Director's Table Transcript

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[00:00:00] Shiloh: You are now listening to the Blue Record Podcast. 

[00:00:03] Theme Song: Yeah. Check it.

[00:00:08] YEah. We in this together. A Spelmanite is a warrior fighting for justice. We can never be silent, so yeah, we causing a ruckus. Lift our voices up to bring injustice down. Speaking truth to power, we loving the sound. Undaunted by the fight, love is all we need. It's time to clear out the air so we all can breathe.

[00:00:30] Ain't no stopping us, we stick together. This bond is gonna last forever. Marching every day until we free. That's our buried treasure. 

[00:00:50] Love: It's December. I'm sorry. Yesterday was December 1st and I just actually was shocked. [00:01:00] this year flew by very fast. In a blink of an eye. 

[00:01:04] Honestly. How's your semester been? 

[00:01:07] Shiloh: It's been eventful. It's been eventful. I feel like it's been good overall, but I'm definitely learning how to like balance things.

[00:01:17] and saying no to things because I found myself feeling really overwhelmed a lot of the times this semester. 

[00:01:23] That's real. 

[00:01:24] Love: It's a good time to do it, you're a junior right? Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:01:27] Fina: So it adds up. Yeah. No this semester has definitely been very eventful. A lot of life lessons, a lot of academic lessons, little to no sleep, I'm exhausted.

[00:01:42] Yeah. 

[00:01:43] Love: Yeah. Yeah. This semester was actually not bad academically, I guess I'm a senior now, so it's time for me to start feeling used to the semesters of college, but, I can appreciate that. Not to say it wasn't challenging, but it wasn't like, as [00:02:00] incredibly daunting as it has been in the past. 

[00:02:02] Fina: You don't feel daunted by the fight?

[00:02:04] Love: I'm going to keep my answer until next semester. Yeah, I'm going to keep my answer until next semester. So we're going to go ahead and introduce ourselves, but today's introductions are going to be a little bit extended because today's episode is called The Director's Table. We're going to talk a little bit about leadership at Spelman College and, yeah, going to tell you guys who we are.

[00:02:34] Beyond the Blue Record. So I'm Love Lundy. I'm a senior political science major, food studies minor, from Edgewater, New Jersey, in Tryon, Alabama. I serve as the director of the Blue Record podcast. And I'm also a food studies scholar. And I serve as the community service and seminar development committee chair. for the exceptional Epsilon Eta chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated.

[00:02:55] Shiloh: And hi, everyone. my name is Shiloh. I'm a junior English major minoring [00:03:00] in Management Organization from Cincinnati, Ohio. And for the Blue Record, I serve as the co host and a member of the editorial team. I also serve as the second president of the National Action Network on Spelman's campus, the community service chair for Girl Power, the Georgia Women's Policy Institute fellow, and ADW tutor.

[00:03:17] And Andrew Goodman, ambassador and a social justice associate. 

[00:03:21] Fina: That was so beautiful, y'all. I love hearing you guys credentials. Hi, everyone. My name is Josephina Obusu. I'm a junior political science major on the pre law track from Alexandria, Virginia. Shout out to DMV. So, on campus, I do a lot of things.

[00:03:34] So for the Blue Record podcast, I serve as a host and a social media manager. I'm also a Georgia Women's Policy Institute fellow alongside with Shiloh. I'm also a social justice fellow in Ari and Abby. I'm on the executive e board of the Spelman Ambassador Program. And on the Spelman Ambassador Program, I serve as a co social media chair.

[00:03:53] And I'm also a part of the Sweet Mu Pi chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. 

[00:03:57] Love: Exactly. Yeah. We're all social [00:04:00] justice fellows as part of the Blue Record podcast. Yeah. Any Blue Record podcast member you know, you gotta shout them out. You gotta shout them out. Every time. Because we're all working very hard.

[00:04:10] Fina: So, my question for y'all is, What type of Spelmanite did you want to be when you first arrived at Spelman College? Hmm. Hmm. 

[00:04:20] The deep side. Yeah, that's interesting to think about. 

[00:04:25] Love: I didn't know, I mean, what did you guys know about Spelman before coming, cause I didn't know anything. Really, I didn't know anything.

[00:04:31] Fina: I just knew I wanted to come here, like I knew I belonged here. Why? It was just like, okay, so my journey was very different. I didn't grow up knowing like I always wanted to come to Spelman, but my sophomore year I met one of my high school teachers. His name's Mr. Shabazz, And he asked me what college you want to go to?

[00:04:50] And I said, I want to go to William and Mary, which is like a local Virginia university. And he was like, no. You're a Spelman woman and I'm like, what's a Spelman [00:05:00] woman and he was like go research about it And so I did research about it and ever since then I've been in love with Spelman like ever since then So that was like my epiphany of like, oh, I'm a Spelman woman.

