P.R.I.D.E. Ally Training

     The Gay and Straight Alliance will partner with Vanderbilt in conducting P.R.I.D.E. Training at Tennessee State University.  It will be the first GSA activity on campus since October 2014. 

   

Dr. Jill Anderson

   Dr. Jill Anderson, a professor in the English Department, explained that P.R.I.D.E. stands for Pursuing Respect Inclusion Diversity and Equity. She is the facilitator for this event; she and administrators have been working diligently to make this program possible and to provide a place to “help students find each other.”
     The training session will educate participants on issues and resources regarding the LGBTQ community. At the meeting, there will be exercises and information available for people who may not be as knowledgeable on LGBT terminology and laws in the United States, Tennessee, and Nashville. Also, effective communication will be discussed.

    Notably, this specific program encourages the support and knowledge of all LGBT individuals. Anderson said the program is about promoting and creating safe spaces for students to "truly be themselves." 

    Arguably, this program is long overdue here at TSU. Vanderbilt has conducted these workshops all over the city. Anderson contends that the training will be a valuable addition to GSA efforts on campus. 

     This training program is open to all administrators, professors, and students. For more information on this program, and other GSA programs, visit the GSA Web Page.  Training will be held between 1-4p, on Feb. 28, in the SSC119H. For more information, contact Dr. Jill Anderson. 

I hope to see you there. 

Chandler Wilson 

Black Film Series is Back!

Dr. Hayes presents Dope

Every semester the English, Women Studies, and History Departments team up to review and examine Black cinema. The Black Film Series Screening has a new theme that is very relevant to this campus and the experiences of the students here at Tennessee State University. This semester's theme is Race in Academia, and in this cycle of films race will be analyzed in all stages of Education. 

Every semester, the goal of the film series is to choose black motion pictures that display a positive representation of African American culture, and it often address issues in our society. I caught up with Dr. Jennifer Hayes, and we discussed the objective and purposes of presenting Race in Academia to the Tennessee State University campus. She says the Black Film Series committee was  searching for films that had relevance to a HBCU (Historical Black College and University) student in particular. 

Tigers who showed up to watch Dope

The film series started with Dope on Feb. 16th; this movie focused of race in high schools. Higher Learning is the second film and it displays race challenges for African Americans in a predominantly white school. The last film, School Daze, explores race relations at a HBCU. Dr. Hayes points out that the goal of this particular film series is:

“To consider race in a broad way, and think of how their educational experience is framing their understanding of race, and how different settings

with educational spaces can offer different type of experiences and understanding in race and race problems.”   

The event will take place on three different days and it will start at 10 am in the POAG Auditorium in Humanities. There will be a discussion after the screening and light refreshments that movie watchers can enjoy!!! Everyone is welcome, Students, Faculty, and Friends.   

Enjoy!

Chandler Wilson

Hello LLP Tigers!!!!!

My name is Chandler Wilson, and I am excited to announce that I’m the new LLP Social Media Intern!!! 

I would love to give you a little background information about myself! My anticipated graduation date is this May (2018) with a Bachelor’s Arts of English. My matriculation at Tennessee State University has been outstanding with the LLP Department. My love for English is like none other, and I want to become a High School English Teacher to share that love of literacy and promote critical thinking in all students. 

My long-term goal is to teach the English Language abroad in places such as: Ghana, Uganda, and Sierra Leone.  My favorite contemporary author is Jesmyn Ward and one of my favorite texts is Sula by Toni Morrison.

I am very delighted to start my internship with the LLP Department this semester. I will get a chance to enhance my writing skills through the reports of the upcoming events happening in the LLP department. My blog post will consist of all the fun and creative things happening in the department. All of my posts will be accessible via Twitter, Facebook, and the LLP page.

Looking forward to chatting with you soon!

Chandler Wilson

Social Media Intern

Welcome back Tigers!

            We are at the final stretch of the Fall 2016 semester, and it has been another wonderful year. Remember the course evaluations are due December 2^nd, finals begin next Monday, and fall commencement will be on next Saturday, December 10^th 2016. We hope that everyone had a great fall break, and we do hope that as we come to the end of the semester everyone is does outstanding on their finals.

            In the English Department, we have suffered a great loss of our interim department head Dr. Michael Cantanzaro, who passed away a few weeks ago. Personally, I only met him once but I did see him around the LLP office a few times and he was always very inviting and a pleasure to be around. Other English students had nothing but kind words and thoughts when asked about Dr. Cantanzaro as a professor and advisor.  For the students and staff that were not able to be present for his services, there will be a memorial  ceremony in the POAG Auditorium this Saturday, December 3^rd. 

            For more information please feel free to stop by the LLP office and ask questions and always be sure to check our Facebook and Twitter page of daily information.

Sincerely,

AB

Bon Voyage - LLP goes to Paris!

