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Thursday, February 13, 2014

HUSA President Steps DownDominique Perkins takes over as the 54th President.

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V-Day HotspotsShort on ideas for Valen-tine’s Day? Check out this list.

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College DropoutOne of Kanye’s most clas-sic albums turns 10.

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INSIDE INDEX

The Student Voice of Howard University est. 1924

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Vol. 98 No.8

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HUSA President Steps Down

CAMPUS...................... p.2

LIFE & STYLE................ p.5

SPORTS........................ p.9

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Today Wintry Mix

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HUSA President Anthony Miller decided to step down Wednesday citing personal issues.Photo by Rachel Cumberbatch, Photo Editor

THE HILLTOP 2

THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014

The Hilltop Newspaper

Glynn Hill Editor-in-Chief

Dominique Diggs Chief Managing Editor

Indigo SilvaMultimedia Editor

Emmy VictorCampus Editor

Keneisha DeasMetro EditorMaya Cade

Life & Style Editor Khari ArnoldSports Editor

Daniel WhiteOpinions Editor

Quantrel HedrickCopy Chief

Alexis GrantCopy Editor

Terranie SimsCopy Editor

Lindsey Ferguson Copy Editor

Tasia Hawkins Staff Writer

Jourdan HenryStaff Writer

Siniyah SmithStaff Writer

Erin Van Dunk Staff Writer

Shannen HillStaff Writer

Precious Osagie-EreseStaff Writer

Nile KendallStaff WriterSteven Hall

ColumnistMarc Rivers

Columnist

Rachel CumberbatchPhoto Editor

Disa RobbEditorial AssistantJasmine NealyEditorial Assistant

Katie DownsCartoonist

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HUSA President Steps DownMaya Cade

Life and Style Editor

Farewell Letter From Anthony MillerDear Howard University,

It has been almost 5 years now since I first set foot on this campus. I remember that day vividly, I came as a senior in high school and im-mediately knew this was the place for me. I didn’t fall in love with the brick and mortar you see around campus though; I fell in love with the students and their restless ambi-tion. The drive that students have here is so inspiring I felt like I had been walking my whole life and was thrown into a marathon. Everyone here is sprinting in different direc-tions chasing after their goals. When you are around people running in all different directions naturally it encourages you to run as well.

It is with regret that I inform you that I will be ending my career in student government by stepping down as President of the Howard University Student Association. This past semester has been nothing

Anthony Miller53rd HUSA President

short of challenging in my personal life and as a student leader. Omar Sykes who was killed on July 4th, 2013 was my friend and roommate and the first person I have known to die. To hear that someone I lived with and saw on a daily basis was killed right on my street was very difficult for me to deal with. There are no words that I can write here to explain to you the feeling you get but the best way to describe it is losing something you did not even know could be taken from you. Losing my friend was the toughest thing I have ever been through and on top of that I was in my first semester in graduate school and HUSA President during one of the most media scrutinized times here at the Mecca in recent history. The challenge has been great and the future holds even more challenges for Howard.

To my staff: We have been able to accomplish so much in the time I have served in office and I have cherished every moment. I have had the opportunity to work with

two Vice Presidents for Student Af-fairs, two different Presidents of the University and I have truly valued each of their leadership styles and gained so much knowledge and understanding from this experience. We have not agreed on everything but our goals have always been the same moving this university in a positive direction. The Director of Student Life and Activities, Mrs. Jackson and her staff have been a tremendous help throughout my time as a student leader and espe-cially in this office.

Without all of these individuals working together nothing we ac-complished this past year would have been possible.

Student Association

As I recall the high hopes for How-ard we had when we got elected to this office it makes me sad to know that I will no longer be serving in this role working on your behalf to achieve those hopes. In turning over direction of HUSA to Vice

President Perkins I know that the leadership of Howard will be in good hands. As she assumes this re-sponsibility she will deserve the help and support of each and every one of us. I have always worked in the best interest of the students of this university and to the many people who joined in supporting that cause because they believed it was right, I am eternally grateful for your support. To those who have not felt able to give me their support, I have appreciated the discourse. All of us have been concerned with the good of Howard however different our judgments may be.

As long as I have breath in my lungs I will continue to fight for what I believe is right and advocate for transparency and improving the student experience here so that they leave as alumni who support our university.

In Truth and Service, Anthony Miller

The Howard University Student Association (HUSA) President, An-thony Miller, officially announced his resignation as HUSA President following a meeting with his cabinet on Monday, February 10. Miller says he made the decision on Friday, February 7 citing “personal issues”.

In an email from the Interim Vice President of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Constance M. Ellison, the Interim Vice President, released a statement extending ‘heartfelt congratulations’ in officially naming Dominique Perkins, the former vice president, as his successor.

In an official letter from Miller to the Howard University community, Miller cites the personal struggles he dealt with last semester as his reason for resigning.

“It is with regret that I inform you that I will be ending my career in student government by stepping down as President of the Howard University Student Association. This past semester has been nothing short of challenging in my per-sonal life and as a student leader,” Miller writes, “ Omar Sykes who was killed on July 4, 2013 was my friend and roommate and the first person I have known to die...Losing my friend was the toughest thing I have ever been through and on top of that I was in my first semester in graduate school and HUSA Presi-

dent during one of the most media scrutinized times here at the Mecca in recent history. The challenge has been great and the future holds even more challenges for Howard.”

According to a source close to Mill-er, he received academic concerns led to decision being made.

Still, Miller, discredits the rumor and ensures students that his studies are fine.

A former HUSA board member who wished to stay anonymous has worked for every administra-tion since HUSA 50 and alleges a lack of organization within HUSA 53. “If you don’t execute the right steps from the start, then this is what happens. I definitely feel like HUSA’s downfall lies in their lack of preparation,” she said.

The School of Communications Student Council president, Sadijah Wallace, offered us her take on the resignation.

“I know that the job of HUSA President and Vice President is re-ally time consuming and extensive, sometimes we put on more than we can handle. Anthony is a great person, I just think with grad school and making sure he maintains the true purpose of being at Howard which is being a student first and then being a student leader,” said Wallace. “He felt that to be effective he needed to let the position go to Dominique.”

Leighton Watson, HUSA’s current Policy Director, added “In having the honor of serving as the HUSA President, a student leader must make a significant sacrifice. The job, while rewarding, is physically, mentally, and emotionally challeng-ing. Anthony Miller’s resignation comes as a surprise to many, but ultimately is a testament to the vari-ous pressures inherent in the job.”

