APRIL 4, 2016 | @THEHILLTOPHU | VOLUME 100 ISSUE 31
Student Spotlight
Meet newly elected Mr. & Miss Howard University Compiled by: Will
Fuller Senior News Editor
Miss. Howard
Meet 21-year-old Victoria Gray. Victoria is a junior majoring in strategic, legal and management communications with a focus in legal communications and minor in political science. She has served the Howard community as Miss School of Communications 2015-2016 as well as a summer orientation leader, student ambassador and HUSA Senator. Further, she is a member of the Golden Key Honors Society, National Society of Leadership and Success and Howard University Campus Pals. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Gray is a published writer and aspiring corporate lawyer. She plans to use the legal training she acquires in law school to advocate for black-owned businesses. Q1) What does Miss Howard University mean to you? What compelled you pursue this leadership role? As the Miss Howard University Legacy lives on, I do not simply want to witness it. I want to contribute to its grandeur and relevance. I believe that the compassion, dedication and leadership skills that I possess are just a few of many things that I plan to bring to the position. With the various changes taking place here at The Mecca, I have witnessed the dynamic of the Royal Court change as well. I want to alter the dynamic of the court. I want to get back to having a family-like atmosphere and to begin preparing for the kings and queens reign right away. Most importantly, I want to be an ambassador for the university and reaffirm the vital role campus kings and queens play at HBCUs. Q2) What initiatives do you plan to implement on campus? I will encourage students to reach their highest academic potential through
academic seminars and intellectual workshops meant to improve study habits. Secondly, I will promote an excellent empire here at Howard University through the COOKIE Challenge. The COOKIE Challenge is asking each student to complete one service project per student per academic year. Most of us love sweets-the incentive for service shall be a literal cookie in the spirit of the icon and Howard alumna herself. I want to do my part to keep my university in a positive light and keep us active in our community. Q3) How accessible do you plan to be to the student body? It is my chief and foremost desire to be accessible all year long. The wonderful Mr. Jalen Saunders and I plan to construct an email list and implement suggestion boxes to hear and address the concerns of our fellow Bison. I want to be the type of Miss Howard that anyone can talk to and relate to, which can be done by being personable an open minded.
Mr. Howard
PHOTOS COURTESY OF YIK YAK PHOTOS
Meet Jalen. Jalen Majestic Tarique Saunders is a 19-year-old sophomore from Queens, New York. A biology major and chemistry minor, Saunders is a member of the Freshman Leadership Academy and Howard University Gospel Choir, and he served as Mr. College of Arts and Sciences for the 2015-2016 school year. Upon graduating medical school, he plans to serve as a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon. Q1) What does Mr. Howard University mean to you? What compelled you pursue this leadership role? The role of Mr. Howard University is twofold--to embody the core values of our institution, while ensuring that the concerns of our student body are a top priority. While you may see me smiling and waving all of the time--that is my representation of the joy of this university. The other aspect of this role, though, is to maximize the potential of every student at Howard University by keeping the institution, individual colleges and students accountable at all times. I pursued this leadership position because I truly love The Mecca. Q2) What initiatives do you plan to implement on campus? Miss Howard University and I would like to promote the career/job and study abroad opportunities that Howard offers through next year's royal court. There are various resources and perks here at Howard that can be used to catapult our careers, yet not many of us take advantage of the available resources because we don't know about them. We would like to develop an
effortless way for students to apply for these opportunities so that they can grow and become the best professionals in the work force. I also feel as Mr. Howard University that I must address the rape culture within our community. Miss Howard and I are working effortlessly to develop ways to ensure that our women feel more safe -whether it be through background checks on resident assistants, increased dorm safety or programs that address these issues. With these initiatives, coupled with many more, I am looking forward to a great year. Q3) How accessible do you plan to be to the student body? The moment I began preparing for the Howard Pageant, I told myself that my life would be Mr. Howard University. This role is about nothing more than service. Service is not partial; service is not "when I feel like it.” Service: when any student needs my help I’m available. As your Mr. Howard University, I will be like any other BISON. We are no different, I am no more special. Whatever you need, I will try my best to help. I am simply here to serve.
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Student Spotlight
Meet newly elected Mr. & Miss Blue & White 2016-17 Compiled by: Will
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Fuller Senior News Editor
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Miss Blue & White Meet Tiera Williams, a junior finance major from Cedar Lake, Texas. She served as the Miss School of Business for the 2015-2016 school year. She holds a position in the School of Business Student Council, Freshman Leadership Academy, and is a newly elected HUSA Senator. In addition, Williams is an intern at the U.S. Department of Treasury and will be a summer analyst at Goldman Sachs. Williams plans to work for the Department of the Treasury, become a Congress representative, and build a financial literacy center in her hometown. Q1) What does serving as Miss Blue & White mean to you? What compelled you pursue this leadership role? Becoming Miss Blue & White is honor that I am truly humbled to receive. I believe this position means to become the best representation of the diverse scholars on this campus. Q2) What initiatives do you plan to implement on campus? The Ubuntu initiative. Derived from the South African word meaning “a quality that includes the essential human virtues; compassion and humanity,” the Ubuntu initiative will encourage Howard students to take part in
service through organizations on campus and hourly throughout the year. Cultivating Royal Court I would encourage each Mr. and Miss of their respective schools to host a program during fall freshman orientation that would explain what the Royal Court is and to bridge the gap between students and representatives. Action on Demand Not only as Miss Blue & White, but also in my role as HUSA Senator for the School of Business, I plan to inform students about ways they can receive funding to host programs that they find to be important.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF YIK YAK PHOTOS
Mr. Blue & White Meet Quentin Joel Mansfield-Harris. Mansfield-Harris is a 20-year-old sophomore strategic, legal and management communications major with a focus in legal communications. This school year, he served as Mr. School of Communications and briefly as a F.A.C.E. coordinator for the School of Communications. He is also a member of the 5th cohort of the Freshman Leadership Academy and a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. An Emma L. Bowen scholar, he is a public relations intern at Greentarget Global Group with aspirations to become a corporate and/or entertainment lawyer. Q1) What does Mr. Blue & White mean to you? What compelled you pursue this leadership role? Mr. Blue & White exemplifies the meaning of selflessness and service whether that be for the community, the university or the Royal Court. I was compelled by the efforts and legacy of those before me as they committed themselves to service - one of the primary pillars of our great university.
