. Fall into the New Season and Explore the City The Hilltop
by Kylee Coney Contributing Writer
on the National Mall. There will be over 70 authors present from 10a.m.
Fall is here and so is the opportunity to go out, explore and experience new things. Be sure to participate in some exciting events happening in D.C. in the upcoming months. There are numerous activities that will give everyone the chance to get off campus and take in all that D.C. has to offer. This year, D.C. Fashion Week is scheduled for Sept. 20 – 26. This bi-yearly event shows and celebrates international and American runway fashion. The theme for this year’s event is “The Power of Style.” Some attractions will be open to the public; however, others such as the International Couture Collections Show require tickets purchased in advance. For the book lovers, the 10th National Book Festival is Sept. 25
to 5:30 p.m that day. The entire festival is free and open to the public. On Sept. 26, those who enjoy experiencing different cultures can attend the Latino Festival, Fiesta DC, in Columbia Heights. The festi-
Leo Brooks Staff Photographer
Chapel Recap: A Standing Ovation
Monday, September 20, 2010
val will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with parades, food and art. Food lovers should be sure to check out the Taste of Georgetown on Oct. 9. The annual event displays different foods and wine from restaurants around Georgetown, along with live jazz music. The food festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. FotoWeek DC is an annual dedication to photography that celebrates famous artists and hosts workshops for upcoming young photographers. It will take place in various locations from Nov. 6 – 13. The 23rd Annual Help the Homeless Walk, hosted by the Fannie Mae Foundation, will happen on Nov. 20 from 7 to 11 a.m, beginning at the National Mall. The event is an effort to raise money for organizations in D.C. that are working to stop homelessness.
Radio Personality Calls on One Million Volunteers to Mentor Youth Now by Khalea Underwood Contibuting Writer
Ryan C. Hamilton Staff Photographer Speaker Rev. Floyd H. Flank delivered a message of inspiration at Sunday’s service.
by Camille Augustin Campus Editor Inspiration. This is the word that described chapel service, from the choir to the speaker. Standing ovations and attentive ears allowed for the speaker, Rev. Floyd H. Flank, Ph.D., to convey his message. Flank is the senior pastor at the Greater A.M.E. Cathedral of New York in New York City, specifically Queens with a congregation of more than 23,000. Before Flank took center stage, the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel Choir prepared the audience for his uplifting message. As the choir’s voices intertwined with the notes of the piano and drum, the audience was silent. When Flank took the stage, he grasped the audience’s attention as he said, “Every day ought to be a day of Thanksgiving.” During his sermon, he compared the choices we make in life to the game shows “Let’s Make a Deal” and “The Price is Right.” Flank said that out of a large body of people, a name would be called. You then make your way through the crowd toward the stage to place a bid on something that you do not necessarily have. Whoever comes the closest to the price can either stick with their prize, or stick around for the final segment, where you can bid on something new behind a curtain. Flank said there are people that will tell you
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“keep the prize” and there are some that will say “open the curtain.” “Life is about trying to find out if you have the right thing,” said Flank. “You will be challenged on what is most important for us, for our lives and for our future.” Flank said that God knows what we are doing and He knows how to put you in a position where people see you in a way that you don’t see yourself. “In this land, God has blessed us to be where we are now,” said Flank. “God is calling us to look within ourselves; don’t worry about what those other folks say.” Flank also spoke about determination and not allowing anyone to hold you back from taking advantage of the opportunities God has presented you with. Reminiscing of his early college days, Flank said that he was determined to accomplish what God set out for him in life. “I got a future; it doesn’t matter what I don’t have but if God is with me it doesn’t matter who is against me.” Flank was able to instill determination and aspiration in those who attended chapel. This was the basis for his sermon and the message was conveyed, as the audience stood and applause roared throughout Cramton Auditorium. “When you don’t know where to turn, the King of glory will come in,” said Flank. “God gives you the tools but you have to be willing to use them.”
Leo Brooks Staff Photographer From festivals to walk-a-thons, fall in the district brings tons of events, fun and interesting people to various hotspots in the city.
Michael Baisden, George Wilborn, Susan L. Taylor, John Legend and representatives from national and local mentorship organizations spoke to the Howard University community on Thursday, September 17 to promote Baisden’s One Million Mentors Campaign to Save Our Kids Tour. Baisden, host of the nationally syndicated Michael Baisden Show, began this initiative to provide a stronger support system for America’s youth. Organizations including Operation HOPE, Inc., the Untouchables, Wolfpack Leadership, Hip Hop Education and a host of others lined the walls of the auditorium basement, hoping for responsible students and adults to become mentors. “It’s always a great opportunity for us to see and converse with the people who listen to us on a daily basis,” Wilborn, the Michael Baisden Show co-host said. “But tonight
we’re not here for a photo-op. This is a call to action, we have to do something about what’s going on in the street that’s killing our kids.” Though the event drew audience members from across the nation, Baisden and Wilborn commented on the room’s scarcity. “There shouldn’t be an empty seat in this room,” Wilborn said. “If Lil’ Wayne was here, this whole room would be packed.” The numbers may have been disappointing, but the audience still enjoyed an open discussion on family dynamics and the decline in open and loving relationships between children and parents. “There’s a generational disconnect,” Mike Phillips, jazz musician and CEO of SACS in the School said. “You have one family member on Facebook, the other on another computer, the mom cooking, and the dad running around in the street.” All of the guests talked about how children need love, attention, motivation, and a strong educational foundation during their formative years. “Nobody understands what a
child goes through,” Baisden said. “They sleep in class because their parents were up all night arguing. They act out because they may not have been fed for 24 to 48 hours.” The panelists urged the audience to get involved and to pay attention to the happenings of a child’s life. “We really have to tithe our time to speak life into a young person,” Susan Taylor told the audience. The call for help from the community was necessarily urgent. According to Onemillionmentors.com, 58 percent of all Black 4th graders in the nation are functionally illiterate and 85 percent are reading below grade level. John Legend said that it is necessary for Howard University students to give back. “Just the fact that you’re at Howard University means you’ve done something right,” said Legend. “In our community, half of our kids don’t even graduate. You made it here to one of the top universities of the country…reach back and make sure that you reach back, tutor, and show some other kids the way.”
Photo Courtesy of Michael David Murphy Radio personality Michael Baisden (pictured alongside Rev. Al Sharpton) has a history of rallying for awareness of different issues including the Jena 6..
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