If you are a underachiever in your studies, maybe you ought to skip college and become a plumber instead.

Well at least that is what billionaire and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg advised ‘so-so’ students to do in order to avoid expensive college fees.

@dailymailus He had me with picking up a trade instead, but then he said being a plumber is the way to go. Us ‘so-so’ students are screwed.

— The Cat (@tommymeade_) May 18, 2013

Daily Mail:

New Yorkers are used to Mayor Bloomberg trying to nanny them with laws about soda sizes and smoking but now the billionaire has taken to dishing out career advice.

Speaking on his weekly radio show on Friday, Bloomberg suggested that ‘so-so’ students might want to consider going to trade school and becoming a plumber as a better economic bet than obtaining an expensive undergraduate degree.

‘The people who are going to have the biggest problem are college graduates who aren’t rocket scientists, if you will, not at the top of their class,’ he said.

‘Compare a plumber to going to Harvard College – being a plumber, actually for the average person, probably would be a better deal.’

Now hold your horses, I know you are probably scracthing your head right now–but let’s look on the bright side: Mayor Bloomberg has a point.

Who wants to stack up on student loan debt when you can pick up a trade like plumbing?

[The average amount of student loan debt for the Class of 2011 was $26,600.]

Plus, the median expected salary for a typical plumber position in the United States is around $40,000 give or take things like location and experience, according to Salary.com.

So installing and repairing your own waste disposal system to keep the house tidy is not too shabby over having Sallie Mae as a long-term pimp after graduation, right?

Tell us your thoughts and comment below

HBCU Buzz is the Most Influential Brand in the HBCU Community, and the Leading Source of HBCU News. Like The Buzz on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

The ‘follow’ button on social media network Twitter that is.

Here’s what some people tweeted this past week on students graduating from HBCUs

Nothing is more motivating than going to a graduation filled with nothing but young African Americans graduating college. #HBCU #Achievement

— Da-mirror(@GlossnPumps813) May 4, 2013

There is no academic ritual in American life that remotely approaches the poignant blend of memory and meaning of an HBCU graduation.

— Greg Carr (@AfricanaCarr) May 2, 2013

Nothing like an HBCU graduation – Lane College where Howard alum Fredricka Whitfield of CNN delivered keynote address twitter.com/HBCUAccessorie…

— HBCU Accessories (@HBCUAccessories) May 2, 2013

Send us your graduation photos and follow us on Twitter.

Dear Rand Paul, Please Return to Howard..set the record straight and visit 40 other HBCU’s…Note: It will pay off in the long run.

— Brandon Brice (@Iambrandonbrice) April 29, 2013

I wonder if freshman Kentucky GOP Senator Rand Paul knew what he was getting himself into when he spoke at the ‘Mecca’ Howard University earlier this month.

Paul said his friends told him he’s “either brave or crazy” for showing up at Howard but should he receive credit for his outreach to the black community at Howard? Carl Tate writing for The Daily Progress thinks so.

The Daily Progress:

Kudos to the junior senator from Kentucky, Rand Paul. Paul dared to venture where few Republicans do nowadays: He gave a speech at Howard University, the historically black university headquartered in Washington. I can finally say I Stand with Rand.

Sen. Paul, son of Ron, was the first prominent Republican to actually show up at the HBCU in more than 20 years — the last, of course, being former Republican National Committee Chairman Lee Atwater, who sat on the Howard board of trustees before a forced resignation (I could write a whole column on that debacle).

And he actually made a richly compelling case for the students to support the Republican Party and conservative policies.

Indeed, Sen. Paul should receive credit for his visit to Howard, simply because no other notable Republican step foot on the yard in more than 20 years.

(Former chairman of the Republican National Committee Lee Atwater once served on the board of trustees of Howard University, but student sit-ins at the school’s main administration building led to his resignation.)

Though Republicans won’t make inroads with blacks by speaking on events that happened 150 years ago, President and chief executive officer of the NAACP Benjamin Jealous believes that they can champion civil rights issues.

“Moving from “tough on crime” to “smart on crime” would be good for this country,” said Jealous in a op-ed article on CNN. “It would also be a smart move for the Republican Party if they ever hope to get on base with black voters.”

But if the GOP wants to “embark on a year-round effort to engage with African-American voters,” or “engage historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with the goal of educating the community on Republican ideals and the Party’s history,” they will need a lot more than a guideline (the “Growth and Opportunity” project) on how to have peace relations with minorities.

