Northern Virginia Regional Commission Chair Cydny Neville is spearheading an effort to bring a satellite HBCU campus to Northern Virginia. Photo by Will Schermerhorn
Northern Virginia economic development officials are working with Virginia’s two public historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to establish a joint satellite campus in the region that officials say would fill a gap in higher-ed offerings in Virginia’s largest population center.
The presidents of Virginia State University and Norfolk State University have been talking with members of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission about the project since June 2021. The schools are expected to start serious discussions about potential locations with the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance this fall, says Fairfax County Economic Development Authority President and CEO Victor Hoskins.
More than one of the area’s 10 jurisdictions has expressed interest in assisting the campus with permitting and financial investment, says Hoskins. The campus will likely be a joint venture between the two schools, and could be co-located with another university that already operates a Northern Virginia campus.
NVRC Chair and Dumfries Town Councilwoman Cydny Neville — a VSU alumna — spearheaded the effort after noticing friends crossing state lines to attend HBCUs because Virginia does not have one north of Richmond.
She and NVRC Executive Director Robert Lazaro say access to public transportation will be important for the campus. The universities also will need to determine which degree programs will be needed, how many students such a campus could hold and other operational aspects.
The effort comes at a time when Northern Virginia is a booming market for higher ed. The University of Virginia, George Mason University and Virginia Tech have invested in satellite campuses in the region. Since Amazon announced it would build its HQ2 headquarters in Arlington, Hoskins says, 18 schools from across the country have expressed interest in establishing outposts in the region.
Neville and Lazaro say VSU and NSU could make degree completion more accessible for a large part of the region’s population. Both schools’ annual in-state tuition — about $9,600, not including room and board — is among the lowest in the state.
Affordability — along with the supportive environment that many Black students seek from HBCUs — could help more first-generation and lower-income students access the wealth-building potential of a college degree, Neville says.
“This would be a major paradigm shift for the educational attainability of the people in this region,” she says.
Jackson State University is celebrating the anniversary of its College of Business, and the festivities will last to the end of the year! Learn more in the release from Jackson State.
(Charles A. Smith/University Communications)
Jackson State University’s College of Business (COB) is celebrating its 50th anniversary. On Monday, July25, the college commemorated decades of success with a kick-off reception noting milestones and the thousands of graduates it has produced.
JSU President Thomas K. Hudson, J.D., speaks at the 50th kickoff celebration
“This means 50 years of excellence; 50 years of producing those excellent Black entrepreneurs, economists, accountants and just really doing the great work to move this state forward,” said JSU President Thomas K. Hudson, J.D. “Its something the university is very proud of, and we want to continue that celebration of excellence.”
The COB has scheduled three events this fall to honor this special occasion:
Notable Alumni Panel, Thursday, October 20
Tailgate Party, Friday, October 21
50th Year Commemorative Celebration Banquet Friday, November 1
The COB, authorized July 1, 1972, provides a management education to a diverse student body, including those with historically disadvantaged backgrounds. It delivers its academic programs through two departments – Business Administration and Accounting, Finance, and Entrepreneurship.
“Since its founding, the College of Business has embarked on a more than exciting journey,” stated Fidelis Ikem, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business. “As I reflect over the pioneering work of the faculty and staff over the last half century, I find many accomplishments leading us to this milestone.”
Ikem was appointed the eighth dean of the College of Business in July 2019. Under his leadership, the COB continues to grow. This fall, the college will offer a new Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Supply Chain Management, including the two new online degrees in Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Public Accountancy.
“Since its founding, the College of Business has embarked on a more than exciting journey,” – Fidelis Ikem, Ph.D., college of business dean
The evolution of the COB’s legacy began with the establishment of the department of economics in 1963. In 1965 the Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning approved the expansion and reorganization of the business program with the approval of the Department of Business Administration.
In 1969, three other undergraduate programs leading to Bachelor of Science degrees were authorized: accounting; secretarial science; and business education. July 1, 1972, under the presidency of Dr. John A. Peoples, the Board of Trustees authorized the merger of the Division of Business and the Department of Economics.
These two entities became known as the School of Business and Economics, with an approximate enrollment of 1,000 students. In 1995, Jackson State University’s School of Business became the sixth school of business at an HBCU to earn accreditation from the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The COB remains in the six percent of business schools worldwide, with the AACSB accreditation.
Hampton University alumna Brooke Hart Jones wanted more representation in the dolls she sees, so she made it happen! Learn more about her dolls and where they are now sold in the story by Because of Them We Can.
You’re going to want to get them all!
A Hampton University alum’s new HBCyoU Dolls are now available at Target.
Brooke Hart Jones is a Hampton University alum and the creator of HBCyoU Dolls, a new brand from Purpose Toys with the aim of “sharing the magic of HBCUs with children far and wide.” Purpose Toys’ mission is to create toys that center and celebrate communities of culture. Their products include a line of natural hair dolls, and now the HBCyoU Dolls.
The 18-inch dolls feature various characters from a cheer captain to a student body president and homecoming queen. Each doll also has a major and interest including pre-med, physics, and captain of the debate team.
The instagram page of Target While Black used their platform to share the dolls and let consumers know they had officially hit Target stores. The post shows a video of the brand’s homecoming queen doll, each toy emblazoned with Jones’ photo and a brief synopsis of the company’s back story.
According to the social site, there were only 2 left at that location so it seems like inventory is flying off the shelves.
“She’s so freaking pretty!!! Run y’all! Run!!,” the site captioned the video.
You can get your HBCYoU Dolls here or visit your local Target ASAP. These are definitely going to be collector’s items.
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Council of Presidents announced today that Anthony Hollman has been named the 11th Commissioner of the SIAC. He will start on September 1, 2022, succeeding Commissioner Gregory Moore, who will officially step down following 13 years of service to the conference.
Anthony Hollman, SIAC Commissioner
Holloman is the Vice President for University Advancement/Athletics and executive director for the Fort Valley State University Foundation since 2018. He has been a part of and directed fundraising programs that have raised more than $125 million to support student scholarships, faculty development, and programmatic activities at institutions of higher learning.
