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Beyoncé Homecoming marches HBCUs onto the mainstream of pop culture

“If you surrender to the air, you can ride it.”

                          Toni Morrison, Howard University 1953

That was how Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé began its journey of Black excellence. The documentary, starring Beyoncé Knowles Carter, takes you on the eight-month preparation of her 2018 performances at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

The now historic show marked Mrs. Carter as being the first African American Woman to headline the festival since it started in 1993. Not only was this a historical moment for Coachella, but it was the symbolic homecoming of her return to the stage since having her twin babies.

Beyoncé put a lot of thought into her performance, especially wanting to find a way to expose her beloved Beyhive to another side of her, which was her passion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The inspiration was weaved carefully thought out the execution of her performances. From the musical arrangements of her chart-topping hits to the rhinestones on the costumes of the over 200 dancers, musicians, and background singers on stage, Homecoming gave her fans the HBCU experience without even having to go to class.

The History of HBCUs

“Education must not simply teach work– it must teach life.”

W.E.B. DuBois, Fisk University 1888

Officially, Historically Black Colleges and Universities are American institutions of higher education that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. The purpose for these institutions were needed after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation to end slavery in the southern United States. Segregation enhanced the need for the schools when predominantly white colleges refused to enroll Blacks into their schools.

film poster

In the 1930s, there was on record to be more than 121 HBCUs in existence, however, the Civil Rights Act also hurt the institutions with allowing Blacks to enroll in all schools in the country. As of today, there are 101 official HBCUs that offer programs ranging from associate degrees to doctorates and everything in between.

Some well know graduates of HBCUs are actress Taraji P. Henson (North Carolina A & T/ Howard University), Actor Samuel L. Jackson (Morehouse College), California Senator and Democratic Presidental Hopeful, Kamala Harris (Howard University), and Georgia Democratic Gubotorial Candidate Stacy Abrams (Spellman College).

The Marching Band Experience

https://youtu.be/72bZGUwjMLE

Mention in the film, Beyoncé confides her love for HBCUs that started with her parents taking her to football games at Prairie View University and dance rehearsals at Texas Southern University was all of the inspiration Knowles Carter needed to create the best music festival performance of all time.

Going back to football, attending a game is VERY different than if you were going to a Division I game. For one thing, very few of the fans go to see the team. Instead, they want to see their school’s marching band perform for the entire duration of the game. The pride for their school’s marching band develops early in one’s life for no one gets disappointed by of the showmanship and entertainment pizzazz of the full-time students who put into the scores of music needing to be memorized. There’s even camaraderie between the two school’s bands as they try to outperform each other for bragging rights, which makes it a competition in itself.

Thank You, Beyoncé

“You can’t be what you can’t see.”

Marian Wright Edelman, Spellman College 1959

Minutes into the performance, Beyoncé gave her rendition of the “Black National Anthem” Lift Every Voice And Sing, lyrics written by Atlanta University (now called Clark Atlanta University) graduate James Weldon Johnson and later adapted musically by his brother John Rosamond Johnson, which was also sung by her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter (whom knows a lot more lyrics than most adults which is very impressive) in the documentary and its soundtrack. The anthem universally binds all of the schools together having them performed it at all of their sporting, artistic, and scholastic events.

Just like Morrison, Beyoncé surrounded herself to her culture of being a southerner, and African American, and, of course, a woman.

So thank you Beyoncé. Thank you for showing your love for HBCUs to everyone around the world. Thank you for the philanthropic support you have given these institutions in the past, and thank you for showcasing Historically Black Colleges and Universities front-and-center where they belong.

MSNBC’s Joy-Ann Reid to speak to graduates during University of the Virgin Islands’ Commencement Ceremony

Joy Reid

Historically Black institution, University of the Virgin Islands, announced journalist and host of MSNBC’s AM Joy, Joy-Ann Reid, will be the keynote speaker at their annual commencement ceremonies on May 16th and 17th.

UVI Logo

President of UVI, David Hall, mentioned his excitement in a statement, saying “We strive to bring outstanding individuals to our commencement so that they can inspire and stand as a model for what we want our students to become.”

Reid, whose father is from the Democratic Republic of Congo and mother from British Guiana, will be used to the tropical weather while speaking in the HBCU’s St.Croix and St. Thomas campuses.

“She is an outstanding author, journalist, television personality,” President Hall continues, “and an overall outstanding individual who has helped MSNBC become more diverse in its appeal.”

