college

Stacey Abrams is not Done Yet!

| Equal Justice for SOME

FFU10

By: Ariyana Griffin

Stacey Abrams is known for various things and she is truly a renaissance woman. She is a “New York Timesbestselling author, serial entrepreneur, nonprofit CEO and political leader. In 208 she ran as a Democrat for Governor of Georga and “she won more votes than any other Democrat in the state’s history.” But to us here in the AUC she is that and more, our Spelman sister. Although, she did not win she is still fighting for voter suppression through her initiative ” Fair Fight.” Fair fight helps to promote education about the voting process, encourage members of the community to go out there and vote not only in Georgia but around the country.

Abrams help a conference with student journalists around Georgia to provide them an intimate space to ask her questions about Fair Fight, her journey, voter suppression, and numerous other things as she was an open book. She truly understands what it feels like to be ignored by the system and why as young people we feel that our vote does not matter simply because history has only been repeating itself. This is why she is working heavily in this program to help change the stereotypes and outcomes. 

She stated, “when we overwhelm the system with our involvement things get better.”Abrams talked about how voter suppression is made to stop minorities from voting and understanding ho the system, which shows in itself that minority voices and votes are truly influential and powerful. If they were not there would not be an entire system to suppress and mute minorities. This project comes right on time because the 2020 elections are right around the corner. Abrams stated, “the rules of America are made by those who get elected and those who get appointed, and particularly as minorities when we are not apart o the conversation our views and our experiences are not apart of the change.”

 

Let’s get to Know G-Que

| Equal Justice for SOME

By: Ariyana Griffin 

IMG_3D65ED82C553-1Today we introduce Los Angeles native specifically View Park, Dylan Kemp, also known as G- Que. He is in the music field but he is not only a rapper but is a producer as well. He has been in music for a few years now, and his sound has definitely improved and evolved. To learn more about G-Que and his talents keep reading, every link to contact him will be linked below!

Of course, we want to know where everything started so I asked, “when did you start rapping?”

I started rapping and producing my junior year of high school. I’ve always been creative and felt as if there was a void of how I could express myself creatively. So, I started rapping and making beats and people liked it. Then around my senior year, I wanted to focus more on making my production better. Since then, I’ve produced more than I rap.

IMG_D0DF0F114F68-1The music industry can be a complicated space to get in if you do not know how to networking. I asked G-Que “how have you put yourself out there so far?”

I rap less now and produce more so to get my name out I mainly just network and connect with artists that I want to work and create with. I perform occasionally when I feel like it.

Going to school in the Atlanta University Center has its pros and cons. but one thing is guaranteed and that is connections. So I asked, “do you think being in the AUC has helped with your career so far or not?

I think the AUC has helped me in certain ways, and also hindered me in certain ways. I’m from LA so a lot of my music embodies that LA sound. And, there aren’t a lot of rappers/producers in the AUC from LA who want those real west coast beats, so I’ve had to adjust my sound a little bit. That’s made me a very versatile producer and has helped me with my career. But, the AUC is full of talent and people in the music industry, and getting to know those people and make those connections has helped me a lot! I remember my sophomore year of college I took a producing and mixing course at Morehouse, and I can definitely say that course impacted my sound a lot. It taught me how to mix my own vocals and just overall made me a better producer so that I could put out better quality music.

The AUC has also helped me expand into different musical fields. In my sophomore year, a beat of mine was featured in a short film created by my homie Daniel Bailey. Originally we recorded a whole song but in the final cut, we only used the beat. And right now I’m doing the sound design for Spelman’s fall play.

IMG_41F7EC127200-1Everyone has a holy grail that they want to create with so I asked, “if you had a chance to feature one artist who would it be and why?”

Probably someone from the Westcoast, Yg or Kendrick Lamar. I have hella Westcoast beats that I feel  YG could go krazy on. I also make beats for skilled lyricists and Kendrick is my favorite rapper right now, I feel like he could kill on one of my beats.

What was the first CD you remember owning, and how did it influence you?

The first CD I remember owning was Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Till this day I think that’s the greatest album I’ve listened to, and the only two rap albums that are even that amazing since it came out are Good Kid Maad City and To Pimp A Butterfly. Both Kendrick albums. The production and quality on that album are damn near perfect. All the beats are different but they all still flow with the overall sound of the album. The level of quality of that album is something that very few artists in general, especially in rap, try to achieve. I think that album defined my trajectory as an artist. It made me more concerned with wanting to create a full body of work instead of a project with a couple hits and a bunch of throwaways. Overall I think that’s just a masterpiece of an album and it tells a story, something I want to do with my music.

