iPonder

The Matrix.

Definition; Control

If the people in power are trying to maintain control of “the others,” what are the lengths that they would have to go through?

In order to gain and maintain control of human beings, you would have to brainwash them. Along with the brainwashing you would have to repeatedly enforce the principles and values you want them to obtain. How you you widely distribute information?

Human beings have consistently proven ourselves irresponsible, selfish, and careless. We’ve embraced the hole that we’ve made in the O Zone layer, Styrofoam and plastic, and we have genetically engineered everything from animals to STD’s. We are the cause of all of the pollution on this earth and most of the illnesses that we are faced with today are indeed our fault.

If every common man knew the amount of damage each human being causes in a lifetime, how would they react?

The Matrix is control. Who is controlling us? Is it the media, who have a constant influence on how we think since they are everywhere. Television is a big part of this influence. There are at least two televisions in each house hold. The programs available to us are up to us, but of all the choices we have (reality tv, cartoon network, and basic cable) are they really even choices?

Someone has made us believe that it is okay that we are causing damage to ourselves and this earth. Who, we have yet to know, but now that we know a little bit, wouldn’t it behoove us to make a change? Knowing that plastic is not good for the earth is one thing. Still buying the bottle of Pepsi is another. The wide distributors of these bottles should be to blame, but if bottles are still in high demand, why should they stop?

We are human beings, and we are flawed. Our worst flaw is our need for speed. Faster everything makes for more technology, and the easier we make things, the harder it gets for this earth to progress on its own. If we are indeed homo-sapiens, why aren’t we thinking? And if we aren’t thinking, who is thinking for us?

on my mind.

Lately.

My mind’s been goin. Tryin to focus on what to do when I reached home.

Now I’m here and I’m movin’. Kinda’ got a groove goin’

everyone around me can see how my mood showin.

And they like it..

It’s Summer Now What?

So it’s been a minute since my first post, but now that it’s summer, I have way more time on my hands to do the things I love such as writing. So you may wonder: What is a college student’s summer like? Well I’m glad you asked!

Every May I pack up from Howard and I make the trip back to Brooklyn. From then, the summer begins until its time to go back in August. This is the most anticipated time of the year for me because it means a nice break away from school work and all the stress that comes with it.  But eventually the chillin must be accompanied with some form of productivity.

Now that I’m older, I can’t join summer camps and go on trips to the park, museums, and do arts & crafts during the summer like I used to do when I was younger.  However, there are other fun ways for me to keep myself busy during the summer.

Working a summer job at a clothing store may not seem all that fun, but there are other things one can do to be active during the summer. I love magazines and writing and I was able to obtain an internship at Honeymag.com. Here is some advice so you can find that perfect summer opportunity.

1) Find opportunities that match your talents or hobbies- Doing things that you love to do, won’t seem like work because you have an interest in it.

2) Once you figure out what you like, use the internet to research opportunities- Google is a great search engine to use.

3) Ask your guidance counselors, teachers, family members, and others if they know any opportunities.- You never know, these people have connections in the community and may have an opportunity for you.

4) Follow through! – Make sure you take advantage of any opportunity you may come across. Don’t be afraid of a new experience or challenge, you never know what it may bring.

Here are some ideas:

Volunteer- Helping out in your community is a great way to build your resume.

Internships- Some are paid, some are not but they give you real world job experience while still being a student.

Camp Counselors- If you like younger children and don’t want to be inside all summer, this is the perfect opportunitity for you.

Explore!- Visit places in your city that you never visited or have not been to in a long time! Take advantage and learn something new about where you live.

Start your own business- Think of something that you think people may need and start your own business. You don’t have to be an adult to do it.

Helpful Links:

All Stars Project- http://www.allstars.org/content/youth_programs_application_2008.pdf

College Now- Free College Courses for High School Students -http://collegenow.cuny.edu/

New Youth Connections Summer Journalism Workshop for HS Students- http://www.youthcomm.org/PDF/NYC-Summer2009-app-web.pdf

HighFive- Discount Tickets for Plays and Museums in the city-http://www.highfivetix.org/Aspx/AboutHigh5/Default.aspx-

-Natelegé Whaley

The Art of Sophia Dawson

Find more videos like this on johnny bonds

1. How have you and your work grown since our last interview in 2006?
Art IS a growing experience so myself and my work has definitely grown and changed. For one I paint larger (at least 6ft in height) for each piece. With more time and practice my style has definitely changed and I have developed new techniques in approaching each piece. I am able to work both from life and photography now and am using these aspects in all of my latest work. Most importantly I am beginning to develop a sort of narrative and story behind my work that means something to me. Before I was just making paintings to please other people.

