THE BLACK ACE MAGAZINE FALL 2022

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t h e r o s e t h at grew from

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he r ose t h at g r e w from concrete

TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

editor’s note 3 History of ACE 4 Tapscott 5

Part 1. THE CONCRETE Stories highlighting where our Black community is from, the struggles we’ve face, and the spaces for connection we’ve curated

Who is Black GW 7 Org Spotlight 8 Ask ACE 9 One Fair Wage 10 The BSU Scoop 11

Part 2. THE ROSE Stories highlighting the talents and accomplish ments of individuals in our Black student body and the diversity of our interests

They Don’t Get It 13 London Skye & Cameron Jones 14 Ralph Paul 15 Miguel Gomez 16 Fan of a Fan 17 Caroline Philips & Jhurney Hairston 18 Josh Robinson & Astrid Nkemla 19

Part 3. THE BLOOM Stories highlighting moments of unity and shared experiences among our Black community–where we are currently now and the places we’re going

Faces on campus 21 Soul Revue 2022 22

Stream of Consciousness: A Monolouge 23 STARTS WITH ME- Emily Springer 24

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Kiera Sona Suad Mohamed Telease Bowen Hope Rwaga Anna Zoë Petersen

GRAPHICS

Miguel Gomez

Amanda Kikonyogo Emily Springer

EDITORIAL

Alfred Taylor

Amira Al Amin Zeniya Cooley Charlene Richards Gianna Cook Chelsea Acheampong Ella Stern

PHOTOGRAPHY

Kiera Sona Ralph Paul

SOCIAL MEDIA

Funcia Jean Louis Azza Abbas

MODELS

Emily Springer Ennosen Yen

Jemimah Boakye-Ansah Jovanna Walker Salah Mohammed Amira Al Amin Maiya Sapp

FACULTY ADVIDOR Dr. Jameta Barlow

EDITOR’S NOTE EDITOR’S NOTE EDITOR’S NOTE

I got the idea to bring back The BLACK ACE one day last spring leaving a shift at Gelman Library, where I worked at the time. I saw a lone copy of a 2017 edition of ACE sitting on a counter, it caught my eye. I picked it up and flipped through the pages thinking to myself, ‘whatever happened to this?’ and ‘how can I bring it back?’ —and thus ACE was reborn.

My passions are as follows: creating art, telling stories, curating spaces for connec tion, and being Black. I felt ACE could be the perfect avenue to combine these pas sions and create something very beautiful that would engage the Black community at GW and document and tell the stories of our Black student body.

It has not been easy to bring back the magazine. I and the ACE team have faced many trials in the process, but I am proud of what we’ve created and thankful for all the help we have received. I want to give a special thanks to Peyton Wilson for guiding me in the early stages of reimagining The BLACK ACE.

The Theme “The Rose that Grew From Concrete” highlights the growth of our Black student body. It acknowledges where we each came from, and the struggles that Black people have endured as a whole. It also puts a spotlight on our accomplish ments, the beauty of culture, and the amazing places we are bound to go. Black people continue to defy the odds, and we deserve to be applauded for our resilience and talent.

We also deserve to tell our own stories, in our most authentic voices. All that being said, welcome back to The BLACK ACE Magazine, enjoy.

Take Care,

Kiera Sona “Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?

Proving nature’s law is wrong it learned to walk with out having feet. Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air.

Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else ever cared.”

