Poetry, Politics and Power

Hello Fellow Tigers!

            We all know this presidential race has been completely absurd, from the outlandish comments made by Donald Trump, to the supposed deleted emails from Hilary Clinton. We all can say we’ve been terrified, confused, and most importantly angry. This election has evoked emotions and feelings like no other that I can remember, and it has been a real eye opener for me as a young adult.  Though we tend to take our frustrations to different social media outlets, there are many different ways to do so. Our awesome poetry group Soul Fire is hosting their second “Be a Light” Poetry Rally, which is just one week from Election Day!

            “Calling poverty our problem like it wasn’t instituted Now we got Hellary and Trump trying to re-unconstitute it,” just a small line from sophomore member of Soul Fire Leona Dunn

            I also got a chance to speak the outgoing president of Soul Fire, graduating senior Brandon Stepter. He told me that the “Be a Light Rally” came about last year when TSU was having issues with crime, and opened gates. The event was created for students to let off steam about negative media images and how we are perceived in the community.  This year’s event explores the political season. Not only will there be spoken word, but also a DJ and prints that preview an upcoming gallery show. As Brandon passes on his poetic torch, he only wants the best for Soul Fire, which is growth and reaching more students.

            Be sure to get out and exercise your right to vote! Early voting in Davidson County started Wednesday October 19^th - Thursday November 3^rd. Always check out Twitter and Facebook for campus events.

Upcoming Events

Nov. 1: Soul Fire’s “Be a Light” Poetry Rally. The theme: Stay Woke, Go Vote.  Wilson Hall Basement Lounge 6-8p.m.  DJ, Poetry, Politics and Power!

Nov. 4:  Wonder Woman Celebration Party from 11-2p in Poag Auditorium. Film, Food and Fun Prizes! Learn More.

Nov. 7: English and Art Collaborative Gallery Show opening featuring poetry and paintings! The event starts at 11a, but open mic poetry reading begins at 1p.  You do not want to miss this!

Nov. 18: The Deadline for the LLP Study Abroad Program.  Ten students will go to Paris, France – all expenses paid! They will learn about the International African American Literary Experience. Learn more.

Sincerely,

AB

Back to Reality!

Well Homecoming 2017 is finally over, and it is back to reality! Welcome back tiger family. We hope that you enjoyed the homecoming festivities, and responsibly indulged in everything there was to offer. Also, we survived midterm week and we are now pushing forward to fall break, and the end of this fall semester. But before we close out the year we have a few upcoming activities.

Next Wednesday, the Career Development Center is hosting their annual fall career fair! There will be over 120 employers there so be sure to be dressed for success, and resume in hand.  This event will be held in Kean Hall, on October 26, 2016 starting at 10:30a until 2:30p. Be sure to come out, network, and hopefully be awarded the opportunity to be connected with an internship, or job!

  For all English and majors education majors, Metro Nashville Public Schools, will be holding a job fair for support staff on Saturday, November 5, 2016 from 10:00a until 2:00p at West End Middle Prep. Also, for the fall graduating seniors, there will be another job for certified teachers from 4:00p-5:00p at the Martin Center, and interviews will be held 5:30p-6:30p. All this will be happening Tuesday December 6, 2016. Please be sure to come out, for more information feel free to go on www.mnps.org/district-calendar for any questions.

Be on the lookout for our interview with our awesome poetry group Soul-Fire as we highlight some of their upcoming events. Always check out our Twitter, and Facebook page for inspiration, and campus events.

Sincerely

AB

Midterm Blues

It is that time of year again, and we have to stay strong if we are going to make it to the finish line. The middle of the semester is a great time to reflect, and begin to plan ahead. 

If you didn’t know, there is a limit to funding at some schools.  Consequently, the FAFSA application has opened ninety days early. Yes, October 1, 2016, FAFSA applications were opened for the 2017-2018 school year. If you have not already started on it, please do that as soon as possible. If you have any questions go to the website  http://fafsa.ed.gov .

