Make Space For Your Siblings

July 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Today we feature the writing of Diamond Sharp. In this piece, she explores the ways in which feminist spaces operate on college campuses and ways that safe spaces can/should be formed amongst all allies. It was originally posted  on Wellesley Underground, an alternative alum magazine.  Sharp is a Chicago native and a graduate of Wellesley College. She is a writer and a poet and plans to pursue a MFA in Creative Writing in 2013. You can find out more about Diamond and her work at www.diamondjsharp.com.

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Diamond Sharp, Class of 2011

During my time at Wellesley, I had multiple conversations with other self-identified feminist (and/or womanist) students of color about how uncomfortable we felt in Wellesley’s flagship feminist organizations and spaces. I was often asked during my first year why I hadn’t joined a purposeful feminist organization since feminist activism was such a integral part of my identity as I entered Wellesley from high school. (Many of my fellow 2011ers know that I edited a feminist literary journal from ages 16-19, trained male allies for feminist causes and ran a feminist open mic in high school. For the rest of you, now you know.)

The honest answer is that I didn’t join feminist and pro-choice Wellesley organizations because I did not find them to be safe spaces for women of color. Wellesley prides itself on its “Safe Spaces” in their various capacities around campus. As an incoming first-year, I thought that the one guaranteed Safe Space would be the self-identified feminist organizations as we were at a womens’ college. I soon found through personal interactions, however, that this was not the case. In fact, other POC felt that these spaces were the least safe for POC. To that end, it should be noted that oftentimes members of these organizations did not consciously and/or knowingly make these organizations and spaces uncomfortable for myself and other POC on campus; rather, inherent structures perpetuated these problems.

Yet, there were times when members of these organizations actively engaged in activities that alienated POC. For example, commenting on Community threads about why they don’t understand the need for places like Harambee House or multicultural spaces and groups, or negative and presumptive comments about beneficiaries of affirmative action at Wellesley (for the record, Wellesley has no affirmative action policy), or not-so- privately discuss groups of people who SHOULD get abortions.

Yesterday, it dawned on me that many more of these conversations about alienation happened in private. I believe that if they had reached a public forum, the work of reconfiguring feminist organizations and spaces into safe spaces for all Wellesley students would have started earlier. During my time at Wellesley, members of these various feminist organizations would assert that they “reached out to women of color but none of them showed up.” To that, I think it would behoove each of these organizations to self-reflect and ask some honest questions about what they do to alienate students of color on campus. It is not a coincidence that most of those organizations are majority-white with just a handful of POC members, and it is wishful and naive thinking to believe otherwise.

I wrote about some of my experiences on my Twitter account last night, and got an overwhelming response from alums and current students of color who identified with the feelings of alienation*. Many of us had been the feminist during our time in high school (whether president of the feminist club, a pro-choice organizer, etc) and were excited to continue that work at Wellesley only to realize that those spaces were no longer comfortable for us. To that end, I think what I witnessed at Wellesley is also a microcosm of the wider problems in contemporary feminist organizations and movements.

Here are some concrete ways feminist organizations on campus alienated students of color. (Some of these experiences are my own, some are from other alums and current students):

1. Assume that students of color had no experience in feminist organizing or theory. I had classmates “explain” feminism to me as a first-year without asking first if I had any experience in organizing or theory. Had they asked, they would have found out that I had been doing this work since early high school. Other POC have shared similar experiences with me.

2. Privileging certain schools of feminist theory. Gloria Steinem is cool, but I identify more with bell hooks and Patricia Hill-Collins. Some of your Wellesley siblings identify as Womanists, Chicana feminists, Muslim feminists, and the list goes on. Educate yourself on the different schools of feminism.

3. Privileging certain types of feminist organizing over others. Organizing a trip to a slut-walk is fine but don’t be surprised when students of color don’t show up or when they complain about signs like this.

4. I am of the feminist camp that believes you have to be anti-racist/classist to be feminist but that’s just me. Further, simply labeling yourself a feminist does not mean that you are automatically anti-racist and classist and I think that assumption was often made at Wellesley. Being an ally to communities of color and other disenfranchised groups is a life long commitment that requires unlearning many insidious systemic prejudices. Labeling yourself “anti-racist” or an ally is just the first step of a lifetime of struggling and learning. None of us are going to be perfect allies in college.