HISTORY OF AC E

TAPSCOTT

PART 1: THE CONCRETE

7 CCAS: 563 Certification: 12 Doctoral: 266 JD: 122 Masters: 1.290 MD: 70 Non degree: 117 Post Baccalaureate: 41 Post Master Ce rtificate: 8 Undergraduate: 941 SCHOOL AS: CPS: 147 DUS: 11 ESIA: 151 GSEHD: 229 GWSPH: 515 LAW: 326 SB: 326 SEAS: 268 SMHS: 331 SON: 189 Ce Do JD M M No Po Po Un total black students ts Mississippi: 10 Missouri: 8 Nebraska: 1 Nevada: 8 New Hampshire: 6 New Jersey: 116 New Mexico: 4 New York: 191 North Carolina: 100 North Dakota: 1 Ohio: 32 Oklahoma: 5 Oregon: 3 Pennsylvania: 63 Rhode Island: 4 South Carolina: 20 ennessee: 23 Texas: 94 ermont: 5 Virginia: 566 Virgin Islands: 1 Washington: 29 West Virginia: 2 Alabama: 12 Alaska: 3 Arizona: 12 Arkansas: 3 California: 95 Colorado: 14 Connecticut: 29 Delaware: 15 Florida: 90 Georgia: 154 Hawaii: 2 Idaho: 1 Illinois: 45 Indiana: 9 Iowa: 1 Kansas: 5 Kentucky: 1 Louisiana: 13 Maine: 2 Maryland: 622 Massachusetts: 52 Michigan: 32 Ne N N No Oh Ok Or Pe Rh So Te Te Ve Vi Vi W W 52 Data from 2021 via The Office of Insitutional Research & Planning female
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THE GEORGE WASHINGTON
visit

ASKACE

9 Want anonymous advice from ACE? visit @theblackacemag on IG to ASKACE

Leaders of the One Fair Wage coalition hosted a panel discussion on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 to call attention to racial discrepancies affecting Black women in the service industry.

Joined by former restaurant workers, students and local lead ers alike, the space filled with around 20 people at BusBoys and Poets who were brought together with food and the sight of signs that read, “Yes on 82, Vote for a Fair Wage.”

The panel ignited a discussion that first introduced the det rimental history of the restaurant employer industry, dating back to emancipation to present-day matters affecting ser vice workers in light of a post-covid era.

“Because these workers are forced to live on tips, not only do they have to put up with sexual harassment, they have to put up with the racial biases of customers,” Saru Jayaraman, Pres ident of One Fair Wage said. “There is irrefutable evidence that tipping in this country is not based on the quality of service, it’s based on the race and gender of the server, and Black women always get tipped less even when they perform what’s called perfect service.”

One Fair Wage is an organization with nearly 30,000 service workers and 2,000 restaurant employers, all with a mission to advance policy efforts that ensure that service workers nationwide are paid the full minimum wage by their employ ers. The coalition is currently leading the campaign effort 25 by 250, which aims to promote legislation in 25 states to raise wages overall and end subminimum wages – by the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Jayaraman emphasized that the restaurant industry over whelmingly represents women, women of color, the formerly incarcerated, and immigrants.

With Black Women’s Equal Pay Day taking place this year on September 21, 2022– Jayaraman made it a point to note that the sector went from zero minimum wage in 1938 to $2.13 as of 2022.

Ifeoma Ezimako, a former industry worker who worked ser vice jobs while attending Howard University, said that One Fair Wage played an integral part in her life as it gave workers a platform and opportunity to understand discrepancies in the industry.

“I worked from server, to host, to bartender to bar back and I didn’t realize I was receiving below subminimum wage,” Ezi mako said. “I believe that tips are supposed to be gratuity and not paying somebody’s salary. Thank God I don’t have any dependents, I don’t even know how my fellow coworkers kept their head above water with kids and families and different obligations.”

Debbie Ricks, a longtime restaurant worker, thanked every one for attending the panel and shared her sentiments.

“My fellow servers and industry workers are thrilled that workers nationwide are realizing their worth,” Ricks said. “This is not a resignation, it is a revolution of our principles and values.”

Recounting the time she had been a server in the industry, she shared the encounters she faced when customers had

behaved inappropriately towards her and how that had shaped her realization that the tips – making up the bulk of her pay– depended heavily on cus tomer feedback.

“I asked if there was anything else I could get for you, and the guy responded and said ‘You can get the check and let me see your face so we know how much to tip you,’” Ricks said. “It was at that moment I realized the customer understood that they had the power to decide how much I went home with and if I did not comply, I may not make any money.”