Q2) What initiatives do you plan to implement on campus? As Mr. Blue and White, I want to get 5,000 students to actively visit Howard University, implement ACT/SAT Prep for the local community and host a series of health screenings, while empowering the community via mentorship and displaying the service of Howard University students.
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The #TakeBackTheNightHU protestagainst alleged mistreatment of sexual assault victims on the campus ocupies the entrance of Howard's College Hall South Dorm
PHOTO VIA TWITTER
Howard Student Accused of Sexual Assault was Fired, Banned from UCLA Tatyana Hopkins
Howard University News Service WASHINGTON -- A Howard University student employee accused of sexually assaulting another Howard student was fired and banned from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2014 for falsifying information to obtain employment with campus police and “build social relationships” with young women on the campus, according to UCLA officials. The man, who was still employed at Howard University Tuesday, was also accused by a female student of domestic violence, UCLA police said. Rape accusations against the male student have caused concern, outrage and have led to policy changes at Howard. Scores of Howard studentprotestors spilled into the streets last week, chanting “no means no,” as part of
#TakeBackTheNightHU, a broad protest for all victims of sexual assault on campus following online accusations against the student. The demonstration was intended to “bring attention to the rape culture at Howard and hold the administration accountable for how they treat victims,” student activists said. A female student accused Howard officials of ignoring her claims of sexual assault. Holding signs with the protestors’ demands, the students crowded the lobby and front entrance of the dorm where the female student alleged she had been raped by the former UCLA employee before marching through the main campus. UCLA officials have confirmed that a notice of exclusion for the current Howard University student from the UCLA campus and UCLA extensions was authentic. It stated that he had been banned from the campus after a complaint
of domestic violence was filed against him. So far, Howard has not commented on whether it knew the accused resident assistant had been banned from UCLA when the Department of Residence Life hired him. In an official statement to students Wednesday in response to one of the demands of the #TakeBackTheNightHU protestors, the university said it has changed its policy to include background checks for all employees, including students. “Currently, student employees of the university are not required to undergo a criminal history check,” the statement said. “Effective immediately, all student employees will be required to undergo a criminal history check.” The student accused of rape was hired by Howard University in August 2015. According to Brittany Allen, a Howard human resource specialist, he is
still a residence assistant in the university’s College Hall South dormitory. “He is an active employee,” Allen said. According to the June 2014 letter from UCLA, the male student was fired and barred from its campus when officials discovered he “employed false information about [his] status as a student to claim… eligibility for employment to which he was not entitled.” The document said he impersonated a student “with a high GPA majoring in aerospace engineering” to obtain a job in July 2013 as a community service officer with the University of California Police Department, a position reserved for resident students at the university. Community service officers provide security and escort services to UCLA campus visitors, staff and students. Officials at UCLA subsequently learned that the student used his
“claims of student status and fraudulently obtained position as a CSO to approach female students and attempt to enter into social relationships with them.” According to the document, “at least one such relationship commenced as a result of misrepresentations resulted in a police complaint of domestic violence.” The man also refused to surrender his UCLA staff identification card after he was released from the university. Howard officials say they cannot release information regarding the rape investigation against the student. “We do take this very seriously,” said Candi Smiley, Howard’s deputy Title IX coordinator. “Due to the confidential nature of the case, we cannot release any specific information.” It is illegal to reveal such information in Title IX cases, Smiley said.
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Making space where there is none: Spotlight on the Jopwell Company Maya King
Assistant News Editor
F
ormer Wall Street analysts Porter Braswell and Ryan Williams quit their Fortune 500 careers to create Jopwell, a digital platform devoted to helping top companies close their diversity gap and actively hire African American, Hispanic/Latino and Native American young professionals. The two understood the harsh reality that thousands of young minority professionals lack adequate connections that result in employment. “Studies show that companies that value diversity out-innovate and outperform those that don't—period,” Braswell said. “Remember – building a successful company, in today’s global marketplace, requires having a workforce representative of the audience or customers you serve. It’s key to growth. However, nearly half of all employers call their own diversity efforts ‘weak.’” In an interview with AlleyWatch, Braswell said their business model is pretty simple. Companies pay them an annual fee to use
our platform, which gives them a pipeline of highly qualified minority candidates that they can then connect and converse with. Job seekers never have to pay a fee to use their service. While some Howard students are unfamiliar with Jopwell, many have been enticed by the opportunities it offers. “As a student in the School of Communications, I am always looking for new internship opportunities and even potential jobs to take advantage of,” said Ariyana Haynes, a freshman legal communications student. “Jopwell is especially appealing to me because it offers internships and jobs with top companies that actually want to hire students like me.” Since its launch, Jopwell has raised $3.25 million in seed funding. In the past year alone, the firm has partnered with more than 40 additional companies including Facebook, BuzzFeed, Khan Academy and Etsy. The company has done so well, in fact, that it caught the attention of philanthropist and NBA Hall-of-Famer
Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who invested in Jopwell in 2015. “I’m encouraged by the creation of companies by diverse founders, like Jopwell or Walker and Company,” Johnson said. “We’re also seeing a lot of companies in different industries begin to hire Chief Diversity Officers and publicly state diversity goals. We’re finally headed in the right direction but still have a lot of work to do.” Jopwell doesn’t release the data concerning how many hires have directly resulted from the platform, but it did say that it facilitated more than 6,000 networks between companies and potential employees in an interview with Tech Crunch earlier this year. More, in 2015, companies’ searches for potential candidates tripled on the site. Braswell and Williams understand the important role that their company plays in any company’s hiring process. The face of the workforce is changing and their hope is to facilitate that.
