How?
He was the man with the corn in the cup. Long brown beard, camo crocs, and grey suspenders. He grew up a poor creole boy in a house that could resemble a woman whose makeup smeared down her face in the rain, but with perseverance, now lives as comfortable as a new pair of shoes, rich with knowledge. Traveling his property by foot, with borrowed UGG boots encapsulated with furry insoles, I would stand near him as he would sprinkle this knowledge toward me as he did with the corn kernels. These pieces were to be collected by the creatures of the Central Louisiana wildlife, or nappy headed college drop outs like myself as they landed amongst tall grass and caramel brown ears. Each kernel provided sustenance for an eager squirrel or fawn- making their scavenging a bit easier in the summer months. Each word of encouragement offered me new perspectives on life, Agricultural Education, teaching agriculture, the ins and outs of the FFA organization-but most importantly, allowing my "how" to be a bit easier to understand.
“Many teachers miss the mark when teaching. Honestly, it’s not about what you teach, or why you teach, but how you teach.”
My "why" is incredibly important and has been developed overtime by the collection of experiences in my young adult life. Our "why" is our purpose in life. It is the reason we live and breathe, get out of bed, and smile at complete strangers. We all have a "why". Through my life and in my time in office, however, I feel as if I have been humble to a fault in my "how".
In my own terms, our "how" is the vehicle for sharing our "why". The action of fulfilling our "why" are things we can find ourselves being proudest of, right? An athlete's "why" could be inspiring others to work the hardest they can, and their "how" can be seen in the hours they put in at the gym, conditioning, practicing, maybe injuries sustained during a game, or the definition being molded in their body. A mother's "why" could be providing the best possible opportunities for her children, father's the same. They may show this through simple actions, such as dropping their kids off at school, coaching their kid's sports teams, helping with homework, or being their #1 fan on the sidelines of football games. For an FFA member, in the broadest terms, our "why" is to be who we were created to be in order to share and demonstrate the purpose of Agriculture in the 21st century. How we do that, is incredibly dependent on the resources, agricultural programs, and opportunity presented to us. Many show this through community living to serve projects, our entrepreneurial/placement/research based supervised agricultural experience project, fundraisers, Career or Leadership Development Events, or even how hard we work in our Agricultural classes. At the end of the day, we as people are insanely proud of our "why" because it gives us direction and purpose.
Our "how", many times the most exceptionally selfless of us all, don't highlight unless someone else does. Whether we are awarded in our chapters or state, gifted a macaroni drawing on mother's/father's day, or get that "W" in the first game of the playoffs, there haven't been many times where the role models we look up to brag about what they have done to fulfill their purpose. It can be seen as arrogant, incredibly pretentious, and not a characteristic of a selfless leader (or person rather) would exemplify. But, is that completely true?
Dr. Smith, a former Agricultural Educator and the current Louisiana State FFA Advisor, invited me to his home June 8th, 2018 after Louisiana's Area 4 camp. He said: "We ain't leaving you in that hotel alone, come with us to church." So, after a tailored message to myself and Dr. Smith and a venture to the truest Louisiana food in California, Popeye's, we caravanned back to his house; his children and I "flossing" through every stop along the way. When we arrived to his home, we walked inside of his kitchen and into his living room. His son, Connor, commenced with pig chores and his daughter, Kenley, went over to her room to grab her roller blades to scoot around the house with and her imaginary friend, Betsy (who had been a hole punch in a pink basket- I don't know why, it was never explained, but it was really cute). Dr. Smith and I slipped off our shoes and sat in the living room for a bit. I expected for him to take a nap and I would "make myself at home" while answering my emails. But, this couldn't have been different.
A conversation about PhDs lead to a conversation about Agricultural Education researchers Wakefield and Talbert-sole proprietors of research done on FFA history. Dr. Smith stood from his comfortable seat on the couch to the edge of his seat in his last boy near the stool I was sitting on. What was a conversation, transformed into a major reality check in the form of a history lesson.
