Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Falls End...

I’m baaaack!!! I haven’t blogged in quite awhile, so it feels better than ever to be back! This school semester was everything that I’d imagined it would be. There were times where I had so much work to complete. Times I sacrificed sleep. Times I stayed on campus for hours completing homework. Times I wanted to give up…Needless to say, I am very grateful for having successfully completed my fall courses.

Honestly, a lot has happened from September until now and a few things caught me by total surprise. I think the most shocking news came from learning that two of the African American librarians at the UGL were retiring. News of their retirement deeply saddened me because they were integral in my success as a Graduate Student Assistant. Plus, there aren’t too many Black Librarians roaming this campus, so having two leave at the same time was unfortunate to hear. Being able to identify with other librarians who shared my skin tone and perhaps could relate to my experiences in the library program was comforting. Still, I do wish Dee Callaway and Debbie Tucker the very best that life has to offer…they will surely be missed.

Since my fall courses required my attention in so many areas, I’ve decided to list this semester’s five most memorable moments.


Memorable Moment 1:
Back in September, I had to give a book talk on “A long way gone: Memoirs of a boy soldier,” by Ishmael Beah. The purpose of book talking is to present a book in such a way that people will walk away wanting to read it. I think mostly Teachers and/or School Library Media Specialists use book talks to especially appeal to young readers. What I decided to do for my book talk was rap to Naughty by Nature’s OPP; this was one of Beah’s favorite songs growing up. I can’t describe the exuberance felt while rapping to my Young Adult Literature class! That experience alone has to be one of the best moments in my graduate education.

Memorable Moment 2:
September was also the month that my Urban Libraries Seminar course met at the Arts League of Michigan’s Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center. The Carr Center is located in Paradise Valley, which is in the Detroit, MI area. I didn’t expect to be left speechless by the building’s beautiful interior design or its overall ambience. As we toured the building, I was crying by the time we made it up to the theater. Despite the construction it desperately needed, I was mesmerized by the theater’s grandeur. The nostalgia throughout the building radiates this indescribable energy that played an essential part in my crying. Before it was the Carr Center, the building was known as the Harmonie Club. The Harmonie Club was constructed in 1895 and was a musical society for German immigrants. During that time, it was also known to offer fine dining, a tavern, card rooms, a bowling alley, lounges, and of course, musical events. (http://www.artsleague.com/carr_center.htm)

Memorable Moment 3:
In my seminar’s course, I was partnered with two other students at the Carr Center to complete a research assignment. The focus of my research centered on Detroit’s theater contributions by African Americans. Back when I was in Undergrad, I remember going to see a play at the Detroit Repertory Theater with a friend. The actors were amazing, but one definitely stood out to me, and his name was Council Cargle. It turns out that Mr. Cargle has been involved in the Detroit theater scene for years and is a highly respected veteran actor within the community. This assignment allowed me the opportunity to work with Mr. Cargle and he was an extremely humble and kind man. He even did some narration work for a video that I created, as part of my research assignment. I was beyond honored to finally make his acquaintance because I had heard such great things about him and really respected his work. I treasured the experience of meeting Mr. Cargle and deeply believe that from this experience a friendship blossomed.

Memorable Moment 4:
Presentation Day, Wednesday December 2, 2010! Presenting my research to my seminar’s class, and Mr. Ragsdale, the president of the Carr Center, was wonderful. There was a sense of pride and exhilaration in having the opportunity to share insightful information about the ten people I researched. As I spoke about each of them, I tried to convey the importance of their lives and the meaningful contributions they made to theaters primarily in Detroit or perhaps around the world. On that night, I stood as a proud person of color recalling the stories and contributions of accomplished African Americans. They did…so I can…meaning there’s no excuse why I cannot be as equally determined and unstoppable in achieving my dreams.

Memorable Moment 5:
After the realization that my courses were complete, an excitement rose within me because I am going into my final semester at WSU. In May of 2011, I will be a proud graduate of the School of Library & Information Science. I am five months away from completing my coursework and walking across the stage! Where did the time go?

Final Thoughts:
I’d like to add that this will be my last blog for this year. It is hoped that once the New Year rolls around, I can once again dedicate time to writing a blog every week. It will be a year in January that I started working at the UGL, and a year that I began blogging. I look forward to what 2011 will bring, but currently I’m simply looking forward to my holiday break! Until next year…

-JSM