“I am confident that through this transitional period, Dominique Per-kins has the capabilities to advance the various initiatives started under the former President. As we begin the shift, not only in student leader-ship but also in administrative lead-ership, it is vital to vet, with scrutiny, our elected officers,” Watson stated.

Though Miller’s successor Domi-nique Perkins had no comment, Miller stated in his letter that he is hopeful for her future as the 54th HUSA President.

“In turning over direction of HUSA to Vice President Perkins I know that the leadership of Howard will be in good hands. As she assumes this responsibility she will deserve the help and support of each and every one of us,” Miller said.

He added that if he could sum up his term in one word, he would say “progressive,” adding that one thing he would have liked to have done is encourage greater transparency with the administration.

“As long as I have breath in my lungs I will continue to fight for what I believe is right and advocate for transparency and improving the student experience here so that they leave as alumni who support our university,” he said.

Glynn Hill contributed reporting to this article.

Photo by Rachel Cumberbatch, Photo Editor

THE HILLTOP 3


Campus . Emmy Victor, Campus Editor [email protected]

The Africana Studies Department along with the Howard University Library System kicked off Black History Month with a showing of “Have You Heard from Johannes-burg.” This film is a documentary about the ties between South Africa and America and Apartheid.

For those unfamiliar, Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa enforced through legislation by the National Party governments, the ruling party from 1948 to 1994. Apartheid was de-veloped after World War II because many American companies wanted to strip away any investments they had in South Africa.

Discussion panelist included Chair of the Africana Studies Depart-ment Dr. Gregory Carr, Howard University Ph.D history student Sonja Woods and former president of the Howard University African American Graduate Studies associa-

Black History Month Kicks Off with Apartheid ScreeningKennedi Fuller

Contributing Writer

“Mandela Day”

tion Phiwokuhle Mnyandu.

Each year, the Library System part-ners with members of the Howard academic community to identify a series of films that accurately document our Africana heritage or authentically portray the lives of people of African descent with sensitivity and courage.

“This University has not simu-lated the seriousness of the African movement. The fact that there were more people supporting Kevin Hart’s appearance last week than this is mind blowing,” said Dr. Carr.

The discussion primarily focused on why our generation has gotten so complacent with the way things are regarding our place in society. Many have a misconception that just because we have a black presi-dent in office our struggles have become obsolete.

“The discussion was so invigorating. It really upset me that the Howard

Frederick to Deliver Inaugural Tubman

Lectureship at West Virginia UniversitySholnn Freeman

Communications SpecialistInterim President Wayne A.I. Frederick will deliver the inaugural Harriet Tubman lecture as part of a visiting professorship at West Virginia University, Feb. 18-19.

During the two-day visit, Dr. Frederick will serve as the attend-ing surgeon for the Morbidity and Mortality conference, present at the surgical grand rounds as well as address faculty and students on the topic, “Unconscious Biases in Academic Medicine.”

The visit to the Morgantown cam-pus also coincides with the WVU School of Medicine’s recognition of Black History month. Each February the Department will host “educational programs that focus on health issues that affect popu-lations isolated by race, culture, poverty, gender, and sexual and social identity.”

The West Virginia University

student body did not show up to support something that would be of great benefit to their knowledge,” said Sadiyah Malcolm, a freshman Management major from Philadel-phia.

Each screening features a moder-ated panel of informed scholars, film critics, and filmmakers charged to engage audiences in discussion about the films’ key themes, high-lights, shortcomings, and challenges.

“I really learned a lot about South Africa that I had no idea was even going on. It was interesting to see how they parallel each other and how Apartheid still affects the country today even though that was years ago,” said Goz Anyadiegwu, International Global Economics graduate student from Nigeria by way of New Jersey.

Film screenings will be each Friday in the Browsing Room of Founders Library at 1:00pm during the Black History Month.

School of Medicine serves more than 2,500 students with a variety of educational programs -- includ-ing medicine, physical and occupa-tional therapy, medical technology, physical therapy, exercise physiol-ogy, continuing medical educa-tion, and others. Faculty members provide advanced clinical care to more than 100,000 West Virginians throughout the state.

Interim University PresidentPhoto via HU Communications

Photo by Rachel Cumberbatch, Photo Editor

Americans recognize the month of February for holding a popular holiday- Valentine’s Day. But many fail to realize that February is also National Dating Violence Aware-ness month. While a nationally recognized issue, these dating sce-narios can happen right here on the forefront of our institution.

In 2009, out of a survey of 481 Howard University students, almost half of the participants reported that they had experienced some form of emotional or psychological abuse in an intimate relationship. Nearly one-fifth of them admit-ted to have experienced a form of physical abuse in an intimate

relationship.

This survey, as well as other data led Metropolitan Police Department Officer Valkyrie Barnes from the Homeland Security Bureau along with the Howard University Cam-pus Safety First Project Program Manager Dr. Akosoa McFadgion, to hold a discussion on the topic of Social Media Stalking, and Dating Violence.

“Stalking and dating violence doesn’t come from the random stranger it used to. It can also occur in what appears to be a healthy re-lationship and can be portrayed by a male or female,” said McFadgion. According to the panelists, stalking is a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would causes

a person to feel fear or danger. Stalking is serious, often violent, and generally escalates over time. Stalking most often occurs between two people who know each other. “I thought stalking was only some-thing that you see on TV. I didn’t know so many people experienced this, especially at Howard. I learned so many things that I never even knew existed on social media,” said Tyriel Robinson, sophomore Radio, TV and Film major.

With the advancement of technol-ogy, victims make it easier for stalk-ers to act. Social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook come with the option to tag your exact location when posting a picture or a status. This not only can lead a stalker to where you are but can identify the places you frequently visit, who your friends are, and importantly that you are not at home.

“This panel wasn’t designed to scare students, but to get them to realize that stalkers are real and that social media sites can be dangerous if not used correctly,” said Barnes.

If you know someone being stalked or in a violent relationship: you can help. Don’t blame the victim for the crime, and remember that every situation is different. For more information about stalking or sexual assault, please visit the Campus Safety First Project office in the Howard University Center, suite 508. You can also refer to these websites: www.victimsofcrime.org or www.campussafetyfirst.org.

Kennedi FullerContributing Writer

“Mandela Day,” put together to celebrate the anniversary of Nelson Man-dela’s release from prison, consisted of two panels in Blackburn and a free Jazz Concert in Cramton Auditorium.