Hello Tigers,

            As we all know the Fall 2016 semester is coming to an end, and we are beginning to register for Spring 2017 classes, internships, and also study abroad opportunities.  Many of you have seen the flyer around campus about studying abroad next summer in Paris. Well, we have none other than our very own Dr. Hayes and Dr. Dixon to thank. Out of 200 proposals, including community colleges and minority serving colleges, TSU won the 2017 CIEE Generation Study Abroad Access Grant. Now, ten of our students are going to Paris, France – for Free! How exciting for LLP!

            The course will take place during Summer Session 1 and will focus on the idea that Paris “is a significant place of refuge, or rather the fact it was and still is looked upon as a place of refuge… we are going to use a Black Feminist lens to investigate the literature that reflects this idea” (Dr. Dixon and Dr. Hayes ). This is a significant opportunity for our students. We highly encourage promising students to apply. 

            The application process is pretty simple:

1.      A one page statement of interest (Word Document) explaining:

a. interest in the course

b. preparation for study abroad opportunity

c. how taking the course would enhance the student’s educational experience

2.      A letter of support from a tenured or tenure-track faculty emailed to Intersectinglives2017@gmail.com

3.      GPA of 3.0 or higher

If you’re interested in applying please do so before the deadline date, which is Friday November 18^th, 2016. Submit the items above to: intersectinglives2017@gmail.com , and if you have any questions email Dr. Hayes: jhayes17@tnstate.edu

Dr. Dixon: Rdixonk@tnstate.edu

As always for more campus, and department updates check out of Facebook and Twitter page, and enjoy the Fall Break/ Thanksgiving Holiday.

Sincerely,

AB

Portraits, Poetry and Politics!

Tiger Family!

            Thanks to everyone who came out to the “Portraits, Poetry and Politics” collaboration event last Monday, it was a success. Also, special thanks to the lovely Dr. Pinkard, for not only helping put the event together, but also in motivating her students to write and create heartfelt pieces. If you want to see more videos and pictures from the event please be sure to check out our Facebook and Twitter page.

            For those of you who did not know, this event was mainly structured around campaign issues, and our opinions on them, in both poetry and art. Dr. Pinkard’s Advance Poetry Class, has been writing on these campaign issues for the entire semester, which birthed our wonderful poems ranging from the topics of Women’s Rights, Deportation, Immigration, Global Warming, Mental Illness, and so much more.  We were encouraging everyone to get out and vote.

 

This event helped give voice to students like myself who felt that our opinions would not be heard.  It give insight on real issues rather than focusing on things the candidates would say.

            Again, we appreciate and thank every one that participated, all of the art students, poetry students, the staff and audience as well. If you haven’t made it over to the art studio to see the paintings and poetry you have until the end of the month to see them! Remember the art studio is in Elliot Hall in the Hiram Van Gordon Gallery. Be on the look out for more department and campus updates on our Facebook, and Twitter pages.

Sincerely,

AB

New Courses and New Events

      As the semester comes to an end, we as students have a lot going on. Between maintaining grades, having a social life, and homework, it can be really stressful. However we do have class registration  to look forward too.  As we know the spring semester is always shorter for us so we want to take full advantage in what classes we choose. I know everyone has been seeing the huge green poster all around campus and wandering what it could be. Have you stopped to check it out?

Well if not it, it’s a flyer about one of the new classes being offered by LLP.     

     I had a chance to speak with Dr. Wise her upcoming course: Evolution of the Female Superhero. She is equally as thrilled as I am. She said that the class would focus on lesser-known characters such as Gamora, and Black Canary, and discussions of representation. “This class will not only focus on female superhero’s, but also Amazonian women, and goddesses from around the world. We will look at TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Xena to see where the inspiration came from.” Dr. Wise is no stranger to this Comic Course; in the spring semester she taught the Graphic Novel and Comic class and it was a big hit with the students.

     There is also another new class on the block, which will be taught by Dr. Hayes.  It is called August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle. This class will touch on the “joy and complexity of African-American life throughout the 20^th century.”  Wilson wrote a ten play cycle, the only American playwright to achieve this feat, which focuses on African Americans in every decade of the 20^th century. This class will offer students an opportunity to see the history of African American people dramatized by a brilliant artist. Dr. Hayes is also partnering with Dr. Dixon to take ten students to France this summer. The deadline for applying to that program is Nov. 18th.  See Details.

     Interested or want more information about upcoming classes, be sure to check out our Twitter and LLP pages. 

      Also on Friday November 4^th, we will celebrate the 75^th birthday of Wonder Woman. There will be a film screening and also and awesome prize that you do not want to miss out on. Be sure to come out Friday in the Humanities Auditorium at 11a.m. to be apart of this wonderful celebration and the beginning of an awesome course!

      We hope to see everyone there, always check out our Facebook and Twitter page throughout the week for campus events, and updates.