International Best- Selling Author, Lang Leav

Lang Leav’s book of Memories first caught my eyes on Tumblr maybe a year ago. The pages in the book- the book itself had thousands of reblogs (reposts), so I was like hmm, I love what I’m reading I want to purchase this. Although, I didn’t purchase this book right away, the thought of it never left my mind. I finally got around to reading it this past summer of 2017 and could not put it down.

She has a very unique style of writing. Her writing is very emotional; she definitely writes with her heart on her sleeve. I think that’s the beauty of it though. She wants the reader to feel what she has been feeling or what she has felt prior to writing the book. When I first opened the book and flipped through a couple of pages, one read:

 

For Micheal 

Reading you has made me

A better writer. 

Loving you has made me

A better person.

 

I’m thinking to myself, who is Michael? Which was funny because I had actually read one of his books long before purchasing one of hers. Micheal Faudet is her partner- he too is an amazing poet. They currently reside in New Zealand together.

Keep in mind that I have read this book at least a number of 3 times. Every time I read it, the same page gets me everytime. Broken Hearts Page 99:

 

Broken Hearts

I know you’ve lost someone and it hurts. You may have lost them suddenly, unexpectedly. Or perhaps you began losing pieces of them until one day, there was nothing left. You may have known them all your life or you may have barely known them at all. Either way, it is irrelevant—you cannot control the depth of a wound another inflicts upon you.  

Which is why I am not here to tell you tomorrow will be a new day. That the sun will go on shining. Or there are plenty of fish in the sea. What I will tell you is this; it’s okay to be hurting as much as you are. What you are feeling is not only completely valid but necessary — because it makes you so much more human. And though I can’t promise it will get better any time soon, I can tell you that it will— eventually. For now, all you can do is take your time. Take all the time you need (Leav 99).

Leav’s writing is realistic. As in this particular piece- she gives you the reality of a broken heart. A broken heart can be from anything that revolves around loving another living thing; whether it’s a family member, a friend, a partner, a dog. Losing them is what hurts. No one heals from a broken heart over night. A person can tell them it’ll get better, or to find someone better, yes that’s true, but people heal differently. People heal at there own pace- it could take weeks, months, or even years for someone to make their heart whole again. So no matter how much a person will persuade you that this isn’t the end of the world at love, to you it may feel that way.

Lang Leav was born to Cambodian parents, but raised in Sydney. Her journey as a writer started when she was just a young girl. She would write a lot of poetry into her journals. She is also an artist who illustrated her own books. Leav self published her first novel called Love & Misadventure, as soon as it was listed for sale, it became a best seller. The first award that she ever received was from Qantas Spirit of Youth for her clothing line Akina. Her poetry was discovered on Tumblr in which she began to build a small fan base.

Leav hand makes all of her books- this lead her to self-publishing because she finds that her self made books are intricate and she didn’t want to let them go. Months later after self-pushing, she was contacted by a literary agent and was then signed with McMeel Publishing company.

In May of 2017, Leav released her very first fiction novel called Sad Girls.

 

Click here to read a preview of this novel on google: Sad Girls Preview

To learn more about Lang Leav, visit her website: Lang Leav

All rights to poetry listed above goes to Lang Leav.

New York’s #1 Best-Selling ‘Milk and Honey’ Author, Rupi Kaur

 

 

The book Milk and Honey caught my attention with its form of storytelling. Each page portrays very few words, but those words carry a deep, intense meaning behind them. It’s like one can almost really feel the agony that the writer felt while writing this. Someone can flip through the pages just by reading what has been said, but don’t actually understand the message that the author is trying to send. The book is sectioned off into four parts titled: The Hurting, The Loving, The Breaking, The Healing. Page 35 from The Hurting  really stood out to me; it states:

“When my mother opens her mouth

to have a conversation at dinner

my father shoves the word hush

between her lips and tells her to

never speak with her mouth full

this is how the women in my family

learned to live with their mouths closed (Kaur 35).”

