At first, I was not too particularly excited about Howard Homecoming. There was no anticipation and I did not feel any anxiousness. I did not buy any tickets to any events that were being held during Homecoming week because I did not have any desire to go. I never really got into the hype of Homecoming until Friday during Yard Fest. I was not expecting to see vendors with good barbecued food, or people that did not attend Howard. The enjoyed everyone’s positive and optimistic energy. On Saturday morning, the parade was an eventful sight to see. It was amazing to see the smallest of kids participating in the school bands. It showed that they were actively involved in a positive activity. One of the reasons why I wanted to attend an HBCU was to experience the hype over the bands. Howard’s Homecoming definitely fulfilled my expectations. The half time show was amazing and North Carolina A&T put on a show. Overall, Howard Homecoming was a good experience.

Homecoming was...

Homecoming was an expierence. There was alot of hype for this weekend, and honestly  it didnt met the hype. I feel the whole experience was more targeted towardsthe alumni and the upprclassmen. From the clubs being overpriced, to the overcrowding of the events homecoming was hyped up. I have faith in my years to come tho.

Prestige.

Howard University's homecoming week...good stuff. Everyone knows about the hype, but I got to experience it for the first time.
     Well, this past week, as we all know, was homecoming week. All week long, different activities/concerts/shows were put on at different venues throughout the city. Fashion shows, poetry ciphers, basketball games, gospel shows, all went down. Those plus the game and YardFest, of course.
     The one thing I really wanted to attend was the poetry cipher. It was on Tuesday and it was wicked. The performances by the students were amazing. The special guests included Omari Hardwick, Queen Godis, and Talib Kweli. I loved it. I'm super glad I made it.
     I also planned on going to the R&B show, but tickets were sold out by the time I was getting mine. Note to self, by all tickets in advance next year.
     In all, I only attended the poetry cipher and the YardFest, but they were both great. I don't believe I got the whole "homecoming experience," though. It's no big deal or anything. I enjoyed everything I did and everyone I met. Besides, there's always next year.

Madness

Saturday night I experienced my first Midnight Madness. There was a lot of hype for the event, everyone told me how fun it was the previous years and how I definitely needed to go since it is my freshman year. Well the event did not met my expectations. First of all, the entire gym was reserved for clubs so the clubs that my group of friends and I did find were all the way at the top. Then, while I was expecting some type of artists to come out, they brought out some random artists that I personally had never heard of before and couldn’t even hear because of the speakers. Then there was a fight. I understand that fights happen, but the time and location of this one was very unfortunate. The ignorant stereotypes (that we as black people whom are trying to overcome these stereotypes just by being in college) upon us were definitely portrayed as true. We are the number one HBCU and fights like this just shouldn’t happen, especially at an “organized” event. Who knows, this fights could show up on the news or something and portray the school, MY school, in a bad light.

Freshman Seminar Lectures

The lectures for this course all emphasized the need to recognize our correct history to re-educate ourselves. We cannot move on intellectually or expect to be intellectually free, as Dr. Carr stated, without recognizing the flaw in how we are being educated. We cannot limit ourselves to the confines of the American society because we are African Americans. Researching our past will allow us to advance our current way of thinking. We must research our past, the real past. We must find out our African roots all the way back to classical Africa and confirm that they are accurate. Once we correctly see where we came from we can move on and grow from that because we have the right foundation. We must continue to emphasize and recognize our contributions to white society, so we can be taught accurately. Recognizing and emphasizing the African presence will allow intellectual freedom. I believe just hearing these lectures have made me more intellectually free.

Miss Evers' Boys.

Howard University's Department of Fine Arts put on a play this past week entitled "Miss Evers' Boys." The play was about four men, their nurse, Miss Evers, and the 1932 Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments. Syphilis was a major problem affecting many African American males. These four friends, Willie, Hodman, Caleb, and Ben, all found out that they had it. Nurse Evers became their nurse and took as much care of them as she could. They ended up being a part of the experiment, but were not allowed to get penicillin when the prescriptions were given out. Miss Evers had a hard time trying to figure out how to explain to her "boys" why exactly they couldn't get the penicillin, when that's what could keep them alive. The play was extremely compelling and I would definitely recommend it to anyway.