[00:05:10] Like I have to go there 

[00:05:12] Love: Yeah,

[00:05:12] Shiloh: I didn't know a lot about Spelman before coming here or like HBCUs in general Like none of my family really went to HBCUs besides a few family friends but I toured Vanderbilt. If I wasn't at Spelman, I'd be at Vanderbilt, probably. Actually, probably not, because

[00:05:34] I toured Vanderbilt, informally. we just walked around. It was evening time. Oh. And it felt like a sundown town. Oh, my God. So Wow. Red flag? Middle of Nashville, too. It was a red flag for me. So I said, I can't see myself here. and then Spelman was like my next top choice. I talked to some people who went to Spelman as well and fell in love with HBCUs, HBCU culture, and I thought, why not come to the number one?

[00:05:59] Fina: [00:06:00] Exactly. The number one. When somebody says you look like a Spelman woman, that's a great compliment. Yes. Yes. That's a great compliment. 

[00:06:06] Love: Did you guys get to the campus before? 

[00:06:08] Shiloh: No, I didn't tour the campus before. I just did the little virtual tour they had. 

[00:06:13] Love: Wow, okay. I thought I was like one of the only people who had experienced this.

[00:06:17] Fina: I feel like between class 24 and 25, a lot of us actually haven't toured Spelman before we came here. We just came here off good faith. Of like,I heard this is a good school, I heard this has this and that, so I'm going to come here. Because my first time seeing Spelman is the day I moved in. 

[00:06:32] Love: Cause, for me, my mother is an HBCU grad.

[00:06:35] She graduated from Alabama A& M in Huntersville, but she also went to the ITC here in the AUC. She's, a woman of, what is it? Yeah, what's the word I'm looking for? Women in Ministry. LOL. Yeah, but anyway, I knew that HBCUs produced amazing dynamic black women who were leaders period like I knew that just because of like my mom and my [00:07:00] family members.

[00:07:01] I didn't I mean, I just that's all I knew. and then I got to Spelman and I started to meet people who were leaders like juniors and seniors, who had been doing things on Spelman's campus pre COVID. Yeah. And then came back after COVID and we're still continuing to do stuff. And I was like, oh, like, oh, these are serious young women.

[00:07:26] Like these are very serious young women. who does that? Who has that sort of commitment to to stick with something through Covid in college. Yeah. that let me knew off Rip that Spelmanites were like a different breed. Yeah. specifically. one of the leaders who paved the way for me was Kayla Smith, who is the founder of the Blue Record podcast.

[00:07:49] Fina: Oh, love her. I love her. I've never met her before, but I love her. 

[00:07:54] Love: My, bro. No, she's gotta come. She's gotta come and see him. No, my [00:08:00] interview with her as an intern, I, it was virtual school. We did a Zoom interview. She had her iPad, she was sitting by this window, she was dressed so professionally, like I think she was on vacation with her family, I don't know.

[00:08:16] and I was just like, oh my god, like, she's so royal, I don't know, I just, I was so impressed, that she showed up to the interview like that. I don't know, I don't even know. How else to describe it? again, these are collegiate organizations that we're talking about, but everything that happens at Spelman is very professional.

[00:08:34] It is. Everything. so, yeah, that just impressed me. she's the reason why I have an iPad. I went to the AT& T store with my mom after that interview and said, I have to have an iPad. I think that I won't succeed at Spelman. I don't have an iPad with an Apple Pencil because Kayla just interviewed me.

[00:08:52] And I, and it has changed. The iPad actually was a great addition, I'm not gonna lie. seriously, it's a very [00:09:00] great productivity tool. That's the type of stuff you learn! it's, you actually just have to pay attention to the little stuff because the little stuff is what makes leaders actually, like, make a difference.

[00:09:10] Right, for sure. 

[00:09:11] Fina: Yeah, so did you guys know what leadership positions that you wanted to do at Spelman College before you came? And what leadership positions in high school, set you upon this path of taking on roles such as these?

[00:09:24] Shiloh: I didn't necessarily know exactly what leadership positions I wanted to do, but in high school I was very involved, and it was a very different environment.

[00:09:31] In high school I went to a predominantly white high school, so I knew that I wanted to, carry over that heavy involvement into Spelman for sure. but in terms of specific leadership positions, I knew that I wanted to be involved in some sort of, publication or podcast because I was a editor in chief in high school.

[00:09:47] Yeah, and I've always loved to write. So grateful for the blue record, yes. Yeah. 

[00:09:52] Love: Yes. Now that I think about it, I had a small, little, tiny amount of interest in Howard because they [00:10:00] have such a powerful, radio presence in D. C., if I remember correctly. Like, they have a radio station. station, and I know Alabama A& M also has a radio station, so I was really interested in potentially getting into radio, because like, you, Shiloh, I did, the literary journal and the newspaper at my school, had no idea, I mean, the Blue Record didn't exist when I came in, it was founded my year, so, I didn't know.