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In both the short- and long-term, we will continue to innovate to make Jopwell the single best resource for employers interested in recruiting and hiring Black, Latino/Hispanic and Native American minority candidates,” Williams said. “In order to accomplish that goal, we’ll also have to make this the best available resource for candidates. Our users are at the core of all of our innovation strategies.”
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN CHAPEL The Office of the Dean of the Chapel and The Artishia and Frederick Jordan Scholarship Fund are pleased to announce applications are now available for the 2016-2017 Artishia & Frederick Jordan Scholarship Scholarship Amount Equals One Full Semester’s Tuition Applications are available online at www.jordanscholarship.com and the lower level of the Carnegie Building. Applications are due Monday, April 11, 2016
Join us this Sunday… Rev. Dr. Gina M. Stewart Senior Pastor Christ Missionary Baptist Church Memphis, Tennessee
Upcoming Events & Programs April 6, 2016 – Faith and Politics How does my faith inform my politics? What is my responsibility for political activism as a person of faith? April 13, 2016 – Solidarity Day Join Muslim brothers and sisters in wearing kofis and hijabs. Hijab wrapping demonstrations available in Blackburn lower level during lunchtime and Douglass Hall in the afternoon.
Members of the Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta share a moment with Dean Richardson and Bishop Vashti McKenzie
“Deeper in Faith – Wider in Community”
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DROP: I Drop Out Mentally Every Semester.
Malcolm Wyche Contributing Writer
T
he deadline to drop classes has passed. It’s do or die now. You’re stuck in all your classes, you’re unsure how you’re going to finish this semester, parents keep calling asking about grades, and you have no idea what assignment the class GroupMe is talking about. Welcome to a semester in college. There’s always a point where your whole life feels like it’s in shambles every semester. It’s the point where you’re just ready for it to be over and the upcoming break can’t come fast enough. College students face the dilemma of dropping out every year, but at least once a semester I drop outmentally. I can never pinpoint the exact time where I lose control of the
semester. Everything happens so fast. At the start, I’m all about going to every class, knocking out each assignment, and making sure I study. The beginning of the semester is always so fresh and filled with energy. Everybody’s dedicated to making it the best. We swear that we won’t allow another semester to catch us off guard. It seems easy enough at first. Starting off strong is never the hard part. It’s finishing strong that makes everything complicated. College is a busy place. There’s always something to do whether it’s on campus or off-campus. Nobody wants to just go to class and just sit in their room. So you start going out. You start to hang out at all the functions, you begin to explore D.C, some people get jobs, some people gain internships, the semester starts to pick up. It always seems like it’s
"There’s always a point where your whole life feels like it’s in shambles every semester"
picking up slowly too. You always feel in control and until that one moment. There’s a moment where everybody gets into “I’m just trying to finish mode.” People discover their own ways of coping with the mental strain of college. Dropping out mentally is a defensive mechanism essentially. It’s a time where you attend your classes and somehow get your work done but it’s all a blur. You’re floating around campus but mentally you are somewhere else. You might even start skipping more classes than usual and relying on your finesse to get you through it. The part about dropping out mentally that’s so difficult is knowing when to snap back into reality. Getting caught in the cycle of just going with the flow is much more compelling than dealing with your responsibilities.
As we progress through each year of college, we’re all left with the nostalgic feeling of the innocence we carried our freshman year. Being able to live life so carefree is addictive. No worries, no stress, no problems, dropping out mentally takes us back to that feeling. As we get closer and closer to the finish line of this semester, it’s important that you stay strong. The last month is truly the hardest time to endure. Coming back from spring break leaves everybody in a daze. The weather starts to warm up and school becomes the least of everybody’s worries. It’s all preparation for the summer at this point. But there’s still work left to do. If you feel yourself starting to drop out mentally, snap back into reality. We’re almost there.
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NEWS News of the Week
Kennedy Rose Staff Writer
Will Fuller
Senior News Editor
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs launches Capital Preparatory Charter School in Harlem Producer and rapper Sean Combs recently launched a charter school in Harlem forstudents in the sixth through 12th grade. A native of Harlem, Combs founded Capital Preparatory Charter School with the help of previous TV-One host Steve Perry, Ph.D.,who will manage the operations of the school. The school has already began accepting applications, announcing that it will be admitting 160 students in grades 6-7 in its first year, NBC reported. Combs called creating the school a "dream come true," according to The Associated Press. PHOTO VIA HBCU LIFESTYLE
UNCF announces $48M scholarship fund for African Americans pursuing STEM careers
PHOTO VIA POLITICS365
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) announced its plans to allot $48 million towards a scholarship program pertaining to African Americans pursing science,technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). UNCF will partner with FundIIFoundation for the program and will be searching for talented high school African Americans pursing STEM careers for the next five years. The students awarded will receive $2,500 toward their freshman and sophomore years of college and $5,000 toward their junior and senior years. The first groups of recipients will be revealed in April. UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax said, “African Americans are woefully underrepresented in the STEM workforce, and yet, are one of the largest consumers within the STEM economy.”
$15 minimum wage the future for California California Governor Jerry Brown announced his plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour in the state last Monday. The deal is planned to culminate in 2022 by raising wages $0.50 per year for the next two years and $1 for the following years. The deal is said to affect 32 percent of California’s workforce and place the state’s minimum wage at the highest in the world.
