That's kind of a personal question, don't you think?

Hamjambo rafiki!

My values? Mhmm I don't want to get all philosophical or wordy but I feel like this questions could go on for at least 3 blogs. Therefore I am going to try to clarify and illustrate my values through my self-concept and how I live my life.

My moto for living is~whatever consists of being Just and holistic is how I want to live out my existence. And if I get away from that, I do my best to put myself back in line!

And so my perception of self looks alot like Cross>no not a religious cross or anything, just the shape of a cross. Like the one above (just to give you an image). Side note>I do believe in God :-)

The Cross of SELF

In the middle is me and my God given spirit, a current stream or physical, visible energy that is an extension of the All Power Life force or the Creator as lot of people like to refer to it as hahaha. At the bottom of the cross is everyone who has come before me>my ancestors. My ancestors not only made me who I am they often have left behind things, memories that tell where I should be heading or what my priorities in life should be. At the top or in front of me is the unborn>my children and their children, and also others who may not be of kin to me physically. To my left is other forms of life like animals, nature and my environment. And to my right my deity.

Ok, ok, ok. I know that might sound like alot of mumbo jumbo to some of you but I am serious as a heart attack. This is how I perceive my Self; myself concept. You don't have to like or feel weird by it hahaha I am still the same. This is just the best way I can think of, to show you how I view my-Self. And moving right along, each of my values comes from a place on that Self-concept cross.

My Values

Compassion, perseverance, courage, and grace are things I pull from that left side of the cross. Outer strength, dignity, wisdom, respect, stability, culture, freedom and loyalty come from the bottom. Vision and faith are pulled from the top. From the middle comes character, knowledge, diversity, purposefulness, beauty, pleasure, love, family, and pride. And from the right side comes Spirituality, health, honesty, security, solitude, force, and accountability.

Whew, sorry that is alot of values but instead of just listing bunch of stuff I thought I would tell you where I pull them from so they make sense or can be put into some kind of context.

Now how do All these values fit into my council's values? Good question! I believe alot of them fit right into what the MCGC is all about. Also think some of my values are unique to me. Still, I believe all my values within myself benefit my council with my willingness to work for and support the council.

Community? Pretty much the same. I am very altruistic and a humanitarian at heart so I would say I am all for my community, which one day will be physically global.

I hope that was insightful but not a mindful for ya! lolz Kelea signing off

Kwaheri!

Still don't have a choice but I'm feeling more optimistic

Hamjambo! Habari za leo?

So I went to class almost freaking out and it was fine. I still hate the fact that I am the only council president not in the class even though I must take this major HN class that is at the same time. I just feel bad. But it was nice to hear that the Council understood that my schedule didn't permit me to be in the class. And moving right along, talked with the E-Board of MCGC about various things and I have to say it went well. I got alot of good feedback from the Council with which I will organize and make a plan out of. I hope they like it! MCGC Go! Kelea11 signing off.

Kwaheri!

I don't have a choice>I can only go to the last 30-40 mins of class!

Hamjambo rafiki! (hello friends)

Since my participation in this class will be significantly different from everyone else's as my schedule doesn't permit me to attend the entire I though I would blog about this experience along with the other prompts so 1) everyone in my E-Board can read it and 2) everyone in the class can also see/read my thoughts as the MCGC President and know I'm not just making stuff up hahaha. Right now actually I am blogging from Campbell hall rm 200. I got to my class early but there is another class in here. There is room in the back so I decided to stay and write about how I feel before class starts today.

Last week I had a retreat for IGC>Intergroup Council. IGC is a student group where students serve as Ambassadors of the MCC (Multicultural Center). The retreat was from Friday at 5pm until Saturday at 5pm. It was fun and awesome but just know that sleeping in Royer over night is terribly cold and NOT the funnest thing on earth. But moving along. Honestly I feel really nervous because I didn't attend last week and I will be coming in to the class late. I absolutely HATE arriving to places late no less a class benefiting my educational career. Sorry, on a side note I can be a bit of a drama queen. Continuing on, I'm really nervous. I really hope me coming to the last portion of the class will be beneficial for the MCGC council and E-Board. My motivation is coming from wanting to make the MCGC rise up in the levels of being good, better and then best. Hopefully as MCGC president I will be able to take the council to best in my 1st term. I have big hopes and dreams. But today I want to focus on what my council wants and may need. So that is the goal today. See what the E-Board is feeling, what they want or need, and try to compile a list from what I can gather today. Great>plan, organize, see it through. I feel better already. Kelea 11 signing out

Kwaherini, Tutaona baadaye! (good-bye see ya later)

The why and how...two big questions that might have you thinking!

