If you're on TikTok, you've probably heard Miranda Lambert's song “Only Prettier.” It's most likely a girl in regular clothes, and she transitions to wearing a huge pastel ballgown dress. Have you ever wondered who these girls are? Because I sure have. These girls are the Azelea Trailmaids. 

Mobile's Azalea Trail is a huge part of Mobile, Alabama's history. In 1929, the trail was initiated by the Mobile Junior Chamber of Commerce as an initiative to get residents to plant Azaleas along the city streets. The streets eventually became known as the Mobile Azalea Trail. From 1924 to 1948, local businesses were invited to cut the ribbon during the spring to open up. At first, local debutantes were asked to serve as hostesses, and by 1949, four Mobile high schools were invited to appoint two high school senior girls to serve on the Azelia Trail court.

Now, 75 years later, Azalea Trailmaids are still going strong. Currently, 50 senior girls are picked from the high schools around the area. In 1951, the Azalea Trail Festival was born, and for the following seven years, the reigning Miss America served as the Queen of Azalea Trail. In 1955, the neighboring Jaycee chapters in Alabama were invited to send representatives to serve on the court. Eventually, the Jaycee chapters got out of hand, and gathering all of them together was a hard task. The program was revised to include the Mobile local public schools, sending 50 senior girls. 

The trailmaids are known for the fluffy, large gowns that are in colors of blue, green, peach, yellow, lilac, and pink. The queen wears pink while the others wear the other colors that are decided by out-of-towners who have no relation to anyone involved in the process. 

For the girls to qualify, they must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and also must be in good academic standing with their schools, and most likely will be asked to provide transcripts to prove it. The prospective maids must have no suspensions or serious disciplinary actions during their high school years. The girls are required to know extensive information on the history of Mobile and to have good character. 

The Mobile Azelea Trailmaids are pristine young ladies who work extremely hard to represent Mobile. From the moment they apply to when their reign is over. Being a trailmaid is huge to these girls. A majority of them throw dress reveal parties to reveal their dresses. Being one of these girls is a privilege and something they should all be proud of. 

The Trailmaids have a website that can be used to follow them and their public appearances. Multiple of the girls have social media accounts to watch and follow for insight into their lives as trailmaids.

April 14th marked the 29th WNBA draft. The draft has three rounds with 12 picks each. All but the first four picks are based on regular-season standings. The first four picks are a lottery-based draft with teams that missed the previous year's playoffs. The remaining picks are determined by the inverse order of the last year. Like the majority of other sports, draft picks can be traded among other teams. 

Most start mock drafts at the beginning of the women's college basketball season, but many change as the season progresses, determining which players excel and which don't. Coaches visit their athletes during the season, just as college recruiters visit. 

To be able to declare, players must be 22 years of age and have no remaining college eligibility left, or they must renounce it. These rules do get a little tricky when I see draftees such as Dominique Malonga, who was 19 at the time of the draft. This is only because the rules for international players are different from those for American players. For international players, the only rule is that players must be at least 20 years of age during the draft year. 

This last draft included star athletes such as Paige Bueckers (UConn), Hailey Van Lith (TCU), KiKi Ifran (USC), and Te-hina PaoPao (South Carolina). All of these players and their teams made it to the Elite Eight this March Madness, including UConn and South Carolina, which faced each other in the finals with a dominating win from UConn. 

Fresh off a National Championship, Bueckers went to Dallas with the number one draft pick. With the second pick, Seattle picked Dominique Malonga, a 19-year-old from France who averaged 15.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks. Washington had the third and fourth picks of the draft, and they chose Citron and Iriafen. The Golden State Valkyries next have their first pick: Juste Jocyte from Lithuania. Washington then took the next pick, picking Georgia Amoore, a 5’5” point guard who averaged 15.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. 

The majority of draft picks were expected, except for  PaoPao, who ended up going 18th overall. Paopao has one national championship and averaged 11.4 points per game this past season.

National Championship winners UConn had three seniors declare for the draft--those being Bueckers, Kaitlin Chen, and Aubrey Griffin. As mentioned earlier, Bueckers went number one, but the biggest surprise of the night was Chen and Griffin's draft, with Chen going to the Golden State Valkeries and Griffin going to the Minnesota Lynx. Neither was expected to be picked in the draft, and similar to Kate Martin last year, they only came to support. Earlier in the night, Bueckers advocated for them to be drafted, and just that happened to be a storybook ending to the UConn team.  