[00:10:26] All I knew about was the social justice program. I went on that website. Yes. And I saw those young women in their blazers. Exactly. I said, that's what I want. Yes, yes.

[00:10:37] I just think that the way that Spellman women present themselves was extremely attractive to me. I knew that was Amount of respect that it seemed like they were commanding just in the pictures that I was looking at online I was like, whoa, like i want to be apart of that 

[00:10:58] Fina: Yeah, no. For [00:11:00] me, in high school, I was president of the Black Student Union. I feel like that's a given. When you look at me, you're like, oh yeah, she definitely was with the black folks in high school. With the black folks in high school. And then I also co founded my own organization called Selah, Serving Every Living Being at Heart.

[00:11:15] And Selah is still up and running to this day. And I'm just like, that's like my little baby. But like, I'm like, Branching out of Selah to like my black joy movement and stuff like that. And so in high school I know that I wanted to like start my own things and I feel like that's something that I want to do at Spelman as well, but it's like Spelman Woman has already started what I want to start, like, the Blue Record podcast.

[00:11:38] Like, when I saw y'all in high school, if you asked me, what do you want to be when you grow up? On TV. That's exactly why I wanted, I wanted to start my own podcast, actually. But I was like, no, the Blue Record is just so attractive. I like the name, I like how I don't have to do too much work, I like how I can be on here every once in a while and speak, you know what I'm saying?

[00:11:53] We have somebody to edit it for us, cause I couldn't do it on my own. So it's like, coming to Spelman, exactly. It's a whole team, [00:12:00] rather than just starting my own. And it's like Kayla Smith really paved the way. Like, I know she started at your year, but when I came to Spelman, she had already graduated.

[00:12:09] Right. She graduated, but I knew of her. And so, it was just like, I knew I wanted to be on the blue record. 

[00:12:16] Love: that teamwork aspect I think is something we gotta talk about really quick. For sure. Although, we are presenting ourselves as leaders in the various organizations that we exist in, a lot of the people that we are in these organizations with are leaders too.

[00:12:32] And the only reason that the organizations that we are in work is because we are working in tandem. To, delegate. and share the skills that other people may not have. Right. And a lot of organizations that work well, that I've experienced, people in the org are very comfortable leaning into the others in the org asking for help.

[00:12:57] Yeah, I agree. that's one thing I love about the [00:13:00] Blue Record. That's like the thing that I always, I feel like in both of y'all's interviews, I was like, we're a community! 

[00:13:06] Fina: Yes! You know, we're a family! 

[00:13:09] Love: Yes, exactly. Yeah, so. I think that's an important, aspect of the culture that has to exist for successful leadership at Spelman to exist.

[00:13:22] Fina: I agree. I have a question. Do you guys believe that leadership at Spelman is hard to obtain? Or we're in a competitive atmosphere. Like, how do you feel obtaining these leaderships? Like reaching them because I've heard a lot of Spelman students say there's a competitive nature at Spelman But for me personally, it's not as competing against each other but competing with each other So I just want to know other people's perspective because I know how people say it's really hard To get into leadership positions at Spelman and like I know for the ambassador program.

[00:13:54] We had interviews And like we had over 200 applications and [00:14:00] only 41 people got the job. So it's like, how do you feel at Spelman when it comes to getting these leadership roles? Like, how hard is it? Is it difficult? 

[00:14:08] Love: Well, first of all, it's hard to get into Spelman. Period. Like, we, people coming in, I don't know the number of students that come in, but it's out of like thousands of applications.

[00:14:20] If not tens of thousands of applications, probably. So, you're very right when you say that. We are competing. With each other, like, because we're all very qualified. Yeah, for everything. That's the first thing that's difficult about it. But the second thing is just the social politics that are attached to the orgs that exist on campus, which are very difficult.

[00:14:44] Fina: Yeah. Ooh! Yeah. The social politics! Oh my goodness! Everything at Spelman is very, very political. It is. Even if it's not supposed to be, it's not intentional, [00:15:00] but it is. And I think it's because everybody's trying to achieve something here, and so that's where the political confusion comes in. that's why I love the Bluebreaker podcast so much.

[00:15:10] it's a collection of women, regardless of what you do on campus, what you're a part of, that just want to be on a podcast. Yeah, we just podcast. 

[00:15:17] Love: We're just culture, we're vibing. That's what I loved about us from the I love how this is turning into, like, TBR praise. But that's what I loved about the, cohort the pilot cohort team was, like, pilot cohort.

[00:15:31] Cohort means team. Anyway, they were just, culture girlies. a lot of them originally were, like, film, doc film, Sociology, English. Diversity. Really just interested in talking about movies and culture. they interviewed Kenan Thompson. there's an interview with Kenan Thompson on the website.

