Morgan State Stylish Buzz Of The Week: Aubrey Johnson

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On the campus of Morgan State University walks a stylish young man driven to enhance the world through his passion of architecture. Aubrey Johnson, who attends Morgan, where he studies Architecture and is a native of Philadelphia, describes his style as simple and versatile.

“I just find ways to tweak it for myself.”

His brother, Austin Johnson, noted that Aubrey stirs away from following others, saying “I think that Aubrey’s style isn’t one that follows trends.”

“I would describe his style as being balanced between professional and comfortable,” Marcus Coates said.

Johnson was also the face of A.B.C Modeling Inc. for the academic school year of 2014-2015.

“I go by a memorable quote from my brother William Graves: “Improvisation is just a part of life.” Johnson said.

“I think Aubrey is constantly working to improve in all areas of life, style just happens to be one of them,” JaNee Keyes said.

When asked who he gains fashion inspiration from, Aubrey quickly responded his big brother, Austin, adding “I just find ways to tweak it for myself.” You can keep up with Aubrey Johnson on Instagram.

North Carolina Central Stylish Buzz Of The Week: Jessica Watson

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It is a fact proven that North Carolina Central University students fly high in numerous aspects of life. They also are fly with style. Meet Jessica Watson, who is a NCCU student, where she studies Psychology and hails from Winston-Salem.

She describes her style as preeminent.

Whatever you wear, just make sure you wear it with confidence.

“What I like most about Jessica’s fashion is that “IT” is her own. She doesn’t try to copy what’s already out there, she creates ‘IT’,” Watson’s mother Lisa Lawson said. Her father, Phillip Watson, added that she “comes strong and hard.”

Watson says that she likes to switch it up to sweat pants, a baseball cap, and smart sneakers on a relaxed day (add: a grill) followed by a day for a warm fur coat and 5-inch heels. That’s a week of drastic changes for sure.

“We never know what ‘Jessica’ we’re going to see her in the next day. She always keeps us guessing,” her college friend Myles Alston said.

Watson said that her favorite quote is “You can never be overdressed” adding that it reminds her to explore different styles.

Watson is a member of the Student Government Association, Eagle Ambassador to potential students, Eagle Expert for student mentoring, a member of the University Honors Program in which she serves as Miss University Honors Program 2016-2017, and a recipient of the Eagle Scholarship which serves as a full academic scholarship is all under her belt only being a sophomore.

Working with the company Aldo Shoe Store when she has time grants her the opportunity to help those who need advice on shoes. It also expands her fashion sense while exposing her to a lot of different styles and cultures.

Some think that Watson spends a fortune on clothing, but that’s not the case. “She mixes pieces from various prices ranges and makes them look high end,” her aunt Angela Hubbard said.

“Whatever you wear, just make sure you wear it with confidence,” Watson said.

“When I shop with her, she may show me an item and I’m thinking “What in the world will she do with that?”, then when we get home and she does her fashion show for me it ends up just working for her. It’s truly amazing,” Lawson said.

You can keep up with Watson on Instagram @ Youngblvckgoddess

Bowie State University To Host ‘National Day Of Action Rally’

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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Bowie State University has been named the location for a “National Day of Action Rally,” according to the university.

The university reported Sunday that the campus will welcome Maryland Democratic leaders to campus to support the Affordable Care Act at the BSU Student Center, doors are set to open at 1:30 pm.

Chris Van Hollen and other community activists and leaders including County Executives Rushern Baker and Ike Leggett, Representatives Steny Hoyer, Anthony Brown, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, John Delaney and others are expected to be in attendance.

Bowie State University is the oldest HBCU in Maryland.

Where Are They Now? HBCU Kings And Queens Edition: Miss Savannah State University Joi Zieh

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Joi Zieh, Miss Savannah State University 2015-2016, thought she had life planned all out for after graduation. Boy, was she wrong. But she keeps going.

Serving as the 77th queen for the university placed Zieh in a goldmine of networking and exposure to different groups of people. “I’m so so proud to see how she made history by breaking down barriers in being the first Liberian born to become queen of Savannah State University,” her brother Bill Zieh said. This is what life after graduation was suppose to look like.