Appreciate School

This week Mrs. Worthy came to our class and gave us a lecture about her life and her participation in a program in Africa called LEAP that uplifts the education of African children. To start off, I was very impressed by this lady. It’s not frequent that someone talks and I can tell that they obviously LOVE what they do, but this was the case with Mrs. Worthy. She explained to us the way that she was educated as a young child under African traditions, and to me at least, it seemed more effective than the traditional way we normally learn in America. Then she talked about how growing up she was involved with almost every protest in DC. With this Mrs .Worthy learned to stand up for what she believed in. After making her career choice to become a teacher, and excelling every year, she decided to take her ability to Africa, were she became involved with the LEAP program. She showed us a video of some of the kids dancing and expressing themselves. It also showed their appreciation for the situation. I realized that we some what take advantage of our situation here, and we really should be more appreciative of our school system.

A Charge to Keep.

     The lecture this past week was given by Kimberly Worthy. She has been an advocate for educational excellence in urban school for the past twelve years. During her lecture she talked about many things, but three key points she covered were culturally relevant teaching, LEAP, and education in Africa.

     Culturally relevant teaching involves empowering students in order to give them the motivation and purpose they need to succeed in life. It brings out how students need to be taught from a perspective not that of mainstream society. I absolutely agree with that. If the teaching methods used are no longer working, teachers need to be prepared to adapt and to change. They need to be ready to change even if the change is something out of the ordinary or away from the “norm.” African American children also need to learn about their heritage from early on. Where they came from should always be taught. They should never have to question how wonderful they and their ancestors are.

     LEAP Science and Math School is a chain of schools throughout South Africa. The school validates and exalts traditional cultures, so no one ever feels as though they are inferior. It also incorporates African Epistemology in the learning environments. A lot of emphasis is placed on UBUNTU-humanity. LEAP’s mission statement is: “Be kind, be honest, be healthy, be punctual, look good, work hard, never give up, admit mistakes, learn from mistakes, confront issues, be open to change, work together, share as much as you can.” I think that should be the mission statement for every teaching institution. That is a very positive thing to teach children to live by. That is the type of thing all people should live by.

African Burial Ground Trip

When we first arrived at the African Burial Ground, we participated in a libation led by Dr. Carr. He uplifted the names of the ancestors in the burial ground and encouraged us to call out the names of our own ancestors. Inside the museum, there were different sections dedicated to the ancestors of the burial ground and the project. There was a replica of what a funeral might have looked like. In the theatre, there was a short movie that talked about what a funeral might have consisted of. The funerals served as a chance for the community to be brought together and recognize those that passed. They were sacred and many were carried on even though the white people forbid them from happening. On the second part of the trip, we visited Harlem. This was the city to live in for a black person during the Great Migration. In the mid 1900s, Harlem was a rich and cultural city, but visiting it now, there is only a little culture left. Most of the city is run down and we had to navigate through the good and bad parts. It was still important to see the city to recognize the importance of where the Harlem Renaissance originated. Many great figures of black culture, like Ralph Ellison and Duke Ellington, stayed in the apartments of Harlem. There was still an atmosphere of black culture in the area. Many of the businesses of the area seemed to be black owned. For me, this trip helped me to realize the importance of community. The ancestors of the burial ground relied on the community, as well as the blacks currently living in Harlem and the ones from the Harlem Renaissance.