 

Kaur grew up in a household where her father was in charge of everything- he was the dominant figure or the person in charge. Her mother didn’t have much of a voice because her father always told her right from wrong even with the words that she spoke of her own. With that being said, I’m sure that a lot of women can relate to this hidden message due to its reference to domestic violence. Women tend to lose themselves or their voice when they are being abused. They keep quiet because they are told too; because they have lost connection of their own bodies due to it being taken under their own will. Kaur speaks about domestic violence because she has seen it and has been a victim herself.

 

Rupi Kaur was born in Punjab, India and moved to Canada at the age of 4 with her family. Her first talent was actually drawing which her mother inspired. English was not Kaur’s first language so instead she would draw. In 2013, she started sharing some of her work under her own name on a Tumblr page, and then in 2014 she took it to Instagram. She began to add little drawings to the written pieces to help elevate her words.

 

Poetry tends tells a story by capturing the moment as its felt. 24-year-old Rupi Kaur does just that in her New York #1 best selling book Milk and Honey that was released and published by Andrew McMeel Publishing Company in October of 2015. In the novel, she shares her experience of violence, abuse, love, loss and femininity. On October 3 of this fall, she will be releasing a new collection of poems titled The Sun and Her Flowers. On her Instagram page she releases bits and pieces of the new book to her 1.6 million followers. In the upcoming book, she talks about love in all of its form on how she lost it as well as how she gained it.

 

Here’s a sample of page 66 of an upcoming collection of The Sun and Her Flowers:

 

“They did not tell me it would hurt like this

no one warned me

about the heartbreak we experience with friends

where the albums I thought

there were no songs sung for it

I could not find the ballads

Or read the books dedicated to writing the grief

We fall into when friends leave

It is the type of heartache that

does not hit you like a tsunami

it is a slow cancer

the kind that does not show up for months

has no visible signs

is an ache hear

a headache there

but manageable

cancer or tsunami

it all ends the same

a friend or a lover

a loss is a loss is a loss (Kaur 66).”

 

In this particular poem from Rupi she uploads it as a post on instagram, more like a sneak peak of what to expect from the new book. Here she talks about heartache and how there aren’t any signs to warn you when one is near. It just happens- just like that it is out of your control; something you didn’t see coming.

Kaur has also performed a piece called “I’m Taking My Body Back” which centers around her experience on sexual violence- this crime was committed on a car ride home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can visit Rupi Kaur’s Website here: Rupi Kaur

To Pre- order or purchase her new novel The Sun and Her Flowers visit here: The Sun and Her Flowers

To see her live performance of “I’m Taking My Body Back” in TED Talk click here: I’m Taking My Body Back

To read more about Rupi’s success read this article from the New York Times: Rupi Kaur is Kicking Down the Doors of Publishing

Trump Becomes the 45th President

Opinion Piece-

A lot of people may have felt intimidated by the ideology behind a woman becoming the president of the United States. Although Hillary Clinton has several years of experience under her belt dealing with the political aspects of America, a change may arise with Donald Trump. It was stated that Clinton has similar views as Obama as far as the same system that she was only going to make minor changes to. People saw Trump as a “new” and different kind of change, albeit it’s probably not the change that most have in mind but I think he won electoral votes due to that fact.

 

Trump is also a man; when you look back at all of the presidential candidates they were all male. Therefore one would know a little bit of what to expect from as president although he has zero experience as one. Donald Trump was announced as our 45^th president on November 8^th, 2016 that resulted in a lot of Clinton supporters to break down in emotional states.

 

Trump just isn’t fit for this presidency. He is so accustomed to being rich that he cannot relate to those who are not as fortunate. Being wealthy does not enable someone to run a country full of people with needs, wants and desires. From 1999-2012 Trump has played around with running for office, which exclaims why he was never successful with them. He still does not take this whole this seriously, but it just so happens that he won this time.

 

He believes that the president should always be someone with the most money. In order to “Make America Great Again” a strategic plan should take place, not a last minute idea because a person has money to make it all better. As a president Donald Trump should want to lead the country, not see it as a chance to invest in more money.