Graduation took place in the spring of 2016. That upcoming fall was the beginning of law school and the start of a new chapter resulted in moving to a new state for new experiences. This ultimate dream was brutally disrupted when life brought forth a storm of terrifying no’s. Not being able to take the LSAT exam when expected, meant that law school ceased to exist for the anticipated time frame. It took Zieh time to comprehend life because in her mind, she least expected life to gear towards an unknown track.

Life evolved from having a simple red, yellow, and green stop light to a four way stop with a blinking red light not knowing when and where to turn. Dealing with what life dealt, she used the time to study harder for the LSAT. Time for rejuvenation knocked peacefully and Zieh used time wisely to look for an internship for the spring of 2017. Life was aliening itself  swiftly and the ball seemed to be rolling with no problems. An acceptance came Zieh’s way when the Congressional Black Caucus Pathways to C-Suite Internship Program decided that she was a great fit.

As the time approached to move on the ball suddenly stopped rolling. Out of nowhere the company that Zieh was set to intern for swiftly decided at the last minute to cancel their internship program. Zieh began to spend more time with God in the midst of all the shut doors. “Her growth in God is beyond amazing. Watching her stay focus on God through all the good times and the bad times its unbelievable,” Bill Zieh said.

The most unpredictable spin happened once her HBCU love, Laurentiis Gaines, proposed to her in front of a large crowd after his graduation this past December. “Never did I think that I would be engaged and planning a wedding fresh out of college,” Zieh said. While some experiences in life come on a later date than expected, others come earlier than projected. One of the biggest lessons so far for Zieh is the attest to the plans of God not being on the time frame of ours resulting in personal acceptance of adjusting to the unwanted while still striving for dreams.

Zieh stated that she wish that she could have taken the time to prepare for random no’s and what if’s her senior year.  “If there was one thing that I would have done better, it would be planning for the “no’s” that come with life,” Zieh said. “It was hard going from being the official face of an entire university to having to scramble through the toughness of reality.” The milestone of taking the LSAT is now completed and preparing for law school once again begins. You can now catch Zieh working as a paralegal at an Atlanta Law Firm. While preparing for law school for fall 2017 she is working to gain experience in the legal field along with planning for her wedding.

When life gave lemons, Zieh learned to make new juices instead of regular lemonade. “I have noticed much growth from Joi in the area of self esteem. Though she carried herself well prior to graduating, I sense a level poise that was seldom seen before,” her mentor Randolph Samuel said. The reason the ambition never dies is because her experiences in college prepared her for bumps in the road.

The HBCU experience gave the opportunity to learn the importance of being an African American and a women in the real world. The HBCU leadership experiences granted a platform to expand speaking and presentation skills. “Her desire to work for her community and persistence to achieve her goals shows that she will work her hardest to be that guiding light for those she serves,” her fiance Laurentiis Gaines Jr. said.

Take a look at the gallery below to watch Joi’s college experience unfold up until life now.

HBCU Grad Bishop Eddie Long Dies Of Cancer At Age 63

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New Birth Missionary Baptist Pastor Eddie Long died in Atlanta on Sunday. He was 63.

Long, who attended North Carolina Central University, where he studied Business Administration and graduated in 1977, passed away from an “aggressive form of cancer,” according to a New Birth statement confirming his death.

“New Birth Missionary Baptist Church celebrates the life and legacy of Bishop Eddie L. Long who is now spiritually healed and home with the Lord,” the statement read. “Bishop Long, Senior Pastor of New Birth, transitioned from this life early Sunday morning after a gallant private fight with an aggressive form of cancer. As a man of God with unyielding faith, Bishop Long maintained his commitment to our Heavenly Father as he proclaimed that cancer would not kill his faith nor his spirit.”

“I am confident through my belief in God that my husband is now resting in a better place,” First Lady Elder Vanessa Long, Bishop Long’s wife of 27 years offered. “Although his transition leaves a void for those of us who loved him dearly, we can celebrate and be happy for him, knowing he’s at peace.”

