As you all know here, I was just invited to participate in a forum about the edification of Black men down at Florida A&M University (FAMU for the Black-colleged). As we also know, a lot of you have no clue what edification means. Please go look it up. Thank you.
You back? Great.
On this panel was myself, Dr. Steve Perry of CNN’s Black in America 2 fame, Enitan Bereola (author of the book, Bereolaesque, a sort of guide for men about being grown and sexxy and more Diddy-like), and rapper Wale (you probably know him from the you know…)
So pretty much, I was (and still am) the low man on the totem pole. Enitan is FAMU alumni and seemed damn near like FAMU royalty, Dr. Steve Perry is the only lightskinned man in America that all women seem to want, and Wale is, well a rapper. Nobody (well very few people) knew or seemed to give a flying f*ck who I was initially. Hell, even the article writeups and promo stuff in advance more or less mentioned me in passing. Not that I’m offended or anything, I get it, it’s just funny to go somewhere and realize nobody knows who you are and couldn’t care less when there are other famous people around.
So clearly, being the sexxy motherf*cker that I am, I decided that I’d make it a point to make myself memorable. Which if you’ll remember, I’m a 3, so it was a daunting task to say the least. Hell, radio interviews were conducted with all of the panelists…except, um, me. I’m not sure if that was due to timing or because I need to start a “Who is Panama Jackson” campaign but nonetheless, it’s just an interesting feeling to going from being known around one medium to being a virtual unknown in the real world.
Dr. Perry was extremely cool and very “real”. He is exactly who you saw on TV. Though I will say I expected him to be much taller. He’s probably my height or a little shorter, and I ain’t tall. Enitan was cool as his book suggested, toothpick and all. He essentially created an adjective out of his name. He took my sexxy schtick to a whole new level and wrote a book about his methods for conducting himself in life.
Wale. What can one say about Wale? He was initially standoffish at first. Once again, I’m a nobody so I chalked it up to that but he was like that with everybody. Just hella chill. For those that know me, hella chill is something I don’t do. I’m always on so it was hard for me to understand a celebrity falling back so hard. But he opened up at some point (to me at least), after they mentioned that I was from DC and went to UMD for grad school. Which further proves that while in DC, us Black men hate eachother, but outside of the District, it’s all love
The panel itself was pretty dope though I’ll say I felt that we were preaching to the choir a lot. I mean technically, we’re talking to the people that need to hear it the least. College me and women SHOULD be the cream of the crop and the people who already know that they have to go back and institute change in order for us to progress as a people. Then again, I also went to college, at one of those institutions considered to be a beacon of light and all that non-sense and some of the most ignant ninjas in America went to school with me. So perhaps we were talking to the right and wrong people at the same time. We talked about the Black community, the hip-hop community, the media, and women’s impact on Black men and vice versa. Truthfully, the hour and some change slotted wasn’t nearly enough time to really delve into most of the issues but it’s a definite start. Or at least it should be. I would assume that the point of this forum was kind of a jumping off point for future endeavors and the like. Or maybe for a lot of folks it was a Wale concert with an opening act of a bunch of cats telling them that they needed to do better (something I said a few times). I think the panel went well and I’d love to do more of that but like I said, when you talk about the Black community, no amount of time is enough to really delve into the issues, especially talking about Black men. Add to the fact that you’ve got two long winded ninjas (myself and Dr. Perry; that dude can talk) and you really don’t cover as much ground as necessary.
But after the fact, quite a few students talked to me individually about what I’d said and felt I contributed nicely so that was a bonus. At least I wasn’t up there sounding like a dude who ain’t sexxy. I also felt like I at least left an impression. As the most unknown unknown cat up there, I had a job to do and I felt I did it. Blew some opportunities though because we STILL don’t have business cards so all these men wanted to keep in touch and I had to pray they either copied my info down right or can remember the VSB name.
All in all, it was a good experience, save for the chick who pissed on herself in the middle of the forum.
And yes you read that right. FAMU – we got to do better.
Special shout out to Kianta Key who I take it was the overall organizer and really did a phenomenal job managing personalities and an event at a Black school – which means exactly what you think it means. There were a gang of great folks I met at FAMU and I was really happy to be apart of something that I felt made a real difference, unlike my day job. It kind of made me want to return to teaching, specifically at an HBCU. Also, shout out to the cat John Sellers, who created the Mt. Rushmore graphic so many people were hitting me up about. Great guy and really talented, and he also runs this site, Freedom Theory.
