The Polaroid Podcast with Michael Codrington

James Lewis Jr., affectionately known as Jlew ventured to Andover Massachusetts in the Fall of 2016 to better himself. As a basketball player, as a student and most importantly as an individual. Hailing from Mt. Holly, North Carolina, James comes from a family-oriented background with strong morals and electric hoops. Originally doubling as a football and basketball player, as he transitioned to High school Lewis focused on the latter. His 6'1 frame needed some filling out to say the least, but he had the mentality from day one. Bully Ball. James began morphing into a walking double- double while competing through nagging injuries. Every so often, it seemed to be something. His Senior year at Northside Christian he enjoyed to the tune of 16 points and 12 boards a game, but again missed many games with injuries. Despite having a litany of offers and interest, he bet on himself going prep. It was there where we would cross paths, and he would put together a magnificent 18/11 season. He lead a talented Andover team in scoring and helped gut out a big win over NEPSAC AA Worcester Academy. The fruits of his labor materialized in a scholarship to Chattanooga and a #78 ranking in all of New England(NERR). His Freshman season saw instant success, starting nearly every game for the Mocs. He transferred to Appalachian State, where after a redshirt season played 4 strong years. In 2021, the Mountaineers were victorious in the Sun Belt Conference and had a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Although he entertained a contract overseas, James opted for a job offer where he can utilize his degree in computer information systems. Lewis Jr. secured both a bachelor's and master's degree from Appalachian State. Recorded: 12.16.24

Current sport scientist at the university of Nebraska Mi-ah Watkins stopped by the Pod! Mi-ah and I are former teammates (during the 2018-19 season) and both share New York ties. The oldest of 3, Watkins remembers often undergoing trial by fire. Mi-ah was heavily involved in sports growing up, particularly enjoying gymnastics before specializing in track and field. Mi-ah joined a loaded throws group in the Fall of 2015, redshirting to focus on the hammer throw. She fondly recalls her conference championships in 2017, where she grabbed a bronze medal. Despite larger team dramatics at the time, which were indicative of the changes to come, Watkins was among those who grabbed hardware. Mi-ah put together a string of strong performances over her final two years, including a then- school record in the weight throw in 2018. After graduating with a B.S. in human performance, Watkins struggled with direction. She spent some time enrolled in a masters program at VCU, before realizing that it did not align with her interests. Mi-ah was able to immediately get into coaching, but it wasn't her day job. She worked and worked… and worked. Eventually, she was able to intern at William and Mary, getting an up close look at her future career. Watkins reflects on the management of the athletes and the tracking of progress; the marriage of analytics and expertise. Her time there ,under former Howard S&C coach O'mary, helped her realize that there was a seat at the table with her name on it. Watkins received her masters degree in exercise science, and continued to accrue knowledge and experience. She made stops at Maryland and most recently UCONN, working with various teams. All roads led Watkins to Lincoln Nebraska, where she currently works with the Olympic sports at the University. Mi-ah is blazing her own trail, prioritizing her work and her players. Thank you to her for rapping with us and thanks to you all for listening!!! Recorded: 8.8.24

Chase is Maryland to the bone, spending time in Waldorf and Laurel both. He even spent some time at DeMatha Catholic. Despite eventually transferring, he fondly remembers his time there. He forged invaluable connections and began creating and editing his own skits. He crossed paths with other creators who he was able to work closely and collaboratively with. His biggest takeaway: DIY. Create for yourself and opportunities will hopefully arise. That's exactly what happened for Chase X, as he played pivotal roles in the Wolfgraphic made Netflix Dreams, released in 2020-21. Drewery received two acting credits in 2022, wilding different projects that each uniquely contributed to his skill set. Off to college in the Fall of 2021, Chase was far from your normal college freshman. He was already a standout on the jumps runway(s) to this point, and had entered with a rare class. They not only boasted Drewery, who would become a conference champion and school record holder as a freshman, but each of the other 3 jumpers would go on to become conference champions themselves. His aforementioned record jump was a collegiate coming out party for Drewery, who this past season was a regional qualifier. He is eager to prepare for his final season, where he hopes to go out with a bang. How does Drewery maintain an acting career you might ask? One day at a time. Chase tells a priceless story about being called in to reshoot for Power Book II: Ghost during regionals. Despite having to actually be in two places at once, he made it work. You can find Chase on the mid-season finale of the hit TV show. Chase has a phenomenal future ahead of him, and he takes the cake for best end of show questions! Take a shot everytime I say obviously

