Morehouse Professor Marc Lamont Hill Named Top University Based Scholar

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Marc-Lamont-Hill-Hill Ranked No. 36 on List of 200 University-Based Scholars Released by Frederick M. Hess

ATLANTA (January 7, 2016)—Morehouse professor Marc Lamont Hill is among the 200 university-based scholars recognized by Frederick M. Hess for shaping public discussions on education. Hill is ranked No. 36 on the list.

Hess, who is director of education policy for American Enterprise Institute, released his “Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings” by using eight metrics to calculate how much university-based academics moved ideas from academic journals into the national conversation.

“One small way to encourage academics to step into the fray and revisit academic norms is, I think, by doing more to recognize and value those scholars who engage in public discourse,” explained Hess. “These results offer insight into how scholars in a field of public concern are influencing thinking and the national discourse.”

Hill, who is the Distinguished Professor of African American Studies at Morehouse, is recognized as one of the leading intellectual voices in the country. He is the host of “HuffPost Live” and “BET News,” as well as a political contributor for CNN. Among his four books are Beats, Rhymes and Classroom Life: Hip-Hop Pedagogy and the Politics of Identity and The Classroom and the Cell: Conversations on Black Life in America. Two new books—Nobody: America’s War on Its Vulnerable from Ferguson to Baltimore and Beyond and Gentrifier—are slated for publishing in summer 2016.

Read full via Morehouse.edu

Tuskegee Professor Breaks ground in Science and is Granted $1M Grant

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When Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green receives invitations to be a guest speaker for professional groups, schools and nonprofit organizations, she almost never turns them down.

“Usually if there is an invitation to speak at a forum like that, I accept it because I feel like it’s a responsibility,” she said. “There are so few of us (black women in STEM fields) I don’t feel like I have the luxury to say I’m too busy.”

By many measures, Green has been extremely busy. One of fewer than 100 black female physicists in the country, she recently won a $1.1 million grant to further develop her patent-pending technology for using laser-activated nanoparticles to treat cancer.

A tomboy as a child, Green was crowned Homecoming Queen at Alabama A&M University (by a landslide vote), earned her master’s and Ph.D degrees at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and is now is an assistant professor in the physics department at Tuskegee University.

It’s tempting to see Green for all the ways that she is unusual – not the least for winning a large grant at a relatively young age, and for being black and female in a field dominated by white men – but it’s not something she said she thinks about in her day-to-day life.

“It looks like I’m special, but I’m not. I’m no different from anybody else,” she said. “When opportunity found me, I was prepared.”

Close to home

Green’s personal history with cancer fuels her drive to find a way to treat it. She grew up in St. Louis and – after the death of her mother and father – was raised by her aunt and uncle, General Lee Smith and his wife, Ora Lee.

When Ora Lee was diagnosed with cancer, “She refused the treatment because she didn’t want to experience the side effects,” said Green. “It was heartbreaking, but I could appreciate she wanted to die on her own terms.

“Three months later, my uncle was diagnosed with cancer.”

Green took time off from school to help him through chemotherapy and radiation treatments. “I saw first-hand how devastating it was, and I could understand why my aunt didn’t want to go through that.”

She earned a bachelor’s degree in physics with a concentration in fiberoptics, and then a full scholarship to UAB. She got the idea to use lasers to treat cancer without the side effects of chemo and radiation.

A physicist’s cancer treatment

A few months ago, Green was awarded a $1.1 million grant to work on a technology that targets, images and treats cancer.

I’m no different from anybody else. When opportunity found me, I was prepared.

“I was completely overwhelmed with joy, with thanksgiving, humbled at the opportunity that a group of my peers thought that my work was worthy for such a grant,” she said. “This is a huge door opening. It outlines a path to take this treatment to clinical trial.” read more

Jackson State Names Chad Germany Offensive Coordinator

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635876183219487278-TCL-Tony-Banks-04Tony Hughes has never coached in the SWAC before. He’s hired coordinators who have, though.

Jackson State announced the hiring of Chad Germany as offensive coordinator and John Hendrick as defensive coordinator on Tuesday.

Germany, who will also be the Tigers’ quarterbacks coach, has spent the past few years at Southern, where he was co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator.

He called plays for the Jaguars, who had seven offensive players earn All-SWAC honors in 2015. Southern’s offense ranked fourth in the SWAC in total and scoring offense this past season.

JSU finished fifth in total offense and seventh in scoring offense.