Photos by Rachel Cumberbatch, Photo Editor

Valkyrie Barnes (left) and Dr. Akosoa McFadgion (right)

Dating Violence Symposium

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Metro Keneisha Deas, Metro Editor [email protected] . The Hot Spots for Valentine’s Day

Tiffani DuPreeContributing Writer

Are you looking for something exciting to do for Valentine’s Day? You have seen the historical monu-ments, and you just went to the movie theater, but now you want to go somewhere special. Here are some incredible places in D.C. that are easy to get to with public transportation!DC Improv Comedy Club & Res-taurantFarragut North stop on the red line1140 Connecticut Ave. NW (202) 296-7008

The classic restaurant date is always nice. However, if you are looking to spice up your dining experience, you may want to try this famous comedy venue. Guests can partake in a full restaurant, bar and a com-edy school. Since its launch in 1992, this club has featured headliner acts such as Ellen DeGeneres and Dave Chappelle. Are you ready to share some laughs with your date?Washington Harbour Ice RinkFoggy Bottom stop on the orange/blue line 3050 K St. NW (202) 706-7666

There is a perfect date option for everyone, even for the adventur-ous couples. What’s more exciting and romantic than ice skating! With 11,800 square feet, this venue is the ideal place for special date nights such as this one. In honor of

Valentine’s Day, the rink is offering a special two-for-one promotion. Don’t worry about getting hungry after skating because there are several restaraunts to choose from at the Washington Harbour.

Mintwood PlaceColumbia Heights stop on the green/yellow line1813 Columbia Rd. NW (202) 234-6732

This restaurant offers a more social and open feeling, with tables placed in close proximity and a large window in the front. It has won numerous awards for its American cuisine, including “100 Very Best Restaurants 2014” by The Wash-ingtonian magazine. Located right in Adams Morgan, Mintwood Place is a quality restaurant not too far from campus!

1789Rosslyn stop on the orange/blue line1226 36th St. NW (202) 965-1789

Cozy, historic, and elegant are just some of the elements that 1789 has to offer. This restaurant has all the basics for an unforgettable din-ner. From the antique décor to the exquisite food selection, 1789 is sure to make memories that will last a life time.

PinstripesArchives stop on the green line then

Between shuttle rides, carts and mile-long walks, grocery shopping has been the struggle for people living on or around campus. Those worries will be gone within the next two years, as a new Harris Teeter store will open a minute away from the Towers.

Harris Teeter grocery store owners have been interested in the location for more than a year and the two developers, JBG Companies and MRP Residential, will combine some privately owned properties with a city-owned parcel that MRP has won the right to develop. The new Harris Teeter will be located at 965 Florida Ave, right behind the Towers.

While there is currently a Harris Teeter a few blocks from Merid-ian Hill Hall, this new location will allow students on campus to walk to the grocery store versus taking a shuttle to M-dot. Also, with the future closing of Meridian, this new location will be more convenient for all Howard students.

New Grocery Stores Open Near HowardShannen Hill

Staff Writer “I think that it’s a great idea consid-ering that all of the grocery stores are far,” said Ti’Erra Wise, a fresh-man, Finance major from Houston. “It would be very beneficial to us to be able to shop near campus instead of taking a bus or other transporta-tion.”

JBG is also building a Trader Joe’s grocery store a few blocks over on 14th St. and U St. NW that is set to open next month. While it is not as close to campus, students say that it worth the distance considering the lack of Trader Joe’s in the District. The new Trade Joe’s location is less than a 10 minute bus ride from the corner of Georgia Ave. and Florida Ave. NW on the 90, 92, 93, 96 and X3 lines. Before this one, the closest Trader Joe’s was near the Foggy Bottom, GWU metro stop along with another in Silver Spring, Md.

“I shop at Trader Joe’s two to three times a week and I have to go to the one in Silver Spring,” said Safisha Seifuolah, a senior Psychology major from Chicago. “It’s great for Howard and the community around Howard because Trader Joe’s has

board the 32 bus towards Friend-ship Heights1064 Wisconsin Ave. NW (202) 625-6500

This is a restaurant, bowling al-ley, and more, all in one location. Pinstripes is ideal for couples who want to do more than one activity, but don’t want to travel a great deal. This venue just opened last week, so if you are looking for something new, then this is the perfect place to go. Georgia Brown’sMcPherson Square stop on the blue line950 15th St. NW (202) 393-449Sometimes it can be difficult to get a home cooked meal while in col-lege, but this restaurant excels with its “fine southern cuisine.” Dishes, such as buttermilk fried chicken breasts and Colorado lamb chops, are on the menu for Valentine’s Day. Get ready to feed your ap-petite!

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsFoggy Bottom stop on the blue line2700 F St. NW (202) 467-4600

The Kennedy Center always offers free concerts, and Valentine’s Day is no different. Singer-songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway is slated to sing classic love songs. You can enjoy some of the most timeless music with a jazz rendition.

HBCU All-Stars Honor Three Howard Students

Keneisha DeasMetro Editor

WASHINGTON—Three Howard University students are announced as ambassadors for the first inau-gural class of The White House Initiative HBCU All-Stars. From 62 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 75 undergraduates, graduate, and professional stu-dents were selected based on their demonstration of leadership, high academia, and community involve-ment. The students announced from Howard University are Jocelyn Cole, Tyrone Hankerson, and Viv-ian Nweze.

The purpose of this initiative is to expand educational opportunities through the use of social media and the All-Stars’ relationships with community-based organizations. The HBCU All-Stars will work very closely with each other, and Ivory Toldson, serving as the deputy director of The White House Initia-tive for HBCUs.

Tyrone Hankerson, a junior legal communications major and public relations minor from Atlanta, GA is eager about what’s in store from this initiative. With Hankerson’s father a Howard alumnus, he understands the importance of HBCUs.

“I’m extremely excited to collabo-rate with other students and also graduate students. This opportunity will allow an active role in secur-ing enrollment,” said Hankerson. “Being apart of this inaugural class will guide the ship of where this will go.”

Hankerson already sees the initia-tive coming to fruition when he communicated with his former middle school teacher via Facebook. She saw a link about the initiave, and she herself is playing an active role in getting her son to consider attending an HBCU.

Tyrone was recently named as a 2013-2014 “Who’s Who among Students in American College and Universities”, and is currently studying for his LSATS. Vivian Nweze, is a senior telecom-munications major, and business administration minor from Orlan-do, FL is excited about representing

Howard University and HBCU’s holistically.

