First Day of Classes

Oh my goodness guys! First day of classes was absolutely amazing! Engaging, enjoyable...the teachers had personality. Today, I took "Africa's People and Enviornments" and "Public Speaking." In the first class, I was surprised to see "the pool guy" as the teacher's assistant. His name is Daniel. He is so sweet and just an amazing person and handsome of course...I met him at the swimming pool, as he is a life guard. In Public Speaking, the professor was just hilarious...those are the best classes wherever you go, in any grade! Today is about 70 degrees and the sun is shining, in the middle of winter. Goodness, I love the South :) I had to work today also. It was good to see old friends and new faces. Everyone is so sweet...today was one of those days; the days when you are re-energized, re-assured, and reminded why you came to wherever you are in the first place.
For the first time I had a professor who openly yet sweetly expressed her disdain for lateness, texting and the like. With each class I take, I am more and more convinced that Communications is me all the way! My "Fake Break" was amazing too...I will tell you about that at another time. Grandma and I had so much fun! We went to see Red Tails. I had a meeting with my ScholarCHIPS board, which was such a needed refresher. I also went to go see my favorite Jr. high School teachers! Before boarding the train back home, I met my mentor and best friend. He gave me some beads from New Orleans and everyone was asking me if I went to Mardi Gras, which I thought was hilarious. Anyways, it is crazy how time flys. Just an update. Tomorrow I have three classes. Heavy load, but I am excited to see what this semester brings. Now, I have to focus on fundraising for ScholarCHIPS. I hope things are well with you.
PS: I got an "A" in Music and Propaganda.

Don't Forget, "Yazzie Speaks the Truth" on Youtube

Hey guys! Please do not forget, I am still making thought-provoking, quality content, videos. Switch it up read some and watch some! I feel as though my videos are more versatile in subject and more personal in some ways. Go to Youtube and search "Yazzie Speaks the Truth" and you should find my growing archive :) I just did a new video on "The Simple Life" a book by the Rainer Brothers. Check 'em out and let me know what you think.
PS: Stay tuned. I've got some great stuff coming your way! President Obama is going to do his Address tonight.:) Also, I just learned what are called the Five Fault Lines that keep us from reaching people (you know them). They are: 1)Class, 2)Gender, 3)Geography, 4)Race/Ethnicity, 5)Generation (in no specific order). We'll talk more later.

Presentation=Flop, But I Have Fun Quirky Facts! Always Exciting!

Ok. I am going to lay off it for a while. My presentation went well (my teacher liked it), but it was sort of a flop. I dressed nice, like I always do for presentations, fixed my hair really nice, wore shiny bangles and earrings, had a booming yet enticing voice and yet, I still did not get much of a response. They still had eyes glued to their computer screens. My heart breaks for them, for they do not know the true meaning of living, of love and respect. Even when I am online, I do things like this that stimulate my mind. Oh well. I would like to know what you guys think, I mean, maybe you totally disagree and that is ok. I feel like all the BIG AMERICAN DREAMS ARE ALL ILLUSIONS. Prom was a flop (not what I thought of @ all. I mean, really? They picked King and Queen out of a hat.). College is....well, you already know how that is going. Please tell me now, the things I should brace myself for in the work world! I have the nerve to think that that is going to be liberating.
So, anyways more light-hearted, appeal to human interest stuff....I bought this small, cute, little book for a friend called "Little-Known Facts about Well Known Stuff," by David Hoffman (author of Who Knew?) One fact I found interesting..."If the minimum wage had kept pace with the rise in executive salaries since 1990, America's poorest-paid workers would be making more than $23 an hour." Crazy huh? I would be living large off of $23 an hour! How about this? "The first Sony product was a rice cooker--which tended to short out, catch fire, and emit electrical shocks."
I love you guys I really do! Thank you for putting up with my rambling and often repetitive adventures. I try to stay away from too much of the "Woe is me," or "Fight the Man!" haha It's all about balance, right? :)

