Humans of Terre Haute

Childhood Nightmares

While I was sitting at the fountain I saw classmate Koewyn Rose siting down looking in his phone. When I was talking to Koewyn I noticed that he would stop in the middle of his sentence when someone stares at him too long, he gets offended and defensive. I asked him why he is always so quick to fight and get mad. Koewyn said “I’ve been through a lot growing up”. When he was seven years old, Koewyn was physically abused by his stepmother. Whenever he saw his father twice a month he would also have an encounter with his stepmom putting physical harm to him. One day Koewyn and his stepmom were leaving out the house and when they got into the car, Koewyn’s stepmom left her keys in the house and said she was crazy for doing that and laughed. When Koewyn went in the house with her he laughed and said, “Yea you were crazy for doing that” after saying that Koewyn was slammed against the wall and his stepmom said “Don’t you ever call me crazy”. Koewyn couldn’t get his father to come to his defense because he cared about her more than him. Just as Koewyn is telling me these tragic accidents I could tell he was starting to tear up but when he told me that he had to get three surgeries done for his nose, throat, and ear from an ear infection spreading from his stepmom putting hair grease on a q-tip in his ear. The physical abuse lasted for a year. At a young age he wanted to commit suicide but instead he would take the anger out by stabbing his pillows and sheets with a pen. Koewyn’s mom knew it was time for the police to step in. After getting the police involved they recommended Koewyn get help before these different abuses affect him emotionally. Koewyn was received help from a psychologist and even had family therapy with his father and stepmom but because Koewyn was only seven years old his stepmom’s excuse and denial was just he was only a kid he doesn’t know what he’s talking about and because of that therapy didn’t do much.

Motivation is Key

Jaelan Collins is 21 years old and a senior at Indiana State University; he is a part of an organization called “Why You Laughing” where different students show off their acting and comedic talents by performing skits and plays. Collins is a Public Relations major and is part of ISU radio station WZIS.

While growing up, Jaelan says he was always considered funny in high school and told that he should be a comedian. Deep down he wants to be an actor and wanted to direct screen plays. Jaelan has researched a different program that helps young teens reach their dreams of being an actor. His early junior year he came across a program called “ACT-SO” which stands for Afo-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics, that recruits and encourages high school students to showcase their different talents.

ACT-SO is recognized by the NAACP and artists and actors like Jada Pinkett Smith, John Legend, Anthony Anderson, and Kanye West are connected to this program. Jaelan felt that ACT-SO was one opportunity to show off his talents, so he signed up and was sent to different competitions, He hoped his big break would be in Florida, acting in a drama play, but he was eliminated from the competition. Jaelan was disappointed but didn’t give up because he learned that music performer Kanye West didn’t win any competitions either. Learning that Kanye West never gave up, pushed Jaelan to stand strong.

Just when Jaelan thought his dream as an actor were over, a comedy actor, Anthony Anderson, reached out to him on Facebook. Anderson encouraged Jaelan over the social media website Anderson told him “Being in comedy is very challenging but you just got to stay positive and keep going,” Not only was Jaelan shocked that a celebrity like Anthony Anderson followed him, showing support in his dream was motivation enough in Jaelan to come to ISU and join “Why You Laughing”.

Twice the Blessing

“Oh my God I’m so tired of working at this front desk in Gillum Hall, Directing and assisting students for their appointments with teachers and advisors.”

Student Jamina Tribbett remembers back last semester, carrying a full load of classes, working as many hours as she could, and carrying another “load” of her first child.

“As I rub my belly I realize how I’m about to bring a new life in this world, I’m a junior at Indiana State University but as it gets close to my senior year I realize the lack of experiences I’m getting in my field.”

Whenever Jamina is not doing anything she always talks to the head of the Communication Department Mary Kahl about plans for the baby, her family, and her grades in her classes. Two months ago she talked to Dr. Kahl about getting a job in Hulman Memorial Student Union in the Student Marketing department. However, Dr. Kahl instantly stopped her in the middle of her sentence and said with a straight face nodding her head “That job doesn’t pay enough to help support you and your baby, you might as well stick around here because we pay more..

Jamina just moved her head up and down in disappointment because she didn’t want to continue working there by the time she have her baby and come back for maternity leave.

When it was time for the bun to come out the oven, Jamina prepared herself to give birth. Jamina had no idea who was in the waiting room besides her family, until after she took a nap after pushing for a couple of seconds and saw Mary Kohl come into the room anxious with baby blue and white balloons and a teddy bear saying it’s a boy on the front of the tummy. Of course she was shocked because she didn’t expect her to come in the room or to the hospital baring gifts. However, after being grateful to receive those gifts, she didn’t expect Mary Kohl to say “I have a great job opportunity for you on the first floor in the same hall working behind a desk, doing paperwork on the computer, and get this it pays more.”

Jamina immediately said yes with her arms in the air and her hands balled up into a fist. Jamina thought it was perfect because she wants a career doing Marketing and now she gets more experience with that and it would look good on her resume. Jamina received two blessing in one day her bundle of joy and a new job.