Writers:
SAMERA AGHA earned her B.A. in International Development from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She gained much of the inspiration for writing from her travels abroad, specifically to the Middle East region.
SHAUN ANDREWS
is majoring in political science and
minoring in English. He has plans to go to law school and eventually
practice civil rights law. He feels that poetry is the scripture
of the soul, so when you read his pieces, he is sharing a piece
of himself with you.
CRYSTAL BARNES
is a senior English major at Winston-Salem State University.
She exercises her writing skills working with underclassmen in
the University's Writing Clinic. She has been published in local
newspapers and WSSU's News Argus and is self-publishing
her first book of poetry. Her work in the Pitch Black and Slam
poetry genres is well known regionally, and her dramatic and
spirited readings have energized diverse audiences. Currently,
she is evaluating graduate programs and looks forward to continuing
her studies in African-American literature. She is a native of
Charlotte, NC.
LESLIE BOLAR is a senior English major, who is seeking a minor in Military Science. Her goal is to become a successful army officer. After retirement, she plans to teach Junior Reserve Officers Training Corp at a public school. Her aspirations include being published nationally and also inspiring others to go beyond their expectations.
KEITH CAESAR is an English major from Bermuda (home of the dreaded Triangle -- and, yes, most of it did happen, but due to legal restrications placed on the residents of Bermuda they cannot talk about it openly.) After graduation, he hopes to continue to study the craft of writing and see where it takes him. He has written a ton of stories, and he is currently involved with The News Argus student newspaper at WSSU. He also figures that if the writing thing doesn't work out, he'll just find a beach to lounge on back home.
TIFFANI CLYBURN is twenty-two years old and a recent graduate of Winston-Salem State University. She is currently attending Ohio State University where she is pursuing a Master's in English.
ALTHEA CORPENING is a senior at Winston State University and currently pursuing a degree in English with a minor in Psychology. Her hobbies consist of reading, writing poetry and playing basketball.
DARIOUS CURETON was a former student at WSSU where he now teaches, in addition to running the Department of English and Foreign Languages' Writing Lab. He is an avid cartoon fan and particularly enjoys Anime or Japanese Animation. This style of animation is far superior to American animation. The storylines are more involved and complex, characters are more developed, and the artistic quality is exquisite. During Dr. Rebecca Wall's Advanced Composition course, he got the chance to research and finally introduce many people (including Dr. Wall) to this emerging art form. His essay in this issue is the fruit of that labor.
DEMOND CURETON
is a rising senior from Charlotte,
NC. He enjoys music, digital art, philosophy, pragmatism, reading,
asthetics, and observing social behavior.
AL DANIELS
is a Rastafarian English major who plans to use his degree to
further his studies of the human condition. He hopes to use his
knowledge to receive a doctorate in philosophy. But until then
he will continue to unlearn the imperial truths taught to him
by others.
KELLY DAVENPORT is an English major / Psychology minor at Winston-Salem State University, and plans to attend UNCG graduate school. She has self-published a book of poetry called Without Boundaries, and is certified in Herbology / Natural Medicine. When she feels particularly aggressive she plays ping-pong.
TAMARA HUGHES was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on June 25, 1979. She was raised along with her three brothers, one of whom is deceased, by her hard-working mother, Denise Hughes. Tamara attends Winston-Salem State University and is currently in pursuit of a double major in Spanish and English. Her hobbies include singing, writing, and reading. Tamara hopes to be a cultural mediator, bringing many cultures together for the benefit of the whole through education.
LATOYA JOYNER
is a true-to-heart Cancer, who loves to sing, dance, write, act,
shop, and TRAVEL. She's a Mass Communications major (concentrating
in radio/tv), who wishes to pursue a career in the radio/television
industry upon graduation in December. Words to live by: Be Who
you are, Do You, and Always acknowledge the Creator!
BELINDA "CHRIS" LEVEFRE was a junior at Winston Salem State when
she wrote the selections published in this issue. She is married
and the mother of two children. Her child who has a rare handicapping
disorder inspired two of my pieces. She been writing since she
found out that she could paint with words. She was never very
good with crayons or paint, so her palette is language and her
brush is a pencil. Her creative writing professor, Dr. Stormy
Stipe and her French professor, Dr. Deborah Boyd, have encouraged
her. These two women have helped her reach a potential she never
dreamed of.
JESSICA MATHEWSON received a bachelor of arts degree in political science in may of 2002. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice/ Law Enforcement at North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC.
J. D. MCGEE is currently a junior at WSSU. He enjoys fly fishing, music, literature, hiking, camping, and travelling. He is from Key West, Florida.
CHAD PERRY was born in Forest Hills, Queens, in New York City but raised in Louisburg, North Carolina. He graduated from Ravenscroft High School in May 2000 in Raleigh where he served as a staff writer for the school's newspaper, The Nevarmore. Currently he is a rising senior majoring in English and minoring in Political Science. His hobbies include physical activities, spending time with family and friends, traveling, and leisure reading.
RENATA SMITH is from Garland, NC, and enjoys reading, writing and spending time at the beach. Her goals are to teach for 2 years and earn a master's in counseling. She has a great love for all children and believes that everyone should live to make a difference in someone else's life. Renata is he youngest of 6 children and the first person in her family to graduate in 4 years with a degree. Her father is her biggest influence/inspiration.
JANET TAYLOR ROLLE graduated from WSSU in the December class of 2002. She is an English major with an avid passion for writing. For her story, "Syl: Mother Til the End," Janet won the distinguished 2002 Margaret Walker Award of the College Language Association. Janet is an ordained and licensed evanelist who often travels internationally. She is also a proud mother of 5 children whose ages range from 10 to 24. Janet's goal is to become a professional writer of fiction.
JERRY VAIL graduated WSSU in May of 2002 with a degree in English.
RONNIE WILKES is a senior psychology major with an English minor from Kingston, NC. His interests are writing poetry, reading romance novels, playing sports, listening to jazz and R&B, and chasing women. He plans to attend Georgia State University when he finishes his undergraduate degree and major in Forensic Psychology. His friends call him "Ronnie Romance" because he loves the ladies. He's a ladies' man for life and he writes for the ladies and himself.
JASON WILSON is a junior in the English teaching certification program at WSSU. He enjoys reading subjects pertaining to religion, philosophy, and eastern thought. He plays bass and guitar with the band, Conticinium, and also participates in drama productions performed by the university.
BILLY WORTHY, Jr. is a Business Administration and English major from Lithonia, Georgia.
Student Editors:
KEITH CAESAR (see above)
TIFFANI CLYBURN (see above)
Faculty Editors:
AUDREY FORREST-CARTER specializes in Rhetoric and Composition and 19th-century American Literature. She holds a Ph.D. from Miami University of Ohio, and teaches freshman and advanced composition courses.
LORENZO MEACHUM teaches African American Culture, Theater, Phonetics, and Speech at WSSU. He is a story teller, musician, actor, and technician of the dramatic arts and has presented lectures and workshops in various settings from Harvard University to church fellowships.
DAVID SIAR (faculty editor-in-chief) teaches Shakespeare, World Literature, and other courses. He is also founding editor of two on-line scholarly journals: Cultural Logic, which is devoted to Marxist theory, and Early Modern Culture, which features in-progress essays and responses by established and emerging scholars in the field of Renaissance studies.
STORMY STIPE writes poetry and fiction, in addition to teaching creative writing, composition and literature at WSSU. She received a Ph.D. from the University of Houston, where she also worked as a teaching assistant.
The Department of English and Foreign Languages
Winston-Salem State University