Web 2.0

This class is one that I would recommend to ALL majors not just in the liberal arts. I think that it is very important we become well versed in the ways of technology, being that, the world of social networking and presenting sharing and working with your colleagues will all soon be on the Internet. The greatest and most valuable Web tool in my opinion is twitter. It's God sent..literally. The fact that you can send bit of information to a massive group of people without having to cc everyone is phenomenal. Another perk of twitter is that those people that are following you can then "re tweet" what it is that you said, and so on and so forth. It's convenient and I thank the makers of twitter for that one. The second most valuable tool is the wiki pages. I LOVE that tool, although Wikipedia has always been something around, I think the idea that students can upload there work and share it with there peers who are working on the same project is fantastic and I hope that I have another opportunity to use that tool again. Once again this class was a great experience and I feel more confident than ever before about the ways of technology when it comes to presenting information.

Follow me on Twitter! @thechelseashow to keep in contact

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-11-07/the-hidden-technology-that-makes-twitter-huge

And You say HBCUs are no longer needed?

If you haven't heard about it already, there is a video that has gone VIRAL. It is entitled "Black Bruin". A group of African American males were upset about the racial inequality they had experienced and subjected to at the University of California at Los Angeles also known as  UCLA. The leader of this particular spoken word is Sy Stokes, a half Chinese half Indian junior. Stokes, is African America studies major and he identifies as Black. During the monologue Stokes eloquently discusses topics such as the lack of retainment efforts by the school in order to ensure that their black students stay, lack of financial aid for students who could not afford it, and implores "We are not looking for a handout, we are looking for a level playing field". He also poses the question to school administration; why are there  more championships made by their majority black basketball and football team than there are black students. These frustrations that are stemming from black college students at Predominately White Institutions, has become growing trend, and with the help of social media their complaints are no longer able to be stifled by the school. A few months ago at the University of Oklahoma the African American students started a trend complaining about they alienation they felt at their institutions, and that "The University of Oklahoma is not as diverse as they claim to be." These students are tired of the stereotypes that they are faced with. Fed up with the subtly second class citizen feeling they receive at their respective schools. You often hear that we are no living in a post civil rights era were racism no longer exists. Thus the need for HBCUs has diminished. Anyone who thinks that statement is clearly deaf to the world around that is going on around. No, there are no longer signs on the doors that say "Whites Only" however the injustices that occur subtly are still prime examples as to why HBCU doors still need to be open. At an HBCU you learn more about your own people and the different forms in which we come in, than anything you learn in the classroom. Making our experience that much more unique. It breaks m heart to know that there are young black college students at institutions where they are still treated as though this is the 1960's and that they will never be able to experience that ultimate feeling of graduating from an HBCU.

Here is the link for the spoken word "Black Bruin"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEO3H5BOlFk

Racist or not Racist, that is the question

A few days ago, I came across an article entitled "Three Black Students Arrested for Waiting at a Bus Stop". Of course an article with a headline such as that was enough to get my attention so that I read further into the situation. Allegedly, three young black boys were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct by police officer who ordered the boys to disperse. The boys refused to vacate the premises and explained that they were instructed by their coach to board that specific bus in order to meet him at a scrimmage for their school basketball game. The police report stated: "“pedestrian traffic while standing on a public sidewalk…preventing free passage of citizens walking by and attempting to enter and exit a store…Your complainant gave several lawful clear and concise orders for the group to disperse and leave the area without compliance." Now maybe that is the case or maybe it wasn't being that there are many different versions as to what "actually happened". However if the students repeatedly explained why they were standing there, shouldn't that have solved the mystery as to why they were standing at a BUS STOP? The number of articles that have been produced with this repeated subliminal message that law enforcement don't like African American teenagers, has been something we (the public) have been hearing constantly since the popular and infamous Trayvon Martin case. It enrages the masses, it gets people talking and most importantly..it sells. Despite this, it is important that we don't quickly deem everything as "racist". Sometimes, such as situations like this, you are reading about an overzealous cop who just wanted to make an arrest. Let us not allow the media to exploit the clearly sensitive topic of "RACE" in our community and turn everything into a race war. Granted I am not trying to take away from situations that are race based, but I just find it hard to believe EVERYTHING has racial under tones, but then again I could be wrong. What are your thoughts? Has our society become so obsessed with deeming everything racist? Or have we been able to move past that issue?

**update the charges against the boys have been dropped. 

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/02/three-black-students-waiting-for-bus-arrested-after-cops-order-them-to-disperse/

In a nutshell.

'Tis the season for the overwhelming amount of work that all seems to be due magically at the exact same time. We (the students) are now entering into the next few weeks of study and educational HELL. Where long night and early mornings will be the trend and everyone will be snappy, cranky and close to tears at any moment. Well, at least the ones that care about making it out of this semester with a decent grade. Although it's stressful, I honestly like this time of the year..it shows how people react under pressure and as one of my friends used to say "a little bit of pressure ain't never hurt nobody!" Plus, you get to see peoples TRUE colors you also see what matters most to them, and what things they can live without. This semester has by far been one of the most challenging semesters that I have ever gone through. I have learned to balance my schoolwork, being a senator for International Students, being a PAL which is pretty much a mix between being a mother, babysitter, mentor and a friend as well as becoming a member of Collegiate 100 Women. I can say that I am proud, and I am learning in life people have little room for excuses and can careless about what you have going on as long as you fulfill the requirements for whatever it is that you signed up for. It's been a great experience having to juggle everything and I feel that I officially understand the meaning of TIME MANAGEMENT and planning ahead. I have worn more pairs of flats slack, and blazers then I care to, and I must admit it was a pain at first but now I feel unprepared and uncomfortable if I am not business casual. I guess when the is presented "do we grow up over time or all at once?" It's safe to say that "growing up" is something that happens over time, after you have experienced certain things, and have been resented with various situations. You grow without realizing it, and you the vision of who you want to be seems to come into focus more than ever. Well, for me it has. First semester down, three more to go.