“The Executive Committee of the SIAC moved swiftly to engage Parker Executive Search Firm upon Commissioner Greg Moore’s announcement of his departure. The Firm delivered a plan, a workable calendar, and an excellent set of candidates for the Commissioner’s position,” said Allen University President Ernest McNealey, and chair of the SIAC Search Committee. “The Search Committee’s work led to unprecedented consensus throughout the process, which ultimately identified Dr. Anthony Holloman, Vice President for Advancement and Director of Athletics at Fort Valley State University. Dr. Holloman will be ready to begin the next era of the SIAC on day one without a learning curve. He brings a high level of integrity and enormous preparation for the position.”
“The NCAA landscape has changed over the past few years. Now is time to continue to align the SIAC conference as the nation’s best Division II conference,” said Reginald Ruffin, Tuskegee’s Athletic Director and Football Head Coach and a member of the executive search committee. “The appointment of Dr. Anthony Holloman as Commissioner of the SIAC will continue to move us in that direction. Dr. Holloman will move the SIAC to help continue expanding the brand. He will continue to give our student-athletes the best experience academically and athletically in this conference.”
Holloman is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University, where he majored in Communications and was a football and track team member. He holds a Master of Sports Science degree from the United States Sports Academy. He also earned the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University and holds a Certificate of Fund-Raising Management from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Mr. Holloman is a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., 100 Black Men of America, Chair of the Athletic Director’s Council for the SIAC, CASE Committee on College and University Foundations, Member of the Board of Directors for the Georgia Chamber Commerce, and a newly appointed member of the Board of Directors for the Robins Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“As one of the SIAC’s newest member institutions, we at EWU are excited about the propitious future of the nation’s premier NCAA Division II athletic conference under the forthcoming leadership of Dr. Anthony Holloman,” said President Zachary Faison of Edward Waters. “I look forward to working in partnership with Dr. Holloman as we collectively endeavor to move our venerable conference to unprecedented heights of excellence for the benefit of our member schools and the incredibly phenomenal student-athletes we serve.”
“I am pleased that at the conclusion of a thorough and rigorous search process, we have identified the ideal candidate to lead the SIAC into the future,” said President Roslyn Artis of Benedict. “Dr. Holloman’s knowledge, skill, and experience with intercollegiate athletics, HBCUs, and fundraising will be assets to the member institutions and the student-athletes we serve.”
“Dr. Holloman’s background as an athletic director and as a VP for advancement makes him the perfect person to serve as the next Commissioner of the SIAC,” said President Kimberly Ballard-Washington of Savannah State. “His HBCU experience in several institutions over the years will help him recognize the numerous issues that occur within the university setting and will lead to good relationships between the conference office and all of the institutions within the SIAC.”
“To have the opportunity to lead this conference is an honor and privilege, and I want to thank Dr. Ernest McNealey and the entire search committee for their confidence in my ability to advance the mission and vision of the SIAC,” said Holloman. “This is an exciting time for my family and me. Wholeheartedly, I embrace the challenge of managing and growing the SIAC while positioning the league for its next chapter of growth as a collection of regionally, nationally, and globally recognized institutions.”
Holloman is married to Maisah Holloman, and they have three adult children – Brittany, Jordan, and Tysan.
An outgoing Florida A&M University student held a photoshoot on campus to celebrate her graduation, but not everyone is happy with how the pictures came out. Learn more in the story by Fisher Jack at EurWeb.
Credit: Terica Williams/Instagram
*For every action, there is a reaction! When it comes to college graduation photos, it’s no doubt that students want to stand out and be different.
However, Terica Williams, a current Florida A & M University (FAMU) student is facing backlash following a naked graduation photo that was taken on campus.
The student who is graduating with her Master’s degree went viral over the weekend. On Instagram, #TericaStar, an aspiring rapper, captioned the post, “Anybody who knows me knows that I’ve been dressing provocatively my whole life. There are a lot of assumptions that have come with me accepting my body. A lot of people questioned my capabilities and intelligence solely based on how I choose to dress.”
While fellow Rattlers warned Terica that her degree could be revoked for her actions, the university has released a statement regarding the matter. The illustrious university located in Tallahassee, Florida, has advised they are starting an investigation.
Florida A&M University alum are known for their extravagant graduation photos. Still, some feel Williams, who posed as the FAMU rattler snake mascot, naked, wearing red bottom heels and what appears to be snakes as strands of her hair.
The modern-day medusa posed in front of the “FAMU snake” on campus with a caption referencing acceptance and politics.
“Anybody who knows me knows that I’ve been dressing provocative my whole life. There’s a lot of assumptions that have came with me accepting my body,” Williams captioned her Instagram post. “A lot of people questioned my capabilities and intelligence solely based on how I choose to dress.
She added: As I’m standing here with my master’s degree at the tender age of 24, I am the living proof that clothes do not define you. I encouraged every body to embrace their bodies and step outside social norms. With love, Terica Williams, M.Ed.”
In another Instagram post, Williams is fully clothed in light-washed bell bottom jeans, an orange FAMU crew neck and wearing white peep toe heels, accessorized with beautiful fro and hoop earrings.
Williams shared her achievements as a student at the institution while celebrating her new journey as a two percentile of Black therapists in America.
‘I just have extremely good time management skills and I’m very disciplined,’ said Alena Analeigh Wicker
An ambitious 13-year-old girl has plans to become a doctor earlier than most college students, and she was just accepted by HBCU Oakwood University. Learn more in the story by Sydney Page at The Washington Post.
Alena Analeigh Wicker is like other 13-year-olds in that she enjoys going to the movies, playing soccer, baking and hanging out with friends. But very much unlike other teenagers, she just got accepted to medical school.
“I’m still a normal 13-year-old,” said Alena, a student at both Arizona State University and Oakwood University, where she is simultaneously earning two separate undergraduate degrees in biological sciences. “I just have extremely good time management skills and I’m very disciplined.”
In May, Alenawas offered a spot at the University of Alabama’s Heersink School of Medicine for 2024, as part of its Early Assurance Program — which offers early admission to applicants who meet specific requirements. Alena is more than 10 years younger than the average incoming medical student.
“What is age?” said Alena, who lives just outside Fort Worth and is completing most of her courses online. “You’re not too young to do anything. I feel like I have proven to myself that I can do anything that I put my heart and mind to.”
When Alena was 3 years old, her mother started noticing that she was far from a typical toddler.
“Alena was gifted,” said her mother, Daphne McQuarter. “It was just how she did things and how advanced she was. She was reading chapter books.”
Learning new skills, Alena said, came easily to her, and once she started school, she was sometimes taunted for her scholastic talents.
