Sister Souljah provided advice and insight on becoming the future of the community, in the first session of the Chancellor’s Lecture Series in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom.
This session of the Chancellor’s Lecture Series was hosted by the Association of Women’s students.
“The Chancellor’s lecture series realizes the educational process extends beyond the classroom,” said Jáel Gordon, AWS President.
Souljah opened with inspiration for students to work to be the best so that their communities can see what can happen with education.
“There are people in the whole community and hoods that are depending on you to do something extraordinary and to return to where you live and make a difference in their lives,” said Souljah.
She shared her experience at five years old when she read a scholastic reader about Harriet Tubman born into a situation out of her control and triumphed anyway.
“Like Harriet, you have to come to the conclusion that is not just about individual success it’s not just about your individual wealth, it’s about your families and if your people are ok. If they are not you are the people her to get an education to become problem solvers,” said Souljah.
Souljah continued with the ability to solve a problem presented to you is true intelligence. Not just the ability to rattle off information. You must be able to read, read additional information, compare, and understand to digest information.
“How many people were shocked at Katrina when nobody came to get the black people? I wasn’t because I’m a historian. All kinds of things have been done to black people,” said Souljah.
She expressed the reasoning behind the history why people are abandoned and left behind; including the historical natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina.
“You will be abandoned if you are not organized, intelligent, don’t love each other, unified, clear, don’t know each other, not prepared, and not trained in your mind, your physical body, and psychology,” said Souljah.
Souljah is known as a fighter. She expressed she is a fighter because she sees a problem and wants to fight it. She wants to be exceptional and not the status quo. People need to stop going through the motions and do what you believe in.
“Instead of trying to find out about your African history, your connection to Africa, your culture in Africa, and what it means and what Africans did to live, to survive, to love, and how they organized themselves. You integrate yourself into the American picture,” said Souljah.
She emphasized the need to know and understand who you are and your history to be able to be your own person and help solve the world’s problems.
Souljah continued, “And the moment that you begin integrating yourself into the American picture you lose your focus on who you are and you lose your love for who your people are and you become somebody who is a part of the problem instead of somebody who is a part of the solution.”
Souljah started to highlight the culture in Africa and the mentality and unity of the people. About the power of the drum beat and the message it sent.
“The love that was in the music is no longer in the music. I am for thinking, thinking a little bit more deeply. And I am feeling, feeling a little more deeply, than you are feeling right now,” said Souljah.
Souljah concluded with a question and answer portion and signed books and took pictures with students.
The next speaker in the series will be Dr. Rani Whitfield “The Hip-Hop Doc” he will be in the Cotillion Ballroom at 6pm on October 27, 2010.
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Souljah urges unity and progression
September 23, 2010
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