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/