“It’s a tremendous honor and I feel so blessed to help showcase the beauty of an HBCU education. I never thought I would go to an HBCU and Howard was only my 4th choice, but it has been one of the best decisions I have made in my entire life,” said Nweze.

Nweze has worked with notable media conglomerates such as mtvU, The Huffington Post, and is currently with NBC covering the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. She’s also Editor-In-Chief of her site, poshpoisepolish.com.

“It is a privilege to announce these 75 students who have demonstrated a commitment to both their own academic achievement and making a difference in their communities, and we look forward to working with them as partners in advancing President Obama’s college comple-tion goal,” said George Cooper, executive director of the WHIHB-CUs via The U.S. Department of Education press release. “Engaging with the next generation of leaders who will graduate from HBCUs and go on to make meaningful contributions to society is crucial to the success of our community, our country and our global competitive-ness.”

In light of controversies and the relevancy of HBCUs in recent years, this initiative will serve as a reinforcement of why Historically Black Colleges and Universities are a necessity and the foundation for success in the black community.

“Unless you have attended an HBCU, you can’t understand the complexities of our experience, our unwavering pride, and the culture that ties it together,” said Nweze. “I think this program and the White House initiative, as a whole will give students a chance to share with the decision makers of our country why our schools are still relevant.”

The initiative has existed since Clin-ton’s administration, however was not fully executed until President Obama has taken office.

tons and tons of healthy option.” While both of these grocery store projects are still in the works, Wal-mart recently opened its first two locations in the District. The super-store that once required a metro or car is now on 5929 Georgia Ave. NW and 77 H St. NW. The Geor-gia location is 103,000 square-feet, while the H St. location is 74,000 square-feet.

“I think that it’s extremely conve-nient because now students can ac-cess it, not to mention that Walmart is an everything-you-need store with low prices,” said Alexandria Heskey, a sophomore, Political Science major from Miami. “…and it will create more job opportunities for students.”

The Howard community has been receiving more food options in the last few years with new restaurants. Now, there will be even more with the new grocery stores around the city. For more information about the stores and how to apply for jobs at the new locations visit har-risteeter.com, traderjoes.com and walmart.com.

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Sad news on this Valentine’s Day: a large portion of Hollywood is putting large amounts of money and resources into making movies where stuff blows up real good. With upcoming sequels to Trans-formers, Captain America, and X-Men—along with yet another Liam Neeson action fl ick and a remake of Godzilla—Hollywood’s faith in the superhuman and the otherworldly has reached giddy, monotonous levels, and one has to wonder: does anyone care about the romantic comedy anymore?

So far this decade, “not really” seems like an appropriate answer. It seems like it was a lifetime ago that moviegoers watched “Harry Met Sally.” Now it’s more likely to see Harry and Sally shooting at an endless amount of foes with machine guns. Listing what passes for romantic comedies these days fi lls one with a heavy heart indeed: “No Strings Attached”, “New Year’s Eve”, “The Back-Up Plan”, “That Awkward Moment”—they can do better than this. The key to doing so just lies a little outside Hollywood’s comfort zone.

Why Romantic Comedies Need Some ColorMarc Rivers

Columnist

Maya Cade, L&S Editor [email protected] .

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When one thinks of the classic rom-coms of the past, one remembers rapid-fi re dialogue, breezy story-telling, and gleaming stars, pretty much all that’s promised in this year’s “About Last Night”, which stars the impossibly beautiful paring of Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant and the infectiously riotous coupling of Kevin Hart and Regina Hall. At a time when so many actors just don’t seem to have good faces anymore, Michael Ealy has one (women urge you not to forget the eyes either). And for those old souls who miss the way actors once treated conver-sation like a sparring match, Hart

and Hall can juke, jab, and parry with the best of them.

These black actors, and many oth-ers, are part of a collection of still untapped marketability in Hol-lywood. Last year was billed as a banner year for fi lms by and about black people, but more important, it depicted the rainbow of dynamism among black actors and actresses that Hollywood has kept in a corner for so long. Would moviegoers re-ally care for someone like Rachel McAdams or Katherine Heigl if actresses like Nia Long or Paula Patton were being used to their full

potential? Does Zac Efron really look that great standing next to Columbus Short or Derek Luke? If these criminally underused actors only fi nd time to work their dra-matic chops either in television or in supporting roles, why not unleash their looks, voices, and grace on good ol’ lovey-dovey movies?

Before you scoff, keep in mind that it wasn’t too long ago that some of the most popular actors in cin-ema history were veterans of the rom-com. Cary Grant, Kathryn Hepburn, Babara Stanwyck—these legendary names and many others headlined some of the classic ro-mantic comedies of all time. They made falling in love something to enjoy, something only the cleverest, wittiest, most romantic individuals dared to do, and they looked good doing it. The most cynical movie-goer had their heart melted from the heat of the chemistry on screen, chemistry one doesn’t see in many of the white pairings in mainstream romantic comedies. It’s not good to assume, but one would imagine that a director like Howard Hawks, a popular director of the ‘30s whose dialogue could cut through iron and tickle the toughest funny bone, would put not Efron as a lead, but

Michael B. Jordan, whose fi lm roles display a charisma and charm that Efron’s expressionless mug can barely fathom.

And let’s not forget that Paula Pat-ton: there’s an actress who wields a coy, fl ighty intelligence that not even this unfortunate string of “dumb blonde” roles can suppress. Marilyn Monroe started out with “dumb blonde roles” too. She needed only directors of a certain caliber and intuition to unleash her true abilities. Which director today will do that for Patton? Her major accomplishment for many is still her marriage to Robin Thicke. And did anybody even see “Baggage Claim”? It wasn’t terrible. One can only imagine how much better she could be in a movie worthy of her talents. Hers is a career that can still only go up, and so can Hart’s, Jordan’s, and many other blacks of their caliber. The romantic comedy is suffering, dying you might even say. But movies like “About Last Night” and stars like Kevin Hart and Paula Patton have the capacity to save it, and last year proved that melodrama, screwball, and falling in and out of love looks just as good, if not better, when some color is thrown into the mix.

Photo via fl ickr.com, MaCo_2013Paula Patton in the upcoming movie “About Last Night”

Life&Style

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‘Titans’ of the Civil Rights Movement Pass Down Valuable Lessons

By Edna Kane-Williams, Vice President, Multicultural Markets, AARP

When Nolan Rollins was fresh out of law school in the late 1990s he was introduced to Howard

Henderson, president/CEO of the Baltimore Urban League. Returning to his home town of Baltimore,

Nolan had no idea what was about to happen.

