Ole Miss' James Meredith on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

Audio of interview can be found here.

Join Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes as we profile organizations, leaders, and volunteers who lead by example. With extraordinary acts of kindness and charitable giving that help countless lives daily, these organizations, leaders, and volunteers  embody, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

James Meredith on Graduation Day at Ole Miss

On Saturday, October 25, 2014 tune in to hear the fourth interview that focuses on the newly released book, Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South by Andrew Maraniss. Today's show will feature a conversation with decorated Air Force Veteran and the first Black to integrate Ole Miss in 1962, James Meredith. Listen to Mr. Meredith share his views on race, politics (then and now), and how the Ole Miss and Mississippi State University football teams are now game changers in the discussion of race relations not only in the South but around the world.

Hear Mr. Meredith's views on how sports can bring solutions to race relations and why he believes Ole Miss and Mississippi State University performances on the football field during the last three weeks have forever changed the state of Mississippi.

The foreword of Strong Inside is a passage from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" t:

  “One day the South will recognize its real heroes. They will be the James Merediths, with the noble sense of purpose that enables them to face jeering and hostile mobs, and with the agonizing loneliness that characterizes the life of the pioneer.”

 Listen to the similarities between Vanderbilt's Perry Wallace, the first Black to play in the Southeastern Conference, lonely journey as a pioneer and James Meredith's historic integration of Ole Miss. You will also hear the differences in their approaches to the jeering mobs that came with their heroism and the mental stress of attending school daily under such riveting conditions.

This interview promises to empower, inspire, and motivate you to live your BEST life.Tune into 760AM in the Middle Tennessee Region, on Tune In, streaming live online at UStream.TV, and on military bases on Saturdays from 9:00-10:00am CST

 More About James Meredith:

   “The traditional practice in Mississippi has been to eliminate potential troublemakers before they have a chance to cause trouble. Far more Negroes have been lynched for having a bad or wrong attitude (by Mississippi ‘White Supremacy’ standards) than for committing a particular crime. Whenever a Negro questioned the status quo in Mississippi, he just simply disappeared.”

From James Meredith’s book, Three Years in Mississippi

Author is only one of many hats worn by the enigmatic James Meredith. Born June 25, 1933, in Kosciusko, Mississippi, Meredith is best known as the first African-American student of the University of Mississippi. Meredith served in the Air Force from 1951 to 1960, including a tour of duty in Japan. He then attended Jackson State College for two years. In the fall of 1962 Meredith risked his life when he successfully applied the laws of integration and became the first black student at the University of Mississippi, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement which sparked riots on the Oxford campus that left two people dead. 

 

In 1966 he recounted the experience in his first publication, Three Years in Mississippi. Of that book, a reviewer for Newsweek wrote, “Seldom is a piece of violent history so dispassionately dissected by one of its participants as it has been by James Meredith in this three-years-later study of his breakthrough at the University of Mississippi. Part report and part legal brief, part manifesto, part tract, it is a valuable and fascinating account.” 

Shortly after the publication of Three Years in Mississippi, Meredith conceived and organized the “Walk Against Fear,” a march from Memphis to Jackson, Mississippi, in a bold and selfless repudiation of the physical violence faced by African-Americans for exercising their voting rights. Meredith was shot on the march, and when he was physically able to resume the march, he did so, joined this time by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other prominent civil rights leaders of the day.

In 1968 Meredith received a LL.B. from Columbia University. Meredith’s career has included a run for a congressional seat in 1972 and, in perhaps his most controversial move yet, a stint on the staff of arch-conservative Senator Jesse Helms beginning in 1989. Meredith’s most recent publication is a historical work: Mississippi: A Volume of Eleven Books was published in 1995. 

On March 21, 1997, James Meredith presented his papers to the University of Mississippi where they are maintained by the Special Collections branch of the J.D. Williams Library. 

Credit: University of Mississippi


Photo Credits: University of Mississippi, Vanderbilt University

Perry Wallace Discusses "Strong Inside" on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

Audio of Perry Wallace's Interview can be found here.
Previous post and audio about Strong Inside with Andrew Maraniss can be found here.

