Author Archives: TiAna Marshall

Life after Undergrad

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TiAna Marshall

Less than a week from today 200 students will walk across the stage in A&M Texarkana’s greatest tradition–graduation.

Already, the pure thought of it is overwhelming for multiple reasons. Financial hardships, family struggles, will all lead up to that moment when names will be called. Degrees will be given, and happy tears will be shed.

I’m one of those graduates, and I am having constant flashbacks of where I was when I first came to A&M and where I am now. So many incredible people have touched my life in one way or the other, giving a push (sometimes friendly, sometimes not) whenever I needed it. To think that is all coming to a close in what seems such a short time, breaks my heart.

I will sit next to the rest of those graduating with me, I know I will feel a sense of pride. Being able to watch this school grow and the growing up it has caused me to do.

December 11th. A date echoing in my mind, as I am sure it is in the other 199 graduates. But what happens next? For some it will be grad school, while others will begin their careers. As for me, I’m willing to go where opportunity leads me, and I am not scared to have only that to say. The thought of life after graduation once scared me, but now it lights a flame of excitement.

As cliché as it is to say, there truly is a light at the end of the tunnel. What I once felt as fear is now an incredible feeling of confidence. There is no better feeling than to know that I can be proud of what is soon to be my alma mater. I can conquer the world if I choose to, and I have my A&M family to thank for that.

Hoverboards are Exploding

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TiAna Marshall

We all saw it coming: The day when walking would be a thing of the past, adding to the already lazy reputation of United States citizens. We agreed that it would be fun and even convenient to glide from place to place rather than put in effort to walk. While some thought it might lead to an increase in the obesity problem in America, others thought it would just be a cool thing to have. As we thought over the possible problems that would come from hovering instead of walking, someone invented it. What we failed to see, was the possibility of technology telling us to stop being so lazy.

Hoverboards have been sought after for ages. They have been an item associated with the future for a while now, and they are finally here. These futuristic modes of transportation can be bought online and range anywhere from $30.00 to $400.00, but they may be hardly worth it.

According to several reports, hoverboards have been spontaneously bursting into flames. Thursday afternoon, NowThis, an online newsboard covered a story of a man’s hoverboard that burst into flames only seconds before he mounted it.

Why is this occurring? Well, the material which hoverboards are made out of is very cheap, and when they are charged they are more likely to overheat. The overheating of the device causes the explosions. The case is only one out of the several boards that have reportedly burst into flames for the same reasons.

Consumers are warned to carefully watch their boards as they are charging or to just not buy them at all.

Some ideas may just be better off left in the future.

Patti Labelle Served Humble Pie

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TiAna Marshall

With the holiday season come many traditions, most of which center around the kitchen. My own family begins the celebration with a night full of cooking and laughter. Everything is made from scratch from the dressing, down to the perfectly baked sweet potato pie. The recipe has been in my family for years passed down from generation to generation, and is the best loved. This tradition is one that we share along with other families, however, it may have a new spin in some homes thanks to Ms. Patti Labelle.

Patti Labelle is known for many things including her amazing voice, and her equally amazing kitchen skills. The singer has published multiple cookbooks, sharing her love for food with the masses; however, her sweet potato pie has taken over the world, thanks to a video gone viral. Patti Labelle sweet potato pies began to disappear from Walmart shelves rapidly. The distributor reports selling one pie every few seconds. Bet reports the pies sold a whopping $2.3 million dollars in just a week.

So who is really to thank for this overnight success?

James Wright, a YouTube sensation, created a comedic video reviewing Patti Labelle’s sweet potato pie. Wright literally sang praises about the pie and the video spread quickly reaching over 3,000,000 views and counting. But the video caused more than just escalating sales, it also created a great pie debate.

Patti Labelle claimed all the fame associated with her pie, and though it was reported that she gave Wright a phone call, she denied him helping with their success. The sweet potato pies have been on shelves for years; however, sales had never been that high until after Wright posted the video. The Twitterverse was not having it though and quickly rallied to Wright’s side, creating memes tearing down Patti’s pies. Morning radio shows also showcased their support of Wright, calling Patti out for denying his help for the pies.

