Volume 103, Issue 23
The Hilltop The Student Voice of Howard University thehilltoponline.com
150 Years of Commencement
Thursday, May 10, 2018
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May 10, 2018
On behalf of your entire Howard University Bison family, I extend heartfelt congratulations to the class of 2018! You have been an exceptional representation of the University, and I do not doubt that you will continue to be worthy ambassadors of Howard as you build upon our legacy of excellence, leadership, truth, and service. Howard University graduates are set apart for many reasons mainly because regardless of School, College, or chosen area of practice you have, inscribed on your hearts, a clear commitment to truth and service. As you embark upon and evolve in your careers, I urge you to reflect on the memories made, always remember to let your light shine in each space that you enter and respect the sacrifices that you endured to achieve success. During my time as a student, Howard University provided me with a memorable atmosphere that was academically stimulating, it allowed me to ensconce myself, and determine who I wanted to be if and when I left the Capstone. As the 17th president, I pledge my energy to ensure that others have an opportunity Howard’s very best. When you walk the long walk this Saturday from the Fine Arts building through the Main Yard to Founders Library—a national treasure—remember that each step you take symbolizes your journey both to a through Howard University. It is a visible testament to your many achievements. As I reflect on the significance of celebrating our 150th commencement convocation, together I am reminded that since 1867, Howard has awarded more than 100,000 degrees in the professions, arts, sciences, and humanities. Howard is one of the most significant engineers of change in our society, and you are forever woven it to that legacy. I would like to especially thank the parents, spouses, children, and friends of our graduates for your patience, tolerance, sacrifices, and support. You too should relish in the shared feeling of pride in what your graduate has accomplished thus far and the boundless opportunities ahead of them. Class of 2018, in the years ahead, I challenge you to never forget about Howard, your favorite (and most rigorous) professors, administrators, fellow and future Bison. I encourage you to not only utilize your Howard network but to also give back Howard by supporting programs, joining your local alumni club and keeping us abreast of the many achievements you experience in your careers and personal lives. You have been empowered to meet the challenges of the world around you, to elevate racial, social, and political consciousness, and join other luminaries who share with you the coveted title “Howard alumni.” Your Bison family will always support you and take great pride in all that you do. Class of 2018, thank you for joining me on this journey, your best is yet to come. Excellence in Truth and Service, Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA President
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The Hilltop Staff Jazmin Goodwin, Editor-in-Chief 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 Lesley M. Pierrot, Layout Editor EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT: Kimberly Nnorom, Senior Copy Editor Justin Cohen, Assistant Copy Editor Kesi Felton, News Editor Clarice Metzger, Life+Style Editor Lawrence Dow, Sports Editor Brianna Sims, Assistant Sports Editor EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: eic@thehilltoponline.com NEWS: news@thehilltoponline.com LIFE+STYLE: lifestyle@thehilltoponline.com SPORTS: sports@thehilltoponline.com HIRING: hiring@thehilltoponline.com BUSINESS: business@thehilltoponline.com ADVERTISING: adsales@thehilltoponline.com The Hilltop Newspaper Office 2401 4th Street NW, 62B Washington, D.C. 20059 Phone Number: (202) 806-4749 For Zora. For Howard. For You. Est. 1924.
May 10, 2018
Howard Forever: Is HU the Real Wakanda? By: Jaylin Paschal, Life+Style Reporter (@creatveiiberation)
When the blockbuster Black Panther came out in February, it took no time for people to start referring to Howard as the “real Wakanda.” As students, most of us snarked. In February, undergraduate students were experiencing infrastructure disasters and administrative shortcomings that made Howard seem far from even being the Real HU, let alone the real Wakanda. With the announcement of Howard alum Chadwick Boseman, who plays Marvel’s Wakandan superhero the Black Panther, as the 2018 commencement speaker, it was no surprise when this debate of whether or not Howard is comparable to Wakanda sprang up again. Months later the fact remains that even those of us who love Howard the most criticize her harshly and recognize that by many counts she is not Wakanda. Howard is not the most technically advanced, financially stable or administratively sound—characteristics which define the Black utopia that Wakanda is. So obviously, on the surface, it’s easy to laugh off the idea by these comparisons. But these aren’t the comparisons that matter, because these aren’t the qualities that really make us love Wakanda. We love Wakanda because it’s about constant advancement and striving for the best. Not keeping up with whiteness or proving ourselves to the world, but improving upon ourselves for ourselves. Wakanda is about being the best already, but pushing for better anyways. In many ways, the same is true about Howard. As we strive for excellence, we often refute our likening to “the Black Harvard,” or other white-washed comparative ideals. At Howard, Black people want to improve from within, for those within. Like Wakanda, Howard of course takes into account all that is happening in the outside world, but it then recontextualizes that information for what it means to us. While Howard is not a bubble, it is a center. A cornerstone for Black culture and Black intellectualism, and a critical intersection of perspective. Which leads to another reason why we love Wakanda. While Wakanda centers blackness, there is still space for every type of person. Varying backgrounds, ethnic groups, religions and ideologies all coexist. Just like Wakanda, Howard embodies diversity in seemingly monolithic groups. Rich with cultural diversity, the Mecca is the intellectual crossroad for Black people from throughout the diaspora. Just like Wakanda, there are different ideologies on what’s best for us as Bison and what’s best for us as Black people. And thehilltoponline.com
just like in Wakanda, there are power struggles between these different ideologists. The beauty of it is the allowance for so many types of blackness to thrive in the same space; the millions of different conversations that have happened within the walls of Founders Library or under the shade of trees in the valley. The millions of ways we’ve idealized, discussed or debated what it could and should mean to be black. Which is what we all love most of all about Wakanda. The great “what if.” What if Black people were left alone; left to mine our resources, cultivate our cultures and live our lives outside of the influence of whiteness?