 

This is a country, not a business. America needs a leader, not a businessman. Trump is a businessman simply not fit for president.

 

President-elect Donald Trump Takes his Concerns to Social Media

President- elect Donald Trump took his concerns on nationwide issues to social media by incautiously tweeting statements on Twitter.

Over the past few months, Trump has taken over the political world after rising to the frontrunner position for Republicans in the 2016 presidential election.

Texas Southern University student Charles Washington says that Donald Trump’s tweets are inconsiderate as well as an embarrassment to the United States as a whole.

“He just doesn’t think at all; he acts on impulse instead of thinking about the consequences. That’s something that needs to change if he is going to run the United States,” said Washington.

During the election, Trump promised to make changes to America by using his social media as a platform to help keep voters engaged.

Shortly after his victory, Donald Trump’s tweets became direct remarks towards ISIS, immigrants, the president of Taiwan, along with several others.

Graduating senior at TSU Martin Adjovu says that Trump is an attention seeker, although he acquires enough attentions, he merely enjoys the right to intimidate others.

“I mean it’s pretty clear that he likes the attention that his supporters give him- you don’t even necessarily have to be a supporter of him to notice that some of the things he say are said in an irresponsible manner,” said Adjovu.

In previous tweets back in 2012 stated that Trump had no interest in what he would say ‘Making America Great Again’; he spoke negatively about the environment while also saying there was no reason China should invest $90 billion in clean fuel sources.

According to related sources, the comments he made about the climate change were not the only times that Trump had spoken against an issue.

19- year-old Radio, Television, and Film student Alessandra Fullerton says that Trump treats his presidential position as a joke.

“With so much happening in our country, we do not need or want someone who sees being the president as an opportunity to treat his title as a television show,” said Fullerton.

Social media was not the first place that Donald Trump took his personal mishaps to- he even recited them during each debate that was held with Hillary Clinton.

In the earlier years of 1999, 2000, 2004, 2008, and even 2012, Donald Trump tried running for office but was not successful due to people of America not being able to take his demeanor in a formal manner.

TSU Journalism student Devonne Houston says that Trump does not care about the people of America; that he just sees them as new ways to make money.

“I believe that Donald Trump was selling himself to his voters during the election with use of his social media platform. He made several promises and threats to people all over the world without thought,” said Houston.

Instead of spending one-on-one time with his voters like many other candidates did as a way to earn votes, he hired camera operators to pan the crowd at his rallies just to show how large the gatherings were.

During Trump’s campaign it was reported that he spent $300,000 just on radio ads alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s next?

Donald Trump swept to victory early Wednesday morning after becoming America’s 45^th President, which caused many to react in a skeptical manner.

Over 80 million U.S citizens casted their vote early last week at local precincts out of concern for what this country has to offer.

“I’m really feeling neutral right now. I just take everyday as the same, but not necessarily for granted,” said Jabari Sherman, junior at Texas Southern University.

Even after all of the nuclear weapon threats that were made by Trump during each debate, last night he vowed to be President for all Americans.

Although, Hillary Clinton has several years of experience with political aspects under her belt, her chances were put at risk when majority of the states were marked red prior to the polls.

24- year- old Mathew Ezirike says that the election does not affect him.

“I mean at the end of the day, you’re gonna wake up, fill your gas tank, go to the same school,” said Ezirike. “What’s really going to happen? What are ya’ll really afraid of?”

Many Americans still take offense to the disturbing comments announced by the new elect-President out of fear of possibly returning to their home countries.

According to government authorities Donald Trump does not have the capability to deportation, but merely the right to advocate his beliefs.

Texas Southern University Political Science teacher Professor Kalan Laz says that Trump will go that extra mile to get what he wants.

“There is no way that he would deport all immigrants simply because it would cost him money,” said Laz.

Trump claims to that he was “reaching out” to U.S. citizens who had not supported him to bring together and “unify” the country.

