“Moreover, when one’s own oppressor is also a part of a marginalized group (e.g. black men and black women), it is important to practice empathy in order to build solidarity and bridge differences for the strength of the larger group of oppressed people (including people of color, Third World people, working-class and poor people, LGBTQ people, disabled people, elderly people, and women” King Averil.
This is week seven of classes at DSU. Last week was mid-terms. I myself had a pretty busy week. I had to put together a presentation, and prepare for an exam. This semester I am taking 15 credits. To some students that may not be a lot , however a student like me may beg to differ. I am a perfectionist when it comes to my my work. I feel anxiety when I know that I am about to be evaluated academically. I take it very seriously. I must admit at times too serious. I put myself into a complete frenzy over the grades that I didn’t get or I am working towards. So, I developed a few tips that may help you deal.
1) Dont blame the teacher(look at what you did wrong).
2) Don’t tune the teacher out after receiving your grade ( you can’t learn if your not listening).
3) Find out why you got the grade you got.
4)Figure out what the teacher is looking for(make friends with them).
5) Talk about how you feel about the grades you received with loved ones.
6) start taking steps to do better (push your self)
Hey guys so we just got done with spring break. I hope that you all had great fun. However, getting back into the groove of things, after being carefree for a week, may take some getting use to. That is where I come in. I have some tips that may help you out. Okay so we have another day of rest due to the weather, so lets take full advantage of it. Pull out your syllabus see what’s coming up, or see what you should have been working on all week. I mean hey who really wants to work too hard on their break (Well that is unless you’re this girl!). After you see what you have to cram into the next 24 /48 hours. Check your alarm clock! I know it sounds silly; something that may seem obvious, but that’s what makes it so forgettable. You think that you won’t forget, so it’s not on your mind. I tell you I have completely forgotten to set mine in the past.
Trust me your professor will not mark that as an excused absence. Check your email and black board. See what your teachers may have posted. Check if there is anything you need to know as far as e-news, projects or school closings. You should actually make it a habit to check your email daily. It only takes a few minutes to scroll through your inbox. Check your email before you go to bed or as your getting ready in the morning. You don’t want to miss out on anything. Update your calendar. Start plugging in upcoming meetings for the week and assignments that are coming up. Once you have done all of these things you may want to wake up your brain. When I say wake up your brain I mean start preparing for schoolwork, studying, and classes again. Doing brainteasers, playing games of strategy, or even watching mysteries can help you get back into critical thinking. The kind of critical thinking you exhibit on an average day of classes! Remember attitude is important. Have a positive attitude about start your classes back up choose to be happy!
We have to believe in ourselves. If you believe you can do something Lord willing you can. If you don’t believe you can do it than who will. If you are so stricken by fear that you won’t try you can’t win. India Arie says “strength courage and wisdom it’s been inside of me all along.” Those lyrics don’t mean she didn’t have to learn or push through the pain it just meant that she dug down deep and found what she already had. Sometimes it takes an experience to give us perspective.
However, we are equipped with what we need. We are prepared for such a time as this. “You gotta step out on faith” says India Arie in her song “strength,courage,and wisdom.” India Arie speaks volumes.We don’t always know what is ahead. I didn’t know what was up ahead of the road today or how I would make it but I had faith. Faith can go along way. I’ am currently looking for an internship and I may not know where it will be or how it will work out but, what I can do is step out on faith. If you are just willing to try you will be surprised what you discover. Don’t take no for an answer!
I ran until I met wisdom. Wisdom well wisdom was me I was in the coda sack when I spotted an older gentleman with his dog off the leash. I slowed and began to walk treading carefully being diligent, feeling the dog out. I wandered if the dog was playful and would run away from its owner thinking it was playtime. Good thing I did, because low and behold across the street was a little dog that had snatched away from his leash and was barking and carrying on. Who knows how far from home the dog was I walked some more waited until I was out of sight. It was the home stretch, and I was going to make the best of it. I took off pushing opening up. Breathing was no longer as important. I could see the door and it was my salvation. I ran to it like a bat out of a cave.
I had doubts about how long I could run. I thought about turning back, even as I was approaching the cold sack, I thought about stopping, but I had no plan of giving up. I was happy to have ran by women and men who were there to forge me forward.I discovered is that I had the ability to finish all along. My ability to finish was hiding behind fear doubt and pain. My back hurts, my leg hurts, I’m too tired I’m out of shape, I don’t know what’s ahead. All of those are excuses, excuses I no longer will be using. I had what I needed inside of me. Sometimes all we need is a little push. All we need is a word of encouragement.” Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not yet seen”.
I thought to myself if these ladies can make it down the road I can too. I had no idea how long I had been running or the distance I had crossed. My plan was to keep running until I felt that I just had to turn around. I followed the now winding road. I stopped. I took a breath hands over knees leaning forward. I was thinking “can I make it back or will I stop short before reaching the house.” I walked a few steps, body now aching, chest burning, and nose running. The cold was nipping my poor fingers once free pushed through the thumb holder of my elongated sleeves now rolled into tiny balls.
