Obama Calls on ‘We the People’ at Inauguration

Barack ObamaThe Root‘s managing editor, Sheryl Huggins Salomon, takes a look at how far not only we as black people have come, but America entirely, after the Inauguration of Barack Obama. Serving a second term, the nation’s first African-American POTUS is legendary; someone many of us look up to. Someone several of us strive to be like. But only few will take the call and accept the challenge to excel to even greater heights; helping mankind with this thing called ‘world peace.’ Check out her full account here:

(The Root) — After a first term that saw fierce partisanship, a struggling economy and widespread disagreement on the principles that define us as a nation, President Barack Obama kicked off his second term with an address calling for unity while celebrating the nation’s growing diversity and insisting that we must respect and look out for all Americans.

“We have always understood that when times change, so must we,” said the president as he addressed the nation. “That fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action.”

Speaking in a year that sees the convergence of two major anniversaries in the road to equality —  the Emancipation Proclamation’s 150th and the March on Washington’s 50th — and on a day that coincides with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, President Obama frequently invoked names and imagery from freedom struggles, as well as the battles fought by immigrants, women and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Certainly, his political base was not forgotten in this speech.

“We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths –- that all of us are created equal –- is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls and Selma and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth,” he intoned.

The coalition that helped re-elect the president was also well represented elsewhere in the inaugural proceedings. Slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers’ widow, Myrlie Evers-Williams, gave the invocation; the Rev. Luis Leon of of St. John’s Church in Washington, D.C., gave a benediction that asked God to help “see that we are created in your image, whether brown, black or white; male or female; first-generation or immigrant American or daughter of the American Revolution; gay or straight; rich or poor”; and even GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee quoted Roots author Alex Haley.

But beyond that coalition are the 49 percent of voters who did not choose President Obama for a second term. To them, and to the lawmakers across the aisle with whom he must spend the coming weeks hammering out a budget deal, he said, “Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time, but it does require us to act in our time.”

Will he be able to lead Congress in solving our nation’s economic problems and healing some of the political rifts that seem to have widened over the past four years? Time will tell if this sunny, brisk day in January is the beginning of real progress.

Morehouse offers new LGBT course

more copyThere’s a new course coming to Morehouse College.

Starting Thursday, the class “A Geneology of Black LGBT Culture and Politics” will meet twice a week for the rest of the semester.

The special topics course will be offered through the sociology department and is the first of its kind at Morehouse. Sophomore Marcus Lee said while he has enjoyed his 18 months on campus, he’s long felt a need for such a course.

“It’s an awkward feeling when you realize kind of that the brotherhood on campus is conditional,” he said. “As long as we don’t talk about gay stuff or differences in gender expression, everything’s OK. But when those topics begin to come up, it gets really awkward and there’s a certain tension in the room.” read more…

ASU & civil rights pioneer celebrate Dr. King

mlkAlbany State University held their annual Dr. Martin Luther King Convocation Thursday Morning.

To kick off the day, they invited Mrs. Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a pioneer in the Civil Rights Movement and now journalist, to be the keynote speaker.
Mrs. Hunter-Gault began her speech by talking about her experience in the Civil Rights era as she was one of the first black students to be admitted to the University of Georgia. Much of her time in school was spent being tormented and teased, but she was determined to make it through anyway. She said when she graduated she was determined to be as good of a journalist as anyone else in the field, despite the challenges she faced. She spent the next 50 years doing just that. read more….

Miss Albany State wins Verizon competition

missasu copyDetermination, dedication and the ability to rally support are a winning combination. Just ask Miss Albany State University Asia Love Cook.

Cook is the grand prize winner of a national contest called “The Ultimate Reign Competition,” sponsored by Verizon Wireless.

The prize package includes $15,000 to support Cook’s community service initiative “Be The Key and Unlock the Life” for the American Red Cross; a $5,000 scholarship, and a “tech pack” that includes a Motorola Droid 4G Smartphone and Xyboard tablet, a Bluetooth headset and a gift card valued at $1,500.