Can historically black colleges and universities afford to eliminate open admissions?

Many students at HBCUs are first generation college students who have the opportunity to test their ideas and future objectives after school through direct experience.

During my freshman year at Central State University, I followed my dream to become the nation’s leading tennis reporter/coach, in case my talent on the tennis courts could not take me to South Beach.

Two things can be taken from this: For one, students who are self-prescribed ‘tennis junkies’ actually exist at HBCUs and two; I had the option to test and fail my plan under college world conditions.

More than 2,000 other students at Central State have the same opportunity each year to go to college because of its open enrollment.

Dictionary.com says open admission is a policy of admitting applicants to an institution, especially a university, regardless of previous academic record or grades.

The policy creates equal opportunity for the rich, the middle class and the “have-nots,” to get an education, but what happens when a lifelong source for learning abandons tradition?

Historically black Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas got rid of its open admissions policy and saw retention rates shoot up from about 60 or 65 percent to 83 percent and was named the “2011 HBCU of the Year” among other awards and recognition.

PQC President Michael Sorrell cites personalized recruiting like other institutions use to recruit athletes, to “intrusive counseling,” in order to turn things around, according to an article on Diverse Issues.

Other HBCUs have also questioned their open admissions policy.

Miles College in Alabama wanted to create a “more stringent, selective admissions process,” noting how they serve a different “clientele and [are] in a different arena than the past.”

President of Texas Southern University John M. Rudley said a university should not have to accept anybody with a GED.

“That means they didn’t complete high school but they can come here without the same preparation as others and then be expected to compete,” said Rudley.

If HBCUs have stood the test of time by serving disproportionate shares of low-income students, can our much-loved institutions really afford to lose more black youths today if open admission is no longer present?

Tell us what you think and comment below and tweet me your perspective on Twitter: @tommymeade_

The agency’s Direct Loan program delivered a $24 billion profit on loans made in 2012, and nearly $227.5 billion on 2011 loans.

In fact, over the last five fiscal years, the Education Department has generated $101.8 billion in profit from student borrowers, thanks to low borrowing costs for the government and fixed interest rates for students, budget documents show.

Some student advocates have charged that the department is profiting off the backs of students.

After a requests from Huffington Post, Education Department spokesmen did not respond to requests for comment.

The White House is expected to propose on Wednesday that some student loans move from a fixed rate of interest, presently determined by Congress, to a variable rate that moves with borrowing costs determined by the market, people familiar with the matter said.

Where do we go from here?

Will the fractured system of student loans be fixed to a reasonable plan for all college students?

It’s hard to say what that looks like, however, it is clear that the monies accumulating  from student loans is absurdly high. Therefore, if loan rates dropped it would be better for innocent college students.

Nevertheless,producing a balanced budget is never the easiest thing to do. However, we must work toward better solutions to saving the flawed educational system at-large.

Where do we go from here?

We must realize that what is present is not always what is best. The current will forever need change to make it better. When the nation realizes this the nation will be in a better state educationally.

Where do we go from here?

Lower loan rates, lower tuition, more grants and scholarships; which will lead to more college graduates. Which may lead toward less violence and less poverty. We must always look for ways to include the marginalized because the plague of being left-out needs to be left-out.

“I am honored to be selected as the next president of the Southern Conference on African American Studies, Incorporated, a group that has focused on preserving and sharing information on the African-American experience for thirty-four years,” Jackson said.

“Professional associations like SCAASI continues to provide opportunities for faculty to publish research on topics related to African Americans and an avenue for intellectual exchange among scholars interested in African-American studies.”

Jackson said he also wants to create new systems of recruitment and retention during his term and expand on “scholarly opportunities for faculty throughout the country.”

SCASSI was started as a program in 1979 following a successful statewide Black History and Culture program at Texas Southern University.

The program originally was meant to bring together persons across the state of Texas who had interested in interpreting and recollecting black history and culture.

FAMU recently hosted the SCAASI 34^th annual meeting in Tallahassee.

Professors from Tallahassee, California and New York participated in the conference along with FAMU faculty and students.

In addition incoming guests were given a tour of historic African-American sites in Tallahassee and were welcomed to FAMU’s campus with a reception at the FAMU Black Archives.