This time last year, Dylan Beard was fresh off of his first professional victory. Having closed the book on a decorated 7 year collegiate track career, Beard now entered the professional ranks. He qualified to represent the USA at the Pan- American games in the 110h. This early success was indicative of the growth that Beard would continue to make in the sport. Despite not making the NCAA finals during his last year at Howard, Beard ran 13.31,13.43(x2) and 13.29(+3.6w), his fastest times yet. Upon graduation, Dylan was able to find an opportunity to train professionally in North Carolina. Luckily, he has some family in the area that make up his support system. But financially, Beard was not signing a Shohei Ohtani level contract. He has still be grinding 5 days a week at Walmart, training and running when the opportunities present themselves. One such opportunity was a slot at the famed Millrose games in February. Beard lined up against world champion medalists, NCAA champions and Nike and Adidas sponsored athletes. None of that seemed to matter, as he shattered the facility record in 7.44 for a win in the 60h. The victory helped propel Beard to new heights within the sport, appearing on TV and publications such as flotrack. Leading up to trials, Beard ran a 13.10 pb , a time that only Grant Holloway had run faster than at the time. Dylan thoughtfully recounts his trials experience this past year, and will continue his season on the professional circuit. He has reached a lucrative deal with Walmart that will allow him to continue following his dreams on the track, and Dylan Beard is certainly a name to look out for at the 2025 World Championships. Recorded: 7.17.24

Ozioma Scott was born and raised in Guyana before moving to the Bahamas. She details her childhood with fond memories and blue skies. Her childhood also included an 8U championship on the track. Despite being a small island, this was clearly an indicator of greatness. She did not dedicate much focus towards track in high school and instead, was focusing on ways to pay for school. It just so happened that that avenue for Scott was the Howard track team, during the first year of Coach Oliver's tenure. Timing is everything. Had Scott tried to walk-on to the team in say,2024, with her PR of 65 seconds, the chances of her making the roster would be slim to none. But she got to work that Fall, joining the 200/400 training group “G2”. They were notorious for their grueling workouts, but Scott had the will to stay. Not just stay, but thrive. Scott established herself as a mainstay on the 4x400 relay, running the 1st leg for nearly 5 years. In February of 2020 during Scott's Junior year where she served as G2 captain, the relay stepped to a runner-up finish at conference. It was a marker of greatness to come. During the bulk of the pandemic, Scott was back home in the Bahamas. She returned during the 2021 “Covid season” to once again lead the 4x400 on their campaign. The program was making impressive strides, with more regional qualifiers than ever. Scott herself doubled up at regionals with the 400m open and relay. They ran their fastest all season, and took an 11th place finish into nationals. Scott gives her perspective of not being able to run at nationals due to a personal issue, the feelings associated, and how she took those feelings into her 5th and final year. Regardless, Scott and co. were all-Americans with an expectation to return in 21-22. Not only did the four go on an unheralded run which included a big win at Texas relays, but each member had illustrious individual moments. Scott herself made the finals at regionals, running a lifetime best sub-53 time. Off the track, Scott is leaving Howard with two degrees. She earned her masters during an 18 month accelerated program, and balanced graduate school with track for the beginning portion. Scott is also currently undertaking an innovative business venture with her brother, in which they are offering plant-based fruit snacks to the public. Though obviously an athlete can benefit from this greatly, the average person will feel better and more energized when eating cleaner. Perfect for on the go! She has gone into business with her older brother, and you can find more on their instagram page @tropittwists Thank you to Ozi for stopping by the Pod!! Recorded:5.6.24