[00:15:50] random, but it's just like what we do. the Blue Record is just like an extension of Spelman's culture. 

[00:15:57] Fina: Yeah, collectively. Right. And I really like [00:16:00] that. 

[00:16:00] Love: And so it isn't like a competition. 

[00:16:02] Shiloh: It feels very fun. 

[00:16:04] Fina: Yeah. It feels fun. What about you, Shiloh? What do you think about the competitive nature at Spelman?, and do you think it's present or not?

[00:16:10] Shiloh: I feel like it's definitely present. I can agree with what you said about us competing with each other, because I like to think of it more of like us all climbing the ladder together. Yeah. Or I think of it as like me competing against myself more so. which can be harmful sometimes. 

[00:16:25] Love: Yeah. You better wake it up.

[00:16:27] Shiloh: Sometimes. Yeah. It can be very harmful. It can be harmful. because I feel like, And I feel like sometimes my aspirations for myself get a little, not the most healthy. Yeah. Yeah, not the most healthy. But I feel like a lot of times that's where my mind goes when I think about the competitive nature at Spelman.

[00:16:44] Yeah. 

[00:16:44] Love: Yes. And it is the environment at Spelman. It is. That, we are surrounded by such heavy hitters. 

[00:16:52] Fina: Black women. Like every single alumna. Like even when The Spelman alumna who made the shoes came back to Spelman. [00:17:00] Heavy hitter, every last one of them. It's just like amazing. There's so much to look up to.

[00:17:04] Exactly, and it's I'm not competing against them, but I'm competing with myself to reach those levels. Exactly. 

[00:17:10] Love: And I think it's maybe even a question of faith, right? there's no way that the woman who made the shoes knew that she was going to be making Nike sneakers.

[00:17:22] Fina: That's sold out already. 

[00:17:23] Love: Unless she had faith in herself that that's where she was going to be. And I think that, for me personally, I see the heavy hitters coming out of Spelman especially as a Poli-Sci major. And I'm like, I just have to have faith that I'm going to be as successful. In the future, as I am now.

[00:17:41] Because I could have never known in high school that I was going to be doing what I do on this campus. What? okay, I was doing a lot in high school. I was maybe getting stressed to the point where I had to like, take a step back from everything. sure. But this is like a different level. It [00:18:00] is.

[00:18:00] This is a different level. Yeah.

[00:18:04] You just have to have faith. 

[00:18:06] Fina: Yeah. You really do. And in high school I would have never thought, especially since I'm a first gen kid and my parents are originally from Ghana, so they didn't know nothing about HBCUs. They knew of the Harvard, the Princetons, and the Yales, but I didn't want to go to those schools.

[00:18:20] Not around, um, I just want to be around black people. And so, coming to Spelman, there was not one thing on this campus That I knew that I was gonna do like wholeheartedly except for I wanted to be a wisdom scholar I did want to be a wisdom scholar But when I found out about the social justice program, I said that is everything that I want in one Like everything and so I could have never predicted That I would be a part of all these clubs and organizations at Spelman.

[00:18:48] Especially like starting my own legacies in different orgs. Even starting my own legacy at Spelman. It's definitely been a blessing and a journey. And I've definitely had to get accustomed to being around girls. I feel like girls are [00:19:00] very like, higher emotional. And I feel like that's where the competitive nature can sometimes come from.

[00:19:05] Cause it's like, we're all girls, we're all black girls. High achieving black girls at that. And we all want the best of the best. And growing up with three older brothers, I never had to compete with my brothers to get anything. So I definitely had to learn how to develop female friendships. I had to learn how to, cater to female emotions.

[00:19:26] I had to learn how to cater to my own emotions. So Spelman definitely taught me a lot. And I feel like that's where, my competition with myself comes in, where it's like I'm trying to be better than I was yesterday. 

[00:19:35] Love: Right. Especially when you're not comparing yourself to sisters Yeah. Until you get to Spelman.

[00:19:41] Fina: Exactly. And then you're surrounded by it. 

[00:19:44] Love: Hundreds of young women. 

[00:19:46] Fina: Literally. Like 2, 000 young black women. Yeah. Yeah. Spelman is a special place of learning. 

[00:19:54] Love: It's so interesting that you wanted to be a Wisdom scholar. 

[00:19:57] Fina: Yes. I wanted to be, I literally wanna be a [00:20:00] Wisdom a scholar so bad. 'cause I wanna say like I stayed where A Different World was filmed, where Tupac, if anybody knows me, I'm the biggest Tupac fan in the world.

[00:20:08] Oh. So just knowing that Tupac walked in, Bessie Strong, I was like, yeah. Mike, I lived there like I just wanted to say that. And so when I found out about the social justice program, I was like, this is Wisdom Scholars, this is social justice, this is intellectual passions all wrapped in one. And it's like, I would rather, yeah.

