Black Voices on the Hill centers Black lives, amplifies Black stories, and enhances the Black experience at Cornell University, greater Ithaca, and beyond. Host Daniel James II, a junior at the Cornell ILR School, will cover topics ranging from racism, police brutality, colorism, and sexism to Greek life, leadership, and white elitism in the Ivy League. We see Black excellence. We believe in Black empowerment. We love the Black experience. Contact: news@wvbr.com
Ms. Angela Rye on Action Items in Black America + Young People: “I'm following the young people…Why are movements often led by college students? They have the luxury and privilege of not being bought yet.” Listen in as political strategist, communicator, lawyer, and ESPN Correspondent talks with host, Daniel James II, about being a CNN political analyst at the height of the fake news era, and how her father influenced her unnerving activism. Her bold voice for Black issues made her America's favorite truth teller, the most recurring guest on The Breakfast Club, and has opened doors for her new podcast, The Native Land Pod feat. politician Andrew Gillium & Tiffany Cross.
Adigun on His Cancer Survival: “That entire period was definitely a challenging period for me…the thing I held onto was throughout all of it…I was optimistic. There was light somewhere in [that battle].” Listen in as Adigun Olusola, a Cornell engineering student discusses with Daniel James II, about his assessments on the Baltimore Bridge collapse, its impact, his aspirations toward engineering consulting, beginnings in Brooklyn, New York, an influential fitness journey, all while taking us through the story of a challenging, but victorious battle as a survivor of acute leukemia.
Ashley Acosta on the origins of her legal passion: “I've know I wanted to be a lawyer since I was like 6 years old…I have always been passionate about making a difference, and I knew wanted to do that in the legal world…especially coming from a low-income, immigrant background.” Listen to Ashley, a recent Cornell alum, chat with Daniel James II about her Afro-Latina roots, her New York upbringing, her journey as a 2L student at Columbia Law School, all while navigating being a full-time mommy to Amelia. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @ 3 PM on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Darius Scott on why he advocates for neurological healthcare: “There is a health disparity in terms of neurologic healthcare access for black and hispanic people...it is a big part of what I want to do in my career to advocate and increase the utilization of neurologic resources and care so it's more accessible and affordable for lower-income communities.” Listen in as Darius and Daniel James II discuss their thoughts on the UVA Football shooting, balancing his schooling, physical and mental health, and personal life as a student-athlete at Cornell University, how he combined his creative side with his work as a health equity advocate, and so much more!! Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Twitter: @BVHCornell Hosted by: Daniel James II '22 Produced by: Faith Shote '24 Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Nathan Eyasu on why the Caleb Foundation is important to him: “When you really think about it, these kids are no different from me and you. They were born into a situation that they cannot control and the only difference between me and them is luck. How fair is it for me to be placed in the US, see this, and go back to my home and just not do anything about it?” Join your new co-host Erica Yirenkyi '25 as she speaks to Nathan Eyasu '25 about his work as a board member of the Caleb foundation, creating a digital library, how vital help is to getting initiatives started, how others can make an impact through non-profits in their communities, and so much more! Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Twitter: @BVHCornell Hosted by: Erica Yirenkyi '25 Edited by: Faith Shote '24 Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Jeremy Gouraige on his skills he utilized during small business pro bono consulting: "Research and analytical skills along with communication because it's us providing our work to them, so the better of a communicator you are, the more effective your advice is going to be because your clients are going to be able to understand you more." Listen to Jeremy Gouraige speak with Daniel James II about his transfer journey to Cornell University, balancing recruiting season and the hectic schedule of a Cornell ILR student, distinguishing himself as a Black man in the business world, involvement in the Cornell and Ithaca BIPOC communities through his organizations, and so much more! Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Hosted by: Daniel James II '22 Edited by: Faith Shote '24