PHOTO VIA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES
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College obesity: More than the Freshman 15 Amber Broaden Assistant News Editor
A
ccording to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), over one third of United States adults are obeseamong them are college students, struggling to get adequate nutrition and exercise. Although veganism and vegetarianism is growing lifestyle among African Americans, it’s hard for students to find food options that accommodate their lifestyle. The closest vegan and vegetarian place near Howard University is NuVegan, although Busboys and Poets have vegan/ vegetarian food options.
college students are overweight or obese, nine in 10 don’t eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day and six in 10 don’t get 30 minutes of vigorous exercise three times a week. “Obesity is also a cultural thing because many black people are not taught to work out as a lifestyle,” said Josh Narcisse, a senior history and political science double major.
“Veganism is a shift in mentality; I appreciate food more, feel lighter and more energized,” said Haley Ferguson, a sophomore psychology major.
For further information on how to maintain a healthy diet and prevent obesity the annual Walter Lester Henry Jr., M.D. Symposium will be hosted April 6 between 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Howard University Hospital. Entitled “Obesity and Obesity Related Disorders,” This year's symposium is CME accredited and three credits will be given to participants.
According to the CDC, three in 10
“Obesity is not just an eating
disorder, for anyone who is obese; it is a daily struggle because it is how society views us,” said Natazah Oniel The National Center for Biotechnology Information sites excessive eating, consumption of alcohol, eating unhealthy cafeteria food and eating late at night as common college habits that lead to weight gain and eating disorders. Lack of sleep can also be detrimental to your bodily functions. Northwestern Medicine and Northeastern Illinois University has found that the majority of college students are engaging in unhealthy behaviors that could increase their risk of cancer later on, and racial minority students could be at an even greater riskespecially African Americans and Native Americans. According to the CDC, 300,000 African Americans die from a
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preventable diet-related illness each year. Home for many Black people encompasses a culture that may not foster the importance of exercising on a daily basis. For many Black students who come to college, they also consume less healthy options. Many foods that are beloved in the black community also have the potential to be detrimental to health. The high sugar and fat
WE HELP THOSE WHO DO GOOD DO WELL.
content in “soul food” can cause a plethora of health issues, including high blood pressure and diabetes. But obesity doesn’t just have an impact on college students’ long-term health. Self-esteem and body issues come with feeling overweight and unhealthy. Maintaining a healthy diet and increasing physical activity plays a vital role in preventing obesity 76130 and eating disorders.
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Rediscover what makes us a different kind of financial partner at the new TIAA.org
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The U.S. Department of Education Recognizes Howard University as Institution Excelling in Access and Success Amber Broaden
U.S. Department of Education.
T
“Howard University is committed to ensuring that all of our students succeed regardless of income,” President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick noted on the Howard University website. “We are proud of our students dedicated to their matriculation and will continue to ensure they have access to an excellent education experience at Howard.”
Assistant News Editor
he U.S. Department of Education recognized Howard University on March 25 as an “Institution Excelling in Access and Success” for outperforming its peer institutions in enrolling and graduating Federal Pell Grant recipients. Howard University is one of the 13 private, nonprofit four-year institutions that is excelling in making resources available to low-income students, according to a recent report conducted by the
Students who come from families with higher incomes are more likely to graduate within six years compared to half of Pell Grant recipients, the U.S. Department of Education cites.
While the university’s Federal Pell Grant is currently awarded to 40 percent of all low-income undergraduates, 54 percent of the grant recipients graduate within six years or less, according to the U.S. Department of Education. “HBCUs are known for giving back, especially here at Howard where it is intentional to provide access to lower class students to come to such an elite school with a high tuition,” said Dr. Robert Palmer, associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. According to a report by the
Federal Student Aid, for the 201717 award year, the maximum grant awarded is $5,815. Students with a total family income below $20,000 and below $50,000 are in the perfect range to be eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant. “As a recipient of The Federal Pell Grant, it does indeed serve the University’s purpose and aid in contributing to students’ education,” said Krystal McCoy, a sophomore Biology and Psychology double major. It also preserves Howard’s legacy of providing both quality care and education, by continually demonstrating positive influence.”
With this recognition, many students who come from lowincome upbringings across the country will be eager to attend a private school that is assisting them financially, and that also upholds a superior legacy of excellence and service. There is sure to be an increase in the amount of applications Howard will receive within the upcoming school year. “It’s nice being in a space that is supportive and confirming,” Palmer said. “There’s so much diversity but from the black diaspora that HBCUs have always welcomed students from different backgrounds.”
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Does A Dollar Spent In The Black Community Really Stay There For Only Six Hours? Brookie Madison
Truth Be Told Staff Writer
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wo weeks ago, journalist Roland Martin, host of NewsOne Now, cited a figure that has often been used to show how little blacks spend in their neighborhoods compared to other racial and ethnic groups. The lifespan of a dollar in the Asian community is 28 days, in the Jewish community the lifespan of a dollar is 19 days and the lifespan in the AfricanAmerican community is approximately six hours, Martin said during his news talk show on the black-owned cable network TV One. Maggie Anderson, a guest on the show and author of “Our Black Year: One Family’s Quest to Buy Black in America’s Racially Divided Economy,” which was published in 2012, nodded in agreement. Anderson, a proponent of blacks spending more with black-owned business, has often used the “six hours” figure. In a series of talks around the country and in her book, she uses the figure to argue that African Americans need to do more to support black-owned businesses. Anderson isn’t alone. The “six hours” circulation statistic is an often-cited figure by a wide variety of individuals, organizations and news outlets. The figures have been attributed to various sources including the NAACP and the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia. But does a dollar spent by black people really stay in the community for only six hours? To fact-check the statistic, TruthBeTold. news tried to track down the source of this widely cited figure. Several federal government agencies produce data on black spending patterns. The Federal Reserve Bank publishes a survey of consumer finance that contains information on consumer spending patterns, but it does not contain the level of detail that would show how often a dollar would circulate in a given community. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also produces reports on black spending patterns. But this data also does not show how often money circulates within a neighborhood. Other agencies like the Small Business Administration keep track of black businesses. But the SBA also does not compile figures that would allow a comparison of how often money circulates within a community.
