The Hilltop
Volume 102, Issue 15
Thursday, February 8, 2018
The Student Voice of Howard University thehilltoponline.com
Howard West Expands to Other HBCUs By: Autumn Dalton, Managing Editor | @autieeashh
On Jan. 30, Howard University announced expansion with Howard West, its partnership with Google that extends opportunities for black students interested in computer science and coding. Previously, the program was available for Howard students only. Now, the program has expanded to include students from other historically black colleges and universities. The program has also been extended for a full academic year, after a three-month run in its inaugural session. “Howard West will provide another opportunity for Howard University to offer innovative, world-class learning experiences to its students, preparing them for work and leadership in the community,” Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick said in a statement. During the test run, 26 students were taught by Howard faculty with the assistance of a Google engineer. Fourteen students applied for internships, and four were offered positions. Lauren Clayton, a junior computer science major from Nashville, Tennessee, spoke on her experience. “Being in Silicon Valley, I was able to see the need for more black software engineers and black people in technology. It kind of pushes me even more to get there and also help people like my classmates to get into tech,” she said. The program was established to bring more diversity to the tech industry. According to the Computer Research Association, only two percent of Google’s employees were black in 2013 and/or 2014.
(Photo Courtesy/Miya Goodwin)
Campus Speakout: Being Black in America
King’s Dominion Confederate Name Change
Being black in America has uniquely shaped the individual experiences of Howard University students in one or the other, and has created a sense of community among the members of the Black Diaspora. As we move into the second week of Black History month, Howard students reflect on their own experiences on what it means to be black in America, and what they are able to foresee when it pertains to the future of the black community.
NEWS, Page 3
By: Nancy Vu, Life + Style Reporter | @RaiderNancy
1. What does it mean to be black in America in this day and age? 2. What does the future of the black community look like to you? Name: Tyrese Kierstdet Classification: Freshman Major: Electrical Engineering Hometown: Harlem, NY
“There’s a lot of new youth about to take over.”
1. For my generation, a lot of people are on the come-up, especially intellectually. There’s a calling for more black leaders, specifically in certain fields such as STEM and politics as well, because we need representation in certain areas to benefit the people on the lower totem pole. 2. A lot of African American youth are on the come-up. To be more specific, I feel like a lot of Black leaders are on the come-up in this generation. I feel like we’re able to take advantage of more opportunities that are given to us, like a lot of people are going to college. From my personal experience… I was actually one of the few students that actually graduated high school and made it to college. From my personal experience, you can only go up from here. See CAMPUS, PAGE 2
The Book Every Howard Student Needs NEWS, Page 3
Four Valentine’s Day Date Ideas IN THE DISTRICT, Page 6
Blake Griffin Traded to the Detroit Pistons SPORTS, Page 11
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FEBRUARY 8, 2018
CAMPUS Campus Speakout (cont. from pg. 1) By: Nancy Vu, Life + Style Reporter | @RaiderNanc
1. What does it mean to be black in America in this day and age? 2. What does the future of the black community look like to you?
Name:DeAngela Fobbs Classification: Freshman Major: Sports Medicine Hometown: Upper Marlboro, MD
Name: Shawna Mizelle Classification: Junior Major: Broadcast Journalism Hometown: Columbus, OH
Name: Jedidiah Agbenu Classification: Freshman Major: Computer Engineering Hometown: Baltimore, MD
1. To be black in America today is a bit of a challenge, but it’s also exciting because people don’t expect as much from you…so to exceed those expectations and to put a mark in people’s view of being black, or what it’s like to be black, is a great accomplishment.
1. To be black in America is to be confident. One must be so sure of their self-worth so that they don’t feel devalued by micro-aggressions or discrimination. To be black in America is to feel a constant urge to prove that self-worth by achieving excellence.
