Campus Activities

I started my day February 16, 2017 excited to attend an on campus activity for the first time. This was definitely going to be a new experience for me. Normally I would not be able to attend functions due to my work schedule. While doing some work on the NCC website i decided to look at the campus activities page. The day was to start with social justice performances by NCC students and would be followed by a guest speaker and ending with a faculty panel discussion.
Unfortunately the planned guest speaker could not attend and Dr. El-Burki from Lehigh University was able to step in and lead a wonderful discussion. The origin of the discussion was to be on how the internet has affected how we receive information and news. Dr El-Burki asked for us to share about perceptions we notice in the media that affect the way people of color are viewed within society.
I am sure we could have been there all day talking about stereotypes and how it affects people and the way they chose to live or how they have been lead to believe they are supposed to live. The perceptions that are attached to a whole race of people just by viewing shows on television like Maury Povich. If you pay attention in most movies to the body type or the way an actor is dressed or how they speak it generally falls within a box. The reality shown in the movie Hidden Figures when intelligent women are not given the opportunities they should have received based on their knowledge and work ethic. The idea that the black person or even a women in some cases does not have the ability to perform a particular job has been a normalcy for so long that it is misinterpreted or goes unnoticed. This should not be normal and people who find themselves not even taking the time to look at the credentials or to interview a person of color with the same level of discretion is only cheating their business of what could take them to the next level.
For me personally the discussion cemented ideas that I had already perceived about the media in general. Since i work in a retail environment I understand how the marketing tools are used both in television and in a physical environment. It still is a bit upsetting to know that no matter how much you achieve or expand your knowledge the world may still view you as what they are used to seeing on the television. Don't underestimate the power of your subconscious, you are what you surround yourself with, watch and read. Thanks to Dr El-Burki for and informative dialog.

Home is Where your Heart is!!

For me home has always been a place to feel love and to give love. When I think of home the images that come to mind are always of being somewhere surrounded by family.

I remember as a child when we would travel to see my grandmother in Virginia, my dad would always say were going home. In Virginia we would all meet at my grandmothers and have dinner and socialize for hours on end. My dad has 6 sisters and 2 brothers and they would all come with their families to visit with us when we arrived. My family is very musical and everyone would bring their instruments, it would be like a concert on a Saturday night. We would all get together and cook. After our meal someone would start singing or pick up one of those instruments. I have wonderful feelings and memories of being together at grandma's home.

Over the years we have coordinated a family reunion in the summer. Sometimes in Virginia and other in Pennsylvania. My grandmother had a brother and sister who also moved to Pennsylvania at some time so we have many family members who live here also.  I come from a very large family, getting together is not easy, and the location is not as important long as we were together.

This picture is only a small snippet of my family. I have four older brothers and my mom raised 2 Nieces who are younger than me. On holidays and special occasions we would all get together and enjoy each others company. Sharing stories about the older generations and our current lives, we always have a lot to talk about. Home very much means family to me, what is a home if it is empty and without Love and someone to share it with. Yes we all need time to ourselves but when we get together.....