By Rahat Hossen

A Youngstown minister paced and room and loudly urged Thiel students to take responsibility for their own motivation and goals in their lives and careers at the Organization of Black Collegians’ 18^th annual Soul Food Feast on March 24.

OBC invited everyone from Thiel College and community to the event, the theme of which was “feeding the mind, body and soul. The Lutheran Heritage Room was filled with students, professors and administrators of Thiel College who came to the dinner party to enjoy food, poems, dance and a motivational talk.

Crystal Durachko recited her poem, “I’ve never felt that.” Another poem was recited by Camille Radford named “My hair journey” which is also written by her.

Taraneh French, Sereen Peace and Marquet Samuels performed a dance with a song named “Brighter Day.” They performed their dance all over the room and the song is about being optimistic and happy.

Pastor Harrison, from the Union Baptish Church, started his remarks by citing Deuteronomy 28, which refers to blessings for everyone, and also by claiming that some people might say he is “crazy.”

He encouraged all the Thiel students by saying that you need to be motivated confident yourself. He said that all the students have same opportunity to have career. Even you fail, try again. Harrison suggested that it was this mindset that has allowed him to accomplish 50 years of work in 23 years in Youngstown.

He differentiated between today’s students and when he was student by saying that challenges are different than when he was in college decades ago. He thinks sometimes peers are demotivating and that young people cannot allow anything to get in the way of goals. He said that God preordained all of us. “Don’t allow anyone to steel your dreams” he added.

OBC officers were Tim Jackson, Marquette Samuels, Lloyd Meeks, Neh French and Yuan Yuan.

OBC was established in the late 1960s by Dr. Robert Crutchfield, inspired by African American activists. This organization welcomes all kinds of cultural and ethnic backgrounds to make a better future.