Hmm......

A Rocket to the Moon!

2009-08-07T14:54:00.001-07:00

So my internship is with New Mexico's CW and now I am officially a part of the new street team, The CW Crew. This is our first week and we are really jumping in the deep end. We landed an interview with the band A Rocket to the Moon and we are getting to see them in concert tonight. It was a great opportunity, the guys were awesome and for our first interview I think it went great!! Im going to post a few pics from the interview so take a look but don't steal them! lol To see the video, check the website at newmexicoscw.tv in a couple weeks.

Be open to the possibilities!

2009-07-24T17:53:00.001-07:00

Thats all I have to say.

I know I have been on hiatus lately but I'm back and again open to the possibilities. I just landed an internship and I couldn't be happier! I will let you in on the details soon but for now I just want to rant.

So this summer is going by fast and really I haven't done a lot. I have just been trying to enjoy it with the people I love most, my friends and family. With all the celebrity deaths, I decided I should try to appreciate life a little more and who better to do that with then my friends and family. Lets just say I played a little too much kickball, watched a little too much tv, read a lot of books and went to a few bbq's on the weekends. In other words it was awesome!

Now I only have a few more weeks of summer, so I'm going to enjoy it before its time to put in work!

The End of a Saga

2009-05-29T23:29:00.000-07:00

So I did it. I finally finished all the seven Harry Potter books. It is funny to think back and remember that I have been reading these books since 4th grade (I thank my fourth grade teacher for introducing me to the Harry Potter books). I think that after reading the first, I truly started to appreciate books as a whole, realizing that they can surpass other forms of entertainment. Anyway, book after book the Harry Potter saga became better and better. I am happy to say that it ended just as I had hoped. But I am sad to say that I wish there was more to read. Well as this is the summer where I want to get back into reading I think I should venture into some other books. As for me its over and done and I give my props to J.K. Rowling!

Hawa-The Budding Journalist

Home Sweet Albuquerque

2009-05-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

Got back home late last night and what can I say, nothing feels better then sleeping in your own bed. However I miss my sisters already! Being in Houston made me want to just unpack everything and stay for the summer. Anyway hopefully I will make a second trip back later this summer. But as for now, I am on a job hunt. I'm looking for anything fun to do over the summer. So wish me luck. I'm out, Peace!

H-Town!!

2009-05-14T22:36:00.001-07:00

So after a long drive I finally got to Houston. I am so excited to spend the weekend with my familia! Too bad my two brothers couldn't be here. Anyway tomorrow is gonna be a rough morning. Eight people, two bathrooms and we all have to leave the house by 7 o'clock for the graduation.... stressful. But thank god I am done with finals, hooray for summer!! Like for real! haha Well I need to get my beauty sleep on!! later.

Hawa-The Budding Journalist

Its almost over!

2009-05-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

Finals = Stress

So, I just got done with my statistics final, and whoa dang, that test was difficult. I hope that I get the grade I am looking for but I dunno. Anyway, I am happy though cause that means I only have two more finals left and I think I can handle them. My writing for broadcast journalism final will be easy, but my astronomy final is going to stress me out to the max! So wish me luck!

Other than that I am leaving to H-town thursday and I am super excited. My sister is graduating and I am so proud of her. She just got into an assistantship and she is leaving for france for a year, and I am going to miss her so much! But I know she will be having an experience of a lifetime and hopefully she will find something she wants when she gets there!

Well I am done, cause I need to get back to studying! Later!

Hawa-The Budding Journalist

What happened to the Public Library?

2009-05-08T12:58:00.000-07:00

Yes it still exists.....

Audio Files on Blogger!

2009-04-29T18:34:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh!! I have been trying to upload and post some of my wav files to my blog for about 2 hours. And it is not happening. As soon as I figure out how to upload these audio files, I will try to post some of my broadcasts. If anyone knows how to help, feel free to leave a comment. Anyway, I think I am going to take a break from this audio nonsense because it is giving me a headache. But other then that I have been ok. School is still a pain. Im talking papers, videos and quizzes ruining my life. Not to mention finals! And now Im really trying to get a hang of this whole blog thing so Im gonna start posting more as things come to mind and paper!

Hawa-The Budding Journalist

Health Care for Everyone?

2009-04-29T17:04:00.000-07:00

In hopes to gain support for universal healthcare Dr. Bruce Trigg spoke to the American Medical Student Association Wednesday in the S.U.B.

