The Relaunch

I know it has been quite a while since I've written a blog. My last year has been spent becoming adjusted to being a student again. I am entering my second year as a doctoral student in the College Student Affairs Administration Ph.D. program at The University of Georgia. Again, my first year was a year of adjustment and rediscovery. Throughout last academic year, I have realized a lot more about my interest as well as who I am as a practitioner-scholar within Higher Education. My passion for higher education is still strong.

Over the next few months, I will relaunch this blog as I incorporate some thoughts from an ongoing class project. This course is Environmental Assessment and Milieu Management. The course consists of theories and techniques for assessing human environments in educational settings and strategies for influencing them. As a part of my ongoing project in this course, we are asked to understand how sustainability is or is not present in our personal and professional lives. We were asked to find a mechanism where we can record what we notice, think and do about sustainability. Later in the semester, we will have a class summit to discuss and analyze what we've learned and how we engage the topic of sustainability.

Therefore, this blog will be a place for me to share thoughts into my personal and professional journey with sustainability. I hope you will indulge me for this semester as a use this platform to record my thoughts. I welcome your comments and feedback and I look forward to this great semester of blogging...

Letting Go Of The Past: Black Greek Lettered Organizations & Pledging

Black Greek Lettered Organizations, often referred to as BGLOs, have been dealing with an identity crisis since 1990, when the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the governing council for all BGLO's, abolished pledging was known by all of these organizations since the early 1900's. Gregory S. Parks, J.D., Ph.D., faculty member at Wake Forest University, and 1997 initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, inc. is interviewed by Tony Reeves, a 1989 initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. to discuss how all BGLOs are dealing with hazing.

Below is that interview. Please listen in and give your response and thoughts as you see fit.

Listen to internet radio with Tony Reeves on Blog Talk Radio

Black Identity: What's Your Appropriate Level Of Blackness?

BLACK! BLACK Greek Lettered Organizations (BGLO’s), Historically BLACK Colleges & Universities (HBCU’s), 100 BLACK Men, Inc., National BLACK Nurses Association! All of these organizations seem to be great organizations that have a few things in common. The obvious is that they are all historically black organizations serving predominately and historically Black Americans, contemporarily referred to as African Americans.

These “Black” organizations were all founded under the precepts of uplifting the African American race in an era in our country when access for African Americans was limited. These organizations provide a network of familiar faces to African American. However, recently, these organizations have been battling the label of being organizations that reverse discriminate. Also, most of these organizations have been known, historically, to have to do more with less. This means that most of these organizations operate on a small fraction of a budget than their white counterparts.

Because of these characteristics of these black institutions and organizations, some including African Americans, deem these organizations as being “less”. Some believe that they would receive a less valued education if they attend and graduate from a Historically Black College & University (HBCU) vs. a Predominately White Institution. I hear some people also say that a black student attending a PWI should stir away from joining black organization to avoid a stigma. There are also some African Americans that suggest that being too entrenched in the “black” culture could hurt the resume. This negative stigma comes from the idea that being stigmatized as being “too black” also gives the impression that one exclusive or racist themselves.

The question that individuals have to ask themselves is “What is my bias and does black identity show up in that bias anywhere?”

Twitter Debate: Black Greeks' Barbaric Behaviors at 2011 Atlanta Greek Picnic - How Should These Behaviors Be Addressed?

I'm a new user of twitter. (@TRAVISLMARTIN)

I once stated that twitter did not make any sense to me. However, what I didn't know, is that I can have current events in the palm of my hand and coming to my mobile device right as it's happening. This phenomenom drew me into starting a twitter account. On this morning, I woke up to a number of tweets concerning behaviors of greeks, particularly those who are member of the organization in which I hold membership to and esteem so greatly. Tweets came from fellow members as well as the General (National) President calling out the behavior of these greek organizations. I saw one fellow member of my organization rebuke the comments of the General President so we ended up in a friendly and brotherly debate below. Please give your opinion this...



TheGoodTK TK
@sdunlap21 @theanalyzer0226 bruhs got red tear drops, "Bloody Delta Gamma Chapter" and trading, can be homage to the past #NotThatSeriosSkip

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK @sdunlap21 @theanalyzer0226 I totally disagree with this paying homage to the past. This is not our past!

