During my internship in Washington, D.C., through The Washington Center Academic Internship Program, I covered an event for Banned Books Week at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library called Banned Books Week: Shelved Voices, How Book Censorship & Bans Impact Everyone, Everywhere, which consisted of two panels and a student spotlight. The first panel was “Panel I: Understanding the Landscape of Book Bans,” which was moderated by stand-up comedian and television host Kamau Bell. The second panel was “Panel II: Resistance on the Frontlines,” which was moderated by author and producer Kwame Alexander. There was also a student highlight, which focused on student activist Edha Gupta. Gupta, along with her classmate, Christina Ellis, one of the panelists and a student activist, protested against the book banned in their small town of York, Pennsylvania.

According to “How Book Ban Silencing Led to Finding My Student Voice,” by Edha Gupta, published by Medium, stated “On August 29th, 2021, an email was sent from the Central York School District to the faculty and staff of the Central York School District, stating that over three hundred books had been banned from use in the classroom and had been taken off the shelves of the libraries.”

In the panel, Gupta and Ellis expressed the importance of representation and how it is essential for students of color to read books about people who look like them. However, because of these book bans, it was almost as if the school board was saying that their stories weren’t worth telling and/or that they were inappropriate. Gupta is currently a student at the University of Pittsburgh and is the co-author of Fighting Censorship: A Handbook for Pushing Back on Book Bans, while continuing her activism. Ellis is currently a student at The Pennsylvania State University, also known as Penn State, and is a co-author, along with Gupta, on their most recent book. She is also continuing her activism.

The first panel discussion included Bell moderating the conversation among panelists: Robert Corn-Revere, a First Amendment lawyer and the Chief Counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE); Christina Ellis, Jill Murphy, Chief Content Officer at Common Sense Media; and Dr Lauren M. Wells, an educator, researcher, and community organizer. It was a riveting conversation that focused on book bans while relating it to the First Amendment. Furthermore, during the discussion, Ellis explained how the Who Is/Was book series got banned, which taught children about prominent figures, and how it is dangerous that children aren’t exposed to or taught about the people who came before them and what they have done. Along with that, she said that it is important who the public chooses to put into power and urged people, especially Gen Z, to vote.

The second panel discussion included Alexander moderating the conversation among panelists: Antonio Gonzalez Cerna, the Executive and Marketing Director of Levine Querido; Tiffany Jewell, author of This Book Is Anti-Racist; Amanda Jones, a librarian from Louisiana, author of That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America, and an anti-censorship advocate; and Carisa Lopez, Deputy Director of Texas Freedom Network. Jewell opened up about her book being on the book-banning list and further explained what that meant. It means that libraries won’t shelve their books, and they don’t get the proper funding needed. Meanwhile, Jones fought for these banned books; she received a lot of backlash and threats from residents in her small Louisiana town for her activism concerning the banned books. She also explained that a librarian’s job is more than just shelving books and checking them out; instead, she encourages young children and kids to pick up these books, and the books they should be picking up should be diverse, introducing them to another world apart from their own.

At the beginning and end of the event, there were vendors from bookstores in the D.C. area that sold banned book merchandise, and some of the moderators’ and the panelists’ books. Overall, it was an amazing event that educated people on banned books and the impact that it has on the younger generation and authors whose books are being banned.

This past semester, I resided in Washington, D.C., participating in The Washington Center Academic Internship Program. Through my internship, I was given the opportunity to report on Howard University’s 100th Homecoming. It was titled Howard University: Yard of Fame, and it had many activities and events throughout the week for students and alums. The events included The Royal Court Coronation, Bison Madness: Pep Rally, Annual Lavender (LGBTQ+) Reception, Student Fashion Show, The Yardfest - Day 1 (Concert), Greek Step Show, The Community Parade, The Yardfest - Day 2 (Reunion Day), the Homecoming Football Game, etc. I spent much of my time at Howard University throughout the week and the weekend, participating in and covering the activities and events. I am honored to have connected with many of the students, staff, and alums who make up HU. Even though I am not an HU student, I could feel a sense of pride and community in their college and its deep-rooted history.

The first Howard University Homecoming took place in 1924. HU was inspired by many of the Ivy League’s homecomings and decided to put their own spin on it. HU was one of the first historically Black colleges and universities to have its homecoming make such an impact and create the blueprint for other HBCUs’ homecomings. According to “The First Howard University Homecoming,” written by Cedric Mobley and published by The Dig at Howard University, “It has been called a ‘vibe,’ a ‘rite of passage,’ and an ‘epic piece of HBCU identity.’” Many mainstream media outlets, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, have published stories about HBCUs’ homecomings and their social and cultural impact throughout the country, specifically for the Black community and the celebration of Black culture.