Long took over as the senior pastor of the Georgia megachurch in 1987 and served in that position until his death in 2017.

Long had been fielding concerns about his health in recent years. The pastor once stated that he was recovering from a health challenge and he had hoped to get better soon.

Tributes quickly poured in for Long from friends and church members:

Check out Long’s “Going Through The Door” below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iJzCxagD5E

TSU School Of Public Affairs Receives Multi-Million Dollar Kellogg Grant

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HOUSTON — The Barbara Jordan – Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University (TSU) was recently awarded a $3.3 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The grant will expand The HBCU Gulf Coast Equity Consortium, a collaborative project involving Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) formed to address health equity, social inequality and the vulnerability of children and families in the Gulf Coast.

Texas Southern University President Dr. Austin A. Lane said, “We are elated that the Kellogg Foundation has recognized the necessity of this critical research cooperative to improve the lives of people living in the region. It is in line with TSU’s mission as a special-purpose institution dedicated to urban programming, and highlights the academic depth and strength of our talented faculty member and researcher Dr. Robert Bullard and the entire HBCU consortium team.”

Dr. Robert Bullard, a distinguished professor in TSU’s School of Public Affairs, and Dr. Beverly Wright of the Dillard University Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, served as the grant’s co-principal investigators.

“We are excited that the Kellogg Foundation grant allows us to expand our HBCU community-university equity network to address health and environmental issues in the Gulf Coast region using an equity and racial justice lens,” Dr. Bullard said. “Collectively, our HBCUs are in a unique position to build partnerships and implement a ‘southern initiative’ to address equity challenges that are unique to the South given our region’s history and legacy.”

“It is our goal to improve the quality of life for families and children in environmental justice communities through research, data collection, community training and advocacy,” Dr. Wright said. “This generous grant from the Kellogg Foundation gives us the opportunity to do this work.”

The project will focus on addressing social inequality, health equity and the well-being of children (prenatal to age eight) and families in five Gulf Coast states – Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida – with a special emphasis on Houston, New Orleans, Gulfport-Biloxi, Mobile, and Pensacola.

The Gulf Coast region ranked highest in poverty, food insecurity and “food deserts,” uninsured, and access to parks. The region also ranked in the bottom quartile for the state health-system performance, family and community well-being, and child well-being. Children in the region are considered at “ground zero” of multiple environmental assaults. According to the 2014 Kids Count report, the South (including Gulf Coast states) is the worst place for children and families due in part to hosting a disproportionate share of the nation’s chemical plants, refineries, seaports, and other dangerous polluting industries.

The HBCU Gulf Coast Equity Consortium, using state-of-the-art tools, community input and policy review/analysis to develop comprehensive plans and action strategies, seeks to improve the quality of life of children and families in the Gulf Coast.

About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation –

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life. The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.

About Texas Southern University –

Texas Southern University (TSU) is a comprehensive, metropolitan institution providing academic and research programs that address critical urban issues, and prepares its increasingly diverse student population to become a force for positive change in a global society. TSU offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs and concentrations – bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees – organized into 10 colleges and schools on a 150-acre campus nestled in the heart of Houston’s historic Third Ward. The University’s enrollment has a population of 8,000 undergraduate and graduate-school academic candidates. Texas Southern has been a distinguished educational pioneer since 1927, and the University has become one of the most diverse and respected institutions in Texas. TSU has positioned itself as a proactive leader in educating underserved students and many who are the first in their family to attend college. For more information, visit www.tsu.edu.

This story was written by The TSU Newsroom at tsu.edu, where it was originally published. This story is published here with permission.

Talladega’s Hawkins On Band Inaugural Performance, Critics’ Reaction: ‘It’s Not About Politics’

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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During a discussion on Talladega College’s marching band inauguration performance on Wednesday’s broadcast of “The O’Reilly Factor,” Talladega College President Billy Hawkins told Bill O’Reilly “this is a great opportunity for our students.”

