Sunday, March 28, 2010

WASS Cultural Week and Show!!!

Over my years at Wayne State I've had lots of experiences. I've joined groups. I've unjoined groups (lol). I've participated in so many different activities and extracarriculars. But the best of them all has been the Wayne African Student Society. My fellow group members are like cousins to me and I love every single one of them. We've had some great times and when I look back, I'm, sure many of my best college memories will no doubt be tied to WASS.

This week WASS is putting on a cultural week and show. Each day from Monday to Thursday we have a different event:
- Monday March 29 is movie night and we're showing "Catch a Fire."
-Tuesday March 30 is Taste of Africa and Game Night.
-Wednesday March 31 is our discussion. We're having a discussion on the differences and similarities between Africans and African Americans with a panel of memebers from each group. That should really be interesting! Hahahaha.....
-Thursday April 1 we're gonna get down with an African dance class.

Then on Saturday we have the cultural show. This is is main MAIN event, and it's going to be off the hook! It was last year's cultural show that I performed my poem, "Naija American Girl"  for the first time. This year I'm doing another poem. There's going to be skits, poetry, a fashion show, and lots of dancing. I'm also going to be in the fashion show and in a Igbo dance performance.

If you're in the Detroit area, you should definitely come. The show is on Saturday April 3rd at 5pm in Wayne State's Community Arts Auditorium. The building's adress is 450 Reuther Mall, Detroit, MI 48202. However, you cannot drive on Reuther Mall because it's in the interior of campus. But the building is also faces Cass Avenue, which is driveable. If you plan on coming and want further directions, just leave me a comment and I can definitely give you detailed instructions for how to get there and where to park.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Almost spring?

Isn't this picture just lovely? I took it last year on a beautiful summer day, maybe July or August. The place is the riverfront of a city about 25 minutes from where I live. Today was so lovely that I really wanted to go there again. Like seriously, it's March 18 and I'm thinking summery thoughts. Could it really be.........SPRING? It's been about two weeks of spring-ish weather, and its got me thinking............. But, sigh. In Michigan, that's almost unthinkable. Most of us who've lived here for years know that we could see fluffy white stuff from the sky any day until about the end of May......But for now, I forbid those thoughts from crossing my mind.  I even heard my jam for the summer of 2009 on the radio today, in the car with my best friend. It's "On the Ocean" by Detroit's own K'Jon. 


         

Love that song. Anyways, today  I went to the place where I volunteer The Dominican Literacy Center. I go there once a week and work with my student Nancy, to help her improve her reading. Nancy is a really nice lady and since I started in January, we've gotten along really well. Before getting to the lesson, we always talk a little about our personal lives and things. Today, Nancy started telling me more about her life, and it's pretty amazing. :)

She said that she was born in Mississippi (1 of 15 kids)  and mainly due to a teacher who was so mean and scared her, she had a hard time learning to read. The woman also happened to be her stepmother.  When she got pregnant at 15, any hopes of her finishing her education were gone, she said. Eventually she moved to Michigan and got married to a man who didn't want her to have anything to do with school. Looking back, she said she realized that it was because he wanted to keep her dependent on him. 

Now she must be in her late 50s or early 60s. I didn't ask, but I know that since she's a black lady, she looks good for her age. She told me that although it wasn't easy, she's always had a job and was able to take care of herself. She said that right now, she has the best job she's ever had, making more than she ever has. She gives God all the thanks and credit. She said that she never could have done it without him.

I really love hearing stories like hers. I told her that she should write a book one day, even if it meant having a professional writer help her. She said she'd think about it. That would be one book that I would definitely read!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Jos

I'm sure by now most of you have heard of the recent violence in Jos.  If not, check it out here or here. The place is a hotbed of contention between Chrisitans and Muslims. The most recent violence was said to be committed by about 50 Muslim men and  left about 200 Christian villagers dead. I saw some pictures, truly horrible, of burrned bodies. Women and little children. What can one even say to that?  Why is it so hard for people to live in peace? Here is a little something written my friend:

LETTER TO NIGERIA by Blessing Igiogbe


Dear Nigeria,



I am one of your proud children, proud to defend you at any cost. Proud to call you my sweet wonderful mother, but lately I am forced to disown you. Why do you stand by and let your children invoke pain and suffering on their siblings? Why do you stand by and let your children die in vain? Why do you stand by and let your children drag your wonderful name in the mud? O Why my sweet wonderful mother?


