A LONG OVERDUE ROAD TRIP – Part One

A LONG OVERDUE ROAD TRIP

This is Part One in a two-part series documenting my trip home for Homecoming this year at my alma mater Langston University.

Anybody that knows me, knows that I am very proud of everything that has had a hand in making me the person I am. Being born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, spending time with my family in Tampa Florida and Atlanta Georgia, and traveling and living in numerous cities across the country. However the one the thing that ranks high atop that list is my Alma Mater John Mercer Langston University. Named for the 1st elected U.S. congressman in post civil war history from the state of Virginia, and the great uncle of the legendary Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes (whom many confuse the name of my university for) Langston is a gem in the state of Oklahoma.

Founded 1897 through the United States 1890 Land Grant Act Langston was 1 of 19 Historically Black College and Universities founded during that period. HBCUs are institutions of higher education that were either founded for or by African-Americans during a time of segregation when “separate by equal” was standard. Many of these university now flourish with diverse student enrollment population of people of all races and religious affiliation. Langston means so much to me because it represents a time in my life where I came into my own as a young man, learned who I was, who I wanted to become, and most of all learned from the people at L.U. who saw potential and cared enough to develop it.

To say this trip home was big for me would be an understatement, I hadn’t been back to Langston since 2006 Homecoming and I had not been back home to Tulsa since my grandmother’s funeral in 2012.  So to touch Oklahoma’s red dirt felt wonderful!

I flew into Dallas so I could pick up my Fraternity Brother Ryan. Ryan and I came in together playing football at LU he was from Oakland and I was a local boy from Tulsa. We didn’t talk much until we both decide to join Phi Beta Sigma, Fraternity Inc. at the same time then we became the best of friends. Ryan and I were roommates at LU and I am Godfather to oldest son.

Landing in Dallas I went to the parking spot to pick up my car and I was pleasantly surprised to see the Mazda CX-3 in a brilliant royal blue (One of my frat colors).   I put his address in the GPS and cruised to his apartment in Fort Worth. The ride was smooth and I enjoyed listening to local Dallas radio station 97.9, after making it to his apartment I went to Jack in the Box (another Texas favorite) to grab a burger and went in and laid it down for the night. Next day Ryan made breakfast and we hit the road.

I think the drive to Oklahoma City was one of my favorite parts of the road trip, we talk about life, our kids, our careers, our faith, and of course our time in college! The classes, the parties, football, the frat, and just college life overall.

As soon as we got to OKC I ran to see my other frat Jamaal another teammate of ours at LU who is now a barber that runs local barbershop called Dixon’s. I didn’t get my hair cut on purpose because barbers back home take their time on a haircut and make you look and feel like a million bucks. Jamal had me fresh and ready to hit the yard (campus)…

Be sure to come back for the second part of my series about my time at Homecoming.  Thanks to Mazda and DriveShop for providing the Mazda CX-3 for my epic road trip from Dallas to Oklahoma City.  The CX-3 has a starting price of $19,660 for the sport model and increase depending on upgrade or model choices.  It’s a compact ride that’s perfect for teens, college students, young professionals, newlyweds, and even small families or retirees.  To learn more about the Mazda CX-3 visit their website, and be sure to connect with them on Facebook & Twitter.