What if there was no colonization, no imperialism, no racism determining Black fate? What if our fate was in our own hands? Wakanda, symbolically, is the full extent of Black excellence with no interference from powers meant to keep us down. Similarly, Howard is our real-life “what if.” Howard gives us the opportunity to think beyond and outside of all that restricts, marginalizes and oppresses Black people. It allows us the chance to ask “what if ” again and again; to reimagine our destiny; to rewrite our story; to decide the course of our lives for ourselves. Howard, for many of us, is our only chance to see what life outside of repressive whiteness is like. Howard, for many of us, is our only chance, period. It is in these ways—the ways that really matter— that Wakanda mirrors Howard. Maybe not Howard the institution, but certainly Howard the Mecca. If not structurally, then culturally. Wakanda is not so much about who we are now, but who we strive to be in another 150 years. Whether or not Howard is Wakanda is a question of legacy, therefore Howard’s next step must be the same as Wakanda’s: Broadening its impact and more deliberately reaching out to the communities around us. The next step is to be sharing resources to elevate our collective wealth in knowledge and finances. This is the upcoming challenge of our legacy—spreading truth and service even further throughout the world. This is the only way to ensure an enduring cultural impact from the Bison community. It’s the only way to guarantee that it really is Howard forever.
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May 10, 2018
Howard University Alum and Black Panther Star, Chadwick Boseman Returns to The Mecca for 150th Commencement Ceremony By: Kesi Felton, News Editor (@kesifelton)
Howard University will get to truly relish in the title of Wakanda University on Saturday, May 12, 2018 as alumnus and renowned Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman is set to deliver this year’s commencement address.
In addition to social media posts which likened The Mecca to the fictional country of Wakanda, Howard now rightfully wears the title with a co-sign from King T’Challa himself.
The 150th Commencement Ceremony will honor the graduation and accomplishments of the Class of 2018, including undergraduate and graduate students, and is sure to be a momentous celebration for the families, friends and Howard community at large who helped them along their journey.
Boseman, who graduated from Howard in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Directing, will also receive an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters which is among the University’s highest honors. Other honorary degree recipients will include Vivian W. Pinn, M.D., Gwendolyn S. King and Colbert I. King.
Given the groundbreaking success of Marvel’s Black Panther, the announcement of Boseman being selected as the commencement speaker was met with approval from graduating students and University officials, including President Wayne A.I. Frederick. “Mr. Boseman exemplifies the monumental heights and levels Howard graduates can achieve by using the skills and knowledge they acquired at the university,” said Frederick in the announcement on Howard Newsroom. “He has played some of the most iconic African Americans that have transformed history, including Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Howard’s own Thurgood Marshall. His recent role in the blockbuster film Black Panther reminds us of the excellence found in the African diaspora and how Howard continues to be a gem that produces the next generation of artist-scholars, humanitarians, scientists, engineers and doctors.”
“It’s an honor, you know. Like to go back and just sort of encourage students that are doing great things-- and they’re at Howard so I assume they’re doing great things.” Boseman said in a recent interview on Live with Kelly and Ryan. He went on to reminisce about his own commencement ceremony, during which Angela Bassett-- who now plays his mother in Marvel’s Black Panther-received an honorary doctorate. “It’s sort of full circle.”
Congratulations to the Class of 2018. Wakanda Forever (In Truth & Service).
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May 10, 2018
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A Look Back Over The Years
Photo by: Beverly Daniel Tatum via Howard Magazine
Photo by: The Washington Post via Getty Images
Ursula M. Burns, chairman and chief executive officer of Xerox Corporation, delivered the147thkeynote commencement to more than 2,400 students urging graduates to uphold the University’s long history of community leadershipand reflecting on the deaths of Eric Garnerand Tamir Rice.
California Senator and 1986 Howard University alum Kamala Harris told students that they are graduating at a unique time in this country’s history during Howard University’s 149th Commencement Ceremony on May 13.
Photo by: Paul Holston, 2016-2017 Editor-In-Chief, (@Tru1P)
Photo by: Howard Newsroom
President Barack Obama spoke to over 2,300 graduates and over 25,000 in attendance during Howard University’s 148th Commencement May 7. This was Obama’s last commencement address to a Historical Black College and University.
Media mogul, Diddy gave hiscommencementaddress on May 10, 2014 sharing with graduates “the only way out of the darkness is to become your own light.”
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May 10, 2018
Wakanda and the HBCU: Fantasies and Realities By: Dr. Gregg Carr, (@AfricanaCarr)
Each spring, thousands of young students and their elders descend on Howard and our sister institutions in the glorious annual rite of the HBCU college tour. Wide-eyed prospectives from fifth through twelfth grades from cities across the country make annual pilgrimage to my classes. Our Howard University Alumni Club of Atlanta family, riffing off of a mid-February Howard Twitter account declaration, presented me with a t-shirt at the close of their visit emblazoned with the phrase: “Howard is Our Wakanda. Chadwick Boseman, the Marvel’s Cinematic Universe’s Black Panther, will likely declaim “For Wakanda!” at his Alma Mater’s 150th commencement ceremony. Some moviegoers, untutored in T’Challa’s 52 year comics history and long-arc storylines involving Thanos, Infinity Gauntlets, “Secret Wars,” Kree-Skrull battles and other epic saga sources of Marvel’s movie machinations, will still be reeling from unexpected traumas of Black Hero Death in “Infinity Wars: Part I.” Fear not: Having attracted a billion dollars of a heretofore undertapped Black demographic’s money into the MCU, Marvel will not soon allow T’Challa, Heimdall, Falcon, Nick Fury, Gamora and kin to go gently into that good cinematic night. Future months of agony and speculation should, however, remind us of Howard 1978 Honorary Doctor of Humanities recipient Stevie Wonder’s line in his 1972 song “Superstition”: “When you believe in things you don’t understand, then you suffer.” There are bright lines between fantasy and reality. As inevitable and imaginative showers of ironic, acerbic and comedic replies to the Twitter “Howard is arguably collegiate Wakanda” declaration reminded us, Howard is not Wakanda. No HBCU is. How could we be? An Afro-futurist Wakanda flows from a central question in our subaltern imaginary: What might Africa be had it never been colonized? Howard students enrolled at a univeristy shaped by and preoccupied with finding answers to help forestall or negate perpetual existential threats to Africans, far too rarely ask— much less imagine layered answers—to such a question. The transformative natural resource of Wakanda is the Vibranium mound. Howard’s transformative resource is, and will always be, its people. As I wrote in the afterword to Todd Burroughs’s book “Marvel’s Black Panther: A Comic Book Biography, ” Wakanda is an American African fantasy. HBCUs are not Wakandas, any more than the African Diaspora or post-colonial Africa are Wakandas. As Black Panther comic writers from Don McGregor to Christopher Priest, Reginald Hudlin and Ta-Nehisi Coates have shown us, Wakanda represents a place to complicate questions of an African utopia, literally an African no place. The responsibilities of Howard and our sister institutions are greater than those of any imaginary Africas. Memories, dreams and visions of generations of future Africans seek us as real destination repositories and sites of possibility, not imaginary ones. Comparing Howard to Wakanda reveals that desire. It is not a desire defined by soaring SAT scores and grade point averages but by
demonstrations of heart and will that are far more relevant barometers of African and broader human possibility. Imagination driven by hearts and will caused Black students of the 1960s, inspired by Malcolm X and Black Power self-determination, to award Howard its most enduring honorific: “The Mecca.”
