Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green has become the first person to successfully cure cancer in mice using laser-activated nanoparticles, according to Black Culture News.
Unlike traditional cancer treatments, Green’s revolutionary and unique nanoparticle technology, which was found to successfully cure cancer after testing on mice within 15 days, does not require chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. Green received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to expand her nanoparticle cancer treatment research.
Green’s interest in cancer treatment stems from witnessing the death of her aunt, Ora Lee, who suffered from cancer, and her uncle, General Lee Smith, who also was diagnosed with cancer and experienced the negative side effects of chemotherapy treatment.
Green is, not surprisingly, highly educated. In her pursuit to fight cancer she obtained her bachelor’s degree in physics and optics from Alabama A&M University and later earned her master of science in physics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, both of which she received full scholarships for. After earning her degrees, she transitioned to the Comprehensive Cancer Center for five years and the Department of Pathology for one year, according to afrotech.com.
Currently, Green’s Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation, the nonprofit she founded in memory of her aunt, is continuing to fight cancer using laser-activated nanoparticles and focusing on its mission to make cancer treatment accessible, affordable, and effective. She devotes time to helping young black students as well.
Strides in cancer treatments/cures are very important. According to the American Cancer Society, in the U.S. alone, an estimated 606,520 people will die from cancer in 2020. This equates to 1,660 people dying of cancer each day in 2020. Approximately 69% of people diagnosed with cancer between the years 2009 and 2015 were alive five years after their diagnosis. This is higher than people who were diagnosed with cancer between the years 1975 and 1977. Between these years, 49 out of 100 people, or 49%, were alive five years later.
This post was written by Cedric Roland Michel, a writer at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. It is published here with permission.
Renewed attention is being directed to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), the slightly more than 100 public and private institutions of higher education established primarily for the purpose of serving the African American community.
The Higher Education Act of 1965 defines an HBCU as: “…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.”
HBCUs have long been a key source of access to postsecondary education, and not only for black students. They also have served a significant proportion of first-generation students and those from low-income families who struggle to afford college—a growing segment of students in the United States.
According to the American Council on Education, HBCUs represent just 3% of two-year and four-year public and private nonprofit institutions taking part in federal student financial aid programs, but they award 17% of all bachelor’s degrees earned by black students. With an overall enrollment of about 300,000 students, HBCUs also play a major role in graduating black students with bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields.
HBCUs have been battling strong headwinds. They are chronically underfunded compared to other public institutions. Their endowments are smaller than most private schools. And like many institutions, they are grappling with declining enrollments, although because the typical HBCU is relatively small, they often have little cushion to absorb decreased tuition revenue.
Nonetheless, the past couple of years have seen signs that HBCUs are beginning to receive the attention and respect they deserve from policy makers, and that focus is intensifying as we come closer to the national elections. One indication of this renaissance is the extent to which elected officials and candidates for the Presidency have drafted specific proposals for advancing HBCUs.
In 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing “The White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black College and Universities.” That action appears to have been mostly symbolic, moving the White House Initiative on HBCUs from the Department of Education to the White House from the Department of Education and designating a senior official to oversee the initiative.
Last December Trump signed the Future Act, a rare triumph of congressional bipartisanship that permanently provides more than $250 million a year to the nation’s HBCUs along with many other institutions serving large numbers of minority students. The bill restored the $255 million in annual funding that had lapsed earlier in the year. In addition to $85 million a year for HBCUs, it authorized $100 million for Hispanic-serving institutions, $30 million for tribal schools and $40 million for other minority-serving institutions. Lawmakers also added an amendment that simplifies the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
Each of the six leading candidates for the Democratic nomination for President has proposed investing more money in HBCUs along with plans for bolstering their mission.
The objective of the event was to expose Homestead students to the vast academic and athletic opportunities offered by institutions created to meet the higher education demands of African Americans, prior to the Civil Rights Act.