IMG_31A854F676E4-1What is your favorite and least favorite thing about creating music?

My favorite thing about creating music is actually seeing a song come into fruition. Some beats I make I don’t see myself using them so I’ll send them to other artists. Sometimes multiple artists like the beat and I’m like well damn let’s do something with the beat. Then we get together and create a whole song and it ends up being really dope. My least favorite thing about creating music is when I create without a sound in mind or a purpose. Honestly, my best work comes when I have an idea in mind or when I hear a sample and get inspired to make a beat. But sometimes I’ll just sit at my computer for a couple hours trying to push out a beat and it ends up being garbage.

 

Links/ Social Media

https://lnkfi.re/realone

Twitter- @Thagque

 

The New NFL!

| Equal Justice for SOME

56C26505-DF11-465C-B607-57518B9DCC1DToday I introduce the exceptional Mr. Xavier White. He is a Sophomore Psychology major with a minor in Sign Language at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.  He is also the chief executive officer of his astounding clothing brand by the name of NFLluence. This NFL does not stand for the National Football League, to find out more about the brand keep reading! All links and social media handles will be at the bottom make sure to check those out!

 

I was curious to know how the name NFLuence came about, it is so unique and the play on the words is highly clever! So I asked, “What was the motivation and story behind starting your brand ?” 

D9F3F8A5-E293-476B-BED4-B8B9973A066DHe stated, “I started a group back in middle school, around 2013, called NFL. The NFL stood for Never Forget Loyalty. I have been standing firm on this acronym ever since! Then I’ll say, about three months ago, I got this urge to want to make clothes and be a fashion designer, but I could not think of a name for the love of my life. Then I thought deeply about my morals and beliefs, and I realized that influencing people is one of my strong suits. So why not influence people on Never Forgetting Loyalty? So I just put what I already stood firmly on with what I’m already good at. That is how I got NFLuence.”

He also said that if he could describe his brand in one word it would be “unique.” I would have to completely agree with this! 

Starting a new small business can come with a lot of struggles and obstacles. Although no block in the road is enough to stop Mr. White, I still wanted to know “what has been one of your hardest obstacles you have had to overcome while building NFLuence?”

He said, “I would not say the hardest thing I had to deal with, but one of the toughest things I have had to deal with is my critics. By critics, I am talking about myself, I am my biggest critic. I am an upcoming entrepreneur and I knew that it would not be easy. So every day I just pray over my brand and keep faith.”

I love this answer, it is so positive and it is the attitude you must have to survive in the business world!

D8BA9AA8-3984-4B7F-B35E-191F92E1E318.jpegBeing on a college campus while owning a business can either make or break you depending on what you make it. You may not be able to found on it or you can use the campus as your market ground. I wanted to know how he was getting his brand out there.

White answered, “three weeks ago I came out with wristbands with NFLuence on them and been selling them around campus. I am also apart of organizations on GSU campus such as Black Sophomore Society & Black Student Alliance, and I also promote parties for Kvshtalk. I have been putting the word out through text and posting a lot on my Instagram as well as on my Twitter. Really it just comes down to promoting your self and investing in yourself.”

8625B7A3-D532-4C96-82F2-A76B4A9E22B2.jpegHe also said that the best piece of business advice he has received so far has been to, “be consistent and to trust his gut.”

With 2020 literally around the corner, it is important to think and plan for the future. I wanted to know “what are some of the goals for 2020?” 

He answered, “I have more designs coming out on my birthday January 12, 2020 and I also have a big Spring Collection that I’m putting out before Spring Break!”

 

LINKS AND SOCIAL MEDIA 

Website- https://www.etsy.com/shop/NFLuence

Personal Instagram : @zayysmoove

Clothing instagram : @nfluencee 

Twitter : @NFLuencee

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cyntoia Brown-Long is FREE

| Equal Justice for SOME

By: Ariyana Griffin

1119-ES-CVF-005_preview-1-1920x640-1         On Monday, November 11, 2019, Cyntoia Brown stopped by Clark Atlanta University (CAU) to promote her new book Free Cyntoia.  Her book tour,  perfectly named “ The Freedom Tour” has been a long time coming.  Cyntoia was able to talk about her past as well as her future endeavors, sign copies of her book, and answer a few questions from Dish Nation’s very own Headkrack as well as some from a few CAU students.

cyntoiaYou may have heard about Cyntoia Brown’s unbelievable story, as she has gained the attention of major celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Drake, Rihanna, and even Lebron James. If not,  Brown is a 31-year-old woman who had been in prison since the young age of 16 due to killing 43-year-old Johnny Allen in 2004. She killed him out of self-defense. She had become afraid of having sex with him. At the time, a teenaged Cyntoia was dating a man named Kutthroat, whom she thought she was in love with.  Naively, she thought they were working toward building a future together but in reality, he was preying on her because she was young. He was actually trafficking her which is how she encountered Johnny Allen. Convicted of murder, Cyntoia sat in jail for years until January 2019 when she was granted clemency. Cyntoia Brown graciously set foot on the CAU campus three months after she was released from prison! 