Join Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes as we profile organizations, leaders, and volunteers who lead by example. With extraordinary acts of kindness and charitable giving that help countless lives daily, these organizations, leaders, and volunteers  embody, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

 On Saturday, October 11, 2014 tune in to hear the second interview that focuses on the soon to be released book, Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South by Andrew Maraniss. Perry Wallace, the first African-American to play sports in the Southeastern Conference will share from his early childhood, his life in Nashville, and his historic decision to play basketball at Vanderbilt University. Unknown to Mr. Wallace at the time, his decision to attend Vanderbilt University would forever change sports in the south and become a defining moment in race relations in our country.

Listen to Mr. Wallace share how his mother prepped him at an early age to overcome the challenges he later faced in life by teaching him to cope with his asthma. She taught him a relaxation technique he calls "prayer and preparation" which he practiced daily while at Vanderbilt that helped him to manage the intense stress that came with the constant threats and scrutiny. Hear him talk about "getting on the plane to Ole Miss" and why he was determined to see the mission to the end, even if it meant the end of his life.

Mr. Wallace also talks about how he dealt with naysayers by surrounding himself with "friends and friendly people" who supported him. Mr. Wallace will address the isolation that came with being a pioneer and the role of his family in his life. Hear him share why attending Vanderbilt was much bigger than playing sports and why can loose sight of the true purpose of the Civil Rights Movement.

Mr. Wallace will discuss why he left Nashville after his collegiate career at Vanderbilt and how he revisited "Throwback Theater" at an awards ceremony a few years ago that led him to write an essay on bullying. Mr. Wallace talks about being intentional in helping others learned from his defining moments that are etched in our country's history to teach reconciliation and forgiveness of the past while addressing the present and preparing us to have honest dialogues about race relations.

This is part one of a two part interview with Mr. Wallace.

This interview promises to empower, inspire, and motivate you to live your BEST life.Tune into 760AM in the Middle Tennessee Region, on Tune In, streaming live online at UStream.TV, and on military bases on Saturdays from 9:00-10:00am CST


More About Perry Wallace

Professor Perry E. Wallace received his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and engineering mathematics from the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering in 1970. He received his law degree from Columbia University in 1975, where he was awarded the Charles Evans Hughes Fellowship.

Professor Wallace was for several years a senior trial attorney at the United States Department of Justice, handling cases involving environmental and natural resources law. He has also served as a securities arbitrator for the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., and has also been a commercial arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, Inc. In 1992, he was appointed to a three-year term on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology. He is a tenured Professor of Law at the Washington College of Law of the American University, where he teaches corporate, environmental and international law.

 

Andrew Maraniss on Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes

 Update: Audio of show can be found here.

Join Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes as we profile organizations, leaders, and volunteers who lead by example. With extraordinary acts of kindness and charitable giving that help countless lives daily, these organizations, leaders, and volunteers embody "Be the change you want to see in the world."

 

On Saturday, October 4, 2014 tune in to hear one of several interviews that will focus on the life Perry Wallace and "the Collision of Race and Sports in the South" with Andrew Maraniss who will discuss his first book, Strong Inside.  Maraniss will share about Perry Wallace's, (the first African-American to play sports in the Southeastern Conference) early childhood, his life at Pearl High School, and his historic decision to play basketball at Vanderbilt University. Unknown to Wallace at the time, his decision to attend Vanderbilt would forever change sports in the south and would become a defining moment in race relations in our country.

Maraniss will share how he first learned of one of America's unsung pioneering heroes during his sophomore year at Vanderbilt University. Maraniss wrote about Wallace for a Black Studies class. That initial paper lead to more stories on Wallace by Maraniss when he became the sports editor of Vanderbilt's student newspaper. Maraniss relationship with Perry Wallace continued even when his pen was not writing about him.

Tune in to hear the engaging conversations between the show host, Genma Holmes, and Andrew Maraniss as they  discuss Perry Wallace's great achievements in higher education and his stellar performances on the basketball court that came with isolation, constant worry about his life, and delayed satisfaction. They also discuss the contrast between many Civil Rights Era leaders who were often marching with others and trailblazing Wallace who played alone in arenas filled with taunting jeering crowds while he played basketball games as the only African-American in the SEC.