Who said Black Greek Lettered Organizations do not promote brotherhood/sisterhood, leadership and scholarship to students on the yard?

Members of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. Alpha Mu Chapter continues to prove this thought wrong by serving their respected HBCU community at Central State University.

These brothers of Iota recently won the prestigious Ohio Valley Region ‘Chapter of the Year’ award during the Spring Regional in Cleveland, Ohio. Rashad Riley, the chapter’s president, also won the ‘Undergraduate Brother of the Year’ award.

With a long list of individual and chapter accomplishments over the course of last year, Alpha Mu Chapter of Iota Phi Theta is committed to their fraternity’s motto “Building A Tradition, Not Resting Upon One.”

About Iota Phi Theta:

Founded September 19, 1963 on the steps of Hurt Gymnasium at Morgan State College, now known as Morgan State University, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. is the fifth-largest, and fastest growing predominantly black fraternal organization in the United States

About Central State University:

Founded in 1887, Central State University academically prepares students with diverse backgrounds and educational needs for leadership and service in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world.

HBCU Buzz is the Leading Source of HBCU News, and the Most influential brand in the HBCU Community. Like ‘the Buzz’ on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Tragic events, an unhappy ending and the downfall of the main character is what Central State University student Malik Perkins depicts of the black man and woman today. Check out his account about the tragedy of these individuals in his piece ‘The Eulogy.’

Typically, we view death as a tragedy. However, it is hard to find sympathy for people who died from their own foolish behavior. These two individuals knew right from wrong. They understood the challenges they needed to overcome. They had control of their own destiny, but they decided to tarnish their legacy for things lacking in substance. They failed to realize that the world would continue to exist without them. These two decided to ignore the issues that were literally destroying them, and ultimately have no one to blame for their deaths but themselves.

Frankly, I am not saddened by the deaths of these two individuals. They chose to poison their minds and under-utilize their potential. They were so easily tricked into believing that morals were no longer needed. They became obsessed with wanting to be viewed as victims when they should have desired to be advocates for change. Their sense of ambition was replaced with self-hatred. Their valor was substituted with perversity. These two individuals chose to be deprived of self-knowledge—which often leads towards self-destruction. You simply cannot love something that you do not know, and over time, their actions showed that they clearly forgot who they were.

How can anyone be surprised that the African American Man is no more? He accounted for roughly 70% of incarcerated men in the United States. He was not perceived to be a family man, nor was he perceived to be an intellectual. The African American Man chose to be simple. He frowned upon those who valued education and those who sought positive relationships. He recited song lyrics of violence even though he was one of violence’s favorite victims. He viewed sex as a sport, and did not value things such as love and family. In essence, the African American Man made it easy for us. The rest of the world no longer has to compete with great minds such as George Washington Carver or Dr. Daniel Hale Williams. Even an African American President of the United States could not motivate him to change his ways. African American Men became so efficient at slaying each other that all the rest of the world had to do was watch. Even though countless numbers of young black males were slain in concrete jungles, he found a way to turn that into entertainment. The African American Man was lacking in leadership and morality. It was only a matter of time until he died by his own hand.

The death of the African American Woman should not be a surprise to us either. She allowed herself to become a symbol of promiscuity. The video vixen became more prominent than the educated African American Woman. The psychotic reality star was more respected than the African American Woman with ambition. Shortly before her death, it was a common sight to see her dancing provocatively on YouTube or engaging in brawls on World Star. Just like with the African American Man, we no longer have to worry about great minds such as Dr. Mae Jemison or Alice Walker. She eliminated herself for us.

Read the entire piece by Perkins at Young Intellects.

“Violence brings only temporary victories; violence, by creating many more social problems than it solves, never brings permanent peace. We talk passionately about peace, and at the same time we assiduously prepare for war. We make our fervent pleas for the high road of justice, and then we tread unflinchingly the low road of injustice. —  Strength to Love, Martin Luther King Jr.

The state of Illinois no longer lead the death-toll of African-Americans; a new study shows that Missouri’s populace is home to the most deaths in the black community, followed by Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.

Executive director of the Violence Policy Center, Josh Sugarmann, who co-authored the study mentioned, said, “Across the nation this is a long-ignored public health crisis that is devastating black teens and adults, their families, and the communities where they live.”

According to the study, Missouri has an African American homicide rate of 34.86 per 100,000 black residents, far greater than the national average of just 4.42 per 100,000. And over 83 percent of the victims were killed with firearms.