For instance, Beyoncé, singer-songwriter, actress, and businesswoman, released a 2019 documentary concert film titled Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé, which paid tribute to the culture at HBCUs. In her performance, she incorporated marching bands and majorette dancers and included Black Greek life, featuring step show performances and strolling pledges. Furthermore, she highlighted black femininity by performing with her fellow Destiny’s Child members, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, her sister Solange Knowles, and sampled Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s spoken word. Beyoncé also incorporated popular songs played at HBCUs, sang the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and released her version of “Before I Let Go.”

Also, Spike Lee, filmmaker, producer, screenwriter, actor, and author, released the 1988 musical drama comedy film, School Daze, which focuses on the culture at HBCUs at the fictional college, Mission Hill, in Atlanta, Georgia, specifically during homecoming week. It touches on other themes; however, the main focus is on the social atmosphere at HBCUs, particularly in the fraternities and sororities.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture published “Homecoming: A Celebration of HBCUs and Their Legacies,” which follows the HBCU experience and not only just looks at the present but pays homage to the past and where all these homecoming events derived from.

The first Homecoming game, in 1924, was against Lincoln University. Even though they lost 31-0, this was the kickoff to a 100-year-old tradition of Howard and other HBCUs holding homecoming every year after that. In the present day, events such as the student-run step show and fashion show have earned great recognition amongst the community, showing off Howard students’ talents when it comes to stepping and designing, especially since fashion plays a significant role in not only Howard but HBCUs’ homecomings. While reporting at HU’s 100th Homecoming, I noticed that many of the students, faculty, and alums came in their best dressed, whether it was repping their college, fraternity, or sorority.

Many attendees showed off their fits at The Yardfest - Day 1 (Concert) and The Yardfest - Day 2 (Reunion Day). The first day of Yardfest is focused more on the concert and the performances, and in the past, The Notorious B.I.G., DMX, and Kendrick Lamar. This past year, the performances featured Jordan Ward, 310babii, Ty Dolla $ign, Angela White, Derrick Milano, Leon Thomas, Coco Jones, and Boston Richey. The second day of Yardfest is when many alums attend because it is the homecoming game. It is almost described as a cookout and a big family reunion since there are many vendors and food trucks, and people are reuniting from years ago from their class. There are also performances from the marching band and the Divine Nine, also known as the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), which are nine historically known Black fraternities and sororities that have had a major impact on African American history and culture through their civic and community engagement and giving back to the community. The Divine Nine will have performances where many older generations will perform with the new generation.

Overall, Howard University’s Homecoming has shifted the popular culture and the culture of HBCUs' homecomings in general. It celebrates Black culture in all mediums, such as fashion, style, and music. It recognizes how far the Black community has come and how far we have left to go.

I always said that if I didn’t want to be a journalist, I would want to be a lawyer. However, it wasn’t until I got to Emerson College that I realized I could be both. Before then, I didn’t know the connection between journalism and law. In the fall of my first year of college, in my Foundations of Journalism class, we discussed the relationship between journalism and law. I learned about the First Amendment when applying it to journalists and knowing our rights when reporting on a story. I also learned how many journalists and lawyers worked hand-in-hand on many investigative journalism stories.

That’s when I decided to declare a minor in pre-law, and throughout my four years in college, I have learned so much from my professors about it. In the fall of my junior year of college, in my Introduction to Law class, we had a guest speaker who was an immigration lawyer. She shared her professional experience working under the Trump administration, how it greatly affected immigration in the United States, and how they needed immigration lawyers more than ever. She described the personal experience of this family she was representing, how she reunited them with each other and helped them stay in this country, and I found it touching. It made me realize that I not only wanted to report on the stories of these families but also help them and do something about their situation.

As a journalist, many of my stories focus on race and culture in the Black and Brown communities. I enjoy learning more about my community and being able to share the stories of my community, which is a privilege. I would like to take it a step further and represent my community as both a journalist and a lawyer since there aren’t too many people who look like us in these professions. I want to represent and give back to my community the same way they gave back to me.

During the spring semester of 2023, my sophomore year of college, I pitched a story idea for Your Magazine, a student-run lifestyle magazine at Emerson College. I titled it “Where I’m Going Is Just As Important As Where I’m Coming From.” The piece focused on my upbringing and my personal experiences of growing up in a city and a small suburban town. For this capstone piece, I know how much my upbringing shaped me into who I am today and who I’m becoming. I wanted to take it a step further and ask my peers how where they’re from influenced who they are, and how they view and navigate the world.

Nicole Townsend (She/Her)

Brooklyn, New York & East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

I’m Nicole Townsend, a senior journalism major with a minor in pre-law at Emerson College. I am originally from Brooklyn, New York, and East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. I was born and raised in Brooklyn and resided there for my childhood. Then, I moved to East Stroudsburg, where I spent my tween and teenage years before I left for college in Boston, Massachusetts. If I could describe New York City in three words, they would be lively, a melting pot, and sparkly. And then, for Pennsylvania, a sight for sore eyes, green and calm. I am fortunate to have grown up in both the city and the suburbs, and it has influenced who I am and how I view and navigate the world, similarly to my peers and where they call home.