MANRRS. It was so good to see y’all!! I overheard many people comparing this year’s MANRRS conference to a Family Reunion and I agree. This was my first conference as a professional, and it was so good to be able to attend not looking for a job or worried about presenting. I will say one interesting thing I felt strongly this year was being too old to hang out with the students I knew but feeling too young to hang with the old heads. They’re talking about family and career moves and I’m still living single auntie life and really just getting my career started.
I finally got to meet folks I’ve only met online due to the panini press, hang out with mentors, and network. This felt so important to me because I am currently not employed in agriculture. I have been making extra effort to stay connected to my first academic home.
Thursday – Travel Day
Wednesday night at 11 something I rolled my eyes as I reserved an Uber for 5:30a to get to the airport.
I woke up at 4:30a Thursday morning and rolled my eyes again. I got myself together and went downstairs. I realized as we pulled out of my apartment complex that I left my laptop by the door in my apartment, so we had to turn around and go back.
I thank God for the means to afford to make certain things easier. I recently signed up for TSA precheck, and it’s a good thing I did. When I got to TSA, the non-TSA line was long as hell. (Houston’s George Bush airport is always jumpin)The precheck line had six people in it [insert praise hands emoji]. If you are like me and often make it to the airport just in the nick of time, then you may want to invest in precheck. After breezing through security, I find myself some coffee and something light to eat and sit down at the gate.
Fast forward to my connecting flight from Miami to Jacksonville…I thought I was going to barf and pass out from the turbulence. My God. I was so happy to land. My seat mate asked if I had another flight. I told him I didn’t think I’d make through another one.
Thursday – Conference
After I get to the hotel, I let my stomach settle and then finished my lunch. I freshened up, changed clothes, and checked in to the conference. As soon as I got off the elevator, I ran into my friend Zac, a national officer and Purdue doc student working with my advisor. I ran into a few other folks, and then went downstairs and saw my people: a table full of Aggies. Of course, I go sit down. And to my surprise, a young lady I connected with online during the pan pizza is sitting at the table. It’s Courtney Brown! I think it’s amazing how quickly we can connect with someone we’ve never met in person.
The General Session was live. You could feel the excitement from the speakers and the attendees. Shoutout to the Oklahoma State chapter, who saw me with Courtney and welcomed to their crew for the evening. I went to dinner with them and met two folks from a new chapter, Ryan (student) and Tyson (advisor and faculty) of Utah State. We went to a Mexican spot where a lot of us ordered the fajitas. It came out sizzling like at Chili’s lol. By the time we got back, I was full and exhausted. I didn’t make it to the Professional Hospitality.
Friday
Friday morning, I woke up just knowing it was gonna be a good day and a good time would be had. I was correct. I got my coffee and went to judge the social science graduate student posters. I met graduate students doing some awesome research. Many of them were presenting their thesis/dissertation research and preparing to defend and graduate this May/August. I met my MANRRS L.E.A.D. mentee Akua, who was presenting her poster (and did a great job). I made a reel afterwards on Instagram – go check it out! I got to hang out for a bit with one of my Mentoring@Purdue Summer Scholars (a summer program I used to coordinate at Purdue) Jabril and ran into some more Summer Scholars. Some Purdue people saw me and yelled my name. I waved but honestly, I couldn’t see who they were lol. Listen, I…my eyes are refurbished and even with my glasses y’all got to come a little closer when you call my name. I didn’t recognize most of them until they got close lol. I walked around the career expo…mostly running my mouth. Did my paid member duty and attended the Professional Business Meeting. Maybe…one day…I’ll go up for a national office. Maybe.
I went with some young A&T professionals to the alumni mixer off-site. It was a beautiful view – we were on the rooftop of a restaurant and the breeze was perfect. However, we were ready to eat. So, we decided not to wait on the free drinks and apps and went to order food. And the food was deeeeelicious! Everyone I was with ordered the steak, while I had the crab cakes. The mashed potatoes were divine and the drinks were on point. By the time we got back, Casino night was coming to a close, so we went down to the hotel bar to get one last drink and continue our conversation. When it got close to midnight I could not stop yawning so I went on up to the room. And I slept like a baby.
Saturday
I slept in a little bit and made my way downstairs in time to grab breakfast and walk in the general session right before it started. I sat with my girl Victoria (Purdue grad student working with Dr. E), and then we were off to the workshops. I attended a session on funding opportunities for graduate students and new/emerging researchers and another session on funding for entrepreneurs in the ag space. At the awards luncheon, the contest awardees were announced, and we were served mystery chicken for lunch. I was going to go to the heir’s property workshop, but I ran into one of my mentors, Dr. Jefferson-Moore. We went outside and talked. The sun was shining, the view was beautiful, and the breeze was breezing. Crenel (another Purdue grad student working with Dr. E) and Courtney came outside and talked with us. We went in around 5p and it was time to get ready for the last main event – the Gala.
Gala
I showered, put my lil outfit on, and nearly blinded myself trying to put on eyeliner. It’s been so long…I haven’t worn eye makeup in two years. The gala is my favorite MANRRS event because let me tell you something: We look good. AND smell good. AND we celebrate our excellence while doing so. Before and after the gala everyone was taking pictures and hugging and just celebrating seeing each other and being in each other’s presence. I was so tired after the gala I went to my room, packed, and went to bed. I’m sure the youngins went out and had a good time after the gala.
Sunday – Travel Day Got to the airport and ended up in line behind an Aggie at Starbucks. Our gates were beside each other and our flights left around the same time, so we sat and chatted until it was time to depart. When I finally got home, I ate dinner and decided to watch some TV. That was all she wrote. I woke up this morning (Monday) with all the lights on and still in my clothes.
Next year, we’ll be in Atlanta, GA. Hopefully I’ll be able to go AND see my aunt who lives nearby. I think I’ll also submit a proposal to present. I’ll have to think on that one. Overall, I had a good Black ass time at MANRRS this year. It was so good to see everyone. And thanks to folks who were aware of Ag in Color and mentioned it to me. Sometimes I wonder if I should keep it going, but the random expressions of gratitude I get from folks give me my answer. It helps keep me going.
MANRRS don’t owe me nothin. See you in Atlanna!!