Stong Inside chronicles not only Perry Wallace's life before and after the game of basketball at Vanderbilt, but time stamps events in Nashville and around the country. The author and host believe that Strong Inside can be used to initiate healthy race relations discussion while giving us an insight into present day events.

This interview promises to empower, inspire, and motivate you to live your BEST life.Tune into 760AM in the Middle Tennessee Region, on Tune In, streaming live online at UStream.TV, and on military bases on Saturdays from 9:00-10:00am CST.

More About Andrew Maraniss

Strong Inside is the first book by Andrew Maraniss. A partner at McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations in Nashville, Andrew studied history at Vanderbilt University as a recipient of the Fred Russell – Grantland Rice sportswriting scholarship, earning the school’s Alexander Award for excellence in journalism and graduating in 1992. He then worked for five years in Vanderbilt’s athletic department as the associate director of media relations, dealing primarily with the men’s basketball team. In 1998, he served as the media relations manager for the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays during the team’s inaugural season, and then returned to Nashville to join MP&F. The son of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author David Maraniss and trailblazing environmentalist Linda Maraniss, Andrew was born in Madison, Wis., grew up in Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas and now lives in Brentwood, Tenn., with his wife Alison, and their two young children.

Follow Andrew on Twitter @trublu24 and visit his website at andrewmaraniss.com.

Photo credits:  Vanderbilt University, Andrew Maraniss, and Genma Holmes

Christopher Scott to speak at TSU, Fisk, Meharry, and Vanderbilt Breakfast Book Club

The Breakfast Book Club of TSU, Fisk, Meharry, and Vanderbilt will kick off its 2012-2013 calendar year with author, Christopher Scott. On Sunday, September 18,2012. Christoper Scott, co-author of Honor Thy Mother, Find Thy Father, will share a powerful story about reconciliation and redemption. Honor Thy Mother, Find Thy Father is a true story of two brothers who set out on a journey to find their father. In the process, they found each other, other siblings, and a deeper sense of self. Christopher and his brother, Eric Higgs, who co-authored the book, learned answers to questions about who they are and where they came from. A story steeped in love and forgiveness, the book gives us a glimpse of how their lives changed, for the better, since meeting their father and the challenges they encountered on the road to forgiveness and wholeness.

The College Breakfast Club is being lead by Dr. Daphne Young this year. The club represents area colleges community leaders and meets on the campus of Tennessee State University from 8:30-10:00am on the second Sundays of the month.

More About Christopher Scott

Christopher R. Scott currently serves as President\CEO of Point of Contact Concierge Services in Nashville, Tennessee. Point of Contact provides temporary personal assistants and service to company executives, celebrities, professional athletes and clergy, on both a national and international basis.

Over the past two decades he has honed his strong communications skills and acquired invaluable human resources (HR) and recruiting experience. In addition to Point of Contact, Christopher has held positions with Kelley Services, Randstad Staffing, Nursing Resource Solutions and Anthem Career College.

Christopher’s passion is helping men see and reach their full potential and has reached out to the community as a volunteer, donating countless hours working with the Nashville Rescue Mission and many other transitional homes for men.

Christopher resides in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Tonia and has four children, Christopher (CJ) 25, Desmond 22, Jeffrey 21, Trenity 12.

Back to School advice for MBA Seekers, Single Moms, and Large Families

Genma Holmes and Living Your Best Life Radio will share that going back to school includes a growing segment of the population who have not seen a classroom in a few seasons. Many are considering going back to school for their first, second, or third degree. In this economy, having an edge on other job applicants includes being prepared with work experience and a secondary education.

Also hear from moms who believe going back to school means being organized, prayed up, and not afraid to ask (or hire) help. You wouldn't want to miss this exciting show that is guaranteed to empower, inspire, and motivate you to live your best life!

On 880AM in the Nashville Market on Saturday from 10am-12 CST and Streaming Live on Ustream.TV August 20, 201

Getting Your MBA Maybe The Best Investment in This Economy


Professor of Accounting and Director of Owen Entrepreneurship Center at Vanderbilt, Germain Boer will share about transforming students into self-driven entrepreneurs. Hear about many of his students who have become dynamic business leaders with out of the box thinking.

