By Chanel Cain This homecoming was extra special. It would not be the first time comedian Dave Chappelle would come back to Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, which had put him on the path to success and stardom. He’d returned before, often bringing along financial support and celebrities to inspire others as…
By Janáe Bradford Naomi Osaka seemed to sense that the optics were unsettling, and out of character. She was a top-ranked professional tennis player still a month before her 24th birthday, and she already had earned more money in one year than any woman athlete in history. Yet, there she’d been for all to see: banging…
By Brittney DeZwaan A Denver suburb’s decision to pay $15 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of Elijah McClain acknowledged the role police officers had in his death after they handcuffed and placed him in a chokehold. Three officers were indicted on murder charges in September. But two Aurora paramedics also were…
By Ryan Thomas Just last month, Greenbelt, a small Maryland suburb outside the nation’s capital, became the latest to join the movement for local reparations, as voters approved legislation to study ways to repair the damage past policies did to Black and Native American residents. Colin Byrd, mayor of the city of about 23,000, said…
By Ryan Thomas Fashion’s always been about clothes and style, but also class, culture and politics. That’s the way it was at the Met Gala in September in New York, where Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s appearance in a custom-designed off-the shoulder gown with “Tax the Rich” plastered on the back became a most-discussed item. The optics seemed…
By Gregory Smith Howard University students arrived back on campus on August 23, 2021 to complete the 2021-2022 academic school year in person. Upon arrival students were shocked to learn of tuition increases during an ongoing pandemic. Along with the tuition increase, some students didn’t receive housing assignments until the first week of school. Students…
by Ryan Thomas Film Photography by Ryan Thomas Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Samiah Fulcher was a wide-eyed, creative excited to be surrounded by like minded individuals who looked like her when she first arrived at Howard University. She worked alongside many on campus organizations including Models of the Mecca and even went on to…
By: Chanel Cain The first week of classes back on campus was capped off by a student protest organized by the Howard University chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America. The protest was held on Friday, August 27 in response to both the ongoing housing crisis and Howard’s decision to remove the Affiliate Trustee…
By Monét Bowen Layshia Clarendon remembered the way they were—the way she and other members of the Atlanta Dream WNBA team felt so connected to owner Kelly Loeffler, and seemed to bond with her on issues both personal and political. Clarendon “shared meals with Kelly, stepped foot in her home…,” she recalled, “introduced her to…
By Airielle Lowe Derek Chauvin’s first words defending his treatment of George Floyd came not facing the jury that convicted him of murder, but at the neighborhood intersection in Minneapolis where he’d kept his knee on Floyd’s neck until he passed out and later died. “We’ve got to control this guy because he’s a sizable…