Tuwisha Rogers and Krissy Pemberton-Flemmin, representatives from Verizon Wireless, will present the package to Cook Friday in the ASU Student Center Ballroom. read more…

Alabama A&M signs quarterback & running back

juco copyAfter losing 23 seniors from a team that started the season 6-0 and earned the school’s first ever ranking in the FCS Top 25 Poll, Alabama A&M has a lot of work to do on the recruiting trail this season.

And with National Signing Day less than three weeks away the Bulldogs have already addressed two of their biggest needs—quarterback and running back.

They’ve secured signatures from a pair of JUCO standouts in Kyle Harmyk, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound signal caller out of Mendocino Community College in California, and tailback Jabari Baker of Hinds Community College in Mississippi. read more…

Hampton Pirates vs. Morgan

hampton copyThe Lady Pirates took turns at the free-throw line in the last minute of play against Morgan State on Saturday at Hampton University’s Convocation Center. Beating Morgan State 66-60, HU (13-5, 4-0 MEAC) will maintain its No. 1 spot in the conference.

The Lady Pirates had a slow start and allowed Morgan State to lead 25-23 at halftime. Morgan State got the first nine points as its players took turns sinking 3-pointers.

Morgan State’s Bianca Jarrett set the tone, dropping 31 points and 10 rebounds. She also had eight turnovers. Jarrett was the only player from Morgan State to hit double digit points.

The Lady Bears shot 26 percent from the three-point line and 88 percent from the free-throw line. Morgan State returned from halftime, scoring the first basket, but was unable to maintain the lead as HU’s Olivia Allen and Nicole Hamilton picked up the pace. read more…

North Carolina A&T runs from Howard, 61-37

111 copyAdrian Powell had 23 points and seven rebounds to lead North Carolina A&T to a 61-37 victory over Howard University in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game on Saturday.

The Aggies led 22-11 on a 3-pointer by Powell midway through the first half, and after Simuel Frazier’s jumper made it 22-13, A&T scored the final 16 points of the period for a 38-13 advantage at the break.

Bruce Beckford contributed nine points and seven rebounds for the Aggies (9-10, 2-2), who have won four of their past five.

Frazier led the Bison (4-15, 1-5), who have lost three in a row and seven of their past eight, with nine points. read more…

Central State’s new president unveils plan

President JacksonBy Meagan Pant Staff Writer, Dayton Daily News

WILBERFORCE —

Central State University’s new president Cynthia Jackson-Hammond has set “compelling priorities” for the historically black institution, but says she realizes the changes will come gradually.

“Central State University is just like a mega yacht, and you don’t turn yachts on the point of a dime. But you put into process those steps that help make sure the yacht turns evenly,” said Jackson-Hammond, who was previously lead education consultant for H & H Educational Consultants and has prior experience as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Coppin State University in Baltimore.

Jackson-Hammond, who took office in July to become the first female president in the university’s 125 years, has identified goals for Central State to address during the coming year. They include ensuring every student has quality collegiate and academic experiences, the university recruits students who are academically and financially prepared for college, the school’s operations are effective and efficient, and more students graduate and graduate in less time.

The new president has already established tenets of service, protocol and civility as ways Central State students will stand out.

Students have embraced those values in their daily lives, on T-shirts and in their classrooms and dorms, and “made it reality, rather than words,” Jackson-Hammond said.

“They’re truly attributes that we need to take in our daily lives,” said senior Teeya Skitter [Miss CSU], who represents the university in the CSU Man and CSU Woman campaign.

“It’s something that we as students can take beyond Central State. These are not values that we just have in-house. That’s how people will know the brand of Central State University,” said senior Christopher Aarone [Mister CSU], a Dayton native. “The atmosphere on campus is different and how we look at each other, not only on campus but representing campus. It’s improved. It’s developed. It’s something to take more pride in.”

