What life has been: Post-Grad

I didn’t realize jumping straight into a Journalism career immediately after graduating would terrify me as much as it did. I felt a host of conflicting emotions. I am an eager individual who thrives in a work enviornment, who makes paths for myself whether it is of certainity or of “what-ifs,” and constantly wants to learn and practice. That said, fear of the unknown never stopped me from taking any opportunity presented to me.

After receiving an offer at a news station in West Virginia, my mind flooded with “what-ifs.” For the first time, professionally, I felt the need to hault progression.

After graduating high school at 16, I immediately pursued moving 1,266 mi. away to attend Howard University. My parents stopped me. A year later I moved 566 mi. away and attended Florida A&M University, where I later graduated.

Immeditately, my desire to learn and practice pinball launched me into every nook and cranny of J-School. I’m not going to rattle off resume here (feel free to go click the tab up there, lol), but know I took every opportunity I could.

Fast-forward, to a few months later, once again I’m preparing to make a big move studying abroad, discussing programs with my advisor and researching. Covid-19 stopped me.

Apart from feeling immense anxiety, witnessing an exponential rise in cases, and experiencing an influx of fear for myself and humans everywhere, as an extrovert (or ambivert) I suffered mentally. Even when the world reopened, I struggled navigating people again. I took a semester off working at a resturant and forced myself to engage with people without the pressure of school.

I returned to campus the following fall semester picking up right where I left off.

Reminiscing on my journey to and through college, I realized how incessantly I felt the need to rush and do only pausing due to external factors forcing me to. When I received a job offer right after graduating I, for the first time, felt the need to pause myself.

Throughout my entire journey I’ve always had community and family. God always places people in my life when I need them. I didn’t believe He wouldn’t do it again if I moved to West Virginia, but I knew it would be an adjustment. I needed to experience navigating adulthood and my mental health on my own without the stress of meeting the expectations of anyone else. This time, I stopped me.

I rekindled my social media management and virtual assistance business for income, bartended, briefly clerked at a hotel and most recently a filled the role of a sales manager at Dillard’s. I found myself on set for a local series shooting BTS content and helping as a production assitant. So many experiences, in such little time.

It’s been a little over a year since graduating, and boyyy (or girl) it has been A YEAR. I learned countless lessons and felt what feels like countless rejection (I’ll leave those experiences for a different entry maybe). In retrosepct, I can only describe it as transformative. My therapist recently told me, “It’s up to us to decided whether the trauma we experience is good or bad.” How we use our experiences to move forward is left up to us.

I choose to let my experiences remind me of my strength and of my dedication to always learn and practice. I choose to remind myself that I am fearless. I choose to remind myself of who I am in my soul, who I have always been… she’s still here. I am a woman who continues to looks at life like the little girl I once was — I am one who makes paths for myself whether it is of certainity or of “what-ifs.”

I am ready to unhook the doorstop and swing into the next room where I will thrive and be all of who I am. I am eager to continue to work hard, sharpen my creativity, learn and practice.

Bayou Classic

The day after Thanksgiving, crowds gather at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA,  to witness Grambling State University (GSU) and Southern University’s (SU) bands go head to head at the Bayou Classic Battle of the Bands. 

This is the kick-off of Bayou Classic weekend.

“Tonight’s energy was astounding -- It's the Bayou Classic. People are here from all over the country to witness Southern and Grambling go head to head. They loved it,” said Tre’Von “The Don” Ceasar, Southern University’s drum major, after the performances.

Southern University’s band, better known as the “Human Jukebox” set the tone for the night when they marched out of the tunnel. Their seven minute entrance of graceful movements and low chanting of  “Aye-o” captivated the audience, eyes glued to them. 

Once the Human Jukebox files into their seats, GSU Tiger Marching Band, often referred to as the “World Famed Tiger Marching Band,” makes their entrance preceded by a cameo of their Beyonce Coachella performance.

“Our Battle of the Bands performance went extremely well. The students performed as I have been preaching, motivating and even sometimes fussing. I am proud of them,” said Dr. Nikole Roebuck, Director of Bands for the GSU Marching Band. “They came together and did what they needed to do.” 