As Ta-Nehisi Coates writes in Between the World and Me, The Mecca cannot be reduced to Howard University’s test scores and grades, and is rather “a machine, crafted to capture and concentrate the dark energy of All African peoples and inject it directly into the study body.” The most current threat to the fuel for such a machine for the imaginary is a self-celebratory academic and popular culture that threatens to replace substantive effort with glosses of effort. As Wakanda’s Shuri’s cultural-scientific mastery reminds us, Wakanda’s genius is a cultivated one. When we do not seek hearts and wills of collective purpose as students, faculty or staff, we run the risk of conflating institutional excellence with the fragile appearance of individual mastery. Our Killmongers, stripped even of Michael B. Jordan’s righteous indignation, become masters first in damnable alchemies of finesse. Mastery work is slow and accretive. At Black Universities, it must never be disassociated with thinking work for collective liberation. Wakandans would never celebrate the to-be-expected as exemplary. Neither should we. Proxy Wakandas in the Global HBCU firmament emerged out of liberation struggles, from Legon, Makarere, Ibadan and Fort Hare to the Caribbean’s UWI system. Black students who occupied Cornell and Columbia in 1967 and 1968 and who called for Black Studies and Black Cultural Centers at Brandeis, Oberlin, Ohio State, San Francisco State, Northwestern and elsewhere carved liberated Black spaces out of which to imagine and plan new Black worlds. And desegregation has further complicated liberation desires of HBCU students and Black students at HWCUs. Lines of debates between nationalism and assimilation captured in Laurence C. Morse’s brilliant 1986 novel of life at Howard and HBCUs, Sundial, are much more blurred now, birthing new possibilities for new thinking. Still, unlike what dreams of individual achievement youngsters on annual HBCU college tours might expect of HWCUs, Howard and our sister institutions are living Wakandas. They look to us for a larger common purpose. Unlike the home of T’Challa, Okoye, Shuri, M’Baku and their imaginary kin, these young people need fear no existential threat from Thanos or anyone else. Unlike the comics, they seek the places where we have everything we need to link our incomparable African pasts to our glorious African futures. The honorifics, from Mecca to Wakanda to what will invariably come next out of Black creative imaginaries, are generational labels for our HBCUs, objects of that thankfully unquenched desire.
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NEWS
May 10, 2018
Black Millennials Say Student Loan Debt Crippling Their Chances toGet Ahead By Jasmine Hardy, Howard University News Service
When Danielle Douglas began her career after graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Howard University, things were tough.
For the first time ever, the study said, young adults with student debt have a negative net wealth, meaning they have more debt than they have financial assets. Their median net wealth today is a negative $1,900 compared to a plus $9,000 in 2013. Tom Allison, author of the report, as well as deputy policy and research director at Young Invincibles, explained the disparity. “If [it is] five years after graduation and you’re trying to build assets and save money, it’s so much harder to do that if you have to write a check of $500 every month for college loans,” Allison said. “Your assets are going to stay low and your debt is going to stay high. This gives us an idea of the financial decline.”
Courtesy Photo
Photo Courtesy of Young Invincibles
Danielle Douglas received a pay raise and a promotion after receiving her master’s degree, but she also is spending $290 a month to pay off a $28,000 student loan, which has hampered her mobility.
“I was living paycheck to paycheck, just breaking even,” said Douglas, 27, who began working immediately after graduation at Meridian Charter Public School in Washington. “At first, I was in the ‘hood’ for three years, because I couldn’t afford to live anywhere else. Then, I finished my masters and moved to a better neighborhood.” After receiving her master’s degree in 2016, however, Douglas, was promoted to sports director at Meridian. Her new income, which was “abundantly better,” she said, allowed her to move from Southeast Washington, to Silver Springs, Md. Her new degree also came with a price tag, $28,000 in student loan debt. Now, she must pay a minimum of $290 every month on her student loan, she said, so she has had to cut back on some of her favorite activities, such as traveling. She said often she pays even more than required in order to retire her debt earlier.
“I try to pay more than the minimum per month because I’d be paying for 10 years, which I’m not trying to do. It has definitely put a strain on me. There’s no extra money.” Douglas’ plight is a familiar one for millennials, according to a recent report by Young Invincibles, a non-profit organization in Washington. Millennials, according to the report, are struggling more than their parent’s generation financially, in large part because of student debt, the study said. Even as the economy has been improving in terms of wages, home ownership, and jobs, millennials are not keeping up with the trend in terms of net wealth and home ownership, the study said.
According to a report by the Young Invincibles, young adults now have considerably lower net wealth than young adults 25 years ago. Young adults with college debt, specifically, are doing the worst out of all millennials today, being the only category with a negative net wealth according to the chart.