But, in a matter of just a few years, with a lot of humility, listening and good mentoring, he had

zoomed into the civil rights and economic justice career of a lifetime.

“I was one of the younger folks who was really fortunate to be surrounded by really seasoned civil

rights leaders. And, really, that’s what pulled me into this,” says Rollins. Being groomed by

Henderson, he went on to found the now 7,000-member National Urban League Young Professionals

program. Then, at 34, he rebuilt the New Orleans Urban League as its president/CEO for five years

after Hurricane Katrina. And last year, he became the new president/CEO of the Los Angeles Urban

League. With these accomplishments, Nolan seems to have shocked himself.

“Quite frankly, when I came back to Baltimore from law school in Florida, my intention was to go into

the legal profession, which I did. I was in the State’s Attorney’s Office,” he said. But once he was

introduced to Henderson, who had worked at the Baltimore-based National NAACP office under the

leadership of Benjamin Hooks for 15 years before going to the Urban League, Nolin was hooked on a whole new career.

It’s a phenomenal civil rights culture that appears to repeat itself: Older, seasoned generations of civil rights leaders duplicating

themselves to continue the work for years to come - generation after generation - assuring that the quest for civil rights and economic

justice continues.

“All the time, I’m surrounded by these Titans in the Urban League movement who really brought me into the room, sat me down and I

actually got a great chance to learn from them,” he said, crediting names such as Henderson and NUL President/CEO Marc Morial.

“They were ready to support a younger generation of civil rights and economic rights individuals.”

This strategy of simply identifying people with talent and commitment and then grooming them appears to be working among the

nation’s civil rights groups.

Sammie Dow, 27, current director of the Youth & College Division of the NAACP, has a similar story. His first role models were his

parents, who were active in the local NAACP in High Point, N.C., where he grew up.

“I started by volunteering as a youth usher for my local unit’s annual Freedom Fund Banquet,” he said. “And it was for me an eye-

opening experience. In the eighth grade, I was awarded our local unit’s Outstanding Youth of the Year Award.

Now with a master’s degree in social work, Sammie spends long hours at the NAACP engulfed in the search for new ways to engage

young people in the business of voting rights, stopping gun violence and other civil rights issues. He treasures the lessons he has

learned from elder civil rights leaders.

“One of the most dangerous things that our community can do is to create this battle of us against them - old against the young. I think

it’s extremely divisive and it’s dangerous to the community because it creates an opportunity for infighting and we’re not focused on

what our real target should be.”

He described how the Youth & College Division and the youth councils and college chapters work directly with the adult branches;

“so, that structuring really allows an opportunity for young people to be at the decision-making tables, even helping to shape the work

of the adult branches. Not to mention that we have dedicated seats on our national board of directors.”

Like, Rollins, Dow sees the civil rights movement being transferred through the generations simply by partnerships between seasoned

workers being willing to teach and younger workers being willing to learn.

“The view that I bring to civil rights is that there’s enough room at the table for everyone. And if we all do a little, no one has to do a

lot. And I think that encouraging young people to work alongside adults, that’s the model we have to get to. Some things are not

taught. Some things are caught. When young people have an opportunity to work alongside adults, they catch really valuable lessons.”

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Life&Style Maya Cade, L&S Editor [email protected] .

Maya CadeLife & Style Editor

Are you a part of the Valentine’s-day-is-a-made-up-holiday-and-we-shouldn’t-celebrate-this-commercial-day crew? We’ve all been there at one point or another. Being “in between relationships” on Valentine’s Day (even if you don’t particularly care for it) is quite awkward especially when there will be significant others leaving a trail of their love and admiration every-where. So how does one celebrate Valentine’s Day when they’re cyni-cal or single? Look no further, the answers are all here.

1) Love yourself.

Ah, you probably saw this coming when you read the headline “Single or Cynical?” What is a Valentine’s Day without someone mention-ing “Oh my you’re single, this is the best time to love yourself ”? So, as you walk through the valley of chants of “love yourself, you’re the most important person in your life” tomorrow, it’s important to note that you have a couple of options. You can either pull a Cher from Clueless and buy yourself chocolates and eat them adoringly for everyone (or the person you’re crushing on) to see, take yourself out to your favorite place in the city, or have a good time on campus with people you love (or can kind of tolerate because that’s free.99).

2) Look at the Valentine’s Day memes on Tumblr

Don’t like Valentine’s Day? That’s cool. Like to laugh? Even better. These memes are hi-larious. Just look, you won’t regret it. Did you see the ones with Internet Explorer? That should be your starting point, you’re welcome.

3) Wait, while you’re on the Internet…

You can look up your favorite movies to watch online, get your Netflix queue ready, start that free two-week trial subscription of Hulu that they keep sending you, or get someone’s password to Amazon Prime. Cultivate in the art of being alone with thousands of movies you haven’t watched yet, because it truly is an art.

4) VALENTINE’S DAY CANDY WILL BE DISCOUNTED SAT-URDAY

Single or Cynical? You’re in Luck

...and I repeat, Valentine’s Day candy will be discounted on Sat-urday and maybe even Friday. You don’t have to like the holiday but you can like the candy. Look past the wrapper of overflowing hearts and cheesy false sentiments and dig in to a real treat of discounted candy. Snickers, Reese’s, Cook-ies and Creme bars? It’s all there. Make your weekly shopping routine something special by unwrapping true happiness.

5) Cook yourself something special

Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is close to the “love yourself ” tidbit but it deserved a category all its own. Saw something special on the Food Net-work? Been dying to make a family recipe someone sent you? Cook. It. Up. It’s Friday, you ain’t got no --- yeah... well, you get the gist. While you’re cooking up a family recipe, call some of your family members and tell them you love them.

6) Do something that future you will thank you for

Not worried about a significant other? Cool. Take this day of self-love to also be a thank you letter to yourself. Apply for scholarships, summer internships, or jobs. Be proactive in ensuring that your near future is secure and prosperous.

7) Attend events

Yes, attend an event. There’s a whole list of great events that are happening around the city that are single/cynic friendly. There are even many anti-Valentine’s Day parties going on around the District on Friday that a quick Google search can lead you to.