Private research organizations such as Nielsen and the Chicago-based Target Market News also track black spending patterns. The available data shows that 43 million blacks in the United States have about $1.1 trillion in spending power. Additionally, the most recent government data shows there were 2.6 million black or African American-owned firms nationally in 2012, up from 1.9 million or 34.5 percent in 2007. But TruthBeTold.news was unable to locate any agencies or private research firms with data that show how long money circulates within a community. TruthBeTold.news also asked for the source of the six-hour timeframe mentioned on the NAACP website in an article posted on Sept. 24, 2012. In an email, Nicole Kenney, the writer of the NAACP article, said she used several sources, including Maggie Anderson’s 2012 book and data from Nielsen and the Minority Business and Development Agency. TruthBeTold.news also contacted the Selig Center about the figures attributed to the economic research unit: “Money circulates zero to one time within the black community, compared to the more than six times it circulates in the Latino community, nine times in the Asian community and unlimited amount of times within the white community.” In an email, Jeffrey M. Humphreys, director of the center, said: “I’ve never heard that. It’s not from our center, and it does not sound accurate, but I’ve got no idea what the actual number are.” Talking Dollars by Brooke StephensThe data appears to have first been used in a book by author Brooke Stephens, a financial planner. The book, “Talking Dollars and Making Sense: A Wealth Building Guide for African-Americans,” was written in 1996 and cites the six-hour figure on page 18 of the book. There is no reference to the original source of the data or the study. Stephens attributes the data to a “John Wray,” who is described as an “economic development specialist” in Washington. There is no other mention of Wray or the study in the book. TruthBeTold.news reached out to Stephens, who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., for more information about Wray and the study. In an interview, Stephens said Wray and a co-author, Lee Green, did the study over a six-month period in 1992, possibly through
a nonprofit organization that might no longer exist. She did not remember the name of the report and could not provide any information about Wray or Green, beyond saying that Wray might have taught at Howard University in 1993. The human resource office at Howard said it could not find a reference to a Jim or John Wray. In addition, TruthBeTold.news was unable to locate Lee Green or any studies co-authored by him. There was no media coverage of the study that can be found in the LexisNexis research database, and the only reference to the study appears to be in Stephens’ book. TruthBeTold also reached out to Maggie Anderson to see if she remembered the name of the study or could provide any information about Wray. “I know Brooke Stephens. I know about the statistic,” Anderson said. “I did run into her phenomenal research and the study about the economic lifespan of a dollar in different ethnic groups.” Anderson attributes the six-hour figure in “Our Black Year” to Brooke Stephens’ book. “I published her findings in my book, ‘Our Black Year,’ and I refer to it whenever I speak and interview. I have been promoting that six-hour statistic quite heavily over the past six years.” She continues to say how it is the foundation of her work and research commissioned for her year-long Empowerment Experiment through Steven Rogers, a professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. “Our Kellogg study proved that less than 3 percent of our $1 trillion in buying power makes it back to our community via our spending with our businesses and the companies that engage our businesses,” she said. Anderson said the study also found “that if the middle-class black consumers were to spend a little more — 7 percent more, just 10 percent of their spending — with black firms and the mainstream firms that engage them, we can create almost 1 million jobs.” She also includes the six-hour figure and the Kellogg findings in an essay in the National Urban League’s 2014 State of Black America report. “Brooke Stephens’ statistic about the six hours shows why we need to do more to support our businesses and reverse the exploitation of our consumers and the socio-economic crises our neighborhoods endure,” Anderson said. TruthBeTold.news also reached out to other black economic development advocates
Art collectors attend an opening at the Overdue Recognition Art Gallery in Bowie, Md., which represents about 100 African-American artists and was co-founded in 2004 by Jackie and Derrick Thompson. The gallery is one of 2.6 million black or African American-owned companies, which have increased nationally 34.5 percent, up from 1.9 million between 2007 and 2012. PHOTO BY JOE BELLARD who have cited the figure and while many of them had heard of the numbers, not one had actually seen the study that produced them.
Justin Wolfers, an economics professor at the University of Michigan, cited other problems with the figures used by Stephens and others.
“I’ve been trying to kill this thing for years,” said Ken Smikle, president of Target Market News, a Chicago-based research firm that tracks black spending patterns. “It’s just not true.”
First, there is no clear definition of community. “Are we talking about specific neighborhoods or as a whole?” Wolfers asked.
Smikle, who has produced an annual report called The Buying Power of Black America for nearly two decades, disputes the notion that the circulation of money can be tracked in a community. “There is no scientific way to do that,” Smikle said. “I mean, how would you do it?” Economists contacted by TruthBeTold. news to review the figures agree. “It’s what I consider an urban myth,” said William Spriggs, a former labor department official in the Obama Administration, who is now chief economist at the AFL-CIO union. Spriggs also teaches economics at Howard University. Spriggs said a red flag for him was the mention of dollars circulating in the Jewish community for 19 days. “What makes me suspicious is that it has economic data based on religion when the federal government doesn’t collect any information by religion,” Spriggs said. “Where would you get that from?” “When you say Asian communities you’re talking about a very diverse population that includes Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans and they are all different and not a monolithic community. It would be a mistake to try to include all of these different people under one umbrella to talk about spending in communities,” he said. He added: “And even if you surveyed customers about their spending with business, how would you know the religion of the person who owned the business? If I shop at Macy’s, I don’t know the religion of the person who owns it.”