In addition to net wealth, home ownership among young adults with college debt has also declined, the study showed. Between 2013 and 2016, homeownership dropped 3 percent. Veronika Williams, 32, says she accumulated $150,000 in loan debt while at Howard University Law School, an amount so large she said she’ll probably spend much of her life paying it off. She currently works as an attorney in Washington where she rents an apartment. For now, she said, owning a home is largely outside of her grasp because of her student debt. “The issue is a down payment for purchasing a house,” she said. “They want 20 percent. I don’t have the excess income, so I can’t give them $20,000. There are some programs that will pay the down payment, but my income is too high, so I don’t qualify. I’m just stuck between a rock and a hard place.” Williams said she can see the impact of student loan debt when compared to some of the other well-paid attorneys she works with at her law firm. Some of her black and white co-workers do not share the same financial concerns she does because they don’t carry the stress of loan debt, she said. “I make a decent salary, but I feel like I can’t compete with people who don’t have student loan debt, because I have to consider a $1,300 loan payment per month,” she said. “It limits me financially to what I can and cannot do. I don’t have the luxuries of vacationing and some stuff compared to other attorneys who had doctors and judges as parents [and consequently] don’t have student debt.”
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NEWS
May 10, 2018
Ashanti Martinez: A Love Letter in a Campaign By: Kayla York, News Reporter
Shaking the hands of residents and leading without limits meet Ashanti Martinez, the unlikely but qualified candidate for state delegate of Maryland. As a Black, Latino and gay male, Martinez is a revolutionary pioneer in the making. The 21-year-old Political Science major is not only a Howard University student but the future of Maryland as well. Originally from Washington, D.C., Martinez has always had a passion for serving the greater good and leading by example. Following in the footsteps of his mother, a Howard alumna, Martinez’s first strived to become a public servant at Howard when he was accepted into the fifth class of the Freshman Leadership Academy. Although Martinez has always been familiar with student government, the confidence and platform FLA provided him with became essistenal for his campaign. Martinez’s platform rests on the three pillars of development, education and transportation. Innovative and young, Martinez is ready to involve his community in the decisions that affect them directly. Although, Martinez looks up to the current leaders of Maryland such as State Delegate Joseline Pena-Mel-
nyk with whom he previously worked, he is ready to be apart of the new wave of leaders Maryland needs. Although District 22 of Maryland has many issues at hand to deal with such as transportation layout, Martinez welcomes the challenge. “There is no connecting sidewalk on certain streets which makes it very dangerous for students to get to school but I have begun to think of ways to overcome,” he said. As someone who shares the same values and experiences as the residents of District 22, Martinez truly has the wellbeing of his community in his heart. A non-traditional candidate, Martinez has used his diversity to his advantage. There is no doubt that his campaign and future will be bright. His advice for those that will surely come after him, “Be ready, be confident, and comfortable to stand on your own.”
Image courtesy of Ashanti Martinez
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LIFE + STYLE
May 10, 2018
Photo Recap of the faces and style that made up the sixth annual Broccoli City Festival at RFK Stadium on April 28. Photos by: Oluwatobi Oladejo, Creative Content Director, (@Tobi_Wan_Knobi)
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LIFE + STYLE
May 10, 2018
Reshaping The Mecca: A Conversation With Howard Alum Tevin Scott By: Malcolm Wyche, (@MalcolmPWyche)
Freshman Year: Intro
Summer 2014:
Malcolm Wyche: Before coming to Howard, were you aware of the rich legacy of Black filmmakers and actors here?
MW: You transitioned from being a stand-alone filmmaker to an intern? Was this part of the plan? Or did you have to adjust to working for somebody?
Tevin Scott: I was, but my awareness came very late in the college application process. I actually never wanted to go to Howard. I didn’t know much about it, or any HBCU for that matter. It’s crazy how life works out because looking back, technically Howard chose me. I got a letter in the mail saying I qualified for a full tuition scholarship, and that was enough to make me do my research. Once I got hip to the rich legacy of black icons and visited campus for ASD, the decision became a no brainer.
TS: I had wanted to intern before we even started cranking out films. The RTS shorts were actually in response to me not receiving an internship after my freshman year. I had nothing else to do that summer and I definitely wasn’t trying to go back home so I stayed in DC and got to work on my own content. By the time the following summer rolled around, the fact that I had so much work of my own impressed the people at Overbrook who gave me my first internship. I say all that to give this word of advice - if no one’s offering you opportunities, make things happen on your own, and eventually the companies/brands you aspire to work with will notice. If you build it, they will come.
MW: Your inaugural production on campus was the Same Girl remix, do you believe that was the best way to introduce yourself? TS: I think so. At that time I was still trying to figure out how the whole filmmaking process worked, and the idea just came to me super organically while joking about it with some friends. (Me and another guy had actually we were talking to the same girl.) MW: How did releasing the Same Girl remix set you up for your future success? TS: It helped me gain slight popularity on campus, which put me even more on Campus Pals’ radar. Joining Pals is what changed everything for me.
Summer 2013: MW: What’s the philosophy behind Raise The Stakes? TS: With Raise The Stakes, we just wanna take shit to the next level. It’s about doing things at a higher level than what’s been seen before. Comedy wise, we definitely aim for the big laughs. The ones that make you cry and have your stomach hurting. In order to that, you have to raise the stakes and come up with the most outrageous and outlandish (but still authentic) scenarios for comedic conflict. MW: This was the year you dropped your first official film at Howard and then several other hits, did you feel your momentum rising? TS: Certainly. We released 8 shorts that year, which was pretty consistent for full time college students. Each one had most of campus tweeting and talking about them, and the reception was always strong. After the first few, we knew we were doing something right and just aimed to keep going and getting better with our work. MW: How did you handle the pressure of making sure you lived out raising the stakes with your productions? TS: There never was any pressure to be honest. We were just a close group of friends making stuff we thought was funny. We never went into a video wondering, “will people like this?” All the concepts we came up with were organic, and that’s how it should be for your content to hit. When you start aiming to please, that’s when you usually fizzle out. MW: In hindsight, do you think you left a blueprint for future filmmakers to follow? TS: I hope so. I’m not quite where I want to be yet so I’m still carving my own blueprint. In the meantime i’ve been following the blueprints left by new age filmmakers like Donald Glover and Issa Rae, and I aim to be the next great auteur that future artists can follow.