With the collective support and emotional re sponse from people in the room, Ricks concluded her testimony and reaffirmed the mission of One Fair Wage: ending the subminimum wage.

DC Councilmember Janeese Lewis George was present at the panel and shared her experiences working in the service industry. She touched on the impact of Initiative 77, a national effort to in crease the minimum wage for restaurant workers which propelled her to run for a Ward 4 council seat after the measure had been overturned.

“I ran for council so that the next time that this came around, I would be on the council to not only say we need to maintain this, but to also tell my personal story of what it meant to be a Black woman tipped-worker,” she said.

George, who took a server job during law school to help her family stay in the district after increas ing rates of gentrification, witnessed firsthand the harsh realities of being a Black woman in the hospitality industry. She shared stories of the friends she made, including many single mothers just fighting to survive.

“This is a movement to get fair wages and fair labor practices for Black and Brown immigrant women across the city,” George said. “A domes tic workers’ Bill of Rights, Initiative 82, childcare educator raises, we are doing it all and that’s the importance of having Black and Brown women in leadership.”

This November, District residents will be allowed to vote on Initiative 82, a ballot measure aimed at increasing the subminimum wage for tipped workers and would remove tips from equating to the total number of a worker’s salary, leaving the responsibility on the employer.

With a mission to ensure that all workers in the service industry are adequately paid and treat ed fairly, One Fair Wage is committed to hosting events and campaign trails that end a legacy of subjugation, one which will provide Black women economic stability.

It’s important that we as a collective understand the detrimental effects of the tipping industry on those within our communities.

Let’s work together to break a legacy of slavery, an industry that determines how much funds one brings home; tips based not on service but on the intersectionality of race and gender.

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THE BSU SCOOP

A s a senior, I have witnessed the Black Student Union (BSU) transform in many ways. From freshman year when I was welcomed with open arms by the Black community, but noticed some separation and one could argue exclusivity. To abruptly leaving due to COVID, and leading the communit y vir tually. Then returning back from a pandemic that changed our lives completely – i t’s been a ride. Acknowledging all of this change, I am grateful for ever y road that was paved that led the BSU to where it is today. Under Devon Bradley and Pey ton Wilson’s leadership from 2020- 2021, the BSU gained a whole new structure which changed the trajector y of our organization for the better. They were instrumental in creating more oppor tunities for leadership roles within the BSU and setting systems in place for the future and the inevi table changes of administration to come. I ser ved as the Vice President of Marketing during that year and was able to use my skills in social media to motivate people even while we were all at home. I was able to trul y see my creativit y come to light through social media by hosting a quarantine Instagram live series where we discussed virtual ways to connect , and the creation of interactive storie s and social media campaigns to keep the community engaged. I want students to know that innovation can star t with them and that whether you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, Black or not Black , that you understand that there’s something valuable that you have to o er the GW community. Seeing the massive change we were able to accomplish vir tually inspired me to run for President for the 2021-2 2 year.

Running unopposed for the presidenc y and feeling the endless suppor t from the communit y is something I will always value. In our 2021-2 2 year, I was the first Black woman president that the Black Student Union had for abou t five years so I had to set expectations for how we would rebuild our community. Under my leadership, I don’ t want you to see my face on the work we will do, but your own. I am passionate about empowering and building leaders that understand the importance of com munity, especially in spaces where you may not be the majorit y. That is why, after thinking abou t how can we set the standard, our Vice President of Marketing, Telease Bowen, and I thought of the theme “Elevation Amplified.” This theme stemmed from an aim to fuel the innovation of our communit y and take it to the next level. We wanted to remind Black students that although we were gone for a year and a half, we have always been here and will continue to be. We persisted despite the COVID guide lines and lower event attendance rates, I encouraged my team to stay consistent because we weren’ t going to give up on our community. My team last year was so instru mental in bringing Elevation Amplified to life and I am fore ver grateful for them That leads us to now. I’m in my second term as president with a power ful and dynamic team. Our E xecutive Vice President , Drew Dodd came up with our second annual theme, “Black Renaissance: Innovation Continued.” This theme arose from the hope of building upon the work that was done in 2021- 202 2 and centering a focus on the limitless creativit y of our community. I realized last year that there was so much more our community had to o er. We’ve always been innovative, we’ve always been striving for this creativity, and it’s not star ting over. With this new team, my goal is to show them that creativity, innovation, and the essence of the Black Renaissance can exist along a vast spectrum. My goal is that Black students feel the strength of Black life here at GW and experience all of its unique identities and nuances . I am so proud of the work we have already done and will continue to do.