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin it's a stretch, but it's lots of attention at a picnic for college kids, what's next house parties it's #NotThatSeriousSkip

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK Just as u wouldn't want family/kids doin crazy stuff, we need bros who feel the same way about his fraternity. #CallASpadeASpade

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin I agree but it's bigger issues than this picnic. 9 days away from "THE EVENT". Don't tweet bad press

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK There ARE bigger issues! So, instead of rippin Skip 4 calling dem out, rip bros who are acting ignorant! They are the "bad press"

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK It wasn't bad press when wood was swinin out in middle of thousands of pple but it is when called out on twitter. #seriously

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK Bro's throw out the "bad press" card when it's convenient or when it helps 2 protect their interests.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin multiple tweets about a group of bruhs, in letters, at a Greek event. Versus addressing it and not tweetin about it.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin how do you confirm that the US president is coming in on tweet, and 10 tweets about "bloody" on nailia and trading with wood.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin was it only ALPHAS trading, was it sphinxmen trading? Or grown men who are at least active, doing service, and having fun?

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK It doesn't matter who it was! NE Greek, whether active or inactive should not behave in public like that in letters! #nonsense

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK If Bro's want 2 act out OUTSIDE of order of d org, they should be called out OUTSIDE. That's my stance.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin there will always be issues when it comes to bruhs in our frat. In our history book the jewels didn't like the beta chapter.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin they were doing things they didnt agree with, didn't like the activities and colors, but brothers interpret things differntl

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK U make statement about jewels not liking beta. Wow Where are you getting your history young brother?

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK ...and even if they did, does that make it right? There is an order n evry org & Alpha expects mem not to act as such.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin I get my history from the only book every brother is given.

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK If a bro don't like what org represent, then they shouldn't have joined in 1st place...or change it the correct way. Get involved

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK I understand ur point about keeping stuff in house but those bros were out of order.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin and they were, but the house of alpha is a house for a reason, we dont need outsiders reading, watching, instigating.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin I'm not arguing on ht happened, any competent person knows that was wrong including those involved. But more people found...

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin out because of his tweets, and are speeding rumors, lies, and misinformation, because hte attention he brought to it.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin at one point they said it was bruhs from my great state NC, acting like gangs and fighting and trading when that wasn't true

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin Travis to Travis I understand your point. But I don't like the attention brought into the matter. I feel tweets made it worse

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK I don't think tweets made it worse. It was already worse when actions of such was taken. Pple will always gossip & lie anyway.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin and I respect your opinion. But when you publicly criticize the actions of a few, the effects are never good.

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin no matter the situation, approach brothers behind closed doors, the Jewels wouldn't tweet that. They would not use the public

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin everyone with a title wants to add their 2cents "oh I felt disrespected too" so what, handle it off twitter and carry on!

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK Well u just said that things should be handled in house but u just quoted history that YOU said is published in a history book.

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK The History book is a published book for ANYONE to read. Now does that make the Charles Wesley wrong for publishing that?

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin Charles Westley the 8th jewel? I got that wrong on my test then

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin bottom line is I agree with what 99% of alphas agree with, but he shouldn't have even tweeted on the subject!

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin were doing big things under Pres. Mason, everyone is looking for flaws. Don't give their fire fuel, it's #NotThatSeriousSkip

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK What are you talking about the 8th jewel? Huh!? Don't stray away from the question. Does that make Wesley wrong?

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin He is historian, not a president! He's not the head of our organization. He isnt in the wrong. Our discussion now isn't wrong

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK Ok Brother Travis. I will agree to disagree my bro. I'm done. Great debate though. #goodwill

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin As the president, most recognizable brother alive, and most importantly a leader you don't publically criticize or exasperate

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK LOL...had 2 response 2 last tweet. It doesnt matter if you're natl prez or a neophyte. EVERYONE should be held to same standard

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin I agree brother *follows* I'm still a young man, with a lot to learn. I understand your point, and respectfully disagree

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin I just feel like as a leader public reprimands, and criticizing isn't a good look. NEVER IN PUBLIC, OR WORSE ON TWITTER

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK Pres Obama must and always do PUBLICLY condemn certain actions by citizens and that should b no different when it comes to Skip

TheGoodTK TK
@travislmartin Obama answers and leads the public, Alpha Phi Alpha isn't the public, but a close & private bond between brothers.

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK Ok. Agree. But when things get outside of the house like behaviors this weekend, then the leader must speak on it.

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK Alpha Phi Alpha is a priv and close bond between brothers but we're also a public organization/business

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK Again, good debate bro. Take care & enjoy the rest of your evening. Hope to meet ya someday.