Community is no more but when it was around, it really gave many people rope to hang themselves with. For younger students who aren’t familiar with old Community on First Class, let me say that it was crazy, and that’s putting it lightly. It brought out the worst in students. Everyone knew everyone that was involved in “flame threads” and those incidents didn’t just go away after the posting on Community stopped. When people made racist, classist, ignorant comments, it stayed with many students for a long time (hence Community discussion talk-backs and the creation of Culture Shock). After a “flame war” some students of color might not be inclined to work with peers who made disparaging comments on race, class, etc. On a campus as small as Wellesley’s it is easy to identify commenters on public forums and which organizations on campus they are members of. Thus, having more than a handful of members that repeatedly make comments such as the following:

a. Keep in mind that this is a direct quote. ”If [those] scholarships didn’t exist in the first place, the problem with people thinking minorities had things handed to them wouldn’t exist.” (I’m not going to go into the evident lack of a clear grasp of history and critical race theory that caused that comment…)

b.”Can you give me some examples of racism? How are white students supposed to know racism exists unless you tell us?” (also a direct quote)

c. “Why does Harambee House exist?” or general remarks questioning the place of multicultural space and groups on campus.

Remarks such as the aforementioned might make the associated groups of the commenters appear non-POC friendly. I don’t want to organize a pro-choice rally with someone who questions my existence on campus.

5. Not being self-reflective. I heard “We invited women of color but they didn’t come to our event” or “We invited everyone, I don’t know why they didn’t come” often as an excuse once the subject of POC alienation was brought up. Instead of having an honest and open conversation, the topic usually turned defensive quickly, leaving no room for improvement. As I mentioned in an above paragraph, it is no coincidence that these groups are mostly white and it’s not because POC on campus aren’t feminist. To think otherwise is naive.

I enjoyed my time at Wellesley and made some of my life long friends while there. I credit Wellesley with being one of the most positive influences on me today. That is why I am invested in making it a better place for the students who come after me. To that end, I recognize the institution’s role in perpetuating the cycle of students of color being responsible for educating the wider community on issues of diversity and inclusion. I hope that bringing this conversation to the table will make it easier for students of color in the upcoming classes to join or create their own feminist orientated groups on campus.

The creation of the Office of Intercultural Education is a gigantic step in eradicating that responsibility of community educating for students of color. But some stones have yet to be unturned. Wellesley still lacks a mandatory and efficient Multicultural Requirement that insures all students graduate with multicultural competency skills. Further, departments such as the Women’s and Gender Studies Department do not have nearly enough classes dedicated to different schools of feminism. For example, there is no dedicated course offered on black feminism (and you need a class, not just a unit, to fully grasp the nuances of black feminism/womanism). The absence of one specific course dedicated to black women’s experience/feminism puts Wellesley’s WGST department at odds with the other Seven Sisters and is particularly embarassing as Alice Walker is rumored to have aided in the creation of the WOST department at Wellesley. To give credit where it is due, the WGST department has made strides in the area of inclusivity by hiring Professor Mata and offering her classes on the Latina experience. Professor Creef also offers classes on the Asian historical narrative.

I don’t want to end this without highlighting that I am writing from a place of privilege. I was lucky enough to grow up in an upper-middle class community right outside of Chicago. As a junior in high school, I got the opportunity to join GirlSpeak, a feminist program of Young Chicago Authors. This is where I was introduced to feminist theory and organizing. I recognize that most young women did not have the same opportunities to study feminist theory in high school or college. At Wellesley, we were all very busy. During my time, I got busy with being a Peace and Justice Studies major and an active member of Ethos, SBOG, Society Zeta Alpha and eventually in College Government as MAC my senior year. Through it all, I took the time to research other types of feminism as well as self-educate myself on issues of diversity and inclusion that I was not familiar with. I only ask that my fellow classmates do the same.

*Many students and alums of color responded with examples of how environmental and queer groups alienated POC on campus as well. For example, assuming that POC students had no experience in environmental organizing, privileging international environmental issues while disregarding State-side urban environmental injustices, and ignoring the history of minorities in queer advocacy. So perhaps this can be a learning experience for the entire community.

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Shrinks and Matrimony

May 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I remember when I walked into my first therapy session and met my insurance sponsored therapist named Jada.  She was interesting to say the least.  I remember asking my insurance company to set me up with a female, preferably African American so she could understand my background, how I look at the world, and how the world looks at me. When I finally met Jada I found her to be utterly candid with  long ginger hair and a lanky body; I knew that our journey together as patient and doctor would be somewhat entertaining.