And a special shout out to the FAMU community at large and all the new folks I met who added me on twitter forcing me to have to twitter (tweet?) more.
Hopefully, I can find someway to keep contributing to their cause down there. For me it wasn’t just some sh*t to do, it was an opportunity to help make a difference. Just talking about it isn’t enough for me. I’m a Black man and me and my brothers need help. Folks like Dr. Perry make a difference everyday. That needs to be me.
Well that’s the abridged (trust me, I could write a solid 3000 words about all the f*ckery involved in my trip) version. Very Smart Brothas are carving our niche in the world and hopefully this was just a beginning.
Thanks for having a brotha.
Recap. Recapped.
Word.Life.
-VSB P aka THE ARSONIST aka TANGLE JIG P aka GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRL, HE A 3
interesting…as i was wondering what in da hell wale could have to talk a bout in a forum with obviously educated people…i thought i had misread the name initially or it was some type of typo or an error or a joke…he’s a rapper for chrsit sake and yes u read that right…he aint no lupe’ fiasco while his lyrics are a bit more enlightened for lack of a better word..still wale? Anyhoo glad u felt u made a difference and maybe hopefully more Black men will heed to the calling…Kudos to you, iand btw i think you’re a 5 ….inteliigence is very sexy #justfyi thanks for the recap cause i was secretly wondering how that was going to turn out…wale? like fa real? ok then…
wale held his own up there, and while i’m not the biggest fan of his music, everybody else was and he does have songs that address some of those very issues we talked about. also, he made some valid points and interested statements regarding hip-hop and what goes on behind the doors. also made some funny points too. so while i was initially wondering why they picked wale, he was a good fit after the fact.
thing is…from the students perspective, they might be wondering why in the hell they picked me. at least them ninjas listen to wale.
whodatiz? panama jackson? he the kid joe and katherine dont talk about? he just a blogger? why he look like a fake common?!? (actual comment i saw on twitter…LMAO)
“why he look like a fake common?!? (actual comment i saw on twitter…LMAO)”
LMAO x20.
“why he look like a fake common?!? (actual comment i saw on twitter…LMAO)”
*DEATH*
why he look like a fake common?!? (actual comment i saw on twitter…LMAO)
*what my co-workers know for sure: that i aint shit. LMAO, i’m dying*
@Panama Jackson,
*DEAD*
Awesome! Love reading about such positive things going on @ HBCUs.
Sounds like it was a productive event and an enjoyable time.
Tsk tsk on not having those business cards
yeah, the business cards were a blown opportunity, strictly from the standpoint of staying in touch with people. i love the opportunity to continue to build relationships. and yeah, there was a lot of positive energy there. i was glad to have visited.
P*ssy Princess was just happy to see you…………..
there shouldn’t be that much happiness in the world. especially not when you’re grown. lol. like seriously, now you the woman who pissed on herself at an event…ANY EVENT…
who’s gonna want to date her? she should be so damn embarassed. how you gon’ come to an event focused on UPLIFTMENT and you do some nasty sh*t like that you nasty motherf*cker.
shesonasty
As a FAMU alum that bleeds Orange and Green, I for some reason feel ashamed at this chick that couldn’t find a bathroom. We represent better than that.
I hope that doesn’t color your experience as a whole.
Nastya$$bishes!
@Soula Powa,
HEEEEYYYY JB!!
Cosign! You KNOW I bleed Orange & Green and that is NOT the biz! WDDDA!?!?! Pissing in Lee Hall outside the bathroom…I.JUST.CAN’T!!
So I had no idea who you (panama jackson and still kind of dont..google didnt help) were before this forum but I’m glad you came and shared your thoughts and opinions with FAMU. Now to the girl who pissed on herself you can blame it on the four loco she was drinking. To those who have hater tendencies (Caramel eclair) WALE did a great job. Both on the panel and at the mini concert he gave. He gave insight on how light skin vs dark skin video vixen’s really feel about themselves…i had no idea it was like that.