Central State is unique in Ohio for its student body. The university enrolls the highest rate of students from Ohio’s urban, high-poverty high schools of any public institution in the state. Many students are the first in their family to go to college, and 93 percent qualify for the federal Pell Grant, financial aid given to low-income students.

Read more here.

Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, is one of the nation’s oldest historically black universities, with a 125-year legacy of academic and athletic achievements. The University actively promotes diversity in its student body, faculty and staff, even as the institution adheres to its core historical responsibility to educate young African American men and women.

Central State University Bans Smoking on Campus

After Vice President, Joe Biden, rebutted Congressman Paul Ryan’s point of view on Libya as, “a bunch of malarkey,” I try to be that one cool guy who puts use to the word, too.

[Ma-lar-key—noun:  Meaningless talk; nonsense.]

Well, in the latest news of ‘malarkey,’ Central State University recently approved this “Smoke-Free Policy:”Central State bans smoking

Effective Immediately

In order to promote the health of our students, faculty, staff and visitors, all Central State University campuses [CSU Dayton branch] are designated as smoke-free environments. Smoking is defined as the burning of tobacco or any other material in any type of smoking devices, including, but not restricted to, cigarettes, cigars, or pipes.

Smoking is prohibited in all Central State University-owned facilities and on the grounds of any university-owned property. This includes all buildings owned or controlled by Central State University, shelters, indoor and outdoor athletic facilities, indoor and outdoor theaters, bridges, walkways, sidewalks, parks, residence halls, parking lots and garages. Smoking is prohibited on sidewalks that adjoin university property. Smoking is also prohibited in any vehicle or equipment owned, leased or operated by Central State University.

Hate to say I told you so, but only a chump would think this isn’t ‘a bunch of malarkey.’

As a proud student leader on the yard, and an avid smoker, I believe this is unadulterated foolery at its best. Ironically, I had the opportunity to read such malarkey on jail cell bars (with a mild in hand) on my way to my dorm the other day.

[Notice I said ‘dorm’ instead of ‘residence hall,’ since they’re treating us like prisoners.]

Yes. I understand my beloved HBCU knows what’s ‘best’ for its students. But isn’t this college; where children come with a newly found personal freedom, and the ability to make their own choices in life? No, of course; this is high school all over again. Obviously.

Maybe Central State should try teaching ideas to its students, faculty and staff instead of forcing conformity. [Remember, we’re all adults, right!?]

But I digress. Rules are meant to be broken.

Above and beyond, I think I’m more excited to have another parent holding my hand like the child I am anyway, rather than facing the bad, bad world alone.

A junior at Central State University majoring in Journalism, Tommy is the Editor of HBCU Buzz and a Contributing Writer for Central State’s The Gold Torch. Follow him on Twitter.

Why continued sacrifices should be made toward HBCUs

TSUSP28-12-9706_2-300x193On Monday, January 7th, Tennessee State University President Dr. Glenda Glover presented a check for $50,000 to establish a scholarship endowment in her name as her “first act of business.”

She says, in a The Tennessee Tribune interview, “I want our alumni and everyone to get involved in financially supporting our institution, so I am beginning the process with my contribution. I challenge each alumni chapter to match my gift or follow my lead in giving to TSU.”

During a meeting involving the school’s future, Glover named five areas of focus  to move the university forward: Academic Progress and Customer Service, Fundraising and Partnerships, Diversity and Inclusion, Shared Governance, and Business Outreach.

Glover says she will be “a president for all,” and one thing that seems to foster a prominent future for people is making sacrifices.

In my blog with the Huffington Post, entitled, “The Lack of Stability of Historical Black Colleges and Universities,” I mentioned how leaders make tough sacrifices, even if the majority are against.