They Don't Know, So Teach Them, then Experience a Revival

So, tomorrow I am going to present my Power Point presentation for my music and Propaganda class. It is called "80s&90s Hip Hop and Anti-Racism." I will show videos such as the famous "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy, Sister Souljah's "The Hate that Hate Produced," and "Slavery is Black in Effect," "Erase Racism" by Cool G Rap and DJ Polo, etc. It's funny I look at all the projects I have done within the last year and all of them seem to correlate somehow with black folks. I did a Rhetorical Analysis for English calls on an Ebony article called "Apology for Slavery." I did not Synthesis paper on court rulings and socioeconomic statuses, looking @ Troy Davis, Casey Anthony, O.J. Simpson, and Lionel Tate. For Propaganda Music Class, I am looking @ black folks and propaganda music. Now I am giving my opinion for a poll conducted in DC about African American women. I would have the nerve to call myself something like an advocate. haha. It's just funny to me and I promise all of this is not on purpose, it just kinda happens, but maybe it's not a bad thing. Well, what do I mean?
Basic things. If someone doesn't know me on campus, they may approach me rolling their neck and eyes saying phrases like "ummm huuummm guuurrlll!" trying to "relate" when little do they know that "Educated Black folks do not talk in such a manner:). In fact even many uneducated ones don't." But can they help it when that is all they see of tv with shows like "Love and Hip Hop," "I Love New York," and "Housewives of Atlanta"? Even today, the media is still caricaturizing us, just not with Black face or weird looking characters, but using their power, influence and social media tools. I am not saying it is my duty to "teach," but isnt that why we are in college in the first place...to "expand our horizons" and become "culturally aware" and all that yaddi yadda yadda?
What the point of going to Italy or Costa Rica, getting to know and understand the people and cultures 1,000 of miles away, when they do not know anything about their dark skinned neighbors that sit in class everyday right beside them? I mean, many have never even heard of Kunta Kinte. Every black person back home at least knew the name! Why are they not being taught where we [Blacks and Whites] came from? Do they know what "Night Riders" were? What the confederate flag REALLY meant (@ one point and time)? Maybe I am getting too heavy, but please teach your children where we came from so that our babies and children's children will not make the same mistakes.
Aside from all of this, I went to Elevation Church's Code Orange revival this weekend and man oh man, you are talking about a spiritual transformation. I do not want to give it all away, because I want you to research it. Elevation Church is a mega church in N.C. that is revamping what has become a stale church environment for so many and for so long. Unfortunately, many people dread church now and feel that it is all about pastors stealing your money, condemnation, and judgmental people, etc, but that is not how it is supposed to be and @ churches like Elevation, the Bridge (Silver Spring), Pineridge and many others across the nation, are changing the way we think of church!
PS: They had bishop T.D. Jakes speak on Friday and I wish I had been able to see him, but I will one day...I will be sitting in the pulpit with him!
Teachers: Parents and Teachers, teach your children and students. Don't let TV teach them everything, because TV everything is 9/10 a bunch of nothing.

"We Will Party and Exercise, But Don't Tell Us To THINK!"

Guys, sometimes I do not know if I can make it here. On a good day I can tolerate it, on a bad day...oh boy! So you ask, what in the world are you talking about Yasmine? What is so frustrating is that most "young adults" here give way more [too much] passion to clubbing and going to the gym daily then they do attempting to put their brains to use and answer questions in class. I mean, maybe it's just me! I see and sense a terrible obsession amongst these girls to be thin. I just go to the gym to be healthy, to burn some calories, and tighten my big already lovely thighs. haha :) These girls will not jog, not run, but literally haul tail on a treadmill for 40 minutes. For all of that, I would think that they might as well join the cross country team. And for what? Is this all to be healthy or sexy? Do guys really look at a stick of 80 pounds and say "Ohhh, that is sexy?" Am I missing something?
Around here folks start partying on Tuesday. Crazy right? In class, you already know how the laptop in the face irritates me, but when any teacher asks important, insightful, and relevant questions everyone looks up so dumbfounded or still has their face glued to their computer screen. It never ceases to amaze me. Is your voice not important? Do you not have an opinion? Gggesssh. And it's not just them, my people act up in various ways as well.
In my Music and Propaganda class we have gone through all eras of war in America and the music that derived from those times. Way back when both Black and White men were passionate about whatever their cause was. Women were passionate about liberation and getting into the work force. Now girls sit in the classroom in their leggings, with laptops, next to boys not realizing that none of this would be possible if it weren't for our forefathers. If they could see us now...I believe they would be highly disappointed. Sometimes I feel like my hard thinking, reaching beyond the glass ceiling, and critical analysis are all going to waste. What is a girl to do? I came from a place where brown-nosing was an addiction and here no one gives a rats tail about a million dollars worth of an education they're not paying for. WHAT IS UP?