“I’ve had a lot of pressure on me, a lot of folks have come at me at a very, very negative matter, I’ve been personally attacked, they’ve threatened to oust the president at Talladega College, I’ve had, you know, alumni really come at me quite hard, not all of our alums but a fair number of alums have come at me very hard not wanting the band to participate in the inauguration.”

Dr. Hawkins offered his reason, saying:

“…this is a great opportunity for our students, and I’ve said that from the outset that that it’s about the students, it’s about them having an opportunity to participate in this national stage in this inaugural ceremony. It’s a civic ceremony and it’s not about politics.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNYjRR3Wvwk

HBCU True Life: I Don’t Know What I’m Doing After College And That’s Okay

Posted by Chris Sumlin
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Well, it’s that time of the year again. It’s the end of another break, and the Spring semester is drawing nigh. Usually, I’m very excited for the start of a new semester. During this time, I normally wake up every morning counting down the days left of the break. I do this because I’m pumped that I’m about to embark on another epic semester. This winter break has been entirely different.

Now that I’ve reached my senior year, the excitement has been replaced with anxiety. Every conversation I have with everyone from fellow interns to friends, to my family are all the same. Everyone asks me: What are your plans after Morehouse? What are your long term goals? Where’s your girlfriend? Where do you want to live post-college?

As I get asked these questions, I don’t know what the answers are or should be. To be quite honest, I have no clue what the future holds. I think because I have made it this far while trying to appear to “have it all together” that people expect me to have all the answers but quite frankly, I don’t. I’ve discovered that no matter how much success one experiences, there will always be questions that they do not have the answer to. After coming to the realization that I should probably do some thinking about my future, recently I’ve felt overwhelmed

I keep thinking maybe I’m losing my touch, or that I’m lacking in some capacity. Sometimes I compare myself to others who know exactly what they want to do and how they’ll get there. The stress of these thoughts really bugs me.

When thinking over my past experiences, triumphs and successes none of it were planned. When I wanted to go to Morehouse, that decision came to me my last semester of high school. When I decided I wanted to write a book, that whole idea came to me one day in the living room then I went and did it. I did not plan to do any of those things months and years in advance.

All of my biggest and most proud moments came to me in the spur of the moment. The question I’ve wrestled with when reflecting on these experiences is; Well, how did I succeed with no plan?

I know for sure that I was able to have these successful moments because of three things:

  • I allow myself to be open to hearing the desires of my heart.
  • I focus on doing my best in the present moment.
  • I have faith that everything will work out.
 These three points have allowed me to keep progressing even without a plan. So yes, I have no idea what I’m doing after graduation, I don’t know when I’m getting married or where I’ll be living, but I do know that whatever I’ll be doing I’ll be okay.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I can’t pressure myself into trying to plan the next move. I can’t get so caught up in what everyone else wants for me that I can’t hear the voice inside myself telling me what to do next. I think not having a plan has worked out for me just fine.

To all the HBCU seniors who’ve been feeling the pressure of senior year, just relax. It’s GOING to be okay. If I know anything for sure I know that sometimes having no plan IS the master plan. We all have an inner instinct or intuition that is constantly speaking to us telling us what to do. That voice may be telling you to do something challenging or go somewhere uncharted, but just do it. If you can’t hear that voice inside yourself:

  •  Get still.
  •  Get focused.
  •  AND TRY.

Your intuition will never lead you wrong.

As I say this to you, I remind myself that it’s okay to not know the next step. It’s okay to figure it out as you go. We have the power within ourselves to do great work, but we just have to be open to doing so. So if you don’t have a plan, that’s alright. I’m with you. We both will go into this last semester trying to figure it all out.  I promise we both will be okay! We deserve it!

Be Inspired!

Posted by Chris Sumlin Posted on 34 articles

New Program Launched For HBCU Students Looking To Fix Hollywood’s Diversity Problem

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Are you an HBCU student interested in gaining experience in the entertainment industry? If so, this new diversity initiative is the program for you.

The Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program has joined forces with the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (WHI-HBCU), these two organizations are hoping to give Hollywood the best and brightest students of HBCUs.