1. To be black in America is to face adversity from any direction head on and come out on top.
2. The future of the black community looks bright, only because we’re starting to come-up in politics. A lot of people are starting to become lawyers to have an affect on laws that impact our lives… And also, we’re having more females and men of color in math and in the medicine world, so that’s also going to contribute to expanding that we can do more than just dribble a basketball or catch a football. It’s showing that we’re excellent in all realms of society.
To be black in America is to prove that you are more than black but also American.
Being black in America also includes being part of a multicultural melting pot in which there are many kinds of people.
2. I cannot foresee the future of the black community. I can only hope we reflect upon our past to flourish in our future.
2. The future of the black community is a future consisting of successes and advancements socially, scientifically, and financially.
Name: Zhiere Patmon Classification: Freshman Major: Political Science Hometown: Washington, PA
“The future of the black community looks stronger and more united than we are now. Living in America in 2018, we see how much hate people have for us.”
1. To be black in America in this day and age is to be cautious of everything you do or say, knowing that the society we live in looks for a reason to bring down the black person. For me, personally, I was always told that I have to work twice as hard as the white man to be equal. Growing up in a diverse suburb of Pittsburgh called Washington, I was blessed to have not been subject to racism, racial profiling, or discrimination. But being a young black man in America, I never kept my guard down knowing that anything could happen at any given moment. To be black in America is to have white people looking at you shocked because you are able to hold an intelligent conversation with them. To be black in America means having to know your rights because you see how people can easily and illegally violate you without you even knowing. And although it can be difficult at times, to be black in America means working with your fellow brother or sister to construct a better future for yourself, your loved ones, and the rest of society for many generations to come. 2. With everything that is happening right now with national politics and Trump, black people have no choice but to stay informed on everything that is happening, stay involved in community development, and work harder than everyone else to have more opportunities. I believe that the time that we live in right now is giving us the strength, knowledge, and leverage to prepare us for a better tomorrow. I see less crime within our communities because we will not have to hurt our own brother or sister anymore to survive while privileged white people just hear about yet another crime that was situationally inevitable. I see stronger families who are able to live the old American Dream. I foreshadow more “black firsts” and black people setting precedents. Instead of just surviving, I see the black community living - and prospering.
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NEWS Kings Dominion To Change Name of ConfederateInspired “Rebel Yell” Roller Coaster By: Victoria Jonas, Howard University News Service | @fearlessvickyj
A roller coaster in California similar to the “Rebel Yell.” (Photo/Eric Hernandez)
The ride was originally named after the war cry used by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. The renaming of the wooden coaster is an initiative of King Dominion’s “revitalization.”
In response, Sherwood said in an email, “We’re constantly evaluating elements of the park and we plan updates in existing areas when we invest in new products in the vicinity.”
Katelyn Sherwood, public relations manager of Kings Dominion wrote on the King Dominion blog, “Rebel Yell will become “Racer 75” as a nod to its 1975 entry into the park as well as giving recognition to ACE, the American Coaster Enthusiasts, (rACEr 75 – get it?!). ACE was founded in 1978 after a roller-coaster-riding event on this attraction. The new name, Racer 75, is also reflective of the design, a racer-style coaster.”
The “Racer 75” isn’t the only change coming to Kings Dominion. There are other changes in progress, such as renovations and name changes to the “Ricochet” coaster, the “Rock Shop” souvenir store, and “The Dinner Bell” restaurant.
In light of the recent sensitivities surrounding Confederate symbolization, the question was raised if King Dominion made this rebranding decision to avoid the risk of offending future customers.
The removal of Confederate monuments and memorials began after the Charleston church shooting in June 2015, where an armed white man murdered nine black churchgoers. Some believe the monuments glorify white supremacy, while others believe the artifacts are part of the United States’ history and southern culture.