Tony on Under-Represented Minorities in Computing at Cornell (URMC): “It was a great place to be around other black and Latinx people like me doing what I wanted to do and seeing that they are able to achieve these massive goals with companies with massive names like Google and Facebook.”Listen to Tony chat with Daniel James II about his and his family's love of music, his mother's immigration story, growing up in Florida, the lack of diversity in tech groups on campus, entering a decentralized era of the internet in Web 3, Lotoya's viral tweet NFT, and so much more.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Yasmin on mental health stigmas: “As black students and as black women, we're taught that we need to be better than our white counterparts. We need to be resilient and strong. We need to be everything they are as far as grades, AND some. We can never show any signs of weakness. And I think that's where that stigma comes along with mental health, and I think the first step is a willingness to speak openly about our struggles.”Yasmin Bellew is the president of Alpha Phi Omega, Cornell's largest service fraternity, but she's also a member of pre-law organizations KAPi and Black Ivy. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about growing up in California's Central Valley, the impact of her black women mentors, the inaccessibility of therapy for people of color, the difference between structural reform and victim advocacy in the criminal justice and incarceration systems, and so much more.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“That's what ultimately drives my passion… wanting to create change me, for the people around me, and for the people I care about.”Listen to Lassan's conversation with Daniel James II about being from Mali, growing up Harlem and understanding its place as a black cultural center, his experience between public schools and a charter school, education as a chance to nurture people and their passions, his belief in serving others, his involvement in the Black Student Union and Alpha Phi Alpha, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“Fast forward to George Floyd, where the officers did nothing. And people said, ‘wait a minute, wasn't an officer fired for doing something?' …Now, they have 2020 vision.”Cariol Horne was a police officer in Buffalo in 2006 when she witnessed a fellow police officer attacking a handcuffed black man, and she was fired for intervening. The firing was reversed in 2020 and the governor issued a formal apology, but she still has not been given her pension. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about how she became a police officer, accountability for police officers through Cariol's Law, her work with youth in the community, her stance on the criminal justice system, incarceration, and release, and so much more.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Where did Richmond discover his love for fashion? "I think part of being African, at least with my parents, is presenting yourself to the best of your abilities. From a young age I was always well-dressed, wearing my little suit, little ties, things like that. I think people were gassing my head up!"Richmond Addae is a junior in the ILR School chatting with Daniel James II about self-care shopping, growing up in NYC, his journey to Cornell ILR, navigating a PWI in both high school and college, bringing his identity to corporate finance and fashion, code-switching at work, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“Sometimes students ask me what was Malcolm's biggest accomplishment… Malcolm's biggest accomplishment was turning negroes into black people. There's no legislation— he burrowed into your soul and your psyche and gave you a reason to live.”Dr. Peniel Joseph is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and you may be familiar with his analysis of race relations with Don Lemon on CNN. Listen to his conversation with Daniel James II about his book The Sword and the Shield, the convergences of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., radical black dignity and radical black citizenship, the value of bringing all black lives to the forefront in today's movement, and the effectiveness of the Movement for Black Lives.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
What is a brave space? “It's not protecting you from challenge, but it's giving the space to be able to overcome challenges and overcome barriers with support, community, affirmation, and feedback.”Cornell Dean of Students Marla Love is working to advocate for an inclusive Cornell student experience. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about her path to a career in student affairs, the difference between a brave space and a safe space, unequal access on the path to graduate school, the impact of her first black teacher, the Access Fund, sharing responsibility for mental health on campus, and so much more.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“A lot of people talking about critical theory don't even know what it is…to be so invested in spreading lies, or trying to shut down the study of black history, or shut down conversations about slavery…unrighteousness will not take us forward. When you have things that have happened in the past, there must be some acknowledgement…” said Dr. Riché Richardson. This renowned author who has had pieces published in O Magazine, and NY Times, Alabamian by birth, and black academic by trade is also an Associate Professor of African-American Literature in Cornell University's Africana Studies Department. Listen to this episode as Daniel and her discuss her Montgomery roots, book bans, the history of Africana studies being birthed at Cornell, and Beyoncé Nation course spicing up Cornell's curriculum, and has even reached Beyoncé's ear? Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“Sometimes I have a hard time saying there should be more [black voices] in the room because I also think more of us should be able to just chill. I know I wouldn't be who I am today without all of these things that I've done, but sometimes I wish I could walk to campus, come back home, watch some TV, make dinner, and go to bed.”Liz Davis-Frost is from Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of a single mother, and Cornell's graduate student-elected trustee. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about the sexualization of black girls, growing up around relics of Jim Crow, how a concussion during COVID led her to Cornell's masters in public administration, running for student-elected trustee, gender advocacy on campus, and so much more.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“It's really easy when discussing a case to forget about the impact that it has on people… but I think having those conversations with the black voices in my class brings in context about many disadvantaged communities. I think this has improved everyone's education.”Niyyah Barber entered Cornell as an ILRie from Texas, and now she is about to graduate from Stanford Law School. Listen to her talk with Daniel about her LSAT and law school admissions strategies, finding community through KAPi and Black Ivy, sticking with her love of labor and employment law, and her advice for new students making friends.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“If you have more tools in your toolkit, I feel like meeting someone where they're at isn't too much to ask, especially if you know they can't stretch any further. Just try— that goes a long way. It might not look how you expect it to look, but if someone knows you're trying, there's grace to be given.”JeNaye Beavers has not written a self-help book yet, but she might be on her way. Listen to the Class of '20 Cornellian and her conversation with Daniel James II about her experience with therapy, the loss of her father, meeting people where they are emotionally, her decision to leave her corporate job and take a gap year, pursuing graduate programs in therapy, her Human Nayeture podcast, the difference between personal success and prestige, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornellMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“When people ask me who I am, the first thing I can think of is ‘I am the son of Mercedes and Brian Francis.' The sacrifices they have made at such a young age [help me] know my ‘why,' why I wanted to pursue not just criminal law but government in general… I want to take care of people who have been incarcerated because they were forced to take plea bargains because they couldn't afford to stay in jail… I want to not only help them in that capacity, but to dismantle all systems of oppression.”Mar'Quon is a grooving Cornell in sophomore in KAPi who has lived everywhere, and people call him Sweetness on the roller rink. Listen to his conversation with Daniel James II about his ‘why,' his calling to pursue a career in criminal justice, the sacrifices his parents have made to give him opportunities like attending Cornell, his work fighting incarceration, housing, and other justice issues in Ithaca, how money dictates political power, and so much more.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized being told I was “pretty for a black girl” wasn't a compliment the way I thought it was when I was growing up… why can't I just be pretty? You don't realize until you get out of that environment [what kind of] impact it can have on you.”Nkili Gause is a scholar hailing from Loris, South Carolina, and is currently a legislative assistant for Rep. Clyburn on Capitol Hill. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about her hometown's chicken bog specialty, her path to the Hill, her work on appropriations and policy development, her education aspirations, representation on the Hill, her perspective as a staffer on 1/6, and her response to people who ask about 'black on black crime.'Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Khalil on tax-funded magnet schools: "...they give students a huge stratifying advantage for life. I think it's messed up that because one student can memorize ten history facts and another student can't, they're put in these extra rigorous programs… [I think] all learning should be more tailored rather than uniform.”Khalil Greene has a voice to guide a generation. Listen to the first black student body president of Yale talk to Daniel James II about connecting student government to student activism, crafting nuanced activist arguments for social media, the problematic narratives about black fatherhood portrayed in media, growing up in a majority-POC school in Germantown, Maryland, why he wants to abolish magnet schools, his work with the Boys & Girls Club, and more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“If I would look up extensions or wigs, the first that would come upon in the search would be a white man with a huge afro in a huge 70s costume” said Rumbi concerning what led her to found online beauty supply store, Ethossphere.Listen to this all-new episode as Rumbidzai Mangwende talks to Daniel about her experience as a girl growing up in Baltimore City, coming to Dyson as a transfer student to Cornell, founding a black owned business Ethossphere, and now being the first black woman to partner her business with Blackstone, the largest private equity company, through their Launchpad Fellowship. Catch Black Voices on the Hill on air each Friday at 2pm EST on WVBR 93.5 FM, Ithaca's Alternative. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Caroline on being a student journalist: “I think the importance behind journalism is making sure a wide range of voices is covered so that…you can get a range of perspectives….because everyone's truth is different."Caroline Johnson is a senior in the ILR School at Cornell, and a stellar journalist in the making. She serves as senior editor for the Cornell Daily Sun, and co-founded the BIPOC/Related Category during the 2020 Summer, a time marked by racial injustice, and the murders of countless black men and women. Listen to this conversation with her friend, Daniel James II, as they discuss her realization she could write, her community work this summer, as well as what it means to know what's “next” for her — NY Times maybe? Catch Black Voices on the Hill on air each Friday at 2pm EST on WVBR 93.5 FM, Ithaca's Alternative. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Kareem on Rare Concepts NYC: “I wanted to start something, I wanted to start something of my own. And I think the pandemic was the time… I was like, if I don't start something now, I'll never start it.”Kareem Hill is a junior in the Dyson School at Cornell, but he is already an entrepreneur with his own clothing business, Rare Concepts NYC. Listen to his conversation with Daniel James about their shared experience at Andover, choosing Cornell over Princeton, avoiding a 9-5 job, building a brand, the difference between financially stable and financially free, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Welcome to year 2 of Black Voices on the Hill! “The whole brand of Isaiah E. Scott is birds, art, and culture.”This fall, Cornell has the honor of welcoming the up-and-coming ornithologist Isaiah Scott to the Class of 2025. Listen to his conversation with Daniel James II about his love of wildlife, growing up in Georgia, his parents' support, the disparate impact of climate change on black communities, the racist and complicated history of the ornithological field, writing his first book, and his guided bird-watching tours, Ike's Birding Hikes. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“Harvard wasn't made for people like us— for black people, or for people from the south generally.”Noah Harris is a southern boy from Mississippi, but he's also first black man to be president of Harvard's undergraduate student body. Listen to his chat with Daniel about mental health and emerging from the pandemic, the endless giving nature of people from Mississippi, the tug of war black people experience between being humble and underplaying their personal accomplishments, the measures of violin sizing, his children's book “Successville,” the changing role of student government at Harvard, and so much more.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“Already, being a teenager is rough. Being a black teenager is rough. Being a black teenager in America is rough. Being a black teenager who is low-income in America is rough. I could go on.”This special edition of BVH brings you to Andover Hill with Fredericka Lucas, Emily Ndiokho, Michael Codrington, and Amiri Tulloch. Listen to their conversations with classmate Daniel James II about coming of age at Andover, forming identities in response to social expectations of Black students, learning Critical Race Theory in high school, their post-grad plans as they approach their senior years of college, and so much more.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
The moment that Colin met jazz: “From the second that I heard the first note of it, I was like, ‘this is the greatest thing ever.' I wanted to play this music, listen to this music, I want to know more. I was like 8 years old, and it was honestly one of the most significant moments of my life. I was just hooked.”Colin Hancock is a jazz historian and musician, future land-use lawyer with background in urban planning, a Cornell grad, and now a Columbia University grad! Listen to his conversation with Daniel about his Texas and blues heritage, his connection to the inspiration for SOUL, his Grammy nomination for album notes, the Cornell Syncopators, and more.