2. Describe your most exciting, challenging, and worthwhile experiences at the School of Visual Arts?
This semester at least once a week my class of about seven students spend our three hours walking around new york city and looking at art in galleries/ museums/ etc. It put me in the position to finally begin to pay attention the prospering artists of my time. I have been exposed to so many different possibilities of what art is and can become. I am also now able to appreciate different artists of different genres and backgrounds.

3. What are your goals after graduation from SVA?
After graduating from SVA I plan to get my Masters in Fine Arts and also to do commission work making large powerful murals in public and popular spaces. INCLUDING THE WHITE HOUSE!!!

4. What was your inspiration for Wet Paint? What was your experiences at the opening?
Wet paint is a dedication to my God Mother Leslie Macayza Wages. She was a beautiful and well respected model of the eighties and also one of my role models. Unfortunately about three years ago she was incarcerated and the work deals with both her and my struggle as a growing woman. Though Leslie is locked up, in her mind she is FREE.”as free as she has ever been”. WET PAINT deals with the idea that this woman’s life is not over, but has rather just begun. The paint is still wet.

5. How do you see your work evolving within the next five years?
Within the next five years I see myself continuing to paint and using other women and men that inspire me and motivate me to do my best in life. I will begin to incorporate photography, video, and the digital world into my art to allow it to grow and become more than just paint on a canvas.

6. How do you see you work influencing others?

The message behind my work is definitely my key weapon in influencing others. My goal is to change the lives and minds of people so that they can understand that their destiny is not left up to chance but it is a matter of choice.

I’m so glad I go to Howard U!!!

Hello Say It Loud! Readers…Let me kindly introduce myself. I’m Natelege Whaley, a Brooklyn native, and a sophomore print journalism major who attends Howard University. I have so many stories to tell about college life and how it has changed me for the better.

But I’ll just start out by describing life at HU. Howard University is a historically black college, located in NW Washington DC. There are students here from all parts of the country including California, Texas, Georgia, and of course NEW YORK! Also there are many international students from Africa and the Caribbean.  Some famous people that have attended include P. Diddy (Bad Boy Records) , Phylicia Rashad ( The Bill Cosby Show) , Taraji Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), and Lance Gross (House of Payne), just to name a few.

Howard is also known for is it’s Homecoming. Homecoming is probably one of the most exciting times of the year on Howard’s campus. During this time, alumni come back to Howard to celebrate in school spirit with current Howard students. The week of Homecoming is filled with activities including The Gospel Show, Fashion Show, Comedy Show, R&B Concert, Mr. and Ms. Howard Pageant, Parade, Homecoming Game, and ending it with the Step Show. This year I had the opportunity to represent my dorm Slowe Hall, as Ms. Slowe, in the Homecoming Parade.

Even though Howard has a lot of fun activities, the reality is that you still have to do your work and find a balance. This is probably my biggest challenge thus far.

I am actively involved in 4 organizations on campus and I am also taking 17 credits, this semester.   Sometimes I feel drained. My biggest most challenging course right now is a course called ‘Reporting & Writing’. For this class  I am assigned to a particular area in DC, and I must report, write, and publish at least one article per week about issues in this area. All in all I am really trying my best with this class. My other classes are fairly manageable, however.

Trying to maintain school, extra-curricular activities, and just being young and having fun is hard. Now imagine having a boyfriend. I’m in a long distance relationship with my high school sweetheart. Things have worked out great so far, but I’ve honestly seen other couples’ relationships go under the waters as fast as my eyes could see. Bottom line is, if you don’t have a strong relationship before going away to school, then chances are your relationship probably won’t last.

Another thing I face at school is trying to stay healthy and fit. Ordering out, and late night snacking can cause one to gain weight quickly. So I try my best to cook. There is a kitchen in my dorm, so I’m able to save my money and buy groceries to prepare foods.

Dorm life is also fun…but I’m going to stop here with my parade about college. I  can’t put everything into one post. But throughout the time I am at Howard, I will definitely blog about my experiences and my challenges on SAY IT LOUD!.

Call it School Dayz 411. I basically got all of you covered with the inside on what really happens in college, not all the fluffed up stuff they tell you on college tours and in college brochures!

So return soon and I will love to take you all on my experience as a college student! : )

From Brooklyn to Oxford University.

Julia James Shares Her Story…

As a teenager, it’s difficult to find a positive role model, especially one that’s not a baller, rapper, or shot-caller. The brothers and sisters who live in the ‘hood are finding other ways to success—like Brooklyn native and James Madison H.S. alumni, Julia James, who became Hobart and Williams Smith College’s first Rhodes Scholar. She is one of 32 Rhodes Scholars from the U.S. who was chosen in 2003 to continue her studies in Chemistry at the prestigious Oxford University in London. Julia whose family is originally from Guyana, has been a dedicated student and is proven to be a role model for anyone who wants to excel academically and break negative stereotypes of urban youth. Julia James took time out of her busy schedule to talk to Say It Loud!