“There was a little boy that bullied me, and he would tease me and call me ‘smarty pants,’” Alena recalled, adding that her mother decided to home-school her for several years after the bullying started.
In fifth grade, she switched back to traditional schooling, though she continued to take advanced high school-level courses at home, using a curriculum her mother created. During the pandemic, Alena decided to expand her course load even more.
For Alena, algebra was easy. Geometry was intuitive. Biology was a breeze.
Alena, right, with her friend, Angelica. About a year and a half ago, Alena started the Brown STEM Girl, an organization aimed at supporting girls of color in the STEM space. (D. Lacy Photography)
“I was bored,” said Alena, who recently started using her middle name, Analeigh, as her surname.“The high school work was so easy for me that I ended up graduating from high school at 12 years old.”
Taking extra classes, Alena said, was more of a pleasure than a pain. She flew through Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” and John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men.” As far as schoolwork went, none of it was a struggle.
“I love school, I love learning, I love reading,” Alena said, adding that from a young age, she has had a particular interest in STEM — science, technology, engineering and math.
On top of her devotion to schoolwork, Alena is also a budding entrepreneur and philanthropist. About a year and a half ago, she started the Brown STEM Girl — an organization aimed at providing opportunities for girls of color interested in exploring careers in STEM.
According to the National Science Board, women make up 28 percent of the science and engineering workforce, and of them, only about 5 percent are women of color. Alena is on a mission to change that.
“We’re showing the world that there’s other girls out there that are just like me, and they deserve an opportunity and a chance,” said Alena, explaining that her organization has a rigorous application process and offers financial scholarships, mentorship programs and additional resources to standout students. There are more than 460 active members and about 2,000 girls on a waiting list, Alena said, adding that the organization is funded through private donations.
She wanted to create a platform for girls like her “to feel like they belong somewhere,” she said. “I represent all the brainiac girls in the world.”
The Brown STEM Girl is not Alena’s first extracurricular endeavor. She has been doing speaking engagements for years, she said, and she has received numerous honors and awards throughout her life. Recently, she was named one of Time’s Top Kid of the Year Finalists for 2022.
While trying to keep up with friends and regular childhood activities, Alena has stayed laser-focused on her academic and professional goals.
“I have a hunger and desire to learn, and that’s just always been me,” said Alena.
Alena with Clayton Turner, the director NASA’s Langley Research Center. Turner attended Alena’s high school graduation ceremony and became her mentor. (Alena Analeigh)
She became NASA’s youngest intern in the summer of 2021 — which was a long-held dream.
Last year, Clayton Turner, the director of the agency’s Langley Research Center, came across a news story about Alena — then a 12-year-old who was headed to college and who hoped one day to work at NASA. He decided to reach out.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” said Turner, who became Alena’s mentor and got her an internship at the agency, where she did various assignments, including remote research for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge, Calif., which she visited during her internship. “Alena is one of those exceptional intellects.”
Beyond her brains, what really sets her apart, Turner said, is her heart.
“What’s in her is wanting to help others, wanting to lift up others,” he said.
Although Alena was initially eager to start a career in engineering, after delving further into the field through her undergraduate classes, she decided to change course and pursue medicine.
“I wasted no time. I dropped a class, changed my major, and when I took my first biological class, I knew in that moment that this is what I’m supposed to be doing,” she said.
Her goal, she continued, is to use her medical degree to help those in need.
“A big part of what I want to do is viral immunology, and I want to advocate for underrepresented communities that lack health care,” Alena said. “It’s something that I’ve become passionate about.”
Alena with Elaine Vanterpool, the chair of the biology department at Oakwood University. (Alena Analeigh)
Her educators and advisers encouraged her to apply for early acceptance to medical school.
“They’ve been hugely instrumental,” Alena said.
One such mentor is Elaine Vanterpool, chair of the biology department at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Ala. Although Alena takes most of her classes online, she has spent time on campus completing labs.
“She has a lot of talent,” said Vanterpool, who taught Alena’s general biology class. As her professor, “I really saw the drive and grit. She did well. She didn’t settle for less than what she knows she’s capable of.”
Vanterpool and other academic advisers encouraged Alena to apply for medical school, but she knew the chances of getting accepted were slim — especially as a 13-year-old Black girl. The average acceptance rate at U.S. medical schools is 7 percent, and about 7 percent of those accepted are Black.
“Statistics would have said I never would have made it,” Alena wrote in an Instagram post to her 18,000 followers about her recent acceptance to medical school.
Alena with her mother, Daphne McQuarter. (Alena Analeigh)
Her success, Alena said, is owed in large part to her mother.
“My mom is amazing. She gave me opportunities more than things,” said Alena, who has a 24-year-old sister. “She taught me to think beyond and see beyond. For me, that was the best experience.”
“Statistics would have said I never would have made it,” Alena wrote in an Instagram post to her 18,000 followers about her recent acceptance to medical school.
Her success, Alena said, is owed in large part to her mother.
“My mom is amazing. She gave me opportunities more than things,” said Alena, who has a 24-year-old sister. “She taught me to think beyond and see beyond. For me, that was the best experience.”
Alena and her close friend, Laney. (Alena Analeigh)
“We’ve had such an amazing relationship because I always gave her the space to be a kid, grow, make mistakes and learn,” said McQuarter. “She knew she always had a voice in anything, including her education.”
People often tell Alena she is growing up too fast. To that, she responds: “I don’t think I’m missing any part of my childhood. I get a childhood, and it’s amazing.”
In her spare time, Alena plays sports — including soccer and track and field — and she loves going to the arcade with friends. She also enjoys singing, cooking and travel.
Through fostering her academic and professional ambitions early on, Alena hopes to serve as an inspiration to others, and to prove that someone’s age shouldn’t stand in the way of their success.
“I would say to any little girl out there that’s reading this: Never give up on you, never let someone tell you that you can’t do something,” Alena said.
She is expected to complete her two undergraduate degrees by the spring of 2024, and she will start medical school that fall.
“I don’t think it’s going to be easy, but I have a huge support system around me that pushes me and cheers me on,” Alena said.
Through it all, she plans to continue advocating for other young people who are full of untapped potential.
“It feels amazing to be able to create a path for girls that look like me,” Alena said. “It doesn’t matter how old you are. You can do it. Don’t let anybody tell you no.”
Fisk University has selected a new Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs who has spent the bulk of his career at HBCUs. Learn more in the Fisk release.
Robert Carr, Jr. Ed.D who has led a 20 year career in education, has been appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs. He will begin at the university on August 25.