When you walk the campuses of a HBCU, with the exception of a few, you see abandoned buildings, old buildings and scraps of vitality from the past. The campuses of HBCUs look unorganized, not because of a lack of effort from school officials, but because of the lack of financial support and school enrollment. The churches that these institutions were started out of had vaporized into a metaphysical world that places profound statements over rigorous actions. Moreover, prominent alumni from HBCUs, who fetch absurd surplus of financial revenue, withdraw from making contributions that would drive them to the top of the educational ladder.

When sacrifices are made for historically black institutions from leaders, stake-holders, graduates and community leaders, plan to see yet another emergence of HBCUs.

There is a need for a re-emergence of HBCUs because of the state of the nation we live in. If we look at why these institutions are in operation and what purpose they serve in our communities, we will find profound ideas: Morehouse College is committed to training leaders who will change their communities, the nation and the world; Fisk University produces graduates from diverse backgrounds with the integrity and intellect required for substantive contributions to society; Tennessee State grows and develops students personally, conjuring appreciation to cultural diversity, embodying a sense of civic and social responsibility, and making well prepared to fulfill their life goals and; American Baptist College educates, graduates and prepares predominantly African American students  for leadership, service and social justice in the world.

HBCU leadersOn the other hand, better known (and better off) colleges like Harvard University, according to their website, mission statement differs: to strive to create knowledge, to open the minds of students to that knowledge, and to enable students to take best advantage of their educational opportunities. The college encourages students to respect ideas and their free expression, and to rejoice in discovery and in critical thought; to pursue excellence in a spirit of productive cooperation; and to assume responsibility for the consequences of personal actions.

Unlike PWIs, HBCUs trigger communal involvement in a chaotic world. It seems though HBCUs teach their students to tackle our countries most perplexing issues; gun violence, sexuality, poverty, capitalism, sexism, racism and many other issues. [While PWIs possibly feeds into students’ psyche to produce arrogance, transcendence, oppressors, cannibalistic competitors and inactive philosophers more so than less.]

Thus, if there were to be any change in our world, would it come from students who graduate from the Yale’s and Harvard’s or would it be from the Tuskegee’s and Dillard’s?

In order for our world to become better, we must support all of our HBCUs that jump-start leaders to become agents of change.

Robert Hoggard is a HBCU Buzz Staff Writer and a sophomore at the American Baptist College. Follow him on Twitter.

HBCU Buzz is the Leading Source of HBCU News, and Most influential brand in the HBCU Community. Like ‘the Buzz’ on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

UMES President Bell to headline MLK event

bildeFor close to 30 years, the Tri-County Organization’s Coalition Inc. has been in the forefront in keeping the message and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. alive.

One way is through its annual banquet on the national celebration of the slain civil rights leader’s birthday. The banquet returns for its 27th year Monday evening at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.

The theme of the event remains, as in the past, “From a Dream to a Reality — The Challenge,” to ensure that King’s vision remains in the public consciousness.

“It’s a theme that never changes because we always hope we can continue to improve on our relationship with the community in our 28th year,” said Jesse T. Ballard, the organization’s president. “It’s been slow, but it has been continuous. In order to make a change, you have to do it from the inside (rather) than from the outside. If we take this geographic region where we are at, then we can see it, expand and take it to the outer limits.”

Headlining this year’s event as guest speaker will be University of Maryland Eastern Shore President Juliette B. Bell. Ballard said Bell was a perfect choice to make the keynote address due to both her profession and her age.

“One of the main things is that she’s is not that old agewise, so she fits into what we were looking for as to how far the dream has trickled down,” Ballard said. “She’s also the third university president we have had speak, and who has a greater influence than a university president?” Read Full

Fireman injured fighting blaze at Lincoln University

One firefighter was injured early Wednesday morning at a six-alarm fire at an unoccupied Lincoln University non-student residence.

V1-130119702.jpg&MaxW=620&MaxH=320The firefighter was taken to Christiana Hospital in Delaware with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The fire broke out at 7:55 a.m. at an unoccupied two-unit residence that had been used by Lincoln University employees living on campus. The building had recently been undergoing extensive renovations.