1111

PART 2: THE ROSE

They Don’t Get It

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London Skye Roberson is the owner of London Skye creations, a crotchet clothing and acces sories brand specializing in sweaters, tote bags, bucket hats. Fresh off her first official collection, I sat with London to discuss her creative inspira tions and goals for her brand.

How and why did you start crocheting?

When I was 14, one of my teachers gave me some crochet hooks that her daughter didn’t need, so I just went on youtube and started watching tutorials. I started by making a bralette top and it slowly evolved to bags and sweaters and more concrete things.

What inspires you?

This is my most recent creation that I’m very proud of. It’s a cropped sweater with large oversized sleeves. I’m interested in asymmet rical things and things that aren’t necessarily traditional. That’s where my inspiration comes from. I’m focused on sustainability. I would like to move towards more sustainable packaging, and I want to focus on more sustainable yarn. Right now I’m using acrylic yarns which are not the best for the environment. As my business grows I would like to use more natural fibers and cotton based yarn.

What do you have planned for the future?

I really want to expand London Skye Creations in the future, right now it’s just me so my major goal is to get funding and some partners. My idea for how to make my creation (instead of it being all handmade by me), is having it hand made by people in low income communities who need a job, so then we can start employing peo ple that actually need the money. The other mes sage behind my art is just to be free, and I want to inspire people who wear my clothing to wear what they want. At the end of the day we all have one life and why not wear what we want?

*The interview is lightly edited for clarity. I’ve been watching your journey as a musician. What made you start?

I love the sport of rap. I love the competitiveness of rap. I’ve always been into hip-hop culture and entertainment. What made me pick up a pen? I was freestyling with one of my closest friends, and while we were freestyling she told me that I was really dope and that maybe I should take it seriously. When I did freestyle I would always say I’m only doing it because I’m good at it and it’s fun, but in actuality I didn’t realize I was actually that good at it.

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Cameron Jones, creatively known as Mister Jownz is a Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, and Producer studying Finance. I sat down with Cameron at The Corcoran School of Art to learn more about his recently recorded project, Call It Whatever.

You just dropped your first EP. What is it titled? What is the story behind the name?

It’s called Call It Whatever. When I was growing up I felt like anytime I would do something, or any Black person would do something, people automatically have to label it or attack it. The title was me falling into the fact that people are going to do what they want and say what they want. Not everyone is going to love you (or hate you). I’m saying you guys can call me whatever. I’m still going to do it.

We just went through a pandemic. From personal experience, music can help people cope, grow and change. What role does music play in society? What role do you want your music to play?

I think music is the greatest influence on culture, especially with hip hop being the biggest genre on the planet. I think it’s even more important that we take our roles more seriously, as far as creating messages and creating outlets for everyone in our community to feel and relate to. I want to usher freedom of public speech, and public feelings. Nowadays, a Black person can’t do anything, especially a Black woman, so it is very important for me to establish a place of equality.

Ralph Paul, creatively known as “wthrxlph”, is a photographer, creative director, and model from Cambridge, Massachusetts, studying Computer Science and Interactive Design.

As a prominent creative in the campus com munity, Ralph has worked with various organi zations to capture the beauty of Black events and the Black student body. Ralph’s community contributions include work for the Black Student Union, a video anthology for Soul Revue 2022, and candid portraits for Finale 2022. Individually, he has collaborated with up-and-coming artists, shot prominent musicians, and provided creative direction for brands.