The first session ran over by an hour because Jada just wasn’t ready for the things that came out of my mouth.  I think Jada thought that she was going to lead the conversation until I interrupted her “Get To Know You Speech” and told herhow our meetings would be structure.  Jada needed to understand me before helping me.  She needed to realize that I am not like the other people that come to visit every week and there was nothing in her Ivy-League Ph.D textbooks that could explain the complexities of a minority female in America.  She would have to get educated before even trying to educate me.  However, once the groundwork was laid, we got into my real problem:  The married man that I had been seeing for the past 2 weeks.Yes, I was dating a married man and didn’t even know it until one night at dinner when his wedding ring accidentally fell out of his suit pocket.  We met at a retro coffee shop near my apartment.  It was a Sunday early afternoon and I had a date with a cinnamon latte and a stack of Vogue and Essence Magazines when he walked in the shop with his sweaty Navy Academy Alum sweatshirt and basketball shorts.  Even though I noticed him from my corner table, I just smiled and went back to my magazines.  About 10 minutes later, Sweaty Navy Academy dude was awkwardly standing next to my magazines trying to ask me about my Stanford t-shirt.  Within 15 minutes, his body had replaced the 5 Vogue magazines on the other chair and within an hour we had made plans to get drinks the next day.

We had planned to meet at one of the best Happy Hour locations in the Bay Area.  He was on time, he opened the restaurant door, and he complimented me on my shoes.  2 drinks and one shared appetizer later I found out that Navy Academy alum was a 2002 graduate with an MD and he worked as a doctor on a nearby Navy Base. After I got home, we spent the whole night on the phone talking about everything. By day 10, I was telling all my friends about my possible future husband.  On day 12, we were dining at a restaurant in the area when a sparkly gold ring band slipped out of his pocket and next to my new heels.  As I picked it up, I noticed the romantic inscription inside the band that read “The day you changed me. I will always love you.”  I left the restaurant and tried to never look back.  For a couple of days, I received the We have something special. I plan on leaving her at the right time type of messages but I just didn’t respond.  The idea that I could click with someone on so many levels who is married with a child made me seek to talk to someone about my dating life.  Why was I attracting these crazy people? Was there something that I was doing wrong?

By our third session, Jada and I connected around this concept of dating people who aren’t married.  Though she and I are very different, she agreed that finding out that you are the other women does take something out of you.  I left our 3rd session knowing that it would be our last.  While it was fun educating Jada about the intricacies of African American culture and the complexities of my personal brain, I also realized that there was nothing Jada could do to make me feel better about accidentally being the “other woman”.  So I called some girlfriends, met them at a Chinese restaurant and let them help me get over my “other women” status with steamed pork buns, fried rice, and some orange chicken.

I have decided to put this dating disaster behind me because there was nothing I could do to change the situation. The good news is that my friends and I always have fun telling others about my alleged “other women” attempt.  The better news is that, it was just that: a short lived fiasco.

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Just Play.

April 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I’m about to let you in on a secret. I’m a huge fan of clichés. I don’t generally walk around spewing tired platitudes like “there’s beauty all around us” but there is! I may have a bit of an angry face but in my head, I’m saying stuff like this all the time.

Lately, I haven’t explored this love like usual. In the last year, I’ve transformed from a thinker -the reflective, contemplative type to more of a doer. I rarely keep still. I’ve found the transition to be necessary and appropriate, effortless in fact. The new me is a lot less aloof and indecisive – less annoying even! Last year, deciding if I was gonna order pizza or buffalo wings required the brainpower of preliminary research. Now I just choose the cheapest or whichever is closest. I hope that doesn’t mean I’ve simply become broke and lazy.

Anyways, I digress. I am currently completing a yearlong fellowship. Thus the job search begins again. All of the employees at my job have been hounding me with one question, “so have you figured out what you’re doing next year.” They’re freaking out for me. They can’t imagine being in my position with my whole life turned around in a day (which would be the day I get my last paycheck and have to exit the apartment provided). Yeah, that day may suck, but I’m pretty sure I’ve had worse days.

I’m just not about to let that phase me. Reading the article: Don’t Work. Be Hated. Love Someone. only solidified the fact that my judgment is usually that of a sage.