One Step Forward, Ten Steps Back. Democracy? Post-Racial Era? PLZ!

Wow, just after watching a past reality as horrifying as what was captured in ROOTS. Right after having the first black president and right after the beginning of a new year...Tyler Perry just sent out an email to his followers stating that we will begin to see a great decline in movies will all Black casts and in fact he said that Black movies are on the verge of becoming extinct.
Tyler Perry says and I quote, "Ask any executive at a Hollywood Studio why, and most of them will tell you one of two things. The first thing they’ll say is that DVD sales have become very soft, so it’s hard for a movie with an all black cast to break-even.  Secondly they’ll say, most movies are now dependent on foreign sales to be successful and most “black” movies don’t sell well in foreign markets.  So what that means is you will begin to see less and less films that star an all black cast.   Isn’t that sad in a 2012 America? Somewhere along the way we still haven’t realized that we are more alike then not." 

Guys, I do not know if this blows my mind or breaks my heart more. There is not much to say. In addition, he said that George Lucas (famous movie producer) had to release and fund his all-black cast movie about the Tuskegee Airmen, "Red Tails," all by himself. When he took the idea to several studios no one wanted to be involved with it and some even refused to look at the script. I guess I should say that I am by no means surprised. Some things have changed over time, but many things have not and possibly never will, but I WILL NEVER STOP DREAMING! John Amos from ROOTS was right that "A Generation has grown up with a false sense of inclusion." 

All I know is I am Young, Black and Beautiful...IN COLLEGE (A PWI @ THAT), that is more of a blessing than I can say for a lot of people. I cannot change my past, or the color of my skin, but I can sure as heck fight for a better future for me and my future babies and my younger brothers. 

"Over there! Over there! Send a word, send a word over there...that YAZ is Coming, that Yaz is coming...the drums rum tuming everywhere! So prepare, say a prayer. Send a word, send the word over there that Yaz is coming, that Yaz is coming, and I won't come back til it's over over there!" (My rendition of "Over There" a WWI propaganda song by George Cohan). 

The Reuniting of the Roots Cast on Oprah Tonight

Man oh man guys. Tonight Oprah airs her reuniting of the ROOTS cast after 35 years and I cannot watch it. We do not have the OWN Network channel through our cable provider. I am so sad, but Oprah's network was at least generous enough to post "sneak peeks" of the show. Based off the sneak peaks they talked about the great impact that the making of ROOTS had on each actor/tress individually and on the world and how it made whites and blacks culturally aware at that time. The man who played the older Kunta Kinte, John Amos (played in Coming to America), said that "This generation has grown up with a false sense of inclusion." What he meant was that "a generation has grown up anticipating that every avenue of opportunity would be open to them, when in fact that was not the case." I had no idea that the young boy who played Kunta Kinte, LeVar Burton, was the handsome gentleman I saw on Reading Rainbow! I used to watch that show all the time!
It is so very ironic that I JUST got finished watching the entire ROOTS series and Oprah has "reunited" them. I was right on time. The series is still relevant I think and in fact, it would be good for everyone to watch it or watch it again. It would do several things-1) help us remember the hard and horrible past we came from, 2) remind us that we still have a long way to go, 3) help us to be culturally and socially aware of our stand in society and that we ought do our best not to be exclusive or prejudice and 4) watching it will naturally open for discussion about race in America and how it effects us. It is still relevant, hence why I cam up with my blog in the first place. I seek to remind myself where I stand in this world and my readers by being honest and observant in all of my surroundings. Hope you get to watch it!

Cute and Funny Food For Thought

If fire fighters fight fires and crime fighters fight crime, what do freedom fighters fight? 