TheGoodTK TK
This is why I love APHIA a discussion with a good brother @travislmartin we didnt end up agreeing but we both see where were coming from

TheGoodTK TK
and @travislmartin didn't throw out age, pay grades, or titles a good debate. THANK YOU BROTHER onward an upward always!

travislmartin Travis Martin
@TheGoodTK "@travislmartin didnt throw out age, pay grade, r titles a good debate. THANK YOU BROTHER" >>Dat's what it's about. #brotherhood

Why Join A Church?: Fighting the "No Organized Religion" Arguement

Some of us grew up in families where our parents forced us to go to church. I know in my household, church was not an option, it was simply a requirement. I can remember being at a place in my spirituality that I didn't understand the purpose of joining a church family. Now, I don't know what my life would be like without a church family that keeps me sharp.

If you didn't know, Jesus, himself, attended church! It is evident in scripture when He wandered away from his parents, Mary and Joseph, to the local church (temple). When Mary and Joseph finally located Him, His explanation for His disappearance was "… How is it that you had to look for me? Did you not see and know that it is necessary for Me to be in My Father's house and about My Father's business?" (Luke 2:49, AMP) Even after this as an adult, one place you would always find Jesus was at the temple teaching about God. So, as you can see, Jesus was at church. If we strive to be like Christ and that Jesus is The Christ, then we should be at church like him right?

Another reason to join a local church is that we all need to rely on each other as Christians and believers. No one person has all of the anointing, revelations, gifts, or power...not even the preacher/bishop, etc. So, we all have to rely heavily on each other. So, in order for us to get all that is available to us, we have to be able to receive from somebody else and accept somebody else's ministry, call, and anointing. Only then can we experience the totality of all that Jesus has made available for us. Don't worry about fitting in or if the members of the church will receive you well. That's NOT the determining factor. This is explained and revealed in Matthew 10:40 as it's stated that if they receive you, then they have received Jesus, and God who sent Him. In other words, whatever part of the body they decide not to receive, then we are not receiving Jesus, nor the Heavenly Father for that matter. You just need to be sure that the church is helping you to grow as a Christian.

God wants you to desire His presence and have joy when you are in His house of worship. Follow the example of this ardent psalmist, who with a fervent heart toward God proclaimed, "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of host! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and flesh crieth out for the living God …O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah" (Psalm 84:1—4).

So, I challenge you to go out and find a church home now. It doesn't matter the size, the denomination, etc. It matters that you are putting yourself in the presence of God and doing the work of His kingdom with fellow like-minded believers so you can benefit and growth from each others' annointing. God wants you in HIS church! If you're in His church, then the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

SELAH!

Earning Your Letters: An Outlook On Being a "Real" Greek vs a "Paper" Greek

Hazing has been around in our society for quite some times. Actually, according to some sources, hazing has been around for centuries. Hazing was apart of the American academy since the beginning of higher education in the United States dating as far back as the Cathedral church schools. During this time, upperclassmen would often haze freshmen students in a sense of "initiation" for them entering college. Terms such as "crabs" was adopted to belittle freshmen students as they had yet to earn the name "upperclassmen". Today, hazing is more associated with membership, whether formal or informal, into a particular group such as military, athletic, fraternties, sororities, etc. More recently, bands have been in the highlight of this contemporary hazing phenomenom. However, as one thinks of hazing today, it is more associated with fraternity & sorority life. Therefore, given this and the topic of this blog, I will focus hazing on fraternity and sorority life, particularly with BGLOs (Black Greek Letter Organizations).

Given that my background is in Higher Education Leadership emphasizing in student development, I enjoy examining and encourage you to look more into this subject from a student development standpoint through the lens of the William E. Cross Model of Pyschological Nigrescence. Now, for you non student development scholars, this model defines the resocializing experience in which the student's identity is transformed from one of non-Afrocentrism to Afrocentrism to multiculturalism. The five stages, Pre-encounter, Encounter, Immersion-Emmersion, Internalization, and Internalization-Commitment. Some black students entering college may come with the belief that college is supposed to be open to a diverse body of opinions and ideas and that their race will no longer matter and become unimportant. However, some students go through their first few weeks of college and may begin to realize that their race does matter. The university, whether in the classroom or through programming, may encourage the student to embrace his diversity, recognize and celebrate his difference or, the student may experience and/or recognize racism from his/her classmates and/or roommates for the first time. According to the Cross model the aforementioned experiences would move the student to the Encounter stage, which destroys the students view of the world and pushes the student to think and view the world in a different way from before the experience. Students in this stage may often feel the need to associate themselves soley with their culture and BGLOs often provide this cultural support and belonging that students often feel the need to associate themselves with. Now, I won't go too much more into details with this theory, however, I encourage you to look more into how hazing and this theory coincide. (http://www.stophazing.org/devtheory_files/devtheory9.htm)

Within the culture of fraternities & sororities, particularly BGLOs college life, being "real" and being "paper" are two contrasting ways of becoming a member of an organization. It is the culture with fraternities & sororities that pride, dedication, and respect will be instilled into aspiring members who are "real" vs. those who are "paper" For the sake of this blog, "real" is defined as a greek member who went through more than the sanctioned intake process of the particular organization they're aspiring to be a member of. "Paper" is defined as those members who went through the sanctioned and legal membership intake process.

