The Student Voice of Howard University Since 1924 Volume 101, Issue 25
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Washington, D.C.
Probate Season Pt. 1: S i g m a s a n d Z e t a s
Above: Twelve new members of the Spring 2017 line of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Chapter, introduced themselves to Howard University, Thursday, March 30, on “The Yard” during their probate, a show introducing new members of the organization. (Photo Credit: Dawn Richard, Layout Editor)
WHAT’S INSIDE Springfest Fashion Show p. 3 Pepsi’s Controversial Commercial p. 9 Twelve new members of the Spring 2017 line of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Alpha Chapter, made their debut on “The Yard” during their probate, a show introducing new members of the organization, on Friday, March 31. (Photo Credit: Cydney Stephens)
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Springfest Fashion Show Showcases ‘No Limits’ In Diversity
Devin Barnwell
By Kaylin Young, Chad VinesClarke & Natalie Felix Contributing Writers
Victoria Jones
There were “No Limits” to the cheers echoed throughout Cramton Auditorium at the annual Springfest fashion show, hosted by hip-hop artist and this year’s New York Men’s Fashion Week ambassador, Fabolous, on Thursday March 27. The interlude from Solange Knowles’ critically acclaimed album, “A Seat at the Table,” manifested into this year’s Springfest fashion show theme. The highly-anticipated event gave the opportunity for student designers to showcase their brands and for student models to hit their Yard strut on a more formal platform. “The theme ‘No Limits’ was meant to highlight no limits to skin complexion, body size, music and black excellence,” said Montrose Waite, senior broadcast journalism major and Springfest’s fashion show coordinator. “I feel really blessed that we were able to show Howard a different perspective on a fashion show and making it more theatrical than your average models just walking down the runway.” The line for the fashion show formed early as students wrapped around Cramton waiting to get inside. Huddled students were eventually ushered in, but quickly reached capacity once inside the auditorium. As soon as students starting filling in the seats, Fabolous walked on stage and was met with loud cheers as he welcomed everyone to the show. The lights dimmed and the show began with a performance from fine arts dancers as models assembled backstage. The element of dance was just one thing added this year to
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Zora Neale Hurston (18911960), co-founder of The Hilltop Newspaper, is considered one of the preeminent writers of 20th century AfricanAmerican literature.
make the show more spectacular than past year. For months, the fashion show committee had been pulling strings – literally – to make sure their event was perfect. Waite witnessed every part of the process up close. “My team has been planning for a couple months, choreographing and picking out the music because we wanted to make it more than a fashion show; we wanted to make it an experience,” said Waite. One thing not planned was a wardrobe malfunction by model Chidimma Achebe. Halfway through the show, as Achebe walked down the runway in a Bryan Lewin open-front denim jumpsuit, her nipple came free. The crowd gasped in unison, but Achebe seemed un-phased by the reveal. “I’m completely comfortable with my body, so I have no concerns,” said Achebe. Her composure garnered a loud applause from the audience as well as those backstage. Waite said, “Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell have both had nip slips, but thankfully, she [Acehebe] was able to walk off professionally like a model should.” In addition to the show giving a unique experience to the audience, it was also a first for many student designers who had the opportunity to showcase their latest designs in front of their peers. Sophomore Chloe Cheri was among the premiere designers, showcasing her collection ‘Capsulated.’ Cheri started as an intern for HU Elite and jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the show. “As an intern, it was hectic, but as a designer it was invigorating. And yet, my dreams
became a reality,” said Cheri. Altogether, almost 20 designers brought their talents to the Mecca, with the show also featuring HU Elite Models, an organization founded in 2015. In a collection of velvet clad garments, unique cuts, svelte dresses, vibrant prints, cool and casual, holographic served looks and dive worthy swimwear, the models gracefully sashayed down the stage giving the crowd fine unique layers of fashion. Those in attendance thoroughly enjoyed the fashion show experience. “I think HU SpringFest fashion show had a great showcase of designers,” said Monique Jeffrey, a freshman biology major. “The fact that they had models wearing formal and streetwear shows the duality of our student body.” “I liked the diversity in how the models look. You got a little short, a little tall, a little thick, a little skinny,” said Kennedy Walton, a junior psychology major. “The production was amazing,” said Nayah Harper, a senior political science major. “I really appreciate the use of Howard University’s talent.” Fabolous closed the show commending Howard for putting on such an event. “Don’t take this for granted because not every school does this. Howard is one of the greatest schools in the country,” Fabolous said to the audience. The evening ended with a $500 check presentation that was raised during Springfest for DirectlyTo, a non-profit organization working towards a goal of providing water filter units for the children of Flint, Michigan.