Hughes picked Hendrick, who will also serve as the linebackers coach, to run the defense. Hendrick was Alabama State’s defensive line and special teams coach this past season. He was at Mississippi State  from 1995 through 2002 and coached special teams and the defensive line there as well. Clarion Ledger

Bernie Sanders Plans HBCU Tour, Barbershop Visits and Prayer Meetings

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Killer-MikeSeventy-four year old Vermont Senator and 2016 Presidential candidate hopeful has been working hard to gain the vote and confidence of Black voters. In the past few months we’ve seen him walk the streets of Baltimore, meet with Killer Mike, and even have a conversation with Black Lives Matter activist. Sanders even has a history of marching during the civil rights movement and advocating for change back in the day. Yet and still this has some black voters asking, “What have you done for me lately?” Feeling the heat, Bernie sent in his team to answer that question. On Wednesday Jan 6th, his camp held a national African American Outreach Press Call conducted by his Campaign Manager Jeff Weaver, Senior Strategist Tad Devine, and African American Outreach Director Marcus Ferrell, to discuss the state of the campaign and specific efforts to connect with African Americans as he approaches the first primaries and caucuses.

After a yet another reminder of his civil rights involvement by his senior strategist and constant reassurance that he had enough money to run the race by his campaign manager, his African American Outreach Director laid out the following plan:

  • Sanders will continue neighborhood conversations with community stakeholders and leaders in the African American community to hear what they have to say and address those issues,
  • Begin a more detailed outreach approach to African Americans in Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi,
  • Release a list of all the elected African American officials who endorse Sanders to garner further support from the African American community,
  • Embark upon barbershop, beauty shop and park tours to reach the community,
  • Embark upon a Historically Black Colleges and Universities tour with a newly hired HBCU coordinator.
  • Further engage the faith-based community with the recent hire of a national faith based director

Read full via Blavity

Minority Owned Tech Start-up is Reimagining Home Improvement

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Landing PageRemodelMate, the new service which connects homeowners with licensed contractors is improving home improvement for the journeyman homeowner and needs your help. A firm launch date has not been set, but the goal is to have the finished product ready for use in time for the start of the home improvement season this spring. The program will be available in San Francisco (HQ), Washington, D.C. & New York and is currently crowdfunding via gofundme to meet their next milestone. RemodelMate is the only wholly owned minority technology start-up company in the remodeling industry, something of which the founders are extremely proud as the team is gains momentum. In November, RemodelMate’s app earned first place at the California State University’s (CSUMB) Startup Hackathon.

Created by three BGLO members, RemodelMate is a web and mobile application which helps homeowners with their home improvement projects by simplifying the process of finding a contractor and calculating and comparing costs.

The process is simple. Using the RemodelMate app, homeowners who are ready to renovate enter their zip code and are matched with contractors in their area who offer the products, services and prices that suit their needs. The contractors are invited to the platform after a vigorous vetting and approval procedure. RemodelMate has avoided big government data and reviews and instead are offering a simple way for homeowners to upgrade without the hassle of time sensitive estimates and harassing sales calls.

The company’s founders are Chad Hall, a Brother of Alpha Phi Alpha, who got his first sales job while a student at UMD and has since worked in the home improvement industry and in business development at technology start-ups LivingSocial, Breeze and Indeed; Victor Etongwe, Chad’s college roommate, friend and Brother of Omega Psi Phi who brings his marketing and real estate experience from Bozzuto to RemodelMate, and Steven Lee, a mutual friend of theirs’ and Brother of Kappa Alpha Psi, who brings his experience in finance, gained from working in real estate investments and at J.P. Morgan as a Business Risk Analyst.

 “I got so many calls from friends & family members asking for my opinion to make sure that they were not overpaying that I realized there was a problem. There seemed to be a lot of distrust of contractors and I set out to change that,”

Hall explains, describing the motivation for RemodelMate. Interestingly, Etongwe and Lee were also used to fielding similar inquiries from their clients, which provided them with an intimate appreciation of the problem and the motivation to build a product to make the process more transparent and overcome these challenges. The team did not disclose how they’ve been able to provide pricing to users in real-time (which traditionally requires an onsite estimate) stating that it’s part of their trade secrets, but urge any homeowners, contractors and tech enthusiasts to request an invite while the platform is in private beta for a sneak peek or send an email to hello@remodelmate.com to learn more before the public launch early in 2016.

RemodelMate is deliberately for-going monthly subscriptions or pay-per-lead models to make the platform inviting to both homeowners and contractors. Instead they have figured out how they will generate revenue by “aligning the services of their platform with the goals of their end-users in mind” which for homeowners is to save time and money and for contractors to win more jobs. At this time they are rapidly finishing development of the final product and need all the help they can get as minorities in the tech space if they intend to continue improving home improvement.