For a century following the abolishment of slavery in United States (in 1865), African Americans in the southern states were denied admission to postsecondary institutions for their education.
Similarly, several universities across the country adopted quota policies which restricted the enrollment number of Blacks to their institutions. Thus, colleges and universities created for students of African descent were founded to educate subsequent generations of black intellectuals and professionals of color.
Currently, there are over 100 HBCUs across the continental U.S. and Caribbean islands between the private and public sectors of education.
The college fair featured on-site admission and scholarship opportunities for qualified students to attend some of our nation’s top HBCUs.
Attendees received a Passport for Success which contained suggested questions for college admission officers, answered general questions on securing financial aid, and provide a comprehensive list of participating schools.
Students who visited all the suggested stops to college admission were eligible to participate in raffles for cash prizes, gift cards to local attractions, or college survival guide publication. By the fair’s completion, we were able to serve 1,000 students and award 60 college acceptance letters with scholarship offers during the event.
Several waves of over 300 students pack Homestead High’s gymnasium to attend HBCU Fair.
Participating HBCU’s
Thank you to the HBCU partners in attendance for helping to ensure the college fair’s success: Howard University, Philander Smith College, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Shaw University, North Carolina Central University, Florida Memorial University, Morehouse College, Grambling State University, and Tennessee State University. Tougaloo College, Fort Valley State University, Albany State University, Savannah State University, Hampton University, University of Maryland- Eastern Shore, Benedict College, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina A&T University, Alabama State University, and Talladega College also provided collateral materials to support the activity.
The program helped to initiate a newly forged agreement between Homestead High School and its 30 HBCU Partners to recruit students from the area and offer them sufficient support and financial resources to attend their respective universities.
For the past 18 years, since my retirement as a superintendent of schools and college president, I worship on a rotating basis at five different churches in Daytona Beach (Fla.) for my community involvement.
I was baptized in 1953 at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn. God has been my spiritual guiding force daily. As a public servant, community leader and career educator, my life’s work has been to serve, to give, to support and to mentor our young people.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Sunday is still the most segregated day of the week. We African Americans were forced to create our own religious institutions and our Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) because Whites refused to accept or allow Blacks to attend their churches and colleges.
Hundreds of years later, I ask the question, “What happened to our Black churches and HBCUs?”
My generation gave up most of the gains, sacrifices and struggles that our ancestors made to educate us and gave us a place to worship and to be liberated and educated as human beings.
In the past, many Black churches and HBCUs were open seven days a week. This was when they were a viable part of the daily life of the Black community. Today, many Black churches are only open three or four days a week. Our HBCUs close their doors on Friday and open back up on Monday.
There is a huge disconnect between my generation and two to three generations of young people. As a result, the survival of our Black churches and HBCUs is at a crisis stage. African Americans have retrogressed on every front: education, religion, politics, economics; not respecting our elders, not knowing and appreciating our history.
SPELMAN COLLEGE — Spelman College, in partnership with Columbia Theological Seminary and the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, will host the Beyoncé Mass at 7 p.m., March 2, in Sisters Chapel.
Created and curated by Rev. Yolanda Norton, H. Eugene Farlough Chair of Black church studies and assistant professor of Hebrew Bible at San Francisco Theological Seminary, the Beyoncé Mass uses music from the Grammy-winning songstress to cultivate an empowering conversation about Black women.
“We’re honored to host the Beyoncé Mass. This event is a natural extension of what we stand for in Sisters Chapel, as the spiritual center of Spelman College,” said the Rev. Neichelle Guidry, Ph.D., dean of Sisters Chapel and director of the Women in Spiritual Discernment of Ministry Center. “In my role as dean, I recognize that a creative womanist approach to spirituality is necessary to sustain Black women.”
The Mass serves as the kickoff to Sisters Chapel’s Women’s Herstory Month.