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(Photo Credit: Cydney Stephens)
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PROBATE RECAP IN PHOTOS
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(Photo Credit: Oral B. Grant)
THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2017
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Howard University and Morgan State University Launch Program to Train High School Students to Cover Disparities in D.C. and Baltimore By Rushawn Walters Managing Editor
H
oward University and Morgan State University are joining forces to train high school students interested in multimedia journalism in order to report on health disparity issues in underserved communities in Washington and Baltimore. The Urban Health Project was founded by Howard University Board of Trustee Reed V. Tuckson, MD, FACP and USA Today health care policy reporter Jayne O’Donnell. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is supporting the Urban Health Media Project with a $300,000 grant because of the the program’s importance. O’Donnell said she was excited to her dream finally come into fruition. “It started as a phone call when I was interviewing Dr. Tuckson about two and a half years ago about some of the issues that were leading to the violence in Ferguson,” O’Donnell recalled. “We said we wanted to explore that, so we thought about how we can get people to pay attention to the health issues and the social issues. We were going to write a book, but we said what better way than to have the young people help with the writing and the reporting and have it be this joint effort that helps communities and helps the nation understand these problems better.” Antonio Hardy, a senior at Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Arts, is one of the students in the program and the designer for the Urban Health Project’s logo. He said he enjoys journalism because he gets to tell a story, much like what does with his own graphic design business. “I feel like it’s really dope to be a part of this,” said Hardy. “The fact that it gives an outlet and brings awareness to health in our communities means a lot because it’s not something that’s often discussed. Being here brings me a lot of joy.” Serving as the principal investigator on the grant is health journalist Yanick Rice Lamb, chair of the Department of Media, Journalism and Film in the Cathy Hughes School of Communications at Howard, and alongside her is Jacqueline Jones, chair of the Department of Multimedia Journalism in the School of Global Journalism at Morgan State. The National Association of Black Journalists ranked Howard University’s journalism program at number one and
Morgan State’s journalism scheme is ranked in the top 15th percentile. Jones said Morgan and Howard’s unity for the program was a match that made sense. “Knowing the program at Howard and understanding what we did at Morgan, Dr. Tuckson thought we were the two obvious schools to do get in on the project because it just seemed like a comfortable fit,” she explained. “We’ve talked about collaborating before and this looked like the right time for the both of us.” Dr. Tuckson saw a need more reporting on health in these communities and he says the program is here to do just that. “As I witness the formulation of policies intended to create healthy and safe communities, I have become aware of the startling absence of informed voices of our young people,” Dr. Tuckson said in a statement. “As the former Commissioner of Public Health for the District of Columbia, and former president of the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Central Los Angeles, I understand the importance of listening to and learning from all stakeholders who are required to realize optimal health strategies.” As part of the program that was launched on Friday, March 7, students will interview leading experts and visit medical facilities, such as Howard University Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital and the National Institutes of Health. The Urban Health Project entails three 10-week sessions on Saturdays at Howard University in Washington or Morgan State University in Baltimore. All sessions began on March 11. Students will be journalists-in-training as they learn how to write news stories, capture audio, shoot and edit video, take photos and incorporate social media. They will develop an understanding of the interrelated social issues — including housing, education and food insecurity — that often make their communities unhealthy. O’Donnell believes now is the time to equip young students with skills so they can become strong journalists even before heading to college. “The business is going through a lot of change and young people are perfectly positioned to deal with that change. We need minority voices more than ever to be more engaged in the process of eliciting change in their communities,” she said. “We need far more people of color in our newsrooms.”
Students in the inaugural class of UHMP2017 gather for photo with director Jayne O’Donnell and Dr. Reed Tuckson. (Photo Credit:Cheriss May)
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NEWS EyE on Africa 2 SOUTH AFRICA
1
NIGERIA
According to the Nigerian Ministry of Health, 324 people have died of meningitis since mid-December of last year. The most recent outbreak has been difficult to combat due a worldwide shortage of the vaccine according to the Nigerian Center for Disease Control. Most of the deceased have been children between the ages of five and 14. Health Ministry spokeswoman, Boade Akinola, announced that over 2,500 people have been infected with cerebrospinal meningitis in 16 of Nigeria’s 36 states. The worst outbreak of meningitis recorded in Nigeria occurred in 1996, when nearly 12,000 people died from the disease.
Anti-apartheid activist, Ahmed Kathrada, died on Tuesday, March 28 from complications following brain surgery. The 87-year-old, fondly known as ‘Uncle Kathy’, spent over 26 years in prison for his role in fighting against the system of apartheid in South Africa. Kathrada also served as an advisor to the late President Nelson Mandela in South Africa’s first democratically elected government. Upon the request of Kathrada’s family, President Jacob Zuma was not in attendance. Kathrada asked Zuma to step down last year after he failed to repay the government for lavish upgrades to his private home.