Dr. Carr will have oversight of all academic departments, coordinate curricular initiatives, grant degrees, work with faculty on assignments and research programs, develop online courses, join accreditation committees for other schools and serve as an adviser to the University president.
“I am honored to join historic Fisk University at a time of momentous growth, excitement, and attention to excellence. I plan to partner with President Newkirk, the Board of Trustees, faculty, and staff, to deliver a vision of academic excellence for our students. During the interview process, there was a sense of pride that emanated from all the stakeholders in which I had the pleasure of meeting. Fisk University is truly a remarkable place, and I am proud to be part of the team,” said Carr.
Dr. Carr comes from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff where he has served since 2017 as the chief academic officer.
While there he oversaw 169 employees, a student body of 2,650 and managed the academic affairs budget. He worked in close collaboration not only with the executive cabinet but also with a wide range of internal and external constituencies to provide overall leadership and direction for the division.
Prior to his arrival in Arkansas, he was Dean School of Education and Psychology (SOEP) as well as the Executive Director of the Alcorn State University Vicksburg Expansion Center. While there he oversaw the SOEP budget, was an instructional leader and performed a routine evaluation of SOEP faculty.
Previously, Dr. Carr served as Dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Langston University in Oklahoma, where he nearly doubled the number of Education and Behavioral Science students and launched the state’s first fully online master’s degree in Educational Leadership.
Jackson State University hired Dr. Carr in 2007 to direct, coordinate, monitor, and assess the early field experiences and student teaching experiences. He coordinated student teacher placements and orientation for student teachers and collaborating teachers.
His role in education has positioned him to take on a number of initiatives, one of which being Early Morning Reader-Response, an examination of how book clubs and the use of technology in the classroom affect children’s literacy development. Elementary school kids were read to and engaged in talks about multicultural children’s literature.
Dr. Carr, who has held membership in a number of organizations, presided over the Professional Education Council at Jackson State University from July 2007 to December 2008.
Carr has also served on the Dean’s Council, Graduate Council, and SACSCOC, among other university councils. He has participated in numerous faculty and administrative committees, including those for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the National Association for Multicultural Educators (ASCD).
Carr obtained his B.A. in Psychology from Tougaloo College.
He holds two M.S. degrees; one in Educational Leadership from Walden University and the other in curriculum and supervision from Oklahoma State University.
Carr graduated from Oklahoma State University with an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction/Secondary Education in 2002.
Nichols made television history in the role of Lt. Uhura aboard the USS Enterprise.
LAS VEGAS, NV – AUGUST 01: Actress Nichelle Nichols attends the 17th annual official Star Trek convention at the Rio Hotel & Casino on August 1, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)
Beloved Star Trek icon Nichelle Nichols has died at the age of 89.
“I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years,” the actress’s son, Kyle Johnson, confirmed on Instagramtoday. “Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration. Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all. I, and the rest of our family, would appreciate your patience and forbearance as we grieve her loss until we can recover sufficiently to speak further. Her services will be for family members and the closest of her friends and we request that her and our privacy be respected. Live Long and Prosper.”
LIFE BEFORE TREK
Grace Dell Nichols was born in Illinois on Dec. 28, 1932 to Samuel and Lishia Nichols. Samuel Earl Nichols was the town mayor as well as its chief magistrate. Nichols studied acting in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles before getting her break in the 1961 musical, Kicks and Co, playing a young girl who was tempted by a ficticious publication called Orgy Magazine to be their “Orgy Maiden of the Month.” While the musical was not a success, it led to further opportunities for her as a singer and a dancer, with modeling work in between them all.
Going on to tour the US and Europe as a singer with both the Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton bands, Nichols also went on to appear in The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd on the west coast, as well as as earning raves for her performance in the James Baldwin play Blues for Mister Charlie. She eventually became noticed by Gene Roddenberry, and appeared on his first television foray. Appearing as a guest on Roddenberry’s The Lieutenant, the episode that Nichols was involved in dealt with racial prejudice.
WHERE NO BLACK WOMAN HAD GONE BEFORE
Having earned the notice of Roddenberrry, Nichols of course went on to get a job on his next show, an experimental science fiction program called Star Trek. As Lieutenant Uhura, Nichols was playing a full-fledged bridge officer and valued member of the crew. In 1966, it was unheard of for a black woman to be on television in such a role, neither playing a maid or a servant.
Out of the main cast, only William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForrest Kelley appeared in more episodes. Starting with The Man Trap, Nichols appeared in 69 episodes out of 80, beating the tally of James Doohan’s Scotty by 3. Though she was always in the classic red miniskirt uniform (aside from couple of times she was in yellow), and she wouldn’t get a decent pair of pants until the films, Nichols was able to show a tremendous strength (and sometimes a fantastic singing voice) all the same. As some would come to notate, her mere presence on the bridge of that ship was a big deal.
In terms of storylines, she wasn’t featured all that often (it wasn’t until The Animated Series where she actully got to command the ship), but one episode that features her continually sticks out among all the rest.
The episode Plato’s Stepchildren broke down further racial barriers in 1968, when Nichols and William Shatner’s Captain Kirk shared the first interracial kiss in television history. Though the episode’s story explains it away with the sci-fi twist of alien interference (the characters weren’t in love, and it was never brought up again), many didn’t care about that aspect of it. Dealing with both celebration as well as protest, many viewers, racist or otherwise, didn’t blame Shatner’s Kirk for kissing the gorgeous Uhura. Whatever outrage was caused by the kiss was not why any further romance between the characters never materialized, however– the original show was highly episodic, and the events of one episode almost never affected the next one. When referring to the famous kiss in a 2006 roast of Shatner, Nichols quipped to Shatner, “Let’s make TV history again, and you can kiss my black ass!”
HAILING FREQUENCIES
Though the show was an initial success, the space drama wasn’t exactly what Nichols had in mind for her career. She was much more interested in a career on Broadway, but it was a conversation with none other than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that convinced her to stay on the bridge of the Enterprise. A day after telling Roddenberry of her intentions to leave the show, Nichols was at a fundraiser for the NAACP and was informed that there was a fan who wanted to meet her. As she says,
“I thought it was a Trekkie, and so I said, ‘Sure.’ I looked across the room, and there was Dr. Martin Luther King walking towards me with this big grin on his face. He reached out to me and said, ‘Yes, Ms. Nichols, I am your greatest fan.’ He said that Star Trek was the only show that he, and his wife Coretta, would allow their three little children to stay up and watch.”