After the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag that brought light to the lack of diversity in Hollywood, many have been constructing ways to tackle this issue. During an event held at SAG-AFTRA headquarters in Los Angeles, entertainment powerhouse’s came together to address solutions to diversifying Hollywood.

The panel included: David White, Executive Director of SAG-AFTRA, Stacy Milner, founder of the Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program (EICOP), Dr. Kim Hunter Reed, Executive Director WHI-HBCU and others.

The program introduced at the event is called, HBCU’s in LA. It is the first program of its kind to take on the Hollywood diversity pipeline problem. “Students are genuinely excited about getting the skills they need to excel in Hollywood,” Stacy Milner said. Stacy Milner and her husband Ted Milner have traveled to many HBCU’s in 2016 informing students of this opportunity.

The HBCU’s in LA internship program will launch in the summer of 2017.

The program will provide students with hands-on experience preparing them for careers in the entertainment industry. The program even plans to have resume workshops and offer interviewing tips. The interns selected in this program will also receive mentoring and networking opportunities with some of the entertainment industry’s impressive career professionals.

While discussing this program at Morehouse College during the EICOP tour, Stacy stated that one way to tackle diversity is by creating greater access and opportunities for diverse student groups inside Hollywood’s coveted inner circle. We at the Buzz are proud of the team behind this initiative and sincerely encourage our readers to apply.

The program is open to all students attending Historically Black College’s, Predominately Minority Serving Institutions, Predominately Black Institutions and Hispanic Serving Institutions.

You can apply to the program online at here. The application is currently live and will close March 15th, 2017 11:59PST. For more information about the program and to ask questions visit www.eicop.org

5 Howard Students Arrested Protesting Sessions’ Nomination

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Five Howard University students were arrested Tuesday afternoon after staging a nonviolent sit-in, protesting the confirmation hearing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions — demanding that he withdraws his nomination at the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill.

According to Howard University’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (HU NAACP) twitter account, the direct action to demand Senator Sessions’ withdrawal originated from a variety of reasons including his failure to explicitly acknowledge the effects of voter suppression across the country.

HU NAACP Vice President Deja Bryant said in a statement on the arrests that “We ask that the public continue to support the Howard University NAACP’s efforts to uphold the National NAACP’s purpose: “To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.”

Bryant also commented on her plan of action after hearing of her colleagues’ arrest:

“It brought me a great deal grief and pride to seeing my colleagues risk arrest while fighting what they are passionate about. It became very personal to me, seeing people that I work so closely with, my friends in handcuffs.”

She added:

“I immediately began to seek full clarification regarding exactly who was arrested and what actions were already begin taken for their release. My first priority was to ensure that everything was secure and they were being supported with whatever resources they needed while staying in contact with various leaders and collaborators.”

HU NAACP member Bryttany McClendon-Weary shared her experience prior to and during her arrest:

“When we started chanting loudly the police came and warned us first and said ‘If you don’t leave out of the office you are going to be arrested’. When we did not move, more police, around four, came and took us out one by one and we went downstairs to place us in the police van. Initially, they charged us with unlawful entry but was dropped to crowding.”

McClendon-Weary continued:

“We were barely at the office for an hour. We arrived at 10 and was escorted by 11. Since more protesters were brought to the station, processing was pushed back but we all eventually left at around 5 pm with a court date and our belongings. Despite our arrests, our sit-in wasn’t bad at all. It was very effective. We don’t hate Jeff, but his political views may be viewed as harmful towards the black community. In our opinion, Sessions should not be placed in a position of authority to dictate laws.”

Howard students arrested include Jamieson Davids, Joshua Parks, Llewellyn Robinson and Jacqueline Grant (HU NAACP President), in addition to protestors from Democracy Spring, a movement organization committed to winning fundamental reforms to end the corruption of big money in politics and guarantee the right to vote for all Americans.

Davids agreed with McClendon-Weary:

“I felt the sit-in was successful and helped reinforce the message that Jeff Session would be a terrible pick for Attorney General due to his atrocious track record on voting rights. When I was escorted, it felt good to see other protestors and their outrage over Sessions’ appointment.”

