Love is an energizer. Seven hours after returning home from a conference in Baltimore, I drove to Yosemite National Park. With a cup of coffee in my hand and anticipation in my head, my boys and I left for a rite-of-passage experience. We anticipated adventure. A bear encounter, hours of hiking, and an allergic reaction were not on the itinerary. Yet, the unexpected appeared. The roads leading into the National Park have twists, turns, tourists, and reduced speed limit signs.

Dear Student Leader, Is it Spring Break for you? Did you travel? I wrote this while on a turbulent flight from the National Council of Black Studies (NCBS) Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. If you’re reading this, either my computer or I survived the moments when my stomach plummeted, and the plane fell into air pockets. Before arriving at the airport, I heard about the travel delays across the country. I left the hotel early to avoid the stress of long lines. Thankfully, th

Have you ever thought about your last message? By this, I mean the last words you will leave behind for your family, friends, and community. It’s morbid to discuss death, but it’s also foolish to ignore the reality of our limited time on Earth. Thinking about legacy can clarify priorities, reduce stress, and clear barriers to significant success. One day, hopefully not any time soon, people will reference us as Ancestors. What will people say? Does it matter? On this fi

We touch a dangerous element every time we choose to swim. It’s not an idea we want floating in our heads when swimming in ponds, pools,...