He's baaaaaacckkkkkkk! The original Polaroid podcast guest, with our episode shot over 4 years ago, has returned to the Pod. Though this time, he's donning Maryland Red. During the opening portion of our podcast, we discuss the many factors that contributed to his transfer. A bison through and through, it was a dream to be able to gracefully aid Howard into their athletic transition. Mekhi began in the Fall of 2018, and by the time that he left, HU's facilities had been given a facelift, and they had accumulated 15+ championships. Abbott himself went 3 for 3 at the MEAC conference championships in the javelin. The women's team has continued with their dominance, showing out at big meets and boasting 2 professional alum. Despite his impressive career, Mekhi still has a few things on his bucket list. Maryland also provides the journalism instruction that Mekhi has craved for so long. The best of both worlds, Mekhi graduated from Howard in the Spring of 2023 and matriculated to UMD as a grad student. Mekhi has enjoyed meshing with the team during the Fall training season and is embracing the Big 10 experience. During the recording of this episode, Abbott had just opened up with the #2 all-time mark at UMD. Since, Mekhi has claimed the top 6 throws in Maryland school history, including the school record. He looks to make the final push towards championship season! Off the runway, Abbott has been pushing his pen. Finding multiple platforms to publish on, people to work with and subjects to tackle, Abbott is truly doing it all. This Polaroid is archival circa Fall 2021. Recorded: 3.20.24

Dallion remembers falling in love with basketball at an early age, being inspired by his father and older brother. Born just north of Boston, Johnson was in the midst of great basketball through and through. Johnson and I converse about the anticipation surrounding his arrival in Andover as the clear heir to the basketball team. He burst onto the scene, playing next to and against talented, older players. Dallion was just focused on being a freshman in high school though. His campaign ended with the cherry on top away victory against rival Phillips Exeter. Over the next 3 years, Johnson would re-write the record books. His Senior year saw a playoff berth and victory, Gatorade player of the year, and conference player of the year. Johnson does not envy the pressure associated with his dealings on the court, or off during his recruitment. Aspirations of going high-major led him to Penn st, where he bloomed at times. At others, Johnson considered if a detour was in his future. This past Summer, he pivoted to Florida Gulf Coast University, where he is set to graduate in August. He retains one more year of eligibility after putting together a solid season for the Eagles. All in all, Dallion's talent is outclassed by his humility and charisma. He has served as inspiration for his own younger brother , who is headed to Andover in the Fall. Recorded: 4.24.24

Last week, we sat down with Candace, my older sister. Not to be outdone, Sabrina wanted to stop by the pod herself! The youngest and brightest of us, she is in the midst of a Summer TA'ing an Art program at Sotheby's in Ny before her Junior year at Trinity College. Codrington's main medium is photography, though she enjoys painting as well and has recently added a minor in Art history. She speaks candidly about entering spaces previously foreign to her with a million eyes on her for reasons beyond her control. Between camp Walden and Andover, neither experience was anything like her day to day life at home. Speaking of, she left at 14 for Andover, where we spent one year there together. Though her time there was by no means easy, she had a hand in everything. From managing the basketball team to creating more art than ever before, she flourished. No accomplishment or decision may have been as important as her founding and running of the @blackatandover instagram page. The page examined the treatment of black and brown students on a microscopic level. She was ultimately rewarded by the school for her work, despite disagreements and backlash. Sabrina spent her first year of college at UAlbany, which she does not regret but did not enjoy. The positives including managing the basketball team once again, being a campus ambassador for Pink and honing in on being an Art major. But at the end of the day, it was not the place for her socially and the fit was less than ideal. 5 schools made up her transfer list, and Sabrina felt confident once her app was submitted. That confidence waned as schools began to deny her entry, but she held out for Trinity. She enters her Junior year as a studio art and English double major excited to get back to it, but not before finishing her TA summer! Recorded: 7.3.23

Happy Wednesday wherever you're listening from! Ecstatic about these next two episodes, the first of which being my older sister Candace. Being the oldest out of all of us, she constantly dealt with being the litmus test for how the rest of us would be treated. A Brooklynite in the 90s and early 2000's, she moved to charlotte at the age of 14. She details the stark differences between the two, from the actual places to her specific living situations. Candace also cites a high school trip to Australia as her introduction to sustainable development. This led her to Appalachian state and eventually, heavily influenced her approach to cooking. The pandemic was painstakingly difficult for Mollison as it was for countless others, but she used the time to cook nearly everyday. She even began incorporating ingredients grown in her own garden. As some of her dishes began gaining traction on social media, Candace's confidence grew and rightfully so. She is currently entered in the Favorite chef amateur chef competition, run by Carla Hall! All voters can contribute one daily free vote, and more if they do feel. Polls close in a few days, so if you're a fan of anything Candace has ever made, make sure to vote! Recorded 7.18.23