And can we save the # sh*t for twitter thanx. Overall it was a great forum!
it’s alright. i’m a writer, not a biter for myself and others who’s writing to show you what we fighting for.
howyoulikemenow – i just jacked jay and talib kweli to define myself. LOL. i’m a rapper now.
you know the only thing that bothers me about being anonymous is that when folks dont know you or don’t know why they should know you they dont listen to you. its the same with music, until we know a song is on the radio, we dont care about it. basically, we’re screwed. but, that’s life and the way it goes so i’m just happy i was invited. and yeah, Wale was cool up there.
re the light vs dark vixens thing…lol…i SO love how we just call vide hoes vixens nowadays like it sounds better…i think b/c i’m involved in that industry in some ways as well, it’s not news to me and the fact that ANYBODY gives a shit about what color video hoes are is kind of retarded to me anyway. (i’m sure Monk will feel differently). but to me, the fact that we scream for equal opportunity in a venue where most of us refer to the women as hoes just screams to me that we have some misplaced priorities anyway.
why do we care who shows up to be an accessory in a video? THEY showed up. lol. if you’re looking to videos for self-esteem, you’ve got bigger problems in life anyway. i ALMOST brought that up in the forum but i decided that i’d just let it ride and possibly write about it at some point.
Congratulations. I’m glad it went well, and I hope even more opportunities open up for VSB.
“why do we care who shows up to be an accessory in a video? THEY showed up.:
Oooh, I wish you had spoken on the whole “light-skinned/dark-skinned vixen” issue. Just the whole “vixen” (please God, spare me) thing in particular. I would’ve loved to hear about the response you got on THAT.
but to me, the fact that we scream for equal opportunity in a venue where most of us refer to the women as hoes just screams to me that we have some misplaced priorities anyway.
you better get yo panel on, i’m at my desk wavin 3 fingaz in the air, and i truly do not care.
I’m actually in total agreeance, we shouldn’t be overly concerned about the complexion or even the racial make up of the models featured in videos. Just let them be. Generalizing and casting the title “hoe” on them is more problematic in my opinion.
Generalizing and casting the title “hoe” on them is more problematic in my opinion
Exactly.
A couple of mofos randomly asked me if you had a twitter because apparently I should know these things. Congrats on making a pilgrimage to The Mecca. Hopefully this leads to bigger and better things, like a spot in the inevitable Black In America III, The Dirty Version.
oh you KNOW i’d definitely need to be in that Black in America. lol. thanks for coming out homey. i really appreciate that.
@Dash, errr “The Mecca”?
sorry the bison in me couldn’t hold it in.
Man, keep building the brand and business cards won’t be needed. Do you think Jay-Z or Barack Obama walk around handing out business cards?? That’s for suckas. Ha!
On the real though, glad things went cool. Us men can always do more when it comes to reaching back to our youth. As you said, “preaching to the choir” can definitely be effective (and needed at times) but it would be great if more of these type of events were held in high schools and even middle schools.
Keep Bangin’.
yeah, that’s one thing i was thinking, a lot of these convos need to happen earlier than college and hopefully the men that were there (and women even) would reach down to the younger folks in the community.
as far as the business cards go, it was more about having the ability for some of the young brothers i met being able to get in touch with me. there were a few guys who seemed like they genuinely wanted to sit down and talk more and stay in touch and unlike jay and barack, i actually NEED and WANT to stay in touch with as many people as possible.
quick example, after the event, Wale (who’d been signing autogrpahs ad nauseum im sure) wanted to kind of go a back way out of the venue so as to be able to actually get out quickly.
me? i wanted to walk right thru the people. i love that sh*t. i was signing autographs and trying to talk to any and everybody i could possibly talk to. i dont have the liberty to be like, i need to go out the backway, they know him.
them ninjas dont know me. i need them to do so.
Yeah, I was just joking on the business cards thing. I do wish that more people who are in the spotlight, to a certain extent, extended themselves out to the public a little more and were more accessible. That personal contact can realy make a huge difference as oppose to sitting behind a table, podium, or twitter page.
Co-sign with Monk…Business cards are something lukewarm people need, for cold individuals they are accessories…
Anyway, sounds like it was a good experience, I wish that we had invited more speakers for the black community at my uni or that people would have shown up when we did. You and the Champ could have gone to my school and dropped some knowledge on the masses.
P.S. I only knew of you and Wale…not that that says a lot.
i myself had never heard of Enitan Bereola until I was told I was going to be on a forum with him. however, at FAMU, he’s somebody. plus he’s an author – a published one – so folks there know him and his body of work.