More about...Dr. Germain Boer





Preparing Your Family For A Successful School Year

Hear successful super model, actress, and spokesperson Dawn Montgomery Greene share how she managed work life balance after returning to college full time while raising her son. Dawn completed her college goals and managed to pull off the wedding of her dreams during her last semester of school to Atlanta's super lawyer Reggie Greene.

Dawn has been featured in numerous magazines around the world. She was featured in Essence
And on Genmaspeaks Blog


Meet The Malone Quads of Georgia





Columbus, Georgia's Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Michael (Kelly Collier) Malone family of three grew by four in one day on August 20, 2007. Kelly delivered four beautiful boys who have become known as the Malone Quads. Hear how super mom along with dad raise five boys in a wonderful environment that Kelly calls "organized chaos" with a smile. Michael and Kelly will share how they manage to get their rambunctious brood of five out the door during the school year. We will learn "it takes a village" truly applies to this inspiring family!

Read more about the famous quads here... The Malone Quads and here

Mattie Bates: Cancer Survivor and Community Role Model

Nashville is a city of community leaders in action. Most of those leaders are women on divinely inspired missions. They are determined to fight for causes that impact not only our city and region but our country. One of those leaders is Mattie Bates. Mrs. Bates has been a warrior on the battle field in the fight against cancer. In the Nashville community, she teaches women to take charge of their health and to be strong advocates for cancer awareness. Ms. Bates uses her personal battle with cancer as a catalyst for her mission to educate women to be survivors by early detection.

Mrs. Bates is a ten year breast cancer survivor. She retired from BellSouth after 34 years of service and now describes herself as “semi-retired.” She is the coordinator of Davidson County’s Witness Project, the first in Tennessee. The Witness Project® is a culturally sensitive breast and cervical cancer outreach effort presented by cancer survivors and lay health advisors to increase awareness, knowledge, and access to screening and early detection among the African American population in an effort to reduce cancer incidence and mortality.

Mrs. Bates'work with the Witness Project® programs are presented in churches and community organizations by Witness Role Models (WRMs) and Lay Health Advisors (LHAs). Witness Role Models are African American women who are breast or cervical cancer survivors. Their presence as survivors is seen as a blessing and proof that cancer is not a death sentence. Lay Health Advisors are not cancer survivors themselves, but are women who want to work with the project to organize and publish programs, network with community people, give facts about breast and cervical cancer and available resources, teach breast self-examinations (BSEs) and encourage preventive services (mammograms, clinical breast exams (CBEs), pelvic exams, Pap tests and breast self-exams (BSE).

During a program session, the WRMs witness by talking about their experience with cancer, stressing the importance of early detection and answering questions about their personal experiences, fears and concerns. The educational session addresses the fears and beliefs many women hold about cancer, demonstrates that the diagnosis of cancer is neither a death sentence nor a punishment. Following a session, LHAs teach BSE using breast models.

Mrs. Bates work does not stop with her advocacy in churches and the faith base community. She is seen often at major cancer walks and events, health initiatives, cancer awareness seminars, and survivor celebrations promoting women health. The cancer community is a very close nit community in Nashville and Mrs. Bates’ work, heart and determination are known throughout every corner of Davidson County.

In addition to her work with the Witness Project, Mrs. Bates is also a member of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center’s Cancer Queens. The Cancer Queens are a group professional educators and cancer survivors who perform A Cancer Prevention Musical Revue. The shows are 45 minutes of skits and song and dance routines set to popular music with new educational lyrics that are consistent with the educational messages of the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and the National Cancer Institute.

The performances inspire women to treat themselves like queens and take care of their health. Audience members laugh and tap their toes while they learn about the importance of breast and cervical cancer screenings and the healthy lifestyle habits that can help reduce the risk of developing certain cancers as well as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Since their October 2008 debut, the Cancer Queens have entertained and educated more than 3000 women of all ages in Tennessee and delivered 15,000 individual cancer prevention and risk reduction messages. Often attendees leave asking about future dates to bring back family and friends. The impactful performances have sold out quickly. Many come to see Mrs. Bates become her stage persona "Miss Patty"! Mrs. Bates said, ”Since joining the Witness Project and the Cancer Queens, it has been an interesting journey and I feel that I have embarked on another career—sharing my story to let others know you can be a survivor if cancer is detected early. Being part of the Cancer Queens allows me to share that message.” Mrs. Bates aka “Miss Patty” biggest fans are her husband and her son and daughter. They are usually on the front row cheering her on!