Rare concepts NYC CEO Kareem Hill stopped by the Pod to drop gems! Fresh off of graduating from Cornell, Kareem will be able to spend time this summer fine-tuning his Fall launch at Rare Concepts. In this interview, we cover all things from Kareem's passion for chess at a young age, to the two of us sharing the court as JV basketball teammates. After a successful 4 years at Andover, Kareem matriculated to Cornell, where he walked on to the track team. He speaks at length about his commitment level to track at the time, seeing his progress and getting his butt kicked in workouts. Unfortunately, Covid-19 robbed Hill of an Outdoor Freshman season. It was during this time that he started flirting with the idea of business, and getting things off the ground with emboldn. Although he was focused on selling phone cases at first, when he released clothing he realized that it just made too much sense. He had more creative freedom and received more desired feedback. Rare Concepts NYC emerged with sweatsuits tees and shorts. With a mission statement centered around encouraging others to embrace their stories and overcome their hardships, Rare Concepts NYC is fueled with positivity. Hill agrees. He loves receiving DMs about the brand, especially those who appreciate the message AND the product. Towards the tail end of the episode, Hill provides insight into the ways that he has experimented with designs. Noting that the brand changes and he changes and vice versa, he's eager to tackle the realm of nightlife attire. Make sure to give @Rareconceptsnyc a follow on IG and shop around! Recorded: 6.22.23

Victoria Kadiri is a native of Lynn, Massachusetts, and a rising Junior at Johns Hopkins. Victoria was academically- driven from a young age, diving headfirst into rigorous STEM classes. When it became time to look for high schools, she did not have to look beyond her own state for a match. Andover was a major adjustment for Kadiri, especially operating in such close proximity to so many wealthy students. Her time there was littered with foreshadowing for the career that she would have in college. After establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with in New England through just two years, her Junior campaign saw her contribute to yet another team title and be elected captain for the following season. She would not have an opportunity to lead that team however, or to compete during her first indoor season due to Covid. No problem for Kadiri, as she broke out during the outdoor season with multiple jumps surpassing 5.50 meters. This already set her up to compete on the national level just months into her career. At her first Centennial Conference Championships, she claimed gold in the long jump, the high jump, was runner up in the 100 and scored 5th in the shot put. At her first Division III national championships, she duked out a strong 5th place and All- American honors. Due to her versatility, she was tapped to compete in the pentathlon, where she would go on to claim gold at conference. Balancing all of the events has been a challenge for Kadiri, but she credits her teammates and coaches for lending her a helping hand. At the culmination of her first collegiate Indoor season, she claimed the first national championship in Hopkins history, with a winning jump of 5.91 meters. She holds her own regardless of who is in the competition, regardless of division. Her love for the sport is palpable and genuine, evident in the fact that she began triple jumping shortly after her national title. For the FIRST time ever. While continuing to establish herself as a real contributor in the sprints as well, Kadiri had a season for the ages across the jumps. Leaping out to 12.43 meters in triple and nearly 20 feet at 6.06m in long has been nothing short of remarkable. Her Triple jump victory at nationals secured the horizontal jumps' sweep, and helped Kadiri become the USTFCCCA D3 National Field athlete of the year. Victoria's astounding ability is only rivaled by her humility and charisma. The sky is the limit for Victoria, who will chase the all-time Division 3 records over the next two years. Recorded:6.20.22