When she told Dr. King of her plans to leave the series, Nichols says that he was adamantly against it, saying, “You can’t. You’re part of history.” Nichols of course decided to stay with the show, continuing to be a role model for all black women and children.
She was an inspiration that spread far and wide– NASA astronaut Mae Jemison credits Nichols’ role as her inspiration to want to be an astronaut. A young Whoopi Goldberg (a future Trek actress herself) was also greatly inspired by Nichols, as she was astounded that there was someone who looked like her on TV, and was not playing a maid. It was a pivotal moment for Goldberg, who’s life-long love for Trek eventually landed her a recurring role on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
MR. ADVENTURE EATING OUT OF HER HAND
Though the original Star Trek ended after only three seasons in 1969, Nichols’ work as Uhura was far from over. She went on to play the character in Star Trek: The Animated Series, as well as all six of the Trek films that featured the original cast. While her character was occasionally sidelined in the films, Uhura does get a few stand-out moments like the one below, from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
Though her acting career was defined by Star Trek, it certainly wasn’t limited to it. She lent her vocal talents to shows such as Gargoyles, Batman: The Animated Series, and played herself in both The Simpsons and Futurama. Other appearances include the films Snow Dogs, Lady Magdalene’s,The Torturer, and a big of self-mockery in Sharknado 5: Global Swarming. She also appeared in the television shows Heroes, Downward Dog, as well as The Young and the Restless, where her appearance earned her a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for “Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series” in 2017.
BEYOND
Nichelle Nichols was an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, received an honorary degree from Los Angeles Mission College, and had an asteroid named in her honor—Asteroid 68410 Nichols. In addition, she received the Life Career Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films in 2016.
Nichols has continued to make appearances at Trek-related events, including the world premiere of Star Trek: Discovery a few years ago. The show marks the first time the lead character is a Black woman (played by Sonequa Martin-Green), it was only appropriate that Nichols was there to celebrate the landmark. Without Lieutenant Uhura, there’s a very good chance there would be no Michael Burnham. Nichols’ only advice to Martin-Green was this: “Enjoy this moment. It’s yours now.”
Though Nichols is gone, her contributions to the world of science fiction (and the arts in general) will never be forgotten. The fearless actress behind the equally fearless communications officer truly helped to increase communications on both sides of the screen, and for that reason as well as countless more, we celebrate her life and career. Hailing frequencies will forever remain open.
Softball programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been under the radar for so long, but one particular alumnus of the oldest HBCU in Arkansas has shed historical light on Black College softball with new lines of history created.
Dominique Humphrey, a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, has made history as the first HBCU international softball player and the first HBCU product as an international softball head coach.
Humphrey graduated from Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2019 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. She went the extra mile to acquire her Master of Science in addiction studies but would not be able to solve her addiction to her love of the game of softball.
One of the most gifted athletes in her teenage years at Reedley High School, Humphrey was a member of the basketball team, volleyball team, a jumper for the school’s track and field program, and of course (you guessed it), the softball team.
Back in her high school softball days, Humphrey set the record at her high school for most home runs with 53 homers which set off an alarm to herself that softball would be the route to go.
After graduating from Reedley High School in 2015, Humphrey landed at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona, where she played as an outfielder and had a batting average of .273, scoring three runs in her first collegiate season with an RBI to add on.
However, Humphrey did not stay at Yavapai long, which led her across the country to the Midwest at Dodge City Community College in Dodge City, Kansas, where she scored nine runs on nine hits with the addition of nine RBIs and one home run in the 2017 regular season.
Her ability to focus at the plate led her to decide to change her life forever – signing with Arkansas-Pine Bluff to compete in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) at the NCAA Division I level.
Without a doubt, Humphrey showed out in her first season at UAPB to tally 14 runs on 14 hits, five home runs, and 17 impressive RBIs. She scored 11 runs with 14 RBI in her final season of collegiate eligibility, wondering what her next move would be.
Humphrey was not done serving Dear Mother after completing her undergraduate degree. With the hard work, determination, and courage she demonstrated during her time as a UAPB softball player, her coach, Michael Bumpers, hired Humphrey as a graduate assistant coach for Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Without hesitation, Humphrey agreed to become the next GA at UAPB with her coaching experience before going to Arkansas-Pine Bluff and her greed to learn more about the game of softball.
Humphrey began coaching back in her high school days at Reedley, where she was a skill camp coach – she worked with girls between the ages of six and 12 on fundamentals, base running, and hitting mechanics and educated children on the arts of the infield and outfield.
She eventually became a private coach throughout her college career, working with girls in the 12-&-under age group, mainly focusing on pitching, hitting, and catching techniques. Working with young women at Arkansas-Pine Bluff wouldn’t be a challenge for Humphrey as she focused on coaching the same tactics at UAPB before graduating with her master’s degree in 2021.
“As an HBCU Female Athlete, it’s important to understand that WE matter too,” Humphrey said. “Being a Scholar Athlete doesn’t end when you graduate. There is still an endless amount of opportunity for us (black female athletes) to learn and grow in softball and life.”
Before graduating, Humphrey already had her plans set to play professional softball overseas. The Monday after graduating, she would sign her first contract in Bumpers’ office with the Zurich Challengers in Europe.
In her first summer season as a professional after being off the field for two years, Humphrey batted .385 on the season, which led to her getting picked up with the Ghajnsielem Redcoats as a player/coach during the same summer, allowing her to compete in the European Woman’s Fastpitch National Championship.
Being a player/coach could be a challenging task to fulfill, wouldn’t it? That wasn’t the case for Humphrey — she embraced her journey every step of the way, which led to more opportunities in a place she wasn’t familiar with but soon called it home.
Humphrey’s professional career didn’t accelerate until her sophomore season with the Redcoats, where she significantly improved her batting in all her years of playing softball. In the summer of 2022, Humphrey was outstanding at-bat with a batting average of .750, with one of her wildest plays of stealing home base and hitting a home run to lead her team to their second national championship.
Her gameplay strategy led her to become the head coach of the Maltese National Team to lead the pack to their first-ever European Championships, where her team would finish their season ranked 19th in the continent.
“This game has allowed me to grow as a player and person,” said Humphrey. “My goal is to grow this game on a global stage, bring my opportunities and connections back to the stats, especially in the HBCU atmosphere, and spread knowledge and opportunity in this sport.”