Culturally Relevant Teaching

This week’s lecture focused on culturally relevant teaching. Dr. Edwin Nichols focused her teaching career on enable her students through culturally relevant teaching. In the LEAP Math and Science schools, they practice culturally relevant teaching by emphasizing African logic, epistemological styles, relationships, cultural visibility, and social, emotional, and political responsibility. The LEAP school showcased cultural visibility by chanting ancestral African songs and dancing in unison. America does not have culturally relevant teaching in public schools because not everyone comes from the same background. We are not able to pull together and identify with one common culture. The students in the LEAP school are not confined to a set schedule. Dr. Nichols said they do not use clocks. Their education is not put on a time limit. Culturally relevant teaching provides a comfortable environment for students to relate to each other. It not only focuses on academic aspects, but social-emotional aspects and community responsibility. This makes the teaching style successful because they focus more on all aspects of what the student needs not just an education. Public schools now just focus on what the student needs for an education. They expect the parents to take care of everything else. Some students are left behind in this system and never make anything of it. The LEAP schools emphasize the theory of Ubuntu. These reiterate basic human principles that encourage the students to be descent human beings. Culturally relevant teaching should be implemented into the school systems in America to encourage the growth of a well rounded student.

Miss Evers's Boys

Miss Evers’s Boys was a play about the Tuskegee Experiments. It was a sad account of how the American government used black men as guinea pigs for the syphilis disease study. Unfortunately, these men went untreated for several years, but were told they were being given cures. When a cure for the disease, penicillin, came out, they still were not allowed to be treated. The white doctor insisted that they needed to complete the study, so other lives could be saved. However, there really was no need to kill these men. White society did not want to sacrifice its own members, but chose to kill of black men for a disease that affected both races equally. America segregated blacks anywhere they could, from something as simple as a water fountain to something as major as a medical problem. Miss Evers was put in a tough situation. She had to choose between her love of nursing and her love of those men. In the end, she chose her love of nursing. I don’t think Miss Evers truly loved those men because she would have done anything to get those men some penicillin. Miss Evers had a tough decision to make, and I think she chose the wrong one. She helped contribute to the death of those men by not giving them proper treatment. Caleb was wise to leave and seek the help, but most of the others did not have the same fortune. Miss Evers’s waited too long to give them the cure. Miss Evers’s Boys showed what happened to the men in the Tuskegee Experiments.

A Charge to Keep: Ms. Kimberley Worthy

Ms. Worthy, an educator for the past 12 years, has focused her career on being an advocate for educational excellence in schools within urban areas. She serves as a “Culturally Relevant Teacher” in the social studies and in English. Throughout her lecture to my freshman seminar class on Tuesday, she covered three key points: cultural relevance, the values of LEAP, and ubunto – humanity. Ms. Worthy discussed the importance of teaching the youth of today aspects of their culture that are relevant to today. She stated that the teaching of cultural relevance validates traditional cultures, promotes holistic learning, and places emphasis on a relationship with African roots. Cultural relevance, in total, empowers students politically, economically, and socially. Ms. Worthy in her lecture also focused on the values of her education program in South Africa, LEAP. She shared with us that her students in the LEAP program learn values such as be kind, confront issues, and be open to change. Those along with the other values of LEAP are aspects her students are educated by. They also contribute to the idea of ubunto, which means humanity. Humanity, or ubunto, focuses on one’s appreciation of man as well as the importance of man. It is a Zulu proverb that a person is a person through other persons and that we affirm our humanity when we acknowledge that of others. Ultimately, Ms. Worthy’s presentation highlighted that these three key points can add value and meaning to one’s education. It allows education to be expanded and broadens the definition of it.

Miss Evers' Boys

Miss Evers’ Boys was a play put on by the Howard University Department of Fine Arts. The plot of the play followed a group of four men in the south and their nurse, nurse Evers’ as they go through a syphilis epidemic that is present in their town called the Tuskegee Experiment. The four men are a group of friends full of aspiration, life, and hope as they live their lives in the south traveling and competing in competitions as a performing band with instruments and dancing. Miss Evers supported them as they traveled and performed and became a dear friend to them as well as an advocate to medicine when they were told they were unhealthy with syphilis. The play showcased the relationships between the boys and Miss Evers and the struggle Miss Evers as both a nurse and a friend had to go through while treating this specific group of men and secretly involving them in the experiment. Miss Evers must fulfill her duties and uphold her oath as a medical nurse while sustaining the establish friendship she had with these men. As the plot of the play went on, Miss Evers continued to struggle with the constant choice between her profession and her personal relationship with her friends. The play’s actors were full of emotion, life, and character and gave the production a great quality. The production’s moments of drama and intensity were countered with comedic relief throughout the show. I greatly enjoyed this project and commend the University’s Department of Fine Arts for exceeded my expectations of the show.