“During
the month of March, we will honor the transformative contributions of
Black women to the world, particularly in the forms of liberating
spiritualties and theological conviction,” shared Dr. Guidry. “In so
doing, we will continue to position Spelman as a beacon, not only of the
mental development of Black women, but also for the nourishment of
their souls and their hearts.”
The inaugural Beyoncé Mass, held in April 2018 at San Francisco’s
historic Grace Cathedral, drew roughly 1,000 people. Since then, the
worship service has traveled across the globe to major cities, including
Los Angeles, New York City and Lisbon, Portugal.
“Beyoncé Mass, as a Christian worship experience that is open to all, is
not a ceremony deifying Beyoncé,” said Rev. Norton. “Our hope is to
glorify God, tell Black women’s stories, and give people healing space
to see how they are included in the divine narrative.”
The liturgy of Beyoncé Mass includes music from the artist’s vast discography, readings from womanist scholars and prominent Black female leaders, and a sermon from Rev. Norton.
“We, at Columbia Theological Seminary, are excited to partner with Rev. Norton and Spelman College to bring the Beyoncé Mass to Atlanta,” said the Rev. Brandon Maxwell, vice president of Student Affairs and Community Life at Columbia Theological. “It is a unique time at the seminary. We have the privilege of having four womanist scholars on our faculty across biblical studies, theology and ethics, and practical theology. It has really created a lively conversation among our students and in the community more broadly. We see this partnership as congruent with our deep commitment to 21st century church and liberation theology.”
The event is free and open to the public. Space is limited. To register visit here.
This press release was originally shared via Spelman College.
Welcome to the “First Ever Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) All-Star Game Experience” featuring our talented and hard-working men’s basketball student-athletes from the NCAA Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) & Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Tennessee State & Hampton University and NCAA Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) & Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)” at Morehouse College Forbes Arena on Friday, April 3rd in Atlanta, GA!
“The First Ever HBCU All-Star Game Experience” will be “THE GAME CHANGER NEEDED” and a great opportunity to showcase the best and brightest student-athletes and coaches in “Black College Basketball” on a national platform…a sport that we truly love…our African-American male student-athletes have dominated this “GREAT” game of basketball throughout the years, and have proved to be the very best on all levels across the country…around the world!
Atlanta…The City Too Busy Too Hate, HBCU alumni, fans, supporters, key stake-holders, Greek Organizations, All-Star Game Experience staff and volunteers, local business, sports, civic, and community leaders, NABC, NCAA & NAIA coaches, university colleagues, conference commissioners, and athletic administrators in the “Historically Black Colleges & Universities are truly looking forward to hosting the “First Ever HBCU All-Star Game Experience in Atlanta”.
The time is “NOW” to help us celebrate the “Proud and Rich History” of our “HBCU’s in the great city of Atlanta…the BLACK MECCA. “The HBCU All-Star Players” will be provided great exposure opportunities in front of NBA and G-league executives, scouts, coaches, personnel, as well as international teams, coaches, and scouts from around the world visiting Atlanta for College Basketball Biggest Game. This will be a “BIG-TIME” event for the City of Atlanta, HBCU’s in the metropolitan area of Atlanta University Center (AUC), across the state of Georgia, and HBCU’s nationally with the MEAC, SWAC, SIAC, CIAA schools, conference offices and commissioners, Director of Athletics, Athletic, Administration, students, fans, alumni, boosters, key-stake-holders, loyal and local HBCU community, business partners, and sponsors.
This is going to be an amazing, impactful, and life-changing moment for all of our ambitious HBCU student-athletes and brilliant coaches. What a “BIG-TIME EVENT FOR ATLANTA & THE WESTSIDE COMMUNITIES”. We will have media day, welcome reception, college admission fair, awards ceremony, legendary coaches & players’ recognition, pre-game “Battle of the Bands, Cheerleading & Dance Competitions, pre-game Fraternity & Sorority step-show, live music & DJ, food trucks and kids interactive play areas, face-painting, concessions, food trucks, HBCU merchandise, vendors, and special celebrity guests.
