Lateisha Corbin wins the Campus Life Award!
We knew this young lady would give us something to talk about, and Lateisha certainly hasn’t let us down! During family weekend, on October 14, 2006, Emmanuel College hosted their traditional ceremony where students explained the history of their school, and those majoring in Psychology told of what their degree will mean to them. Cousin Lateisha Corbin received the Campus Life Award. Lateisha earned this award for a multitude of reasons: her outstanding abilities as a basketball player, her inspiring role at Emmanuel as a mentor and Resident Assistant, and her strong initiative to bring cultural programs to Emmanuel College. But most important of all, this award recognized Lateisha for serving as Secretary for two of Emmanuel’s biggest groups: the Black Student Union and the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC). She shows us all what hard work is about, and managed to keep her GPA up during the process! We commend you, Teisha, and proudly recognize you as one of our family’s best chances for the future of our youth!

Actions speak louder than words, so why not show Lateisha your appreciation and attend one of her upcoming basketball games this November? She’s the starting forward her Emmanuel College Saints! Please check our calendar for date information.

Halloween – Ancient Ritual or Evil Worship?

The word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New year.

One story says that, on that day, the disembodied spirits of all those who had died throughout the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess for the next year. It was believed to be their only hope for the afterlife. The Celts believed all laws of space and time were suspended during this time, allowing the spirit world to intermingle with the living. Naturally, the still-living did not want to be possessed. So on the night of October 31, villagers would extinguish the fires in their homes, to make them cold and undesirable. They would then dress up in all manner of ghoulish costumes and noisily paraded around the neighborhood, being as destructive as possible in order to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess.

So, although some cults may have adopted Halloween as their favorite "holiday," the day itself did not grow out of evil practices. It grew out of the rituals of Celts celebrating a new year, and out of medieval prayer rituals of Europeans. And today, even many churches have Halloween parties or pumpkin carving events for the kids. Have a happy & safe Halloween, everyone! For those of you who will be out there trick or treating this year, read on for some safety tips you may have heard before but are worth hearing again – for the sake of our children.

Children should go out during daylight hours only unless accompanied by a responsible adult.

Plan a safe route so parents know where their older kids will be at all times. Set a time for their return home.

Make sure your children are old enough and responsible enough to go out by themselves. Let your children know not to cut through back alleys and fields. Make sure they know to stay in populated places and don't go off the beaten track. Stay in well lighted areas.

Stop only at familiar houses in your own neighborhood unless an adult accompanies them.

Small children should never be allowed to go out alone on Halloween. Make sure an older sibling or adult is with them.

Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you. Instruct your child to never go into the home of a stranger or get into their car.

Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars. Let them know that they should stay together as a group if going out to Trick or Treat without an adult.

Honoring the Legacy, Building on the Future
The 21st Century Black Massachusetts Conference, now in its 5th year, founded by Senator Dianne Wilkerson, will hold a 2-day conference next weekend. The Youth Summit will take place on Friday, November 3rd from 3pm-7pm at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center, where youth of color will take center stage for some hard-hitting straight talk about what it will take to refocus the energy that too often ends in conflict.

The conference continues on Saturday, November 4th from 9:30a-3pm at the Hynes Convention Center, where leaders of color from across the state and invited guests from across the United States, will join for a day of strategizing to answer the question this question: If there is one thing you would say to the next Governor of Massachusetts that you think ought to be done to provide opportunity to all residents, what would it be? The keynote speaker for this day’s event will be the Reverend Jesse Jackson. Attendance to this very special event is free, but register now to ensure your seat(s). Click here to find out how.