James A. Connor, assistant director of public safety at Lincoln University, said the cause of the fire is under investigation by Chester County fire officials and arson is not the cause.

The injured firefighter was one of the first on the scene.

“As he was crawling through the house, he fell through the boards into the basement,” Connor said. “The fire was localized in the basement. The rest of the building had extensive smoke damage.”

Fire companies from Oxford, Avondale, West Grove, Rising Sun, Quarryville and Cochranville all assisted in extinguishing the fire. Read More 

HBCU coalition head criticizes Morgan president

office_president3Morgan State University alumnus who is leading a coalition suing the state over discrimination at historically black colleges and universities has criticized the university’s embattled president for showing “minimal interest and involvement in the lawsuit.”

David J. Burton, president of the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education, wrote in a letter to Dallas R. Evans, chair of Morgan’s Board of Regents, saying university president David J. Wilson’s actions could “be interpreted as his being against rather than in support of the Coalition’s case.”

In early December, the regents abruptly moved not to extend Wilson’s contract when it expired at the end of the academic year — a decision that drew fire from faculty members, students and alumni who praised Wilson’s vision for the university. The regents voted 8-7 in a closed session to seek a replacement for Wilson, who has led the university for 21/2 years.

Late last month, the regents — with the exception of Evans — voted to give Wilson a new contract for an additional year at the university. The regents are slated to meet Thursday, although the purpose of their meeting has not been disclosed.

In a harshly worded letter, Burton chastised Wilson for protesting the board’s initial decision, saying Morgan appeared to be “torn apart by the turmoil created by the President.” He noted that other presidents did not protest when forced out of the state’s public universities.

“I do not understand why the Morgan Board is tolerating it,” Burton wrote. “To allow the president to create havoc at the university by presenting only his version of the Board’s action is inappropriate.”

Neither Evans nor Wilson responded to a request for comment.

Wilson has kept his public remarks brief since the board’s decisions, but did appear at a rally organized by students and faculty in his support last month. A couple of weeks later, hundreds of students, alumni, professors and community leaders packed the board’s most recent meeting to show their support for Wilson, and many testified to the board on his behalf.

Burton, a 1967 Morgan graduate, leads a group that filed a 2006 suit contending the state has systematically discriminated against Morgan and three other historically black institutions. The suit demands additional funding for the historically black colleges and universities and asks that the state dismantle programs at other universities that are similar to those at the black institutions.

The case is pending before U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake. Both parties agreed to discuss a settlement last summer.

Burton also criticized what he said were efforts by state legislators to limit the terms of Morgan’s regents, many of whom have served on the board for 20 or 30 years. Such a move “raises serious questions about the role of these individuals in seeding the current circumstance at the Morgan campus,” he said, adding that “the current board has served Morgan well for over three decades.”

Burton wrote that Wilson, who testified at the coalition’s behest, has only met with him twice since taking office. “He has not shown further interest in being kept abreast of the case or otherwise being involved,” he wrote. Read More. 

Howard University Bison Steve Wilson Selected to MEAC Hall of Fame

v5qr89anwcpml1fwFormer Howard University student athlete and head coach Steve Wilson has been named to the 2013 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame.

Wilson will join four other inductees who will be enshrined during a brunch on Friday, March 15, beginning at 9 a.m. at the Sheraton Waterside Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia. The Hall of Fame class will also be recognized during the 2013 MEAC Basketball Tournament, March 11-16 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Virginia.

Wilson coached the Howard football team from 1989-2001. He led his team to an 8-3 overall record and was named MEAC Coach of the Year in his first season with the Bison in 1989.