The preseason starts on May 2nd with the Aces and Wings playing each other at Notre Dame, starting at 6:00 pm central time. Star players Caitlin Clark and Ifran play each other at The Fever vs Mystics game on May 3rd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. These games feature so many stars and are a great way to start the season. The WNBA regular season opener is May 16, with three games slated

Over the summer, my friends and I walked into the Yellow Deli, which looked almost like a tavern out of a video game. It was nearly all wood and yellow. College students were studying, and the vibe was immaculate. We didn't find out until much later that we drank the juice, literally. The Yellow Deli is ran by a cult known as the 12 tribes.

The 12 Tribes, a Christian fundamentalism cult that has been accused of child abuse, child labor, and racism, was founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1972. To understand the full extent of this cult, one has to go back to its origins. Originally, a ministry named the Light Brigade opened a coffee shop, The Lighthouse, which eventually became the Yellow Deli. The coffee shop was in the home of Gene Spriggs and Marsha, his wife. 

Soon, the Light Brigade started to live communally with each other. The majority of members attended different churches within the community before they all affiliated with First Presbyterian Church. This was before the fall out around the Super Bowl. Yes, there was a fallout over the Super Bowl. During the 1975 Super Bowl, the group arrived at the church only to be informed that services had been canceled due to the event. This led the group to open their church named ¨Vine Christian Community Church.”

The soon-to-be cult opened many ¨churches¨ and restaurants in states such as Georgia and Alabama. They withdrew from the mainstream religion of the area, appointed elders, started baptisms, and held services without authority. They started to celebrate Saturday as the sabbath and followed many Jewish customs."The Parents Committee to Free Our Children from the Children of God" and "Citizens Freedom Foundation" described the church as a cult and Spriggs as a cult leader. 

In 1976, deprogrammer Ted Patrick started a series of deprogrammings to convince members of the 12 Tribes to leave the cult. The bad press and deprogramming of their members led to the decline of their current homes and movement to Vermont. After the movement to Vermont, the cult expanded to many different countries, including Brazil, Spain, and Germany. Eventually, the name changed from the "Vine Church" to "The 12 Tribes.”  It stemmed from the fact that the cult wanted over 12,000 members and 12 international tribes to restore the original 12 Tribes of Israel before they could sacrifice the 144,000 male virgins to bring about the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Having background information on the cult just makes them seem as if they are just a bunch of Christian hippies, but they are far more than that. They confidently teach the "Curse of Ham," which they use to excuse slavery, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Not only are they extremely racist, but also labeled as anti-Semitic, which they claim is not true. They endorse child labor and abuse and have been raided on multiple occasions.

Looking back, those bubbly feelings from the restaurant no longer felt good. The restaurant now seemed eerie, like a fake type of happiness. I now understand how people were drawn in so easily to a place so dangerous. A place full of hatred disguised itself as a sweet tavern with delicious food. As a consumer, how do you know what restaurants are in support of at first glance? You can't, which is why it's important to research what you're putting your money towards.

In predominantly white areas, many do not hear much about many African Americans committing to HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) due to a lack of knowledge about the topic. Specifically in Indiana, the closest colleges are all PWI (Predominately White Institutions). Dating back to 1837 when the first HBCU was created. Cheyney University, originally known as the African Institute; was established by Richard Humphreys. Cheyney was not degree-granting the first degree-granting institution was Lincoln University. 

According to pewresearch.org, 53% of African Americans attend PWI, while 7% attend HBCUs. Attending a PWI many of African American students aren't aware of HBCUs before they graduate high school. I wouldn't be aware of HBCUs if my family hadn't attended. The importance of African American teens being aware of having the option to go to an HBCU is overlooked, especially in predominantly white schools like La Porte itself. To be able to go to school with people who look like you and have experiences adjacent to yours offers something going to a PWI could never offer. 

Another reason for not being aware of HBCUs is that the majority of them are located in the South, leaving many young black girls and boys to not have an exact resource. Historically, the idea of many of these colleges being in the South makes sense. Racism and Segregation were still prevalent until the ´50s with the Brown v. Board Board of Education case. This case declared segregation and schools unconstitutional.  The people who came before me who integrated into this school did not have it exactly easy.  

The importance of attending black colleges doesn't stop on the surface of being around people who look like you or experience your experiences. The reality is that being on PWI grounds is still not always safe. Recently in 2017 at the University of Virginia, there was a Neo-Nazi rally leaving multiple injured and one dead. This is one of the many ways African Americans have been affected on predominately white campuses. 