Ghost Town, Applications, ROOTS, and The Star Mangeled Banner

This was not that great of a day for me guys. I need human interaction. I cannot wait until the spring semester begins. This campus is like a ghost town. I did not have class today, so I chose to be productive and think about what I want to do in the summer, where I want to go, who I want to meet. In a nut shell I was working on applications (haha), but I cannot complain. Applications have brought me so very far in my young life and I anticipate that they will take me even further. The key to success on applications in patience and steady determination. You need patience, because most you cannot finish in one day. You must write, edit, read aloud, get someone else to read and edit...you need steady determination so that you do not burn out and give up in the process. What is the saying? "The slow and steady win the race." This has proven true for me. Ok enough philosophical talk.
The good and intriguing news is that I began watching ROOTS. I do not have a comment yet on what I think. In other words, I have yet to develop a thesis. :) I love Okel's comment on the slave ship before he died, "Men chained together are brothers. We are all one village." I also love the comment made by the ship captain, "Are we [slave owners] not just as imprisoned as those down below?" I tell you guys, it is so very hard for me to be idle. The true test of my patience and faith comes when things are moving slow. I try not to get too antsy or anxious, because that can be annoying for you and those around you. If anything I want to make someone's day better, with a smile or a hug. Last thing I wanted to share...Do you remember when Christiana Aguilera so badly messed up OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM? That was not the first time and of course now everyone who sings at the super bowl has the habit of ad libing our national anthem as if it were their own creation. Well, a bill is finally being passed or has been passed to charge people who mess up the Stare Spangled Banner, but get this...they are only charging $25. Really? So much for Nationalism. haha Nonetheless, it's a start. ok. I have to go and find out what to do with myself. I should go to the gym. 

"Let's Talk About..." But There's So Much More To Talk/Sing About!

Hola Amigos! Como estan ustedes? I am just fine. I lost five pounds in one week! Just fabulous, but I will not get too excited til I get to the double digits. Anyways, I was catching up on my hip hop music the other day and I ran across Rhianna's new cd. I love a lot of her music and sound and she is such a beautiful woman, however, I am very disappointed in this last release. Almost every single song alludes to sex, am I surprised, no, but as a fan you always hope for the best. It is so unfortunate that so many beautiful people come on the scene with such beautiful voices, unique sounds and styles and then only years later they and everything about them and their music has turned into SEX! SEX SELLS. I know. I know, but what does this say? What does this say about our culture? What are we to expect from our children and children's children? Sure you can teach them right from wrong, but SEX is surrounding them in music, the radio, on tv, in magazines, on billboards, on the street. All you can do it pray/hope that they will not be swayed down the wrong path. Surely with this culture we don't expect our children to remain virgins until marriage and become millionaires off of contributing to worthy causes, because that is not what our children are being taught/seeing in the mainstream. Do you guys know/remember Nelly Furtado? When she first came out her music was so pure and inspiring. I clearly remember watching her "I'm Like a Bird" music video when I was eight. It was about being beautiful and setting yourself free, etc. Now, her videos are the typical hip hop, beat-box, two-stepping, wearing a mid-drift shirt and glowing lights video (ex: Her video "Promiscuous":the title speaks for itself. I did not know what that term meant until I saw the video as I am sure happened to millions of other youth). However, I have fallen in love with Adele and Jessie J, both classy women form the UK, with unique styles, powerful music, and most of all "blow the house down" voices. I hope as their fame/careers continue to grow and prosper that they never lose sight of their music and keep their originality, which is certainly hard to find nowadays. I feel like Hollywood, MTV, BET, etc, just make a bunch of clones. Please, tell me your favorite artists.
Aside from me catching up with my hip hop music, I also plan on catching up with Elon Girl's Basket-ball team today @ 2pm. They play Appalachian State, our rivals (I was told). I have never seen the girls, but I bet they're good! I played center defense in high school for two years. I also plan to go grocery shopping to expand my eating options. On the list--oatmeal, cinnamon (helps with digestion), blueberries, apples, vinegar, Special K meal bars and some other delicious, nutritious stuff.
PS: You are guilty! Yes, you! You haven't given me any feedback or suggestions for my next topic/s. Only my beloved grandma has. I'm expecting to hear from you. And Shout out to my granddad for schooling me on the stock market! LOVE YOU GUYS, Till next time...