At this juncture in life what I find most beautiful is precisely that: this juncture in life. I’m in my early 20s, I live in one of the greatest cities in the world, and I have no kids. As far as I’m concerned, life is grand.

I need to play. You should too.

Easier said than done, right?

I know. I’m not so strong. I get weak. I know it that securing a job with a salary is the responsible decision. It would be wise to put a dent in my student loans. Sometimes I wonder how much could be reduced for an insignificant body part or two – like my pinky fingernail or my second toe that doesn’t bend anyway. Those together have to be at least 5Gs. Come on!

However, taking a job that does not excite me would be me buying into some facade of responsibility impressed upon me by societal norms in a culture that probably works too hard and has a crappy economic system to show for it anyway. I would do so out of compulsion rather than desire. What I need to work for is finding something that love rather than something that simply pays the bills.

PLAY.

Cheers to finding courage and discovering your purpose!

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Find a Warm Place and Build

March 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

A few weeks back I spoke on a Career Panel with my mentee’s mentees who participate in a program called NYU Reaching Out. It is a mentorship program for high school girls created by a group of NYU Opportunity Program students. The other panelists and I shared advice on how to position yourself for success in college and in your career. One of the panelists had this suggestion to share: to find your warm place. This is not a hippie way of saying go where you’re comfortable, but rather surround yourself with like-minded, supportive individuals.

In recollection of my own path, I found “warm places” in various organizations including Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), NYU Opportunity Programs and WEST just to name a few. They all supported and invested in my growth in different ways, which prepared me to become the person I am today, and supports my continuous evolution. MLT provided a warm place for me to grow as a professional, NYU OP provided the warm place for me to grow as a student and WEST provided the warm place for me to grow as young woman. While I greatly owe my foundation to my amazing mother, these groups greatly influenced my capacity to build and achieve my goals.

Women of Excellence, Strength and Tenacity, Inc. (WEST) consists of young women who are college students, graduate students and young professionals. We also coordinate a mentoring program for 5th grade girls at The Harriet Tubman Learning Center (PS 154). We meet in Harlem and participate in monthly community service projects and social events. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit entity with a very bold mission to empower women, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or social status.We work to develop the gifts, talents and leadership abilities of all young women as they become  influential voices in the global world. This year I am proud to say that WEST and I will be springing forward at our 3rd Annual Empowerment Conference. As an active member for 3 years, I look forward to our event themed “Triumph Over Trials”. Rightly named, nothing worth having is easy, and the ladies of WEST have certainly worked hard for the past 2 conferences leading up to this one. We expect double the attendance of our first event, and we have extraordinary guest speakers including Liz Black, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney and Erica Ford.

Workshops include Declaring Financial Independence, Building Quality Relationships from a Male’s Perspective, Women in Media: MissRepresentation and many more.

On Saturday, March 31, 2012 join us while finding your warm place and build!

 

 

 

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For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Giving Up When the Statistic Is Not Enuff.

March 22, 2012 by 2 Comments

Let’s face it. That princess fantasy of finding your prince charming in the university library or locking eyes in the middle of a college lecture is not the norm for all of us. It is true that some have found true love matches in this manner, but for me, that was not the case. I spent my high school career trying to find myself through my high school transcript and a plethora of after-school activities. Even though I had the urge to date, I didn’t find anyone that I could connect with on a deeper level or someone who was willing to be questioned by dad and his supposed shotgun that he stored in his imaginary closet known as “overprotective”.

So when it was time to attend college, I only dreamed of a place where there would be intelligent men at my disposal. At the tender age of 18, I decided that I was going to find my future husband at some 4 year institution. Between history papers, math finals, and hanging out with friends, my prince charming and I would fall madly in love and name our future children. Little did I know that the minds of college 20-somethings don’t usually have the capacity to think past “I just need to graduate” and “thank God my parents are not around”.

Fast forward 4 years. I graduated, got the good job, started the perfect new lifestyle with an income of my own disposal and I am single. I went on multiple dates in college, had a couple of long term relationships, but nothing stuck. Some of them were my fault, some of the were his fault. But the point is that I walked across my graduation stage with a dual degree and no promise to a Tiffany sparkler. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a wake-up call for a young professional workaholic like myself. Despite the media’s portrayal of us black college educated females as desperate and forever single, I am not desperate. We are not desperate. As a matter of fact, I am very comfortable being single. Just because the media portrays me as this depressed workaholic who has everything but the man by her side, does not mean that I perform this behavior. Being single is uplifting. It is an amazing experience that lets you find yourself. Being single is freedom. It gives you the freedom to be who you are and to figure out what you want to be become.