Dr. Abunbola Has Been Everywhere

Thursday night I went to listen to the lecture by Dr, Abunbola. When I walked into the lecture I heard the Doctor singing. He was talking about the pilgrimage to the Meca, in Islam religion. He then explained there are six parts of Africa with “bad people”. Then he started talking about Brazil. He explains about 95 million people in Brazil are black. Up until 1962, black people made up about 3/4 of the people. Then, the government came in and took over. Dr. Abunbola went to Brazil and met only three people who were able to speak his natural tongue. He explained that when american woman  go to Africa they are treated with power. Even with this, there was no society were women were free. Then he spoke on Cuba. He stated that Cuba had control of the whole world at one point under Castro. He then went to saying that African Americans are looked at as white people in Africa because of lack of language.In 1991 the Doctor founded a congress. He has held congresses all over Africa and even in San Francisco. They started with 12 delegates from twelve countries and now, they have branches from all countries in the world. 5,000 people attended the congress in Cuba, held in the convention palace.

The Eloquence of Scribes

Throughout my education and time here at Howard I plan to be a part of the “Best and Brightest” by participating in my activities and academics to the best of my ability at all times. I’ll strive to do what it is needed in order to be successful in what I do. To be the best of Howard consists of upholding the institution’s values and morals as well as fulfill the duties it presents to its students. To be a citizen today it means to do your part in service to others in order to better your environment and life. Citizenship and community service can collectively inform my world of what one can do to better their living situations or environments. A representative thinker of Howard I believe is Spanish professor, Aldris Bolton. She presents passion when speaking of different issues in today’s world and is an inspiration because of her desire to change what she sees as incorrect and unjust.

“The Eloquence of the Scribes”: Initiation, Expectations, and Mastery—Continuing the Legacy of Howard University

1. What can and will you do to be a part of the "best and brightest" of Howard?

I guess there are a lot of things that I can do to be a part of the "best and brightest" of Howard University. I believe the first step all of us made to becoming a part of the best and brightest was deciding to attend. After taking that step, I can make sure I'm active in organizations that make a change. I also must stay on top of my classwork, so one day I can be something positive for my black community. 

2. What does it mean to be a citizen of the world? How does your citizenship in the nation inform your world citizenry?

I feel being a citizen of the world means being more than just born into the world. That obviously classifies you as a citizen, but being a meaningful citizen means helping the world around you. Doing things that positively impact your community-things that positively impact your community and the communities of others.

3. Identify a representative thinker of Howard. How does that figure's life work inspire you to "till and turn over the soil" which, as Dr Thornton noted, is expected of each Howard student.

I think all of the staff and students at Howard are representative thinkers of our university. I think all of them are doing something that inspires me. I walk around campus everyday and see nothing but inspiration. I am so proud to be in the presence of such individuals.

Self Actualization

This week’s lecture focused on self actualization, which entails understanding the fundamental ideas that surround oneself and obtaining a personal identity that gives you purpose. To be the best and brightest of Howard, I must take the initiative in productive functions that will help me grow as a student and person. I must pay attention and learn from my peers and mentors. Dr. Thornton suggests that we should take care of business and choose what we want to be to constitute ourselves. In order to be a citizen of the world, one must be aware of what is going on globally. We should fight against the current structure by creating universal rights that include all people. When we define our citizenship in the nation by being aware, we can move on to defining our global citizenship. First, we must take care of domestic affairs before we can move on to the world. The last part of Howard University’s mission states that Howard intends to “produce leaders for America and the global community.” Without a doubt, Andrew Young, a graduate from Howard University, became a leader of America and the global community. He helped instigate a piece of legislation that changed America for the better. Globally, Andrew Young attempted to smooth out and calm foreign relations by becoming the first African- American to serve as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. In the future, I hope to become a leader for America and the world, but for now I am only a leader in my community. In everything I participate in, I try to find ways to take leadership positions because I want to have a direct impact on the change that occurs.