"They Say Time Is Money, But Really It's Not. If We Go Broke, Our Time is All We Got." J Cole

I am seriously enjoying my Winter Term class, however, I really have to get used to and figure out what to do with all of this time (my class is from 9-11am). The kind of time I am talking about is the time when you get everything done that you need to do, eat, nap, and still have time. This kind of time is so rare in the American Culture. I have always been accustomed to being occupied all the time, but don't tell me to get a job. lol What is also making this time stressful is the transition my body is making to my new diet regimen and exercise habits. I think I am going through a little of a shock; imagining sugary foods in my mouth that I am not actually eating, amassing headaches. I read an article that if you sniff food and don't eat it, you will fool your mind/stomach into thinking you actually ate it. I do not know how true that is...I sniffed some food today and alost instantly my stomach started gripping and growling. It was like it was saying, "YOU CAN'T FOOL ME! Why are you being so mean? Don't tease." 

I will be just fine. I am "being productive," something that is not always easy to do when you have so much time, an working on internship apps. The summer will be here before we can say it. I am hoping for BIG THINGS in the summers to come. Guys, I know you are busy, but please do not be afraid or too busy to shout out, email me, or leave comments. I want to know what you guys are thinking. Am I making any sense? Can you relate in any way? Am I funny/boring? Irrelevant? Let me know. Is there anything you want me to discuss? With all this time, I am thinking of another little project I can crete; perhaps dealing with videos, but I have to begin with the questions what do I want to do, why do I want to do it, who will it benefit, who will my audience be, is it sustainable, is it worth it? Well I won't figure it all out tonight...I mean, this morning! Love you all...till next time! 

New Pics, Diets, Propagandas and Politics!

Before I begin, please visit the actual blog to see the new pictures I posted from the Redskins game. I have a pic of me in the limo and on the field saying the Pledge of Allegiance and of me and my best friend Ruth!
Ok. Day one is complete. Two hearty dark green spinach salads, tomato soup and a fruit cup and plenty of water of course! A drastic change from the other day's Krispy Kremes and Cookout corn dogs. What? You really did not think that I wasn't going to go out with a bang did you? You must not know me yet. haha. Anyway, at the gym I increased my normal treadmill jogging time from 10 minutes to 15 minutes. Eventually that will go from 15 to 20 and so on. I also did the bike ride--something I don't normally do, but that was cut short from the pain in my rear. They really need to make wider seats. haha. Anyways, great day. My Winter Term class "Music and Propaganda" is off to a great start. The teacher [he] is very comical. We defined Propaganda today and of course the three kinds--white, black, and grey. We watched the "JG Wentworth commercial." Come on, you know you've seen it. The one where everyone is on a metro bus singing opera. It is very catchy indeed. "Call 877-CASH-NOW!" (But don't really, it's a scheme. Hence propaganda.) We also watched one of Eisenhower's campaign commercials from way back when. You should watch it. I can't get that dogon song out of my head. "Ike for President! Ike for president! Ike for president! I like Ike...You like Ike, Everrrryyyboodddy likes Ike!"
Speaking of political propaganda agendas, you know that Law has always been in my heart. I will not make much comment on Herman Cain, but I have to say something. He was a complete an total nut! How about that? Disregarding the sexual harassment accusations. This man grew up as a poor, dark, Black man in the "Jim Crow South" (says a Newsweek article). His parents were poor, working class folk and he has dealt with racism all his life and now he had the AUDACITY and the NERVE and the GULL to stand up in front of millions of black folk and the Tea Party and claim that he is a conservative republican? And which Black person's vote does he have? not mine. He is against abortion even if it's rape. Negro Please! lol I am well aware that he has stepped down from the presidential campaign trail for some time now, but the article I read just brought the insanity right back and slapped me in the face. He literally allowed himself to be the laughing stock for White Republicans. They don't want him as their president and as far as I am concerned we didn't want him either. Anything to take the focus off of the current, and handsome (might I add) incumbent President Obama. Politics is going down the toilet. The ones already elected are sitting down in congress bypassing time and holding off on bills that really matter to middle-class and low-income people and now folks trying to get elected are making mud-slinging and just plain low-down, dirty adds about their opponents and making dumb comments. You know what I say? "Ike for President! Ike for president!" lol Something funny to leave you with...when I first saw Romney's name and grandma and I talked about him I said "You mean that ROME-NEY guy?" I twisted his name all up. I nick named him ROME-NEY, ROME! lol Just for sanity purposes, I may have to enter politics and set some records straight! These folks are jokes. haha. It may be difficult, you know with me being so fly and as one of my friends used to call me Caramel. :) They will hammer me about my looks and say I am not fit for the job, like they did Clinton and Palin; however, my husband does not have a rocky infidel sexual past and I cannot see Alaska from my house. Lastly, sorry, I am definitely on a tangent, I love how White male republicans are always talking about First Lady Michelle Obama's butt. As far as I am concerned, she is hot, fit, and too legit to quit. (Though the high-arching eyebrows are kinda creepy). Have you seen those arms? NO ONE can resist a black Woman's backside. Hence the 80s jam song "Poison." It has caused wars and whole empires to fall--crash and burn. Anybody remember Cleopatra? Please don't be deceived, she was Black. They say their are a lot of things we still do not know about her, but ask me...I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. :) Anyways, the Republicans' slanging at First Lady Obama is simply their 5th grade way of showing that they have a crush on her. You know what they say..."Once you go black, you never go back!" nothing more to be said. (I crack myself up yall. But I simply speak truth. What I see and what I hear for what it is. Cause I'm young, black, and beautiful...IN COLLEGE!) Trying to keep with the theme here. haha Please comment.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