But I would be lying if I said that I do not think about the possibility of my Mr. Right frequently. I have a college degree, an awesome first job, a massive collection of contacts on LinkedIn. I have put myself in a position to succeed in the working world. The bills are paid and once in a while me and Nordstrom.com rekindle our relationship via my credit card. But this whole love life thing is something that I haven’t seemed to get a tight grasp. It is windy, it is confusing, and it is full of ups, downs, and circles. I have been on multiple dates since my start of singlehood, most of them ending in very strict good byes. From the students, to the working ones, to the “saving money by living at home”, I have met them all, talked to most, date a handful, and selected a few as friends. And what I have realized is that maybe Mr. Right is does not exist because Mr. Right is the wrong man for me. Ladies, what we are looking for is Mr. Right Timing. You know, the person who has had his ups and his downs. The person who has figured out their goals, their dreams, their flaws, and their strengths.

So this is my new prophecy! To all my single working girls who are looking to find themselves and a Mr. Right Timing: We will not give up.Our partners are out there, somewhere. Just because he didn’t pop the question before we moved to this new chapter of our lives does not mean that we won’t find someone for a moment or for a lifetime. But before we are ready to be united with this “perfect partner” we need to take the time to look at ourselves.

Call in the big guns, call in the militia because this is about to be a wild ride full of fun, confusion, fabulousity, and just overall entertainment. To All my Single Gals: Stay Tuned for the truth- Balancing the career dreams and the dating dreams with style, grace, and a couple of good laughs.

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Anti affirmative-action article in MIT newspaper sparks controversy, inspires black students’ activism

March 13, 2012 by 1 Comment

Shamarah Hernandez is an MIT senior. Like many students that attend MIT, she worked hard in high school, juggling an impressive load of academic and extracurricular responsibilities with hopes of attending a top college. Unlike many MIT students, however, Shamarah is a black woman. Black students comprise just 8.5% of MIT undergraduates; black women are an even smaller percentage at a campus where men far outnumber women.

Shamarah admits that her sense of belonging at the Institute has been tenuous at times, but she has remained confident that her acceptance to MIT reflects the fact that her presence and participation adds value. That fact was called into question last month when she read an article published in the school paper by a fellow senior. The guest column, After 150 years, MIT is heading in the wrong direction with affirmative action, is critical of efforts by MIT to diversify its faculty and student body and claims that the “social engineering agenda” to bring more diversity will erode meritocracy and diminish the student experience. The article attracted hundreds of comments and a huge public response, both criticizing and applauding its author. As one might expect,for students like Shamarah, the article’s thinly veiled attempt to question their merit and whether or not they deserved to be at MIT felt very personal. Rather than reserve their response to blog comments, they decided to take a public stand to claim their place in the Institute.

Zora spoke to Shamarah about the article, her response, and what she’s learned.

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Zora: What was your initial reaction to the column?

I read it very carefully, multiple times, to make absolutely sure I understood the author’s argument and how he tried to make his points. After I was sure of what he was saying – that MIT’s decision to recruit students who look like me would actually make MIT worse without exception – I was appalled and felt as though I had been smacked in the face. Literally, the first words that came to mind were, “I can’t believe this; this can’t be real. He can’t… WHAT?”

Zora: What do you think was the general reaction among MIT students? Was there a difference between how students of color and non students of color felt?

Generally, the students I encountered felt like the author had put his foot in his mouth in a major way. The fervor of the reaction was probably the most notable difference between students of color and other students; those who were targeted by the article naturally felt stronger about it, in my opinion. I’ll also note that even though women were called out directly in this piece, white and Asian women were largely silent on the issue, sending the message that it isn’t their problem.

Why did you decide to start Our Institute and speak out? What other measures have you taken?

