Students enjoy challenge to think about the future

By Ashahed M. Muhammad -Asst. Editor- | Last updated: Mar 26, 2013 - 5:58:31 PM

(L-R)Tuskegee University students Tori Sisson, Brooke Moore-White, Lindsey Lunsford and Jazlyn Fuller

TUSKEGEE, Ala. (FinalCall.com) - The Minister’s words during his three-day visit placed pressure on the minds of students at Tuskegee University.

Brooke Moore-White is co-chair of the Black Belt Deliberative Dialogue Group and a driving force behind Tuskegee’s campus activism and community activism.

“It’s divine in a way,” said Brooke. “Divine things happen divinely timed where certain things just fall into place.”

The Black Belt Deliberative Dialogue Group was looking for something to jumpstart this year’s session and once they were approached by Scott Muhammad, CEO of SEED Inc., to bring the Minister, they decided it would be the perfect opportunity to bring a great speaker to campus and a leader who could impact students and youth.

Brooke was most excited about the World Friendship Tour DVD screening March 21 because it helped many see the Minister’s outreach in ways they were unfamiliar with, and his message March 22 to high school students.

“He’s talking to the youth, the future for us,” said Brooke. “Everything, our hopes, our dreams and our aspirations are all going to be resting on the people that he’s talking to.”

Ashahed M. Muhammad

“Powerful, chilling and courageous” were words used by sophomore Aristotle Jones, a sophomore political science major, to describe the Minister’s message March 22. “The words of the Honorable Louis Farrakhan left me on a tight edge of my seat. A humbling experience that I am forever thankful for,” he added. Aristotle attended the Minister’s main address to over 2,500 on the campus.

Raheem Giddens, a junior Finance major agreed.

“Us as students don’t think as deeply as we should,” said Raheem. “Minister Farrakhan challenged us to think beyond the surface and educate ourselves, as well as create, and provide for our own,” he added.

Tori Sisson, action coordinator for the Black Belt Deliberative Dialogue Group and a history major from Las Vegas, had high hopes for the Minister’s visit and the hard work of student organizers paid off.

“I anticipated the Minister’s speech would inspire students to participate in an economic revolution and realize the power they have over their education,” said Tori. “I am so glad he spoke about the education we are receiving—one that trains us for corporate slavery … The solution is not to grovel for a job with P&G or the CIA—as they do quite a bit of recruiting from here—but to finance our own institutions and produce more farmers and entrepreneurs.”

Tuskegee Chapel on March 21 during the World Friendship Tour viewing and question and answer session which followed. Photos: Chris Renegar for The Final Call

Sophomore biology major Ayrenne McClinton said Min. Farrakhan’s visit was one she will never forget.

“He spoke truth (to) the student body and community and I pray that students listened to what he had to say and we take action to reflect the values our founder, Booker T. Washington, would have wanted,” she added.

“The Minister’s speech was a breath of fresh air in a time where bias(ed) political media seek to influence every message,” said James Freeman, a senior finance and economics major. “This message provided an opportunity to remove the filter on factual information,” he noted.

“Without any regard to my religious orientation, Minister Farrakhan’s lecture at Tuskegee University has been the most enlightening and spiritually reviving lecture I have received during my time here,” said Nigel Hunter, a graduate student in Occupational Therapy. “Although some of his statements seemed radical and inconceivable at this time, it was inspirational to imagine the possibilities of Tuskegee’s contribution to our success.”

Students said they were inspired by the Minister’s words.

“I’m absolutely honored to be a part of such a historical weekend. The Minister definitely eradicated my presumptions with his sincere veracity and relatable analogies. I am ready to apply what I’ve learned—to begin an agricultural revolution and form an economic base,” said Jazlyn Fuller, a junior sociology major, and co-chair of Black Belt Deliberative Dialogue Group hailing from Compton, Calif.

Joanie Keel, a 21 year old aerospace science engineering and physics major from Detroit, heard the Minister for the first time. “He’s for Black empowerment and education,” she said. Joanie intends to research topics the Minister talked about.

Claudorian Brown, 21, from Los Angeles, was at the Thursday, March 21, viewing of the World Friendship Tour highlights as well as the Minister’s keynote message on Friday night March 22.

“I learned a lot and saw different things,” she said. “The one thing I took out of his speech is that we should not take our degree and just put it on the wall, we should put it into action, because when we leave this earth, what we did when we were here is what’s going to be left, not just a piece of paper on the wall. I definitely want to put it into action, make an impact, make a difference,” she added.

Jabril Jones, 21, a computer science major from Cincinnati, was also at the World Friendship Tour screening and said the Minister’s words were empowering.

“It’s about time somebody said what he had to say,” said Jabril. “I’m thinking about ways I can use my major to help the community.”

Minister Farrakhan spoke to students from several high schools regarding their purpose, their goals and their potential greatness at Patterson Hall on the Tuskegee University Campus.

Alana Slade, a senior sociology major from Northern California, hopes the Minister’s words will revive the city and encourage those who come to Tuskegee to improve conditions beyond the campus.

“The spirit of this man is just amazing,” said Alana. “The words are certainly touching but the aura he brings into the room is just outstanding,” she commented.

April Caddell, 23, a Tuskegee native, said the Minister’s words were inspirational and as a writer and a speaker, she is going to be even more focused on using her skills to help others within her community.

“I think I’ve been moved to be bolder about standing up for the beliefs that I have and not being afraid of criticism of people because a lot of times people just come from a place of fear. So if you let other people’s fear paralyze you then you won’t do what you need to do,” she said.

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