Patti Labelle quickly admitted to Wright being the primary reason why her pies sold and continue to sell so well. Just as all fads come and go, there is no denying one thing: the world has a sweet tooth, and Patti’s sweet potato pies are there to satisfy it.

Sex Ed

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Ti’Ana Marshall

“Being a woman ain’t for the faint of heart” –Anonymous

When I was younger I admired my mother for her beauty. I watched her sweep on her ruby lipstick, fix her hair, and go about her daily task with the grace of 1,000 goddesses.

I wanted to be her—to slide my feet into a pair of heels, paint my face with a million different hues, and dare the sun not to shine my way. Repeatedly she would tell me “don’t rush baby-girl” or “baby-girl you’ll never need this stuff, you are beautiful without it”. I had a love hate relationship with the pet name “baby-girl”. I didn’t want to be a baby! I wanted to be a glamorous woman just like my mother.

It was not until I got a bit older that I began to recognize what her makeup was covering. The worry lines caused by outside and inside pressures, the blemishes and scars that never seemed to fade away. Not until I was older did I start to notice the growing pile of fitness and beauty magazines she seemed to read as if they were bibles. I eventually followed suit, reading article after article on what it meant to be a woman or what a “real woman” looks like. Nothing covered what was inside the mind of a real woman, only what her appearance consist of, and my mother’s words rang in my mind as I turned each page “don’t rush baby-girl”.

I did not realize what she was really trying to teach me until now.

To be a young woman still means my body is not my own, and it is considered brave for me to think so—and speak up.

Sexual assault is an act not taken seriously enough. Assault comes in several forms including forced sexual behavior, and uninvited touch.

According to a recent study conducted by CNN, 23% of women have been sexually assaulted on college campuses. Every 1 in only 3 women on college campuses is assaulted in some manner every year. This does not even cover the vast amount of assaults that go unreported. Why?

Though some may argue that society is evolving, its attitude toward women has yet to make a complete 360. Girls are still being taught to not be distractions for young boys, reiterating the lesson that her body is not her own. Instead it is an object that at any time can be hyper sexualized and it is her duty to maintain its purity.

Recently this concept has been taken to the extreme. A story covered by Msnbc.com focused on the shame suit epidemic.

A shame suit is an outfit given to students who break the dress code at their school, and are loud colors intended to bring attention to their deviance. The story featured on Msnbc discussed a young girl who was told her skirt was to short and therefore distracting. The school called for a skirt to only be 3 inches above the knee—her skirt was 4. According to policy, the student was supposed to be given the option to call home for a change of clothes; however, this option was not presented to her and she was given the shame suit to wear instead. Ultimately, she ended up being picked up early from school after breaking down to tears to the point of hyperventilation.

Shame suits are growing in their popularity as schools claim that they are buckling down on their dress code procedures. These procedures however, most often target young girls who are then labeled as distractions.

These shame suits are a disgrace, and are a reminder to our young girls that it is their job not to bring the attention of boys. Boys who turn into young men are therefore learning that it is not their fault if they assault a young lady—it is her fault for wearing provocative clothing.

For the record, a young man can be provoked from a young lady wearing a brown paper bag if she as much smiles in his direction.

A short video shot by Dailymail.co.uk proves that very point.

In a short video, a hidden camera follows women walking through the city of New York, as they are being cat called by various men. None of these women respond to the cat calls, and are either called out of their names, followed, touched, or all of the above. As this is happening, no one comes to their rescue, not one soul says a word to any of the men being disrespectful and these women are being sexually harassed in the open. Once again the video rings with the message that as a woman your body is a magnet for unwanted touch, unwanted attention and it is no fault of the man.

Then there is the other side of the coin.

Nigerian author and feminist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, gave a powerful feminist speech that artist Beyonce sampled in her song “Flawless”. The author states:

“We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you would threaten the man. Because I am female, I am expected to aspire to marriage. I am expected to make my life choices always keeping in mind that marriage is the most important. Now marriage can be a source of joy and love and mutual support but why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage and we don’t teach boys the same? We raise girls to see each other as competitors not for jobs or accomplishments, which I think can be a good thing, but for the attention of men. We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings in the way that boys are.”