Like all artists, he is not without his influences and inspirations. “A source of inspiration for me is music, especially with the videos I make. In more conceptual shoots, it’s more about living and experiencing things, so you can reflect real life in your art. That’s how people can connect to it.” Further citing photographers such as Vulan des and Neri as inspirations, Ralph’s workflow consists of studying the techniques of these influences to improve his craft. “When I see something specific that I like I usually save it. It’s usually from little things, like how someone edited something. That inspires me to shoot similarly to them, or throw in specific edits, and concepts.”

In the future, he hopes to shift towards personal projects for his brand. While he has enjoyed col laborating with his contemporaries, he is hoping that the pivot will allow him to explore and fully express his own ideas.

Support our artists and follow Ralph’s journey @wthrxlph on Instagram.

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Call It Whatever by Mister Jownz is now streaming on all platforms. Follow his journey @misterjownz on Instagram. Written by: Alfred Taylor
2024
Written by: Alfred Taylor

Perhaps you have seen the highly coveted Love You 222 The Cozmos trucker hats, the black Young Thug-inspired spider beanies, or the experimental flyers and graphics for various or ganizations and events on campus. These are all products from the talented Miguel Gomez. Cre atively known as VESOU, Miguel is a multifacet ed designer from Savannah, Georgia, studying Political Science and Graphic Design.

Miguel has been making art his entire life. Beginning with his mother’s deployment to Iraq in first grade, he would write letters and poems to his mother, conveying his love and appreciation. Now a senior, Miguel has contin ued to communicate a sense of purity and peace through fashion.

When asked about his inspiration for his truck er hat, he spoke emotively about the power of love. “Love is the motif” he said, as we toured The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. “At the time I was going by COZMO, and I was trying to capture how much I love love. Whether it be through heartbreak, loss, or grief, that’s when you realize how much you love something. People may be hesitant or scared, but that is another facet of love that is fueling for me. I made that hat at a time when I was in and out of a lot of important relationships, and I was trying to find what love actually means. And for me, it means loving infinitely to the end of the cosmos. It’s limitless. It’s a continuous cycle.”

Miguel’s inspirations are as multifaceted as his designs. Citing Blood Orange as a chief inspi ration, he spoke on his sense of self-expression and honesty. “His album Negro Swan came out when I didn’t have any answers and I fell in love with the album. He talks about certain things on the album that resonates, like finding your own space, and how your childhood sculpts how you walk into a space and how you carry yourself.” Further inspired by the vulnerability of Frank Ocean and his cleverly constructed aesthetic, he said what we all know to be true: “You may not resonate with his words, you may not even be listening to the words, but it’s the way he says them. It’s so powerful.”

After speaking with Miguel, I realized that his influences and earnest worldview allow him to actualize his dreams. They simply bleed through his work, coloring his creations with a tangible sense of Black vulnerability. “Something I tell myself is that it’s ok to be open and vulnerable, and it’s ok to be true. It’s ok to be an emotional person,” said Gomez. But perhaps most im portantly, he hopes that young Black men and

women will resonate with his work, as he under stands the difficulties of being Black in America, and being Black at GW.

Now sitting on thousands of designs, we cannot help but wonder what he has next. Giving me a preview into his next body of work, he told me that his next creations would be inspired by universal design. “It’s inclusive to everyone. It’s human. I want to cater to the human experience.”

Support Miguel’s journey @vesoux on Instagram.

Witten by: Alfred Taylor

Wrtitten By: Alfred Taylor

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miguels single page

Fan of a Fan

If you look around campus, you might catch the blurred sight of One Piece illustrations on a speeding white vehicle. Or, a Black girl sauntering in Western Market in an Akatsuki robe.