 You must also keep your eye on the ball regarding your current classes:MIDTERMS. To me it seems that school just started, but we are officially at the half way mark. So don’t give up hope now! Push on! Be motivated to complete assignments, and most importantly show up to class.! The weather is indeed changing, however that does not mean not to come to class because its too cold. Remember someone is paying for you to be here.! Let's finish the week strong because next week we will “GET GEEKED”, It is homecoming week!

One way to stay encouraged is to think about about the future.  You might want to check out the Alumni page on the LLP website.  It features English majors who have graduated, and went off into the world to do big things.  This month's feature is State Representative LaDawn Jones!

Be on the lookout for our interview with one of our awesome professors in the LLP department. Be sure to check our Twitter, and Facebook throughout the week for motivating words, event updates, and other things.

Keep moving!

AB

What A Time To Be A Tiger!

            It has been a great time for the Big Blue Family! As you all know the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened last weekend, and our very own Aristocrat of Bands, had the honor to partake in the 3-day event. They played several songs on the White House Lawn and even had the chance to meet both the president and first lady. Our band became the first HBCU band to perform on the south lawn of the White House. Now there should be no more debates on who has the best band!   There are several pictures floating around social media, as well as videos of their actual performance so if you have time go check them out. 

           Moving onto our “for colored girls”

review last month. People have said nothing but great things about it.  It was a success thanks to all staff, and students that either performed, organized, or spoke at this event. I also had the chance to speak with our peer Kamri Jordan, an English major who spoke from the student point of view on the panel.  She said that she was nervous at first, but felt more comfortable as she began to speak.  “Dr. Dixon went over the impact  that “for colored girls” had on women studies and how it serves as a black feminist text. I talked about how the book had an affect on me as a aspiring poet,” she said. Other professor such as Dr. Hayes, and Dr. Pinkard also gave background information on Shange and discussed the elements of the choreopoem. Student artists created paintings in response to the film; and student poets from Soulfire (pictured right) read performed poems from the play, as well as their own response poems. Overall the event was a success, thanks to everyone that came out. Please check out the Facebook and Twitter page for upcoming events.
         Lastly, we would like to send our condolences to the family of Coach Ed Temple.  The memorial service was remarkable, and we are honored that Coach Temple is a part of TSU's legacy.

Sincerely,
AB

For Colored Girls Review

Hello and welcome back fellow tigers!

            I hope that you all enjoyed Professor Williams’ interview and her song snippet that she gave us last week! Although brief, I enjoyed meeting Prof. Williams and I am looking forward to attending “Green Kabaret”. Also, we would like to congratulate the athletic department on their many victories last week.

            As you may have heard in some of your classes, we are hosting a screening and panel discussion on Ntozake Shange’s “for colored girls, who considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf.”  We hope to have a lot of people to come out for both events.  If your professor is offering any extra credit please take notes, and be respectful of your peers.  The version of “for colored girls”, that will be shown Friday at 10:30 a.m., is far from the Tyler Perry adaptation that we all became acquainted with a few years back. Yes, Tyler Perry did give a modern view on some poems however, for someone like me who had never heard of the original choreopoem until two weeks ago it is very misleading.  After reading and listening to the entire play, I have come to love it; it makes me want to try to incorporate some of Shange’s writing styles into my own poetry, or creating a genre of my own.

            The panel discussion will include students and faculty that will share their own point of view of the poem.  Our peer, Ms. Kamri Jordan, will be featured on the panel. She will discuss if she had any difficulties reading the poem, and if it is relatable to her and her work.  She will also discuss what she can take from Shange’s writing style and incorporate into her own work.

We look forward to seeing everyone bright and early Friday morning at 10:30 in the LRC (student success) auditorium, and at 1:00pm for the panel and performances. If your professors aren’t offering extra credit, still come and support your peers.

Sincerely,

AB

LLP Award Winning Faculty!