@ Deanna lol @ hater tendencies *kanyeshrug* i guess it sounded kinda haterish…but i’m not a hater….to prove the point i follow wale on twitter.. nuff said… i just thought he was kinda random…interesting that he talked about the light skinned vs dark skinned video girls cause some group (read darkskinned girls group) actually tried to or are in the process of boycotting his “pretty girls” video stating the obvious use of light skinned girls only…now obvious to whom i’on know i haven’t seen the video but dig the song….but i digress. I’m glad he did a great job but i still think he was random…jus like his performance at the MTV music awards….again I digress… but he had only 1 song out at the time “my name wale and i came to spit”*snicker i’on really know the name of the song) and landed a major gig like that…yeah it pays to be on jay’s team sorry bennie seigel….this post is going to end now cause i sense it is going nowhere fast *my apologies*…
yeah he actually talked about a lot of folks wanting to boycott his video and about how he has dark skinned women friends who have told him that they didnt feel pretty enough to be in a video. he had some legit things to say about that.
btw, boycotting videos is the dumbest shit ever. like seriously. boycott stupidity. boycott violence.
videos?
we gotz to do mo’ better.
I need to start a “Who is Panama Jackson” campaign
ummm-nope, we know who you are and sh*t, so don’t even worry about it, however if you’d like, we could do that, there’s more than enough folks here on the regular to get your name out there….but on a serious note, and it’s Monday & I’m tired & if it was some other day I may have been able to string together some long a$$ dissertation regarding your appearance at FAM (Michael Eric Dyson style), but since it’s Monday all I can say is Proud of you Panama for reachin back and I look forwad to seeing you on Black In America III, The Dirty Version.
“I need to start a “Who is Panama Jackson” campaign”
Hey…it worked for Mike Jones.
*snickering*
well i appreciate the help here lol. i’m sure at some point, which is a point The Champ and I are working on, we’ll be out there in a much bigger way.
…did somebody sat VSB Picnic in Rock Creek park…? lol *crickets*
i can soooo see y’all doing Black In America III, the Dirty Version.
glad it went well, glad you made an impression… and SMH at any college-aged person peeing in the middle of any public anything. wow.
now i have to go look up the other panelists… i’ve only heard of you and wale, like someone else said. go figure.
its interesting that you all dont know dr. steve perry cuz that ninja got MOBBED when we got down there. folks asking him to be their daddy in what i assume was an innocent manner.
If I missed the live broadcast, is it replaying on the internet somewhere?
i have no clue if it will be available for download or anything. i’ll see if i can find out…
Yeah, I’d really like to find that out, too. Maybe someone recorded it and will post it up soon. Good work, dude.
I def appreciate these types of post more than the other posts we typically see in the blogosphere. It also makes a good humbling point for those of us that run popular websites. Just because we beast on here doesn’t mean we beast out there. It takes a lot more effort to make a difference away from the keyboard than it does to entertain folks Monday through Friday. Hopefully more schools and organizations start reaching out to be people in the blog world. I still think it’s a relatively untapped and underutilized medium for finding talented and focused folks who know how to talk the talk…and walk it of course.
ITA!
ditto
Word. Especially this:
“Hopefully more schools and organizations start reaching out to be people in the blog world. ”
We all see it starting to brew a bit, but more folks need to get up on it. Don’t sleep on the brainpower via blogs!
IDK. Some people in the blog world need to stay in the blog world.
Some people in the blog world need to stay in the blog world and some people in the real world need to move to another planet. Same thing.
“Some people in the blog world need to stay in the blog world and some people in the real world need to move to another planet. Same thing.”
Exactly. That principle applies to everywhere and everything.
Congrats Morehouse Brotha!!!
I attempted to watch the live-stream, but the sound quality wasn’t great, and my connection wasn’t great(D*mn you, AT&T!!). But the little I saw I thought was really good, and the students seemed to really be taking it all in. Good stuff. HBCUs are doing it this month. First, the Morehouse Founders Day Symposium, and now FAM. And Spelman hosted the Vision to Visionaries: Women Empowered A Legacy of Change event in late January. These events almost make me miss college… almost. LOL.
and LOL@ fake Common.
You know at first I was like why was P up there? Then I remembered that you actually are kinda famous. Congrats and keep educating the young black youth.
Also, I’m back bitches
AhAhA Ninjuh What up!?
Hey there long time no write
PJ I think we can bump you up to a 4 for a lil’ bit, lol! I’m proud that you went and held your own and hopefully it will garner even more momentum for this site and shine a spotlight on blogs that discuss relatively important issues (with some jokes thrown in)…gone head with your sessy self!