This evidence tells how gun violence continues to be a national problem in the black community. But what can you and I do to help?

After the bombing on 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, Sunday, September 15, 1963 that killed for black girls, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. took upon the challenge to awake every citizen in America about the seriousness of gun violence.

“We must be concerned not merely about who murdered them,” King said. “But about the system, the way of life, and the philosophy which produced the murders.”

During this time of need, King’s principles of nonviolence may help:

1.      Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.

Embracing nonviolence does not make one a coward, it portrays an assertive will power for what is right.

2.      Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.

Nonviolence is a holistic approach to eliminating hatred in the most hateful nation. Thus, it seeks to gain understanding from people who are confused on a perplex issue.

3.      Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not just people

This tool, nonviolence, should be used as a catalyst to exclude injustice and not exclude individuals for initiating what they think is right. It seeks to attack thoughts rather than bodies.

4.      Nonviolence holds that voluntary suffering can educate and transform.

Suffering is something that is difficult to do, however, it serves as a purpose to teach and change the hearts of people who perpetuate injustice.

5.      Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate

Love revives the community and genuine love is what the community needs anyway. All life is inter-related, thus, if we were to have hatred for our neighbor, we have hatred for ourselves.

6.      Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.

Justice, from a nonviolent lens, is seen as inevitable.

These infallible tips that Dr. King left in history will establish a nation in which nonviolence is second-nature.

Whether obtained via public policy, communal church involvement, conversations, educating younger people on nonviolence from elementary school and into college, fund advocacy organizations and act rapidly, nonviolence in today’s society is imperative.

When Beyoncé recorded ‘Run the World (Girls),’ she almost certainly spoke for herself.  

Grammy Award winner Beyoncé Knowles electrified fans the world over during her performance at NFL Super Bowl XLVII. The living legend simultaneously found time to rock social media, too.

Some of the funniest interpretations of the ‘Beyoncé Bowl’ came from Twitter.

Sports analyst Stephon A. Smith tweeted, “BEYONCE is a baaaaaaddddddd MAMA JAMA!!! If y’all don’t know, y’all better ask somebody.”

48 Laws of Power wrote, “Make your accomplishments seem effortless,” while another user quoted and said, “Beyoncé’s mantra.”

The most comical tweets came after the 34 minute power outrage.

Beyonce ass done used up all the electricity smh

— QU3PID (@TheRealQu3pid)

One of my followers noted an “inside source” told her “Michelle found out her mic was muted so she shut down the lights.”

Another said, ‘the lights went off’ as soon as ‘Jay Z left the building.’

Super Bowl XLVII was yet another spectacle, and Beyoncé seem to have lived up to her celebrity after many critics denounced her solely as a ‘sub-par’ talent.

And in other news, the Baltimore Ravens won the halftime show, 34-31 against the San Francisco 49ers.

About Film:
Filmmaker Byron Hurt explores the upsides and downsides of soul food, a quintessential American cuisine. Soul Food Junkies explores the history and social significance of soul food to black cultural identity and its effect on African American health, good and bad. Soul food will also be used as the lens to investigate the dark side of the food industry and the growing food justice movement that has been born in its wake.

[video width="512" height="328" ]

Watch Soul Food Junkies on PBS. See more from Independent Lens.

[/video]

[Ma-lar-key—noun:  Meaningless talk; nonsense.]

Well, in the latest news of ‘malarkey,’ Central State University recently approved this “Smoke-Free Policy:”

Effective Immediately

In order to promote the health of our students, faculty, staff and visitors, all Central State University campuses [CSU Dayton branch] are designated as smoke-free environments. Smoking is defined as the burning of tobacco or any other material in any type of smoking devices, including, but not restricted to, cigarettes, cigars, or pipes.

Smoking is prohibited in all Central State University-owned facilities and on the grounds of any university-owned property. This includes all buildings owned or controlled by Central State University, shelters, indoor and outdoor athletic facilities, indoor and outdoor theaters, bridges, walkways, sidewalks, parks, residence halls, parking lots and garages. Smoking is prohibited on sidewalks that adjoin university property. Smoking is also prohibited in any vehicle or equipment owned, leased or operated by Central State University.

Hate to say I told you so, but only a chump would think this isn’t ‘a bunch of malarkey.’