Review: The New Book That Should Be on Every Howard Student’s Shelf By: Monica Joseph, Life+Style Reporter | @monicaj217
“I read so much about white women’s inferiorities, white spaces and traversing black ones and somehow feeling lost in both, of encountering young men (of all races, including black) who proclaimed with gusto that they would never date one of us, or that they, “didn’t see color.” I wanted to be one of the first mainstream “millennial” writers to do so. But Morgan Jerkins beat me to the punch. I’m glad she did. This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female and Feminist In (White) America, is the answer for many black women readers who have been searching for a 21st century voice to document an unflinching account of being young, black and female in America. “Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie… had a Ted Talk about the danger of a single story,” said Jerkins on Monday. “White people expect people of color to be the all-encompassing
arbiter of a certain reality. I can’t be that.” Jerkins acknowledges that her experiences are unique. She acknowledges her respective privileges: her light skin color, her middle-class upbringing, her Ivy League education, but asserts that in a racist, sexist nation, none of them alter the way she is perceived by mainstream society. When writing this book, one of her goals was to, “tell black people, and black women, and people who don’t identify by either of those identities that you can understand us… I just hope this will be one of many books by young, black women that know they don’t have to create a sanitized picture of their lives for anyone.” I honestly don’t think sanitized is in Jerkins’ vocabulary. She talks candidly about her feelings of self-hatred (being called a “monkey” by a friend after questioning why she didn’t make her all-white cheerleading team),
her experiences with street harassment, and her sexuality, including descriptions of being raised by a Christian mother who warned her against becoming a “fast-tailed girl,” and conflictedly enjoying pornos in adulthood that called their black, female performers “ebony sluts.” These accounts in particular work to demolish the jezebel/mammy, stripper/wifey material dichotomies that seek to define black women sexualities, and leach into interactions between young black women and men. There are only two words on the dedication page of Jerkins’ book: to you. Indeed, I feel that this book was written for me, and black girls similar to me and black girls in general. In fact, this book is written for anyone curious about the new generation of voices commenting upon 21st century black experience. I recommend Howard students keep this book and its writer on their radar; I’m sure we will be hearing a lot about both.
The Hilltop Staff Jazmin Goodwin, Editor-in-Chief Autumn Dalton, Managing Editor EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT: Almani Jackson, Business Manager Shai Vaz, Assistant Business Manager Brittany Read, Executive Operations Manager Jerry Augustin, Sales Account Executive CREATIVE DEPARTMENT: Oluwatobi Oladejo, Creative Content Director Tiffany Hunt, Creative Content Assistant EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT: Kimberly Nnorom, Senior Copy Editor Justin Cohen, Assistant Copy Editor
Clarice Metzger, Life+Style Editor Lawrence Dow, Sports Editor Brianna Sims, Assistant Sports Editor
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FEBRUARY 8, 2018
LIFE +STYLE
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New York Fashion Week Faces Alterations Ahead of Autumn/Winter Show By: Jamara Robinson , Life+Style Reporter (@itsJamara)
(Photo Courtesy/Neilson Barnard /Getty Images for IMG.)
Alexander Wang. (Photo Courtesy/Vogue)
New York Fashion Week, one of fashion’s most prominent event, is back for the Autumn/Winter season. Designers such as Feng Chen Wang and Philipp Plein have already kicked off the 7-day event with trend-setting fashion shows, but there’s still great moments to come.
decreases the wait time for fans to purchase products from the time they see them. Known for his creating fashion shows that go against the grain of fashion’s archaic methods, a shift like this won’t be a hassle for Wang.
Nineteen-year-old Nigerian designer, Taofeek Abijako, will be making an appearance on the runway as he debuts his second collection for Head of State+. Head of State+ was created in Abijako’s bedroom. The designer made money from hand-painting sneakers and selling them online. When his creations were spotted on actress Amandla Stenberg, his sales spiked, and the rest is history.
Unfortunately, there won’t be a Fenty x PUMA show and Public School will be a no show as they plan to focus on a new direct-to-consumer concept for next season. On the flip side, NYFW ’18 will see the return of Ralph Lauren, BOSS Women, Narciso Rodriguez and more appearances from the #MeToo movement. Lela Rose and Rebecca Minkoff will present their collections on Instagram, a direct-to-consumer method, and Rebecca Taylor has teamed up with Google for a virtual reality experience for her presentation.