We live in a society where being a woman is equal to being an object and any man is allowed to stake his claim without being reprimanded; however, the second a woman chooses to claim her body as her own she is labeled as a slut, or worse.

Amber Rose is the personification of such. In October of this year, she launched her very own movement entitled “Slut Walk”. Its purpose? To let women everywhere know that yes, women are allowed to be sexual beings, and it is ok to stake claim to your own body without being shamed for it. After all, men do it all the time and are in fact congratulated for their behavior.

The movement has gained both support and of course backlash. I, for one, admire her bravery and in fact find it sad that to be a woman claiming your own body is even considered an act of bravery in the first place.

Rose’s movement has given women the courage to own themselves, telling men everywhere that no does mean no, and while you may look, you must ask to touch.

It should not be considered an act of bravery for standing up for oneself when it comes to personal space being violated. Nor should it be considered brave for a person to stake claim on her own body. This should be normal, but sadly it is not.

I will teach my daughter that her body is her own, she can say no without feeling bad about it and if she ever feels uncomfortable she is allowed to stand up for herself.

She is not an object free to be hyper sexualized and blamed for the behavior of a boy who was not taught to keep his hands to himself.

We need a sexual education revolution. Young boys need to be taught to view women as humans not objects.

It is far past time that our girls stop being blamed for being distractions.

Can you dig it?

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Ti’Ana Marshall

Bump. Set. Spike and dig!

This Saturday one of the campus sororities, Omega Delta Chi, will host its third annual Bump For a Cure volleyball tournament.

The tournament will be held at the Bringle Lake Village sand volleyball court at 6:00 p.m. and all proceeds will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

October, as is known widely, is breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer is still the leading cause of death for women in the United States and is especially prominent in African-American women.

In years past, people from the community gather in hopes of raising funds to bump cancer away. Though they gather with smiles and laughter filling the air, the somber reminder of those lost to the ghastly disease is ever present.

As each volleyball is tossed in the air and bumped from side to side, the meaning of the tournament becomes more clear. Bump away the pain, bump for a cure.

To sign-up for the tournament you may email omegadeltachi2013@gmail.com

Sister, Sister

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Ti’Ana Marshall

“I thought it came easy and was just something you’re granted when you join. This is something you work for.”

Coming to college is both scary and exciting. The adrenaline rush from knowing you are stepping out on your own brings blood rushing to your ears out of excitement and can cause the heart to feel as if it jumped into your stomach.

In the midst of all that excitement, however, many feel homesick. Gone are the days where mom and dad are across the hall. They have been replaced by a snoring roommate and textbooks with words that are way too complicated to be real.

To every problem there is a solution, as said by someone great, and the popular solution for many incoming freshman feeling the blues is (drumroll please) Greek life.

Whether it is because of homesickness, early recruitment processes, enhancing a resume, or continuing a legacy, many turn to Greek life once stepping onto campus.

Greek life is without a doubt important to college campuses, and taken seriously by all who join, but it does not come without stereotypes, judgement, and serious liability problems.

Texas A&M University-Texarkana, lovingly known as TAMUT, is home to four Greek life organizations, one of which, Zeta Phi Beta, is a part of the Divine Nine.

There are a total of nine historically black Greek letter organizations (bglos) hence their name as a collective unit and are tied together through a family system. The Divine Nine include: Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Iota Phi Theta.

Of the Divine Nine, only one chose to start up a chapter here on the A&M campus in Texarkana, Zeta Phi Betta, forming the Gamma Kappa chapter.

Annette Forte, a past president of the chapter, is heavily involved in the recruitment process of the organization. Each year the campus has a vendor day where several local organizations and businesses are welcome to set up booths to catch the attention of the students.

Forte is always at the table stopping girls left and right to inform them about the Greek organization she is more than proud to bare the letters of.

“It is more than letters,” Forte says “I believe in the principles that define a lady of Zeta Phi Beta”.

Founded in the Roaring Twenties, a time where racism was more than alive and well, the Great Depression was running amuck, and times all around were tough, this sisterhood was created.

