Zendaya Mocked Because of Her Faux Locs, E!’s Giuliana Rancic Says Hair Smells of “Weed”

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“There is a fine line between what is funny and disrespectful. Someone said something about my hair at the Oscars that left me in awe. Not because I was relishing in rave outfit reviews, but because I was hit with ignorant slurs and pure disrespect.” That’s what teen star Zendaya Coleman had to say after Giuliana Rancic’s lack of knowledge and awareness when commenting on her dreadlocks at the 2015 Oscars this week, reports US Weekly.

To me locs are a symbol of strength and beauty, almost like a lion’s mane. – Zendaya Coleman

Zendaya didn’t stop there:

[quote_box_center]To say that an 18-year-old young woman with locs must smell of patchouli oil or “weed” is not only a large stereotype but outrageously offensive. …There is already harsh criticism of African-American hair in society without the help of ignorant people who choose to judge others based on the curl of their hair. …To me locs are a symbol of strength and beauty, almost like a lion’s mane.[/quote_box_center]

Scandal‘s Kerry Washington, How to Get Away With Murder lead Davis, Solange, and others all took to social media to defend the innocent Zendaya, tweeting that they applaud her courage and inner beauty.

‘A Different World’ is Coming to Netflix! ‘A Different World’ is Coming to Netflix!

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The hit TV show The Cosby Show broke all kinds of television rating records when it made its debut in 1984. And then along came its spin-off, A Different World, in 1987 that didn’t fail to capture the hearts and imaginations of 90s babies either.

‘Hip-Hop Prez’ Dr. Walter Kimbrough notes that from the debut of The Cosby Show until the end of A Different World in 1993, the country’s 107 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) attendance grew by 24%, and now starting March 15 modern students, like me, attending Black colleges can stream A Different World on Netlfix. (Say what??)

“There is no doubt that popular culture can influence growth.” – Walter Kimbrough

Yes lordt… Tell us what you think about this totally awesome groundbreaking news by commenting below.

ASU, Tuskegee Faculty Members Receive Award at White House

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Alabama State University’s Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and Tuskegee University’s Director of the Integrative Biosciences PhD Program were two of eleven individuals that were honored at the White House on Tuesday.

Doctor Tommie Stewart and Doctor A. Deloris Alexander were at the White House in Washington D.C. to receive the Champion of Change Award. The award recognizes faculty and staff members at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Stewart, a native of Greenwood, MS, earned her bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University, her master’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara and her doctorate from Florida State University. Stewart was the first African American female to earn a doctorate from the FSU school of Theatre.

Alexander is a second-generation college graduate and is the second person in her family to earn a doctorate. Alexander also leads programs designed to increase both diversity and America’s competitiveness in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Read more here

Perry Sets Rebound Record as CSU Beats Salem International

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Central State’s Kourtni Perry set the single-game rebound conference record while leading Central State to a 75-56 win over Salem International on Saturday.

Perry, a junior who transferred from Wright State, finished with 25 rebounds and led all scorers with a personal best 30 points as the Lady Marauders improved to 9-16 with a 6-9 mark in G-MAC play. The win keeps CSU in the hunt for a birth in the conference tournament. Salem International remains winless on the season. The Lady Tigers are now 0-26.

CSU opened the game on a 10-0 run and remained in control for most of the afternoon. Perry grabbed 14 rebounds and was 6 of 9 from the floor in just 13 minutes of play as CSU led at half, 41-24.

Perry led the Marauders to a 15-2 run midway through the second half, picking up 11 of her 30 points during that run. The situation got worse for SIU as two of their players fouled out of the game with just over 5 minutes to go. With only 6 players available to start the game, SIU finished the contest shorthanded before falling to CSU for the fourteenth straight game.

“I am proud of my own performance. I just want to keep getting better,” Perry said. “As a team, we need to keep playing with confidence and hopefully we can earn a spot in the conference tournament.”

Read more at MarauderSports.com

Paul Quinn Reinvents Urban College Model With Help of Mark Cuban

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Paul Quinn College announced it will be adopting a new financial structure designed to reduce student debt while increasing real-world work experience. This “new urban college model” has several components, including lower tuition, use of free open source textbooks and Paul Quinn’s becoming the first urban work college in the country.