A bittersweet moment to anticipate is the final show from Alexander Wang. According to The New York Times, the designer has decided to move his collections from NYFW’s known February and September shows to June and December, making Wang the fifth designer of his generation to leave the NYFW schedule. The company plans to combine pre and main collections, which will be delivered monthly. Such change
When it comes to NYFW, the fashion world is seeing a shift as designers are taking their ideas and timelines into their own hands, but with all the talent out there, the event will still be a must-see. Be on the lookout for what’s in store Feb. 8-14.
Design by Taofeek Abijako. (Photo Courtesy/I.D.)
(Photo Courtesy/Instagram)
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IN THE DISTRICT
FEBRUARY 8, 2018
Four Date Options to Show Your Partner That You Love Them By: Daisha Banks, Life+Style Reporter | @___rosyyy
Busboys and Poets located on 5th and K. (Photo Courtesy/Busboys and Poets)
Valentine’s Day is a day dedicated to love. Whether that love is for a partner or for oneself, it is often hard to find creative and exciting things to do. Here is a list of potential date ideas for those feeling the pressure as we get closer to Feb.14.
Busboys & Poets As much as we all enjoy a candlelight dinner date, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to spice things up. Take your date to Busboys and Poets, a restaurant with frequent open mic nights and a wide selection of literature to read. Enjoy an evening out with delicious foods and the enticing sound of poetry. Rhea Beckford, freshman international business major, recounts her visit to the beloved restaurant. “I love the vibe of Busboys and Poets” said Beckford. “It’s a chill environment with great food and the poetry adds an artsy vibe. I even go by myself sometimes.”
(Photo Courtesy/Escape Room DC)
Escape Room For those couples who find that their most romantic nights were spent on a spontaneous adventure, then the wide selection of escape rooms in the D.C. metropolitan area might be the go-to for Valentine’s Day. These rooms are designed to test you and your partner both physically and mentally—seeing how well you both can work together. Escape room prices range from $15$30 per person, offering you and your date an entertaining and inexpensive night to remember.
Ice Skating For nature-loving couples, it can be hard to find something romantic to do outside in this cold D.C. weather. Ice skating is the perfect excuse to get outside and engage in physical activity with your significant other.
Ice Skating at Wharf Ice Rink. (Photo Courtesy/Washington.org)
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Not too mention, skating is inexpensive. Kyra Williams, a sophomore political science major, shared her outdoor experience. “I went ice skating with my boyfriend at Wharf Ice Skating Rink,” said Williams. “It was a great bonding experience and it was pretty funny to watch him repeatedly fall on his butt.”
ArtJamz If the idea of painting and sipping on wine with the love of your life excites you, ArtJamz might be the perfect date night for you on. Doubling as an art studio and lounge, ArtJamz offers classes and freestyle paint sessions for groups or couples. Savor an evening of wine sipping and painting your love for your partner with the assistance of teachers and other couples as well.
ArtJamz’s wall of paintings. (Photo Courtesy/ArtJamz)
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FEBRUARY 8, 2018
REOPENING SUMMER 2018 HOWARD PLAZA TOWERS EAST
Fully Upgraded Residential Units
Large Entry Social Lounge
Modernized Community Room
925 Student Beds
24 Hour Front Desk Services
Garaged Parking
Visit www.housingathoward.com for more information and check out photos of the East and West Towers on our social channels.