Broadcast Journalism major Jazmon Gallien says that the voting counts still don’t seem accurate.

“I still think that the voting was rigged,” said Gallien.

Trump pleas for Americans with hit slogan ‘Make America Great Again’ by informing his supporters that his victory was not a campaign, but a movement that privileged him into the white house.

Shortly after Donald Trump’s win, President Barack Obama showed his respect by congratulating Trump and inviting him to the White House for conversation about what’s next to come in America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBCU votes do matter

 

HBCU students fought for the right to vote in the 1960’s; today they demonstrated that black millennial do practice that right when Texas Southern University students marched down the Tiger Walk to cast their votes at St. James Episcopal Church on Southmore.

On March 4, 1960, TSU students unraveled the concept of the Jim Crow laws by doing sit- ins at restaurants, supermarkets; anywhere where they could portray that action spoke louder than words.

Texas Southern University Public Relations major, Valerie Madison says that the history behind voting is what gives her a drive to always get out and vote.

“I was inspired by my ancestors; I mean just knowing the history beyond the black votes and knowing where I want the black votes to be now,” said Madison. “If I didn’t do this for me, then I definitely did this for the people before and after me.”

Student Government Association known as SGA organized this march as a way to bring awareness to TSU campus as well as prove to the world those HBCU’s- black communities do use their right to vote freely.

The student had one simple quest and that was to make sure that African Americans voices were being heard on the ballots.

25- year-old TSU Broadcast student, Leslie Vasquez says that she is the voice for Hispanic people, considering that their votes were presumably high this election.

“Voting means a lot as a citizen because my parents might be immigrants and they might not be able to vote, so I think I do it for them,” said Vasquez.

When the students finally reached their destination at St. James Episcopal Church they applauded themselves and got in line to cast their votes.

Shuttle buses were also provided as a way of transportation to get students to and from their voting precincts.

 

 

 

 

 

Police in the Community

 

Texas Southern University students held a community discussion with Houston Police Officers to bring awareness about the everyday stereotypes that are brought upon authority figures.

 

Police officers have been stereotyped in both good and bad perspectives.

 

“The public seems to stereotype us as officers, it goes both ways. But, I’m human just like everyone else; I go home, I have a family, a wife, a mother, kids, just like everybody here,” said Officer E.J. Reyes.

 

Most people see officers as the enemy of harming and oppressing the people that they are supposed to protect at hand.

 

A picture is painted of police officers from the everyday “norm” that is often seen on television, but brought back to reality from those who believe its accuracy.

 

“Just because I wear this uniform doesn’t mean that I am this person that you think I am. I’m a different person,” said Reyes.

 

Other accusations that are made about community police are more than likely based off of experiences that one has encountered; making someone else create false ideology of an individual without knowing for themselves.

 

Although, bad cops do exist throughout the nation, generally they do not fit this description.

 

The conception of the police force emphasizes the overall need for police officers to obtain the community by doing policing duties.

 

“Our job is to serve the public and in between those lines it’s a broad aspect, because we can go from being a police officer, being a good friend, being a good listener, a psychologist, psychiatrist, even though we aren’t educated in those areas, but we still go to the effective,” said Officer Charles Webb.

The study of police ethics highlights the importance of the roles and responsibilities of the police; they can be more than what others portray them as.

 

Police decisions can affect everyday lives of each individual that comes into contact with one.

“It’s just best that we all respect each other,” said Officer Erica Dean.

 

Smaller communities made up of African American and Latino (a) ethnic groups tend to feel threatened and more so as a target police authority.

The officers stated that they merely do not target those specific groups; it just so happens that, that is where the most crime occurs.

 

“We have to react according to the scene… Every scene is unique; every scene is different,” said Reyes.

The stats for Third Ward area from January to October shows that the increase of crimes mainly resides in homicide cases, but that the crimes alone have decreased tremendously.

 

“Crime here has really gone down compared to the city,” said Officer Michael Webb.

 

However, day-by-day people become better informed about the police and why an officer will take certain actions in a given situation.