The 17-year-old daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt will be attending Spelman College this fall, Jolie, 47, announced in an Instagram post on Sunday.
“Zahara with her Spelman sisters!” the Eternals star captioned an image of her daughter surrounded by fellow Spelman attendees.
“Congratulations to all new students starting this year,” she added, referring to the historically Black college for women located in Atlanta. “A very special place and an honor to have a family member as a new Spelman girl.”
Jolie also added a group of hashtags to her post, including, “#SpelmanCollege,” “#SpelmanSisters and “#HBCU.”
Jolie — who also shares twins Vivienne and Knox, 14, as well as Shiloh, 16, Pax, 18, and Maddox, 20, with Pitt, 58 — shares a passion for social justice with Zahara.
Back in December 2021, the pair made a difference together during a mother-daughter trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with advocates and politicians in support of the Violence Against Women Act.
“Honored to visit Washington, DC, with Zahara, working with advocates and lawmakers to modernize and strengthen the #ViolenceAgainstWomenAct to include protections for children’s health and safety, communities of color, tribes, LGBTQ survivors, rural areas, and all survivors,” Jolie wrote in an Instagram caption at the time.
Zahara Jolie-Pitt and Angelina Jolie | CREDIT: JON KOPALOFF/WIREIMAGE
“We need reforms including judicial training, trauma-informed court processes that minimize the risk of harm to children, grant programs for technology to detect bruising across all skin tones and create non-biased forensic evidence collection, and protections for the most vulnerable,” she added.
In October 2021, Jolie told PEOPLE that her children are “pretty great people.”
“And because there’s so many of them, I think they’ve had a very significant effect on each other. It’s not like I’m the head of anything. I’m very honest with my kids. And I’m very human with my kids,” she explained.
Jolie said she is “curious about all the different aspects of who they are” when raising them, and her priority is to “be there to support and develop all the different aspects of who they are.”
“I have six very individual human beings in my home. I am so excited about all the different stages and feelings and curiosities that they go through. Why wouldn’t you be?” Jolie said at the time.
“We’re supposed to help them figure out who they are. And you can’t figure out who they are if you don’t enthusiastically develop with them,” she added.
The SMART Scholarship opens August 1, 2022. Apply Today!
Before KeeAnia Kinkacha elevated her career through a coveted Department of Defense (DoD) scholarship, it was the decision to attend an HBCU that set her on a path for success. The recent graduate of the illustrious North Carolina A&T State University thought she would use her education for a generic office job, but she now has far more options on the table. “My experience of my beloved A&T changed the game for me,” she said. “I went into school aspiring just for a corporate job with a decent cubicle to give me and my family financial freedom, but A&T showed me that I can be so much more while also inspiring the next generation to do the same.”
With her sights set on a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, she found herself searching for a program that could supplement her HBCU studies. The Department of Defense’s SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program turned out to be the perfect fit. Standing for Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation, the SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program. the DoD’s premiere opportunity for ambitious undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students.
Upon going through the finalist round and being accepted, KeeAnia found that her expectations were surpassed. Her tuition was covered, eliminating what is a financial hurdle experienced by many college students. She received a monthly stipend of over $2,000 year-round, although students can receive between $25,000 – $38,000 annually depending on degree level. As part of the scholarship, the program also provides participants with a job offer after graduation in industries that can be difficult to break into. Over 3,000 scholarships have been awarded so far. “Working with a government agency is a highly coveted job and I am able to start as a government employee,” she said. “[My] new hire program… will set me up to gain the skills I need to launch my own technologies enterprise while also keeping a secure career in government.”
KeeAnia was eligible for the program because of her major, but applicants have 21 STEM disciplines to choose from to align with their studies. They range from aeronautical engineering to civil engineering, biosciences to geosciences, and mathematics to oceanography. With her Information Technology degree, KeeAnia was able to help transfer the Army’s main frames to a cloud base system. Her real-world experience was reviewed by high-ranking generals and officers involved in Army operations.
Although the work was an important benefit to her, KeeAnia found the most value in the people of the program. “My favorite part of my internship was the environment my manager and mentor fostered for me. They believed in me even when their higher ups didn’t,” she said. Although some doubted that one project would fit her current skill level, she proved them wrong. Within 10 weeks, she was able to get through two thirds of a project that was projected to need 6 months. By proving herself, she left the internship with lasting skills and contacts. “This is an experience I will never forget,” she said.
If you’re interested in the SMART scholarship program, head to smartscholarship.org to learn more. The program may be a great fit for your career, too. “This is an amazing opportunity for any student, but specifically HBCU students,” said KeeAnia. “Use your qualities that will make you stand out amongst other candidates, like being an HBCU student. We bring a different style of thinking to the table that is so needed!”
Those interested in the program can apply between August 1 and December 1 here.
Jackson State‘s Travis Hunter has just signed a new groundbreaking NIL deal. Learn more in the story by Jeff Beer at Fast Company.
Travis Hunter [Photo Credit: Marcus Smith/Sports Illustrated/Getty]
As the top high school football recruit in the United States this year, Travis Hunter shocked the football world in December when he reversed his year-long commitment to play at Florida State in order to switch over to HBCU Jackson State, coached by NFL legend Deion Sanders.
Today, fintech platform Greenwood has signed Hunter to a two-year NIL deal as the Black-owned digital bank’s newest brand ambassador. Cofounder and chairman Ryan Glover says the deal has as much to do with Hunter’s bravery and integrity off the field as it does his talents on it. Hunter will be the face of the brand’s new “Choose Black” campaign, aimed at celebrating trailblazers in the Black community who’ve make personal decisions that will benefit the community in years to come.
“Travis’s commitment to select Jackson State over other top D1 schools is truly a testament to our Choose Black mission, and why we’re choosing to celebrate him as our inaugural NIL partner,” says Glover, who founded Greenwood in 2020 with Civil Rights icon and former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young and rapper Killer Mike (Michael Render). “I was really impressed with Travis’s decision to choose Jackson State University over Florida State and other D1 schools that are more financed, and have more [media] exposure. This is a kid who really embodies the bravery that we have and promote at Greenwood, to improve the lives of our community.”
Greenwood was founded with a focus on the financial needs of the Black and Latino communities, addressing historical disparities in financial services and economic opportunity. The company, whose investors include Bank of America, PNC, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Mastercard, and Visa, currently offers products through its mobile app, such as digital savings and spending accounts, Apple and Android pay, no-fee peer-to-peer transfers, mobile check deposits, community reinvestment, and two-day early pay.