Trigg, a member of Physicians for a National Health Program, began his speech by explaining how the U.S. healthcare system runs today and how it is not an efficient way to get healthcare.

"The U.S. public spending per capita for health insurance is greater than the total spending in other nations, and essentially we have enough money to pay for a national healthcare program, but we don't have one," Trigg said.

He said that the U.S. health system is primarily a private healthcare system where people rarely get to choose their own physician. Trigg explains how the 20 percent of people covered by public health insurance are the sick and elderly, which makes it easier for private health insurance to make more money.

"Sick people are expensive, they do not want sick people. They need to avoid sick people to make money," Trigg said.

According to PNHP about 46 million Americans are living without health insurance and of those people health insurance is just not affordable. While more then 18,000 of those uninsured die annually from lack of coverage and millions more are underinsured. Also according to PNHP the problem was formerly confined to low-income Americans but now middle-class citizens are feeling the affects of the healthcare problem.

"I even had too switch my insurance causing me to loose my physician of 20 years so that my daughter could have health care throughout college," Trigg said.

Trigg said that having people employed does not necessarily lead to proper health insurance anymore because wage increases are decreasing and the cost for providing health insurance is rapidly increasing.

"We need to keep working toward a universal healthcare system," Trigg said.

A universal healthcare system will offer healthcare to all citizens as well as undocumented immigrants. There will be no copays or deductibles, no need for medicaid and no private insurance. Although the possibility of private insurance for what is not covered by the public plan.

"Dr. Trigg was very informative. I never heard of programs like this," AMSA member Cloyce Nelson said.

However the publicly funded universal healthcare plan is not necessarily free. In such a system there will be pay roll or flat taxes, progressive income taxes, regressive premiums and earmark taxes for healthcare.

Wearing a shirt with the phrase, "open your eyes," AMSA president Phouong Nguyen said, "healthcare is a basic privilege right and by educating students about universal healthcare they can be aware of the pros and cons of such a system."

Hawa-The Budding Journalist

(October 10, 2008)

My Birthday!! And other random stuff.

2009-04-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post a new blog and decided to just ramble on about some stuff. So today was my birthday and I realized that I need to start doing things for my self and not to impress people. I realized that people are unreliable at times and that my family will always be there for me. I also realized that I just turned 20 and have no internship or journalism experience to show for (other then writing for my high school paper and taking some core classes). So I think I need to get proactive but probably not until school ends. It has been kicking my butt!! but anyway I might post an article a little later but we will see.

The Budding Journalist

My president is black. Can I still use the N-word?

2009-03-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

The N-word is a word that has been in the middle of turmoil since the late 17th century. In the first cases the word was used towards dark skinned people and it denoted them. The word has since become a major yet controversial part of American society.

"The word has a lot of history behind it, I'm not for it but I do use it at times," Black Student Union Advisor Cherese Fine said.

The word for some is a reflection of America's past in which equal rights were fought for. It reminds one of what black people had gone through during slavery. It also shows what people of different skin tones have been put through for civil rights. In many ways it shows how far we have come as a nation of immigrants.

For others the term can be defined as just another slang or curse word. A word that in some cases can refer to a classmate or friend while in other instances it can be used as a tool to joke with people.

"I myself say it at times, because the culture and generation I'm in grew up with the word," Fine said.

While it still has some negative connotations the word has come along way in the eyes of the black community. The word can be seen used openly within black societies.

"I don't think the N-word should be used in the present because of its negative history, but I believe that in the black community it has become a term of endearment," sophomore Yagazie Emezi said.

After years of persecution the meaning of the word has changed for some African Americans.

"It seems like black people are more comfortable saying the word because they have accepted the word and have essentially taken control of the term," Fine said.

The N-word has also become a phenomenon in pop culture. The word can now be heard on various hip-hop and rap songs along with other forms of media.

"Using the word in music desensitizes you from the impact the word can actually have," junior Morris Huang said.

Listening to 50 cent and Kanye West may lead to an opportunity to use the N-word openly.

"I don't think the N-word should be used in pop culture because it encourages other people to use it," junior Alaa Elmaoued said.

By other people he means non-black people. According to Elmaoued it is okay to use negro but it is not okay to use any other form of derogatory words.

