Prayer Works

When dreams come true, and prayer works.As a student athlete sacrifice is a word I hear far to often. Giving up weekends, holidays, and extended breaks from school, it can easily be described as a full time job. Although sacrifice helped me get through school.
Growing up with a single mother, if I wanted to attend college I would have to provide for myself for the most part. Lucky I have grandparents that are able to help me along my journey. Still I had to make a path for myself, so I decided to play basketball. Receiving a scholarship paved the way for me to attend college.
Once in college I learn to fully understand what it took to be a student-athlete. It wasn’t easy, but everyone told me, it would make you a better person and employers like the fact you know what team work involves. I believe it somewhat hinders you from accomplishing your true dreams. Unless you want to be a professional athlete.
I believe collegiate athletes forget to ponder what is next after their time runs out as an athlete. College sports propose a double standard. At one moment you’re supposed to go to school maintain a certain GPA. Then again you’re supposed to spend three hours a day in the gym. How can anyone reach full potential in any area?
At one point in my life my dream was to play college basketball, after fulfilling that dream the game became not as fun. The work ethic was challenging, the responsibility and commitment became more of a hassle, and the importance decreased drastically.
How was I supposed to get ready for my future and at the same time focus on a sport that required 35+ hours a week? I believe it’s not possible. As an athlete you’re always playing from behind in the classroom.
Recently I wasn’t sure where my future was headed, getting ready to graduate this summer, I was losing sleep, every night I stayed up in the internet looking for jobs, opportunities, internships. As a communication broadcast major I watche reporters films, and compared myself to them to see if I was ready. I wasn’t, not even close. I may have had the confidence but the ability to create a story was going to be difficult for me. Basketball did teach me time management, and to understand how a reporter has to get a story in a certain period of time, but in this case I would be a loser being a reporter.
I then learned what sacrifice truly meant, not to only give up but to lose. As I look at what I lost in my life as an athlete I’m not sure if I would do it over again. Yes, I’ve learned things about myself as an athlete, and made some friends, but sacrifice for those things when I could have gain more experience for my career, better grades, more family time, and ultimately more time for myself. I am unsure if the positive weighed out the negative in this instance.
It came to a point I was fed up, didn’t understand the path God wanted me to follow. So I prayed. I prayed that he would provide the answers, I prayed that he would put it in my heart the decisions I needed to make. I hadn’t been to church consistently like I use to. So I felt like I neglected the big man, but then I remember what my pastor use to say. God will never leave you or forsake you. So I knew he would provide.
That’s when things all of sudden looked up. First a friend said I could live with her during the summer for a small cost. Then I got a call from the Justin Unell the Sports Director at NBC Action News asking me to come down for an interview, that day they hired me on the spot. I was leaving the lunch room, and a pastor began to talk to me about life, and speaking positivity into your life. I walked outside and received a call from the general manger at 54th St. Bar and Grill offering me a job as a server. I couldn't believe it, but then again I knew prayer worked.
It’s funny a movie taught me prayer is like a GPS. You type in a address, telling it where you want to go. Just like you pray and the prayer goes up to God. Then the GPS tells you the you the route to take, but it doesn’t tell you if there is going to be traffic or the person in front of you is driving, or if you might get into a wreck. That is just like a prayer God hears your prayer and he will provide it to you at the right time. He just might take you through a few things before your blessing arrives, so he knows you are ready to receive.
It’s amazing to me how these things play out. At times when nothing looks up I tell you to pray. Pray and everything will be provided for you.

 

The Black Voice @ Kansas City Star

The Black Voice @ Kansas City Star

The black voice. What does that mean? A black voice gives the opinion of one African American that speaks for the whole Black Community. This voice is given justice, because a black person gives their judgment in the situation. The black voice usually comes into play in many business complications. It's more evident in the news rooms of America.

Media has a big role in society issues, and to be ethical, or to be fair the black voice is needed.

In recent years many public figures have been demoted or jobs terminated for speaking about African Americas. To speak about Black America you have to sensitive to what you say, because one could take offense. But if you have a black voice along with you agreeing then it's okay, why? It is believed if there is black voice in a sensitive comment or issue, then they fell protected.

Reporter Jenee Osterheldt from the Kansas City Star doesn't want to be the black voice. Growing up with no set future goals, she was granted an internship for three newspaper company in Kansas City, Minnesota and California. After all three cities she was offered a job at the Kansas City Star. She accepted.  Her true talent is her connections from her personal things to life issues, and her ability to get readers attention, using words in her columns such as "I'm Rick James B****." Creative would be a understatement for Jenee's work. With creative comes criticism. She believes she has developed over time a thick skin, but every once in a while she fires back at critics.

She explained that at the Kansas City Star other reporters without realization send Black Community Events her way to cover. She kindly handles these situations individually but said she believes everyone in the newsroom should be diverse and covers all events equally.

The black voice has many positive and negatives. But the black voice is believed to be needed in the world by the majority. The voice allows African Americans feel protected.

Who Represents You.

I recently went to an informal gathering featuring Republican Senator Rob Schaaf representing the 34th District of Missouri. I attended the meeting to represent students receiving the Missouri Access Grant.

As I walked into the room, a small group sat in a circle, chatting.  Schaaf began the conversation about a proposed bill regarding the police force. He told a story of an officer in St. Louis speaking to him about a vendor on the street, stating he didn’t need a license to sell, because he pays the alderman.

