The College of Arts and Sciences, the Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD) National Freshmen Honor Society and the Text -In -Community Committee presented a book discussion on Nov. 3 about “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot for the faculty, staff and students of A&T.

The Text-In-Community committee, headed by Dr. Beverly Grier, selects a text each year and gives the text out to incoming freshmen during student orientation.

The committee selects a text with more than one discipline and that will enhance critical thinking and communication skills.

The discussion began with introductions by Nita Dewberry and Grier.

The moderator for the event was Omolara Glenn, sophomore and Vice President of ALD, who then introduced the panelist and began the question and answer portion of the program.

“The Colloquium Series always incorporates a program to discuss the Text-In-Community,” said Dewberry. “Alpha Lambda Delta National Freshman Honor Society supports the annual Text-In-Community book discussion by providing a student moderator and a panel to discuss questions for the event. Selected faculty and students are asked each year to serve on the discussion panel.”

According to Dewberry the objectives of the program “gives students the opportunity to discuss the book and to engage the faculty/ student panel with questions and answers on the selected text.”

 ” Every year ALD likes to be apart of the Text-In-Community, because we are a honor society we feel that it’s important to make sure literature continues to be a huge part of campus, outside of textbooks,” says Glenn.

The panel, made up of both students and professors, answered a range of presented questions.

The thoughtful questions led to audience members being able to answer the same questions that were put forth to the panel.

Henrietta Lacks’ story is one of a poor woman who seeks out medical attention for cervical cancer and her cells are taken from her without her consent. The lab growing these cells has led to a polio vaccine, chromosome knowledge, launched virology, cloning, and a profit for the scientific community.

Skloot recognizes Lacks, her family and the issues that America has with Bioethics in the book.

When asked if he thought the book highlighted dome of the typical stereotypes that African Americans have against healthcare, Chico Rorie, a Biology Department professor, responded, “Absolutely because I think it may add to the anxiety of healthcare rather than allowing people to appreciate it.”

Rebecca Skloot will be on campus Feb. 3, for the Lyceum Series.

She will be giving a public lecture and another student/faculty panel discussion.

• Chanel Davis