Hunter says that he wanted to partner with Greenwood because its philosophy around highlighting and empowering the strength of the Black community reflects his own, and will hopefully provide a model for others to collaborate and partner with Black institutions and businesses.
“I don’t just partner with any brand, I have to believe in what they are doing, and they have to believe in me,” says Hunter. “We have to share similar values, and if there is a benefit to the larger community, that is always something I look for. I want to be able to use my voice to make a difference and help inspire those around me.”
Last year, Greenwood launched a studio to create financial-education content, and has since rolled out multiple regular digital shows and podcasts, and Glover says that the plan for the Choose Black campaign is to create with Hunter, establish partnerships with other universities to hold forums on, and create strategic partnerships around financial education.
In May, Greenwood acquired Black-focused private membership network The Gathering Spot, which has networking and workspace clubs in Atlanta; Washington, DC; and Los Angeles. Glover says it has made Greenwood the country’s largest combined fintech and community platform for Black and minority consumers.
“We now provide access to capital, wealth-building guidance, business networking, career development, and community engagement to more than a million people in our collective community,” says Glover.
Glover sees Hunter as an ideal role model for young people in the way he is taking financial education, and its role in the success of his community, so seriously at such a young age. Much like his choice of schools, Hunter sees his choice of brand partners as having a broader impact beyond his own bottom line.
“I want the next generation to feel empowered to make informed financial decisions and to support Black businesses and Black excellence,” says Hunter. “I also want the next generation to know that there are several resources and institutions out there, such as Greenwood, which will help educate and provide the resources necessary to our community to help bridge economic disparities and build generational wealth.”
A new Baltimore Police Department program has been designed to cultivate talent from two nearby HBCUs. Learn more in the story by Nick Fenley at Yahoo News.
To bring about meaningful change, the Baltimore Police Department has developed an internship program to get local HBCU-goers into law enforcement.
This 10-week program’s inaugural cohort will be made up of eight students and recent-graduates from Morgan State University (MSU) and Coppin State University.
#BPD joins the Police Executive Research Forum (@PoliceForum) in announcing the #HBCU Summer Internship Program.
The hope is that these HBCU students will join the police force and help improve the Baltimore Police Department’s relationship with the community it serves.
“If you look at what’s happening to policing all across the country, we’re trying to bring a new group of people into policing. Policing is important to Baltimore, policing is important to the country,” Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, said, according to WBAL.
Wexler ultimately teamed up with Baltimore City Commissioner Michael Harrison to jump-start the program.
“Police departments across the country are facing recruitment issues, retention issues. So, we’re trying to open the eyes of these bright prospective candidates,” Wexler added.
Yasmine Bryant, an MSU student who’s participating in the program, spoke about why she wants to get involved in law enforcement.
“I want to see interactions get better. I want to see better trust because the reality is that our society as a whole, we need order, and we need someone to call when things go awry. I truly believe in what Baltimore could be,” she said.
Bryant added that she enjoys “[b]eing able to meet with some of the top leaders in the criminal justice system and the police department and really gauge their experiences and have really exceptionally intellectual conversations.”
“Honestly, they’re just so fun that, even though we’re working, we’re having such a good time,” she continued.
While this is the program’s first year, Wexler has high hopes for its expansion.
“I’d like to go from, say, 8 students to a sizable number across the country where we encourage bright students who are thinking about what they want to do to make a difference. Involve police departments all across the country. Open the doors of policing to aspiring students and make this a national effort,” he said.
A Fisk University graduate has been elected to lead as chair in a prestigious position. Learn more in the story by staff at The Tennessee Tribune.
The Metro Hospital Authority Board welcomes new board leadership as Nashville General Hospital begins its fiscal year in 2023. Mr. Richard Manson, President of Sourcemark, LLC, and founder of the law firm Manson, Johnson, & Conner, was elected board chair.
“I am privileged to serve as chair of this dedicated and talented group,” said Mr. Manson. “We, as a board, are at a pivotal time, embarking on the possibility of a new Nashville General Hospital that will serve our community and its mission to provide equitable access to patient-centered care. I am honored to serve as chair during these exciting times for the city of Nashville and one of its oldest entities, Nashville General.”
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Manson completed his undergraduate degree at Fisk University, receiving the prestigious international Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University Law School and remains steadfast in fostering his executive leadership skills as a graduate of several advanced executive management programs, including Amos Tuck at Dartmouth School of Business, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Manson was named to the Hospital Authority board by former Mayor Megan Barry in 2017. He served as the Hospital Authority board representative as part of the 2018 Better Health Stakeholder Work Team.
“Having and growing Nashville General Hospital is smart for Nashville and the entire community,” Mr. Manson said. “Everyone should have access to quality patient care close to home and when needed. Access to care reduces a community’s overall healthcare costs and decreases health disparities. An investment in the city hospital is important as we continue attracting corporations and individuals based on Nashville’s commitment to serving all its citizens. I look forward to working with our partner Meharry to create a world-class facility with innovative and advanced medical treatments.”
Mr. Manson is a strong supporter of Nashville General and its leadership; he’s previously stated CEO Dr. Joseph Webb and his team have worked well over the past seven years to expand services and access and increase the number of commercially insured patients utilizing the hospital and Nashville Healthcare specialty services, all while maintaining Baldrige performance excellence standards, as recognized by the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence.
“I practice what I preach,” said Mr. Manson. “I’m not only a board member but also proud to be a patient at Nashville General Hospital. It is time for the residents of Davidson County to realize this hospital provides great care for every patient. We have worked hard to counter the negative messaging previously affecting the hospital by consistently providing high-quality care and improving the patient experience for the patients we serve. We are here to care for all of Nashville.”
Established in 1890 as City Hospital, the area’s original community hospital, Nashville General Hospital provides quality care for more than 58,000 patients annually.
Nashville General is committed to improving the health and wellness of Nashville by providing equitable access to coordinated patient-centered care – including specialty care through the 23 outpatient centers of Nashville Healthcare Center – and training tomorrow’s caregivers.
Founded by the 1619 Project’s Nikole Hannah-Jones, The Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard University has a new lead. Learn more in the story by Sholnn Z. Freeman at The Dig below.
The Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard University has named Kali-Ahset Amen, Ph.D., as its inaugural executive director. Amen will be responsible for operationalizing the vision put forward by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, who is founding the center. The center is set to launch late Fall.
Amen had previously served as managing director of the Billie Holiday Center for the Liberation Arts in Baltimore, where she worked to advance its mission of preserving, documenting and disseminating Black Baltimore’s history and culture. She was also an assistant research professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
The Center for Journalism & Democracy is devoted to bolstering the field of investigative journalism in the service of multiracial democracy. Hannah-Jones, the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at the Cathy Hughes School of Communications, has called attention to the need for historically informed investigative journalism that meets with urgency the threats to our democracy and for broader representation among the nation’s investigative reporters.
Amen will supervise the center’s day-to-day operations and lead its fundraising efforts. She earned a doctorate in sociology from Emory University in 2014. She also holds a Master of Arts in sociology from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in African studies from Columbia University. In addition, she has earned a graduate certificate in museum studies from Harvard University.
“In the year since I announced that I would be creating the Center for Journalism & Democracy, we have engaged in rigorous strategic, branding and launch planning that has tapped into important stakeholders in the field. As we prepare to launch the center later this Fall, I am so excited to announce Dr. Kali-Ahset Amen as the inaugural executive director for the Center for Journalism & Democracy. Launching a center of this ambition is a massive and consuming task, and Dr. Amen brings an ambition, dedication and vision to this work that matches mine. More importantly, Dr. Amen brings critical experience, historical grounding and a passion for the work of equipping generations of journalists with the knowledge and skills to do the urgent journalism our democracy requires. She is brilliant and a force, and the center is very lucky to have her,” Hannah-Jones said.
“Serving as the inaugural executive director is a dream come true for me because I believe deeply that independent Black thought and strong Black institutions are critical to creating the kind of democracy that all Americans want. History has already shown us that when Black voices are lifted in defense of truth and justice, the entire society benefits. African-American journalists, intellectuals and activists of all sorts have bequeathed a legacy of political and moral thinking that must be applied to the progressive transformation of American society. In this vein, we are committed at the center to this work of social change and historical repair through the important medium of investigative reporting,” Amen said.
Hannah-Jones continues to build out her team and has also hired Beverlee Turner as the center’s program manager. Turner, a Howard University alumna, joins the center from the University of Southern California where she served as the associate director for the Marshall School of Business’s Master of Science of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program. Turner comes with a wide range of academic experience.
The center will create and support investigative journalism courses as well as visiting professorships that bring working professionals into the classroom. With the center, Howard University will become one of the few journalism programs nationwide to offer a slate of courses with an investigative focus. The center will also fund investigative reporting courses at other HBCUs, as well as provide financial support for student journalists and student newspapers at historically Black colleges and universities, support journalism faculty, and train students and professional journalists.
The center will also work to promote investigative journalism in service of preserving American democracy and furthering equality and racial justice, and will host democracy summits and other symposia that bring together experts across the field to tackle some of the nation’s most vexing issues.
A former Fayetteville State University student is enjoying a career in entertainment, with a role many can see on the big screen in and near their hometown. Learn more in the story by Akira Kyles at The Fayetteville Observer.
Kasper Washington, 33, originally of Fayetteville stars in the short film, “Amina.” Contributed to The Fayetteville Observer
An actor who grew up in Fayetteville will share the big screen with a feature-length film when their star role in a short film is shown before a major motion picture.
Kasper Washington, 33, who uses they/them pronouns, will star in the short film “Amina” that will be shown prior to screenings of Jordan Peele’s horror/sci-fi film “Nope” in select theaters through Thursday.
“Amina” will be shown at four movie theaters in Fayetteville and the Raleigh area: Millstone 14, 3400 Footbridge Lane, Fayetteville; Paragon Fenton, 21 Fenton Main St., Cary; Parkside Town Commons Stadium, 1140 Parkside Main St., Cary; and Park West, 3400 Village Market Place, Morrisville. The short film can also be seen online at jobschangeus.com.
Washington developed a love for the performing arts while following in their parents’ footsteps. Washington’s parent took part in a production of “The Wiz” together and used to travel with the North Carolina opera.
Washington’s father, who died when Washington was 20, was a music educator in Charlotte.
Washington said their parents were always supportive as they and their brothers were figuring out what they wanted to do.
“My parents were never pushy about it,” they said. “They always let us find our way through it. I would also say that they’ve been very encouraging once we decided to take our own path.”
As a child, Washington spent about 10 years performing in Cape Fear Regional Theatre productions often led by professionals
“So, even though I was tucked away in Fayetteville, North Carolina, I got to work with people who had been on Broadway or people who were former Miss Americas, or people I would go on to run into and still see in my theater community here in Los Angeles,” Washington said.
The camaraderie within the theater community is something Washington said they gained while at Cape Fear Regional Theatre.
“I think being able to go and feel like I was around people that were interested in the same things as me, that really cared about you and took care of you, it became like a close-knit family there,” they said. “I still have lots of those friends to this day.”
Initially, Washington aspired to be a dentist and completed about a year at Fayetteville State University.
Washington then moved to Los Angeles in 2008 to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. After completing a two-year program there, Washington landed regular on-stage performances.
“I’ve been really fortunate to be working for the past 15 years,” they said. “I feel like LA has been a pretty easy journey for me as far as my career is concerned. It hasn’t been without its challenges but fine for me.”
Starring in ‘Amina’
Washington recently started to make the transition from stage to film and television, making “Amina” their film debut.
The short film depicts a former astronaut, Noa, haunted by the loss of her partner, Amina, another astronaut, as she struggles to connect with her unborn child.
Washington plays the role of Amina in the short film. Originally, Washington was called in for the role of Noa after auditioning in March, but they still wanted to remain with the film after being cast as Amina.
“I had to be choosing sessions with the casting director, and it was then that they shared with me that the story about grief and about loss and about love that transcends space and time,” Washington said. “The writer and director, she wrote this story to kind of help process the grief of losing her father. I had recently been revisiting feelings of loss for my father, so this really resonated with me.”
The short film, written and directed by Shanrica Evans, debuted at the New York’s Tribeca Film Festival, which is the last time Washington thought it would be screened. That all changed once they found out it would be shown before select screenings of “Nope.”
“I’ve been looking forward, first of all, to seeing ‘Nope,'” Washington said. “I got to see it this past weekend. It was really good, but never did I think that I would get the opportunity to see myself on the big screen again.”