Our Institute (@our___Institute), a Twitter account committed to sharing and discussing articles, opinions, and efforts centered on diversity/inclusion at MIT, started because Twitter is probably the only thing that could hold all of it. I knew there was more to say about this than a Letter to the Editor, a blog post, or a string of heated e-mails could fit. Twitter is so “portable” relative to the rest of the Internet; it’s brief, powerful, participatory, and most importantly, cumulative. It’s meant to be the conduit of a conversation about how diversity has and continues to enrich the culture of MIT as opposed to eroding it. Actually, this school wouldn’t be what it is today without diversity. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was founded on the principle that it takes a diversity of thoughts and talents to create change in the world. The aim of this project is to remind people that diversity isn’t a threat to anyone or anything at MIT.

Besides the Twitter account, I helped to organize an open forum for students to discuss affirmative action, pushed a letter-writing campaign to our school newspaper in response to the article, and I’ve been meeting regularly with staff and faculty to lead discussions and events that address the issue.

Zora: The article has inspired editorials by a lot of people, including former alumni of color and a Chancellor and Deans of MIT. How have their responses successfully countered the arguments put forth in the original article?

The response in the The Tech was incredible. Amazing. I hadn’t seen the Opinion section so unified in purpose since the last Presidential election. The coolest part of it was that it wasn’t just students, or just undergraduates, or just minorities, or just women who wrote columns retaliating against Briscoe’s piece. There were people all across the board who saw this article for what it was – a roundabout, thinly-veiled declaration of entitlement and ultimately, fear. I think the most important thing the dozen or so responses demonstrated to the author and his supporters is that we’re onto them.

Zora:Do you think the larger MIT community has learned from this episode?

I think we’ve learned that activism has a place on our campus. The popular archetype of an MIT is too busy, too uninformed, or too awkward to actively prioritize social issues on campus. Now they know that at least a few of us can do the work and make a splash, and do both with a pretty great level of success.

Zora: How would you describe your experience as a black woman at MIT? What have been the joys? the challenges?

I’m a senior in the Department of Economics; I am also the only black woman at MIT who can currently say that and honestly, it has been rough.

I wish I could say something inspiring and redemptive about what it’s like being the only black woman in any and all of my major classes, but I’d be romanticizing something that is just plain difficult for me to navigate sometimes. I feel like my perspectives on applied and theoretical economics are largely left out of the academic discourse and when I try to inject them myself, they’re not always received with open arms.

The joys are more fun to talk about though! The community of black women here at MIT is so vibrant and diverse that being a part of it has more than compensated for the struggles in the classroom. We all have our own stories of isolation, but we help each other turn those into stories of triumph. I’ve gained some great mentors and friends who empower me in every one of my goals. The major things that keep me centered here at school are my faith in Christ, my love for listening to and creating music, and great friends — and a lot of those friends belong to this beautiful and brilliant community of black women, too!

Zora: If you had it to do over again, would you still choose MIT? Why or why not?

Absolutely!! This is my home. MIT chose me (twice, actually – a selective summer program in high school and then again for undergraduate studies) and there’s no other place I would have rather learned and grown.

Zora: Any other information you’d like to share?

Just that I love my school, and every tweet/comment/reflection I’ve ever made is in service to one goal: making this a safe and inviting environment for the scholars who will follow me. These topics are way bigger than me and than the class of 2012, but if just one student can hold their head a little higher because we took a bit of the pressure off, then that’s everything.

You can follow our institute online: our___institute

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Stay Relevant

November 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

When my girls and I find a moment to connect the general consensus always seems to be “girl, I’ve been running around like a chicken with its head cut off!” Aren’t we always running? And damn if it doesn’t feel good to be occupied, active, accessible and in demand. Sometimes, that’s just the way to be.

For example, on Thursday, October 6, I attended Advertising Week, an annual advertising and marketing event gathering numerous thought leaders, innovators and associates. It is a platform for the industry to engage across media, culture and business at all-day events in various locations over the course of a week. As a representative for my company and my passion, I attended the event as a young Black marketing professional interested in leveraging the network and the knowledge at hand. My panels of choice were focused on the burgeoning of multicultural consumers and the evolution of the general market. It was invigorating to meet, hear and speak to so many passionate media professionals.  During that same day I replied to a few emails back at the office then I left to catch up with a colleague and speak at a general meeting for my women’s organization at NYU, WEST. That too, was refreshing. The conversation at hand was “Working Women”, and I felt more than honored that I was invited to speak to a group about a transition I made literally within the past six months! As the current President introduced me to the group, I realized I had not only shifted positions from student to professional, but my mindset had also changed.