Secondly, he points out, like Spriggs, that the federal government does not collect economic information by religion nor does it collect hourly economic activity. “It seems highly improbable that you could get this data the way it’s described,” Wolfers said. “The inclusion of religion data alone makes me question the figures.” The claim that a dollar circulates in the black community for only six hours cannot be substantiated. The federal government does not produce data that would allow such a comparison. In addition, economists contacted by TruthBeTold.news said some of the data cited, such as information about dollars circulating in the Jewish community, is questionable because the federal government does not collect information by religion. And researchers would be unable to get the information accurately from a survey of consumers. The earliest source of the statistic appears to be a book that is nearly 20 years old. The book also never mentions the name of the study nor provides any information about the author. Economic experts agree that blacks may spend little of their estimated $1.1 trillion in buying power with black business. And they agree that efforts like Anderson’s to patronize those businesses are laudable goals. But they add that proponents should stop using the six-hour figure because, while it is shocking, it cannot be verified. “I understand where people who use this figure are coming from and I don’t want to downplay the issue, but you don’t solve the problem by using questionable data,” said Spriggs, the Howard economist.
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Idle generation: Why the job market is skewed against poor college students Cameron Clarke Assistant News Editor
“Kids these days are so lazy. None of them want to go out and get a job.” It seems like these words are the refrain of every generation, complaining of the infirmities and moral lapses of their descendants. And on first glance at the unemployment levels of Generation X, it seems like it would be hard to disagree. Millennial unemployment is 40 percent higher than the national average, and the underemployment rate – the proportion of college graduates in jobs that do not require a college degree - is 44 percent, the highest in decades according to Forbes Magazine. Surely this means that millennials are a generation of slackers, content to wile away their time in dead-end jobs, or worse, no job at all – right? While this might be the easy answer, the truth is several shades more
nuanced, and requires a bit more introspection into the nature of hiring practices in the United States. So what are employers looking for when they recruit potential employees from among recent college graduates? What factors are putting so many millennials at such a disadvantage? Those new to the job search might guess that they examine the applicants’ grades, the relevance of their coursework or the academic reputation of their alma mater. From surveys of managers, executives and human resources professionals, however, one finds that these factors are actually among the least important aspects of an applicant’s qualifications. Even volunteer activities or having prior employment pale in comparison to a single criterion: the internship. Internships are, by a significant margin, the most heavily weighted aspect of any resume, and the absence of an internship can be a significant disadvantage to any college graduate seeking to be competitive in the
modern job market. This severe emphasis placed on the necessity of an internship creates an artificial scarcity of opportunity between the employers, who hold the internships and the prospective employees seeking them. As a consequence, only a few internships are available in any given field at one time, and the vast majority are unpaid. These internships end up overwhelmingly in the hands of the affluent, who are more likely to be able to provide for their own living expenses whilst working for free. Additionally, the lack of regulation in the allocation of internships means that they are often given out to less qualified candidates who happen to be the children of the employer’s friends or family members. More than unethical, this practice is illegal. Internship hoarding and exploitation are both prohibited by federal law. For an internship to be permissible at a private-sector, forprofit company, it is required to fill several criteria.
It must be formatted as training given in an educational environment, as opposed to merely on-the-job experience. It must clearly be for the benefit of the intern – not the company. Finally, the intern must work under close supervision of existing staff, and the internship must provide no assurance of future employment. If all of these criteria are not met, the intern is considered an employee, and as such is entitled to a living wage. These rules were born out of the Fair Labor Standards of 1938, and the resulting Supreme Court ruling in Walling v. Portland Terminal Company. Internships, far from making potential employees scrounge for the chance to ingratiate themselves to a company, were intended for the primary benefit of the intern. Any other arrangement is against the law. Unfortunately, the law has been read sporadically and applied inconsistently, and millions of students are suffering because of it.
None of this excuses those college students who failed to make even a cursory effort to seek employment during their undergraduate careers, only to whine about their unemployment during their last semester. After all, it’s impossible to be exploited by a job you don’t have. However, the predominant discourse around millennial unemployment seems to revolve around the presumption that character and gumption are all it takes to earn a job. In today’s labor market, character and gumption alone won’t even get an interview. When employers expect aspiring employees to support themselves, while working for free for extended periods of time in a major city, then unpaid internships cease to be the mark of a good student. They become the mark of a privileged student, and a symptom of the entrenched social immobility in American society.
NEWS
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APRIL 4, 2016
Domencia Tyler, owner of The Chic Shack, said business for her store is up and down, but being next door to Popeye's brings customers through the doors.
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PHOTO BY KANDACE BROWN
On H Street, Some Black Businesses Strive, Others Struggle Kandace Brown HU News Service
WASHINGTON --- Amidst the new expensive condominiums, busy upscale bars and restaurants and the city’s only streetcar, black entrepreneurs on the once riot-torn H Street in northeast Washington, are working hard to cash in on the community’s new prosperity and dramatically changing landscape. For some, business is booming. Others are struggling to stay afloat. Halftime Sports Bar, which has only been open for a year, is doing very well, said owner Kim Falwell. The restaurant and bar stays full, she said. “We show all sports games all year round,” she said. “Right now it is busy with March Madness. When it’s cold, we are busy with football.” On the other hand, Carolyn Thomas, owner of The C.A.T. Walk Boutique, said business for her is rough. “The place isn’t paying for itself, Thomas said. “I work for the federal government, and if I didn’t, this shop would not be here.”
