PRSSA Induction - An Honor

by Latoya Lee
photos courtesy: Domonique Harris


The Public Relations Student Society of America Induction Ceremony for the Norfolk State University Spartan Chapter. It was an honor, to say the least. The academic and professional lives of 26 students, including myself, were changed on the evening of February 24, 2010. We were inducted into the student chapter of the world's largest organization for public relations professionals. An organization that currently has approximately 10,000 members and nearly 300 Chapters at colleges and universities in 43 states, the District of Columbia and Argentina; impressive coverage by any measure.

Dr. Wanda Brockington, PRSA member and Mass Communication and Journalism Chairperson, set the tone of the ceremony with a warm welcome. The communicative baton was then passed to the 2009-2010 PRSSA President, Kweneshia Johnson, followed by Treasurer, Crinesha Brooks and Keona Prude, PR Director. They spoke on the advancements and growth of PRSSA and the benefits of involvement in such an organization. New inductees learned that as a member of PRSSA, we'll have access to numerous benefits that will enhance our knowledge of the public relations profession. The benefits include, but are not limited to obtaining internships and jobs around the country, the ability to network with professionals and colleagues and the opportunity to attend national events.

NSU PRSSA Vice President, Octavia Moore took great pleasure in introducing the evening's guest speaker, Mindy Hughes, President of Public Relations Society of America Hampton Roads. Hughes message proved poignant and promising
She reminded us that as public relations students and professionals, it was vital that we continue to seek knowledge and hone our craft. "You must write well". That declaration was repeated emphatically and with insistence. Hughes impressed upon the current and new members, the importance of competitive communication skills and the necessary familiarity with new and social media platforms. Hughes closed by reminding students and members or the PRSSA Vision: G.E.A.R.S.. The acronym stands for Growth, Education, Advancement, Relationships and Students. Mindy Hughes says PRSSA is more than just an organization, it can begin to feel like family if you embrace it as such. As message dually noted by many in attendance.




Informed and encouraged, new inductees rose to their feet and repeated the words known as the PRSSA Code of Ethics and Pledge to the Society: To conduct myself professionally, with truth, accuracy, fairness and responsibility to the public, fellow members and to the Society; to improve my individual competence and advance the knowledge and proficiency of the field of public relations; and to adhere to the articles of the Member Code of Ethics/Conduct by the PRSSA National Committee.

We made our promises, accepted our induction certificates from NSU PRSSA Advisor, Dr. Marcia A. Taylor, and exited, armed with a new found level of respect and enlightenment. I am now a proud member of PRSSA. I am honored.

...like pulling teeth

Literally. We could wait no longer...my baby boy had to get to a dentist. I thought the situation would fix itself, but no haps.
Members of the jury...Exhibit A:


Please direct your attention to the situation in the front...up top. Maybe you need a closer look...


There is commotion and confusion. The two adult teeth came in with impatient force and vigor. The two baby teeth remain complacent and stagnant. They budge not. While one tooth became loose and seemingly willing to give, the other would not follow suit.

It's been this way for about a month now. There are speech complications going on and lack of appropriate toothpaste access. Plus it just looks crazy. So we went to Kool Smiles! Great place, btw. We've only ever visited private dentists. But this place was so much fun. Extremely kid friendly and pleasant staff. The exam room was set up like a beauty salon...chairs lined up station by station. One by one, the kids would jump in a chair once vacant. It was like a dental assembly line. The kids could each see the torture of other kids live and in color. :) Cool.

So anyway, it was my Lieko's turn. I was able to watch everything through a one-sided window. I could see him but he couldn't see me. Picture Law & Order.
The dentist did his thing then came out to talk to me.
"We're gonna have to pull those two front teeth."
Great. Fine with me. That's what I'd come for. I signed the paperwork, ushered my boy to the back room and retreated to the mom's hideout. Twenty minutes later, my child emerges.




He's smiling, he feels good, he's in the best shape of his life. He has two exposed cavities in his mouth but still makes one request...


...gangster! I obliged...once the novacaine wore off of course.

- ttyl, toya

Virginia Snow Punks New Yorker

I've seen snow in Hampton Roads a couple of times since I've lived here. Usually it's just a light dusting. People freak out and buy barrels of water and freeze-dried astronaut food the day before the 'big snow'. This storm was no exception. I'm sure every Walmart was beyond building capacity.

I didn't shop. Of course I didn't prepare. I'm a New Yorker. I thought, even if the snow does come, it won't be enough to stop my life right. When I woke up there was snow everywhere. By late afternoon, this is what it looked like.
There was nothing I wanted to eat in the house. Av and I both wanted takeout. Pizza Hut said two hours. Domino's said two and a half. That's when I decided the snow would not stop my life. It didn't even look that bad. I went outside to dust off the car. I couldn't even kick the snow aside. My footprints were deep and official.


I couldn't 'dust' the car off either. I had to go back in and get a broom. Anybody on the road in the neighborhood is crawling like a snail. I chuckle. I get out on the main street. It's caked in snow. I'm crawling too now. Even on the expressway...caked.




I thought I would handle a few things since I was already out right. Pssshhht. We made it to two crucial spots...


...Let the Ave man make a couple snowballs...
...and then went straight back home. Errands schmerrands. Virginia snow - 1...yankee girl - zip.

-ttyl, toya

The state of his union...

The only real moment that stood out to me was Obama's shout out to Michelle. The job and economy talk was careful and calculated. He spoke passionately about national security and eventually health care. He was all about reassurance and driving home the "change" agenda. That's cool. You know I'm for him.