3
ETHIOPIA
The Ethiopian parliament has extended the state of emergency origi-
nally declared in October 2016, by four months. The state of emergency came in response to anti-government protests in the regions of Oromia and Amhara as well as other rural areas. Many members of the Oromo ethnic group claim that they have been marginalized by the government, and that they do not have access to political power. Protests, and anti-government sentiments have since spread to the Amhara region of the north. The Ethiopian government unveiled a development scheme that would extend the boundaries of the capital city of Addis Ababa into the lands of the Oromo’s and Amhara’s. Even though the government is controlled primarily by the Tigray ethnic group who make up just six percent of the population, the Oromo and Amhara ethnic groups make up about 60 percent of Ethiopia’s population combined. Opposition groups see the extended state of emergency as a way for the government to continue its harsh suppression on resistance efforts. According to the Human Rights Watch group, as many
By Sophia Hussein Contributing Writer as 500 people have been killed in the government crackdown on protests in 2016.
4
SOMALIA
The ongoing drought in Somalia has led to a dramatic increase in the spread of cholera. As clean water sources dry up, families have been forced to drink from dirty, infested waters. This year, over 18,000 cases of cholera have been reported, according to Johan Heffinck, the Somalia Head of EU Humanitarian Aid. Somalia is one of four countries at a high risk of famine, and the severe drought has left over six million Somalis in dire need of humanitarian aid. Those hit the hardest by the lack of rain have been nomadic communities that rely heavily on their livestock as well as subsistence farming.
HBCU Alumni Donation Concerns Addressed at the Seventh Annual Stateswomen for Justice Luncheon By Tyra Trent Contributing Writer
I
n celebration of the last day of National Women’s History Month, as well as the 190th anniversary of the Black Press, Trice Edney Communications hosted its seventh annual Stateswomen for Justice Luncheon, message to America, panel discussion and public forum on Friday, March 31, at the National Press Club Ballroom in Washington, D.C. The luncheon was free of charge and both women and men were in attendance. Every year, the Stateswomen for Justice event features keynote speakers and panelists that include women leaders in the press, education, and national civil rights fields. The discussion is intended to further the equality and advancement of African Americans toward economic equality, unencumbered voting rights, affordable education, police reform, racial and criminal justice. Panelists included: Denise Rolark Barnes, chair of the National Newspapers Publisher Association, Dr. Lezli Baskerville, executive president and CEO of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education
(NAFEO), Dr. Barbara Reynolds, journalist, author, and minister, Kristen Clarke, president and CEO of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and Dr. Julianne Malveaux, former president of Bennett College for Women. Dr. Bernice A. King, daughter of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and CEO of the King Center in Atlanta, gave the keynote address and “message to America.” Professor Yanick Rice-Lamb, journalist, author, and chair of the Department of Media, Journalism, and Film of the Cathy Hughes School of Communications at Howard University, served as moderator for the discussion. In response to the question during the public forum about the devastatingly low alumni donation rate amongst most HBCUs, Barnes, who is also a Howard University alumna, shared her disappointment that though most historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were founded by black churches and religious institutions, they are not currently the leading voice in convincing their congregation and the black community to give directly to these schools. She mentioned that when Morris Brown College in Atlanta lost their accreditation in
2003 and was in jeopardy of closing permanently, her church had not urged a call to action to save the school. Dr. Malveaux, an economist, remarked, “Alumni are your hardest nut to crack. They are micro-managers who want to know what you did with every penny. If you really have a challenge, designate the money for scholarships. But don’t not give…If you don’t give back, shame on you!” Rice-Lamb gave insight on how sponsoring corporations and foundations determine the amount to contribute to HBCUs. “They’re looking at the percentages and the numbers of people who give. So, even if it’s a low amount, when we have people doing it, it helps,” Rice-Lamb said. Hazel Trice Edney, CEO of Trice Edney Communications and host of the luncheon, left the guests with a word of wisdom to “make sure that you are supporting those five prongs of the Black community: The Black church, the Black press, the Black business and economic community, the civil rights community and organizations, and the HBCUs. They are those prongs that stand with us.”
THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2017
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D.C. Public Schools Launch Empowerment Program for Young Women By Kai Sinclair Staff Writer
O
n Monday, March 27, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson announced the launch of ‘Reign: Empowering Young Women as Leaders,’ an initiative that will support DCPS’s young women of color. Through a citywide conference for girls of color and a series of Saturday workshops, ‘Reign’ aims to improve young women’s academic performances by offering them emotional and social support. It will be implemented for the first time during the 20172018 school year. “DCPS launched Reign because our data shows us that young women of color have different needs than our young men”, said Janae Hinson, DCPS Deputy Press Secretary. “Over the past year, we have held focus groups and listening sessions with more than 100 women in DCPS to hear what they want and need to be successful.” With its $1 million budget, Reign will also offer gender and racial equity training to DCPS teachers and staff to ensure that they are properly equipped to teach the school district’s unique student population. DCPS’s student body is comprised of 87 percent non-white students, according to the district’s web-
site. Jana Washington, a 16-yearold senior who attends Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, believes that the race equity training proposed by Reign is essential to understanding the needs of minority girls. “A lot of our teachers are not minorities and a lot of DCPS is,” said Washington. “They don’t really know how to deal with minorities and they always try to tiptoe around our feelings, not understanding that we’re just people.” In addition to bridging the cultural gap between educators and students, Washington believes that Reign will also close the gap that exists in DCPS’s offering of gender-specific programming. ‘Empowering Males of Color,’ an initiative geared towards DCPS young men of color, was launched more than two years ago and culminated in the opening of the all-boys Ron Brown College Preparatory High School in August 2016. Since then, advocates pushed for equal opportunities for DCPS girls. With the creation of Reign, members of the D.C. community who serve girls out of school are excited for the district-sanctioned
(Photo Credit: Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of Community Affairs)
initiative. Alexis Tucker, 22, program facilitator of Girls Inc. of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, said that she looks forward to what’s to come and shared her positive anticipation for ‘Reign’. “I’m very happy that whoever in DCPS was responsible and responsive enough to develop a program that’s going to serve these DCPS girls of minority background,” said Tucker.
The HILLTOP is Looking For Leaders for Academic Year 2017-18. . .
The HILLTOP NEWSPAPER is NOW Accepting Applications for:
Editor in Chief & Business Manager TO APPLY: Download the Application From thehilltoponline.com Questions:
Contact Ms. Gaelle Amazan, Coordinator of Intercultural Affairs at (202-806-9687)/email: gaelle.amazan@howard.edu APPLICATION DEADLINE: APRIL 12, 2017
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HOLY WEEK: A WEEK OF RECONCILIATION SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 2017 - SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2017 SATURDAY, APRIL 8
SUNDAY, APRIL 9
Howard University Community Choir 28th Annual Spring Concert Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel 6:30 PM
Palm Sunday Service Rev. Dr. Renita J. Weems, Speaker Cramton Auditorium 11 AM
MONDAY, APRIL 10
Passover Begins
TUESDAY, APRIL 11
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12
Sojourn the Stations of the Cross (Main and West Campuses Self Guided/All Week)
Holy Week at the Punch Out "Spoken Word & Reconciliation" 12:30 PM
THURSDAY, APRIL 13
THURSDAY, APRIL 13
FRIDAY, APRIL 14
Maundy Thursday Communion & Foot Washing Service Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel 12:30 PM
Seder Meal Location TBD 6:45 PM
Good Friday Seven Last Words Service "Say Her Name" Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel 12 Noon
SATURDAY, APRIL 15
SUNDAY, APRIL 16
SUNDAY, APRIL 16
Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel Beacon Dance Ministry 10th Annual Spring Concert Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel 6:45 PM
Easter Sunrise Service Rev. Waltrina N. Middleton, Speaker Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel 7 AM
Easter Service Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., Speaker Cramton Auditorium 11 AM
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT CHAPEL@HOWARD.EDU #HeartOfTheMecca #RankinChapel @HowardU
THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2017
O
n April 4, Pepsi released an ad starring Kendall Jenner that was immediately scrutinized for its co-optation of resistance struggles. In the video, Jenner is seen participating in an outdoor photo shoot, but quickly becomes distracted by a demonstration taking place nearby. She then walks toward the front of the protest, grabs a can of Pepsi, and hands it to a police officer. After taking a sip, the police officer smiles and the diverse crowd of protesters celebrates with the following words at the bottom of the screen: Live bolder, live louder, live for now. The ad was immediately criticized by viewers who felt as if the company was using protest for its own benefit. “It was an insulting and poorly articulated message about police and their relationship with society,” said Oliver Robinson, a sophomore sociology major from New York. “In a commercial that featured numerous people of color, Pepsi ironically selects a white savior to symbolically end the tension with law enforcement. Not only does it create a pointless novelty when it comes to the reality of police terror and bias, it also clearly misses Kendall Jenner’s white-skin privilege. “Again we see that mainstream media and
THE HILLTOP
Pepsi Releases Controversial Commercial
By Jason Ajiake News Editor
PAGE 9 corporations have failed to truly identify with the struggles of oppressed groups.” The ad was not the first time Pepsi faced political criticism. Last December, PepsiCo CEO and Chairperson Indra Nooya made headlines after joining Donald Trump’s economic advisory team. Only a few months prior to that, the company was linked to child labor and worker exploitation in Indonesia. Many felt that Pepsi was attempting to capitalize off the current trendiness of resistance while ignoring the extreme and dire situations which force people to resist in the first place. “The Pepsi commercial shows us that capitalism will steal our lives and then find multiple ways to make a profit off our death,” said Blake Simons, a community organizer from Oakland, CA. “This should come to no surprise, white corporations have been marketing Black Death since slavery.” The following day, Pepsi made an official statement from its Twitter account. “Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding,” the statement reads. “Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position.”