Mrs. Bates' work through The Witness Project® is made available through a grant from the Greater Nashville Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to promote breast cancer screening. The Witness Project® in collaboration with the Bridges to Care program provides mammograms to clients who do not meet the criteria of the Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program through the Tennessee Department of Health, who are uninsured. Specifically, the program will target 150 Davidson County women age forty to sixty-four that are asymptomatic. The Cancer Queens! A Cancer Musical Revue is funded by Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center.

For more information about volunteering as team member or to schedule a program with the Witness Project, Mrs. Mattie Bates can be reached at (615) 340-5680. To schedule a performance with Vanderbilt’s Cancer Queens you can contact Jennifer Murray at jlm287@bellsouth.net or visit www.cancerqueens.net or www.facebook.com/cancer-queens

Photo Credits: Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center and Mrs. Mattie Bates.
Cancer Queens
Mattie Bates in the community
Genma Holmes, Mattie Bates, and Navinta Gunter

Meet Dr. Jacob Weiss and Playing by Air

I was introduced to Dr. Jacob Weiss by Cynthia Manley at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Jacob, as he likes to be called, is a young man with more talent in one fingernail than I have seen in an entire chorus. Jacob graduated from Princeton with B.S.E. Degree in June 2003, Department of Computer Science, summa cum laude. The rest of his online resume’ reads:

Post-Doctoral Fellow July 2009-present, The Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy at Vanderbilt

Ph.D. Degree May 2009, Department of Biomedical Informatics, supported by a training grant from the National Library of Medicine

M.S. Degree December 2005, Department of Biomedical Informatics: "The Patient-Caregiver Integrated Network"

After several meetings, I was thoroughly impressed with his vast knowledge about the undeserved minority community access to information about cancer prevention, awareness, and, most importantly, survivor support. We discussed my family’s history with cancer and my desire to see more openness about minorities need for more education about a disease that if detected early, survivor rates are raised tremendously.

In my family, cancer was not a discussion until long after Daddy was diagnosed with cancer. In my small home town, the word cancer was whispered. When the word was uttered, it seemed like a death sentence and rarely was survivorship considered an option. After moving to Nashville, I have encountered the same attitudes about cancer from some women of color. As I was sharing with Dr. Weiss my experiences, he revealed that his years of research about sharing cancer information, grassroots organizations were extremely effective in distributing information to the community and helping lift the veil off a subject that many find hard to discuss. He also informed me how important it was to bring people from the field of medicine together with those that have a passion to help others to the table. This will help everyone stop whispering about cancer and actually start more public dialogues. We discussed organizations that were on fire to help stamp out cancer and we knew several of the same women who were very active in the Nashville community.

We have met several times since our initial introduction. I introduced him to the publisher of the Tribune who was impressed with his work in keeping cancer survivors informed and building a “go to” network for those seeking information. The Tribune staff marveled over his online communities that he built and maintains to keep cancer patient informed and connected; www.canconnect.org and www.catchitearly.org. What was equally remarkable about his work in the field of Biomedical Informatics is that he uses his talent as a professional juggler to keep everything working together. Did I lose you? Yes, Dr. Weiss is a professional juggler and performs across the country with "Playing by Air". Revenue from his corporate bookings funds his online community activism.

I do not know when it happen but often times I feel as if I am talking to a brother from another mother instead of a highly respected intellectual and community activist. I finally got to share all of his talents with a few others. This week, I invited my friends, Thelma and Louise, to a performance to see Dr. Weiss. Now, you already know a day with me is always a planned adventure. Thelma and Louise and guests met me downtown at the Nashville Auditorium to see "Playing by Air" perform live. I did not bother to tell them that the performance was for Moose Family Fraternity National Convention that was in town. They showed up in Black folk finery to a packed auditorium that looked a wee bit “different”. Many of the Moose Convention attendees were dressed in T-shirts and shorts. When trying to connect others to a good cause and the opportunity to meet a star before he becomes the next big thing, leaving out a few minor details was worth the odd looks we received from almost everyone as we walked to VIP waiting area. Our evening started out a little awkward but the performance was magnificent. Watching Dr. Weiss (Jacob), Ted Joblin, and Michael Karas perform a high energy 30 plus minute non-stop juggling set using everything from oval rings to violins to gigantic objects while keeping a country and western crowd thoroughly entertained with humor was something to see. The performance was truly “a symphony of action and comedy.” Seeing six Black folks sitting in middle of 2,000 White folks added to the entertainment value for me.