Junior Year: MW: Doing It Wrong - inspired by Drake, but what did you want to emphasize that people were doing wrong? TS: Literally everything when it comes to dating (laughs). Our generation can be so wishy washy when it comes to dating. We lack proper communication, we tend to be selfish, and that can create unhealthy relationships. I was doing it wrong myself at the time, and it was me coming to that realization at the time to write that webseries. Doing It Wrong was my most personal work at that point. MW: Would Doing It Wrong be considered your debut album and everything else served the same purpose as mixtapes? TS: Ehhh, I’d actually consider it to be my early mixtape that was slept on. (Think Comeback Season). There’s things I wish we would’ve done better, but I’m still very proud of it because it showed my potential to put together an entire series. MW: How does hip-hop inspire your grind? And what parallels do you see between yourself and rappers? TS: Hip-hop fuels me. I honestly view my favorite rappers as mentors because so much of their music has touched my soul and inspired the way I approach my own goals. As far as the parallels go, I think in this digital era, filmmakers are the new rappers. Our shorts and webseries are our mixtapes. Rappers share their content to soundcloud, we share ours to youtube. Both types of artists struggle to stand out in oversaturated markets. Rappers have been dealing with the oversaturation a little longer than filmmakers so I think we can take a lot from them when it comes to navigating our own careers. That’s why I approach my work like a rapper. The content I’m working on is very raw, personal, and unapologetic, much like the music from my favorite artists (Drake, J.Cole, Kendrick, Kanye). On top of that, my work is calculated. I’ve already began mapping out the projects I want to release. I view at them like albums. The Mecca will be my debut album. MW: How do you find the balance between using your own life as inspiration but not revealing too much private information? TS: Everything is copy. That’s a phrase that the late filmmaker Nora Ephron lived by, and so do I. It basically means any and everything that happens in your life is fair game to write about. And the more personal it is, the better. I don’t plan to hold back when it comes to using events in my life as inspiration. Anything that I find interesting and compelling in my life will be used at some point. MW: Does raising the stakes mean you have to be willing to expose yourself more?
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LIFE + STYLE
TS: Certainly. I find that the best art is extremely vulnerable, so in order to create great art of your own, it’s going to require digging deep and exposing things about you that may be uncomfortable.
Senior Year: MW: It’s your last year on campus. How did you prepare to leave your mark as a filmmaker? TS: Senior year, I knew I wanted to make a longer body of work that summarized how I was feeling about Howard at the time. That of course became #TheRealHU, my longest short to date. There had been a lot of issues going on with the administration at the time, and students were really frustrated about the changing culture on campus. That film was basically a satire addressing those things. It’s crazy because those same issues are still persisting, but they’re even louder now since the whole embezzlement scandal. MW: Did you feel the pressure to make something shake before graduation? Or were you comfortable not having the big opportunity right away? TS: Ever since my first summer in LA, I had made up in my mind that that’s where I’d be after graduation. I didn’t have a choice. Living in LA is mandatory for my line of work. So while I definitely wanted to make something shake and have a job offer before graduation, I was gonna make that leap regardless. And that’s what I did. It wasn’t “comfortable” moving to LA without the big opportunity, but it was necessary to help me get to the point I’m at now.
May 10, 2018
MW: After working for a couple years, what makes you want to continue working as a PA? TS: There’s always an opportunity to learn as a PA. You basically assist every single department on set as they need it so you get a full view of what it takes to execute a large scale production. Being a PA is also a great stepping stone to get to where you ultimately want to be. MW: How do you make sure that you continue to learn and grow even when it may seem like you’re ahead of the game? TS: By never thinking I’m too ahead of the game. I’m very confident in my current skill set and I know i’m gonna be a problem once I have my platform, but at the same time, I know I can never stop learning. I enjoy being the fly on the wall. I study the people I want to be like very closely so I know exactly how to take what they do the next level. MW: What do you want to contribute most to Insecure? And what do you hope to take from Insecure to build Raise The Stakes? TS: It’d be great to eventually write for the show or even direct a few episodes. But most importantly, I really just want the people I’m working with now to feel my presence. I want them to see what I’m capable of and to know that I’m coming. I’ve learned so much thus far with this opportunity, and I plan to use all the skills and knowledge I’ve gained to make sure I can make content that can be just as culturally impactful as Insecure is.
MW: Did you ever consider what you could have done better? TS: I used to, but I don’t harp on what I could’ve or should’ve done anymore. Everything happens for a reason. That phrase is cliche but so true. There are no mistakes. Everything that I did in the past had to happen exactly the way it did for me to get to the place I’m at now, and I couldn’t be any happier about my current position. Now I just hope to use the lessons I’ve learned thus far to propel me to new heights in the near future. MW: Looking back, how would you describe your legacy in one sentence? TS: It was written.
Post-Grad: MW: After graduation, did you expect more success to come your way sooner? TS: Not really. I knew the Hollywood grind was going to be a beast, and much more challenging than is was at Howard. The Howard culture is a lot like Hollywood though, so my time in school definitely prepared me for this post grad journey. MW: How did you meet Lena Waithe? TS: We originally met at a panel back in 2014 when I was interning in LA. I met her again at another panel when I moved to LA, and she was gracious enough to meet for coffee and give me loads of advice. Since then she became my mentor and has been extremely invaluable to my journey thus far. Lena’s super accessible and mentors a lot of young voices trying to break into the industry. She’s truly one of a kind. MW: What do you think people overlook about the grind of an upcoming filmmaker? TS: I think people overlook how long it takes to get your work made. It takes a long time to make a film, and even longer to make a GOOD one. We live in the generation of instant gratification so a lot of artists tend to want to rush to put their work out to make it seem like they’re “grinding.” I’ve been guilty of that as well, but I now understand the importance of timing and making sure everything is right before releasing your work to the world. The original script for THE MECCA was written in 2014 and we’re still working on it. I’m confident that we’re closer to making something shake than ever before, but I’m still being patient and honoring the process so that it doesn’t come and go. I want this project to be a classic.