[00:20:23] Love: I just had to shout it back out. 'cause our next gonna be featuring Dean Guidry. Yes. Dean Bond 

[00:20:30] Fina: of Sisters chapter. Love the Wisdom Scholar Program. 

[00:20:33] Love: We're gonna have a deeper conversation about religious culture at Spelman back to the director's table. 

[00:20:38] Shiloh: I have a quick question for you guys.

[00:20:40] What are some lessons you've learned in your time as a leader on Spelman's campus? Hmm. 

[00:20:46] Fina: I've learned how to delegate. I feel like I'm somebody who never asks for help, who thinks that they can do it all on their own, when that is actually a very unhealthy, character trait to have, especially when being a leader.

[00:20:57] It's so important as being a leader to [00:21:00] delegate. as a leader you should never be doing anything on your own. That's not a trait of leadership. And I feel like people confuse leadership with like, Oh, I did it on my own. No, being a leader is actually learning how to delegate, communicate, advise, and things of those, like those are skills that I had to learn for sure.

[00:21:17] So definitely delegation. 

[00:21:18] Shiloh: Yes, I can agree with that. I feel like in addition to delegation, Empathy came along with that. I feel like I was already pretty empathetic, but definitely having understanding for the way that people do things and how they might differ from how I do them. I feel like that was a big part of learning delegation, as well. Yeah. 

[00:21:36] Love: For sure. Yeah. Something about what you just said reminded me of advice my dad gave me when I was like, probably 13 or 14.

[00:21:47] I don't know why he was giving me this deep advice at this age, but he said to me, don't expect others to do what you would do, because you'll always be disappointed. Exactly. I [00:22:00] didn't want that to be the first thing that I say, but I do have to say that being a leader is not just about knowing how to be a people person, or whatever.

[00:22:12] Like you said, it's about skills. Yeah. And also, it's about having a vision, and like, knowing how to stay true to that vision. While being amendable to like the people that you're working with, but also knowing that sometimes you're just going to have to do stuff, Yourself. Yeah. I know that's kind of contradictory to what you just said.

[00:22:32] Yeah, no, that's real, that's real. But at the same time, it's like sometimes you really just have to lay it out yourself. Yeah. To see your vision executed. Yeah, that's what makes you grow as a leader. Yeah. that's one thing, I'm sorry, the second thing that I wanted to say is that I've learned a lot about communication and honesty.

[00:22:53] there was a time where I had to take a step back from the podcast and I was really [00:23:00] scared to talk to the director about it, and when I did, she was incredibly compassionate. And, it shocked me to the point where I had to operate with that amount of compassion moving forward. Yeah. with every org that I was in. Because I was like, I need to extend that same grace. Yeah. Because that's what we need.

[00:23:23] That's how these organizations keep moving and with that comes like communicating and being honest with your team Like I'm not doing well. Yeah, I have to take a step back. I need your help. Yeah, like It's important to say those things and communicate those things On top of being honest with yourself about it.

[00:23:47] Yeah, otherwise you get caught up, right? 

[00:23:50] Shiloh: With that, I think vulnerability is a big piece of it as well, being a leader, like what you were saying about communication, because I feel like, especially with us all as black women, we [00:24:00] take on that strong black woman, idea and feel that we have to have everything put together, but I think that understanding that we're among our sisters, our sisters will have compassion for us and understand that maybe we can't handle everything for ourself, and I think before I had a misconception that as a leader I do have to have it all together like I have to hold it together for the org or hold it together for the team But I think the bigger lesson is learning how to listen to your team and propose everyone's ideas and really come together as a unit to create a finished product rather than taking everything On for yourself.

[00:24:34] Fina: Yeah, I agree and I feel like There's a balance between doing it on your own and also delegating, like what Love was saying. learning that you have to delegate, but sometimes as, the leader, you have to take on, like, Responsibilities that other people don't have to do. And I will definitely say, out of all the roles on Spelman's campus that I do, being an RA is the hardest.

[00:24:58] It is the hardest. It [00:25:00] is the most time consuming. But it is something that I do love doing. I do enjoy working with my residents. I love my residents. They're like my little babies. Shout out to my residents. But yeah, cause it's like, I'm like somebody's first introduction to Spelman College, to the sisterhood, like I have to foster the sisterhood within the Dorms, build community, schedule like these community gatherings, these times to like actually meet with my residents to have these success chats, and so it's like, it's learning how to be empathetic, it's learning how to communicate with my residents, how to like schedule, plan, just like a lot, it's a lot of work to be an RA, and I feel like people don't talk about how leadership really is within an RA role.

[00:25:39] It definitely is the hardest job I do on campus. Definitely one of the most time consuming. Especially just working alongside with housing, and also serving as a liaison for housing to the students, and then students to housing, especially at Spelman College. It can be very difficult. But again, I love my residents, so that's what keeps me wanting to be [00:26:00] Deep. It gets deep. 

