Rhoda Tamakloe and Shelissa Newball are very excited to be this week’s WesCelebs. In fact, they squeezed an hour in beween Ebony Singers and a dance rehearsal to meet with me at the Argus Global Headquarters. We talked about a lot of things, most of which was off the record. What I can say is that that they are good friends and do many campus activities together, such as working at Res-Life, being co-captains of Wes-Step, and critiquing feet on campus.
MB: So, both of you seem to have similar schedules.
SN: We are both residential advisors (RA’s)
RT: Yeah, we are Res-Life’s “bitches.”
SN: We also participate in NIA [a mentoring group for Middletown girls].
MB: How is being an RA?
RT: Fine. I was also an RA in high school.
MB: Did you go to boarding school?
RT: Yes.
MB: What was being an RA at boarding school like?
RT: Let’s just say it was easier to live in Eclectic [my sophomore year] than be an RA for a dorm of 40 girls.
MB: What other responsibilities do the both of you share?
SN: We are both co-captains of WesStep (Wesleyan’s offical step team). Normel Jean-Pierre ’05 is the other captain.
RT: WesStep is the main event of Jubilee. We are hot ‘fi-yah.“ (gloss: fire)
MB: Have you been on the stepping team since freshman year?
SN: Both of us have been on the team all 4 years.
RT: I’ve been co-captain for 3.
SN: And I’ve been co-captain for 2.
MB: And the team is performing in Jubilee this year?
SN: Yes, everyone needs to go to Jubilee.
RT: Our show is going to be off the hook. Ya’ll not ready for it.
MB: Are you guys happy to be WesCelebs?
RT & SN: Yeah, we’re like Denzel and Hallie at the Oscars. They gave it to two of us in once. And we didn’t have to sleep with Billy Bob to get here either.
RT: But I’m not Denzel. It is kind of like that time the Admissions office mistakenly counted me as also being Indian.
MB: Now, let’s talk about feet. Is it true both of you have a problem with feet?
SN: No, we don’t have a problem with feet.
RT: Our issue is that people just don’t understand how germs work.
MB: Explain.
SN: It’s like, if I walk around campus barefoot, I would know better than to put my feet up on people’s desks, or in class. It’s okay to be barefoot in your house, or wear sandals, but put some socks on occasionally.
MB: How done anything to address this problem?
RT: We created this Facebook group, JWS: Jesus Wore Sandals. It’s a support group for some of us who are traumatized by the lack of proper foot care.
MB: Can you explain the name of the group? What does it mean exactly?
RT: Jesus Wore Sandals. If He could wear sandals, then we other people can too. But as a rule, you should not be wearing sandals if your sole is darker than my mocha-colored hair.
SN: And when you can sand down some wood with the bottom of your foot, it’s a problem.
MB: And both of you are involved are in NIA. Maybe we can talk about that.
SN: NIA started in 2000 with Johara Tucker ’04 and Janeen Blake ’04. The program mentors young girls from Middletown from 14-18 years old. Rhoda and I are co-chairs with Melissa Rosario ’05. This year NIA meets three times a week (instead of once). We do academics, discussions, and activities with the girls.
RT: Upon learning that only 50% of black high school students in CT graduate, we tried to step up our game.
MB: That is an alarming statistic.
RT: These girls need people who are really dedicated to get somewhere. You’d be surprised at how many people derail them in their lives.
MB: Does NIA need more mentors?
RT: Yes.
SN: And we also need money. We got played by the WSA this year. We don’t have funding to afford snacks for the girls.