        She spoke about her upbringing and how she didn’t know, until she went to school, that she was different. Both of her parents were dark-skinned and students also pointed out that she didn’t look like either of them. When she asked her mother, she told her that she was not only biracial but that she was also adopted. This bombshell news opened a new door of confusion for her, yet she still loved her parents. Although she came from a good home, she often felt too black for the white kids and too white for the black kids so she did not fit in. Cyntoia stated this was around the time she started to act out; running away from home and running from the structure of a home and school. 

00969957-5ede-4600-80f5-2a67ec85d278-Cyntoia-Brown-Long-102319-005
She shared some intimate, vulnerable moments such as what was going through her head after she pulled the trigger and killing her predator, how she met her wonderful husband J. Long, why she decided to further her education, and also her organization GLITTER ( Grassroots Learning Initiative on Teen Trafficking, Exploitation, and Rape). It was such an amazing impact because so many of us have been following her story without knowing how it would end for her. As a black woman myself, I was able to sympathize with her reasoning, especially her feeling like she didn’t fit in anywhere. She stated that she “ was getting letters from people all over the world” who were moved by her case and prayed that she received justice. My favorite part of her story is that while in prison is that she didn’t give up, she didn’t let anything stop her, and she earned her Bachelor’s Degree.

      She stated that she was thankful for the small things, things that we may take for granted, like being able to touch the grass. She also talked about how the automatic soap dispensers and the automatic toilets are annoying, which I agree with! 

        The mediator, Headkrack, definitely knew how to shock a crowd. He got off on the wrong foot by starting the conversation with Cyntoia by saying “you were wildin at 16!” Mind you at this time she was being trafficked, dating her pimp, and she had also just killed a man.   I am positive that wildin’ was not the correct word for this. He also asked if she would be “will there be ramen involved? When he was talking about Thanksgiving. Headkrack reminded her that she missed the spicy chicken sandwich from Chick-Fil-A as is that were relevant, and also asked if she would “do it all over again”? This definitely shook the crowd simply because he displayed no sympathy or empathy for Cyntoia. We sat there, eyes bucked and mouths open in shock. Both she and the audience seemed very uncomfortable at the insensitive questions and his ignorant attempts to make jokes about her experiences. 

    719P0-8GfVL Although Cyntoia kept it professional, her facial expressions told it all. This was supposed to be a place for her to connect with students and survivors as well as feel safe and not judged. I do not think that space was provided for her.  I hope that she doesn’t get the wrong idea of Clark Atlanta because we were more than happy to have her!

The link to by Free Cyntoia- https://www.amazon.com/Free-Cyntoia-Search-Redemption-American/dp/1982141107

 

Get Beat By Nxe

| Equal Justice for SOME

By: Ariyana Griffin 

B5XzS6Hf.jpg-smallThe Atlanta University Center ( Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College) is full of talented individuals! Today I will be introducing an astounding make-up artist by the name of Naomi. We will be getting an inside look of what it takes to work in this industry. Pictures of her work will be through out the article and all of her links will be below. So, make sure you get your next Beat by Nxe!!

What is your name and where are you from?

Naomi Akinpelu or “Omi”and I’m originally from Washington D.C.

How did you get into make up and who inspired you?

I can’t even remember when I first got into makeup since it was such a long time ago. I used to ALWAYS watch makeup tutorials when I was young, before I even had my own makeup, just because it was so intriguing. I would say all the beauty gurus on YouTube really sparked that initial inspiration.

It was no surprise that Youtube played a part in her love for makeup, I feel that is the goto place for makeup, hair, nails, literally everything. We love a good tutorial!!

What was the most difficult thing you’ve experienced while being a make up artist?

The most difficult thing I’ve experienced is probably embracing patience in the realest way possible. I believe I have a lot of talent, but it took me a while to realize that despite that, a steady flow of clients is not always a 100% guaranteed. Initially, that was so unbelievably frustrating. Now, rather than getting upset when I don’t have as many bookings as I would like to have, I constantly prepare myself with practice and building my brand so that when the next client books me, I’m more than ready. Simply waiting for business to come will get you no where, no matter how much talent you might have. I learned that I have to be consistently marketing and enhancing my craft on those off days. The off days were some of the most crucial and impactful moments of my career in doing makeup.

hejBrR2v.jpg-smallHave you ever had an overly difficult client?