Often during my last semester I prayed for God to:

1. Allow me to end on the same GPA

2. Continue guiding me in the right direction…. It worked!

Everyone wonders what the next step will be, but students ponder the consequences: I’m graduating but will I have a job? I have a degree but will I make a salary? I’m a woman, will I have equal pay? I’m studying bio will I be a doctor?!

I say of course you will. God has not placed you in such a position to squander all that is in front of you. At the age of 19 (not too long ago!), I developed this strong sensibility that if I have the tools, resources, prayers, and ability then I have what I need to pursue my desired goals. It was almost right after my first year of college I thought:  Ok, I think I have this results thing on lock.

I channeled this newfound energy to the fullest extent by attending every career fair, info session, panel and interview. I wasn’t affected by the concept of consequences because I knew I came this far, results were imperative not optional. Right after graduation, I took the reins on my weight and sleeping habits as well. Bye, bye famous frosh 15! Went HAM in the gym dancing and jogging. A rapper once said “don’t do it for the man, men never notice”. He’s right. After catching up on sleep, catching up on burned calories and really focusing on yourself holistically you’d be astonished at how content you are with who you are and what you’re doing.

Answering every concern and question the girls had, I thought about the times when I was most uncertain and understated my capability. Being occupied by work and events conjoined with being active in my community, the gym and my home has afforded me satisfaction and faith in my situation. In most cases, I do not doubt outcomes but I work to position myself for the best possible outcome. We are in charge of the results. The phrase “Actions speak louder than words” is factual. You think you can’t/won’t do something; Do it then see what happens, don’t be surprised if you do it right and achieve what you set out to accomplish.

Get in where you fit in and deep dive into your passion!

Filed Under: Blog, Career + Internships, Culture, Featured, She Rules Tagged With: , , , , ,

so says me…

October 28, 2011 by 1 Comment

If there is one thing that has surprised me about life on the other side of the degree, it is the extent to which I am able to leverage certain creative projects into brand building ventures and opportunities. Zora has become a launch pad for several hustles. I’ve been honored to speak on panels with legends- Joan Morgan, Elizabeth Mendez Berry, Esther Armah;  I’ve produced an event for one of New York’s biggest Hip Hop showcases, The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. But don’t get it twisted, I’m not a chick who refuses to ground her hustle in a firm academic reality and background.

My hustles are birthed out of my academic prowess. Yes, I am a total book nerd. More importantly, I am learning how to make my prowess work in my favor. It’s a matter of refinement and mastery, not a desire to become a phenom. Just check the article written by The Skinny Black Girl, Attack of the Hustlers. Not everyone knows the difference.

So when a documentary I directed  was accepted into the 1st Annual Sisterhood Summit sponsored by Aiesha Turman and the good ladies of The Black Girl Project, I was elated because for two years, my co-directors( shout out to Zora contributor Maame Yaa) and I had no idea how to share, what began as an academic project, with others. Sure, my grandma and papa held their own obligatory screening but I wanted other women, men, thinkers, bookworms, hip hop heads, lovers, and students to see the work that I hold so dear to my heart.

I had prided myself on the ability to channel the hustle yet  for two years I sat on this film, allowing such a creative piece to fade to black – part fear, part laziness.

so says she collages the narratives of five different black women experiencing Ghana together. For the young women in this film, their time spent in Ghana becomes a platform  to question and reflect, judge and reconsider, express and create. Their encounters with past and present, placement and displacement, home and homelessness narrate their Diaspora, using a language of curiosity and candidness.

The Sisterhood Summit represented the perfect outlet for such a film as it was tailored for women of color, specifically young women of color. Over 20 workshops participants facilitated session on social justice, sexuality, entreprenuership, and even college readiness. However, positioning so says she as a conversation around identity invites new voices into the dialogue that aren’t necesarily the voices of women of color. For, we all grapple with the complexity of culture, class, race, and language.

That fact eluded me in the time following the completetion of the documentary. Perhaps, I was still overwhelmed by my own reaction to Ghana. Or maybe, my brain had been fried via my struggle with Final Cut Pro (and believe me, it was a struggle). Whatever the reason, it wasn’t until I revisited the film in preparation for the summit, the memories of the Accra and the relationship that I share with the women featured in the documentary that I fully realized how vital this film is to my brand, my hustle, and my story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, Culture, Featured, Other Side Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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