When Thomas first decided to open a store, a good friend recommended H Street, but she was skeptical because she grew up in Washington and knew how area once was. “There was tons of crime and drugs,” she said. “When I would ride the bus through here, I used to be scared and jump to the other side of the bus. Now, the neighborhood has changed so much.” Despite her skepticism, she opened her store on H Street, hoping it would prove to be a good location for business. So far, she said, it has not; there just are not enough people are coming in. “I don’t have steady customers,” she said. “I just have a few regulars that may come in every few months, and a few people that may just stop in.” Thomas said after talking with a white friend, who also owns a business, she came upon an idea to possibly increase sales. “I really think a white presence in here would help too,” she said. Ironically, her friend, who owns a business in another part of the
city, said she thought she needed a “black presence” in her store. Thomas also said she thinks the street more retail stores along the corridor to attract a larger audience. “So many people are so focused on going to get those drinks and head to the bar, they aren’t coming in the stores,” she said. “We need more decent retail stores along here because then maybe more people may come in.” Moe Abdi, owner of Eurostyles, a men’s and women’s clothing store, echoed Thomas’ thoughts. “There are too many bars here,” said Abdi, who opened his store in 2004. “Sure, the bars are good for people in the neighborhoods, but not for business owners like me. “More retail stores would help me out because it would bring more traffic. I think if people saw more clothing stores, they would be more inclined to come in mine.” Abdi also opened his store because he heard H Street was up and coming. He said he is still waiting. “During the daytime, it is dead here, but it gets lively after 6
p.m.,” he said. “But when it does get lively, people are only coming to drink and eat, not shop.” Bar, restaurant owner Falwell agrees with Abdi’s and Thomas’ assessment “H Street is just not good for shopping,” she said. “H Street is more for bar hopping.” For Smokey’s Barbershop & Oldies, which has been on H Street since 1966, business is not like it once was, according to the owner, who asked to be referred to as Smokey.
“At one time all of these chairs were filled,” Smokey said, gesturing towards the 15 or so empty chairs in the shop. “Now, they aren’t.” Domencia Tyler, 27, is owner of The Chic Shack, a trendy consignment shop. Tyler said she moved from 14th St and H Street to the 1200 block of H Street because in her previous location most people were there to eat or attend the Atlas Performing Arts Studio.
According to Smokey, the construction of the many new restaurants and bars has made parking difficult for customers who once lived in the neighborhood, resulting in a big loss in clientele.
“I definitely make more money over here because this block is still trying to come up,” she said. Her store is now next door to Popeye’s, which, she said, actually brings people into her shop.
“With all of these places opening up here, business is getting worse,,” he said.
As she talked, a young woman on the way to Popeye’s for lunch made a quick stop in the Chic Shack once she noticed the $20 dresses sign outside. Still, she said, business is not steady enough.
His clientele has gone down a lot over the last 10 years, he said. According to the U.S. Bureau of Census, the black population in the H Street neighborhood has dropped from 73% in 2000 to 45.2% in 2010, while the white population has grown from 22.4% in 2000 to 47.7% in 2010.
“I have good and bad days,” she said. “It [H Street] is still in the middle. Being in business here is just so up and down. It’s difficult.”
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P M U D N E R E F E R G O V L
R M T F E T F B A O N U C U D
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A X P A W A H P L H T M J M E
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F N I A F E Y H K O V O T E L
L M M Q C M L H U T L Z D Y Y
W I A O R O D E B Y F U X S E
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CAUCUS CHAD CONVENTION DELEGATE GERRYMANDERING NOMINEE PRIMARY REDISTRICTING REFERENDUM VOTE
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SPORTS
PHOTO COURTESY OF BISON ATHLETICS
Lady Bison Struggle In Conference Opener HU Bison Athletics HAMPTON, VA--- The Lady Bison started conference play last weekend against the Lady Pirates of Hampton University with Hampton winning two of the three game series. Game 1: Howard - 6, Hampton - 3 In the first game, the Lady Bison couldn't hit the ball early in the game and committed a couple early errors in the game which the Lady Pirates capitalized off
of scoring a run each in the 1st and 3rd inning. An explosion of hits came in the 6th inning and started when junior Alex Flynn reached base on an error by Hampton. After good batting, base running execution, and capitalizing off of Hampton errors, Howard poured in six runs to take the lead. Hampton attempted a comeback in the bottom of the 7th inning but good defense stifled the comeback and Howard hung on to win. Redshirt sophomore Deja Henderson went 1-3 with a single and two runs batted in.
Senior Janessa Flynn nabbed her fourth win of the season pitching seven innings, striking out one and giving up two earned runs. Game 2: Howard - 2, Hampton 10 The Lady Bison started the game well scoring early but couldn't drive in runs after putting runners in scoring positions. The Lady Pirates scored early as well and throughout the game hitting the ball well combined with good bunt execution. Howard made good
contact with the ball but was not able to get runners on base. The game was called in the 5th inning after Hampton scored two runs off of a double to left center field. Game 3: Howard - 1, Hampton - 9 In the third game, the Lady Bison were able to hold off the Lady Pirates from scoring in the first two inning but the 3rd inning proved to be disastrous for Howard as Hampton scored 5 runs off of walks and errors. The rout continued in the 4th inning
as Hampton scored 4 more runs. Howard's only run came off of pitcher Alex Flynn solo home run, the first of her career. She also hit a double which made her 2-3 for the game. The game was called in the 5th inning. The Lady Bison look to straighten things up this weekend as they play the Morgan State Bears at the Nationals Youth Academy.