Who is your friendly neighborhood Theresa aka Kelea Thompson???

Let's find out! >my name again is Theresa Thompson. I am a third year double major in Human Nutrition and African and African American Studies with Dance, Life Sciences, and Chemistry minors in addition I also have a Pre-med focus. I am from Washington D.C. I like to think of myself as a born and breed Washingtonian. However, I was born in the state of Washington all the way on the West coast. My entire family and extended family is from D.C. though! But I spent the larger portion of my childhood in foster care in Washington state. And after I was adopted by a family member I was taken down to Texas, yes I know random! But I grew up in Marshall, TX from the age of 7 until I was 12 almost 13 years old. Yes, Marshall, TX is the same city in the movie The Great Debaters where the HBCU, Willy College, is if you have ever seen it. I played basketball and went to debate camp at Willy College for many of summers. It was great. But after some time, my parents moved my 4 siblings and I back to the D.C. metropolitan area. So instead of visiting twice a year we could just be in the same state as our family. As I mentioned I have four siblings of which I am the oldest. My family is pretty big and we are a mix of African American and Latin American and great, great grandmother like to refer to us as Afro-Latinos. Great grandma Lena is was from Guatemala. She migrated here from a little city right outside of Dolores which is kinda close to Belize if you know where that is. Anywho> family is a pretty big deal is all I am really trying to say. And the colors within my family are many and the mixed cultures are awesome as is the food! But moving along, some of my other hobbies are Dancing, reading, photography, talking, hanging with friends, and learning for learnings sake. I am kind of geek hence my last hobby. Nevertheless I don't skip on the lip gloss and always try to have extra servings of attitude. So I am definitely a I cute, fashionable, and social butterfly type of geek. lolz! And I am sure you will find this out while reading my blogs! I have big dreams and aspirations which you will also learn as you get to know me. Its not in my nature to aim small or achieve the minimal. I always believed that was a good thing :-)

So Why is Theresa Greek??? Wouldn't you like to know!

For me, going Greek wasn't a question it was more of which sorority to choose. Pledging to a NPHC sorority is sort of a traditional thing in my family. As I have plently of aunts and uncles on both sides of my mother and father who were not only Greek but wanted their sons, daughters, nephews, and nieces to also go Greek>NPHC specifically. My aunts (mother's sisters) were VERY proud Deltas (DST) so I've always received a strong push to pledge DST from them as I was the oldest girl on my mom's side of the family. I had alot of involvement in Greek activities put on by the Deltas in my community from an early age. And as much as I enjoyed the values and community created by DST once I arrived on campus I realized that I wasn't sure I wanted to pledge DST or within NPHC. As you may know yourself, as you grew older your identity changes by getting more specific and thus your values and beliefs. So now in sophomore year here I am with developed beliefs and values, still deciding on whether or to use my legacy to go Greek within NPHC or not. I think going Greek had really already been decided for me by my extended family as I received a fair amount of pressure from aunts and uncles. Luckily, I kept wavering on my decision and one of my best friends Lea Madry proposed an idea to me that was everything I had been looking for. Delta Xi Phi Multicultural Sorority Inc. was just so appealing! With pillars that my values aligned with and an additional interest and commitment to Increasing Multicultural Awareness just pulled me in more. And when Lea told me how OSU didn't have DXP and she wanted to found a chapter right here and wanted me to help her found it. Me, loving a challenge signed on almost with no hesitation. And after a year of gruling hard work to found our chapter, get recognized on campus and get a jump start on planning and hosting events. DXP Phi Associate Chapter was founded March 7th, 2009 at 10:27 pm!!! It was great and one of the greatest moments in my life>next to when I will graduate from med school and have all my kids! lolz And that was my entrance into Greek Life here at OSU and my Greek background so to speak.

How do I feel??? Thanks for asking

I think its an amazing idea and proposition. I don't if we can achieve every goal set or even get to where Tyler's vision is however I don't see why we can't try! I love the idea of blogs and the internet since as a college student I am required to be on it so much. But in so many classes teachers are internet "haters"! Yes, haters>if you feel me just say yes in your head! But to wrap, I feel optimistic regardless. Being happy is in my nature so when I am looking down you should definitely be concerned. This is Lady T aka Kelea signing off!

Kwaheri (Kiswahili for good bye>you'll be hearing more so look forward to it!)
Kelea11