During the 1990’s, he recorded a 70-percent winning percentage and his team was named Black College national champions twice, in 1993 and in 1996. The 1993 team recorded an 11-0 overall mark and competed in the NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) playoffs for the first time in school history. During that same year, Wilson earned MEAC Coach of the Year honors for the second time in his career. Wilson, Howard’s winningest football coach, won the Heritage Bowl in 1996 over Southern University.

Several of his players earned All-MEAC first and second team honors, All-American accolades and Player of the Year recognition. Wilson’s list of former players who are now coaching include former quarterbacks Roy Anderson (safety coach with the Indianapolis Colts) and Pep Hamilton (Offensive Coordinator at Stanford), former wide receiver Gary “Flea” Harrell (current Howard Head Football Coach), Billy Jenkins (defensive back coach at Howard)  and Ted “Sweet Flight” White (Offensive Coordinator for Howard).  Former All American quarterback Jay Walker (ESPN analyst), White, Jenkins and Harrell all played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) along with linebacker Tracy White, who is currently a member of the New England Patriots.

As a player, Wilson excelled at all levels.  He was a three-year letterman as a defensive back and wide receiver at Northern High School in Durham, NC where he was voted all stat in 1974 and selected to play in the prestigious North-South All-Star game in 1975.

Wilson then brought his talents to Howard University.  In 1978, his final collegiate season, he was named All-MEAC and honorable mention All American as a wide receiver.  During his career, he held records for receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions.  Although these records have since been broken, Wilson still holds the school record for kickoff returns in a season (40).  Some of his accomplishments still rank in the Top 10 in the MEAC.

He graduated from Howard University in 1979 with a marketing degree from the School of Business.

“I’d like to applaud the 2013 Hall of Fame class for all of their accomplishments both athletically and professionally,” said Dennis E. Thomas, MEAC Commissioner. “They have made significant contributions to their communities, institutions and the conference.”

Wilson in a member of the Black College Hall of Fame and was named a MEAC/SWAC Challenge Legend in 2012.

“100 Years of Sisterhood, Captured in a Night:” Delta Sigma Theta Celebrates Centennial

124th Rose Parade Presented By HondaThe Root‘s contributing editor, Helena Andrews, wrote a humorous yet touching account of her experience midnight of Jan. 13, 2013: Delta Sigma Theta’s celebration of 100 years of collective strength to promote academic excellence and to provide assistance to under-served communities. Check out her story, and if you’re a Delta woman, share your own by commenting.

(The Root) — I wasn’t entirely sure it would be worth all the fuss. It was a half hour before midnight on Sunday, and a surprise fog had dimmed the neighborhood’s streetlights to spooky. Recovering on the couch after a hard day of being out seemed like the smart thing to do. Did we really still want to go?

The resounding answer from the women reminiscing on the couch next to me was “Girl, yes.” Yes, we were still going to walk to Howard University’s campus to fellowship with the other women in the city celebrating Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.‘s 100th-year anniversary when the clock struck midnight.

“And what exactly are sorors going to actually be doing out there?” I asked, feeling like a Scrooge on New Year’s Eve complaining about the touristy mobs down in Times Square.

“Singing songs, I think? Who cares! It’s our centennial!”

So I rooted through my closet for something red and weather-appropriate, finding a multicolored scarf with a hint of crimson and a fire-engine red sweater from a few Christmases ago that was too small. But it felt good putting that color on for a reason again. I was getting my second wind despite still being skeptical about how thousands of grown women were going to handle standing around without anything concrete to do besides smile at one another.

I can’t remember not wanting to be a Delta. My mother wasn’t one, and neither was my grandmother or my great-grandmother. But to me, pledging a sorority, like graduating from college and barreling through a career with a capital C, simply seemed like a given. And after doing my research, I decided that Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was the only option. I showed up at my initial interview in an emerald-green skirt suit paired with a deep-fuchsia silk shirt — pink and green — and somehow made the cut. Delta would always be that forgiving.