Column: The Democratic Party is in Trouble By David DePriest Columnist
D
espite having a billion dollar war-chest, the adoration of the emergent majority of young, non-white Americans, advantages in organization and technology, the Democrats walked away from the 2016 general election largely empty-handed. Once-in-a-lifetime Senate pick-up opportunities in Ohio, Florida and Missouri were squandered by a flagging top of the ticket, and the resulting surrender of all branches of government to the Republicans guaranteed that the near-decade of progressive progress made under President Barack Obama will be partially undone or completely erased. So what went wrong? If you’ve been reading some of journalism’s pillar publications, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s you (that is to say, a young person of color who cares about social issues). Whether it’s Larissa MacFarquhar’s condescending New Yorker piece, Olivia Nuzzi’s fawning profile on Kellyanne Conway, or Chris Matthews’ constant paeans to the “real Americans” that supported Trump, the media has coalesced around a singular narrative of the election: that the Democrats’ focus on identity politics, or the politics of looking to appeal to more than just the white working class, made them lose touch with the “real America.”
That’s garbage. What’s worse, this theory is undergirded by a romantic ethno-nationalism not too far from Steve Bannon’s “America First” ideology. This theory lives and dies on the assumption that there are two Americas, the America of the coastal elites, and the “real” America. These “real” Americans are, undeniably, white. This view is not new. It’s long been accepted as truth by most of America. Advertisements looking to evoke feelings of patriotism and nationalism often use the same types of images to great effect: The pick-up truck and the little league game. It’s a lazy form of virtue signaling, a way for a major interest to show just how well it knows you as an American and how easily it empathizes with your struggles. However, the media’s newfound fascination with this narrative demonstrates a notable shift in the way that America perceives itself and its vision for progress. Following the elections of former President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, it became hard to peddle this narrative. The landscape of American life was changing, and it became harder to deny that America was becoming younger, darker and more educated. And this shift in electoral power and cultural capital coincided with a shift in mores and priorities. When confronted with the deaths of innocent Black people across the nation, whites in Ohio were forced to ask
themselves, “why don’t I feel anything?” When the struggles of women in the workplace became undeniable, white men in rural Pennsylvania were forced to question why their masculinity was so tightly coupled with the suppression of women’s freedoms. And when the Obergefell decision granted same-sex couples the right to marry, straight white couples in West Virginia and North Carolina were forced to reckon with the question of why their marriages’ sanctity hinged on the denial of the right to others. When confronted with the complexity of modern life, the moral failings of the “American Way,” white America simply asked: Why can’t we go back to the good ol’ days when men were men, women knew their place, and politics focused on issues that were relevant to me? And me only. If the Democratic Party begins to try to cater solely to the whites they lost, or to the conservatives and moderates they hope to gain, they will be sounding their own death knell. The only way that Democrats can win going forward is by galvanizing this new majority of Black and brown people, of young people and queer people and urban dwellers. To embrace a message of full economic, social and political equality for all Americans. Why kick your diehards to the curb in pursuit of a dying ideal of what America never looked like? Are you really going to cede the soul of the party and its morality in the hope of accommodating the minority of American voters? More simply: Are white voters really worth it?
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poetry
CULTURE Rain for the Soul Have you ever heard a cry from the inside? A cry that skipped ahead in line, A cry that refused to take no for an answer? Not this time. A cry that broke free Refused to be suppressed, Condensed into a chuckle, Recycled into a laugh, Forced into a dead stare, Lied into a *shrugs shoulders* cuz I don’t care. It broke free to the top and spread it’s wings. Yea, That feels better.
