Thursday, January 21, 2010

Final: Elizabeth Alexander: Where is the love?

Where is the love? By: Brynne Mayne

Like one of the most influential people in Elizabeth Alexander’s life (Martin Luther King Jr.), she too has a dream. Alexander has a dream the King’s legacy will live on for years to come, and it is through love that this is possible. “I’m talking about the kind of love that takes work, but leads us to where we’re trying to get today” Alexander says.

On Monday, Elizabeth Alexander, inauguration poet, and chair of African American studies at Yale University, gave a moving speech at the Martin Luther King Convocation at Wittenberg University.

Alexander spoke to a diverse audience with personal stories as well as relatable events. “I was at the march on Washington” Alexander explains. “I was also in a baby carriage!” She explained that her parents described the infamous “I Have a Dream” speech an event that they “had to go to.”

Alexander told the audience of a candy dish that sat in her house while she was growing up. The dish was full of political buttons. She said that she vividly remembered King’s button. “It was a black hand shaking a white hand” she describes. Her father wore that same button to Obama’s inauguration.

It was that button and the memories of her past that reminded her of the importance of equality. “Once people had that [equality] so much more would take care of itself.”

“It is love that says we will do better” Alexander says. She explained that love is not only a deep emotion, but a component in the pieces that make the world go round.

While quoting June Jordan, Alexander was tugged in the direction of her specialty: poetry. Poetry is something that Alexander and Jordan have in common. “Poetry is sacred speech that makes the sacred in our lives” Alexander states.

“What if the mightiest word is love?” Alexander asks in her poem “Praise Song for the Day.” Alexander concluded reading this poem, receiving a standing ovation.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Where is the love?

Where is the love? By: Brynne Mayne
“I’m talking about the kind of love that takes work, but leads us to where we’re trying to get today.” Like one of the most influential people in Elizabeth Alexander’s life (Martin Luther King Jr.), she too has a dream. Alexander has a dream the King’s legacy will live on for years to come, and it is through love that this is possible.
On January 18, 2010 Elizabeth Alexander, inauguration poet, and chair of African American studies at Yale, gave a moving speech at the Martin Luther King Convocation at Wittenberg University.
Alexander captivated her diverse audience with personal stories as well as relatable events. “I was at the march in Washington” Alexander explains. “I was also in a baby carriage!” Alexander proceeded with memories of that point in time. She explained that her parents described the infamous “I Have a Dream” speech an event that they “had to go to.”
Also reflecting on the past, Alexander told the audience of a candy dish that sat in her house while she was growing up. The dish was full of political buttons. She said that she vividly remembered King’s button. “It was a black hand shaking a white hand” she describes. Her father wore that same button to Obama’s inauguration.
It was that button and the memories of her past that reminded her of the importance of equality. “Once people had that [equality] so much more would take care of itself.” As Alexander continued reflecting on the past, her theme of love became more and more apparent.
“It is love that says we will do better” Alexander says. She explained that love is not only a deep emotion, but a component in the pieces that make the world go round. Alexander passionately explained the importance of love in today’s society through several quotes of one of her favorite writers, June Jordan.
The importance of this topic was incredibly obvious judging by the look of passion on Alexander’s face. While quoting June Jordan, Alexander was tugged in the direction of her specialty: poetry. Poetry is something that Alexander and Jordan have in common. “Poetry is sacred speech that makes the sacred in our lives” Alexander states.
Alexander concluded with a poem of her own, “Praise Song for the Day.” “What if the mightiest word is love?” Alexander spoke these words with great zeal. Receiving a warm, standing ovation, Alexander made a grave impact on her audience. I know she left me thinking… “What if the mightiest word is love?”

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

"I'd be Kate Hudson because her husband is hot."

After receiving an answer to the first question I asked Courtney Ransdell, I knew the interview would only get more interesting. When I asked Miss Ransdell how old she was, she replied with “Well, I’m going to be nineteen on Friday so can’t you just put that?” I chuckled and scratched onto my note pad that Courtney would be nineteen on Friday. Courtney is a soft spoken, blonde hair, blue eyed sweet heart born in Texas.
Living in Ohio since Kindergarten, Courtney has developed some life-sized dreams. She’s not exactly sure what she wants to do in the future, but she has come up with a few options. “When I was little, I wanted to be a lawyer, but now it’s a little more complicated. Some days I want to be an artist, I’d love to write reviews on food and travel the world. Other days I have my heart set on being a motivational speaker or therapist”.
Courtney’s witty personality was quick to catch my attention. Before I knew it we were laughing and carrying on a great conversation. When I asked if she could be any character in a movie, who would she be? She answered: “I’d be Kate Hudson in Bride Wars because her husband was hot. And you better write that down.” Once again I snickered and wrote down exactly what she said while she leaned forward to check that I was truly writing her quote down.
Courtney lives by some important values she has developed throughout her eighteen, almost nineteen, years of life. I asked if she had any regrets, she said “I have no regrets, I’ve only learned from experiences”. Courtney wants to be remembered as someone who was helpful and “the girl that was always able to cheer me up”. She believes her biggest accomplishment is that she made it to where she is today.
The more Courtney and I talked, the more intriguing of a person she became. When asked if she could meet one dead person who would it be? When she replied with “Hitler”, I was a little taken back. I looked at her for a second and waited for some sort of explanation. After cracking a smile, she said “He wouldn’t kill me, I have blonde hair and blue eyes”.
Courtney Ransdell: The almost nineteen year-old who loves fall, being on the beach, chicken alfredo, and banana splits. It was great getting an insight on such a great girl.