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“Being a first-gen student is very lonely if you don’t have other first-gen student [friends]… As much as people want to say, ‘yes I understand your struggle,’ you really don’t understand the first-gen struggle unless you are first-gen.”Self-described Black woman enthusiast and University Student Trustee Selam Woldai joins Daniel James II this week to talk about facing online harassment while on Student Assembly, her friends as family and a support network, self-care in the face of imposter syndrome, what it means to be a first-gen student, meeting and speaking to Oprah and Michelle, and so much more.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Kolby on growing up in Chattanooga, TN and moving to Cornell: “This Cornell bubble… a lot of people don’t understand, don’t realize what’s going on outside of Cornell, outside of this New York area.”ILR Junior, Cornell varsity football player, and YouTuber Kolby McGowan joins Daniel James II this week for a fantastic talk about making the most of covid times, his renewed love of reading, maintaining his faith during college, watching his brother achieve his dreams, growing up in Chattanooga, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“It’s ok to be black and to not be an activist. You can just be black— being black is already hard enough. Sometimes I don’t want to go around telling my story to everyone everyday... I just want to be black and get through the day’s trials. You can just be your best black self.”Alena Reed takes sunshine with her everywhere, even beyond Cornell, to her small fashion clothing business Yellow of the Sun, to her church at home in California, and now to Wheel of Fortune. Listen to her chat with Daniel about true crime documentaries, the strains of social media and activism, transferring to Cornell, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“I wanted a place where I could transition into majority white spaces and feel a sense of confidence in myself, so that’s why it was important for me to get into [CBCF]… I could ground my roots, have a network of young Black professionals who I can relate with and think like… and even if I didn’t think like them, I could still find some sort of relation.”Four of Daniel's fellow Congressional Black Caucus Foundation interns, Leonorah Applewhite, Cheyenne Richardson, Gianni Morsell, and Joy Richardson, dropped in for a chat about their journeys to CBCF, collective grief, financial literacy, integration versus infiltration at HBCUs and PWIs, local and federal politics, Daniel's proficiency in speaking German, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“I adhere to the basic notion that when the world gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Now, a lot of people will take the lemons in the corner and suck on ‘em.”House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn has represented South Carolina's 6th Congressional District, Daniel's home district, since 1993. Listen to his conversation with Daniel about his stance against defunding the police, his endorsement of Joe Biden, making thoughtful change through a united progressive movement, his bill to get corporate money out of politics, his love of Harry Truman, and the letters from his late wife Emily. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
The revolution will not be televised, but it might make it to radio. Cornell and WVBR alum Frank Dawson was part of the Willard Straight Hall takeover and other protests for Black students in the late 60s and early 70s, and now he is an award-winning producer and filmmaker. Listen to his chat with Daniel about growing up in a Manhattan public housing project, being a child of the Civil Rights Movement, his love of reading, Cornell's assimilation expectations of incoming Black students, his time at WVBR and WHCU, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
On creating happy music even in the midst of tragedy and racial violence, Paul says, “Our joy is protest.”Paul Russell made $200 on an EP he produced in high school, but only played music as a hobby during his time at Cornell. Now, he's married, living in LA, and producing joyful music. Listen to his conversation with Daniel about remixing music from Hercules, his first gig at a pizza place, resisting genre categorizations, and his advice for current students. Stream his newest release, "Hallelujah," here!Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“I was born and reared in Marion, South Carolina in 1974. I’m a journalist by trade, and also an educator, and I have a wonderful son named Daniel James II that I absolutely adore.”Daniel, 20 minutes in: “I know you’re a journalist, but I ask the questions here.”Daniel's lovely mother, Angela Crosland joins BVH for the last episode in Women's History month to talk about entering journalism, their family's military background, faith, her media and consulting business, and her book, A Garden Worth Planting.Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.b