Realize Ever felt like your best wasn’t good enough? Trying your hardest not to give up? There’s rarely no sympathy shown Feeling like the path you’re walking You’re walking alone And everybody around you just doesn’t understand And even when it hurts, you still tell yourself you can Yes, life is queer with its twists and turns Yet, never prepare yourself to crash and burn Thinking positively isn’t just a saying, it’s a lifestyle And if those words you speak, you don’t even believe? Who else should? The strength in you shines brighter than you’ll ever know If you fail to realize that every obstacle you overcome helps you grow. Enhances your glow Allowing the true you to show The essence of your stride that formulates your pride, Is the epitome of confidence. Realize that
By Alston Clark
Without you, life wouldn’t be the same Beautiful and wonderfully made And with every obstacle you faced, a stronger you became The strength in you shines light to another And how bright your light can shine is what you fear to discover Avoiding the thought of one judging your book by it’s cover But the grace in your pace reveals elegance Attracting the right people into your space Surrounding yourself with those who will motivate you to the next stage There’s rarely no sympathy shown Feeling like the path you’re walking You’re walking alone…. Nevertheless, know this road does gets cold But continue thriving till you arrive at your throne Believe the world is yours
By Crystal Arinze , Senior, Business Management Major, Upper Marlboro, MD
See Your Poem or Artwork in The Hilltop! Contact: CULTURE@THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM
Happy Passover!
!
! The!Office!of!the!Dean!of!the!Chapel!! joins!in!the!celebration!of!Passover.!! The!eight9day!festival!of!Passover!is! celebrated!in!the!early!spring.!It! commemorates!the!emancipation!of!the! Israelites!from!slavery!in!ancient!Egypt.!It! is!observed!by!avoiding!leaven,!and! highlighted!by!the!Seder!meals!that! include!four!cups!of!wine,!eating!matzah! and!bitter!herbs,!and!retelling!the!story!of! the!Exodus.!
THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2017
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OPINION -- Why You Should Get Help: Dispelling Race Stigmas of Therapy By Taiyler Mitchell Contributing Writer
H
ave you ever noticed someone talk about counseling or therapy like it was only for crazy people? Have you ever heard someone say it was a waste of time? According to American Psychological Association’s Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology journal, “A study of African American and Latino youths found that these two groups were much less likely to seek help from professionals than Caucasians, and were more likely to use family resources for their personal problems.” The importance of mental health is especially suppressed among college social circles. Pain is temporary, but GPA is forever. People understand, to an extent, how press-
ing college classes and new responsibilities can be; but it’s expected that students quickly get over it to get that degree. However, it becomes detrimental when the student can’t find a healthy outlet to relieve their stress. At an HBCU, the preconceived idea that therapy is a “waste of time” or “only for the mentally ill” may come from the intersection of experiences among black students. The negative stigma placed around seeking therapy in the Black community is no secret. Why seek therapy when I got the Lord? Why would I pay for a counselor when I have friends and a mother who cares? Why would I spend money on therapy when I can use it on something else? Only crazy or depressed people see therapists. The Black community has plen-
ty of pressing issues - and it’s right to prioritize - however, the benefits of a healthy therapeutic relationship can transcend race on an individual level. Admittedly, not everyone has the privilege nor the financial means to make mental health their first priority, but many schools offer free counseling services that every student should take advantage of. The Howard University Counseling Service (HUCS) is free, useful and accessible to students on Monday through Friday with appointments 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Monday, Wednesday and Friday during intake hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). More information can be found on the HUCS website. HUCS and other counseling services have countless benefits. Some notable advantages are: Gaining an awareness
of your triggers and habits, developing a more in-depth understanding of who you are, attaining a sense of personal control, relieving stress, allowing yourself a place to vent and learning how to stay motivated when reaching goals. Committing to seeing a therapist regularly is not an option for everyone, but when it is, it’s an opportunity that should not be passed up. Perhaps a portion in both college students and the Black community perceive pursuing counseling as weak when (in reality) it builds a stronger mental character than before. It’s important to dispel the negative view of therapy among college students and the Black community when the benefits lead to a healthy, happy lifestyle.
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(Courtesy Photo)
Don’t Stop the Music: Ultimate List of Music Festivals of 2017
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Rolling Loud (May 5-7)
Miami, FL Featuring: Kendrick Lamar, Future, Lil Wayne, A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Post Malone, Migos, Joey Bada$$, Kevin Gates, Amine, 21 Savage, Chief Keef This is the festival for trap music lovers.
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Governor’s Ball (June 2-4)
NYC Featuring: Chance the Rapper, Childish Gambino, Wu-Tang Clan, Wiz Khalifa, Schoolboy Q, Rae Sremmurd, Majid Jordan, Kehlani, A$AP Ferg This one of the biggest music festivals in the tri-state area. It is a three day festival with a lot of big
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By Kyana Harris Staff Writer
acts on each day.