I wanted to finish strong so I began to run again. Just as surely as I began I saw a group of bicycler’s rounding the corner. The guy in the front waves “hey how ya doing” it was harder to breath so I gave a half smile and I waved. He was faith. The whole group of bicyclers were faith. They had faith they would make it to their destination and make it back. I kept running I kept pushing self-coaching making my way through. My high school coach voice ringed in clear in my ear “pain is weakness leaving the body.” I found strength kept moving now pacing myself still focusing ,still determined.
Fear tried to creep back in as I passed a huge dog. The dog was in a back yard off his/her leash. The dog looked as if it could easily jump over the fence. I usually stop when I see a dog, but this time all it did was motivate me. I didn’t look back. I didn’t even glance back to see if it was behind me .I focused on my breathing determined to finish my work out vowing to run further next time. I thought back to my conversation with Ms. Ava discussing looking into internships. She told me “you can’t be scared now is not the time to be scared. You have to bring it! You have to be the baddest in the game. If people smell fear on you they will treat you as such.” I will not let anyone or thing scare me away from my goals not even a dog off his leash. I ran for too long not to make it closer to my destination.
Today I met encouragement, hope, and faith. No they are not angels in hallo’s or from some spooked dream. I met them on my run today. I haven’t gone for a run in so long, but this morning I needed to go for a run more then ever. I usually run from my home to DSU and then make my way back. The distance is about two miles up give or take and of course the same on the trip returning. Today was different something told me to just run straight ahead, so I went with it. The air was cold and harsh on my lungs. I forced air in forced air out continued to push forward. I was focused on my breathing, because this morning it was actually an effort. My chest burned and my back felt sore.
As you may have guessed I hadn’t been running in weeks. I was focused on my breathing when I saw two ladies approaching. They were running conversing at that. I thought to myself if it would be easier if I had a running partner. The thought was fleeting before I knew it we were about to pass each other. I was thinking to myself, I would like to say hi to the runners approaching, but by the time we were passing the lady closes to me got it out first. She said good morning very chipper and smiled, that was encouragement.
I kept running focusing on my breathing knowing if I kept it up I could keep going I wouldn’t quit. While I was self-coaching thinking to myself “force air in force air out, keep pushing no quitting!”. A lady was approaching from the opposite direction. She was even more focused on her breathing then I was. She had a look of determination. Our eyes met and she smiled teeth and all she was faith.
On January 30th of last week, DSU was blessed with the first guest speakers for the Black History Month installment “The Three Doctors”. The three doctors were truly inspirational. Each doctor shared their tale of their individual journeys to success that were intertwined with each others stories through the bond of friendship. The three doctors are from the inner city of Newark New Jersey also knows as Brick city. Each doctor came from a single parent household.
The event was held in the MLK(students center) parlors of DSU. I was not sure what to expect from the “Three doctors” but I must say they completely blew me away with their story. The parlor was packed. People stood on their feet and sat on floors to hear these gentlemen speak. The doctors stood up one at a time to share their story and words of wisdom. While they spoke it was as if they were speaking directly to my struggles as a student.
Dr. Jenkins shared his tale of having a Dream of becoming a dentist at the age of twelve. He told the crowd about how curious he was about the tools used by his dentist. When I was younger I wanted to be a Veterinarian I had a dream of becoming a Veterinarian while my two friends had dreams of becoming stripers. So, I know what its like to go against the grain. I had many other dreams later on in life, but unlike Dr. Jenkins he saw his first dream through.
Dr. Jenkins also shared that he struggled with math, but that it was necessary in order to become a dentist and he struggled through it. When I first started college I enrolled as nutrition major, I too struggled with math and hard sciences and I let that determine what career path I would take.Dr. Jenkins told the students “there is nothing that they can put in front of you that you can’t do”. Had I have met Dr. Jenkins a couple of years ago you would be looking at a registered nutritionist. So many college students get discouraged or put limits on themselves based off of a bad experience or grade. All it takes is for you to believe in yourself just as Dr. Jenkins said “when you have challenges remember that you’re smart so you don’t turn in on yourself”.
Dr. Hunt warned the students about split second decisions. He told the students that as soon as they left the event they would be presented with a split second decision. Their split second decision could affect their life forever. He even shared his experience with split second decisions and how he could have been a convicted felon. Being a felon would have destroyed his chances at success. Dr. Hunt completely tore the notion of dropping out being the easy way out. He reeducated the audience by telling them” the easy way out is to go to school and get your education. Education saved my life and honestly saved the life of others”.
Dr. hunt was completely transparent when sharing his journey and held no punches. “These kids are not born with guns in their diaper bans our kids are too precious to throw away,” says Dr. Hunt. “Its important what you say and the energy you give off”says Dr. Hunt addressing the teachers and parents. last but not least he talked directly to the students. “You don’t have to hold on to any identity don’t let anybody put you in a box. If you don’t grow and mature you will be a child at 60.” Dr. Hunt’s words penetrated the barrier between age groups and allowed him to relate to all age groups present.