Thankfully, no I haven’t had a super difficult client yet. Yes, there have been some that have gotten on my nerves, but I really try to be an understanding and compassionate person, especially when running a business. Customer service is super important to me so I try not to let other’s projections affect what I’m there to do, which is to slay someone’s face as best I can.

When did you start your brand?

officially I started my brand during my first semester of college, which was fall 2018.

Has the AUC helped in anyway with you growing?

Oh my goodness, yes! The AUC can be such supportive community and network when running a business—especially with the power of social media. Most people won’t hesitate to retweet your business, especially when they see the talent and determination you possess. Social media has been such a massive help in building my clientele and platform. Also, people are always recommending me to their friends, which I appreciate SO much. Every single recommendation, follow, or retweet helps me so much and I’m beyond thankful for each and everyone of them.

The AUC is truly one big family we support each other in any way possible. Even if it is a retweet, reposting a flyer, or showing up to an event! We love to see each other win. 

0UhRngmm.jpg-smallWhile doing other people’s makeup are you ever nervous? 

I struggle a lot with anxiety, so yes. In the beginning, I would always be extremely nervous while doing a client’s face, but at the end when they loved my work it all faded away. People’s reactions at the end always calmed my nerves. Now, I don’t get as nervous as I used to. It’s more of an excitement that builds up in anticipation of seeing their reactions.

 

How does doing makeup make you feel in one word?

Inspired.

cE6YDjPm.jpg-smallA lot of people, especially on social media, feel as if wearing make-up is a way of catfishing, or pretending to be some one else. I have always wanted to ask a MUA “what do you say to people who feel makeup is a way to “catfish.”

I don’t think wearing makeup is a way to catfish—of course someone is going to look different without a full face of makeup and lashes! I truly believe makeup enhances one’s own beauty that they already possess.

What is your goal for 2020? 

My main goal is to really build my clientele so it extends beyond the AUC. Eventually I also want to move into a studio off campus. For now though, building my brand, promoting it, and gaining exposure is my main focus.

 

Connect with Beat by NXE 

@beatbynxe – makeup IG

@nxe.xmi – personal IG

@nxeeee – Twitter

WHY KANYE WHY!

| Equal Justice for SOME


kanye-west-howard-ss-2Howard University is currently ranked number 2 out of the 100+ Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States. It was founded on May 1, 1867, in Washington, DC. “Built on three acres, Howard University would see to the education of 150,000 freed slaves by 1872.” The campus is rich in black history and it is known for producing greatness, with some examples including, Thurgood Marshall, Taraji P Henson, and the one and only Toni Morrison. If you have been anywhere on social media or even if you’re an alum, then you know the 2019 Howard University Homecoming celebration was lit. But even if you didn’t know, thanks to some controversy you may have seen it on the news. 

Howard University had one of the most contentious artists, to say the least, walk the grounds of their campus, thee one and only, Kanye West. We have watched Kayne go through many phases such as Yeezus, the unapologetic President Trump supporter, and even now the gospel worshiper/performer at his Sunday Service pop-ups. He has been traveling from state to state putting on Sunday Service shows as a way to connect with his fans and  promote his highly anticipated album, “Jesus is King.” There is no denying the fact that the man is a musical genius, however, some of his ideologies can be hard to follow. Such as the infamous “ slavery was a choice” view that he continues to push on the Black Community. He stated at the historically Black institution “if they throwing slave nets again how about we don’t all stand in the exact same place.” Umm, sir?? Do you think that Africans were all standing in the same place when they stole people from an entire continent, not a city or town? And let’s get this straight before we go any further slavery definitely was not a choice!

HOWARDIt is difficult and almost impossible to understand why Kanye would bring this up at an HBCU. Knowing that such institutions were built to educate and lift up generations that were still impacted by the trauma and degradation of slavery caused. The campus is supposed to be a safe ground where blacks can grow and become educated on their history beyond slavery. In my opinion, this was a big slap in the face to our community, and it backtracked all the cleaning up he has been trying to do to his image. In my opinion, musical genius or not, all he was missing was his red “Make America Great Again” hat. 

Although Kanye’s controversial comments caused some to officially cancel him, others believe that Kanye has really found Jesus and is praising in the best way that he knows how – musically. For some, he is using Gospel music, something that is close to African Americans, to get back in their good graces before his album drops. His intentions good or bad will always be a mystery in my opinion. People will always have their own take on what’s going on. However, I think it’s amazing that legend is making himself accessible, but I hope and pray he is in it for the right reasons.

 

Little Known Black History Fact: Howard University