It is illegal to pay a government official to avoid obtaining a vending license.

Senator Schaaf



The cop wrote a report and notified his superior. Schaaf was upset with the alleged comments from the vendor, and felt the need for the media to cover the story.  The media didn’t.

He asked if anyone disagreed.  After hesitation, I raised my hand, and said, “Senator, I also believe the media should cover this story, but at this point in time I believe we need to focus our energy in directions. As a native of St. Louis and concerned with the FBI statistics naming St. Louis number one crime city in America, I don’t think it makes sense to focus so much on the nickel-and-dime operations, but put forth more effort to saving peoples’ lives.”

The reaction was positive from the senator, he agreed with me, but still he stated he will strive to get a story out of the alleged comments of the vendor.

The discussion with Schaff was an opportunity to hear about his priorities and to tell him what we think he should focus on. And it also made me wonder how many people know who represent them.

Some believe America is a society of go with the flow people; nothing matters until you are personally affected. In other countries people would give anything to live in a free society such as America.

Who represents you. Do you know? Do you care?

Links below to help find who represents you:

http://www.usa.gov/

http://www.mo.gov/

Voting Links


http://registertovote.org/


http://projectvote.org

A Heartless Stepfather

Could you ever imagine being shot at by your stepfather? Not to a freshman at Park University. Growing up on Corrington Ave. suburbs of Kansas City, Mo, Jermaine knew that day his life would change forever.

On a summer evening approximately 11 p.m. Jermaine walked through his house to check if there was anyone awake. The door of his parents’ room was closed. He figured his stepfather was sleep, and his mother works nights. He left to pick up a girl, about five minutes away.  Arriving back at the house, he made the girl wait on the balcony.  He went to use the bathroom and saw his parents’ door was open with the lights off. When using the bathroom, he heard his stepfather talking to the girl. He said. “He thinks he can sneak girls over here?” After his stepfather came to the bathroom and said, “Do you think you can sneak girls in this house!” With no response from Jermaine his stepfather struck him in the face with his fist. Then in defense Jermaine pushed him back, and asked. “Why you so mad for me sneaking a girl in the house, it’s not that deep.” His stepfather was still upset continuing to yelling at him, “What do you think you’re doing!”  Followed by another hit to Jermaine’s’ face, next he put his hands around his neck, and tried to choke him.

(VIDEO (click link) of an incident with a father and son. Dad let go with no charges)


Jermaine grabbed his stepfather’s arm to release his grip. He left the bathroom in the direction to his bedroom for his shoes. His stepfather tried to stop him. He still headed towards his room for his shoes. En route to get his shoes, his stepfather struck him again. Upset and frustrated Jermaine took a swing back at his stepfather and connected.


The memories of a kid rerun in his head. “I felt so good after I hit him back that night, because he has been abusing me all my life. I remember when I was a kid I was always scared to fight back, I received a time-out sheet in school. As my stepdad watched the television show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” every commercial he whooped me the entire show.”

Contestent On Who Wants to be A Millionaire

The momentum from the punch made his body go in the other direction; next John Doe pushed him into the wall, and continued to hit him in the back of his head. His little sister walked into the bedroom where the fight resumed from the hallway, and said calmly. “Stop fighting.” John Doe still on top of his stepfather not swinging anymore, tried to convince him the fight was over if he let him go. He then let him up, and went to go get his shoes; his stepfather got up slowly and let him get his stuff.

Jermaine saw his stepfather run up the stairs; he then remembers he forgot his phone and charger in his room. “I knew I would need my charger and phone because I wasn’t going to be able to come home for a while,” Jermaine said. He turned and went back to his room, even though he knew his stepfather was going to get his gun. He power walked back to his room to get his belongings. Then as he walked back, and passed the stair his stepfather was walking down the stairs. “I didn’t even look up at him I knew he had something.” He quickly walked through the kitchen door. “In the corner of my eye I seen something black and shiny, and knew it was a gun.” Halfway down the stairs he heard a loud sound and whistle go by his head. “As I ran down the stairs, I felt the wind of the bullets pass my head, all I could think is to get to the corner, so I can get out of the way of the bullets.”


Jermaine felt the last bullet go pass his head.  Missed and struck a pipe, the girl was standing on the passenger side of the car. The neighbor came outside and said, “I heard gun shots, what’s going on?” Jermaine explained, and the neighbor let both of them stay the night at his house.


Jermaine called his mother, and explained what happened. She told him, “Stay out of sight, and do not go around him because you know how he is.” You may wonder why he didn’t call the police. His response was, “Who do I look like calling the police?” In this area there is a rule where you do not snitch, meaning you don’t tell on people. It is believed in many African-American communities because people do not trust the police.

Jermaine didn’t go back to his home the whole summer. His mother put him up in a motel. He explained, “I didn’t feel betrayed that my mother didn’t take my side, I know she couldn’t afford her house by herself and she needed my stepfather, I understood. There is much more that has happen between them, so I understood.”

After the summer he returned home, and things settled down. Today his stepfather and he barely speak to each other. If he ever returns to the home, it’s for short periods of time. “I know deep down inside he wants revenge, he’s waiting for a chance to get mad at me again. I know he is. I’ve been through so many things in life. But I’m glad to become the person I am, today. I know I have an angel following me.”


If you ever feel you are in an unsafe environment, get help. Tell a school official, parents, friends, someone. Or call the Help Hotline at 1-800-427-3606 or visit their website at