8) Sell things from an ex

Why make this day go to waste? Profit from past relationships by selling gifts on eBay, Etsy, or to friends to make quick cash off dead sentiments. Share your ‘heartbreak-ing story’ to appeal to the masses and get your old trinkets sold even faster. There are even websites that specialize in just the thing such as exboyfriendjewerly.com

Don’t like any of this advice? That’s okay. It’s just another day, after all.

Photo via flickr.com, staciella

“The College Dropout” Celebrates 10 Years

They say your first album is the one you’ve been working on your entire life. It is a summation of many years of experiences, trials and tribulations that are compiled into an audio format. For many artists, there is truth in the belief that the first album of their career has the tendency to be the most organic when factoring in all of the elements that come into play in its production; the natural, pre-indus-trial release of an artist’s expres-sions, coupled with the time and hard work that is put into making it as perfect as seemingly possible, in addition to the excitement that comes with building a holistic body of work, are but a few of the many elements. Ten years ago from this past Monday, Kanye West made his formal debut to the music industry as both a lyricist and producer with the release of his illustrious, soulful, fervent body of work “The College Dropout”, an album that today re-mains to be one of the most timely and important Hip-Hop albums since the turn of the century.

Rewind time back to the year 1996. The setting: Chicago, Illinois. Here existed a young Kanye West who was attending Chicago State University after transferring from a stint at Chicago’s American Academy of Art. West, 20 years old at the time, was full of angst, torn between taking the path most traveled in the form of a secondary education degree or following his lifelong passion of music production to see just how far he could go. This struggle is one that I found to be relatable to not only myself, but also to the many individuals around me here at Howard who are in pursu-ance of a degree but are uncertain of their true sentiments regarding its significance as well as what is to come after reception of it. Serving as the turning point for the multi-talented, revered genius that we know today as Kanye West, the fact that “The College Dropout” began with his decision to literally drop out, chase his dreams, and name his debut project after this process manifests itself in the form of a driven, undeniable energy; one that has resonated and grown within this album since its release.

Though track wise it runs evenly alongside “Late Registration” with both albums having a total of twenty-one tracks, “The Col-lege Dropout” still remains to be Kanye’s longest album, ringing in at seventy-six minutes and thirteen

seconds of track time. This may be a product of the fact that it is also Kanye’s longest recording project to date, beginning in 1999 and end-ing in 2003. As mentioned earlier, though the “official” recording length of this album spanned 4 years, According to John Monopoly, West’s friend, manager and business partner, “The College Dropout” “[didn’t have] a particular start date. He’[d] been gathering beats for years. He was always producing with the intention of being a rapper. There’s beats on the album he’[d] been literally saving for himself for years.” Many of the beats that were cleared to be used on this album were heav-ily influenced by the sound of great R&B, Jazz, Soul, and Funk pio-neers, such as: Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Curtis Mayfield, Chaka Khan, and Anita Baker. At a time where popular Hip-Hop had taken a turn to its nitty gritty, gangsta-esque subgenre at the hands of 50 Cent and his band of G-Unit repre-sentatives, Dropout was resemblant of a breath of fresh air.

West’s use of sampling these hits and contrasting them against his

lyrics gave many listeners of Hip-Hop reminiscent vibes channel-ing the sound of legends such as A Tribe Called Quest, and more importantly, it gave Hip-Hop hope again. He was always known for his ability to produce great beats, but the lyrical substance of “Dropout” is what has really allowed it to re-main the well-respected work that it is today. West vocalized his perspec-tive on race relations, opportunity, creative endeavors, following your dreams, family, religion, alongside other popular topics, to which many people both then and to this day are able to relate.

This culmination of soul, character, drive, and spirit coalesced to form the first public step of the undeni-able force that is Kanye West, an individual who has left a major impact on people of all ages, races, and origins. In honor of “The Col-lege Dropout”’s ten year anniver-sary, it is worth going back to listen to all of these elements once again.

John WilsonContributing Writer

“The College Dropout” album

THE HILLTOP 9


Former Missouri defensive end, Michael Sam.

Sports Khari Arnold, Sports Editor [email protected] .

Former Missouri University defen-sive lineman and SEC Defensive Player of the Year recently an-nounced to the world that he was gay and still plans to actively pursue his dreams of playing in the NFL.

Sunday night in an interview with ESPN’s Chris Connelly, Michael Sam, 24, openly admitted to being gay.

“I am a gay man, and I’m happy to be one,” said Sam.

The defensive lineman, who was ranked as the 90th best prospect for the NFL draft, has now fallen to the 160th spot since his announcement. His decision to come out before the NFL draft came as a surprise to the public.

“I expected that all of the scouts knew because I did make it public to my team, and once scouts came and asked about me, I’m sure they were told Michael Sam is gay. I wanted to let the world know and tell them hey, I’m gay, let me tell my own story,” Sam said. Many public figures have been very supportive of Sam’s decision to

come out about his sexuality, includ-ing First Lady Michelle Obama who tweeted he is “an inspiration to all of us” and “we couldn’t be prouder of [his] courage on and off the field.” Another person who has grappled with Sam’s announcement is his father, Michael Sam, Sr. In an in-terview with The New York Times, Sam, Sr. indicated that he received a text from his son while eating in a restaurant stating that he was gay.

Star NFL Prospect Announces He’s Gay

As the NBA prepares for All-Star break, let’s view the most surpris-ing and disappointing teams of the first half of the season. The biggest surprise thus far has to be the entire Eastern Conference. With only four winning teams in the East, the rest of the teams have been terrible against the Western Conference. The only two teams who have an obvious chance of winning the NBA Title is the first place Indiana Pacers and the defending two-time NBA Champions, Miami Heat.

The Pacers, returned their start-ing five and led by Paul George and Roy Hibbert, are 40-11 and a viable threat to dethrone the Miami Heat this go round. Led by the “big three,” the Heat seem to be preserving their main stars in order to save their energy for a rugged fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals. Last playoffs the Heat played two back-to-back seven game series against the Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs to capture their second straight title. The Heat is monitoring Dwyane Wade’s knees to have him at his best health in the playoffs.

The play of the two New York area teams; the New York Knicks (21-30) and the Brooklyn Nets (23-26), seem to be the biggest disappoint-ment. With the Knicks returning a team that was the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Carmelo-led Knickerbockers appear to be out of contention for the NBA title. The Nets are less dis-appointing with their reinvigorated effort in 2014, but with four key veterans as their starters in Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett, the Nets still rotate with the bottom two playoff seeds.