My sweet mother, I beg of you to not let the children and mothers of your land be executed in the name of religion and power. My sweet mother come and free us out of bondage from the power elite. Don’t let the greed for money and power be the things that will destroy your children. Don’t let the poor and the children be butchered by those draped in cowardice. Don’t let the corruption and incompetence of those in power ruin your name. Don't let the powerless and the children be deprive of a future of success.


MY DEAR SWEET WONDERFUL MOTHER NIGERIA, PLEASE HEAR OUR CRY!!


Sincerely,



The voice of the forgotten





TO ALL MY NIGERIANS ABROAD, WE MUST COME TOGETHER AS ONE. REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR RELIGIOUS BELIEF ARE AND FIGHT THIS WAR. WE MUST STAND BEFORE OUR GOVERNMENT AND DEMAND ANSWERS TO ALL THESE KILLING. WE WILL BE THREATEN AND STOPPED, BUT WE CAN NOT LET THE OPPRESSION OF OUR PEOPLE CONTINUE TO EXIST.





Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Sometimes, all you need is a laugh

Yesterday was an incredibly long day, or at least it felt that way. It was one of those days where the little things mean so much, like people in the office buying you lunch and the sunshiny pre-spring weather. I say pre-spring because I know Michigan weather too well to be fooled into thinking that these lovely 40 and 50 degree days are the start of spring. Knowing Michigan, tomorrow we could wake up to a foot of snow! Seriously though.  But I am definitely enjoying it. Aahhhhhhh..... :)

As lovely as the weather was, my mood was still kind of off. I found myself in need of a good laugh by the time I got home. I found a few by watching this movie that my little sister put on called "The Wild."


 It's some ridiculous children's movie about a lion who pretends to be from the jungle and really isn't and ends up having to find inner-bravery to find his lost son. Hahahaha.....The animals were so goofy. I was probably laughing the whole way through.  :)

Speaking of laughs, on Monday I ran into this man at my office at school named Willie Johnson again. Willie does custodial work in the building where I have my office and he is funny!


He does all kinds of voice impressions, but he's most known for his Donald Duck impression. He told me that when Mason in the Morning used to come on radio station FM 98 WJLB, he used to call on there often and do his Donald Duck voice. Mason gave him the nickname Willie the Duck! Lol. He also does a Jamaican accent. Willie said that one time he was at a store and started talking to this Jamaican using the accent. He said the guy started asking him what part of Jamaica he was from. Willie then confessed that he was a native Detroiter. Hahahahaa......

Willie, who is also a ventriloquist, said that one day he would like to do animation and use all his skills in a full-time endeavor. I reminded him that Tyler Perry was once homeless, and look at him now! With God, anything is possible.

Check out this video that Willie made. It's pretty funny.

I really wish him a lot of success. Wouldn't it be amazing if he really does go national. I know it's possible.

This week, I've really realized the value of a good laugh and I really appreciate those things and people in my life that make me smile and laugh. They can really lift a mood. :)

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Chineke Nna

Eastern Uganda- People dig for survivors of a landslide that wiped out three villages. 

On allafrica.com   yesterday I saw a story that made me gasp. Literally. Just a few days ago a mudslide in eastern Uganda buried hundreds of people alive. The story I read told heartbreaking cases of children who went to take shelter in a school all being buried. Three whole villages were wiped out. Villages called
Nametsi, Namakansa and Kubewo.

Now people are digging through the mud to find survivors. Na wa oh. Can you imagine?  Natural disaters are becoming too common these days. Haiti....Chile.....Uganda....I just learned today that there was an earthquke in Taiwan today.

All I can say is "Chineke nna" ..... "Father God"......Help your people ooohh.......

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

An old poem of mine

The Mystery of Music

It’s odd how a long forgotten melody
can jog the dormant memory
and make the heart ache for times past.

If scent is the strongest sense tied to memory,
then sound is the second
and music in particular –
plunging the mind into a state of
wistful reminiscence
realizing that today has become yesterday
And yes, today, will become
another yesterday.