How did Tyler begin doing her own hair? "It came out of wanting to switch my hair up often, but not having the means to... So I thought, we’re going to get in a bathrobe, get a comb, some grease, and YouTube and we started there.”Tyler Sturdivant is a Hotelie passionate about event planning, but does not let etiquette or hospitality norms change who she is. She talks to Daniel about hospitality, braiding, professionalism in an Instagram business, her faith community, affirmative action, and more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Tyler Correawhite's advice? "Be intentional about what you want to do in this life."ILRies Tyler Correawhite and Tyler Dixon join Daniel James II this week to discuss sexism and racism in the workplace, what Gorilla Glue mishaps say about the unfair beauty standards for Black women, what it really means to "sell out," prioritizing creative solutions over set paths, and more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
"I'm resiliently painting my self-portrait."Kambria Lockett, a first-gen senior majoring in sociology, joins Daniel this week to talk about fashion and hair as a language, "checklisting" diversity and inclusion efforts, groupthink, alternative breaks, her faith, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
On starting her blog, Ivy Woman: “I’ve had very strong imposter syndrome since freshman year. It was hard for me to accept that I got into an Ivy League, that I go to an Ivy League, that I study at an Ivy League— that I’m a black woman at an Ivy League.”Skyla Carmon is a bubbly spirit from Houston with a bright future in clinical psychology. She joins Daniel James II this week to talk about the power outage crisis in Texas, Maya Angelou, her grandmother's influence, and braiding hair at Cornell. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
"I know people like to claim that Cornell is a super progressive campus, but Resolution 11 and Resolution 30 really highlighted to people that no, we're not. There are still a lot of people at Cornell that do not want to see black people in a position where they feel comfortable and safe on campus. This is the cost of being black at Cornell." Cornell Student Assembly Director of Elections Moriah Adeghe and University Assembly Executive Vice Chair and Student Assembly VP of Finance Uche Chukwukere join Daniel James II this week to talk about their reactions to the inauguration of VP Kamala Harris, the January 6th insurrection, and their experiences with writing resolutions for Cornell University Police Department disarmament and the targeted racist attacks they experienced as a result of their work. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“We have an obligation not only to speak truth to power, but to speak hope to the disenfranchised.”Pastor Nathaniel Wright leads Calvary Baptist Church in Ithaca, a spiritual home away from home for many black Cornellians. He joins Daniel this week for a fascinating conversation about the role of church in civil rights movements, political polarization, communities hurt by the pandemic, and racial reconciliation. They reach a final question: how can the oppressors and oppressed in a majority-Christian nation share the same God? Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Khary on January 6th: “It’s a moment of cognitive dissonance and denial— it’s condemning rights when they come from black and brown folks over issues of police brutality and oppression. And then this insurrection happens, and on the news I hear the people in power saying that we need unity— where was that [during police brutality protests]?”This week, Daniel and ILRie, athlete, and podcast host Khary Pryce talk insurrection, inauguration, political hope, athlete activism, podcasting perspectives, and more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
Leone on reviving the Caribbean Student Organization: "I'm not tryna be alone on this hill."A Renaissance soul, Cornell track and field athlete Leone Farquharson, joins Daniel this week to talk self-help, Jamaican cooking and culture, the Caribbean Student Organization, jumps and short sprints, and content creation. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“Being an athlete, being an entertainer, you speak for people who don’t have a voice. You’re speaking for so many people on the court, but off the court you’re representing yourself, your family, your city, your organization— so many people that, in times like this, kind of rely on you.”NBA G League player and Cornell alum Matt Morgan joins Daniel this week to talk family, playing with heart, routines, athletes’ social justice influence, the social media “spectacle of scrutiny,” and his dad’s “Kobe Room.”Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.
“…I’ve learned how engrained and how deep the wounds have been inflicted on those who are underrepresented in the nation, and this means Black and brown individuals. From now on, I’m going to dedicate myself to dismantling the systems and policies and laws that work to oppress.”Avery Williams is pre-med student and president of the Dauntless Daraka Daad Chapter of the MALlK Fraternity, and he joins Daniel to discuss Black Liberation, systems of oppression, and civil rights. This episode aired on December 18, 2020 on WVBR 93.5FM. Catch Black Voices on the Hill on air each Friday at 2pm EST on WVBR 93.5 FM, Ithaca's Alternative. wvbr.com/blackvoicesInstagram: @blackvoicesonthehillMusic provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.