[00:26:01] Love: What you just said reminds me of another lesson, which is that Deep passion comes with very hard work. Very. And, it's one thing to say you love people, you love community. You love the girlies, you're a girl's girl. It's a different thing to be an RA at a freshman dorm at Spelman College?

[00:26:22] Fina: Yeah, it's a very daunting experience. Very daunting. Very daunting, especially as a junior in college, it's very daunting. 

[00:26:29] Love: That's a dedication. Yeah, it's a lot of work. To something that, many people talk about being about, but you're like literally about it. That's what being a leader here means. 

[00:26:40] Fina: At Spelman, yeah.

[00:26:42] Love: Is really being about. The stuff that you talk. Yeah.

[00:26:46] Fina: No, I definitely agree. And I feel like being an RA is definitely not for everybody. It's definitely a role that will teach you a lot. I say it's my first job. My first real life job. Cause there's a lot of life skills I learned in being [00:27:00] an RA. A lot of communication I had to learn. Yeah, for sure.

[00:27:04] And then also working alongside with other RAs, y'all. Being an RA is very daunting, but it just comes with so much love and compassion when it's like, the people that you're working with, the RDs, the housing staff, to the residents that you have, it just, that's what just keeps me there. Cause some days it gets a little too much.

[00:27:22] Yeah.

[00:27:23] Love: I think another lesson that I've learned is that,

[00:27:26] you can use your time as a leader here. Developing projects and programs as preparation for the way you're going to move as an adult. Yeah. which is really exciting. I wanted to, give us a light one, because we've been talking about some heavy stuff. But, in my, roles as, community service and seminar development committee chairs for my sorority, we had a few events.

[00:27:55] this semester, and I was like, wow, I want to plan [00:28:00] more events like this, as an adult, That's so lovely. One of them was a women's wellness seminar about, HIV AIDS awareness and advocacy. Awesome sexual health conversation. I love that. and it took me writing out emails and, communicating with people.

[00:28:19] People in my organization, the organizations of the people who I invited. I invited, the Dean of the Public Policy School at UMichigan and one of my sorors who works in public health, like a big heavy hitter in public health. And it was like, what am I doing right now? this is so professional.

[00:28:36] This is so cool. And it's really inspiring, really, to see yourself do. certain types of work. I think it really keeps me pushing sometimes to see that I have the capacity to do certain things. So I think that's one positive thing that I've, learned to reinforce is to, give myself some praise when I deserve it.

[00:28:57] Fina: Yeah, I'll definitely say, Joining a [00:29:00] sorority, people don't understand the real work starts after you join. Yeah. a lot of work, a lot of commitment, but just compassion and love for the sisterhood, the community service, the impact you're making on campus, off campus, the impact that you see like other sorors making is very, very beautiful.

[00:29:16] Love: There's a reason that they say that Spelman is a sorority. In itself? Yeah. It's the reason that the freshman dorms have Greek letters. It's because Yeah. Spelman as a greater community is a place where you have to look to your Spelman sister, as they say in the beginning, I am your Spelman sister.

[00:29:33] You have to look to them and say hey, how can we help each other? Exactly. cause we're both in here for the long run. Right. And we have a lot that we have to get done before we leave. A lot. And we're the only ones who can do it. It's about stepping up. 

[00:29:50] Fina: It really is. Shout out freshmen. Shout out HH.

[00:29:54] Howard Harrell Hall. Exactly. Exactly. The best freshman dorm. [00:30:00] What floor were you on? I was on the third floor. I was a penthouse princess. You were on the third floor? Shiloh! You were on the third floor? I don't remember my room number though. I was like 316, 319, something like that. I can't remember. Oh, okay.

[00:30:14] On the right side. Okay, so he was ducked off. Oh my god, Shiloh! Penthouse princesses! Period. Actually, our RAs were the reason why I wanted to be an RA. Shout out Jaden and Amaria. Those were like my first, like, okay, y'all do it, I wanna do this. 

[00:30:27] Love: That's such a beautiful aspect of the Spelman culture is seeing the leaders that you wanna be and then 

[00:30:33] Fina: becoming them.

[00:30:34] Exactly. It's crazy. Crazy. It's crazy. It's like a full circle surreal moment. 

[00:30:39] Love: We've talked about a lot. What does operating in these administrative positions do to you guys, as a person? Physically, mentally, socially, spiritually? Shout out to Sister's Chapel. Shout out to Sister's Chapel. Shout out to Sister's Chapel. 

[00:30:59] Fina: [00:31:00] Shout out to Sister's Chapel for the chapel services every Sunday at 1pm. Thank you Dean Guidry and the whole Wisdom community. Cause, honestly, your spiritual life 

[00:31:10] Love: It's so vital, girl. 