He went to explain NFA and FFA history. "In 1965, NFA and FFA merged. But, from what I spoke with other researchers about, this was more of a takeover." He went on to explain that this merger had occurred this way due to segregation at the time. The white school had better resources, buildings, and utilities. So, it made sense for black students to attend the better of the two facilities. NFA was looked at this way as well. Without question, FFA resources and opportunities must be of higher caliber, right? That wasn't always necessarily the case for these students. In the long run, changing the name and affiliating with FFA was a good decision. However, this caused an extreme deduction in African American students. "Students that won National Star Farmer in NFA for three acres of crop couldn't compare to Star Farmers in FFA with 300 acres." From 57,000, African American student involvement plummeted to 20,000 and continued to as black student's gained understanding that their economic and social stance during that time wasn't seen as extensive as white students. Inequality in pay, in housing situations, in opportunity, made it extremely difficult for black students to experience the same opportunity as those who were more privileged, even after segregation. To this day, there are many neighborhoods and communities across our country experiencing poverty, lack of support, and absent of opportunity due to the implications of segregation back in the 40s and late 50s. Today, our membership is 1% African American. Many other ethnic groups collectively fall under 1% as well. Those generational stereotypes, standards, and economic stances are still being experienced by African American students. "That was, until we got to see African American students rise in our organization." Fred McClure would serve in 1973 as the first African American National FFA Officer. Corey Flournoy would serve in 1994 as the first African American National FFA President, and a few short years later, Levy Randolph would experience the same. Today, "Breanna Holbert was elected to serve as the First Female African American National FFA President." I felt the anxiety rush over, the weight settle in again, the fear come over me.
"Bre, you made history...this is how you serve FFA."
“I kept saying to myself that it was so much pressure.”
“I kept saying to myself: Hallelujah.”
Now, I know what you may be thinking right now. "So are you
saying your "how' is being black?" Not solely, because I know there is more to me than the color of my skin. And trust me, I am no Harriet Tubman or Sojourner Truth. I am a strong, ambitious, and perseverant woman who believes that I serve God through the service of other people. I have always done that through being who I am innately and not being afraid of sharing that outwardly, listening to those who need me to just listen, and being that person that someone can count on to drop everything she wants, needs, or desires to do to take on every and any responsibility for someone else, whether as an FFA officer, a sibling, a daughter, a student, as a friend, and as a soldier of Christ. I hope I have only unintentionally showcased my "how", that I never really had to speak it until now. I hope people can just see it through my actions and the work I put in. But the "how" of being who I am ethnically, I hadn't realized how vital it was to the integrity of our organization.
The teachers I have met tearing up by "the thought you are here right now is crazy. It's about time." The schools where the whole class is in awe at the fact that this girl that looks like them, even though "mixed", could be them. Students getting nervous to ask me questions about my journeys, getting excited to show me their projects, getting teared up when an advisor runs to hug me and whispers in my ear: "I'm so glad you are here." Walking by groups of folks who whisper: "That's the National President, I didn't know she was black." I didn't understand this, and the fact that just being black moved people so much scared me. But, I understand now. I think I have for a while.
No, my race shouldn't matter. I didn't grow up in a community where it mattered much at all. I was allowed any and every opportunity, and I was at the right place at the right time to receive them. Yes, I struggled financially, but I was able to move past my circumstance and get to where I am today with the support of my community. I'm fortunate for that, but that's not the rest of the country. "Bre, they needed to see you. You are impacting students everyday by being who you are, but being black is a part of how you do it."
My purpose of writing this blog, again, isn't to brag on my position or circumstance. It isn't to derail FFA, derail being white, and it isn't to boast about my role as a National Officer. What I am trying to say is this.
Be proud of your how.
Whatever that is, whether you know it or not, be proud of your how. I wasn't for so long. I resisted it, I didn't understand it, I forcefully pushed it out of my mind in fear I was being non-inclusive. And yet, I was ignoring a demographic of people who appreciated this how from the time I tapped the gavel last October to the rest of my life.
What is your how? Think deeper now. It really can be one thing, many things, or nothing-but it is WHAT we use to accomplish our WHY...HOW will you do it?
How?