"It is a problem because black people use it and get mad that other people use it, if that is the case then they shouldn't use the N-word either" Elmaoued said.

According to some, blacks who use the N-word have a right to take ownership of the word because they have been degraded by the term. But as for the non blacks, using the term can lead to a misunderstanding. Junior Morris Huang, says that the word is not essential for everyday use.

"I don't here the N-word used a lot but I think it depends on the context of its use," Huang said. "Either way it still has an affect on people but it has more of an affect if you have hate backing it."

In a new age were a black man can become president America's view on the N-word may have changed. With president-elect Barack Obama ready to transition into office, will people stop using the term out of respect?

"I don't think it changes much because the people who would use the word are the ones who already use it normally," Huang said.

Some students seem to disagree with Huang and instead believe that this will increase the use of the N-word.

"If people still call president Bush a dumbass why would they stop calling Barack Obama the N-word," Elmaoued said.

However some believe that America is always changing and moving towards a more accepting, positive future but as far as the N-word goes it has been here for years and it is not going away anytime soon.

"Everybody use's it," Elmaoued said. "Including every race, age and gender, it doesn't matter they are not going to stop."

Hawa-The Budding Journalist

(November 25, 2008)

"Toss No Mas"

2009-03-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

The Lost and Found Chronicles.

A Photo Journalism assignment aimed at cleaning up New Mexico, February 12, 2009.

My Muslim is Showing

2009-03-20T01:15:00.000-07:00

Sporting a full beard and an Islamic hat known as a kufie, Abdurrahman Qassem lives every moment of his life dedicated to Islam. Whether it be interacting with people or simply going to the bathroom, Qassem takes Islam wherever he goes.

"Islam for me is a way of life. No aspect in my life would exist without Islam," Qassem said.

Qassem, a junior at UNM, is now the president of the Muslim Student Association on campus. He has been a member of the student organization for 6 years and active since high school.

"I became MSA president after former presidents pushed me to run, since I am so organized," Qassem said.

Since childhood Qassem has been taught the Islamic tradition by his father and has made Islam a major focus in his life. He talked about being strong in his da'wah, which is inviting both muslims and non-muslims to understand the worship of God as expressed in the Quran. His father would read hadith, sayings and actions of the prophet Muhammed, every night. Through these teachings Qassem has gained more knowledge of Islam and has been putting his knowledge into practice. At a young age, being one of ten children, he learned how to deal with people with different personalities. Knowing how to act with a diverse group of people in an American society also helped Qassem become stronger in his da'wah.

"Every second of everyday I am representing Islam and through da'wah people can learn about Islam," Qassem said.

Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, being muslim in America has been subject to various opinions. Being of Arab descent, growing out a beard and wearing muslim clothing have made him a target for racial profiling. On a trip to Jordan Qassem had to undergo a backround check after being questioned about his name. Although Qassem has faced one form of racial profiling, being searched at an airport, he believes that negative opinions of Islam has reduced.

"People still put me in stereotypes but now they come up to me and ask me what I am wearing and what I stand for, which clears up misconceptions about Islam, and since 9/11 Islam has become the fastest growing religion," Qassem said.

Living as a muslim comes easy to Qassem and living in a society that challenges his beliefs makes him an even stronger believer in his faith.

"Depending on how much you believe in your religion you won't be affected by the western atmosphere. You may even be a good influence on non-muslims," Qassem said.

Despite the glare of curious eyes Qassem lives day to day acting as a poster boy for Islam. Promoting peace and clearing up misconceptions have become a daily activity for Qassem but he would not have it any other way.

"Islam is a religion that promotes peace and by informing people about this religion I become a stronger muslim everyday," Qassem said.

Hawa-The Budding Journalist

(October 2, 2008)

About Me

2009-03-19T23:04:00.000-07:00

My byline is Hawa and my passion is telling peoples stories. I'm first generation American, both my parents are west African so I come from a diverse background. I am strong in my faith and and live my life with an Islamic influence. I am a sophomore in college majoring in Broadcast Journalism, trying to finish school in as little time as possible. I have a lot of goals and aspirations and by starting this blog I hope to get the ball moving on my own endeavors. I am the youngest of seven and I am always looking for advice and I hope to share my amateur articles with you in hopes to gain some constructive criticism. I once heard that in order to be a good journalist you have to get in trouble so that is what I have set out to do.