[00:31:12] Fina: It's so vital in college. 

[00:31:14] Love: And Sister's Chapel can be a very interfaith space. So even if you don't identify as Christian and you need some happiness.

[00:31:21] Yeah, you can still go there. You still go, because, it gets really, really, really, really daunting. Like, 

[00:31:31] Fina: I, I, I, as a senior, 

[00:31:33] Love: as a senior in this position, I have done a lot in my time. I have spent many long nights, early mornings, Cold days. Hot days. I mean, I've just been out, I can't even, I can't even start to list the amount of work I have done.

[00:31:55] Literally. in the various organizations that I've been in. And there have been [00:32:00] times where I just had to sit in my room and stare. 

[00:32:03] Fina: And just sit down. And do nothing. 

[00:32:06] Love: And do nothing. 

[00:32:07] Shiloh: That's the hard part for me. Completely disassociate. That's so hard. That's the hard part. That's the hard part for me, because I feel like when I come back after a hard day's work.

[00:32:16] After a hard day's work and I just collapse on my bed, I immediately feel like I should be doing something. I feel guilty for resting. 

[00:32:23] Love: Especially as a student. 

[00:32:25] Shiloh: Yes. Because I'm like, well there must be something that has to get done. 

[00:32:28] Fina: There must be something. 

[00:32:29] Shiloh: There must be something. it doesn't feel right for my brain to just be off 

[00:32:33] Love: Right.

[00:32:33] And I can schedule a meeting with a professor or like a, org meeting, but I can't schedule like a eye appointment. Like I'm not doing self care. Right. Because I'm so, caught up. Eye Appointment is crazy. . 

[00:32:49] Fina: No, I felt that because in the beginning of the year, everybody who knows me in the beginning of this junior year, I need a contact, new contact, so bad.

[00:32:56] I had the same contacts. For about three months. I need a new [00:33:00] contact so bad, but it was like I never had time to go to the eye doctor appointment between RA training Ambassadors and all the other roles that I do was just like Finally, I have new contacts, but it's like physically I have to schedule time to eat and sleep Like I have to schedule time to take a nap Sometimes i'm like, okay y'all like today I'm, not gonna lie to y'all we could have started at one, but I really needed a nap Like I just really just need to do nothing.

[00:33:23] Like I really I just needed to do nothing for an hour so I can feel rejuvenated and I can come and present myself as I am. Yes. Yeah. it's hard. It's really hard to do nothing but 

[00:33:34] Love: My community is so important though. Literally. My friends that I've been friends with since The lottery times when it was only 200 people on campus.

[00:33:45] Fina: Not the lottery times. Bro, you know nothing about that. I don't know nothing about that. That's the real struggle. That's trauma. 

[00:33:53] Love: But you know, those friendships. Friendships are so important. People who I can get in the car with [00:34:00] and go get some ramen and we dissociate together because we've both had long days.

[00:34:06] Those are the types of friendships that are extremely important to me. And, I love my friends that, we kiki, but listen, sometimes I don't need to talk.

[00:34:19] Fina: I just want to shut up. 

[00:34:20] Love: Sometimes I just don't want to speak. 

[00:34:23] Fina: Sometimes I just want to like, shut up and do nothing. And I love my friend, shout out my friend Amira, because every time we're with each other we just sit on each other's bed and scroll through TikTok and go to Chipotle.

[00:34:33] And we don't say anything. Like, we're not saying anything. We're just enjoying each other's company. Yes, it's juicy crab for us. Oh, shout out juicy crab. That boiled egg. 

[00:34:43] Love: You know, I think that that is It's just as important as having the skills of delegation and communication and leadership. It's knowing that your community is solid.

[00:34:53] Yes. And is taken care of too. Exactly. Because you have to be able to balance taking care of your orgs and your [00:35:00] personal passions and your relationships. That's something that a lot of people don't want to talk about. Yeah. When it comes to, these leadership positions, but, it's a lot. It is. It's a lot of juggling.

[00:35:12] It is. 

[00:35:13] Fina: It is. It's a lot. And it could be very overwhelming when you're starting to do too much. Yeah, 

[00:35:19] Shiloh: when you feel yourself doing too much, but you've already committed. 

[00:35:24] Fina: You're already, you're already locked in. This whole semester I'm like, maybe I'm doing too much, but I'm already locked in.

[00:35:29] I just have to finish it out. I just have to finish it out. Like, I can't be no quitter. I can't. And that's another thing that comes into, being a black woman, like, you just, you say yes to everything, no to nothing, and you're overwhelmed, you're doing too much, but then you can't quit. you just don't want to quit.

[00:35:44] your body will not allow you to do that. And so, it's definitely been a journey. Yes. Wow. 

[00:35:49] Shiloh: Okay, and then lastly, do y'all have any advice for people who feel called to step up or any organizations that you want to shout out on Spelman's campus? 