Essence Music Festival (June 29-July 2)
New Orleans, LA Featuring: Diana Ross, Chance the Rapper, Mary J. Blige, Solange, Teyana Taylor, Ro James, Jazmine Sullivan, John Legend This festival isn’t just for the aunties, if you are an R&B lover you should go to the Essence Fest at least once.
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east coast version of Coachella.
Hot 97’s Summer Jam (June 11)
Metlife Stadium, NJ The artist lineup has not yet been released yet but they are known to host the biggest artists of the year.
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The Roots Picnic
(June 3) Philadelphia, PA Featuring: The Roots (of course), Panorama (July 28-30) Pharrell Williams, Lil Wayne, Solange, 21 Savage, Pnb Rock, A Randall’s Island Park, NY Boogie with the Hoodie, Noname, Featuring: Frank Ocean, Solange, 21 Savage Tyler the Creator, Isaiah Rashad, This year is the 10th Annual Roots picnic so it’s guaranteed to Noname, A Tribe Called Quest, be a lituation. DJ Khaled *Newly created by organizers of Coachella* It is essentially the
THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2017
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SPORTS Second Time’s the Charm as UNC Becomes NCAA Champ By Nathan Easington Contributing Writer Slow and steady.
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lthough Monday night’s NCAA men’s Division I title game was plagued with fouls, questionable calls and loads of missed shots from both teams, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels stayed the course and was able to come out with a 71-65 win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the final few minutes of the game. Both teams were deemed to be No. 1 seeds in their respective region. However, the Bulldogs came to the court with a chip on their shoulder to break the mold for their school’s athletic department. Despite having to have been to the NCAA tournament consistently for nearly two decades, they have yet to win a championship game in basketball—or any other sport for the school. For UNC, it was a win by “any means necessary.” Last year, they had the chance of being champions ripped away following a defeat from Villanova Wildcats. The Wildcats won following a last second shot by Kris Jenkins. “The feeling of inadequacy in that locker room was the worst I’d ever had,’’ said UNC basketball head coach Roy Williams when addressing last year’s loss. It was a feeling that could only be healed by winning a national title. For Williams, it was his third title for the school and UNC’s
sixth overall title, solidifying him as the best coach the school has ever had. As for the players, Tarheel point guard Joel Berry II, the MVP of the tournament, dropped 22 points in the championship game. Berry was the only member of the UNC squad to hit a threepointer in the first half, unwilling to let his team accept the same fate as their previous championship game. As for Gonzaga, they have a superstar in their 7’1”, 300 pound center from Poland, Przemek Karnowski, but he had an abysmal
(Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports)
game shooting 12 percent from the field totaling nine points and nine rebounds. But he wasn’t the only player who played a bad game. Overall, it was messy. The officials had a bad game, missing a collection of calls during the second half. Players also missed open shots, but the sloppiness ended once UNC, who shot 36 percent, went on an 8-0 run to finish the game, supported by their defense, which prevented Bulldogs’ point guard Nigel Williams-Gross from trying
to get more points on the board for his team that was down by three points with 22 seconds left on the game clock. The Bulldogs finished having shot 34 percent. “It was an ugly game,” Williams said. “I don’t think either team played well offensively. The magnitude of the game had a lot to do with it.”
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Bittersweet Happenings: WrestleMania 33 By Brittany Webb Sports Editor
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n Sunday, the WWE held its annual WrestleMania at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. It was a night of wins, losses, comebacks and departures. There was even the birth of a forever and a departure for forever. WWE legend The Undertaker faced his final opponent Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33. Known for making comebacks in matches and defeating opponents, The Undertaker couldn’t dodge a defeat, as he struggled to recover from falling over, giving Reigns the upper hand in the final moments of the match. What was once the Deadman’s graveyard is now Reign’s yard as he won two WrestleMania titles consecutively. Last year, he defeated Triple H. In a beautiful yet sad departure, the Undertaker left his gloves, coat and hat, all which have been a part of his uniform for years, in the ring. There was no more fight in his eyes. The stare that used to make opponents quiver and fans excited was not longer present. The Undertaker walked away as Mark Calaway. Having wrestled for almost three decades, Calaway finished his WrestleMania career 232. While Calaway walked away from the
franchise, fan favorites, Matt and Jeff Hardy, made their return after seven years. In true Hardy fashion, they beat three teams (who earned their spot in the match in the last 12 months) for the Raw Tag Team title. As the night was filled with surprises, it was only fitting that superstar John Cena left a memorable moment for fans and his fellow wrestlers. After defeating opponents Mike the Miz and Maryse Mizanin with his then-girlfriend Nikki Bella, Cena got down on one knee to propose to Bella with a Tiffany ring. “I want to thank my always expressive ‘family’ the @WWEUniverse for allowing me to have a #Wrestlemania moment that I will NEVER forget!” Cena wrote in tweet following the proposal. Following the proposal, Nikki is taking time off to heal a herniation in her neck, while Cena is taking time off to film The Pact. All in all, WrestleMania 33 was one that fans cannot forget. It was a night that birthed new chapters for in life and wrestling for many, but it also served as the final page in the books of others. #ThankYouTaker (Courtesy Photo)
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN CHAPEL? Want to invite the Howard Community to your next event or program? All colleges, schools, organizations, alumni, and community groups are welcome to have a “Call to Chapel.” All “Calls to Chapel” must be submitted no later than 10:00 A.M. Monday morning to be included in the Chapel service.
