MY TRUTH: Dear…

By Cheryl Smith

Homecoming attendees:

Welcome home.

I want to take a minute to say it is good to have you back, I hope you have a great time and I hope we are victorious in the game.

If you are attending the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Homecoming, I also want to say that I hope you feel the same pride as I do when you see the best band in the land, The Marching 100!

My Homecoming 2023 Experience has started out on a high note. In addition to making it to the airport earlier, we were bumped up to first class and then, although the Uglies Snacks were not supposed to be for breakfast, the beautiful American Airlines flight attendant gifted me a bag of the Sweet Potato Chips as I exited the plane.

Now it was nice being on a plane with a bunch of Rattlers!

Note: People when you are out and about and you see an- other Rattler in paraphernalia, SPEAK!

First you are going to Homecoming because you probably want to be with FAMULY. Well, the love doesn’t start flowing once you hit the campus!

Nod, smile, do something that shows that you walked these hills, faced those challenges and made it through.

Then too you don’t know what someone sacrificed to make the journey. Some left behind ailing loved ones or borrowed money they may have a challenge paying back. Others need a pick-me-up from a bad relationship or work experience, and still others may be celebrating a reunion or trying to get over a bout of depression.

Some say common courtesy, like common sense is not so common anymore. They want to blame it on younger generations.

I’m not going to get into blaming. I’m going to smile and keep it moving because I am so happy to be alive and able to attend anybody’s Homecoming

Game over a Homegoing Service!

For me, it is coming back to a place where so much good in my life actually began. I will see people I only see once a year and we will pick up where we left off last year. Now as I write this piece, it is still day 1.

I didn’t have a rental car reserved and I took a chance and lo and behold when everyone was saying “NO” Hertz said YES!

So it was off to see Eulinda. I met Eulinda at a National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention in Las Vegas. She was a vendor and provided beauty services. It was a pleasure meeting her and finding out she was not only a Rattler but a fellow Divine 9er (member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority).

Eulinda styled my hair for my induction into the NABJ Hall of Fame and I received rave reviews.

When I called her salon, HALO, for an appointment, she immediately took care of me.

I am just winning all around!

Homecoming is good! So next it was off to FAMU’s campus where one of the brightest and warmest welcomes I received came from Athletic Director Tiffani-Dawn Sykes. She has the distinction of being in the 3 percentile of Black female athletic directors at Division I universities.

Note: Three percent of 350!

And she is more than qualified.

Which brings me to my truth.

If the rest of FAMU’s Homecoming is anything like the first day, I’m going to be full of joy. And to top it off, I will be celebrating my 45th Deltaversary with the Elusive Ladies of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (BADST).

But there’s so much more.

We must go back and enjoy the fun and festivities, the fashion and step shows, the walks down memory lane; and of course the game!

But we also have a responsibility to give something, to leave FAMU (substitute and put your school’s name in the spot) better than when you arrived.

Think of it like tithing — whatever you spent to get here; at least leave another 10% for scholarships. Take a student out for a meal and share some knowledge with them.

Walk up to the Pres- ident, a Dean, a Coach or AD Sykes and while you’re sharing your finite wisdom; when you shake their hands, put a check into it!

You see, everyone has all the answers when actually some of the solutions require finances. So if you really want to round out the Homecoming experience, make sure the school benefits as much as the hotels, airlines, restaurants, malls and car rental places.

Oh, yeah, FAMU is playing Prairie View A&M University. It will be the first time in my lifetime these two teams will meet and I would love to see the two bands compete.

Go RATTLERS!

And until next time, safe travels and best wishes.