Anime is in, which means a more public anime fandom. So many longtime fans have stories of being bullied for loving the Japanese art form. Fortunately, I didn’t experience the shame of liking something seen as strange. I did get raised eyebrows and scrunched noses from cousins as I watched Naruto with Japanese subtitles. But, I still enjoyed anime in peace.

Until two years ago, Naruto was the only anime that I seriously watched. But then, the pandemic hit, and I was homebound and nostalgic. On a whim, I streamed Netflix’s Yasuke, which featured LaKeith Stanfield as the star voice actor. Then, I stumbled upon RDCWorld, a group of Black and brown influencers and rowdy anime stans.

Of course, Megan Thee Stallion’s anime fandom influenced my own. Here was a Hot Girl posting Pokémon stills on Instagram and conducting a kind of everyday cosplay. She showed that Black girl anime fandom was nuanced—not just indie or introverted Black girls crushing on cute emo characters. Her fandom was garish,glamorous, and high-fashion.

I know now that there are many ways to be an anime fan. You don’t have to read manga or watch the English subbed. Maybe you’ve only seen Demon Slayer and rocked a nice graphic tee. I myself have only watched a handful of shows— all of them Shonen—and a few Studio Ghibli bangers. But what matters more than the form of fandom is the fandom itself.

It’s okay to be a fan. And it’s okay to fan out in your own way.

The Rebirth of Yours Truly

douse me in mercy so i can be renewed (again) leave my faults and wrong doings in the past wash me a new so you might be able to tolerate me erase the parts of me you can’t swallow baptize my flesh cleanse my spirit take away the memories that have left a stain rid me of my demons (i am now yours) heal the scars you can’t see break me down; rebuild me the way you see fit do you think you could love me again?

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JOSH ROBINSON

Not out of my own strength Roots of Love

My mother kneeled at her beside Arms stretched in total surrender ance

Crying out unto the Lord “Order his steps Keep him under your wings of mercy and grace”

She proclaimed my emergence is his name What was to come was already written

Not out of my own strength Rays of faith

Even in my darkest days Evilness I feared not My mind remained fixated on the heavenly things

Not out of my own strength Showers of Grace

A gift of divine favour A virtuous state I am implored to walk in my purpose To perpetuate continual blessings By serving the needs of others My ultimate expression of love The love of the most high

From a crack I emerged Not out of my own strength

But through his love hsoj

Astrid Sofia Mafogang Nkemla RAPPER

1911

FACES ON CAMPUS FACES ON CAMPUS

Soul Re vue’ 2 2 was a solution to what Caroline and I perceived as a disconnection within the Black Community between groups, years, and statuse s after our return to campus. It was a passion proj ect born from a shared vision for creative direction and a calling to unif y the communit y with quality enter tainment and production.

A s Public Health students, we truly had ver y little technical experience directing the many di erent roles that are needed for staging an event of this magnitude – from videographers to editors to tal ent recruitment and everything in between– bu t we followed our intuition ever y step of the way We were constantly making changes, tweak s, and edits where we saw a need or when an element didn’ t convey the message we envisioned. “I think my favorite part of the show was having full creative control to create something authentic and unique and to not only do that , but to do that with my best friend; that’s ver y special,” Caroline said. “Just being able to suppor t each other and nur ture each other ’s ideas created a lot of harmony that could be seen in the final product . We’re both individu als who have our own unique touch and our own unique flair and the respect we have for each other made the actual creative process easy. It was dope being able to just flow through ideas.”

The show format was finalized just two weeks before, which allowed us to keep all of the details a sur prise until the day of Soul Re vue ‘2 2, “No one knew exactly what the show would be and that was an intentional part of the appeal to attend,” Telease said.

The original vision, coupled with a lack of funding and COVID restric tions, led us to create a new experience with the program and leave behind the traditional format. The purpose of this change in direc tion was to evoke thought, inspire, unite , and enter tain. So, the title was born: Rede fining Soul Re vue: Reclaiming, recreating, & remixing. After our return to campus, event attendance for organization events had been a real challenge despite vigorous marketing e orts so naturally.