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Women's Tennis Defeats Hampton
HU Bison Athletics HAMPTON, VA --- The Howard Women's tennis team continues to cruise through conference play, sweeping Hampton University (7-0) in the battle of the real HU this past weekend. The Lady Bison set the tone early in the match, winning all doubles flights and sustaining the energy throughout singles play. Notable performances include, freshmen, Kindha Nasef, (No.5) winning 6-1, 6-1, after coming back from an injury. --VS. Hampton University (7-0) Singles 1. ROHEMAN, Stacey (HU) def. Mitaishvili, Mariam (HA), 6-4, 6-0 2. JOSIAH, Jessica (HU) def. Slocombe, Cherise (HA), 6-4, 5-7, 5-5 (retired) 3. HUTCHINSON, Nicole (HU) def. Pierce, Mikaela (HA), 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-1 4. HARLOW, Sajela (HU) def. d'Auvergne, Julia (HA), 7-5, 6-0 5. NASEF, Kindha (HU) def. Paez, Steffy (HA), 6-1, 6-1 6. JOYNES, Christina (HU) def. Charles, Daneya (HA), 8-6 Doubles 1. ROHEMAN, Stacey/JOSIAH, Jessica (HU) def. Mitaishvili, Mariam/Pierce, Mikaela (HA), 6-4 2. HUTCHINSON, Nicole/NASEF, Kindha (HU) def. d'Auvergne, Julia/Slocombe, Cherise (HA), 7-6(5) 3. HARLOW, Sajela/JOYNES, Christina (HU) def. Romanova, Anastasiia/ Paez, Steffy (HA), 6-2
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BISON ATHLETICS
Howard (5-4); Hampton University (0-9)
Women's Lacrosse Opens Conference Play At Home HU Bison Athletics WASHINGTON, D.C --- The Howard University Women's Lacrosse team gears up for a home matchup against AtlanticSun Conference opponent Furman University on Friday, April 1st, 12PM at Greene Stadium. The Lady Bison (0-6) are coming off of a series of three road games in which all three of their opponents outscored them by at least 12 or more goals. Sophomore Midfielder Natia Warren currently leads the Lady Bison in scoring this season with 15 goals made. Senior Taylor Gainey is second in scoring with a recorded five goals. The Lady Paladins (5-4) are coming off of a 17-3 loss against John Hopkins and are looking to secure what would be their first conference victory this season. Lead by Junior Midfielder Devon Horine who has recorded 19 goals this season and Junior attacker Paige Gamble who follows with 14, the Lady Paladins have managed to outscore their opponents in the games that they've won by an average of four points.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BISON ATHLETICS
This is the first meeting between the two teams this season and both have a conference victory in sight.
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APRIL 4, 2016
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Men's Tennis Edged Over By Hampton HU Bison Athletics HAMPTON, VA --- The Howard Men's tennis team fell short in a high-energy battle to the Hampton University Pirates (5-2) last weekend. After losing the doubles point by a set tie-breaker at No.1 singles, the Bison upped the ante, winning two singles matches overall. Notable performances include, junior, Ismael Kaouache, snatching victory in a grueling three-setter (6-3, 2-6, 6-4), and junior, William Jones III, pulling out the match, 6-4, 2-6, 6-0. --VS. Hampton University (L, 5-2) Singles 1. KAOUACHE, Ismael (HU) def. Foster-Estwick, Matthew (HA), 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 2. JONES, William (HU) def. Shirin, Fedor (HA), 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 3. Odegbami, Peter (HA) def. FOSTER, Laguana (HU), 6-2, 6-1 4. Hudson, Charles (HA) def. DAVIS, Myron (HU), 6-4, 6-3 5. Suarez, Miguel (HA) def. KELLY, Spencer (HU), 6-0, 7-5 6. McQueen, Joshua (HA) def. SORRELL, Nico (HU), 6-1, 6-4 Doubles 1. Foster-Estwick, Matthew/McQueen, Joshua (HA) def. KAOUACHE, Ismael/JONES, William (HU), 7-6(5) 2. Odegbami, Peter/Shirin, Fedor (HA) def. FOSTER, Laguana/DAVIS, Myron(HU), 6-2 3. Hudson, Charles/Suarez, Miguel (HA) def. KELLY, Spencer/SORRELL, Nico (HU), 6-4 PHOTO COURTESY OF BISON ATHLETICS
Howard (2-12) Hampton University (3-8)
Women's Tennis Keeps Win Streak Alive HU Bison Athletics EMMITSBURG, MD --- After a quick sweep between the Hampton Pirates and Lady Bison, the Howard University women's tennis team (6-4) kept their momentum against Mount Saint Mary's with a 5-2 win on Tuesday afternoon. After taking all three doubles matches, freshmen, Kindha Nasef (No.5) snatched the first singles point with a quick 6-1, 6-0 win. Other highlights of the match include, freshmen, Nicole Hutchinson (No.3), gaining a victory in straight sets (6-0, 6-3). --VS. Mt. Saint Mary's University (5-2) Singles 1. ROHEMAN, Stacey (HU) def. Smith, Kelly (MSM), 6-3, 6-3 2. Poje, Brittany (MSM) def. JOSIAH, Jessica (HU), 7-5, 1-6, 10(6) 3. HUTCHINSON, Nicole (HU) def. Benefiel, Erin (MSM), 6-0, 6-3 4. Kamprath, Sruthi (MSM) def. HARLOW, Sajela (HU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 5. NASEF, Kindha (HU) def. Blake, Emma (MSM) 6-1, 6-0 6. JOYNES, Christina (HU) def. Draper, Isabella (MSM), 6-1, 7-5 Doubles 1. ROHEMAN, Stacey/JOSIAH, Jessica (HU) def. Smith, Kelly/ Benefiel, Erin (MSM), 6-2 2. NASEF, Kindha/ MUGHNEE, Umarah (HU) def. Blake, Emma/ Poje, Brittany (MSM) 6-3 3. HARLOW, Sajela/JOYNES, Christina (HU) def. Draper, Isabella/Barbato, Sam (MSM), 6-2
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BISON ATHLETICS
Howard (6-4) Mount Saint Mary's (3-10)
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SPORTS