Immediately after the GSU band entered, the Jukebox fought back and pierced the air with their brass instruments. SU supporters stood to their feet jumping, pointing and agreeing with the music.

The bands alternated with different cadences and songs from the present and the past. Each time either band started, it was the same reaction -- screaming and pointing.

Being that this is Roebuck’s first year as director of bands for GSU, this was her first Battle of the Bands as director. 

“I felt confident going into my first Battle of the Bands, but there was still some nervousness considering that this was my first one in this position,” she said.

Her nervousness was not obvious as she held her own directing the World Famed band.

Toward the end of the performances SU played the Gospel song, “Let it Rain” by Bishop Paul Morton. Audience members turned on their cellular flashlights and waved them in the air. The band members lowered their instruments for an acapella moment. The arena fills with voices.

The strobe lights were moving instinctively, in every direction.

“This means so much to our culture as African Americans. The  Bayou Classic is one of the most well-known events throughout historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) around the country, ” said Ceasar. 

The Battle of the Bands is just the beginning of the Bayou Classic weekend. Families from all over Louisiana and the country come to experience the after-Thanksgiving tradition.

“The Bayou Classic is a longstanding tradition. I can remember as a little girl coming to the classic. Every Thanksgiving my family would talk about our trip,” said Roebuck. 

Ms. Deborah Livingston Clark, an alumna of  Grambling State University and Southern University, has been attending this weekend since 1967, her freshman year of college.  She demonstrated her support of both HBCUs by wearing one black and gold earring and the other blue and gold. Her whole outfit displayed this pattern.

“I never feel torn between supporting either one of the schools because I love them both very much and support them whole-heartedly,” Clark said. “I never leave the Bayou Classic without my team winning.”

The Classic is not just about the Battle of the Bands and the football game on Saturday. One would say, it is about family and togetherness. 

“The Bayou Classic is an opportunity for Alumni and family to mingle and reunite. It’s an event where we can recall old times that have been shared. It’s good family time,” said Clark.

Although the two bands go head to head, at the end, the commentator made it clear that the battle was all in love.“The Bayou Classic is an opportunity for both of these HBCUs to come  together, celebrate and showcase what it truly means to be an HBCU,” said Roebuck. “It lets everyone know that HBCUs are still alive and well.”

My favorite place be: Elton, La

In class today, my professor brought in a creative writing professor to “get our juices flowing.” Fun fact, my freshman year I majored in theatre and took a creative writing class. At the time, that was my favorite class (poetry was a close second) due to how rebellious it felt to write with no rules.

I’m missing home (Louisiana) a bit and with the prompt “My favorite place to be,” to write about home only felt right.

Here you go:

Raymond, sits in the same spot in front of his dad's deteriorating laundromat probably from the ‘60s welcoming everybody that crosses the tracks into town. I’m free. With bare feet I play hopscotch with the gravel roads to avoid puncturing my feet too badly. Occasionally I hear horses neigh faintly.

Neighbors yelling “hey there, where ya momma, i gotta sauce,” when they pass by. My grandparent’s quaint house in a country town with no traffic lights is my favorite place to be. Railroad tracks separate ‘cross the gully from the backstreet.

SJGC Grads Are Back

I always leave grads are back feeling a little more empowered. That’s one thing I love about my HBCU—success surrounds me.

Each year alumni of the School of Journalism and Graphic Communications, come back to speak on panels and connect with current students. This year, due to scheduling conflicts, I was only able to go to one panel, but it was packed with great information.

The title of the panel was “Countdown to deadline, "what it takes to make it in the newsroom and beyond.” Aiyana Ishmael, Editorial Assistant at Teen Vogue was one of the four panelists—the youngest.

Ishmael graduated in 2021, and she recounted how quickly her career took off after graduating. She highlighted the importance of knowing your worth and simply going after whatever you want in life.

Imposter syndrome seems to be a battle many soon-to-be-graduates face at the brink of entering the “real” world. For me, I think it’s important to look at the trajectory of others in my field, to find comfort in taking my next steps upon graduation.