 

“I got a lot more information about what exactly it means to protect and serve. Also in the moment of what they are thinking. I was raised thinking that police were there to help me and so this kind of just helped to reiterate that,” said Zakiya Jackson, Junior at Texas Southern University.

 

 

 

 

Legendary Icon Prince Dies at Age 57

Prince Rogers Nelson, the legendary songwriter and performer of genres like funk, rock, R&B, died on Thursday at Paisley Park studio and estate in Minnesota.

His publicist, Yvette Noel-Shcure announcd his death but did not confirm a cause.

Carver County sheriff, Jim Olson received an emergency call at 9:43 a.m.

Prince was found unresponsive in an elevator.

He was pronounced deceased at 10:07 a.m.

 

UPDATE: Prince’s sister says that he had no known will.

 

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Reporter Rescues Man on Live TV

It was just another day on the job when Steve Campion witnessed an elderly man driving a Toyota Prius head straight into the flooded waters Monday morning.

The ABC13 news reporter was doing a live segment when the driver of the Prius plowed straight ahead.

Campion couldn’t believe what he was seeing and tried to warn the driver; however, it was too late. The car started sinking at the Studemont Street underpass.

“Dude, you’ve got to get out of the car. You’ve got to get out!” yelled Campion.

A man in his late 50’s possibly early 60’s, immediately panicked opening the door of the small car, as it was sinking fast.

He was wearing what looks like a brown trench coat while battling his way out of his vehicle.

“Leave the car, swim!” said Campion.

Just in time, the man did what Campion told him. He swam.

Campion ran into the water with news mic in his hand. He pulled the man to safety.

“I didn’t see it. I didn’t see it,” said the man.

He then navigated his way to lower water levels where Campion was standing.

The man claims he did not think the water was that deep before approaching it.

“Yeah, I didn’t think the water was that deep,” the man said.

Now, standing next to Campion, the man takes one last look at his vehicle.

By this time, the car was completely under water.

“My car is under,” the man told Campion.

The man was hesitant about leaving his car in the deep waters to sink.

“You gotta leave the car,” Campion said.

Later, the man identified himself as Andy.

 

News Reporter Miya Shay uploaded raw footage of Steve Campion saving Andy on Twitter.

You can watch the footage here:

https://twitter.com/miyashay/status/722042252420210688

 

You can also view the FULL story under the Editor-in-Chief tab.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Texas Southern University Alumni Panel

TSU Alumni Panelist spoke to students about the importance of writing as young journalists to indicate that the road to success is not always an easy task.

Each panelist emphasized on the importance of writing, and how one MUST know how to write.

“One of the most consistent things you heard throughout the panel discussion was- you’ve got to be a strong writer and that’s very, very important. That skill is transferable to any field of study,” said Malissa Wilson.

Although, the concept of writing may not come easy to many; it is very much an acquired skill to portray not only in the journalistic world, but within other career fields.

One must be able to grasp the basics of writing before learning how to critique it.

“It never dies- being a good writer,” said Erika Harris

Since journalism jobs are hard to come across now-a-days, a journalist should always carry a strong drive with them.

A drive to be successful can gain access to a lot of stray opportunities that you never knew existed.

“Honestly, I think you need to eat, sleep, and breathe journalism… You need to really write and perfect your craft,” said Nakia Cooper.

Also a good way to keep up in the journalist world, is to stay updated on all news programs such as CNN, FOX 26, Channel 13 News, Khou 11, New York Times, LA Times, etc.

Following the write sources can be beneficial to journalist with poor writing skills.

“You need to WRITE, WRITE, WRITE, WRITE and SUBMIT. Submit it to a professional; somebody who can critique it and tell you what you need to change, then you change it,” said Cooper.

As a journalist, writing should be your craft.

 

To see live discussion with the panelist click the link down below:

TSU Alumni Live Discussion

To see individual interviews with panelist click one of the links down below:

Ruben Dominguez

Malissa Wilson

Erika Harris

Nakia Cooper