The Western Conference, however, has offered the more competitive conference out of the two. Led by Kevin Durant, the first place Okla-

NBA Midseason Review

Nychol Stephens Contributing Writer

tumblr.com

Brandon BanksContributing Writer

Track and Field Teams Slated to Compete in MEAC Championships

Led by second-year head coach Marc Harrison, the Howard Track and Field program has endured ma-jor improvements in several aspects this season as both the men and women are expected to fare well in this weekend’s MEAC Indoor Track and Field championships.

After a solid performance in New York for the Armory Collegiate In-vitational at the Armory, the teams are motivated for the upcoming tasks in Landover, Md.

“MEAC Championships are a pretty big deal and expectations are high,” said head coach Marc Har-rison. “We have confidence as we are getting better each week.”

Performances have earned Howard student-athletes MEAC Top Per-former of the Week honors for two consecutive weeks with the efforts of runners Wallace Spencer and Giovanni Mowatt.

Last week, Spencer, a senior from Chester, Pa., showcased his prowess in a meet of Who’s Who of college track and field, finishing fifth in the

Khari ArnoldSports Editor

200 metres in the college division with a 21.97 clocking time and sev-enth in the 60 hurdles with a 8.09 clocking time.

His recent performance at the Gul-den Invitational was a conference best as his 6.91 clocking time in the 60 metres was ranked the highest in the MEAC this season. As Spencer faces MEAC opponents this week-end, Harrison believes this will be the best track meet of his career.

“He’s been trained for the success that’s in front of him,” said Har-rison. “His confidence is high and he knows what he has to do.”

Mowatt recently won three events at the Patriot Games Indoor Track and Field Meet as he captured the 800-meter run with a time of 1:53.49 and was a member of both the 4X400 and 4X800 relay teams that captured first place.

“He’s our horse. He has a wide range and works harder than any-body on the team,” said Harrison. “He has to show his versatility in this upcoming meet because he’ll be running everything in distances from the 400 up to the mile. If

there’s anybody I trust to put on a show this weekend, it would be Gio Mowatt.”

On the women’s side, freshman Michelle Cole is on pace for a stel-lar career at Howard due to her exceptional efforts in her first year as a Bison.

“Michelle was a sleeper coming out of Saint Andrew in Jamaica,” said Harrison. “She’s totally bought into the program and her success is reflecting.”

The young, adept student-athlete is part of a quartet that is expected to make noise in the MEAC Champi-onships. Last week, the 4X400 relay quartet included Cole, Jasmin Selby, Tiana Teague and Monica Todd. The relay team placed 10th with a time of 3:48.08, a personal best for them.

“That was a personal record for the ladies this year in that event and places them fourth in the MEAC,” noted Harrison. “I feel that we are prepared and will give the MEAC our best shot. We are going to make it quite interesting.”

homa City Thunder seem poised for a deep playoff run. The biggest surprise has to be the play of the Portland Trailblazers, led by their two all stars, LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard. Posting a record of 36-16, the Blazers are turning heads and are competing with the NBA’s bests to bring home the Larry O’Brien trophy.

The biggest disappointment of the Western Conference has been the injuries to familiar faces. All-stars such as Steve Nash, Kobe Bry-ant, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul have been out due to different injuries and fans of each player are left helpless.

Predictions at the season break are as follows:

MVP: Kevin Durant. He can’t • be stopped right now; the #SlimReaper is shooting 64.2 percent from the field and is pacing the Thunder to a great start thus far.6th Man: Manu Ginobili. Back • in somewhat of a resurgence year, Ginoibli is averaging 12.1 points per game from the bench for the Spurs, despite battling a weak hamstring.Rookie of the Year: Michael • Carter-Williams. The 76ers first-round pick has been the only bright spot for the 76ers dismal year. Carter-Williams is averaging 17.1 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists.Coach of the Year: Terry • Stotts, the head coach of the Portland Trailblazers. Stotts is leading the Blazers to their most impressive season since the Rasheed Wallace days.Most Impressive Team: The • Indiana Pacers. Probably the deepest team in the league, the Pacers are creating mismatches across the board for any team. Watch out, Miami.Least Impressive Team: The • New York Knicks. Their incon-sistent play says it all.

“I couldn’t eat [anymore] so I went to Applebee’s to have drinks,” Sam Sr. told the newspaper. Four days have passed, and the former Missouri defensive lineman has since moved up from his 160th ranking to 110th. Sam remains positive and believes that if he is drafted, he expects his next locker room to uphold the standards of a respected workplace, where his sexuality does not factor into his ability to perform.

Kevin Durant tumblr.com, bookbag mob

THE HILLTOP 10


by Katie Downs, cartoonist

Carr’s Corner

Dr. Gregory CarrHoward University Professor

Opinions Daniel White , Opinions Editor [email protected] .

Tuesday, February 11 marked the 24th Mandela emerged from the Victor Verster prison in Cape Town, South Africa after serving 27 years of a term of life imprison-ment for treason. 2014 also marks the anniversary of Mandela’s 1964 imprisonment on Robben Island to serve that term. He was 44 years old when he was imprisoned, 71 years old when he was released, and 75 when inaugurated as the first Black president of South Africa.

Howard University marked the an-niversary with a day-long “Mandela Day” of panels, lectures, poetry, song and music, accentuated by the presence of towering figures from our genealogy such as Hugh Masekela, Willie Kgositsile and Ron Dellums, among others.

Ages of Leadership: An Intergenerational DiscourseWhen presented with legendary figures such as Mandela or Martin King or visited and engaged by sometimes-idealized elder statesper-sons such as the ones who joined us for Mandela Day, students often ask if their generation and its potential for leadership is viewed with skepti-cism or trepidation. We must de-velop our ability to see iconic figures at similar stages of development and activity that begin well before they reached the invaluable stage of wise elder. Our students frequently bemoan their ability to face new forms of indelible challenges rang-ing from race and class inequities in education, employment and health care. There is, however, an even more daunting challenge: to identify and use what Wole Soyinka has called our “dynamic possessions” of African culture and human capital to provide new solutions to the world’s problems.

In learning situations devoted to the study of Africana life and experi-ence where questions of student leadership ability emerge, it is help-ful to remind ourselves of Frantz Fanon’s oft-cited dictum, that “each generation must discover its mis-sion, fulfill it or betray it, in relative opacity.” One way of understand-ing Fanon’s remark is that only with great difficulty and often with little or no complete confidence in direc-tion on every decision, people make change as best they can. The role of the university—and undoubtedly the role of Howard and her sister HBCUs—is to immerse ourselves in learning and research that helps each generation make its deci-sions armed with the best available knowledge.

