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  DAVE HILL/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Activist and author Sista Souljah speaks in Rolfe Hall Tuesday night about the role of the black community in the U.S.

By Jennifer Reichert

Daily Bruin Contributor

From education, power and African history, to man and womanhood, relationships, abortion and sex, Sista Souljah inspired African Americans Tuesday evening to learn more about their culture and unite in love.

As part of the Freedom Forum event, Souljah’s speech – which was followed by a book signing, music and food – attracted a full house in Rolfe 1200. Challenging students to overcome an American society that encourages competition and individualism, Souljah said African American students must view themselves as a unified body with an “I-is-we” mentality.

“American mentality is ‘I’ ... step on anyone. If you got the notes don’t share ’em,” Souljah said.

“Africans are wise enough to understand that your problem affects the entire village,” she continued.

She encouraged this mentality among the African American community, especially members of ASU.

“The ‘I’ is ‘we’ mentality is one of the many things we strive to promote in ASU,” said Anica McKesey, administrative assistant for the organization.

Souljah challenged students to go beyond the minimum requirements of the university and to question, analyze and read more than what their professors assign by reading the history of African culture.

“Real students are those that have the ability to think ... You as a student need to dig deeper,” she said.

Rather than being angry, African Americans need to organize strategic operations for a specific purpose. through love and respect for each other, she said.

“Collectivism is necessary. We need to continue to try to actualize collective action in terms of dialoguing with the community,” said Kennisha Austin, community empowerment coordinator for ASU.

Souljah told her audience not to look toward selfish personal advancement. Without a collective heart, there is no collective movement, she said, comparing a community without love to a body without a heart.

African culture is not a fashion statement, she said. Instead of wearing dreadlocks or having Malcolm X poster, African Americans need to look to their history to see how to relate to one another.

In Africa, she said, a woman and a man are trained to make a transition into manhood and womanhood.

She said the woman is the mother of earth, sacred and must be taken care of, contrasting with the American definition which encourages women to be cute and stupid and does not facilitate a transition into adulthood.

Women need to stop competing with each other, which she said is the American way, and instead they need to build a sisterhood as African women do in their villages. Woman need to know about their womanhood and respect their bodies so men will respect them as well.

In African society, the man goes to the woman’s parents with a gift in hand to ask their permission to see their daughter. An African man selects a woman who is a reflection of himself, so he is proud of and respects her.

Souljah said men should not be motivated by their sexual desires and to learn to control themselves as Africans are trained to do early on.

Although Souljah received a standing ovation, some audience members felt she did not adequately address the issue of homosexuality.

When one student asked her about her stance on homosexuality, Souljah said she is not an expert on the subject and that they should hire an expert if they want to discuss that issue.

“Homosexuality is an accepted tradition in some tribes. That is knowledge she did not share here tonight,” said Ray Fernandez, a member of La Familia, a Latino gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender group. “She needs to supply that information to herself.”

Born in the Bronx, and raised in the projects on welfare, food stamps and Medicaid, Souljah questioned her living situation. Her mother realized her daughter’s potential, teaching her to read and giving her a New York City Library card.

“Coming from the projects didn’t define limited opportunity for me. It made me strong,” Souljah said.

She attended an advanced placement program at Cornell University, where she learned the struggle of African Americans was not just a local but worldwide problem.

Later, Souljah attended Rutgers University, where she told her counselor she would take all the classes she wanted if it meant taking longer to graduate so she could learn more.

Souljah’s career in activism began when she and fellow students educated themselves about issues, opposition and power structures. They also organized takeovers of administrative buildings until the university divested money from corporations doing business with South Africa’s apartheid government.

With knowledge of African history and unity among the community, Souljah said African Americans can argue logically and pursue their goals collectively.

“Then, when it comes time for the battle – because the battle will surely come – you’ll be prepared,” she said.