SIL: When did you realize that you were interested in science and medicine?

Julia: When I was a tenth grader, I was placed in the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, which was a program geared towards getting students interested in medicine. I spent every Wednesday afternoon at Downstate University Medical School learning about the human body and practicing diagnosing hypothetical patients. I was even able to dissect a sheep’s heart! I became interested in scientific research in college, when I heard a professor talking about her research on H.I.V. during a seminar series. I decided to become a researcher and doctor during my third year of college when I realized that research and medicine are uniquely intertwined.

SIL: How did you feel when you first found out that you were chosen to be a Rhodes Scholar?

When my name was called, I had the urge to shout or cry, but I just stood there stunned for a few moments.

SIL: What are the most challenging and rewarding experiences about being a Rhodes Scholar?

Julia: The most challenging part about being a Rhodes Scholar is having to deal with other people’s expectations of you. I have always been self-motivated, so I’ve been dealing with this pretty well. The most rewarding aspect is having an incredible network of past and current Scholars. I can imagine myself working with many of the Scholars on long-term projects like bringing cutting edge research to underserved communities.

SIL: How was the adjustment moving to England?
Julia: My adjustment to moving to England was not without obstacles. I had to adjust to the time and cultural differences. I haven’t been able to find cornbread mix in the Oxford supermarkets. I also had trouble understanding some British and Scottish accents.

SIL: Describe a day in your life as a Rhodes Scholar?

Julia: An example of a typical day in my life 9AM-12PM: Lectures or Research. 12:30-1:30PM: Lunch in the Observatory. 2-6PM: Studying or Research. 6-8PM: Dancing, Writing or Reading 8-10PM: Meeting friends for tea, movies or just conversation

SIL: Any advice to teens who don’t apply to college because they can’t afford it?

Julia: I would advise them to apply to schools that have great financial aid programs like Princeton and Harvard, which are tuition free for low-income families. There are many other colleges with great financial aid programs.

SIL:  Are there any social issues that concern you?
Julia: I am concerned about health disparities between the rich and poor, as well as among different ethnic groups. I’m also interested in the social issues influencing the spread of HIV and the stigma associated with being HIV positive.

SIL: Where do you see yourself ten years from now?

Juila: I picture myself as a researcher at a top-notch research institution such as The Rockefeller University. I imagine myself collaborating
with the National Institutes of Health and other organizations to bring new therapies to combat infectious diseases like HIV. I also picture myself writing books advocating preventative health and explaining complex scientific principles in simple language to inform the public about the exciting and
growing field of science.

*Are you interested in pursuing a career in medicine?  Following are some resources that may be helpful as you embark on your educational journey:  (a)www.arthurasheinstitute.org (b)American Chemical Society Scholars Program www.chemistry.org (c)Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program http://www.act.org/goldwater/

First Year at Boston University

By Latoya Belle, Age 18 Boston University

When I first attended classes at Boston University, I felt a sense of uneasiness walking into a class full of white and Asian kids and being one of the only two black kids there. This was a new experience for me…This semester, in one of my Political Science classes, we were each assigned a topic to discuss in relation to John Stuart Mill.

My professor assigned me affirmative action. Affirmative action? Why would she do that? Either the assignment was totally random and coincidental or she purposely assigned me that topic.

Whatever the case, I wasn’t too thrilled to stand in front of a lecture of about eighty white kids, a conservative, and a rude professor, to talk about affirmative action. The assignment was interpretative: state whether you believe that John Stuart Mill would have supported government intervention, prohibition, or regulation of, in my case, affirmative action. I didn’t want it to seem as if I chose my answer because I was black.

I felt very uncomfortable. So I debated internally whether I should talk to my professor about the situation or if I should just stand up and do the short presentation. I decided that I would stand up and present my findings that John Stuart Mill would agree with affirmative action. He would say that diversity is the key to progression and that affirmative action is aimed at providing equal opportunities to oppressed people. One student made a comment stating that he thought affirmative action was detrimental to society (whoa).

When I finally felt courageous enough to respond the professor moved on to another topic. I was disappointed but also happy and pleased with myself that I was able to stand in front of the class and discuss this topic.

It is believed that you discover yourself in college. A new wave of self-acceptance and appreciation for has come over me. Each and every day I’m able to walk unafraid through the masses and know that I may be special because I am part of the few.

***Latoya Belle has graduated and is now a lawyer living in NYC.