By: Tanisha Robertson
Greetings Beauties!!, It's Tanisha checking again beauties!. Today we've had the pleasure of speaking with a very bright young lady TyJa Barnes from Albany State University. She proudly serves as THEE Business Admin for THE dynamic Johnson Administration. HBCU beauty is covering the dynamic women who are changing their HBCU by being proactive. We also looked into some hot topics of discussion and got her insight on them. I truly enjoyed this interview and can proudly call this young lady my friend!
Hey Love, I’d like you to explain to readers why you chose Albany as well as your role in SGA ? Also give us a little background on you ? Extra curricular activities and all ?
Greetings and Humble Salutations,
I am TyJa Barnes-Jones a 20-year old rising Junior from Panama City, Florida. I proudly attend the Unsinkable Albany State University, where I major in Biology and am actively involved in campus life. I absolutely love my HBCU and I knew that from the moment I stepped foot on campus for Open House in Spring 2018. Many members of my family attended other HBCU’s , plus we always met up to attend the Honda Battle Of The Bands. For this reason, I applied to all HBCU’s in hopes of immersing myself in the culture. I was accepted to all the HBCU’s I applied to but, ultimately, Albany State was the best place for me financially and it was the place that actually felt like a second home to me.
As soon as I arrived on campus in the Fall of 2018, I was excited to get active and ready to learn. My entire life, I have taken my education very seriously and excelled in the classroom. While I have managed to maintain my academic success, I was eager to learn and know more. Since attending ASU , I have increased my skills in professionalism, networking, and public speaking tremendously. On-campus, I am active in the following organizations: Collegiate Women Of Empowerment (CWOE), Student Government Association (SGA), Holley Ambassadors, Paraprofessional Promoting Progression (P3), Anointed ASU Gospel Choir, The Velma Fudge Grant Honors Program, and the Minority Association of Pre-Med Scholars. Passionate in my pursuit of becoming an impactful healthcare professional, I earned 1st place in the STEM category for the Spring 2019 ASU Undergraduate Research Symposium and, also, attended the 2019 Summer Health Professions Education Program at the University of Iowa. I am most proud of the RAMS (Resource Assistance and Meaningful Service) Cares Community Service Committee within SGA that I was responsible for during the 2019-2020 scholastic year. I am honored to serve on the executive team of SGA as the Business Administrator for the upcoming school year.
What is different about the Johnson Administration compared to previous administrations?
I believe every administration is different to a degree because they have to adjust according to the current issues and needs of the student body. We are only a couple of days into our term and we already have so many issues to combat. I am beyond confident in our ability to meet the needs of the student body and advocate for our Ramily. We have a very strong dedicated leader serving as President. Aliyah Johnson is passionate, stern, and always keeps the needs of the student body as her number one priority. Most importantly, we are creating a family atmosphere within SGA and emphasizing the importance of transparency between the association and student body. I’m excited to see all the administration accomplishes throughout the scholastic year.
How do you feel about the black lives matter movement, and how can students embody it on their campus??
I feel that the movement is very important and it’s so much more than what meets the eye. Due to systemic racism, we face many hardships that some people may not understand. It’s truly fearful because most of us have friends and family members that we have to worry about daily. Not to mention worrying about ourselves. I found myself driving down the road the other day and mistakenly forgetting to signal while changing lanes. Although no one was around me or insight, I found myself thinking of Sandra Bland and it brought tears to my eyes. It’s important to remember that this systemic racism reaches all aspects of life. The most heart wrenching for me is the health disparities that have arisen. Healthcare should not be a privilege but a BASIC human right. The extremely high maternal mortality rate and socioeconomic barrier for sufficient healthcare are among the many disparities in our healthcare system. I hope to be the change I want to see in the system by combating the paucity of information on these disparities. Students can help embody the movement on their campus by spreading knowledge on what’s occurred and informing their fellow peers on how we can make an impact on the problems we see in America. Additionally, students can stay focused and earn their degrees to support our communities in their various career fields. We need to encourage our peers to get out and vote! We need more black nurses, lawyers, obstetricians, social workers, etc! We have to BE the change we want to SEE!
How do you feel about the representation of women in politics?
Unfortunately, as in most fields, there is still an imprint from the past constructs of gender bias. Women are required to “break the glass ceiling” in politics and even then they still have to fight 10 times as hard to earn the same respect as a man. I feel that the representation of women in politics could be inclined. Most importantly, I feel like political education should be taught more.
What would you say to a woman that is scared to get involved and become a campus leader?
I would say “Find your niche sis!” There is something out there for all of us. Being a campus leader may not be your calling but you would be remiss to not seek your purpose while in college. Try different organizations and extracurricular activities that you find interesting to explore what's best for you. For the women like me who are trying to emerge themselves in important, professional settings and conversations but don't know where to start: Speak up now! Your opinion is valued and important! Your input could make a difference for your entire student body. Don't let anyone discourage you from offering your opinion. Also no matter what happens, never forget to put your mental health first. You can't continually pour into others if no one is pouring into you.
How did COVID-19 affect campaigning and what are you looking forward to in the Fall semester?
Campaign season is my absolute favorite time of year. There are so many creative campaigns and it truly gives you a chance to see your fellow peers passion and vision for their desired positions. COVID-19 led to campaigning being solely virtual. I commend the candidates and our Dean of Students because they were able to think outside the box and engage the student body virtually. The Student Engagement office worked tirelessly around the clock to ensure campaign season still happened and each candidate was fairly assessed by the students. For the Fall, I’m looking forward to soo much! Not only am I looking forward to reuniting with my Ramily, I’m also excited to meet the ASU Class Of 24 and help them transition into our beloved institution.
What beginning leadership roles prepared you to be where you are now ?
All of my roles in leadership have tremendously impacted where I am now. My role as a Holley Ambassador has instilled a deep pride in my institution within me. While we have room for improvement, like all Universities, I love Albany State University and truly believe it is one of the best institutions in the world. If you would like to know more about it, feel free to reach out to me! I have also developed many skills from the various leadership roles I have had on campus. I have served as one of the 2018-2019 Academic Affairs Senator, the 2019-2020 Institutional Advancement Senator, Vice President of CWOE, Secretary of P3 and the Chairperson of SGA’s Community Service Committee. The position that has affected me the most on a personal level was serving as Miss Honors Council. It helped me work on the confidence I have in myself. I have always been the one to do all the background work and help from behind the scenes, so this position was very different for me. Being a campus queen requires you to step out and be the face of an entire organization. It is your duty to step hard and be seen on behalf of all your members. I definitely recommend every woman and man to challenge themselves and step out of their comfort zone at some point. Although it seems simple, it can truly be a life changing, learning experience.
I truly appreciate HBCU Beauty for the work that they do to acknowledge and celebrate our beautiful HBCU Queens! Your efforts truly go a long way and touch the hearts of us all! Thanks to the entire HBCU Beauty Team!
THANK YOU !! Once again we here at HBCU Beauty, really appreciated you taking time out of your day to have these types of conversations! I can tell Albany State is truly in for a treat this semester! Til next time, Stay beautiful and keep your crowns up!!
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