Hello and welcome back Fellow Tigers!

            My name is Alexis Brooks, and I am back again as the social media intern for the LLP department. I hope that everyone enjoyed their summer and is having a good start to the Fall 2016 semester. We would like to congratulate the football with their two victories against Jackson State University, and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff! Of course there have been a few events on campus already, but there are much more to come. Be sure to come out to the screening of Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls whohave considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf on Friday September 23 in the LRC (student success center) auditorium.

            This week we would like to highlight our Full-Time Temporary Teacher of the Year Prof. Marsha Williams. I had a chance to sit down and talk to her about her initial reaction to finding out that she won, where she attended school, and what she enjoys doing in her spare time. Professor Williams was not alone in winning in our department. Dr. Michelle J. Pinkard won the award for Tenure Track Teacher of the Year.

Prof. Marsha Williams Leads Poetry Workshop

A few things that I found out about Prof. Williams is that she received her undergraduate degree at Berkley College of Music and finished her graduate studies in English here at TSU. She has written and published songs for major recording artists; she also enjoys singing, playing the guitar and writing songs. The songs that are written by Prof. Williams are “green songs”, which talk about environmental advocacy, and she also incorporates her desire for environmental activism into the classroom. She has students that were affected by the Flint Water Crisis, Saudi Arabia water shortage and other issues in her class, and they are encouraged to write about what’s going on around them. 

When I asked Prof. Williams “What is one issue that’s going on environmentally that you would change and why?” Her response was: “Pipeline industry. It is preying on the communities across the United States. The pipeline industry transports fracked gas to the Gulf of Mexico for export. There is no benefit for Americans, and it put citizens in danger, the government needs to bring the companies in and get a handle on it. “

I enjoyed my time with Professor Williams and I look forward to her event that she has called the “Green Cabaret,” which centered on environmental advocacy through spoken word, songs, presentations and much more. Please check our Facebook page to see the talented Professor Williams sing one of her green songs and also to see some great artwork from her students.

Sincerely

AB

Countdown to the End of the Semester

Here is what we have all been waiting for; the end is here students and professors. 

How exciting is it? I mean, we started the semester in the gloomy, and cold weather of winter in January when spring seemed so far away. We even had a few snow days that we thought would cancel class for at least a week, but we were sadly mistaken. Then, February comes and it's still cold, and we are preparing for midterms. After study guides and midterms, it is March and spring break is here. Some of us took that time to earn a credit during “X-Treme Spring Break” course while others vacationed on the beaches in Miami, Panama City, and Cancun.  

After that week is over we are back to reality and it is finally starting to warm up, but with springtime comes unpredictable allergies. Still March, some of us began taking graduation pictures while others crossed fraternities and sororities, beginning a new chapter in their lives.  

Here it is April, and finally SEC week, but to me it screams FREE FOOD. SEC week is where we the students meet and elect our new SGA officers, and also a week full of the same flyers being posted all around campus and even on Instagram. SEC week is over and we are finally at the last stretch of the semester getting ready for finals and graduation.

It has been a pretty easy stress free semester for me. I really enjoyed all of my classes this semester, and I liked all of my professors this semester. I hope you all have enjoyed my blogs as much as I enjoyed writing them. I really hope that everyone has a great summer, congratulations to all of the graduates and stay safe.

Be sure to do the teacher evaluations, register for fall classes, and apply for housing if needed. To the upcoming seniors enjoy this summer and next semester because after this we will enter the “REAL WORLD”, to the under classmen enjoy college make as many memories as possible and be respectful to yourself and everyone you encounter on or off campus.

Remember even though the semester is over we are all still a representation of The Illustrious Tennessee State University, so please don’t go out this summer acting crazy. In June, our university will be celebrating its 104^th birthday, so if you are in town I’m sure there will be some type of celebration if not shout out us out on social media.

It has been my pleasure to serve as your LLP social intern!

Sincerely,

Alexis Brooks

Social Media Intern