Black Student Association Social Media Release

Black Student Association 

 #UncomfortableConversations 



Contact: Rahiem Laurore, President
rlaurore@memphis.edu
For Release on: March 24, 2015



    Memphis, Tennessee-(March 22, 2015) In honor of the national month wide recognition of women's history, the special events committee of the Black Student Association will be hosting a panel discussion on Thursday, March 26 discussing various uncomfortable conversations in the female community that will take place in the university center.
    BSA recognizes the important role that women have played throughout the history of society and also recognizes the many obstacles women still struggle with today across the world.
   BSA hopes to encourage students to engage in the discussion and use the hashtag:  #UncomfortableConversations while live tweeting at the event.
     In the culture of BSA, the organization understands that panel discussions are often their best strategy to get students talking and involved on otherwise, touchy topics."I like coming to the BSA meetings when we have discussions on different subjects that are relevant at the time such as the Mike Brown situation or the discussion of the SEA fraternity in Oklahoma," says long term member, Courtney Stafford.

About the Black Student Association 

The Black Student Association was founded in 1963 by a small group of African American students. It was founded on the principles of encouraging academic excellence, social and political awareness. Throughout the years, BSA has grown and flourished into an organization that strives for excellence from every student at the University of Memphis. The BSA provides numerous services to the University of Memphis community

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The University of Memphis was honored to have Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, Leonard Pitts, to speak on behalf of the  First Amendment Lecture Series. Pitts is the author of several books including: "Freeman," "Before I Forget" and "Becoming Dad: Black Men and the Journey to Fatherhood."
Last night, Pitts strictly highlighted the use of the first amendment as well as his own personal opinion of the amendment, which can be summed up in one quote that gets repeated multiple times during the lecture. “You may call me out of my name if you feel so.”

Pitts stresses this quote when he explains to his audience that people have the right to say whatever they want or not say whatever they want under the protection of the first amendment. He also goes on to describe his fears of the state of the first amendment expressing that first amendment should not be bent by personal feelings. Unless the speech is slander or some other exception of the first amendment, people of the United States should be able to express themselves however they feel. Pitts goes on to bring up examples of public figures that have displayed controversy opinions of the first amendment. He criticizes former President, George Bush when he publicly states, “There should be limits on freedom.” Bush made this statement after he was mocked online. Specifically Bush was pertaining to the first amendment. 
Pitt's lecture on the first amendment was engaging enough to keep the audience tweeting specific quotes from evening along with comments such as, "Such a well researched defense of the first amendment. Leonard Pitts charged us to think about our rights and protect them."

A bucket list for your 20s

1. Splurge on something really expensive
2. Get rid of your fake friends
3. Travel to a foreign country
4. Do something daring (sky diving, mountain climbing)
5. Read a good book
6. Take up a new hobby
7. Start a fashion trend
8. Take a road trip cross country with your best friends
9. Start a small business

10. Travel first class
11. Go on a blind date
12. Run a marathon
13. Go skinny dipping
14. Try new foods
15. Donate to shelter
16. Face your biggest fear
17. Learn a new language
18. Set a new record
19. Do something really nice for a complete stranger
20. Turn your phone off for 2 days.

The Break-up Process.

Remember when your mom would say to you, "You'll have plenty of boyfriends/girlfriends later?" Well that "later" was reserved for your 20s. While you're depressed and have convinced yourself that your world is over because you just broke up with your boyfriend of 3 months, please keep in mind that this decade of your life was created for break-ups. As we are busy searching for ourselves, we are also searching for our soul mates. This process of breaks-ups is only allowing us to find out what exactly it is that we desire from a partner and on the other hand, the not so desirables. Too often, our generation gets caught up in what is supposed to be and many times we settle for less, but trust the break-up process. It is actually supposed to happen. So think about it this way, if you can't keep a man or woman in your life then you're probably on your way to life long happiness.

3 Things to Take Advantage of in Your 20's

1. Travel
The best time to explore the world is NOW - in your 20s because you have the most availability to do so. In college, Spring/Summer break are perfect times to take a road trip with your friends or even plan a trip out of the country. The best way to learn about the world is to escape from your comfort zone and actually go see it for yourself. It can be very exciting and rewarding to go places that most people around you have never been. From traveling you not only are learning about the world but also about yourself which is a major goal for us.

2. Health
If what you eat today will affect your tomorrow, why not start healthy eating habits now, while you're still young? We've all heard the horror stories of how our parents used to have our slim, high metabolism bodies before they gained extra weight in scary places, and we have all prayed that the same wouldn't happen to us. Make a healthy habit living a trend in your life. Besides, it's easier to stay in shape now than it is to get back in shape when you're 40.

3. Relationships
Remember when your mom would say, "You'll have plenty more boyfriends/girlfriends later?" Well that "later" is actually in your 20s. While you're 20 something it is completely natural to go through a sequence of break-ups. In fact, If you can't keep a man or woman in your life  right now then you're probably on the right path to real happiness. While trying to find ourselves at this age, we are also potentially finding our match. In relationships, we get first-hand experiences of the things we desire in a partner and the not so desirables. This process that is especially designed for your 20s is the path to finding the person who you will grow old with.