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EDITORIAL
May 10, 2018
Letter From The Editor: A Legacy Trailblazed By: Jazmin Goodwin, Editor-in-Chief (@TheCozyJAZ)
“I have the nerve to walk my own way, however hard, in my search for reality, rather than climb upon the rattling wagon of wishful illusions.” Zora Neale Hurston
the way for a renaissance, what I called “The Hilltop Renaissance.” It forged my commitment and drive to uphold what I knew the future of the Hilltop could, should and would be.
As a bound and determined freshman, I visualized all my wildest and biggest dreams on the center of The Yard. As the sun nestled below the brim of my fedora hat and I walked alongside my peers, I was struck by a moment of perspective that would later go on to shape my identity – and now as I reflect has showcased itself to be a journey that has come full circle.
Reform. Reengagement. Revitalization. These were the three defining words and pillars that permeated throughout my tenure.
It was the long and appreciative glances I gave the clock tower countless times amidst the vibrant blue sky and cumulus clouds. It was the numerous prayers of gratitude I proclaimed to God for making what seemed to be no way, a pathway for me out of the South to a bustling city of blessings. Truth is a letter from courage! - Zora Neale Hurston As a focused and modest sophomore, my determination turned into passion. A passion that translated into my affinity for storytelling and landed me at the hallmark of freedom of speech and expression, The Hilltop. I started as Variety Staff Writer and quickly climbed up the ranks to Senior Campus Editor by the end of that year. It was that year that I was introduced to the struggles that are interlaced amongst the glory of my now, alma mater. The passion for progress that time and time again translates to protest taken by students that are relentless and fearless in shaping the Howard University they want to see and deserve. It was also the year I learnt the cost I am willing to pay for commitment. Which sometimes was no pay at all. I endured three months of no pay during that year but remained steadfast, nevertheless in my journalistic duty of amplifying the student voice. I witnessed and covered my first student protest: #TakeBackHU. A protest that took over the streets and marched its way to the Administration building for a moment of truth about sexual assault and its crippling effects on our university. I saw the tears, felt the outcrys for change and was touched by the warmth of community. It was then I felt aligned with my Howard purpose. A purpose marked by truth, service and the gift of the pen. A purpose that propelled my pursuit to apply for editor-in-chief as a rising junior. It was confirmed by many that I would find success in my pursuit of the role, but the outcome revealed otherwise.
Reform began with our protest as a staff asking our community a dire question: “What Would You Do Without The Hilltop?” We advocated for needs that had been neglected long before I inherited this role. We posed a call to action of appreciation and respect for the stakehold the Hilltop holds in the lineage of Howard’s legacy. Reengagement started with being for the people through visibility, balanced coverage, showcasing the unique and creative stories that make up “The Mecca” and setting a precedent through many firsts. One of my most proud being the first-ever bl(activism) conference. Revitalization being the culmination of a year of grit, grind and greatness produced by a committed staff I am humbled to have worked alongside in setting the precedent for the Hilltop’s future. This year was marked with news of an active shooter on campus, financial aid embezzlement allegations, administration building takeovers and many other monumental moments that have found themselves inked to the pages of the Hilltop. I could have never expected such a whirlwind of a year as editor-inchief but couldn’t be more grateful for the many challenges that came with the honor of serving in this role. As I prepare to turn my tassel this Saturday, my heart is full and my smile is big because I have left my mark with a legacy trailblazed. For Zora. For Howard. For You.
I was unsuccessful and faced with the pain of rejection we all face at least once in life. A rejection that lit a fire underneath me and fury within me that I carried into my junior year. There are years that ask questions and years that answer. - Zora Neale Hurston As an unapologetic and convicted junior, I took daring risks. A risk as big as spending a semester away at Columbia University in the City of New York. I left what I knew behind to gain a better understanding of who I was and who I wanted to be. I left with confusion and doubt and returned with truth and convictions about my potential, purpose and my path that continues to carry me forward. The present was an egg laid by the past that had the future inside its shell. Zora Neale Hurston As editor-in-chief, I knew that understanding history was at the helm of paving thehilltoponline.com
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EDITORIAL
May 10, 2018
Reflections from the 2017-2018 Hilltop Staff
Nkechi Nnorom Senior Copy Editor
Justin Cohen Assistant Copy Editor
(@knnnorom24)
(@JustinThat1Kid)
My journey with The Hilltop has come to an end. It’s been a bumpy, yet satisfying ride. Since I was a freshman, the paper has given me an outlet and a platform to freely and objectively express my thoughts and opinions. I began as a contributing writer for the sports section under sports editor Jourdan Henry. Having a byline as a freshman was a very humbling experience. In addition, having friends and classmates compliment my writing was the push that I needed to continue to remain with the paper. Subsequently, I held the positions of sports editor and senior copy editor in my sophomore and senior year. I interviewed remarkable individuals like Jemele Hill and all of the Howard student-athletes who were so generous to give me their time.
This year working with The Hilltop was an amazing experience. I met some amazingly motivated people and really got to feel connected to my university and my people.
Furthermore, The Hilltop made me grateful. The legacy of being the student-voice of the Mecca is no small or simple task. The ones who came before me and my colleagues were trailblazers and still continue to make a mark in their respective industries. Their blood, sweat, many tears, long hours and small paychecks gave me the courage to participate in The Hilltop’s blackout protest last semester. When the people who came before you dealt with the same struggles, there was no question whether I wanted to be a part of The Hilltop staff that would change the narrative. You can only change a situation by assessing what has been done and choosing not to repeat the failed ideas. Working with the paper has been stressful...sometimes more than I would like. I won’t elaborate on the causes of this stress in this reflection, but I will note that I don’t regret enduring any of it. Because, all that I have experienced with the paper from working with a team to not receiving a paycheck for weeks will only prepare me for the real world. The product of life is a beautiful rose. A rose, however, has its thorns. Even before the thorns and the actual flower, there might be weeds. Being at The Hilltop, I have seen the weeds--Hilltop haters-- and the thorns. But today, as I write my finals words, I can only see the beautiful red rose that is the by-product of one of Zora Neale Hurston’s greatest achievements: The Hilltop, THE student-voice of Howard University.