Seeing the amount of success coming from my university only gives me hope for what’s next for me. We are our ancestor’s wildest dreams.

Profile

Kennedy Johnson came to FAMU thinking she was going to just focus on academia. After a semester of building her brand, “Gotta Love Swag” has taken off beyond what she expected and her plans have changed.

“I have always had a love for fashion. My mom played a big role in me wanting to get into clothes more because she would always dress me really nice. Once I got older people would always say that I dress really well, but I thought I was just matching colors,” the 20-year-old says. 

In her junior year of high school, Johnson changed her Instagram name to “Gotta Love Kennedy.” She deleted all her pictures and began rebranding her page, deciding to shape her account into the “it girl, influencer'' vibe she was hip to. With an aesthetically riveting Instagram and quite a few viral photos, Johnson has done just that.

Cult classic Rick Owens, eccentric Converse sneakers, Zara and the infamous Telfar bag are staples across her profile — a clear sign of her “it girl” stature. Johnson describes her style as streetwear meets girly and admits she gets fashion inspiration from the “Bad Gal” herself Rihanna and stylist Amanda Murray.

To adhere to her mother’s advice, Johnson — a junior in environmental science — strictly focuses on school during the semester and routinely works in the summer for extra cash like most college students. During last summer, Johnson had applied and interviewed for a few jobs but after comparing her options and consulting with her boyfriend and mom, she decided working for someone else wasn't for her. 

“I had a job interview and I would be selling things for another person. I had gotten the job, but I kind of felt weird selling things for other people, and even when I work regular jobs I feel a little weird working for other people.”

Johnson’s boyfriend immediately encouraged her to use the skills she would be providing for others, for herself. Initially, she took the conversation lightly but after speaking with her mom, who is a self-employed hairstylist of more than 30 years, she was assured that entrepreneurship was her next step and thus “Gotta Love Swag” was conceived.

While entrepreneurship wasn’t always at the fore of her dreams, she is glad she had faith and made the step. “I never saw myself being an entrepreneur. Other people around me did, but I just had this ‘basic’ dream to go to college and become a dentist. I still want to go into the dental field, but I really wanted to start a business.”

Self-doubt is often a looming fear before a potential feat, however, Johnson knows the first step is starting. “I know a lot of people have fears about not doing well. That’s why I wanted to start because I’ve wanted to do a lot of things.” 

Conquering new feats isn’t anything new to her. She has a YouTube channel dedicated to travel vlogs, fashion and lifestyle videos garnering over 2,300 views and 600 subscribers.  “I have a YouTube channel, and I wanted to start vlogging in high school but I never started because I thought nobody would watch me. It’s crazy because it’s a self-doubt thing, but nobody has ever doubted me. People always persuade me to get into stuff like that.” 

Between the end of the summer and her release, Johnson ignored any self-doubt she had, created a business plan, established her brand and learned how to embroider via TikTok and YouTube. Her first beanie collection, of 30, debuted on Dec. 30, 2021, at noon. Within two hours, she sold out and had to reopen the site. “It ,” she says. To avoid getting overwhelmed with orders, she closed the site after selling nearly 60 beanies and surpassed her expected revenue by $1,200. 

Nascent business owners often look to friends for support and while she did gain their support she luckily garnered attention from strangers. “You realize that it’s strangers who will make you money, it's people who’ve bought from me who I have no idea who they are.”

Johnson has since released her second and last beanie collection, “The Brim Collection,” in which the heart-shaped logo sits on the brim rather than the skull of the beanie. After two successful drops, Johnson is ready to move on to new garments and is dabbling in sewing and screenprinting.

“I hate when people try to put me in a bubble. I want to do everything. I don’t want people to look at me and be like, ‘oh that's the girl who sells hats.’ My ‘Big Three’ screams I need freedom and makes me work harder,” she says, crediting her Sagittarius sun, Gemini moon and Virgo rising.

The next “Gotta Love Swag” collection will drop in February and due to many requests from her supporters, it will consist of sweatshirts and crewnecks, but she looks forward to what she will create in the summer.