[00:35:58] Fina: Oh yeah, I got a few organizations [00:36:00] I want to shout out. So, I want to shout out the Spelman Ambassador Program. I love the Spelman Ambassador Program down.

[00:36:06] I want to shout out the Housing Department. Love y'all down. Just to shout out everybody, the Social Justice Program. Shout out Dr. Spence. Shout out Dr. Spence. Shout out Dr. Spence every time. Shout out, the Mu Pi chapter. I love my line sisters, I love my prophytes. Love everybody. Shout out the entire D9 on campus.

[00:36:20] Love all y'all. Love the, shout out the D9 community. Just shout out to everybody. That's it. 

[00:36:27] Love: That's my favorite thing about Fina. She gon give a shout out. To everybody. I got to lift up. First of all, I love Spelman Food Studies so much. The food studies scholars got my heart down. They already know. Saplo or bust. period.

[00:36:43] I to shout out. Some professors. 

[00:36:50] Fina: Dr. Waldemariam, shout out to you. 

[00:36:51] Love: You know what? My relationships with professors are also incredibly important in my capacity to lead at Spelman. Yes. Dr. Sunny [00:37:00] Holmes, you already know I love you. But, and I'm saying that because I know she's going to listen.

[00:37:05] Awww, that's so sweet. You know, like, thank you to the professors and, you know, who are here. Dr. Jackson, of course. Oh my god, Dr. Shafi in the Poli Sci Department. Just like Little Gems, I think that an advice that I can give for leaders is to cherish the small and beautiful things about Spelman College.

[00:37:25] Because the thing about it is, you could be a leader at another school. And there's no shade or hate to other schools, but Spelman is a beautiful place that is very specific to our culture. And, I think it's important to take advantage of the culture that you exist in while you're here, cause I've said it once, and I'll say it again, you'll never find another place like Spelman.

[00:37:50] Fina: Ever. And it's, period. 

[00:37:53] Love: So cherish those little moments. Cherish those moments with your [00:38:00] professors. When your professor makes you laugh, yeah, that was beautiful. Now you need to smile for the rest of your day, but please, it's seven o'clock. 

[00:38:06] Fina: Yes, it really is the little things that get you through.

[00:38:09] Shout out Dr. Waldermarian. Everybody who knows me, literally 

[00:38:13] Shiloh: shout out English 

[00:38:14] Fina: Okay, shout out to English. Okay, period. Shout out to Dr. Waldemarian. He's my favorite professor in this entire world. I love Dr. Waldemarian. Yeah, oh my gosh. That's literally like one of my best friends. I literally email him and be like, hey, I hope you're having a good day.

[00:38:27] Like, I stop by his office hours. We just be chatting about anything. And he goes on his long rants about politics across the country. And I'm just listening like, yes. You talk about this politics. 

[00:38:36] Love: Yeah you better use your PhD that you earned in ... Egypt

[00:38:41] Fina: No, like he's such a global scholar and learner, he's just amazing. Love Dr. Waldamerian 

[00:38:46] Love: yeah, that's like the advice. look at the leaders around you and be who you want to be. Exactly. Likethat's it. And do what you want to do and lean into your community. have faith. And if you don't feel like [00:39:00] you have the community that you want right now, find it.

[00:39:03] Right. build it. That doesn't mean anything. Make it. 

[00:39:05] Shiloh: Yes. Yeah, I would also say don't be discouraged by rejection. 

[00:39:10] Love: Oh, yes! 

[00:39:11] Shiloh: Don't be discouraged by rejection when you're trying to get into these organizations on campus. Because what's meant for you will come in time. And, you know, when you get rejected, that's an opportunity to grow and learn.

[00:39:23] make mistakes freely. Don't beat yourself up about every little thing. I feel like that's something that I've definitely learned from my time here at Spelman. 

[00:39:30] Fina: For sure. I definitely had to learn, rejection. Is not a no, but it's God's like not this one a different one, but you'll find it redirection redirection.

[00:39:39] Exactly And so definitely because I remember last year I wanted to be on sga And i'm so glad i'm not on sga. Shout out to the sga girlies, though. I love y'all down They be working and I don't think That's for me. I know that's not for me. I don't know why two months ago I wanted to be a part of it, but it was just like, every [00:40:00] rejection is humbling because it's like a God's redirection.

[00:40:03] So yeah, definitely. 

[00:40:05] Love: Watch out for God's redirections. For sure. 

[00:40:07] Fina: Watch out for that. For sure. 

[00:40:10] Love: We thank you guys so much for listening to the Director's Table today. We also have a few blog posts that are out on our website.

[00:40:17] Check us out at the blue record podcast. com check us out on Instagram at the blue record. 

[00:40:22] Fina: Thank you guys so much for listening. Hope you enjoyed.