Now as I move onto the next chapter of my life, I carry with me all the connections, memories and accomplishments I have made during my tenure. The skills I have picked up and all I have learned has been invaluable to my personal development. I was able to challenge myself, I was able to take on responsibilities I had never had to take on before and I got to hang up with a great group of people as we learned together and supported each other. It was truly a humbling experience being able to work alongside people who were motivated and took pride in the content and image they put forth, and being a part of and contributing to the process of making a great volume of a historically great publication is something I will brag about for a long time after I leave. I cannot wait to see what everyone of my co-workers goes on to achieve after The Hilltop. Special shout out to the editor-in-chief, Jazmin Goodwin, for what she has accomplished this year. Her level of professionalism and her talent to lead was that which I have not seen in a lot of people twice her age. Also special shout out to Nkechi Nnorom. It was great working with you. All that you were involved in but at the end of the day you made it somehow seem that The Hilltop was your only responsibility. Working alongside you made this job a whole lot less stressful than it probably could have been. And everyone else I couldn’t shout out by name who is doing amazing stuff and will go on to do even more. It’s bittersweet leaving this chapter of my life. I won’t miss the long nights, the hours at staring of a computer screen and the scrambling to meet my deadlines, but I will miss the sense of accomplishment all those things got me. It’s been real.
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EDITORIAL
May 10, 2018
Almani Jackson Business Manager My name is Almani Jackson, I was the Business Manager for The Hilltop for the school year of 2017-2018. In reflection, it has been a great learning experience at The Hilltop. Amidst various trials and tribulations this year at Howard, our team took on a new approach never seen before. This year was a major key for Howard protests. Not only did the Hilltop protest, but the A building was taken over by the students. Howard has always been represented by the students and it was humbling to see so many young people fight for what they believe in. This type of energy is the substance for change! The way people respond to media is changing in the digital age. In order to keep up with the demands of the community, we have focused more time than ever before on The Hilltop’s online presence. I appreciate everyone on the team and it was not easy but we made it. To all of the graduation seniors, Congratulations. This is a huge milestone for those leaving The Mecca and I hope that all the Bison do great things. Huge shoutout to our advisors Dean Thornhill and Professor Carswell. Without these two the paper would not be where it is today. They are professionals at the top of their field and paid their dues. I have learned priceless skills and lessons that I will utilize for the rest of my life. It has been an honor and a pleasure to learn from such accomplished women. We’re only going up from here. With Truth and Service, Almani Jackson
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May 10, 2018
EDITORIAL
Oluwatobi Oladejo Creative Content Director
Kesi Felton News Editor
(@Tobi_Wan_Knobi)
(@kesifelton)
The last two semesters at Howard University as both a graduating senior and a member of such a historic Hilltop staff, has been an amazing learning experience for me. It was never my intention coming into the fall semester to be The Hilltop’s Creative Content Director, but who knew that on accepting the role from our Editor-in-Chief, Jazmin – my life would change for the better. Being around such an amazing group of like-minded but distinctly unique individuals over the course of the year, allowed me to see what I was capable of as a creative, while growing alongside innovative and strong-willed thinkers. I learned a great deal about myself within this role and it has since given me a glimpse of just what the future could hold once I step up to the plate and make the decisions necessary to positively change the trajectory of my personal journey.
My journey with The Hilltop has been short, not only because I’m a sophomore but because I waited until my sophomore year to really get involved with the paper. When I first came to Howard as a freshman Journalism major, I knew writing for my school’s publication would be the obvious way for me to get more experience. Still, I waited until second semester to apply to be a contributing writer and until sophomore year to actually write something.
While there were obviously great times within my role on staff, there were most definitely times in which we were tried individually and as a group to the point of almost giving up. From the #WWYDHU Blackout up until the spring semester in 2018, we had all experienced sides of this university that we had never seen before, and it molded me into a more strategic thinker and confident person moving forward. Seeing the courage and determination that we collectively conjured up made such an impact over-time and it has ultimately given me a heightened appreciation for the inspiring people that they each are and constantly growing into. This year working on The Hilltop executive staff was exactly what I needed, and as the end to my undergraduate days are fast approaching, I know that these experiences will be the catalyst for even greater things to come. I know that regardless of the fact that all of us are going our separate ways, the legacies that I envision us one day leaving behind is already extremely exciting to think about. The next chapter is bright, and I can’t wait to see what we all do in this ever changing road toward self-actualization.
I wish I could say this was due to a chronic case of writer’s block, but in all honesty-I was afraid. I was afraid mainly because I believed my writing would not be worthy of a newspaper with a 94-year legacy at a Historically Black Institution that carried such a heavy weight. In the digital age hitting ‘publish,’ and releasing your words-- words lacking any consideration of AP Style (and even sometimes basic grammar rules)-- on an online platform, I felt, did not hold the same meaning as being assigned a story, working diligently to meet a deadline and seeing your words and byline printed on a physical page. My attempt at a transition from blogger to journalist has come with several unpublished articles, unreturned phone calls and text messages from people whose quotes were, at times, the deciding factor in whether or not I’d see my work in print and a sustained frustration that made me want to quit altogether. My first published article covered an event celebrating both Zora Neale Hurston’s birthday and The Hilltop’s 94th anniversary. Seeing that article in print-- on the front page and under the kente print masthead at that-- affirmed to me the importance of perseverance. Since then, I became News Editor, and while I saw it as more of an interim position at first it definitely taught me how, despite the increasing prevalence of app alerts, Facebook posts and Twitter trending topics, newspapers and the journalists they employ maintain a vital role in shaping the narrative of historical moments. During the A Building occupation, for example, I realized without The Hilltop the only voices discussing the protest would solely be those of outside news sources and not of the students who actually stepped foot in that building. Though frustrating-dealing with the mental exhaustion of sleeping outside of the financial aid office for five days while still having to assume my role as News Editor-- I did learn that sometimes I will just have to suck it up and make sure the story is told because that is my job (which is still easier said than done). I don’t know where my journey with The Hilltop will go, but I am grateful for the opportunity to work for this newspaper, the growth it has fostered in me as a journalist and the chance to truly learn the meaning of “For Zora. For Howard. For You.”