Do I have you intrigued about when is the next show? Good! If you want to see Dr. Weiss and "Playing by Air: in person, please join them on July 17 @ 7PM and July 18 @ 2PM at the Nashville's Children Theater. Cancer survivors' families and supporters will share a memorable evening of laughter and inspiration. Come help build community partnerships with nearly 30 organizations that have programs and workshops to help cancer survivors, families, caretakers and community.

Dr. Weiss, I mean Jacob, showed me that with a little elbow grease and creativity, we can talk about cancer, be informed, and bring joy and laughter to an audience all at once. The sponsors of the event are invested in stamping out cancer. The list includes Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Holmes Pest Control, Conner Management Group, and The Tennessee Tribune; with additional support from the Nashville Children Theater, Artistry in Motion, and Martin O’Connor Photography. Hope to see you there! For more information go to www.playingbyaircares.com

The Boogie Man Spotted on Tennessee State University Campus

After writing about Tennessee State University’s woes with one media’s narrative, I told my sons attending the school to let me know if any media was stalking the campus. I instructed them not to discuss the blog post from two weeks ago. Speaking up about public mind games has it downside. I do not want my children to become targets of the media or angry members of the TSU family because of my blogging.

Before the dust could settle on the story, I got a call from one of my TSU brats jokingly saying, “Mom, I spotted the boogie man on campus today!” Exasperated, I asked in an oh-lawd-have-mercy tone, “Where?” I started praying immediately because I knew whatever the reason for the media being on campus, it was not good for TSU. It was only a few hours after that call that my predictions about the media’s visit came true.

On March 31, Channel 5’s Mark Bellinger led with “Crime up on Tennessee College Campuses”. Before I could grab my antacid tablets, Mr. Bellinger said, “Area colleges and universities also saw some pretty big increases. One of those campuses is Tennessee State University in Nashville”. Need I say more? Yep, the boogie man disguised as a reporter strikes again. Bellinger reported the details about the increase in Tennessee college campus crime rates but only visited or gave crimes stats about one school, my boys beloved Big Blue.

Each year, TBI reports crime statistics for ALL colleges and universities throughout the state. The statistics were released last month for the 2009 school year. Crime was up 9 percent over the previous year for over all crimes. This was the first significance increase in five years. Bellinger further stated the only two homicides that occurred on Tennessee college campuses in 2009 were at TSU. He failed to cite that no TSU student was involved in either of the incidents. In the case of the graduation shooting, the school’s campus was being used by one of Metro’s high schools. But who cares about the details when TSU is the storyline.

Bellinger found two students and showed them reports with the school crime rates from 2008-2009. The students gave commentary about the reports without asking, “Why are you interviewing us and what is this story about?” When I was younger, my grandmother often said, “Don’t be running your mouth to folks you don’t know!” I wish someone would have said that to the students who looked as if they were trying extremely hard to sound engaging and smart. Were they shown other school reports as well? Inquiring minds want to know.

Mr. Bellinger repeats scary crime statistics on the campus as if TSU was located in the middle of Chicago’s public housing. Numbers for homicides, assaults, burglaries, robberies and thefts were given. TSU’s Chief of Police was interviewed as well. I do not know if her interview was spliced but she mentioned bullying in her sound bite. Bullying was not on the above list that was given for increased crime on the campus; you have to know that bullying is included in the assault numbers to make the connection. TSU’s Chief Russell statement from the interview:

"We do not tolerate any type of intimidation, bullying or any of that is not allowed on our campus, so we do write students misconduct citations for that type of behavior," said Russell.

I contacted Chief Russell, who stated, “Many do not know that any form of intimidation and bullying by definition is assault. TSU responds to all assaults; sometimes it is dealt with by mediation and sometimes by arrest. We encourage conflict resolution which is not always in a report. We take the safety of our students very seriously.” The boogie man media’s narrative will shock you with facts that many are not aware how that information is factored into their reporting. Frightening.