As a proud student leader on the yard, and an avid smoker, I believe this is unadulterated foolery at its best. Ironically, I had the opportunity to read such malarkey on jail cell bars (with a mild in hand) on my way to my dorm the other day.

[Notice I said ‘dorm’ instead of ‘residence hall,’ since they’re treating us like prisoners.]

Yes. I understand my beloved HBCU knows what’s ‘best’ for its students. But isn’t this college; where children come with a newly found personal freedom, and the ability to make their own choices in life? No, of course; this is high school all over again. Obviously.

Maybe Central State should try teaching ideas to its students, faculty and staff instead of forcing conformity. [Remember, we’re all adults, right!?]

But I digress. Rules are meant to be broken.

Above and beyond, I think I’m more excited to have another parent holding my hand like the child I am anyway, rather than facing the bad, bad world alone.

A junior at Central State University majoring in Journalism, Tommy is the Editor of HBCU Buzz and a Contributing Writer for Central State’s The Gold Torch. Follow him on Twitter.

She says, in a The Tennessee Tribune interview, “I want our alumni and everyone to get involved in financially supporting our institution, so I am beginning the process with my contribution. I challenge each alumni chapter to match my gift or follow my lead in giving to TSU.”

During a meeting involving the school’s future, Glover named five areas of focus  to move the university forward: Academic Progress and Customer Service, Fundraising and Partnerships, Diversity and Inclusion, Shared Governance, and Business Outreach.

Glover says she will be “a president for all,” and one thing that seems to foster a prominent future for people is making sacrifices.

In my blog with the Huffington Post, entitled, “The Lack of Stability of Historical Black Colleges and Universities,” I mentioned how leaders make tough sacrifices, even if the majority are against.

When you walk the campuses of a HBCU, with the exception of a few, you see abandoned buildings, old buildings and scraps of vitality from the past. The campuses of HBCUs look unorganized, not because of a lack of effort from school officials, but because of the lack of financial support and school enrollment. The churches that these institutions were started out of had vaporized into a metaphysical world that places profound statements over rigorous actions. Moreover, prominent alumni from HBCUs, who fetch absurd surplus of financial revenue, withdraw from making contributions that would drive them to the top of the educational ladder.

When sacrifices are made for historically black institutions from leaders, stake-holders, graduates and community leaders, plan to see yet another emergence of HBCUs.

There is a need for a re-emergence of HBCUs because of the state of the nation we live in. If we look at why these institutions are in operation and what purpose they serve in our communities, we will find profound ideas: Morehouse College is committed to training leaders who will change their communities, the nation and the world; Fisk University produces graduates from diverse backgrounds with the integrity and intellect required for substantive contributions to society; Tennessee State grows and develops students personally, conjuring appreciation to cultural diversity, embodying a sense of civic and social responsibility, and making well prepared to fulfill their life goals and; American Baptist College educates, graduates and prepares predominantly African American students  for leadership, service and social justice in the world.

On the other hand, better known (and better off) colleges like Harvard University, according to their website, mission statement differs: to strive to create knowledge, to open the minds of students to that knowledge, and to enable students to take best advantage of their educational opportunities. The college encourages students to respect ideas and their free expression, and to rejoice in discovery and in critical thought; to pursue excellence in a spirit of productive cooperation; and to assume responsibility for the consequences of personal actions.

Unlike PWIs, HBCUs trigger communal involvement in a chaotic world. It seems though HBCUs teach their students to tackle our countries most perplexing issues; gun violence, sexuality, poverty, capitalism, sexism, racism and many other issues. [While PWIs possibly feeds into students' psyche to produce arrogance, transcendence, oppressors, cannibalistic competitors and inactive philosophers more so than less.]

Thus, if there were to be any change in our world, would it come from students who graduate from the Yale’s and Harvard’s or would it be from the Tuskegee’s and Dillard’s?

In order for our world to become better, we must support all of our HBCUs that jump-start leaders to become agents of change.

The Root‘s contributing editor, Helena Andrews, wrote a humorous yet touching account of her experience midnight of Jan. 13, 2013: Delta Sigma Theta’s celebration of 100 years of collective strength to promote academic excellence and to provide assistance to under-served communities. Check out her story, and if you’re a Delta woman, share your own by commenting.

(The Root) — I wasn’t entirely sure it would be worth all the fuss. It was a half hour before midnight on Sunday, and a surprise fog had dimmed the neighborhood’s streetlights to spooky. Recovering on the couch after a hard day of being out seemed like the smart thing to do. Did we really still want to go?