It’s very important to come out and show your HBCU pride with family, friends, and make an investment in these young men for “The First Ever HBCU All-Star Game Experience” celebrating “THE BEST IN BLACK COLLEGE BASKETBALL”. Your attendance, ticket purchase, donation, and sponsorship will help bring positive change and much-needed support for this worthy cause featuring the top HBCU student-athletes & coaches from across the country.
HBCU family, we all know that historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, have a lot of rich history and these institutions graduate a significant amount of black professionals across many fields like lawyers, doctors, engineering and entertainment.
On the surface, you would think that HBCUs do a great job at recording important events throughout the decades and have it archived, making it possible for those after us to witness a legacy that can never be undone. But that is not the case with many black colleges.
“I know we made recordings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Stokely Carmichael, James Farmer, Roy Wilkins, Ralph Abernathy and many others,” read Jocelyn Robinson from an email she had gotten from a school in North Carolina. “The library has since moved to a newer facility, and I don’t know if those tapes made the transition or if they were thrown away.”
Robinson revealed this fact during an interview with NPR where she spoke in regards to the email response she had received from the school. She is on a year-long project to find out if HBCUs have any recording and whether [or not] they have been properly achieved on campus in libraries.
NPR’s Sophia Alvarez Boyd said “Preservation is time-consuming and costly work. And HBCUs tend to have limited funding and much smaller endowments than non-HBCUs. In some places, Robinson has seen cassette tapes and floppy disks thrown into unlabeled boxes or bags, reel-to-reel tape that’s past repair. At one school, she says, there wasn’t anything saved from over 40 years of broadcasting. So Robinson is trying to get more schools at least thinking about preserving what they’ve got.”
Robinson responded, “I’ve come to find that very few radio stations have a relationship at all with the archivist on their campus.”
Bowie State University, an HBCU in Maryland, opened its new food pantry where students can shop for food for free. The food pantry and nutrition lounge was made possible through a new partnership with Capital Area Food Bank and Food Lion. The Food Lion Feeds program donated $10,000 to Maryland’s first HBCU to launch the pantry, according to WJLA. Students will be able to grab food items for free and Capital Area Food Bank will ensure that the pantry stays stocked. The university stated that many of its students only eat one meal per day, so having a food pantry with fresh produce will allow them to get a healthy alternative whenever they want one. The food pantry also includes a lounge with sofas and a television.
“When we talked about this concept with Food Lion we really wanted to attack the stigma and breakdown the stigma of people feeling like they didn’t want to come and get food because of the thought that there is something wrong with suffering from food insecurity,” Brent Swinton, Bowie State vice president for Institutional Advancement said in a statement sent to WJLA. “That’s a growing trend across the country and colleges are attacking that and Bowie State University is at the cutting edge. So we want people to feel welcome, to come in and realize that this is all about making sure nutrition is available so our students can achieve in the classroom.”
The stigma that college students mostly eat frozen pizza and ramen noodles stems from the fact that paying for food could be very costly. The average cost for an 8-month meal plan for an undergrad is roughly $4,500, although this number can vary greatly depending upon the school, according to edmit.me. An individual college-aged student will spend approximately $163–$367 monthly, according to a report. BSU started a great initiative and Swinton said this is just the beginning. He hopes to eventually stock the lounge with free toiletries for students, as well as food
Many college athletes want to make it to the NFL, but a few younger athletes in Texas, remind them that they have already achieved something great — playing at the collegiate level for a historically black college or university… which is indeed, an honor.
Jerry Rice… Michael Strahan… Douglass McNeil III… and most recently, a 2019 South Carolina State University graduate, Alex Brown, are all shining examples of how you can have an amazing black college experience then matriculate to the National Football League to have a successful career.