Glad you had safe trip and did your part and thing on the panel P, its good that VSB is recognized cause this is a most excellent blog.
PJ, congrats and sh*t, I tried to watch but the sound quality was so poor that I was getting a headache listening and ultimately gave up after the 2nd round of questions.
Remember sometimes its good to be the unknown entity, you have nothing to loose. As for not having business cards, I need you to do better. Even if you just get some white ones with bold black ink that has Verysmartbrothas.com and your name is better than nothing, until such time as you dont need them no more.
Again Congratulations!
PS you should definitely start a fan page on FB no joke…
They have a FB page
yes I know, but I was speaking specifically about PJ developing his own PJ fan page, a Panama D. Jackson fan page in addition to the VSB one, and Champy can get his own fan page too.
Panama YOU were the best one on the panel. you just seemed like a real A** Ninja… when you spoke about guys who would rather have an fugly light skinned woman than a beautiful darker skinned women. And when you spoke about all the brothers at your job being light skinned, It was refreshing because honestly a lot of light skinned people are in DENIAL about the fact that white ppl are generally less threatened by them. You should have seen Dr. Perry cringe when you said that lol. I was honestly disappointed in a lot of the things Dr. Perry was saying. Superficially a lot of it made sense and sounded good, but he contradicted him self too many times for me. I was curious to hear what he had to say about the light skin topic….Also when you made the comment to us’ most people are already doubting you, the person sitting to your right and your left are probably doubting you’ that struck a cord with me..Im not exactly sure why but I’ll always remember that.
“Panama YOU were the best one on the panel. you just seemed like a real A** Ninja… when you spoke about guys who would rather have an fugly light skinned woman than a beautiful darker skinned women. And when you spoke about all the brothers at your job being light skinned, It was refreshing because honestly a lot of light skinned people are in DENIAL about the fact that white ppl are generally less threatened by them.”
While it didn’t go in depth they lightly touched on this in the DeBarge documentary last night.
the doc was good, dude has me LLS when he said he had the Aqua Net fashioning his afro…. I wasn’t mad, see you have to find what works for you.
I was watching a Marvin Gaye concert from ’76 last night, SMH Marvin’s tenor like the finest silk. That was a pretty good show up unitl that brawd come on stage, she was terrible phcuked up the vibe, energy, and flow.
“you just seemed like a real A** Ninja” that’s a real a** compliment!
@IncogNegress, i appreciate that compliment. thanks a lot. for really doe.
Panama, Good job. Way to represent.
Based on this experience and the topics discussed while there, what are the top 5 things that you would recommend that individuals do to kick off the “we-need-to-do-better” process? In other words, assuming that you’ve got 5 eager black youth standing in front of you who are waiting to carry out the one command you assign to each of them to the best of his individual ability to kick off your “W-N-T-D-B” campaign, what would your orders be?
Free business cards: http://www.vistaprint.com
@Caballeroso, my orders would be quite simply. create a mentorring program in the community where you directly deal with younger black males…but also, create some organizatoin whose sole purpose is to meet and discuss issues and plausible ways to address the issues. not just, “we need to save black men”
we need possible action goals.
Congrats Panama. It’s good that it went well. I wish these type of forums can reach the younger crowd. What I see now is that you need to get at men/women before high school. There has to be something to counter the slave mentality/dysfunction that children get at home and their neighborhoods. I’ve been trying to think of what to do but can’t come up with an idea that would be effective.
Like a community center for teaching things like true history, self esteem, etiquette and social graces..things that build character and confidence but are also fun with guest speakers, things that broaden the horizons, and the younger the better etc etc …… I would like to have something for senors also in communities……
So I guess VSB got to get that book out & sh!t. Do that. & congratulations on making an impact VSB it’s not a name it’s a lifestyle. ..
now that is a tshirt I would buy
“VSB it’s not a name it’s a lifestyle”
Thanks for the recap, Panama! I came in a little late to the podcast but from what I did hear, I really enjoyed it! Oh, and big ups to your “sexxy” shout-out. LOL…the crowd loved that, I could tell. And yeah,
foineDr. Perry can talk his arse off. Smart cookie, that one.I refuse to believe that someone actually tinkled on themselves during the panel. I’m gonna chalk it up to a conspiracy theory because that is just all kinds of foul. lmao
Congrats PJ. I really hope you’re able to get a recording up, I missed the forum. There was an impromptu get together because some of the older folks found out they passed their comps…6 hours later I came stumbling in.