If you’d like to you can support their campaign here.

Barber Scotia to Close For Spring Semester

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CONCORD – Barber-Scotia College has closed its doors for the spring semester to prepare for an uncertain future.

The college’s Board of Trustees sent a letter out to parents and students Friday, Jan. 1, explaining that a lack of funds had led to the decision to halt classes until fall 2016.

“Today, we are standing at a crossroads, with several entities interested in partnering with us to give Barber-Scotia a new future,” Board of Trustees chair Barry Green and the college’s Executive Administrator Brenda Simms wrote in the letter. “In order to take advantage of these opportunities, the board has found it necessary to reorganize and restructure the institution for more effective operations in the future. We are therefore suspending classes for the spring 2016 semester, while the Board of Trustees restructures the institution and seeks additional partners to support the mission of a New Barber-Scotia College.”

The institution ran into financial troubles when it lost its accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 2004, which also meant the loss of eligibility for Department of Education Federal Financial Aid—student loans and other tools for students to help pay tuition.

The college also lost membership in the United Negro College Fund.

“These losses have had a major impact on the College’s ability to operate effectively, and on students’ abilities to obtain college funding,” the letter said. “The College has really struggled to meet its monthly commitments, particularly after we lost eligibility for funding from the Presbyterian Church Joy fund in December 2012.”

Read full via http://www.independenttribune.com/

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Wale Supports President Obama’s #StopGunViolence Initiative

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The Rap and Rhythm and Blues star attends President Obama’s unveiling of how his plans for a major problem that plagues communities across the nation. The president shared his executive actions for curbing gun violence. The former Virginia State and Bowie State student makes another appearance in just a few months after performing for the first lady’s Beating The Odds Summit in June of 2015.

As a leader in the HBCU community, and someone who actually values what is going on in his hometown, it comes as no surprise that Wale ventured to the hill to show his respect and support for the presidents executive actions to encourages positive changes moving forward.

President Obama’s live updates

 

A 1973 TSU Aristocrat of Bands Tradition

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Sportsblog

A rare, 1973 performance of Tennessee State University’s world renowned Aristocrat of Bands, illustrates the longstanding traditions of HBCU bands.

This is a serious old school classic. A 1973 performance of  the fabulous Tennessee State University ‘Aristocrat of Bands’  at halftime of  an Atlanta Falcons game at the old Fulton County Stadium. The Aristocrats are under the leadership of Band Director Clifford Watkins, and they put on quite a show in front of what looks to be a sellout crowd. read more

Engineering Students at JSU Develop Technology to Reduce Diabetes-Related Amputations

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static1.squarespaceEngineering students at Jackson State University have designed a “smart mat” that gauges foot temperature of diabetics to help thwart the danger of lower extremity amputations – particularly in Mississippi, where the risk is greater, according to the CDC.

The Mississippi Department of Health said the Magnolia state ranked second in the nation for prevalence of diabetes in 2012. Accordingly, four of every 1,000 deaths resulted from complications of the disease.

As part of their senior design project, JSU students in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology recently created the temperature-measuring device.

For one group member, the “smart mat” project is personal.

Jann Butler, a senior computer engineering student, said ulcers led to his aunt’s amputation.

“As a result, we wanted to help other diabetic patients,” he said. “Upon research, we realized that a lot of them suffer foot ulcers, and we uncovered an issue with temperature. So, we developed a mat that diabetic patients could stand on to register the temperature of their feet. If there’s a four-degree difference between the two over a period of time, the lower one would be at greater risk of ulceration,” he said.

Read full via JSU News

Morehouse Student Creates Video on Resume Writing Tips Using Beyoncé Lyrics

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A Morehouse student has provided us the best resume building tips, but in an interesting way.

Chris Sumlin, a student at Morehouse College in Atlanta, uploaded a resume help video on YouTube just a few weeks ago that helps his colleagues, and anyone else watching, with writing the perfect resume using Beyoncé lyrics.

Sumlin said, “The video is my first real YouTube video that I’ve shot.”

In the video, Sumlin said, “Make sure that your resume makes sense. If you read it to yourself, or have a friend read it and they can’t understand it, nine times out of ten the employer is not going to understand it.”

He added: “A lot of times people think that they can keep one resume and use that for all of their applications… Make sure that your resume is always changing—adding different things, taking stuff away, and is a continual work in progress.”