In addition to hosting AM Joy, Reid is an accomplished author of several books including Fracture: Barack Obama, the Clintons, and the Racial Divide, and written columns and articles for publications including The New York Times, The Guardian, the Miami Herald New York Magazine, and The Daily Beast. You can catch Reid’s show, AM Joy, on Saturday and Sunday mornings on MSNBC.

Life After Layoff: One year later

In early October 2017, I was awakened from my sleep when I got a phone call from the Digital Content Director of WLBT in Jackson, Miss, offering me a part-time job to join her team.

My training was done and I was flying solo that night.

I felt like I made it! I would be working, and not interning, for a television station that I’ve admired as a viewer and now becoming an employee. But a short time later, four months to be exact, my life came crashing down when I found out that my position of Digital Content Producer was being dissolved.

I was devastated. I loved so much about that job. I loved how my social media skills were improving. I loved the people I was working with. I loved finding out more about the Jackson metro area. Most importantly, I loved how my writing skills were improving.

What’s supposed to happen is when one door closes another door opens right, well not in this story. Instead, I feel like I’m in a purgatory of doing the insane ritual of filling out online applications and hearing different forms of the word “no.” The one I love the most is:

Even on Christmas Eve, I had a smile on my face because I was finally doing the job I’ve always dreamed of

“While your credentials and experience are valuable, we have determined that other candidates may better fit our needs at this time.”

Isn’t that the nicest way to say “Thanks for applying, but we found some people who are better than you.”

I have been proactive mentally, physically and even financially to find another dream job. I continued my studies at Syracuse University and used them to get a jump start in the job hunt. I went to job fairs, workshops, and spent a large amount of my money to take part in an internship in New York City. FOR FREE! (try to live there with not income, it’s stressful).

I even made this introductory video to send to recruiters on how I would be perfect for their organizations.

But on top of that, I had a health scare that took my anxiety and depression into a tailspin. “Was I going to be sick?” “Was I going to lose my hair?” “Was I going to die?” Those questions would be on repeat in my brain until I got a clean bill of health 8 months later.

Determined not to give in to defeat, I would say my favorite Bible verse in my head:

“I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:13

My faith has strengthened with this experience and I know HE will get me through this. But for now, since no one will hire me, I will hire myself.

I’ve started my freelance company Allison Joyner Enterprises this year that I am so excited about! Here, I would be able to offer clients my content skills, particularly writing, to help enhance their business, publication, or website. READ MORE HERE

So if you need help with your social media or homepage, come to me at AJE and I’ll take care of you!

Allison Joyner, Founder & CEO of Allison Joyner Enterprises

Coca-Cola gives FREE admission to Civil Rights Museum for Black History Month

FREE! FREE! FREE!

Now that I have your attention, drink company, Coca-Cola, announced last month that the company will pay for everyone to enjoy Atlanta’s National Center for Civil and Human Rights for the entire month of February.

“A Raised Hand Demands to be Counted” is located in the Center’s main lobby.

The neighbor of Coke’s very own museum, the NCCHR gives visitors a look at the Jim Crow Era in the capital city and a reflects on the human rights — or the lack thereof — on a global scale. The interactive exhibits, like the Lunch Counter experience, give you the sense of emphasizing with the one who lived during these challenging conditions.

The Center’s rotating exhibit, Voices to the Voiceless: The Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr Collection, is a gallery of the Civil Rights Activists’ work. There, you will see the personal papers, that is on loan from his beloved Alma Mater, of King’s speeches, notes, and personal items from the Atlanta native. This exhibit will be on display until March 15th, but you will get to experience it for FREE now until February 28th.

So if you plan to be in the Atlanta area, make sure you go to the NCCHR and make sure you bring a friend, and they bring a friend, and so-on and so-on.

Bennett College close to closure due to fundraiser falling short

With it now being one week until Bennett College’s emergency fundraiser of raising $5 Million or face shutdown — the illustrious Historically Black Women’s College is more than halfway from its goal with an estimated $2.7 Million after a half-million dollar donation from The Papa Johns Foundation Thursday.

The #StandWithBennett campaign started after the Southern Association of Colleges and School Commission on Colleges voted to take away its accreditation in December, due to financial struggles and declining enrollment.

Spreading the word is ongoing. BC President, Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, spent her Thursday holding interviews, including The Tom Joyner Morning Show, The Rickey Smiley Morning Show, and Politics Nation with Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC, Sunday the 27th.

Lots of people have shown their support for the North Carolina private school. People from around the country have purchased the #StandWithBennett t-shirts to encourage others and bring awareness to this urgent matter.

The one-of-two women’s HBCUs is not giving up. Bennett College is still accepting donations on its website, texting BELLES to 444999 on your smartphone, and through CashApp app under $StandwithBennett. Click on the link below.

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