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FEBRUARY 8, 2018
LIFE+STYLE
CAUGHT IN STYLE By: Tanasia Smith, Life + Style Reporter | @TanasiaSmith
“Eclectic”
“DIFFERENT”
“Versatile”
Jessica Jones Junior International Business Chicago, IL (By way of CA)
Kyra Fox Junior Legal Communications New Jersey
Taylor Ardrey Junior Broadcast Journalism Major, Political Science Minor Brooklyn, NY
Earmuffs - Beauty supply on Florida Ave. Dress - TJ Maxx Shoes - Nordstrom Rack
Sneakers - Puma Sweats - Nike Sweater - Vintage, Mom’s from the ‘80s) Hoodie - H&M
Top - Express Jeans - American Apparel Boots - Express Coat - Michael Kors Scarf - Express
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FEBRUARY 8, 2018
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LIFE+STYLE
FEBRUARY 8, 2018
COMIC
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By: Devariae “Yae” McDaniels | @YaeTBG
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY? TELL US AND
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SPORTS
Blake Griffin Shipped Off to Detroit Pistons By: Tayler Adigun, Sports Reporter | @dangitstayler
NBA power forward Blake Griffin was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Detroit Pistons following an eight-year stint with the Clippers. Griffin was the No. 1 overall pick in round one of the 2009 NBA draft from the University of Oklahoma. Griffin played for the Clippers for seven seasons and had re-signed a contract last summer, making the trade all the more shocking.
success of the Clippers organization. LA has been my home since I started in the league and I will be forever grateful to the city for embracing me and supporting me. To the fans, you have been awesome every step of the way. Thank you for your years of support. Now I’m ready for the next chapter, helping the Detroit Pistons make a run in the Eastern Conference.”
He missed 21 games in 2017 and 47 in 2016, according to ESPN.
In the trade the Detroit Pistons will get Griffin in exchange for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley and Boban Marjanovic as well as a first round and second round draft pick, according to a league source. Also this trade caused the Pistons to make a $7 million trade exception, locking Griffin in to a $173 million contract.
The news can only be described as an unmitigated surprise to Griffin, who was looking forward to becoming a seemingly permanent figure for the Clippers franchise.
LeBron James weighed in on the trade, calling it unfortunate, and that seems to be the general consensus. Griffin will be joining Andre Drummond, an overlap that leaves a lot of sports fans skeptical of how the two will vibe.
Griffin is a five-time NBA All-Star, 2010-2011 rookie of the year, 2011 slam dunk champion, and a three-time All NBA selection. Clippers and Piston fans were quick to take to Twitter to share their thoughts and opinions on the trade, as well as Griffin himself, who stated on Twitter: “Needed a night to digest and reflect on what happened… from being a #1 pick, to Lob City, to six straight playoff appearances, I am so proud to have been part of the
“Blake Griffin had a tremendous impact on this organization and his legacy within the community of Los Angeles will be permanent,” Clippers owner Steve Ballmer said in a news release. Griffin has spent a lot of his time with the Clippers injured and that is a possible reason why this trade was made. Griffin fell victim to a seemingly unending series of injuries, including a broken toe, back spasms, a broken hand, a staph infection, a torn left quad tight knee surgery, a sprained MCL and a concussion.
This is definitely a trade that we will have to wait and see how each team handles and benefits from the trade respectively. Griffin seems to have taken the trade in stride so far, even tweeting high hearted gifs on Twitter.
Drummond’s skill set is a poor man’s version of Griffin’s former frontcourt partner DeAndre Jordan. Most pundits believe this team has no real path to contention in the Eastern Conference, even with Griffin. In spite of that, Griffin has succeeded in his early games since joining the Pistons pointing a record of five wins and zero losses. Early returns from the Griffin trade indicate that maybe we’ve underestimated Blake Griffin.