Five coeds dared to break the mold of the stereotypical black woman of that time, and chose instead to stand on four principles that the organization centers on today: Scholarship, Service, Sisterly Love, and Finer womanhood. From then on the five, known now as their Five Pearls, spread their wings and embraced select women who embodied those beliefs.

When choosing a Greek life organization to possibly become a member of Forte states that “these women are the definition of what it means to be a Zeta woman, it is imperative that each member truly believes in all that is the makings of a finer woman”.

What defines a finer woman? She is strong, intelligent, confident in her abilities, and above all knows in her heart that God is the reason she has been granted such talents.

Such great pillars of success are what each organization of the Divine Nine believe in. Of course it is a wonder why the Zeta Phi Beta’s decided to create a chapter on TAMUT’s campus instead of others. When asked, Forte stated “We wanted to be trail blazers, the first of the Divine Nine to step foot and make our mark here, maybe others will come in the future, but they will never be able to say they were here first”.

Ironically, making your mark is a statement that several organizations on campus repeat all the time to encourage students to stand out among their peers.

Angel Greer, a member of Zeta Phi Beta out of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana reflected on her own decision about joining this specific Greek organization and stated

“Growing up as an only child sisterhood was fairly new to me, but something I looked forward to. As a legacy, I grew up watching my mom with her sisters and I wanted it. I thought it was something easy and was just something you’re granted when you join. Needless to say I was wrong. This is something you work for. You have to learn your sister and learn to love her as well. Most refer to joining organizations such as Zeta as ‘buying friends’ which is incorrect. I see my sorority as more than an organization but a sisterhood. Though filled with women from different walks of life we learn how to blend. I won’t say it’s been a walk in the candy store. I have learned how to battle with my sisters and yet pick up the pieces after. Even if we aren’t seeing eye to eye at the moment, I know I can call on my sisters for any and everything at anytime. This is a real sisterhood.”

Greek life definitely has its advantages and are an impressive mark on any resume. According to an article run on Elite Daily, an impressive 85% of Fortune 500 companies are run by members of Greek organizations. Greek’s are also more likely to finish college, and are generous givers to their communities as a result of the community service hours required as an undergrad member.

Although statistics for educational success are high for Greek members, it does not come without its downfalls. Hazing, as well as substance and alcohol abuse are concerns that no organization have really been able to shake off as a stereotype.

Forte commented on hazing stating “Hazing has multiple definitions, sure there are sacred practices that each potential pledge must go through for membership; however taunting, publicly embarrassing/humiliating our members is not a process we believe in. That is not Finer womanhood”.

In 2014 two pledges filed lawsuits against Alpha Kappa Alpha after being denied membership. The two claimed to be publicly humiliated having to run errands for their potential big sisters, and cut off communication with their friends during rush. Members of the sorority rolled their eyes at the situation claiming that their feelings were just hurt because of their denied membership; however, the rush process was suspended for that season, the two are allowed to pledge for graduate chapters of the organization, and the chapter is under investigation.

BGLOs have a long way to go in order to fight the slow extinction that several believe is bound to happen. As stated by Gregory S. Parks, in his article The End of BGLO’s “Honestly at the rate that BGLOs are going, I can only foresee two having any longevity.”

Regardless of being faced with this opinion, Forte does not see the death of Zeta Phi Beta coming anytime soon. “It sounds quite cliché, but I did not choose Zeta Phi Beta, they chose me. I am more than proud to be a woman of the organization. Being a part of such an outstanding group of women brings a joy to my heart that is unmatched by anything other than my love for Christ Himself.”

Joining a Greek organization is a huge choice and should be thought out, but it is more than worth it. The bonds that are created are for a lifetime, and that is absolutely priceless.

For more information about Greek life on campus students can visit the student life office on campus and also visit the Gamma Kappa chapter website to learn more about Zeta Phi Beta.

99 Problems…Being 22 is one

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Ti’Ana Marshall

99 Problems..Choosing a School is 1

Choose a school. Pick a career. Find a white picket fence, a dog, a wife, husband, and have a child—or two, or three.