Davids also shared his thoughts with prominent figures also speaking out on Senator Session’s nomination:

“I am very supportive of what they do. I love how they use their position of power to enact change whether they’re politicians like Corey Booker or NAACP President Cornell William Brooks to speak out against Senator Sessions in order to bring up his terrible record on voting rights.”

All students have since been released. HU NAACP in collaboration with Howard University Student Association (HUSA) scheduled a second-day protest via call-in on Wednesday, Jan. 11, but was postponed in order to have Howard professors and other faculty members involved.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the abbreviation of NAACP. We apologize for the mistake.

Exclusive ― Meet Hampton University Student And YouTube Personality Nia Imani!

Posted by Andrea Wooten
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Nia Imani Wellman is the definition of #BlackGirlMagic. She is currently a sophomore, Strategic Communications major/ Cinema Studies minor at Hampton University. In addition to being a student at one of the top HBCUs in the nation, she is also a YouTube personality with over 77,000 viewers. Nia makes content ranging from HBCU vlogs to natural hair videos with more in between.

HBCU Buzz recently caught up with Nia to get the inside scoop on her on the struggles and triumphs of excelling in her various pursuits. Check out what she had to say below, and make sure you stay connected with Nia Imani here!

In the time you’ve been in college what can you say has been the most difficult challenge to overcome?

I haven’t necessarily had any rough obstacles so far in college, but I can definitely say receiving my first D ever in math first semester of freshman year was hard. I came into college believing that I was going to get A’s and B’s like I did in high school and that D hurt my GPA. However, to redeem myself, I was sure to work harder, which lead to not only boosting my GPA, but being inducted into the Golden Key International Honor Society.

What’s one piece of advice you’d tell students who want to reach your level of success but are shy or unmotivated?

I believe to be successful at anything you really want to do you must: stay consistent, stay in your lane, refrain from comparing yourself to the next person and most importantly be unapologetically you.

 What motivates you/keeps you going?

My supporters definitely keep me going. Knowing that even though somebody out there might not like what I do or have to say, there are still hundreds of others who appreciate my efforts.

How do you manage your time? School, extracurriculars, and YouTube seem like a hefty load. 

This year I have implemented my planner more than usual as well as a calendar which has kept me on top of most of my responsibilities. Also, not sleeping.

How do you stay organized?

I don’t honestly. My life can be a bit chaotic and messy, but I still find some way to keep most things in order.

Any upcoming projects or resolutions for the new year? 

I’m not a fan of the whole “new year, new me” thing, but I definitely plan to be more consistent, procrastinate less, give back more and go on more adventures.

Any advice you have for students in college or going to college?

Anyone who plans to attend college, please be sure to do thorough research, apply early so that you can be offered scholarships, be sure to visit the school and have an open mind to attending school out of state.

Meet Howard University Stylish Buzz: Danielle Young

Posted by Andrea Wooten
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HBCUs are some of the most stylish campuses in the world. Howard University, specifically, is a campus where some students will “pop out” just because. Overall, the goal for many students is to simply showcase their personality through what they wear on a daily basis.

Check out this week’s Stylish Buzz Danielle Young:

Danielle Young is a senior, Supply Chain Management major from Detroit. She can be seen on campus in anything from a metallic two-piece to a chill, off the shoulder number.

“style is a form of self-expression that lets people tell who they are and how they’re feeling.”

Danielle Young 

Aside from being a full-time student, Danielle is also a part time stylist. She plans to build a career in the retail industry (whether that be through styling, communications, sales, or something else). She has also been awarded some amazing opportunities like studying the African textile industry in Ghana and even working with DC Fashion Week among various other organizations, brands, and companies.

“Through experiences, I’ve had within the fashion industry I’ve learned that there is a big difference between fashion and your own personal style. While fashion tends to be based on trends, style is a form of self-expression that lets people tell who they are and how they’re feeling.