Also, good look on making linking VSB posts easier. Before today they’d been showing up as just a web address, now they’re displaying the picture and some text and sh*t.
For one, i would like to thank Panama for being there and participating in that forum at my school FAMU. I honestly there should be more of those forums at different HBCUs and different types of forums. I had some FSU friends to actually attend and they had never been on my campus. Also im a fan of WALE…and i appreciate him being there. Also FAMU alumni and students for supporting that, its always a big thing when you address black men who are trying or should be trying to do better.
Great forum overall, inspired me to do even more and be greater. And i think all black men need to hear something like that, grown, in college, out of college, whatever…you always need other black male figures who have achieved some success , telling the rest of us to get up on our grind and make it happen. I appreciate it and like how it all went down.
@Machete_Slim, sup homey. thanks for the thanks. lol. i was glad to be there and i think that if it helped to inspire one person then it was worthwhile. thanks for the shoutout.
Hey…us brothas don’t hate each other in DC (unless of course you’re humping one of their baby momz). Avoid the bamaz and gumps and you’ll be aight.
I was gonna say something to that also, but then I thought I am not a male….that brawds I can tell you about all day tho LMAO!!!!!!!!
Honestly, I’ve seen women wreck and get into it more than men have in general. I guess it’s because of dudes really did hate each other and take it to that level, (sadly) someone has to die.
They don’t know who you are now. But in a coulpe years, they’ll be like, “That dude P? Yeah I knew him way back before he was a regular contributor to ‘insert respected news organization here’.”
Meanwhile, I’ll say I knew you when your chin was on your chest!
Definitely loved the panel and there does need to be a campaign. When I had to explain to people who you were they still gave me the “and” look . They understood after the panel though. Thanks for coming to FAMU and please come back and visit !
@PheonixRachelle, lol. i love that folks were like “and” lol.
thanks for the love though. i appreciate it.
I love your honesty in this post. Hate I missed it. Just a word of encouragement and sh*t: Every somebody started off as a nobody to someone… You should be extremely impressed with yourself- I am. You proved that an ordinary dude had such extraordinary sense that someone decided it was worthwhile to have him speak alongside some (semi) famous ninjas in an effort to possibly motivate the next batch of black leaders. If anything, you probably had some dudes looking at you like, “man, how can I get like him. How can I just do me and STILL make an impact?” No? Well I was thinking that anyway. Bravo, I’m sure there will be many more of these forums in you and the Champs future. Hopefully I’ll be present for one…
@Ashleyg, thanks for the words of encouragement. i’m pretty sure that somebody after the forum was like, “i dont know what that dude is, but i like his steez.”
so that’s good enough for me.
damnit i knew these ninjas before obama was in office.
i knew these ninjas before everything that happened in 2010.
what.
…sheddup.
hahahaha this blog while hilarious is very interesting. I feel like i would have got a kick outta it. i just happened to come across your blog while looking up FAMU. in my opinion there have been many forums like this on FAMU’s campus and there should be many more. im kinda mad tho! they said it was guys only. and even tho that female pissed herself….i wanted to come damnit! if only i had a penis. sigh…
@AllBlack, well the focus was only on guys. but there were plenty of women out there in attendance.
welcome though
I’ve been following you since before jacksongtickle (lol’ed when John pronounced it wrong) was actually a dotcom so I was happy to see you in person! I did not know you stuck around after the concert I was looking forward to actually speaking to you. All of the people sitting around me at the forum actually thought you along with Dr. Perry were the best speakers. As for the girl who pissed on herself, she’s from the DMV lol.
Great job at the forum. I originally went because I saw Wale was gonna be there and thought it would be fun, but all of you did a great job and really made people think. I know that several of my friends got hit really hard about what was said and were convicted to make some changes. Ya’ll were so good about taking on issues in an educated and organized manner.
I get asked a lot why I go to FAMU (because I’m white) and stuff like I saw at the forum is one of the main reasons why I chose to go here. A lot of people are so caught up in their prejudices that they don’t even try to see the other side, only stereotypes.
If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t know who Dr. Perry or Enitan was before the forum, either.
As a graduate of FAMU (located on the highest of 7 rolling hills in Tally, FL) I’m glad you had a great time. Going there was an awesome experience!
Didnt know you had written about the forum!! A friend just brought it to myattention. you were awesome. #thatisall