Life is a whirlwind. A constant swirl of events that never seems to stop and in the midst of your roaring twenties, the roar of those winds are even louder.

This year alone, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) 20.2 million students are enrolled in universities around the country.

20.2 million young minds going through a transition that is rarely talked about—the move from childhood to the feared “a” word (cue doomsday music) adulthood, also known as adulting.

20.2 million adults having to make decisions without a clue of what they are doing or really where they are going.

Stressful is not the word.

With all the talk of creating a bright future for oneself it can be overwhelming to say the least. I for one, am experiencing the feeling of this weight on my shoulders as I am moving from one part of life to the other, which is graduation from undergraduate student to graduate.

Transitioning from one part of life to another is never easy in fact, of the 20.2 million students enrolled in college at this very moment at least 7.2 million of those are expected to graduate this year alone.

I am counted among those 7.2 million and although it is exciting, it is scary all at the same time.

This weekend I traveled to Jonesboro, Arkansas in pursuit of my next step in life. As I rode down the open road full of anxiety I realized that I am truly not alone in moving forward, though it felt as such.

Several cars passed by me with Arkansas tags screaming of school spirit, all with the windows down and seeming to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

I stopped thinking so hard for just a moment and cranked up the radio the loudest it would go allowing myself to become lost in the harmony the road and I were creating.

The beauty of the fields whipping past my window, the bumping of the road underneath my Chevy Cruze was all amazing. Not to mention, the friendship I am sure I made with the girl rolling past me jamming to the same Beyonce song—I mean it was Beyonce, need I say more?

As I reached the crescendo of Upgrade you, I realized that in this second I was moving forward to upgrade myself. Change is good, and it should not be feared, but celebrated.

It is a time to enjoy where I and the 7.1 million others are in our lives, even if we are not so close to the white picket fence or the bushel of kids as we think we should be.

Take time to celebrate life. Turn your music up and lip sync your heart out to Beyonce, because…Beyonce!

Take joy in not knowing what is around the corner. This is the only time it will be okay not to know exactly where you are going. Realize that at twenty-something, confusion and uncertainty, even anxiety is all part of your adventure.

Embrace where you are, and look forward to what is ahead of you.

You will never be this young again. Make the best of it.

Outside Colored Lines

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Ti’Ana Marshall

“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity”-Viola Davis.

Originally, this article was going to be about my feel good weekend. I planned on relating my travels to anyone else who had ever done the same thing. Blasting music as loud as it will go, looking over at my love like those romance movies, while we toured the open highway—then something else happened.

I am overwhelmed with emotion and the tug of responsibility is yanking at my heart. History was made last night and it would not be right to talk about travel, and not the Nubian Queens who finally made it outside of the colored lines.

September is the month of (insert hash tag here) black girl magic. For the first time last night, a black woman won an Emmy for best lead actress in a drama series. The incredible Viola Davis was crowned supreme for her role in the hit television show “How to Get Away With Murder”.

Before accepting the award, Davis alongside four other actresses, was plastered across the screen in four windows. Each individual window full of their faces as they waited to hear who would take home the prize. Viola Davis sat alongside her husband, eyes shut, head down, with her hands tight against the chair. Then they said her name, “Viola Davis”. A stunned actress literally shook in her seat and her husband seemed to pull at her arm as if to remind her that this was real life.

With the grace of a thousand goddesses, Viola Davis strolled upon stage, clearly overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions. The lights twinkled against her ebony skin as she began to give a speech full of truth, beginning with a quote from abolitionist Harriet Tubman:

“In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful white women with their arms stretched out to me, over that line. But I can’t seem to get there no how. I can’t seem to get over that line.” “Here’s to all the writers, the awesome people that are Ben Sherwood, Paul Lee, Peter Nowalk, Shonda Rhimes, people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black.” Before taking her seat, Viola Davis thanked other trailblazing actresses of color for “taking us over that line”.

The image of the black woman is changing not only on the big screen, but on the newsstands as well. For the first time, not one, not two, but seven major fashion magazines all   feature black women on the cover. Misty Copeland, another history making woman of color, graces the cover of Essence, while Beyonce slays the September cover of Vogue—the most prestigious and sought after cover.

