The Soultown! Volume III: Issue 7 JULY 2019 | Page 30

THE SANKOFA VOW
Photo by Anna Martinez
Is Kujichagulia for Keeps?
The 2019 Summer Classic Upward Bound Spoken Word class.
REDWOOD CITY, CA & CEDAR FALLS, IA - For
term of endearment, often used to replace “sh*t.”
the past 15 years, I have introduced myself by
This term derived from the process of editing the
reciting a 60-second spoken-word piece, I Be Dat
vocals of rap-songs by reversing the curse words
Poet.
so said song could be played on radio
In a nutshell, it definitively explains
or television. In this case, printed in
who I am, what I am and why I am.
The Soultown Magazine.) Mickye has
It was no different this summer
been the director for nearly 31 years.
when I accepted -- an opportunity of
He and his team are responsible for
a lifetime -- the task to facilitate an
assisting in the journey of preparing
online spoken word class. The invite
hundreds of youth for colleges and
came directly from a dear friend,
universities, including my daughters
Dr. Wilfred M. Johnson, we call him
and my niece. When Mickye asked
Mickye.
me to teach spoken word online, it
On paper, Mickye is the Director of
was an easy, “yes”. The challenge
Dr. Wilfred
the Classic Upward Bound Program
was this was the scholars first time
from the University of Northern Iowa
taking an online class.
‘Mickye’
Center for Urban Education. In
The Classic Upward Bound
Johnson
our African American community,
Program serves as an agent of
Mickye is the ish! (“Ish” is a slang
change by developing collaborative
relationships with students, parents, schools,
and the community. This happens by providing
services and support that enhances the academic
skills and motivate low income and first-generation
students to complete high school, enter a post-
secondary institution, and ultimately obtain at least
a Baccalaureate degree. Twenty middle school
graduates had accepted the task. The exciting,
yet fearful look on their faces -- after hearing my
introduction was priceless.
Self-determination is the process by which a
person controls their own life. Spoken words
were the focus of the class, but the soft life skill
to be learned was self-determination. The more
practice individuals receive in developing and
strengthening self-determination skills, the more
likely they are to make better decisions in school
and among their peers. Opportunities to practice
skills that support self-determination also lead to
July 2019 • The Soultown International Magazine • Celebrating 2 years • Connecting Our Cultures to Our Cyber & Conscious Communities • thesoultown.com
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