The resounding answer from the women reminiscing on the couch next to me was “Girl, yes.” Yes, we were still going to walk to Howard University’s campus to fellowship with the other women in the city celebrating Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.‘s 100th-year anniversary when the clock struck midnight.

“And what exactly are sorors going to actually be doing out there?” I asked, feeling like a Scrooge on New Year’s Eve complaining about the touristy mobs down in Times Square.

“Singing songs, I think? Who cares! It’s our centennial!”

So I rooted through my closet for something red and weather-appropriate, finding a multicolored scarf with a hint of crimson and a fire-engine red sweater from a few Christmases ago that was too small. But it felt good putting that color on for a reason again. I was getting my second wind despite still being skeptical about how thousands of grown women were going to handle standing around without anything concrete to do besides smile at one another.

I can’t remember not wanting to be a Delta. My mother wasn’t one, and neither was my grandmother or my great-grandmother. But to me, pledging a sorority, like graduating from college and barreling through a career with a capital C, simply seemed like a given. And after doing my research, I decided that Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was the only option. I showed up at my initial interview in an emerald-green skirt suit paired with a deep-fuchsia silk shirt — pink and green — and somehow made the cut. Delta would always be that forgiving.

In the almost 13 years since, the sorority has been like an invisible escalator in my life. I’ve stumbled, I’ve raced up the steps two by two and I’ve leaned against the railing for a rest, while Delta keeps moving forward and gathering speed.

We talk often about our illustrious history and our accomplishments as an organization dedicated to public service, but for me what we do and have done is secondary to what we are: a sisterhood. Bringing strangers together and turning them into sisters — not co-workers or even teammates — is no easy task, and yet I consider the women I made vows with more than a decade ago my family, not just really good friends.

Finish reading Helena Andrews’s entire piece at The Root.

Our “professor” is short in height, black/African, and…reserved in clothing, to say the least.

Meanwhile, some of my fellow colleagues and I prepared to enjoy class with our usual routine. I counted 5 or so cellphones (thumbs inching for Twitter), 2 or 3 side conversations and about 25% participation points.

You’d think you’re back in high school.

Perhaps I’m too cool for school, but do HBCU professors suck? Well, when there’s smoke, there’s fire.

[And with an onslaught of negative publicity on historically black institutions, I’m positive other enrolled students feel the same as I.]

Such a troubling observation caused me to run the question by the means of the wisest individual I know: myself, on Twitter and Facebook, of course.

All the same, an older and much wiser Central State alumna quickly took to the “professors” defense on Facebook, saying, “It’s just you. You cannot judge all professors, all institutions because of one experience.”

…No points for Tommy.

Indeed, I believe she is right, however. Surely it is up to me (and you, the student) to thrive no matter what obstacle is annoyingly in my way.

But what about being closed-minded about the matter?  Are professors only in it for the dolla-dolla bills, y’all?

Two other CSU graduates suggest challenging the professor, too; not necessarily to prove one’s own wit, or to harm the professor. Rather, more for reassurance purposes for self.

With that type of mentality, it’s always chicken for dinner, money in the bank, and imaginably opportunity for universal peace. [But let’s take care of home, first.]

Tell us what you think, and comment below.

Tommy is the Senior Editor of HBCU Buzz and a junior at Central State University. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasCatacus

I’m on this “New Year, new me” phase that’s the entire rave on social networks right now. Only I’ve been working.

Or maybe I’m just being arrogant (my normal self). Nonetheless, I’m happy to say I’m blessed and highly ambitious, and I hope those reading can say the same.

The year 2012 came and left unexpectedly, in a sense, and I expect identical results for the current year, too. Thus we must strive to make the New Year yet another memorable one.

Some may say, “Life sucks,” believing they’re not blessed heading down an unknown road, struggling to find themselves and are downright unhappy. But remember those who lost their lives last year; to be able to right-click and scroll down this letter is a blessing in itself.

Subsequently, those who are privileged to wake up each morning are promised unlimited happiness and clarity (not mentioning the fiscal cliff of yesteryear), so let’s live up to it.

Continue creating yourself as you embark on new adventures and opportunity this year, and even all-time lows. Indeed, that’s life in a gist.

And summon up more awesome moments doing so.