See the entire video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khcXG9D153k

Iota Phi Theta Founder Barron Willis Has Died

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The Iota Phi Theta family is mourning the loss of one of its brothers.

Barron Willis, one of the 12 founders of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., died in California on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015. Iota Phi Theta Grand Polaris Robert M. Clark, Jr. announced the death of Willis in a post on Facebook.

Willis is survived by his son, Barron Willis, III, and his wife, Janet.

The cause of death was not disclosed.

“Indeed, it is with great sadness that I confirm the loss of Founder Barron Willis, Jr. on Wednesday, December 23, 2015,” writes Clark. “I have spoken with his son (and our Brother) Barron Willis, III, who informed me that the family is making final arrangements and that IOTA Family should send letters of condolence directly to his wife, Janet, at this time (address below). Once arrangements have been completed, the information about Founder Willis’ ‘going home’ activities will be forwarded to the Fraternity through the national office.”

Clark added:

“Bro. Willis, III, did want me to let the Brotherhood know that one of Founder Willis’ last wish was that he would transition and be cremated in his favorite Iota t-shirt, which did happen.”

Clark said before his passing he, along with his wife, had visited Willis—“although weak, he was still lucid and in good spirit,” he said:

“[Willis] spoke of the Brotherhood in a most positive and proud way.

Please keep Founder Willis, Janet and the entire Willis Family in your prayers.”

Another Facebook post by son Willis III shows how funny the Honorable Founder was.

“One of his last words to me was, “He who stands on toilet is high on pot.” …He was funny that way,” Willis III said.

How Black Girl Magic Changed the Fashion Industry in 2015

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Teen Vogue

While the overall landscape of the fashion industry clung quite tightly to the norms of yore this year, 2015 did supply a few moments of diversity that made us optimistic and expectant for inclusion for black women: Beyoncé becoming the third woman to cover the always epic September issue of Vogue, Jourdan Dunn gracing the cover of Vogue UK solo — which hadn’t been done by a model of color for 12 years! — and three up-and-coming models on the front of Teen Vogue’s August issue, including one of the year’s top models, Lineisy Montero. But why isn’t diversity growing by leaps and bounds and reflecting the faces and ethnicities of the world’s fashion-loving population?

“This is still a slightly taboo subject,” says celebrity stylist Law Roach, whose clients include Zendaya Coleman, Ruby Rose, and Willow Shields. “We’re still living in a time in this industry where you’ll hear ‘We’re not using any more black girls.’ We’re unfortunately still there and fashion is very fickle. Trends are the main focus, and those fads speak for every facet of the industry — not just colors and silhouettes, but what’s of the moment when it comes to how models look on the runway.”

That’s exactly what icon and pioneer Bethann Hardison is working on day-in and day-out. Roach mentioned her ongoing and hard fight to make fashion the true reflection of those who love it and support it around the world. He also acknowledged supermodels Iman and Naomi Campbell for joining the push with Hardison and keeping the conversation moving forward, but had to pause to think of other pioneers who made diversity their aim this year. “The fact that I even had to think about it shows that we’ve gone far, but still have so much more to do.”

Brandice Daniel, founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row, which discovers and showcases emerging talent of color, has a few people in mind. “This year has been great for multicultural designers in fashion such as Harbison, Azede Jean-Pierre, LaQuan Smith, and Brother Vellies,” he says. Harbison has been worn on multiple occasions by Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, who have the power to catapult any brand into veritable stardom. The Kardashian and Jenner siblings have worn plenty of LaQuan Smith, and Brother Vellies took home the 2015 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award. read more

 

Author Pens Book To Encourage HBCU Enrollment

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New Journal and Guide

As summer vacation draws to an end, thousands of  college students are preparing  to begin another year in the classroom.

Studies show that a large portion  of African-American college students are bypassing Historically Black Universities and Colleges (HBCUs) and instead are enrolling in majority White institutions.

Only 20 percent of the nation’s Black college students attend the nation’s 105 HBCUs.

Thus, many of these schools are struggling financially as they fight through the obstacles facing them and define plans to market themselves  and reverse the shortfall of students enrolled at them.

Morris Brown and  St. Paul’s Colleges are two examples of  HBCUs which  have closed their doors. Norfolk State University, Virginia’s largest HBCU, noting a shortfall in projected freshmen student enrollment, may be forced to cut back on faculty seats and operations to adjust.

Alphonzo W. Knight, Sr. is a retired architectural engineer, college educator and administrator, who has served at his alma maters, Hampton University and Old Dominion University, working with alumni and students.