Bellinger winds down his report by saying that larcenies and thefts were down at TSU from 174 to 156. Thank God, good news! Right before he finished closing the coffin on TSU’s reputation, he let us know that MTSU and Vanderbilt University’s crime rates had increased. Yes, he ends the three minute report that was torture for the TSU’s community by saying, “MTSU and Vandy’s crime rates are way up.” But not one figure was given to balance the story. Viewers were encouraged to visit TBI’s website for news about the other schools. Folks, TSU got to be doing something right for so many to work this damn hard to make the school look bad week after week, story after story. In four weeks, two different reporters from two separate media outlets covering TSU have reported college related stories but only gave the figures or misleading information about TSU.

Being a fair and balanced blogger, I believe that all the facts should be given to ensure the audience that the storyline is news and not a pre-written narrative. When I see constant reporting about TSU with slants, angles and twists that washes the school in a bath of negativity, it makes me wonder if I will ever see news about the school reported with researched comprehensive truth. Since Vandy and MTSU were mentioned but no information for those schools given, let me share with you the crime statics I obtained from TBI. I read the same report that Bellinger had access too. When I spoke with TBI communications director, Kristin Helm, she stated crime reports from all schools are combined to get the state’s average. Schools with higher crime rates are factored in with schools with small crime reports. To focus on one school when several in the same area with higher rates seems ridiculous and bias.

Vandy’s crime rates 2008/2009
Assaults 141 114
Sex offenses 4 4
Theft 436 601
Fraud 18 36
Drug violations 141 142

MTSU's crime rates 2008/2009
Sex offenses 0 4
Assaults 52 49
Theft 269 259
Fraud 6 2
Drug violations 49 80

I know many good, honest, loving, decent people who teach, attend, and employed by Vanderbilt and MTSU. If I was going by the crime statics reported, I would think both campuses are full of lawless, crack heads that steal and embezzle. It is very easy to use a piece of a paper to paint a narrative in broad strokes. My friends and customers at both universities are not going to like that I mentioned their schools/employers but neither do students, faculty and the TSU community like it when the media give partial reports about schools but only include information on TSU in the reporting. Vanderbilt crimes rates are higher than TSU. Both schools are in Nashville. So why focus on only TSU? Even TBI's overview of reported offenses mentions Vanderbilt’s crime statistics specifically. Yet, the reporter only shares numbers from TSU’s report. Hmmm. Middle Tennessee State has higher crime stats than TSU but no numbers from that school was given either. In grade school, I was taught the letter M comes before T.

I have asked publicly and privately, why is TSU caught in the media’s cross hairs so frequently? Some have commented that TSU is “low lying fruit”. TSU must address the root of the media bias more as well as deal with internal conflicts. HBCU Digest wrote recently about the Tennessean debacle;

“Likely, it (the Tennessean) went with information provided by insiders at TSU, for one reason or another, it didn’t see fit to corroborate with the administration.”

All of this drama troubles a poor mom’s heart. The school's first set of priorities is to educate young people. Anyone fighting the mission of the school, is fighting the students. The community must help build up the university and help attract young people to the college but we can no longer turn a blind eye to those who are interfering with the goals of educating our youth. Our children are our future.

When my grandfather was working on the civil rights battlefield trying to help get Black folks registered to vote; it was extremely dangerous for him traveling from one rural town to another. He was a marked man for many years. He said later in life, “I knew the white folks who were after me, they did not hide their intentions; it was my own folks that I was afraid of most of the time. Some would offer me a glass a water and a place to rest my head, while at the same time helping dig the grave for folks to put me in. You learn to sleep with your eyes wide open.” My grandfather was not a college graduate but he had a PhD in life.

Media folks will do what they do but the community of color must not be slow about speaking up and get its act together. We must stop digging graves for each other and start planting seeds to help grow the entire community. These last few weeks has taught me how much we need each other and how important it is for us to work together to bring about positive changes in the community, whether or not we are in the media’s glare or the spotlight.



Comparable Crime Rates 2009
Crimes on Campus TBI Report www.tbi.state.tn.us/tn_crime_stats/publications/Crime%20on%20Campus%202009.pdf