You don’t have to rock designer labels or follow the latest trends just to be stylish. Each outfit that I put together has to be formed around a signature piece that brings it to life. I like clothes that are bold, eccentric, daring, and unique because that’s who I am as a person. I do my best to make sure that I never buy anything that’s similar to something I already own. “

Two HBCU Grads Make $500 Donation To Talledega College

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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Talladega College received a donation of $500 from a Morehouse man and a Morris Brown College graduate Wednesday afternoon.

Herman and Gloria Cain has donated to help cover transportation, travel, lodging and other expenses for Talladega College’s Great Tornado Band.

“Have a great trip to DC!” Herman and Gloria commented on Talladega’s GoFundMe page.

“God bless you guys, ROCK IT, I’ll be rooting for you guys & gals,” another person said.

So far, the Great Tornado has reached $7,665 of their $75k goal to go and participate. 

Talladega President Defends His Decision To Let Marching Band Perform During Trump’s Inauguration Day Parade

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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The black college caused controversy after agreeing to perform during President-elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day parade.

And now Talladega College President Dr. Bill Hawkins has defended his decision to let his school’s marching band go and participate in the inaugural parade.

“I did not view this as a political event …,” Dr. Hawkins told News One in an interview. “I view it as a civic ceremony and an opportunity for our students to observe the process of the transition of power.”

He added:

“Many of our students––almost all of them––have never had the opportunity to travel to our nation’s capital.”

“We’re not doing this for political reasons,” Dr. Hawkins said.

However, the Black college still lacks the funds needed to make the trip.

Conservative commentator and entrepreneur Armstrong Williams has made the school an offer to pay the $60,000 the Talladega Marching Tornadoes need to make the journey to Pennsylvania Avenue.

According to News One, Dr. Hawkins said he and the Talladega school board are considering Willams’ offer and are expecting more donations to their GoFundMe page.

Howard’s Frederick: We Are Excited To Welcome Mike London To Howard University

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick introduced a new head coach of the Bison during a press conference on campus. The decision comes after an extensive head coaching search.

Mike London takes over Howard football and he vows to revive the program, The Washington Post reports.

“After an extensive national search, we are especially excited to welcome Mike London to Howard University,” Frederick said in a statement Monday morning. “He joins our football program at an incredible time, and we look forward to seeing him build on the existent foundation that makes Howard University a great institution. The board of trustees and I believe he brings outstanding leadership and experience and is sure to be a tremendous resource to the entire Howard University community.”

Howard Athletics Director Kery Davis said that he believes London will be a strong leader and mentor for Howard student-athletes, adding:

“He is a widely-respected coach with a resume full of achievements at the highest levels of college football and combines a drive to win with great integrity. We look forward to the future of Howard University football under his direction.”

The Howard community seems to be in favor of the decision, as Howard alumni, fans, and supporters took to social media to congratulate London on his new position.

“I would like to thank President Frederick and Kery Davis for their confidence and belief in me,” London said. “I am humbled that we have a shared commitment to take this university and this football program to greater heights. Some of the best football talent in the country is right here in the Washington metropolitan area, and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to work with the young men in the Howard football program and build on the strong heritage already in place.”

These 17 Celebs Should Speak At An HBCU Commencement In 2017

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
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1n May 2016, “President Barack Obama delivered stirring remarks about the state of American race relations at Howard University commencement” that Saturday afternoon, Mattew Rodriguez wrote at Mic, adding: “The president highlighted the progress of black Americans have made since his graduation from Columbia University in 1983, but also set forth a blueprint for the future.”

“Change doesn’t happen every four years,” the president said. “Change is the effort of committed citizens who hitched their wagons to something bigger than themselves and fight for it every single day.”

In 2017, university and college graduates, and in particular HBCU graduates are looking for some words of wisdom during the commencement address. According to Bet.com, these 17 celebs, including Taraji P. Henson (Howard grad), Ava Duvernay, and Jesse Williams, should speak at an HBCU commencement in 2017.

Check out the list below.

1. Issa Rae

2. Killer Mike

Head over to Bet.com to see the entire list.