debt bondage, forced to work long hours and trafficked for sex. This type of slavery is inescapable as the victims have nowhere to run and sometimes find themselves in foreign lands with no passports. According toa 2005 report from the U.S. State Department, between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the U.S. each year mostly due to poverty in countries of origin.

The lack of awareness regarding the urgency of this injustice is evidenced in student reactions when asked what they think or know of modern day slavery. “I know only what I see in movies,” said Maria Gomez, fourth-year sequential art student. “I’ve heard rumors that it’s in Atlanta but I suppose it could be anywhere.” Gomez is not the only one who was surprised at the alarming statistics. “I think that’s awful, I’m shocked, I didn’t even know that,” said LaTonya Lark, second-year sculpture major. First-year sequential art major Aaron Tucker agrees, “that’s pretty crazy happening in this generation,” he said. “You’d think after a couple 100 or so years it would be over.”

One of the driving forces for the end of slavery in the 18th century was the attention brought to the issue through the media and the campaigning of committed abolitionists. Justin Motta, a second-year animation major, highlights that because modern day slavery is not a public issue it is not a priority concern in people’s minds. “I don’t know if we can do anything about that [slavery],” said Motta. “How many people actually converse about this on a daily basis?”

Nevertheless, the voice against slavery is getting louder. President Barack Obama declared the month of January, “National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month” to help bring public awareness. Google has donated $11.5 million to different coalitions that bring advocacy, intervention and rescue of people being held, forced to work or provide sex against their will. The CNN Freedom Project aims to shine a spotlight on the horrors of modern-day slavery and amplify the voices of the victims.

Even some college students won’t let their voices go unheard. From the 2nd to the 4th of January, 45, 000 college students from around the world came together at the Georgia Dome for the Passion 2012 Conference, a gathering that raised the banner of freedom and over $3 million that will fund programs that bring prevention and rescue.

The SCAD community is also bringing insight to the problem on campus grounds through an artistic form. “One of our biggest contributions as far as helping make students aware of the slave trade is the Vagina Monologues,” said Jessica Merriman, Assistant Director of Student Life. The V-day organization is a global movement of grassroots activists dedicated to generating broader attention and funds to stop violence against women and girls. All proceeds from the event go towards Innocence Atlanta, a non-profit organization that works to raise awareness in the Atlanta community about the realities of sex trafficking and the exploitation of underage children. To be a part of the fight for freedom, students can volunteer or donate to the mentioned programs by logging on to 268generation.com, vday.org and innocenceatlanta.org.

Illustration by: April Dukes