C-SPAN: The State of Black America

[njlib]

Anyone watching? Jesse Jackson just said the President & First Lady only paid off their student loans two years ago with the proceeds from Barack Obama's book and that if it wasn't for that book, we'd now have a president who was still paying his student loans! As a 42 year old nursing student, with a son in community college, that just scares the crap out of me. Guess I'll still be paying mine out of my social security checks.....

[ecstatic]

1. Just tuning in! Wow!!! @ Iyanla Vanzant's story

What a story. OMG

[malaise]

6. Maxine Waters on now n/t

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

9. I missed that - tuned it too late. I hope they will replay this later n/t

[njlib]

12. I saw that, too

Just goes to show that ANYONE can run into hard times.

[malaise]

2. Watching now Michael Dyson on

I love his analysis.

[ecstatic]

4. I was with him until he said people in NY looked down on New Orleans

and, of course, the karma was the Wall Street crisis. Wondering where he got that analysis from?

[malaise]

7. A most unfortunate comment

although he probably meant the Wall Street bankers.

[dana_b]

3. that's why I went to community college for my ADN

I'll work on a bachelor's after my kid gets going with her life (abou 3-4 years). It's ridiculous what the "system" is designed to do - to keep us in eternal debt. Ridiculous AND depressing.

[njlib]

11. Depressing is right

I'm enrolled in an 18 month accelerated LPN program and the cost is $17,000. I'm just hoping that I'll be able to find a job when I graduate. I know everyone says healthcare/nursing is growing, but I'm still scared that I'll have gone through all this time and effort to graduate, but won't be able to find something that pays enough to live on AND repay my loans. I lost my job 2/13/09 because I'm going to school at night, so I'm really hoping things at least start to turn around by graduation, which is January 2010.

[dana_b]

13. you will get a job

where are you? I know some areas are not as in need of nurses as they used to be (I live near San Francisco) but the field is growing all the time with aging of the baby boomers.

Good luck to you!

[njlib]

14. Thank you for the encouraging words!

I'm in northwest New Jersey, about an hour away from "civilization".

I know there are more opportunities for RN's, so my plan is to continue with my schooling, while working as an LPN.

[njlib]

15. Second panel discussion starting now

Let's see what kind of reaction Michael Steele gets...Al Sharpton is going to be on the panel, too!

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

16. That's a good plan

There may be some scholarship or tuition reimbursement opportunities once you are working as an LPN.

[njlib]

17. I hope that's the case

I know some of my classmates are already involved in the medical field in some manner and their employers are paying all or part of their tuition. I'm hoping to get lucky enough to find an employer that will help me advance my education.

[Beavker]

5. I saw part of that.

I chuckled pretty hard at that one. I thought the parts I saw were great. Especially the things in the stimulus that will help the black population such as the training programs and such. The moderator mentioned something that is so, so true. These things just don't get talked about in the papers and on TV. Too busy covering the squable the GOP has on the Taxes not being enough or the spending too much, etc. Exactly. Media not getting to the good stuff, or the meat, just over glamourizing the fluff. Ratings.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

8. Yes, watching it, Dyson's speech was so good I replayed

it.

I think I just spotted Michael Steele in the audience.

[njlib]

10. The second panel takes the stage at 4:30 pm EST

C-SPAN will continue its live coverage and yes, Michael Steele will be on the second panel. I want to see Cornell West. I could listen to him talk for days!! I watched the entire first panel discussion and am sure the second panel will be just as lively and interesting.

Think I'll go pooper scoop my yard while they run this CPAC garbage.....