In the almost 13 years since, the sorority has been like an invisible escalator in my life. I’ve stumbled, I’ve raced up the steps two by two and I’ve leaned against the railing for a rest, while Delta keeps moving forward and gathering speed.

We talk often about our illustrious history and our accomplishments as an organization dedicated to public service, but for me what we do and have done is secondary to what we are: a sisterhood. Bringing strangers together and turning them into sisters — not co-workers or even teammates — is no easy task, and yet I consider the women I made vows with more than a decade ago my family, not just really good friends.

Finish reading Helena Andrews’s entire piece at The Root.

HBCU Buzz interviews N.C.A&T’s Craig Stokes

HBCU Buzz stopped Craig Stokes, a graduate of North Carolina A&T and a National Youth and College Speaker, for advice that can benefit current HBCU students. Check out some simple tips from a young, black entrepreneur in the Buzz’s latest interview.

CraigStokes-PressPhoto-2Question: How does graduating from an HBCU play a part in your life?

Answer: It’s extremely difficult to get much done in life on your own – eventually you’ll need to reach out to other people to help you realize your dreams. Attending and graduating from college in general played an enormous role in helping me identify who I was as a person, lay the foundation for me as a brand and what I ultimately wanted to do in my life, and establish an amazing network of lifelong friends and supporters. Attending North Carolina A&T, specifically, establish a greater sense of pride in the HBCU community and motivated me to go out and represent the university well.

Question: Voter turnout in the minority community was better in 2008. What inspired you to launch your clothing line ‘My Vote Counts?’

Answer: I noticed in 2008, amid the historical race to the White House, that everyone was creating some form of an Obama or McCain t-shirt and I wanted to grab some of that attention and redirect it in a different way. What started out as a retail-quality, non-partisan line of t-shirts quickly transformed into an international movement of sorts. I wanted My Vote Counts™ to inspire people to connect with the issues they are passionate about and to find ways to make your vote count (e.g. donating money, launching a charity). The My Vote Counts™ campaign and line of shirts ended up being extremely successful and received international television exposure. The t-shirts were sold at college bookstores, worn by celebrities, billionaires, and former United States presidents.

Question: How does it feel to be compared to Oprah Winfrey?

Answer: It’s truly an honor to be compared to someone so influential on so many fronts. Not only is she an accomplished TV personality but she also is an acclaimed actor, renowned philanthropist she is also the poster child for the idea that anything is possible. I want my legacy to mirror that of Ms. Winfrey’s and to be compared to her validates in many ways that I’m headed in the right direction. Now, if only I can meet her in person – that would be the icing on the cake!

Question: Any advice for current students who have inspirations of being in the media?

Answer: I didn’t graduate with a degree in media. What I did do is believe that I was and still am capable of using my God-given gifts to create the life I want for myself. I started my web series, Style Minute, with no budget and no revenue coming in – all had been a great friend willing to shoot and edit my show and a passion to create a brand for myself that I believed would pay off one day. My advice is simple: get started. It may not be perfect in the beginning but you have to start somewhere in order to build your momentum. The second advice I’d give is to put yourself out there consistently and frequently so that people start buying into your brand. I released a new, high-quality episode (consistency) of Style Minute every day of the week (frequency) in order to build my brand and kick-start my dreams of having my own TV show. Lastly, let people know what your intentions are and what you’re aspiring to do. You’d be surpassed how willing people are to help you reach your dreams.

Question: Any other comments?

Answer: I’m passionate about inspiring high school and college age students and finding ways to be significant in their lives. One way I do this is by working with schools and universities around the country to bring me in to speak to students about building their personal brand. Students and administrators can contact with me at http://www.HearCraigSpeak.com or via my personal site at http://www.CraigStokes.com.

Robert Hoggard is a HBCU Buzz Staff Writer and a sophomore at the American Baptist College. Follow him on Twitter.

HBCU Buzz is the Leading Source of HBCU News, and Most influential brand in the HBCU Community. Like ‘the Buzz’ on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.