The Philadelphia Eagles Make History with First Ever Super Bowl Win By: Lawrence Dow, Sports Editor | @LJeeeeezy
On Sunday, Feb. 4, the Philadelphia Eagles made history when they won their first ever Super Bowl by beating the New England Patriots 41-33. The game was an exhilarating contest from beginning to end, with no team ever trailing by more than 10 points. This game was the second-highest scoring game in the history of the Super Bowl, trailing only the 1995 contest, a blowout victory for the San Francisco 49ers over the Cincinnati Bengals, by a single point. While second in points scored, this game had the most total yardage in any NFL game ever. The high octane offensive game came down to which team’s defense could make a stop and Philadelphia’s answered the call when Brandon Graham rushed from the inside position and strip sacked an unaware Tom Brady. The Eagles would go on to add a field goal, ostensibly ending the game. The Eagles led or were tied for the lead for almost the entirety of the game, opening the game with a 14-play, 67-yard drive that culminated in a field goal. The Patriots would respond on the following drive and then the offenses took over the show. The Eagles scored two touchdowns in consecutive possessions, one a beautiful 34-yard pass from Nick Foles to Alshon Jeffery and the other a bruising 21yard run to make the score 15-3. The Patriots responded to the Eagles with two straight scores of their own, a field goal and a 26-yard rushing touchdown from James White with 2 minutes and 57 seconds remaining in the half. This would cut down the lead to 12-15. The Eagles scored one last time in the half, racing down the field in
a 70-yard, seven-play drive that would culminate with a double handoff pass to the quarterback for a touchdown on fourth and one. The Eagles led 22-12 at halftime before a lackluster halftime performance by Justin Timberlake. After a quiet first half, Rob Gronkowski woke up at halftime and dominated the Patriots’ opening drive, culminating with him catching a five-yard touchdown. Nick Foles, undaunted by the prospect of playing one of the greatest football dynasties of all time, continued to throw the ball with accuracy on his next drive, which ended on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Foles to Corey Clement, pushing the lead back up to 10. Tom Brady, who at this point was already having one of his best Super Bowls statistically before the third quarter was even over, threw one more touchdown to Chris Hogan to finally cut the Eagles’ lead down to three once again before heading into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Patriots offense, which hadn’t been stopped for the entire second half, finally took their first lead with another touchdown for Gronkowski, this one going for four yards. That gave New England a 3433 lead with a little over nine minutes remaining. Foles, having one of the most magical postseason runs of all time, would not be stopped on this day and went on a devastatingly efficient 14-play, 75-yard drive that took seven minutes and one second off the clock, leaving the Patriots with two minutes and 21 seconds remaining and the Eagles clinging to a 38-33 lead.
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Everyone had seen this game before: with over two minutes and all of his timeouts left, Brady would march down the field and dissect the Eagles defense and score, and the Patriots would win their sixth Super Bowl. However prevalent that thought ran through the heads of Patriots and Eagles fans alike, the reality would be far from it. Brandon Graham, on the second play of the Patriots drive, stripped Tom Brady, and rookie Derek Barnett scooped the ball up. After three unsuccessful runs, the Eagles sent out their kicker Jake Elliott to make one more kick. Elliot would nail a 46-yard field goal, putting the Eagles up eight points with only one minute remaining. The Patriots on their final possession would get two first downs to reach midfield, but would need a miracle on a Hail Mary to have any chance of taking it to overtime. To his credit, Brady launched a near perfect Hail Mary to Gronkowski, who couldn’t bring it in, and the celebrating in Philadelphia commenced. The Eagles won by a final score of 41-33 in one of the more exhilarating Super Bowls of all time. MVP of the game would go to Nick Foles, who threw for 373 yards, three passing touchdowns, and one receiving touchdown. Foles, who was Philadelphia’s backup until Carson Wentz went down with a season ending ACL tear, became the first backup to win since Tom Brady himself. This was the first ever Super Bowl victory for the Philadelphia Eagles, which capped off a magical season that will not soon be forgotten.
RSVP Process for Fall Housing Room Selection and Verification Plan Checklist: 1. Review the RSVP Packet on the website BELOW 2. Submit the $200 Advanced Rent Payment (RSVP Deposit) before 3:00pm on 02/09/18. Payment questions contact the Cashier’s Office. 3. Submit any employment or community service verification documents to: • Residence Hall Manager (for students who reside in University Housing) • Office of Residence Life (for students who do NOT reside in University Housing) 4. REVIEW THE ONLINE INFORMATION INTENTLY. ADHERE TO ALL DEADLINES QUESTIONS? VISIT https://residencelife.howard.edu/rsvp-final-checklist