We began thinking about ways we could combat this when marketing Soul Revue ‘2 2 . We had a ver y specific vision for the social media material so we looked to none other than campus creative & de signer, Miguel Gomez to bring our ideas to life for instagram flyers life for instagram flyers.

Inspired by the authenticit y and beaut y of the Black GW archival images, collected and curated by GW Alumna Shealyn Fraser, we put together the first annual Black GW Photoshoot Day.

The photoshoot day was creative ly directed and photographed by Ralph Paul, a Junior at GW, and took place February 13, 202 2 in the Corcoran School of the Ar ts & Design. This event was meant to act as a conceptual pre lude to the “new ” Soul Re vue.

The night before show day, Februar y 18, Caroline and I found our selves in the basement of District editing together the Black GW documentary and curating all the final details for the show until 6 am. We got a couple hours of sleep b efore the final fashion show rehearsal at 10 am and the rest of the day was consumed by tweak s, edits, final contacts , and final downloads. “On the show day, I felt a lot of pride in all the hard work we put into the show and just knowing by the end of the night we’d be presenting all that we did— I also felt a balance of relief, wanting to just let things happen, and at the same time a little bit of angst knowing that people were going to see such a vulner able creation,” Caroline said. “ We also had our families there and wanted them to feel proud too.”

On show day, the first annual Black Business E xhibition, led by NCNW executive board member Mya Bur rell, was held an hour before the show to feature and suppor t some of our own students and other DMV businesses

At 7 pm, the show would finally begin; students COVID clear ance was checked and they were ushered into the location. Thank fully, ever y seat of the Jack Mor ton Auditorium was full. We filed on to the stage to open the production with an address urging for unity, togetherness, & never losing sight of who we are as a people and as individuals.

The show’s sequence was mostly digital and in three par ts. Par t I Faces : A Black GW Documenta r y including student and faculty interviews and detailing how the theme BEEN Black tied into each of their personal stories. Promi nent Black GW student leaders, professors, GWPD Chief James Tate , and more faculty joined us for these pre-filmed interviews . Then, Par t II entitled “Let ’s Take Flight” was The BEEN Fly Fashion Show. Fifteen models graced the stage for an in person fashion show creative directed by Mouna Loueke & Caroline Phillips . The clothing aesthetics and songs chosen were nostalgic and bold to compliment the BEEN Fly handle. Lastly, Par t III was a Black GW Crib s Seg ment, inspired by the familiar Soul Revue format and modeled after the infamous MT V cribs show from the early 2000s. The editing and e ects were done entirely by movie producer Miles D avis. In this segment, we were able to feature Black GW landmarks like the Black house & the NPHC House, confes sionals, and student dorm rooms which were not able to air on the show day.

The show closed with a shor t video anthology arranged by Ralph with images from the Photoshoot Day and more communit y images atop an audio sample from music producer, Alfred Taylor.

“I’m honestly just really grateful to have this experience and oppor tu nit y to direct the show for all those people that came, to actually see people in the audience, especially our families, was really special,” Caroline said.

We are grateful to have had BHC leadership which allowed the level of creative freedom we were given. We hope that people left the show feeling inspired, empowered, and free.

THE G E O R G E W ASH AS A SH IN ING NG TON TO T ON O N U UN N I IVE V E R RSI RSSI T TY Y 2 2
Soul Revue ‘22

mostly Documenta ty the each leaders, ames us for Then, Flight” Show. stage Loueke clothing were compliment ar t Soul er editing by this ture Black confes rooms the video with Day atop oful to oppor tu those see especially ” BHC level given. show and

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STREAM O F C O NSCIOUSNESS : A MONOLOUGE BY TELEASE BOWEN STREAM O F C O NSCIOUSNESS : A MONOLOUGE BY TELEASE BOWEN STREAM O F C O NSCIOUSNESS : A MONOLOUGE BY TELEASE BOWEN

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Me”
“Starts With
By: Emily Springer

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