Paul Quinn wants students to graduate in four years with less than $10,000 in student loan debt by moving to tuition and fees of $14,275 for on-campus students and $9,775 for off-campus students. A work college requires students to spend part of their week working at the college, typically in a field related to the student’s studies.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is consulting with Paul Quinn on its move to open source textbooks and helping to create a course on entrepreneurship.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who has expressed concern over the rising costs of higher education, is consulting with Paul Quinn on its move to open source textbooks. He is also helping to create a course on entrepreneurship.

“I’m excited to be working with PQC and president [Michael] Sorrell to help remake the economics of the university experience,” Cuban said in a statement. “Our partnership will also include creating a unique approach to teaching entrepreneurship, with any and all materials available under an open source license for other institutions to use.”

Read more here

Bethune-Cookman President Offers Reward in Wake of Campus Shooting

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A day after three students were shot and injured on the campus of Bethune-Cookman University, President Edison Jackson addressed the student body Tuesday morning and offered a reward of $1,000 to anyone with information about the shooters.

“You know guns are not permitted on this campus,” he told students who live in campus housing and were required to attend the meeting inside the school’s Performing Arts Center. Jackson also offered a $500 reward to anyone who reports a fellow student with a gun, and promised to add more security cameras to the campus.

“This is not the place for it,” he said. “We have to keep this campus safe. We have to find a better way to handle conflict.”

The shooting is still under investigation, and no one has been charged, Daytona Beach police said. It’s believed that at least one of the shooters is also a student, said Beverly James, school director of public relations.

Reports indicate at least two people pulled into the campus at Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard about 6:48 p.m. Monday in a silver car. The occupants of the car got out and an altercation erupted. One or two of the occupants then pulled out a gun and fired six to seven shots.

Three students, who are believed to be innocent bystanders trying to flee the scene, were shot, police said. Their injuries were not life-threatening.

“It’s by the grace of God” that nobody was killed, Jackson told students Tuesday. “That’s a shout out for God.”

Read more at The Daytona News Journal

Senators Advance Plan to Replace SC State Trustees

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State senators have advanced a plan to replace trustees at South Carolina State University.

The move comes one day after the board placed President Thomas Elzey on paid administrative leave.

State senators say it is important they move quickly especially after they placed the Monday’s action.

“I am not sure that the public trusts the existing board to choose the next leader,” said Richland County Senator Darrell Jackson.

In a unanimous vote, the Senate Higher Education Subcommittee moved the bill forward. It would put a temporary board in place at the school for three years.

The bill has bipartisan support with Republicans and Democrats signed on as sponsors.

If passed, the temporary board would be made up of five people, about half of the number of members currently serving.

The Governor, the Senate President Pro Tempore, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, and the Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee would each appoint a member to the board.

“It’ll enable a small group, a small board with new leadership to come in, make the necessary changes to ensure the school’s survival,” said Sen. Larry Grooms of Berkeley County.

Senators hope the plan will solve the issues of fading public trust at the school, bring financial stability and increase enrollment.

“Everything has to be on the table, everything has to be and that’s the only way that the problems at the school will be solved,” said Grooms.

Read more here

Hampton University Delay Classes Due to Weather

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Yesterday, Feb. 24th Hampton University canceled all evening classes due to inclement weather, and Hampton is taking extra precaution today. Offices will open at 11 am Wednesday, according to the university.

All Hampton staff and administrators will tread carefully on the road and will report to campus at 11 am. Hampton is also asking all students to report at 12 noon for classes.

For more info visit the university’s website

Atlanta University Center to Close Wednesday Due to Winter Weather

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The Atlanta University Center that consists of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) Morris Brown College, Spelman and Morehouse College, Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), and Clark Atlanta University will be closed today, Wednesday due to winter weather.

All of these colleges are in close proximity and usually make decisions like this together. WSBTV reports that the Atlanta area will see several inches of snow tomorrow.

[quote_box_center]Severe Weather Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns said 2 to 4 inches of snow are possible in north Georgia, with up to 6 inches a possibility in the highest parts of the north Georgia mountains.[/quote_box_center]

 Read more here

Howard University Law Students Well Prepared For Life After Graduation

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According to recent research Howard University, a historically black college or university (HBCU) in Washington D.C., sends more than 21% of its graduates into large-firm associate jobs, earning the No. 22 spot on the NLJ’s list of “Go To Law Schools,” says The National Law Journal.

[quote_box_center]From the NLJ, “Howard attracts firms hoping to improve their racial diversity and produces graduates who succeed in large law firms, paving a way for alumni who follow.”[/quote_box_center]

“We have some very competitive students who firms believe can perform comparably to students from other schools,” LuEllen Conti, Howard’s career services director, told the NLJ.