The common theme of the three doctors was perseverance. Dr. Davis encourages the students by telling them “whatever your going through keep doing what your doing” he also told the students to keep pushing. He told the students this not because it sounded good, but because he had gone through it. The three doctors got through their trials as students by pushing through their obstacles. These men made a pact in high school to be there for each other and become doctors in eight years. These three men met their goal.
The most powerful thing about this dynamic trio is that through it all they stuck together. Dr. Jenkins shared anecdotes about college life when he wanted to blow off studying for a party he had to walk by Dr. Hanks and Dr. Davis. Dr. Hanks, Dr, Davis, and Dr. Jenkins were mirrors for each other they were able to correct themselves by looking through each other’s eyes. “A lot of our disadvantages were offset by our friendship,” says Dr. Jenkins.
These days we don’t value friendship. There are songs that frown upon meeting new friends with lyrics like “no new friends”. If the three doctors would have had that mindset they may not be were they are today. “Make your team as strong as possible” says Dr. Jenkins. Dr. Hanks even shared stories about the path he was going down before meeting the doctor
I don’t know how fellow DSU students feel about friendship, but I definitely want to make good friends. It is important to keep people close people who are going to make you better. People who are going in the same direction you are. TLC‘s song says “what about your friends are they gonna be around? Are they going to let you down?” These are questions we should be asking ourselves when we are choosing who should be in our lives.
“Count on me through thick and thin a friendship that will never end. When you are weak I will be strong, helping you to carry on” Whitney Houston “Count on me” these lyrics, describe the friendship of the three doctors perfectly. When Dr. Jenkins spoke to the audience he shared that there was no embarrassment amongst the trio. They were able to help each other were they had trouble in academics. Where one of the three struggled the other two worked with them to get through the course. The three of them had faith in themselves and one another
“A fire was lit after we graduated. We felt it was our social obligation to share our story,” says Dr. Jenkins.” We want to be the face of education and health,” said Dr. Hanks. The three doctors according to three doctors.com wrote a book entitled “The pact” “we beat the streets” for children and “The bond” which talked about the reconciliation with their fathers. Dr. Davis also has a book entitled “living and dying in Brick city” the book is about the inner city workings of an urban emergency room. The three doctors have accomplished a lot to together.
The three doctors are an inspiration to anyone with a dream. These three men did not look at each other as competition, but as powerful tools to reach their goal. The tool was friendship. Friendship was the glue that held them to their pact and promise to each other.If you are an inner city youth and have a big dream let these men be the proof you need to believe.
The knock out game is a deadly game played amongst teenagers. The object of the game is to knock out a random stranger with one hit. People who are alone and pose no threat at all are being targeted. When I viewed the video I also viewed the comments. One of the comments that stood out to me was “you see their are no other races involved”. This was beyond disturbing. People we have gotten away from the racial stigma’s or prejudgements from the past we haven’t. America is one of the most diverse places across the globe but that means nothing if we only see in color. To our African American youth please recognize who your are sons of queens and kings destined for greatness if you allow your light to shine. Come out of the rolls that society has given you and rise above them.
According to the Huffington post 12-year-old, Vanessa VanDyke, is being asked to cut or straighten her hair with in a week or she will face being expelled from a Christian academy in Orlando, Florida. VanDyke is a violinist and an honor student. She has been attending the academy since the third grade. Vanessa has been wearing her hair in a fro since the beginning of the school year. Her hair has not posed a problem until her mother brought it to the school officials attention that she was being picked on. After being informed the school officials said that Vanessa’s hair was a distraction.
Vanessa has no intentions of changing her hair.”It says that I’m unique,First of all, it’s puffy and I like it that way. I know people will tease me about it because it’s not straight. I don’t fit in.” says Vanessa. I say right on Vanessa VanDyke! Vanessa VanDyke is not a poet but by staying true to her self she has spoken out against political and social issues. For too long African-Americans have been asked to exclude aspects of their true identity in the name of professionalism. Vanessa VanDyke did not coward,because of the consequences. She did not allow the school officials or society to bully her into becoming anyone other then herself.
When I began to think about what Vanessa was going through, and her will to be herself the songstress that immediately came to mind was India Arie. In the song “Video” India discusses learning to love herself for who she is and wanting to share that message with others. “Keep your silly comb I can find my own what God gave me is just fine” Says India Arie. However, the song is not just about accepting your hair, but loving your self despite of how others live there life or think of you. “But I learned to love myself unconditionally, because I am a queen” says India in the chorus of the song “Video”. India Arie explains through out her lyrics that it was a life long lesson, but Vanessa VanDyke seemed to be on an accelerated program. Vanessa is comfortable with who she is at the tender age of 12. We all can learn a lot about self-love and acceptance of ones self from Ms. Vanessa VanDyke.
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