I am back home sweet college now...and apparently, it's snowing?! I have heard that when it snows down here, even if there is a sprinkle of snow, classes are canceled. I am not sure how this one is going to go, however, I have an 8:30am class tomorrow and I have to work. I am headed to bed, and you should be too!   It would be awesome if we had no class tomorrow!

Black Male: Lack of Financial Training, What do You Have To Lose?

Yes, I am on another tangent again, but it will be short this time. Why is it that my people cannot stick together? Forget the worst of times. Why aren't most, or some even, willing to help their brethren in the best of times? We are stingy and divided. I asked one of my good friends and mentors to be a sort of financial adviser to me and they said perhaps. To me that should have not even been a question. There should have been a sense of willingness, eagerness, and excitement! I had invested in my first stock some time back and I called to inquire and asked a question. The response was "That is considered financial advice and we cannot give you that." This is from a company in which I own a stock. What a shame. The world is so cruel guys! I expect rejection from a strange voice over a phone, but not from flesh and blood, or at least my own. I wish I could turn back the hands of time. Growing up and growing older has really exposed the true meaning of life to me and honestly it hurts it's a down-right, low-down shame! In the past I have reached out to several book publishers (who had only published one or two by the way) to help me/assist me in trying to find a way to publish. The answer is always something like "Oh, I don't have the time or the resources to help you right now...but I can refer you to someone ELSE. Let's talk when you get older." Please. Am I discouraged? no! I am going to make a plea to you and ask you and let you know, do not ever think that YOU HAVE ARRIVED. That you are too high and mighty to help someone else out less fortunate than you or someone who is just curious...especially family...especially flesh and blood. I promise to give all the knowledge that I have to my babies when I have them. The problem is Black people unfortunately are often not taught how to manage fiances--how to invest, how to save, how to double, triple their money. How to buy properties and rent them out. And the ones who do find out the game (and master it) don't want to share it. I am so infuriated right now I need to conclude my typing before I say something not so nice. I promise myself that I will never ever ever get so high on a horse, especially a rich horse, that I will not simply give a little financial advice to someone. That's okay though...I will get it, because I am eager. I am eager to learn and I am eager to share. Please do not be stingy with your knowledge...when you do that you cut someone else short, but more importantly you cut short your own blessings. GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY, AND HE AIN'T TOO FOND OF PRETTY! Peace!
PS: If any of you have a piece of valuable financial advice please feel free to call me...or better yet please post a comment below. Love you! Am I mad at my family? of course not. It is the natural, human, and foolish thing and in fact the easy way out to be stingy. I forgive them. I am not going to sob and throw a pity party I am going to find the information somewhere else. Any takers?