Tennessee State University, FAMU, North Carolina A&T State University, PVAMU, Alcorn State University, and Mississippi Valley State University, you have some new fans!
A team of young Texas football players in the Battle National Youth Sports League have decided to trade in their typical team jerseys, and rock the jerseys of some black college sports teams. How cute are they!
Texas youth football teams wearing HBCU Uniforms for the season. Now that's lit🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥….. pic.twitter.com/60gRakd0qU
This type of exposure for HBCU sports teams is paramount, as the conversation about more athletes attending black colleges grows. You CAN attend an HBCU and be well-prepared to play for the NFL.
“Maybe by our efforts, we can bring the school back together because in order to go forward in life, we believe that you have to know about your past first. We wouldn’t mind if Coppin State set a trend for HBCUs with this project because this is dope!” that is what TCR said, regarding current Coppin State University students recreating a photo from back in the day to honor former students.
TSR Black History: The pride at HBCUs runs decades deep. During this Black History Month, a group of current students from Coppin State University in Baltimore decided to pay tribute to their alumni by recreating vintage pictures from the 70s.
The decades-old photos were recently found on campus, according to The Coppin Room. The group named the series, Coppin Flash Forward.
It was important for students to honor the school’s rich history because they noticed a gap between the school’s alumni and current students. Then a student named Starr had the idea to recreate the historic photos to display the past and present life of their university.
Throughout history there have been some remarkable black people who have left their mark on the world, be it Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King, boxing legend Muhammad Ali or Maya Angelou and her various achievements. They have, without a doubt, left a legacy behind.
In today’s world, many of us look to various influencers from the African American community for inspiration and the like. These influencers certainly can’t be compared to legendary figures in the form of Ali and Angelou, but they do influence the community in a positive light. Their views and opinions tend to hold some weight too, especially if they have such a large following behind them.
The types of influencers can range from models – who tend to promote various products or give fashion tips, to athletes – who spread the word about healthy living and share various views around that, to gamers – who stream live gaming sessions, push various games from the likes of Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare to casino creations such as a 3D roulette game online, or give advice on certain levels gamers can’t crack. There’s plenty more to it than that, though, as the influencer world continues to grow and the variety of messages out there expands with it.
With African American influencers rising to prominence, we thought we’d go through some of the most influential figures around today who continue to fly the black flag high.
Issa Rae
An African American influencer behind the popular comedy show on HBO “Insecure”, Issa Rae has a band of loyal followers who keep up to date with her career developments and her comical creations. Her web-based comedy series, “Awkward Black Girl”, is another huge hit as she continues to make people laugh.
LeBron James
Basketball player LeBron James is a household name, so his inclusion probably comes as no surprise, but he does a lot more than just playing ball. James was good friends with the iconic Kobe Bryant, and he uses his social media profile to create awareness around certain issues and raise money for several charities he supports. He also shares inspirational quotes, much like his buddy Kobe did too. LeBron James is one of the top African American influencers; that’s for sure.
King Bach
An actor and director, King Bach rose to fame after drumming up huge interest on Vine. Since then, he’s gone on to acquire just over 19 million followers on Instagram and entertain people for hours on end.
Coco Cozy
Coco Cozy is one of Forbes’ top 10 home design influencers for 2017, with the decor and lifestyle blogger sharing excellent tips to improve your home. Incredibly active on both Instagram and Twitter, Coco Cozy is well worth a follow if you need some interior design inspiration.
Angela Davis/The Kitchenista
Everyone likes food, right? Well, Angela Davis is clearly fully aware of this and has left people salivating at her various recipes over the years. A self-taught cook, Davis turned what essentially was a hobby into a thriving business. With just over 117,000 followers on Twitter, she’s done pretty damn well for herself.
Kitty Cash
A hugely popular DJ in and around New York, Kitty Cash keeps her followers up to date on her various shows in some of America’s top clubs, while also sharing setlists and tracks so her fans can stay in the know.