Once more, Happy New Year from us to you.

Tommy Meade Jr. is the Senior Editor of HBCU Buzz, and a student at “the best” HBCU: Central State University. Follow him on Twitter: @ThomasCatacus  

Jada Pinkett Smith questions her daughter’s hair critics opinion on individual freedom when she posted on Facebook recently. Check this out:

The question why I would LET Willow cut her hair. First the LET must be challenged. This is a world where women, girls are constantly reminded that they don’t belong to themselves; that their bodies are not their own, nor their power or self determination. I made a promise to endow my little girl with the power to always know that her body, spirit and her mind are HER domain. Willow cut her hair because her beauty, her value, her worth is not measured by the length of her hair. It’s also a statement that claims that even little girls have the RIGHT to own themselves and should not be a slave to even their mother’s deepest insecurities, hopes and desires. Even little girls should not be a slave to the preconceived ideas of what a culture believes a little girl should be. More to come. Another day.

Smith is exactly right, and more parents should instill similar beliefs onto their children.

If “age ain’t nothing but a number,” then Willow should be allowed to make her own decisions. (The rising star will be more in tuned with herself than most other woman her age by doing so.)

Father Will Smith took to her defense, too, saying in an interview, “We let Willow cut her hair. When you have a little girl, it’s like how can you teach her that you’re in control of her body?” said the actor. “If I teach her that I’m in charge of whether or not she can touch her hair, she’s going to replace me with some other man when she goes out in the world.”

Foreign hairstyles is no stranger to Willow Smith. She’s rocked everything from the infamous “Cassie fade” to a classic but tough Elvis Presley ‘do.’ And it looks like Will and Jada aren’t looking for any parenting advice on the matter.

Smart move.

It’s a writers duty to inform the people about things that often go untold, no matter how touchy-feely the news may be. Law professor at Wake Forest University, Gregory S. Parks, did just that with his piece discussing homosexuality in Black Greek Lettered Organizations. Put away your judgement glasses, and check out his review of the matter:

On Sept. 8, 2012, Nathanael Gay married Robert Brown in Lexington, Ky. About a month later, on Oct. 4, 2012, Brown uploaded a video of the wedding to YouTube. Their wedding was only slightly remarkable given our society’s changing attitude with respect to marriage equality. Something about their nuptials was striking, however. The wedding’s color scheme (red and white), as well as Gay and some wedding attendees holding aloft the same hand signs (representing a Playboy bunny), bespoke Gay’s fraternal affiliation: Kappa Alpha Psi. Here enters the controversy: The wedding brought unwanted national attention to the fact that some black fraternity members are gay and may be inclined to marry other men.

Given the controversy, Gay participated in a radio interview with Tom Joyner to clear up the misconceptions surrounding the wedding ceremony. Gay noted that the wedding was not meant to be affiliated with Kappa, despite the fraternity’s crimson-and-cream color scheme. To Gay, the wedding colors were intended to represent love and his husband’s favorite color (red), not Kappa. Gay also noted that the image of him photographed with his pledge brothers, performing their signature hand sign, was not intended to convey a “gay Kappa wedding.” Rather, it was a mere show of brotherly solidarity and support.

Gay indicated that he believed the wedding video’s dissemination to have been at the hands of a member from a “rival” black Greek-letter organization (BGLO). While BGLOs are notorious for their intergroup rivalries (see Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and CNN’s Roland Martin’s tweets and Facebook posts about other black fraternities), one should not be too quick to mock another organization. For example, on Oct. 13, 2012, “Shaun T” Thompson, a fitness enthusiast who is famous for his workout videos, including Insanity, Insanity-Asylum and Hip Hop Abs, married his longtime boyfriend. Thompson is an Alpha.

I’ve researched and written about BGLOs for almost 10 years. Therefore, I can say that there is a range of internal issues and dynamics that these organizations either ignore or engage in ways that skirt the data and facts. Chief among these issues is the place of gay members in black fraternities. There have only been two groups of scholars to research issues around gay men in black fraternities. Dr. Alan DeSantis and Marcus Coleman (Kappa) studied the attitudes of members of four black fraternities about gay members, and Drs. Rashawn Ray and Kevin Spragling (both Alphas) studied the experiences of gay Alphas. These researchers found that homosexuality is rarely if ever openly discussed in black fraternities and is only engaged in order to condemn it.

Read more at Black Voices.