The years between the U.S. Su-preme Court’s Brown v. Board of

Education decision and the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been called “the Short Civil Rights Era” by some scholars. It is also a period in U.S. and South African history when movements for African liberation were sub-stantially led and/or symbolized by young people. That generation identified its mission and fulfilled it, prepared overwhelmingly by Black communities and Black educational institutions that armed them with the confidence in their decisions that such preparation instills. A cursory review of the ages of some of these figures and the institutions that prepared them reminds us of the role that our institutions still must play to anniversary of the day that Nelson provide students with the “dynamic possessions” they will need to make lasting change.

With images of the “Father of the Nation” centered in our minds, we rarely think of Nelson Mandela as the 27 year old Secretary of the African National Congress Youth League, a group founded in 1944 after he and his age mates resolved to infuse a venerable freedom orga-nization with an intergenerational infusion of new energy and ideas. This small group of “Young Turks” was led and greatly influenced by their Youth League President, a legendary intellectual architect of the philosophy of “Africanism,” the 30 year old teacher, gradu-ate student and attorney Anton Lembede. Of founding members of the ANCYL, Oliver Tambo, Ashby Mda and Walter Sisulu, only Sisulu was in his thirties (at 31). The rest were not much older than the average undergraduate, graduate, law, medical or dentistry student at Howard University. Many of them were trained at South Africa’s most

important “HBCU,” the legendary University of Fort Hare (nee South

African Native College). In 1948, they would be joined by perhaps the most brilliant of the cadre, the 24 year old Fort Hare student, eventual college professor and subsequent founder of the Pan African Con-gress, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe.

In the same spring that Man-dela and his comrades founded the ANCYL, Martin Luther King Jr. graduated from Atlanta’s Booker T. Washington High School and en-rolled in Morehouse College’s early admissions program, the brainchild of Benjamin E. Mays. He was 15 years old. Just over a decade later, at the age of 26, he was elected as the President of the newly-formed Montgomery Improvement.

Association and tasked with leading the bus boycott that would make him a household name in the Unit-ed States and around the world. His best friend, Ralph Abernathy, was 29. That same year, 1955, Mandela, now 37 years old, would help the Congress of the People the “Freedom Charter,” the guiding document for the birth of the New South Africa.

By 1964, as Mandela, Sisulu, Go-van Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada and, shortly thereafter, Sobukwe, entered Robben Island, the youth-led libera-tion struggles of the US reached a watershed moment. In Mississippi, the Student Non Violent Coordi-nating Committee would, with their “Freedom Summer,” force the hand of the US Congress into passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The generals of SNCC, led by Rob-ert Moses (29) included Stokely Carmichael (23), Marion Barry (28),

Diane Nash (26), Victoria Gray (28) among many others in the 20s and teens. There were intergenerational tensions between many in SNCC and Dr. King who, at 35 was the same age as the intrepid SNCC Executive Secretary James Fore-man. Many of these former SNCC leaders would, in their mid-thirties, help found the Southern Africa Support Project. They sparked the national and international Free South Africa Movement centered in Washington DC, supported by the first SNCC President and then mayor of the city, Marion Barry.

Much of this history is threaded through with HBCU students and faculty.

Howard’s challenge, then, is to enable our young people with the best scholarship and opportunities to learn we can provide, thereby catalyzing the confidence of youth who make inevitable choices that define their lives and, to some degree, ours.

All universities have the charge to craft complex and resolute intergen-erational learning spaces that learn from the past, act upon the present, and prepare for the future. Howard and her sister HBCUs differ only—and critically—on the understand-ing of each of these generational phases as determined by our mis-sion and those tasked and honored to execute it, day by day, class by class, paper by paper, person by person. We will be able to assess our effectiveness only partially in real time. In other ways, only subse-quent generations will know how effective we were. Let the intergen-erational discourse continue, and leadership emerge.

Gemmika ChampionContributing Writer

On my first day at Howard Univer-sity, I was told to look to my right and then my left and recognize that the people standing next to me were temporary; many wouldn’t make it to matriculation. However, they did not tell me that the 67 percent of my campus would be my fellow women. While this is the case, aside from groups of friends, the women of Howard are not a unified com-munity.

As a single heterosexual female on campus, I am well aware of the struggle for a quality monogamous relationship. I write this letter to Howard women in the hopes that

it will evoke change in the way we think about ourselves, which

“An Open Letter to the Women of Howard Before Valentines Day”directly relates to the quality of relationships on our campus.

Once we establish how we want to be treated, we can change the treat-ment we are accepting from our male counterparts. As you begin to assess your relationships, make sure that you are upfront with your wants and desires; the key to a solid relationship is building a good foun-dation. Whether a monogamous or an open relationship, honesty and desired outcome should be shared from the beginning, without this, disappointment is bound to follow. Many women, and myself, fall into “situationships”, ambiguous relationships that leave at least one person unfulfilled.

Another important part of not being disappointed in your relation-

ship is to continuously check base. If you enter an open relationship and after a month or two you are still together, you should then make sure that both people have their heads in the same place. Catching feelings may sometimes be inevitable, but we can control what we do with them and as smart Howard women we should not be harping on what could have been. Share how you are feeling because that is the reality that you will live with day to day. It will save time and energy, and could possibly result in something wonderful you

never expected.

Along with the possibility of new relationships, a common situation at Howard is coming across some-one’s relationship. Cheating is the

elephant in the room at HU, silent but still there, big and unmoving. Who is to blame, some ask; but the blame game is not the issue at hand it’s the acceptance of this practice. Howard women breathe and exude excellence, and we as a group should not settle for anything mediocre. For those in a relation-ship if you have suspicions or proof of your significant other cheating, don’t tolerate it. Not because your man is a horrible person nor is the other woman, but because

you deserve better for yourself. Your twenties are not the time to settle, so don’t. If you know that and accept it, than you are your own worst enemy and just another enabler for the current relationship culture on campus.

For those who are acting as the secondary option to a man who has a known significant other, you are accepting mistreatment you do not deserve. If you love yourself enough to tell other people, wouldn’t you want the same from your partner? Being in the shadows does not show off the best of what you have to give, and although you are not in the forefront of his mind you should know that you do deserve more than you are receiving.

On this Valentines days take a mo-ment to love and admire yourself, because no one can love you better than you! Keep in mind that with each individual change you are helping to create a better environ-ment for meaningful relations at Howard.

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