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May 10, 2018
EDITORIAL
Lawrence Dow Sports Editor
Clarice Metzger Life + Style Editor (@_itsClarice)
(@LJeeeezy)
This has been one of the most tumultuous school years to work with The Hilltop. From starting off the year with our own protest #WWYDHU in order to get the necessities needed to effectively run the newspaper to covering the longest student Administration building takeover in Howard history, this year has been nothing short of eventful.
I was honored when I was offered the position of Sports Editor earlier this year. When I accepted I knew that I was joining a legacy of talented and successful editors who had come before me. I felt pressure to attempt to live up to the enormous legacy some of those those editors left behind. While I didn’t always feel like I lived up to those expectations I know I always tried my hardest to fulfill those expectations. Any successes I did have was due to the great Hilltop staff around me, especially the Copy Editors who always did a great job and always made sure to hold me accountable.
The Hilltop is an essential part of Howard University and I hope that it will receive the necessary attention and respect it deserves from both administration and the student body. I believe that this year’s staff set a new precedent of what will and will not be tolerated and I hope to pass that energy onto the next Hilltop team. There’s nothing wrong with standing up for what you deserve and accepting whatever repercussions may come as a result. It’s not easy but if it was easy, then it wouldn’t be worth it in the end. There is true power in the pen and in those who possess it. Don’t forget that. It’s been an absolute honor to serve at this year’s Life+Style editor and despite the ups and downs, I would not trade the experience for the world. My time on The Hilltop has taught me time management, patience and most importantly relentless persistence in seeking out the truth. Stay black and stay beautiful Howard. It’s been real.
“There’s nothing wrong with standing up for what you deserve and accepting whatever re-
On the question of legacy I’m not quite sure one can answer that question in the moment. I think legacy is best defined by how you reach back and pull people forward. I hope one day that I will have a legacy to be proud of at the Hilltop. I’m so proud to be editor for one of the most interesting years in the history of Howard sports. From the beginning of the year, and the excitement over the Howard football team to the great success of Howard’s swimming team, it was great to report on Howard sports this year. I think this is the beginning of something special in Howard sports. I think this will be looked at as the beginning of a spectacular run of success. I hope people see my coverage this year as worthy of those performances. I was so proud of what the Hilltop accomplished this year in spite of all of our setbacks and hardships. I really believe one lasting impact that we made if any was that we improved on the future situation that other Hilltop staffers will inherit because of our protests earlier in the year. I hope each Hilltop staff after us makes sure to fight so that future staffs can have it easier then they did. If I leave any legacy behind I hope it’s tied to making the Hilltop better for those that follow me.
percussions may come as a result. It’s not easy but if it was easy, then it wouldn’t be worth it in the end. There is true power in the pen and in those who possess it. Don’t forget that.” -Clarice Metzger thehilltoponline.com
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May 10, 2018
SPORTS
Spring Sports Roundup: Howard Sports Shine as Season Comes to an End By: Lawrence Dow, Sports Editor (@LJeeeezy)
The Howard’s athletic teams are celebrating the end of the regular season from spring athletic as some teams get ready for postseason play. As the year comes to an end it seems an apt time to reflect on the success of Howard Athletics this season. Howard had some historic victories on the field in every sport from Lacrosse, Softball, and Track and Field. Off the field Howard athletics has also continued to shine with a slew of AllAcademic sections of the MEAC. Howard also has traveled stateside to give back to the international community. These accomplishments are emblematic of the best qualities of Howard University. Howard Lacrosse had a historic victory earlier in the year when they beat District of Columbia earlier in the season. Before that victory, which Howard won by a score of 17-7, Howard had lost 42 games in a row dating back to April 2014. While this would be there only victory on the season, going 1-12, Howard continued to play with tremendous effort for the remainder of the year. This season set the groundwork for future Howard Lacrosse success. Track and Field capped off a great season with an historic showing at the Penn Relay invitational. Senior Dominique Cleggett dominated the competition en route to winning the College Women’s Long Jump title. Clegget defeated many of the best long jumpers in the nation and bested them all with a personal best 6.19 meters (20’3). The Howard women continued to impress when the relay team of junior Aliyah Hale, sophomore Uchechi Onuoha, and freshmen Jessika Gbai and Zachyre Lynn Lane took sixth place in the College Women's 4x100 Eastern with a time of 46.97. The Howard women went, saw, and conquered at the Penn Relays.
Photo by: HU Bison Dominique Cleggett after winning the College Women's Long Jump at the Penn Relays
Academically, Howard’s tennis teams shined this weekend when they had ten players given all-academic honors. The Howard students who achieved this honor our as follows: Devaughn Blackburn; Sajela Harlow; Nicole Hutchison; Christina Joynes; Kyle Martin; Kindha Nasef; Aria Ragas; Sagar Raju; Karim Shokeir and Benjamin Tyus.
To achieve said honor the recipients had to have at least a 3.0 grade point average(GPA). These honorees exemplify the student in student-athlete and show that it’s possible to be successful in sports and academics. Howard Volleyball whose latest season ended in another Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship now look to take their game overseas. The bison intend on traveling to Africa, specifically Botswana and Zimbabwe, to play other elite competition while also taking in a robust cultural education. The bison will also participate in local community services in the places that they visit. The bison look to continue learning and improving both in and out of the arena. Howard’s success this season transcended arenas and seeped into the community and into the classroom. This helped to make for what was a fantastic spring season chock full of impressive moments. Howard athletics will look to continue to improve in and out of the classroom and look to continue on the work established this season.
ARE YOU DONE?
(ALL HU Graduating
UNDERGRADUATE
& GRADUATE/ GRADUATING STUDENT PROFESSIONAL EXIT SURVEYS Students) (GSES) 2018
BEGINNING APRIL 11, 2018
Look for an Email from The OFFICE OF THE PROVOST
Contribute to Howard University’s Continuous Improvement We value and USE your feedback.
Office of Institutional Assessment & Evaluation (OIAE)
thehilltoponline.com
Not until you complete the GSES!
(OIAE assessment@howard.edu )
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