Jessamyn Stanley
People can find Yoga daunting, but Jessamyn Stanley aims to put the stereotypical image of someone who does yoga to rest by making it fun and inclusive for all. She’s also an advocate of body positivity.
Social media maven Karen Civil will host Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer College Town Hall at historically black Claflin University in South Carolina.
Hip-hop social-media maven Karen Civil is headed to the ‘First in the South’ state to vote to speak with college students on behalf of presidential candidate Tom Steyer. Civil will host the Tom Steyer #HBCU2030 College Town Hall on the campus of Claflin University. Highlighting Steyer’s commitment to creating pathways of opportunity for African American students, Civil will lead an empowering discussion on the tools needed for unlocking your potential and living on purpose. The conversation will also address increasing access to higher education for black students, college affordability, the student loan debt crisis, and HBCU innovation.
Civil’s voice has been influential at impacting views and perceptions in the political arena. She served as a guest speaker for President Obama’s ‘Champions of Change’ event honoring young women and worked with Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential run.
“It is important to build a space where students can gather to talk about the pressing issues of today and tomorrow and see the role that they have to play in those issues,” Civil said in regards to hosting the college town hall event. “Education should be a right for all Americans. Also, as we celebrate Black History Month, I believe it is equally important to honor the legacy and contributions of our ancestors who fought for this civil liberty.”
“As the old saying goes, ‘It takes a village.’ I am thrilled to have Karen lead this empowering discussion and join the village we are creating of students, entrepreneurs, teachers, and legislators who are advocating for educational opportunity and equality,” said Steyer. “Karen’s life story is one that reflects the kind of America that I am committed to building. As we move Gen Z forward, It’s going to take a genuine spirit of humanity and hustle to transform the world and empower our youth to achieve what can sometimes feel impossible.”
In December, we received word about Footaction’s exclusive HBCU competition in partnership with black-owned design academies FAAS and PENSOLE. We traveled to Portland, Oregon, to get a behind-the-scenes look at the program as five HBCU students worked diligently to learn about and create functional apparel as a part of the NO 1 Way Design Program under the tutelage of fashion industry veterans Angela Medlin and D’Wayne Edwards.
There, we met five brilliant designers Brianna Thomas of Dillard University; Chakierrah Stinson of Tuskegee University; Le’Nora Gray, Nachae Davis, and Sharonda Richardson who are students and graduates of Clark Atlanta University.
The NO 1 Way Design Program challenge was to design functional apparel for the chance to win cash prizes, the opportunity to have their designs showcased at New York Fashion Week in February 2020, and the opportunity to have their designs sold at Footaction stores nationwide and online.
For Footaction, the NO 1 Way Design Program is a way to position students who might not typically have access to the fashion and design industries.
A MOMENT IN TIME
Some designers work their entire careers without being able to ever see their creations worn on the runway during New York Fashion Week. That truth is pervasive for black designers who often don’t have access to the prestigious design schools or mentors and sponsors within the fashion industry.
“They (the student designers) took a chance in joining the competition, stepping out of their comfort zone, sticking it out through the competition, and the class which is pretty intense. And they learned so much about themselves and how the industry really works,” says Medlin.
And if you ask her, she will tell you that FAAS and PENSOLE are two of the industry’s best-kept secrets.
“I tell them (the students) all the time that they skipped the line! There are people who wait a decade to get to Fashion Week and be on the runway, or to have their own show, or to get the exposure that they’ve gotten. But they put their heart into this. They’ve really worked hard to get to this. They didn’t take anything for granted. They realize this is one of the closest programs they will ever get to the industry, says Medlin.
With all of the excitement in the room, Medlin said that she felt like a proud parent!
“I feel like I just gave birth to five phenomenal designers who are going to take it to the next level. I couldn’t be happier!”
AND THE WINNERS ARE…
Each of the contestants won big given their experience within the program and the level of exposure they received.