All of that leads me to this. My open letter to all the future Viola Davises, the Gabrielle Unions, Vivica Foxes, Meagan Goods, Misty Copelands and more. To all my beautiful black baby girls who like me had longed to see myself on the big screen without being praised for my physical attributes—the time is now.

Realize you are beautiful, you are worthy of making history. Whether you are the lightest shade of tan, to the deepest of ebony, hear me—you are special! There is elegance in the sway of your hips, beauty in the thickness of your lips, intelligence underneath your kinky-curly hair. Use it to the best of your ability.

Continue to shine and break the mold. Let us continue to redefine what the world thinks of us as we reshape ourselves into the queens we are descendants of. This is black girl magic. This is only the beginning.

 

All the way turned down

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Ti’Ana Marshall

Flashing lights. Booming music and glow sticks. Though the ingredients for an ultimate party were all there, what was supposed to be a great time—was not so awesome. So what happened?

It is said that failing is a part of success. The question is, how to make a party on campus successful?

The plans were in the works. Phi Lambda Chi, the male fraternity on campus, alongside Omega Delta Chi, one of the sororities on campus, hashed out a master plan to create a fun outing for students.

The team created what seemed to be the college dream, coming up with the bait necessary to hook any college student — free food, loud music, and an excuse to paint their face without judgement. With an entry fee per student (though discounted for Greeks) it was thought to turn out a large number; however, as soon as the crowd grew, it slowly faded away.

College parties are not a new phenomenon. In fact the parties are the part of college that most high school hopefuls look forward to the most (outside of the education part, of course—and ok, the freedom!). These parties always include one key factor however, which is the “juice” known as alcohol. Unfortunately, alcohol is the key to many college parties, as well as location.

Although many campuses have parties for the students, these turn-ups are rarely held on the campus. This does not go to say that the parties are necessarily unsafe. From experience, they tend to have heavy security.

Of course a party on campus would not permit alcohol, but even without it the location may not have been ideal. Advertised to be held in Eagle Hall, it does not really scream “fun”.

The question remains—how to make an on campus party a go-to event? Maybe the answer is that you don’t. An off campus party spot is necessary, but it does not mean that there has to be alcohol there. Why?

Because students go to school and other events in that very hall, having a party there sounds like just another school event. Fun can be had and parties can be successes. Live learn and Party on.

Stop — Just Dance!

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Ti’Ana Marshall

The crowd holds its breath, waiting for the beat to drop. Sweat drips from the competitors’ faces as determination hugs their faces. Who will be the champion?

The University Center is always humming with the sounds of busy students marching to and fro. This day, however, was different. This day was serious business—music business that is.

Sounds from the popular Just Dance 2014 game erupted through the speakers as a voice boomed “Step up! Show your moves!” Several students rose up to the challenge. The prize? Every college student’s dream of course—a cotton t-shirt and bragging rights.

Two by two hopefuls stepped up to the plate, busting a move and maybe an ankle, popping, locking, dropping, and not stopping. This was no longer just a game! Real life decisions were being made. Winning became crucial.

As the students shimmied and shook, the couches became crowded creating a mixture of cheers “Go bestfriend! Move those shoulders!” and hot tunes from the previous year.

Then the moment of truth arrived. Only two left barely standing, shaking in anticipation as the final song was picked. A face off had come quickly. Malique and Marina. Who would be the victor? One wrong shoulder shake would determine it all. This was all or nothing.

The crowd grew silent, nothing but the clicks from the remote filled the air as the two made their final selection.

“Just Dance!” A harmony of mashed up songs broke the silence, leaving the tension and two students left to dancing to their fate. “Move! You’ve got this!” The crowd had grown, clearly divided amongst the two claiming favorites.

The song slowed announcing the end of a competition and the birth of a new champion.
Both competitors hunched over, breathing heavily, the crowd holding their breath awaiting the final countdown to award the winner.

There could only be one.

“Marina Garza!” Cheers erupted as she wiped her face, and in good sportsmanship high-fived her competitor.

A competition had ended, friendships remained, and a new champion was born.