Email: Chapel@howard.edu Join us this Palm Sunday…. Cramton Auditorium – 11:00 A.M. Rev. Dr. Renita J. Weems Co-Senior Pastor, Ray of Hope Community Church Vice President of Academic Affairs, American Baptist College Nashville, Tennessee
Rev. Dr. Gina Stewart shares a moment with members of the Howard University Pharmacy Alumni Association after Chapel service.
HOLY WEEK – SAVE THE DATES! April 9th -16th Interested in planning the final imaginative stages of Holy Week or expressing one of the Seven Last Words from the Cross? Email Chapel@howard.edu by this Sunday!
Deeper in Faith – Wider in Community!
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SC Gamecocks Win First NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship By Nathan Easington Contributing Writer
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n Sunday, the South Carolina women’s basketball team won their first championship title, in a 67-55 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs. It was a historic victory for their team and their head coach, Dawn Staley. Staley became the second African-American head coach to win a NCAA women’s basketball title. Carolyn Peck led the Purdue women’s basketball team to the championship in 1999. There is irony in Staley being second to Peck. According to the NY Times, Peck gave Staley a piece of her championship net, “telling her to return it when she won her own title.” With that, Staley finally won her own. As for the team, this is their third time defeating the Bulldogs this season.
The Bulldogs made their way to the championship game after defeating the UConn Huskies on Friday night in the Final Four. The Huskies were on a 111-game winning streak and have been named national champions for the last five seasons. It was a close game that ended in a tie at the end of the fourth quarter, calling for overtime. With a tied score of 64-64 and 1.6 seconds left on the clock, the Bulldogs’ Morgan Williams hit the biggest shot of her basketball career and the game winning shot of the tournament. “No one in the country thought that could happen,” Mississippi State head coach Vic Schaefer said to CBS Sports after Friday’s game. “We beat the greatest team with the greatest streak in the history of sports.” But they couldn’t beat the team that had never won a title. In Sunday’s game, more than
(Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated)
half of the Gamecocks’ points were scored by A’ja Wilson and Allisha Gray, who finished with 23 and 18 points, respectively. The duo also finished with 10 rebounds each. The Gamecocks dominated the lane and the final minutes of the championship game. They scored almost 75 percent of their points in
the lane, as a result of a game plan Staley had formulated specifically for defeating the Bulldogs. The plan consisted of “paint dominance.” In a post-game interview, Staley said, “I never gave up on winning a national championship, no matter how hard it was, no matter what it looked like.”
It’s Raining Injuries in the NBA By Ayanna Alexander Contributing Writer The 2017 NBA season is proving that the road to the Finals is paved with injuries. According to Don Best’s injury report, over 60 injuries were reported from March 1, through April 2 alone. Unfortunately, many power players found themselves hurt. While some are questionable to return, others are out for the remainder of the season. New York Knicks’ Derrick Rose, tore his meniscus on Sunday, April 2, against the Boston Celtics. His injury was probably one of the most discussed since this is not the first season he’s missed due to injury. His teammate, Carmelo Anthony, was absent during the same game due to a back injury, but was listed questionable to return for Tuesday’s (Courtesy Photo) game against the Chicago
Bulls. Speaking of the Bulls, Dwayne Wade suffered an elbow injury on March 16, which put him out for the remainder of the regular season. Another player who was recently downgraded to OUT is Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor, who was also afflicted with a meniscus tear on March 31. Another star who is still out is Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant, who suffered a sprained MCL on March 1. Illness has also plagued some players and Houston Rockets’ James Harden was one of them. He missed Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Suns for a different reason, as he battled the flu and was listed questionable to return. Hopefully, the players who can return, are able to do so quickly and efficiently, and the one’s who are out will heal in the best way possible to return for the 2017-2018 season.
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