For those dealing with any type of stress here's a great website to gain coping skills from. http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

The "G" Word

I've always been curious of lifestyles that are different then mine. Not in a judgemental way but in a way that I am smart enough to understand that everyone is different and that we should be able to appreciate every ones story. I have a roommate that lives on the side facing me, and although we aren't close friends she speaks and is relatively friendly. During the beginning of the semester she had a young man that I am assuming was her boyfriend come and stay and spend the night. Which was fine by me, I'm not a prude or anything. After a few weeks they broke up and she was hurt by the whole situation, (which is expected being that break ups are hard) and I offered the best advice I could by saying "God has someone in his sights for you that will be a million times better." After that,life moved on as usual, and eventually she started seeing someone new, her new "friend" was a girl named Markita. At first it threw me completely off. I was confused, and then slightly irritated. Not because they were same sex but because I liked Kita as a person and I was ready to yell at my roommate if she thought I was going to allow her to use this girl as some emotional crutch. However I sat down with my roommate and she explained that she has always had feelings for her but being that she was raised to think that it was a sin. Which I understand, in many black households you aren't taught to hate gays, however you always hear that's not what "we" do. Or "that's a "white" thing. Now we all know that isn't a true statement and although we are still new to that lifestyle many young LGBT African Americans don't know where they fit in, and what's worse they don't have any outlets to turn too. On HBCU campus' especially in the south and there aren't many if ANY LGBT "clubs" or organizations. I think that Kita stated it best when she said "In the Black Community we don't really fit in, and in the Gay Community where there aren't many blacks we don't feel as though we fit in either, so where do we go?" And that's the question, where do they go? Who do they turn to if they have questions? The whole point of College is trying to find yourself. How can you find yourself if there is no one willing to help those who are still trying to figure out who they are?

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/young-black-brooklyn-males-struggling-sexual-identify-fuel-brooklyn-hiv-crisis-article-1.1326622

The Road to Tenure and Dr. McGriggs

Earlier this week I went to visit with the advisor of my club Young Democrats.  My advisor, Dr. Mike is also the head of the Political Science Department and is extremely easy to talk to. (If you are a Political Science major, I suggest you acquaint yourself with him).  Anyways, we got onto the topic of Professors at the University and somehow Dr. McGriggs was brought into the conversation, I asked Dr. Mike if Dr. McGriggs was a tenured professor and he replied, "no, he signs a contract every year, like everyone else." Which made me wonder why exactly some professors decide to go start on the tenure track and why others don't also, why teachers who have been here as long as Dr. McGriggs have, decide not to become full time professors at all. For those who don't know, a tenured professor is defined as "a senior academics contractual right not to have his or her position terminated without just cause." So does that mean everyone else can be fired just by saying something administration doesn't like? And how many others believe that Tenure shouldn't be determined by whether or not you "wrote a book"? Like who has time to sit and write a book being that the vast majority of teachers already are teaching a million and twelve other classes. I brought this issue up during Dr. Mathison's class and we further discovered that the number of tenured teachers is extremely low at this school because if you are denied "tenure" you are forced to quit that following year. I think I can speak for everyone if you ever consider teaching at the university level the most attractive route would be the "Tenure" route however after learning what I have, that would probably discourage more than most. 

More information about tenure can be found here: http://jerz.setonhill.edu/about/tenure/

"Imagine A World Without Hate"

One of the greatest pros of living in D.C is that there is always something to do, learn, and someone to intern with. If you are like me, you purposely look for internships that would be considered out of the box or even out of your realm of comfort. For example, I want to work in the field of politics/ civil rights/ human rights, whatever you get the point around those lines of saving the world, and making sure that everyone has a voice and that it is being heard. However I felt that I wanted to have a different type of interning experience rather than go down the "road frequently traveled by". So, instead of working for the NAACP, or Congressional Black Caucus (which are both fine organizations) I wanted to work with people that had the same mind set, and were working on "equality" just from a different point of view. The being said, last summer I worked for the Anti-Defamation League and I have got to say it was one of the most rewarding experiences and probably the most fun I had in a summer. I worked closely with the Holocaust Museum, observed how they taught groups of people about Anti-Semitism and the food was always free! (Even though it was usually Kosher). However I also saw people react negitavley to the information being told, and I saw how hatred is something experienced by any group that has been targeted. I say this because "we" (and when I say we please know I mean African Americans) are often encouraged to just intern with our own organziations. Which is nice however if you go to an HBCU, and then intern with just black organizations you can sometimes be limiting your "view" of the world. Granted, we need our civil rights programs however we also need to educated on other minority groups and majority groups as well. The best way to be successful is to be able to firmly say that you are educated in ALL types of cultural experiences aside from your own. That's just my humble opiion, but you don't have to listen to me. I ain't nobody...at least not just yet. 

Interested in finding out what exactly the ADL does? Visit the website below! 

http://www.adl.org/