During the presentation, Footaction announced Nachae Davis, as the first place winner of the NO 1 Way Design Program, as part of Style360’s Fall/Winter 2020 New York Fashion Week event. Davis was awarded $15,000 and a retail launch in select Footaction stores and online at Footaction.com beginning in Fall 2020.
Second place winner, Chakierrah Stinson and third place winner Brianna Thomas were awarded $10,000 and $5,000, respectively.
For Davis, winning first place was beyond rewarding.
“Honestly, it feels so surreal that my work is being appreciated. I’ve been designing for a while—and to finally have something that other people believe in is truly unbelievable!”
The Footaction team shared what made Davis’ designs the grand-prize winner, “With a focus on athleisure dressing, Nachae’s designs are on-trend, sustainable and inclusive [and] made for real women of all shapes and sizes. Her unique design solutions include body control functionality in the pants and versatility/personalization of styles in the jackets which help mold to each women’s unique body type.”
Davis is grateful for the NO 1 Way Design Program and FAAS.
“My time at the Functional Apparel and Accessories Studio was truly eye-opening. I came into this competition not really knowing what to expect. And thanks to Miss Angela, I came out of it with [a level of] education that I didn’t have prior. I learned so much throughout this competition and I’m taking more away from this than I could have ever hoped for,” said Davis.
And to other young black designers, she offers this advice, “Take a leap of faith and step out on faith. You may not know what the outcome may be, but, when you’re in a situation where you have everything to gain—be open and take a risk. I never applied to a competition before, and here I am. I can’t believe I won!”
But, she did.
In the next five years, Medlin plans to create access for underrepresented designers into the fashion industry and build FAAS.
This post was written by Lydia Blanco, a writer at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. It is published here with permission.
In a town used to inauguration days, the dawn of a new beginning for professional football’s attempt at a spring league kicked off at Audi Field. Unlike the predecessors in the NFL, who 100 years ago wouldn’t consider Black players as their fledgling league started, the D.C. Defenders opened the second incarnation of the XFL by fielding a team where from the sidelines to the quarterback position the stereotypes that plague the senior circuit were put to rest in the nation’s capital, as former local HBCU players were in the center of the action.
The Defenders marched onto the field with a head coach and starting quarterback that are African American which was inconceivable just over a quarter century ago. Demographics of the moment had no significance on the game’s outcome, but it was an irony that couldn’t be underscored. It was magnified even more since their head coach was a former quarterback at the signature HBCU of the city at the close of the first week of Black History Month. The game’s biggest play was also made by a former CIAA star from Maryland’s oldest HBCU.
D.C. beat the Seattle Dragons 31-19 six days after Super Bowl 54 was won by the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who joined local legend Doug Williams as the only Black quarterbacks to lead their team’s NFL world championships. Defenders head coach Pep Hamilton was an understudy for Maryland State Delegate Jay Walker in 1993 when Howard University won its first Black College national championship. The team he built from scratch and the fruits of his labor came together on a crystal clear football day in Southeast, D.C.
The NFL recently announced that it will conduct its Combine Series from March 27-29, featuring the Regional Combine Invitational (RCI) and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCU, Combine, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Rapoport was the first to report the news:
The NFL announced that it will conduct its Combine Series from March 27-29, featuring the Regional Combine Invitational and Universities (HBCU) Combine. Details 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/j4EvlBIyv3
According to Rapoport, the RCI and the HBCU Combine will provide an evaluation opportunity and exposure for Draft-eligible athletes with no remaining eligibility who were not invited to the National Invitational Combine (NIC).
This event will also highlight some stars from black colleges who probably had not played on a national stage, which is great news for HBCU student-athletes everywhere!
Brittani and Jared dated in high school and in college where they both attended Howard University.
Since 2012, they studied, pledged Kappa Alpha Psi & Delta Sigma Theta and grew together and now their love story will continue forever. Congratulations to the future McCains.