Finding HBCUs that match your interests can be hard especially if you don't have a counselor knowledgeable on HBCUs.  For me, I used what was easiest for me the internet. With a quick internet search, you can find every single HBCU. Finding ones that match your cost, athletic achievements, and major is important, as well as good websites such as HBCUs connect. These websites give you the option to put exactly what you're looking for in a college and shoot one out at you. It also offers a multitude of scholarships and careers.

As the days get longer and the weather gets cold, we pull out our jeans and hoodies. Winter days are cold, boring, and sometimes hard to dress for. Here are my go-to winter basics.

During this time of year, I usually stick to wearing neutral colors. These include White, brown, black, and light pink. These colors match the weather and are good for the season. I steer away from bright colors or pastels.

It's also a great time to wear jeans. My favorite place to get jeans is American Eagle. AE has multiple different types of jeans and always has a good sale. Their jeans specifically fit well compared to other brands of jeans. They also have multiple styles of jeans depending on how you're feeling. The "Barrel jeans" are great to wear during the winter. Their slightly baggy and fit well in the waste. 

Another cute style of bottoms to wear during the winter are skirts and leggings. Although it is cold outside adding a pair of tights can allow you to still wear skirts. Tight leather and black skirts can match almost everything you pair them with. Pinstripe and pleated skirts also can add flair while wearing a simple top. 

Leggings are a comfortable staple piece to wear during all seasons. Specifically during the winter styling them with crewnecks in sweaters can make you comfy and stylish. I like to buy my leggings from lululemon and Amazon. In both of these places, leggings fit well and are still cozy.1While looking for tops, I try to look for long-sleeved shirts, crewnecks, and sweaters. Specifically, off-shoulder sweaters, offer comfort while still being fashionable. I usually look at Amazon and Shein to look for these.

Shein has great body suits that come in packs for cheap. I choose to pair these with sweatpants, jeans, and skirts. These bodysuits come in many different colors and patterns and are an easy piece to pair. 

I thrift most of my crewnecks or get them from name-brand stores. WhiteFox is a great brand to buy crewnecks or hoodies for. Although they can be expensive, it's a well-known brand. I also always use Amazon which has everything you need.

Living in a small town and shopping can be hard. This is why shopping online and in the following cities including Valparaiso and Merriville is easier. While shopping online I use Aelfric  Eden, Sopula, thatssofetch, and begginingboutique. 

These are my go-to places to stay comfortable during this cold time of year.

As an African American growing up in La Porte, there aren't many girls who look like me. The majority of the girls in my grade are blond with straight hair and blue eyes. The boys are the same.

I always knew I stuck out in a way. Especially with the daily occurrence of comments about my skin, my nose, or my hair. The fact that my hair was short and looked like a "rat nest" or that my nose was too "big and black."

It wasn't until I entered my freshman year of high school that I realized the comments that were made to me felt like judgment or teasing. As of now, when anyone asks if I'm offended by the constant statements I just say no. In reality, if I were to act out on every comment made to me on the daily, I would then fit into the stereotype of me being "ghetto" and being an "angry Black woman."   

Living in La Porte my whole life consisted of me being the only Black girl in my class until middle school. Even now in the majority of my classes, I'm the only Black student. 2.7% of LaPorte High School's student body is African American and 75.1% is White according to usnews.com. 

I'm sure this is why my favorite comment made to me by my classmates is "You´re whitewashed." Because on a real note, what does that mean? Speaking a certain way does not change my experiences as a Black girl. It doesn't change the comments made about my skin, and it doesn't change what my ancestors dealt with. 

Would I rather fit into being ghetto and angry or would I rather be considered whitewashed? Both of these stereotypes tear away black girls' self-esteem. Knowing that if I act on my anger then I'm presented to always be mad and aggressive. If I wear specific clothing and if I speak a certain way then I'm whitewashed. 

That doesn't change anyone's experience. These stereotypes cause chaos within black communities. Although the "whitewashed" fit into the white cliques at school, they are then excluded from the black groups where they should fit in. I've seen it time and time again; racist comments by black boys and girls towards other black boys and girls even if their skin is the same and their ancestors came from the same place.

The reality is that these stereotypes don't just hurt the person that they're forced onto but also the community as well. Society cannot do anything about a person's skin, but they can change the way you react to it. The words someone says have power behind them, and understanding what is said can alter someone's life positively and negatively. Writing this piece I'm hoping that the black girls growing up now won't ever have to get used to what someone has to say about their skin.