But again the only moment I actually felt, without thinking, was when he called the first lady's project into attention. Michelle Obama will be working with health officials to join the fight against childhood obesity. Now, in my opinion, it's just not one of the most pressing issues on the itinerary, but the President initiated a round of applause and standing ovation for his wife. The first lady didn't smile with teeth showing until well into the applause. She signaled for the house to sit down. Was that humility? An attempt to refocus the attention... rightfully back to the man of the hour? Love and support from a wife? Annoyed of the show?

Maybe I was the only one that noticed. Whether staged or not, Obama seems to always give it up to his first lady. He seems proud of her. She always seems modest. Too modest? I don't know yet. After over a year of being the first black president and first lady, moments like that just make we wonder about the state of their union.

- ttyl, toya

A look at the eye doctor...

I love observing people. My favorite today was my optometrist. I had an appointment with him today. I'd never met him before but now I'll always go back. He was the oddest character. But I loved him. He said everything twice. Like Jimmy "Two-times" from Good Fellas. And he said "yeah" and "right away" after everything he said twice.
"Ok now just look ahead, look ahead yeah. Right there at the big E, the big E, right away, ok".
And then he moved around in the dark with a limp, but he bumped into nothing. He would tell me, out loud, the next instrument he needed.
"Now for the special lens, special lens yeah. "Right away just look this way, look this way right away".
"And tell me what you see on that line, on that line yeah. Ok now what do we see, what do we see, right away yeah."
At the end of his exam, he told me I was odd.
"You're odd. You're near-sighted in your right eye yeah and far-sighted in your left eye, in your left eye yeah. Yeah you should have a killer headache, killer headache right away yeah."
I was so amused. My son was laughing. That's all for now.
- ttyl, toya

Woman Up!

And I mean it. Not Man up, WOMAN up! Be a real woman and set some standards. Stick to them. Work on your self-esteem please. Where am I going with this right?

Cheating. Particularly men cheating. It's almost laughable, the fact that it is a given...it will go down. My girlfriends go through it, my sisters, myself, my mother. As a recently single woman, I'm feeling discouraged. In the last 5 months I have been approached by many men. 2 (TWO) of them have been single! And the crazy 2010 part of this game that has me totally thrown is that the rest of them didn't even try to lie about it! They don't even lie about it anymore ladies! My friend Krys and I are like 'whoa'. They say things like 'oh I thought you knew'. ??? How?

But I digress....back to my point. This cheating thing is age old. It ain't going anywhere. Why? Not just because men will do it, but because WOMEN WILL CONTINUE TO LET THEM. LET THEM. LET THEM. LET THEM. LET THEM. LET THEM. LET THEM. Get it? At this point, it IS our fault girls. We are teaching these men how to treat us. They will get away with only what we allow them to get away with. My dear ladies let me clue you into something ----- WE have the juice. Ok? WE have the power. This cycle has got to stop. Woman fall in love, man cheats, woman stays, man cheats again, woman hurts and resents and stays, man cheats again because the atmosphere at home is no longer exciting and loving and she's bitter and man loves new woman's energy and old woman has low self-esteem now, oh and new woman has low-self esteem because the new man said he has a woman but I like you better but because new woman's man cheated too her self-worth is compromised so she accepts the taken man and the old woman wont let him go so he wont leave but he'll continue to cheat because she's so miserable at home.....whuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh - wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew. I just exhaled.

My point is this: Practice saying 'no'. Everytime we say 'no' to a married man or a taken man, we just took away another opportunity to cheat. IF every woman did this, who's left to cheat with. There have to be some standards set. Believe or not, men want you to have them. I truly don't even believe they're enjoying how easy it's become for them. Women, we are the mothers of civilization. WE birth and raise our men. We hold down our households emotionally. We are the backbone. We are strong. Women, FIND YOUR STRENGTH. Pray on it. Work on your self-esteem. I believe it begins and ends right there! Love yourself more than that married or taken man. Respect that man's woman more than you respect those 'sweet nothings'. Sure, you don't know her, but she could be you. Get into it.

Ok last thought....stop saying "there are no good men out there". Don't believe the hype. This thinking will keep you shackled in bitter resentment and will encourage diminished standards. Instead, be a better woman. How about that. Stop worrying about these men and BE A BETTER WOMAN. Be healthy spiritually, emotionally, physically. Walk with confidence. Smile and stop frowning. Speak to other women when you pass. Yes, men have issues. But the blame game is played. WOMAN UP!

-ttyl

Muhammad Execution: Why Did He Do It?

So it's all over for the DC sniper tonight. I still don't know how I feel about it. Obviously the man (John Allen Muhammad) is severely disturbed to have senselessly taken the lives of so many innocent people. I've just seen other pending executions take MUCH longer to actualize. Maybe it's just me.

Maybe it's because there are still no real answers as to why. And what we have heard is confusing. Lee Boyd Malvo, Muhammad's accomplice, said Muhammad wanted to use the plot to extort $10 million from the government to set up a camp in Canada where homeless children would be trained as terrorists. What? Why? The guy did spend a good amount of time in the military so I'm just going to blame it on that. This is nuts too...Muhammad's ex-wife says she believes the attacks were a smoke screen for his plan to kill her and regain custody of their three children. Is that what she got? I didn't get that. Muhammad seemed pretty ruthless. I mean the man outfitted a car so that his teenage shooter could hide in the trunk and shoot through a hole....completely unsuspecting. That said, I'd think if he wanted to kill her and take the kids, he probably would've just done that.

So still, no one really knows why he did it. Muhammad has never testified or explained why he directed the attacks. It's very sad. Especially for the victim's families...he'll die tonight but they may never get the closure they need. They'll never know why.

Muhammad is to die by lethal injection tonight at 9 p.m. Malvo is serving life in prison without parole. The death penalty was ruled out as he was 17 at the time of the fatal shootings.

-ttyl, toya