The law firm Dorsey & Whitney, with over 10 locations in the United States and a location in London and Hong Kong, currently has 10 Howard alumni in all, and one of their attorney’s located in Utah was recently named one of Utah Business 2015 40 Under 40.

Read more here

George Zimmerman Escapes From Trouble, Again

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According to reports the Department of Justice (DOJ) will not file charges against George Zimmerman for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida.

The case that sparked a national debate on race and gun laws was a “a devastating tragedy,” says ongoing Attorney General Eric Holder:

[quote_box_center]”It shook an entire community, drew the attention of millions across the nation, and sparked a painful but necessary dialogue throughout the country,” Holder said. “Though a comprehensive investigation found that the high standard for a federal hate crime prosecution cannot be met under the circumstances here, this young man’s premature death necessitates that we continue the dialogue and be unafraid of confronting the issues and tensions his passing brought to the surface. We, as a nation, must take concrete steps to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.”[/quote_box_center]

Read more at CBSNews.com

5 Things Black Women Can Learn From – ‘Being Mary Jane’

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Mara Brock Akil’s “Being Mary Jane” is currently in its second season on BET and is striking chords with women all over. News anchor Mary Jane Paul (Gabrielle Union) balances her career, family life, and relationships, all while evolving and getting to know herself as a person. Contrary to popular belief, as women, there’s a lot we can learn from the hit show.

1. Conducting yourself in a work setting

Mary Jane (Union) is a local news anchor for a television station. We as viewers see how she carries herself in her work place setting. With sophisticated yet fashionable clothes, professional mannerisms (lets disregard what has taken place behind the closed door of her office when no one is around), and impeccable work ethic, we could all take a tip or two from her.

A lot of women could use some Mary Jane in their lives at the work place.

being-mary-jane-finale-pic

2. Family First 

Before the world gets a real peek at you, your family knows you in and out. To the world she’s Mary Jane Paul, to her family she’s just plain old Pauletta. Mary Jane is extremely family oriented, even though at times it is clear she doesn’t want to be. Whether it’s taking her insecure niece in who has two children and trying to help mold her self-esteem, or getting her brother out of legal trouble; we see that family is important to Mary Jane. She is this matriarchal sort of character who wants to care for her loved ones. Although I’m talking to the ladies, fellas this is something you could take from the show as well.

Screen-shot-2013-11-07-at-11.50.03-PM-378x414

3. Accepting your flaws

With no cut cards, Mary Jane knows that she doesn’t have it all together, that’s clear as day in every episode. We’ve seen Mary Jane make poor decisions all the way up to the men she’s dated, but the good thing that comes out of that is that she realizes she is not perfect. She takes her mistakes in stride and continues to move forward.

4. How you shouldn’t handle issues

While Mary Jane accepts her mistakes, let’s admit that some of them are just ones that you shouldn’t make. Ladies this is where we learn from example and not by trial and error. Dating a married man, stealing and freezing someone’s sperm, dwelling in your hurt, and lashing out at others because you are bitter–are all big “no-no’s”! In these situations, Mary Jane can be the poster child on how to handle certain issues!

5. It’s OK to be vulnerable

I’ve said this for forever; it is okay to let others know how you are feeling. I do understand that sometimes for protection, certain parts of you need to be kept to yourself, but there’s nothing wrong with vulnerability. Mary Jane lets others in her life know how she feels and why she feels that way. Perfect example, being in season one where she confesses her love to David (Stephen Bishop) who’s already “moved on” and gotten his new girlfriend pregnant. My point is sometimes leaving yourself open and letting others see your raw emotions isn’t always a bad thing.

Ladies all I’m saying is sometimes taking a pad and pen out during episodes of Being Mary Jane, isn’t a bad idea!

VIDEO – White House HBCU Champions of Change

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This White House Champions of Change event will honor faculty and staff members at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that drive the college completion agenda. These leaders work with students, families, higher education leaders, and policymakers to build paths to graduation.

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Spelman College Hosts Guest Lecturer Michael Stoll

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ATLANTA (Feb. 20, 2015) – Spelman College will host Michael A. Stoll, Ph.D, co-author of Why Are So Many Americans in Prison?, for a discussion about the proliferation of mass incarceration in the United States. In Why Are So Many Americans in Prison?, Stoll and co-author Steve Raphael analyze the expansion of America’s prison system and illustrate the pressing need to rethink mass incarceration in America. According to Dr. Stoll, between 1975 and 2007, the American incarceration rate increased nearly fivefold. During his lecture, he will delve into the factors that explain the incarceration rate, labor market consequences of mass incarceration and the benefits and costs of the prison boom.