He said there are various reasons for HBCU  enrollment woes, including lack of knowledge of, or respect for, the schools by parents and high school  counselors who are tasked with helping high schoolers prepare and apply for college during their junior and senior years.

Further, he said, the reduction in the number of college-ready Black  students attending many of the urban schools, as well as the soaring cost of  post high school education via student loans have taken their toll.

Knight has made a contribution  he thinks will aid in addressing and helping to resolve these  issues.

Recently, he published a book “Historically Black Colleges and Universities: What You Should Know,”  (341 pages, Xlibris Publication).

The book  gives a history,  historical information on locations, programs, enrollment, size and endowment, and notable graduates of the 105 HBCUs around the nation.

“I hope to have one of the books in every  public and private high school around this country,” said Knight, who currently lives in Hampton. “Many high school counselors do not know about HBCUs, what they have to offer, the cost of attending them, and the fine job they do educating people for life and careers.

“If they read about these schools and their history and their successes, counselors and parents, I think, would be more willing to recommend  to students to enroll in them” said Knight. “But we have to overcome the negative perceptions and rumors about  HBCUs and the quality of the programs  they offer and the  students who attend them.”

Knight was also on the Board of Directors of CASE – Community Alliance for Special Education – which exposed him to most of the nation’s traditionally White colleges and universities.  He has also visited all but two of the HBCUs. read more

Bill Cosby’s Lawyer Speaks Out: Charge Is “Unjustified,” He’ll Be “Exonerated”

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bill-cosby-statement-zoom-1c3af03a-bbc3-4a8a-be47-a7fcddf473f7Bill Cosby’s lawyer released a statement to Us Weekly on Wednesday, December 30, after the comedian was arraigned in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated indecent assault by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.

The statement from Washington, D.C.-based attorney Monique Pressley calls the charge against him “unjustified” and accuses the DA’s office of using his celebrity to set a platform for an upcoming election.

“The charge by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office came as no surprise,” the statement to Us read. “Filed 12 years after the alleged incident and coming on the heels of a hotly contested election for this county’s DA during which this case was made the focal point. Make no mistake, we intend to mount a vigorous defense against this unjustified charge and we expect that Mr. Cosby will be exonerated by a court of law.”

Biggest Celebrity Scandals of 2015
Cosby, 78, was formally charged on Wednesday in the 2004 case of former Temple University staffer Andrea Constand, who accused the comedian of allegedly drugging and assaulting her more than a decade ago when he was her mentor.

The case falls within the state of Pennsylvania’s 12-year statute of limitations, which First Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steele discussed in the press conference on Wednesday. “Reopening the case was not a question,” Steele told reporters. “Rather, reopening this case was our duty.”

Constand, via her lawyers, reacted to the charges on Wednesday afternoon. “We have the utmost confidence in [First Assistant District Attorney] Mr. [Kevin] Steele, Ms. Feden and their team, who have impressed us with their professionalism,” the statement, released via her attorney Dolores Troiani, read. “In that this matter is now being pursued in the criminal justice system, we will not comment further.”

Cosby arrived at the courthouse on Wednesday afternoon clutching a cane and linking arms with two handlers. He posted 10 percent of his $1 million bail, turned over his passport and took his mug shot. In the photo, the comedian, clad in a gray sweater, stares down the camera with a solemn expression.

Celebs Fight Back on Twitter!
Earlier this month, Cosby’s lawyer filed a defamation lawsuit on his behalf against seven of his accusers on grounds of “their malicious, opportunistic, false, and defamatory accusations of sexual misconduct against him.”

A preliminary hearing will take place on January 14, 2016.

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Natalie Cole, Singer, Songwriter, Dies at 65

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Natalie Cole, the American singer who overcame battles with substance abuse and the long shadow of her famous father to earn worldwide success of her own, has died. She was 65.

Publicist Maureen O’Connor told NBC News that Cole died Thursday night. O’Connor had no details about how or where Cole died.

The daughter of Nat “King” Cole built a chart-topping career with hits such as “This Will Be”, “Inseparable” and “Our Love.” She fought health problems for years and received a kidney transplant in 2009 after developing hepatitis.

Cole recently had to cancel planned tour stops, including one in Louisville, due to illness, according to WDRB.

Cole won nine Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year in 1992 for “Unforgettable … With Love,” a virtual duet made with the recordings of her late father. The album sold 14 million copies.

Nat “King” Cole died of lung cancer in 1965 at age 45. Natalie Cole had just turned 15 at the time of her father’s death.

 NBC NEWS