There are constant arguements on which path that one should take in order to be a "good" member of these organization. "Real" greeks state that there is no way that one can learn or earn respect from the organization unless one is made "real". In contrast, those who are considered "paper" often didn't choose the process that they were taken through as this process was chosen for them by members who took them in. On a more important note, Hazing is considered illegal in 44 of the 50 states (www.stophazing.com). The only states that currently do not have hazing laws are Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Wyoming. In each of the divine nine BGLOs, anything outside of the sanctioned membership intake process for that particular organization is considered to be hazing. Therefore, in essence, being made "real" as it relates to the standing orders and constitutions of BGLOs is illegal.

On a more comparative note, being made "real" or "paper" have neither been proven to retain initiates as active members in their organization. Therefore, there is no researched data that proves which process makes better members of our organizations. However, there is statistics that show that risky hazing behaviors, or making "real" members damages the organizations fiscally and as it relates to public opinion more than making "paper" members.

Speaking from my personal experiences, I have yet to read anything concerning the founders of my organization, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. that would suggest that our membership process should be one that physically abuses an individual. All membership intake process should be in place to teach aspiring members the significant aspects or the organization along with helping to develop aspiring members into more productive leaders on campuses across the U.S. Some believe fraterities & sorories, particularly BGLOs, have become nothing more than mere street gangs for college students who brutalizes each other, disrespect themselves and the opposite gender by doing things that harms themselves and others.

The mission of most BGLOs are to bring a closer bond of support (brotherhood) amongst its members, uplift the communities they are in through service, and promote scholastic achievement both in college and in careers. Therefore, I think we have to often think to ourselves as we're participating in membership intake processes..."how does doing this to an aspiring member prepare them to carry out the mission of the organization they are aspiring to be a member of and how is this bettering them as individuals?" So, could "paper" simply mean that you are a member of your organization on paper and that you are not contributing to your organizationa and community? Could being "real" simply mean that you are contributing to your organization and community?

That's my opinion! What is yours?

Selfishness In Relationships: How Much Room Is It For This Disease?

In my opinion, as humans, our greatest longings are the needs for connection with others and the opposite needs for space and individuality. These two needs can somtime work in conflict with each other. The need for connection forces us to have the desire to develop relationships with other individuals in the forms of friendships, significant others, spouses, etc. The need for space and individuality sometimes creates narcissism/selfishness with these same relationships. This can really cause "drama" in your relationships. What a setup for problems?!!

There is an ever increasing number of breakups in relationships & marriages as a result of the role and amount of selfishness that had found its way in. According to Merriam-Webster, selfishness is defined as a few different things:

1. concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself; pleasure or well-being without a regard for others

2. arising from concern with one's welfare or advantage in disregard of others

3. being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication

In all three definiitions, the common theme is being concern solely with oneself. In retrospect, a relationship can be defined as a state of relating, kinship, etc with two or more individuals. Simply looking at the two definitions, selfishness and relationship, you can even see that these two definitions are in contradiction to each other.

Selfishness can manifest itself many different ways in a relationship. It can be something as simple as forgetting to call if you're coming home later than usual, to not inviting your significant other to a gathering, to having an affair with another person. If you are working at a relationship daily then your first and foremost concern should be the other person. Consider their feelings, or what kind of food they like. Since we as human beings are naturally selfish it will take some work to get past that. However, it can be done.

So, in my opinion, the more love one has in their heart, the less room one has to be selfish. The less love one has in their heart, the more room there is for selfishness. This goes the same with relationships. Relationships that have lots of love in the foundation are the ones that have less room for selfishness and vice versa. Just as the Bible defines love, I'd like to show what God has said through the Apostle Paul about love: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

If one works towards this type of love in all of their relationships, then there would not be much room for selfishness. However, I do know this is easier said than done, but with the right attitude and faith, one can easily break this chain/bondage of selfishness.