Dr. Stoll is a professor of public policy at the Luskin School of Public Affairs at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is also a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

The lecture is sponsored by the Spelman College Office of the Provost, the Department of Economics and the Social Justice Fellows Program.

The lecture is free and open to the public.

WHY:
“This lecture is important because mass incarceration is one of the most pressing civil rights issues of our time,” said Robynn Cox, Ph.D., Spelman College assistant professor in the Department of Economics. “It is imperative to understand why the prison system has expanded in the way that it has, especially since African Americans have been disproportionately affected by the incarceration crisis.  If we don’t understand how we got here, then we cannot appropriately address the issue. Stoll and Raphael empirically dissect the prison boom, and I think their findings will shock many people because they do not support the most common reasons that have been attributed to the prison boom.  Mass incarceration is an American epidemic, therefore, it is important that we become more educated about this crisis to learn what we can do about it and how we can keep it from happening in the future.”

WHEN:
Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015
6 p.m. – Book Talk
7 p.m. – Reception

WHERE:
Spelman College
Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby, Ed.D. Academic Center, Auditorium
GPS Address: 440 Westview Drive, Atlanta 30310

About Spelman College
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a highly selective, liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, Ga., the college’s picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Outstanding alumnae include Children’s Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman; Sam’s Club CEO Rosalind Brewer; former acting Surgeon General and Spelman’s first alumna President Audrey Forbes Manley; former Harvard College Dean Evelynn Hammonds; author Pearl Cleage; and actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu.

Media Contact:
Audrey Arthur
Spelman College
(404) 270-5892
aarthur3@spelman.edu
Twitter: @spelmanmedia

Teaching Ferguson: How Colleges Are Incorporating Race Cases in the Classroom

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As the play opened, a young black man lay motionless beneath a tarp. He symbolized unarmed black men who’ve died because someone — a twitchy neighbor, an inexperienced police officer — perceived him as a threat. Specifically, Vaughn Midder was portraying Trayvon Martin, shot to death by a neighborhood watch captain in 2012, when Midder was a college sophomore. As they rehearsed at the University of Maryland, the cast members waited to hear whether the Ferguson, Mo., police officer who shot Michael Brown would be indicted.

Midder noticed students taking selfies next to the tarp. It upset him and he demanded that the photos be deleted. To them, it was just a play; to Midder — who has been pulled over by police — what happened to Martin could have happened to him.

“I’m already aware of the fact that by being a young black man, I could be harassed by police,” he said. “I don’t want that feeling intensified, knowing that people have pictures of me pretending to be dead.”

Martin, Ferguson and their galvanizing ripple effects have inspired universities across the country to incorporate racially charged tragedies into their curricula, sometimes in novel ways.

Read more at the Washington Times

Dr. Ivory Toldson’s Visit to Prairie View A&M

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On Feb. 23 Dr. Ivory Toldson visited Prairie View A&M University, a historically black college or university (HBCU) in Prairie View, Texas. Dr. Toldson is second in command for the White House Initiative on Historical Black Colleges and Universities and also is a professor at Howard University.

Dr. Toldson discussed opportunities for HBCUs to compete for grants and contract from the federal government with the PVAMU President, Executive Officers and Deans, highlighting:

  1. The First in The World grant competition, which provide grants to institutions of higher education to spur the development of innovations that improve educational outcomes and make college more affordable for students and families, and to develop an evidence base of effective practices.
  2. The NIH Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) initiative, one of three new Common Fund initiatives that together aim to enhance diversity in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences research workforce.

Dr. Toldson also discussed the proposed college rating system and other plans for President Obama’s administration to recognize institutions that advance college completion among low income students.

With students, Dr. Toldson discussed the importance of Black History by sharing lessons of Black struggle and triumph, and connecting them with recent quests among Black people to fight for justice amid the murders of unarmed Black males.  Dr. Toldson encouraged the students to fight against any attempt to mischaracterize Black people, especially through negative statistics.

Dr. Toldson debunked common myths Black people, and demonstrated how what might appear to be a clear stat, could be false and used to mischaracterize who we are.  He concluded by charging the students to embrace Black history, not to be duped by false negative statistics and work to make sure young Black children understand the truth about themselves.