It's been a rollercoaster since our last episode. As I spend my last few days in D.C. after graduation and the track season have commenced, it is bittersweet but above all rewarding. Rewarding to have been able to be apart of something greater than myself in many different facets. In this episode, I sit down with a special young man whose story has inspired his teammates and close friends alike. Zeke Hawkins is the older of two dynamic twins(by one minute) and recently became a bronze medalist in the decathlon at the MEAC conference championships. After living in Long Beach for the first 6 years of his life, Hawkins and his family moved to Atlanta,Ga, where they reside today. Growing up with twin brother Zach, the two played sports on many of the same teams, primarily football. Their start in the hurdles began when they witnessed a track practice when the team lacked any hurdlers at all. They decided to take on the challenge, sticking to football as a primary sport. Hawkins was listed at WR for powerhouse Grayson high school, but played various positions on scout team. Zeke established himself as a hard worker and selfless teammate, although the crowded depth chart made playing time scarce. However, sharing the field with multiple national-caliber athletes on a daily basis helped him understand that he belonged. As the Hawkins twins progressed in the hurdles, Zach began honing in on track, and collecting offers. During the week that coronavirus uprooted us all, he ran a blistering time of 13.7. By this time, it was clear that the two would be Howard-bound. Zeke had already received admission to Howard early action, and had plans to participate on both the track and football teams. Unfortunately for the two of them, their final months of high school and first months of college were spent virtually. During this time, they split time between online classes and working at Amazon, not anticipating a track return. Although they did eventually receive the call that the season was on, Hawkins recalls the brutal adjustment period. They had no time to waste, arriving during the first week of January and diving straight into an outdoor season 2 months thereafter. Hawkins was not in the physical condition that he had wanted to be in, and he had to do some serious thinking about his future in the sport. Instead of quitting, and with the help of Zach, he buckled down and got to work. Work work. He lost over 50 pounds through the Fall, transitioning to a multi/decathlete. In his first indoor 60 hurdles race ever, he ran an impressive 8.50 behind his brother in 8.03 and teammate Jermanie Byrd in 7.98. He credits that meet for the confidence that he could hold his own and to go after it. After finishing top 5 during indoor conference on a bad ankle, Hawkins stormed the outdoor meet with a vengeance. The trio of himself, Nate Are and Eric Brown jr. Scored 21 big team points in dominant fashion. Keep an eye out for Zeke next year as he hunts down the school decathlon record and the coveted gold medal !Recorded: 5.17.22

Ian is a Junior psychology major, Chemistry minor from Houston,TX by way of New Orleans. Although he considers Houston his home, he still frequents Louisiana to see family. At an early age, Wheeler split his time between football and karate. He began his football career as an Offensive lineman before transitioning to safety. Eventually he played all positions, entering high school with hopes of starting on varsity. He quickly noticed peers begin to separate themselves due to physical growth and maturity and was certainly not left behind. After a decent campaign at Safety, he was told that he would be splitting carries at running back ahead of the season. Standing at around 5' 7”, 170 lbs, he relied heavily on his speed and vision. Wheeler picked up pole vaulting in the springtime. He speaks at length about the dangers and anxieties associated with the sport, including an instance where his pole snapped in half. Regardless, he loved watching himself progress and work towards higher heights day in and day out. When undergoing his recruiting, the Howard Bison were between football coaches. Determined to maximize his athletic potential, he reached out to Track coach, Olympian and podcast guest Coach Oliver. Although his running times were around average, his 14 foot vault was enough to earn himself a spot. A few weeks later, he was offered a football preferred walk-on spot via Twitter dm. Wheeler entered college prepared for the tall task of two sports, but the realities quickly set in. Due to miscommunication and lack of confidence, he had a slow start on the field, only playing special teams. Not to mention, he was at the bottom of an incredibly competitive running back depth chart. After a season to forget, he traded in his cleats for spikes, or at least did so during the mornings. He traveled 30 minutes twice a week at 6 am to practice vaulting, while also not having a coach or the proper tools. At nights, he lifted with the football team. Although his track career lasted just 3 meets, he made his mark in each, ultimately placing 4th at the MEAC conference championships. Wheeler was primed to make the switch from vaulting to sprinting and long jumping when the pandemic cut his Freshman year short. He worked hard to overcome the difficulties of the pandemic both on and off the field. With a year under his belt playing mostly special teams, he was eager to play again. Due to Covid, the spring season was just 2 games, both against the same opponent. Wheeler scored his first collegiate touchdown in the second game, and was a bright spot during a hectic and brief season. Finally beginning to see the fruits of his labor at his position, Wheeler earned 10-12 touches per game and made great use of them. Despite suffering a partial tear in his MCL early in the year, he preserved to rumble to ~7 yards a carry. His ultimate goals are to become a professional football player and a doctor. We wish Ian the best of luck going forward! Recorded: 3.17.22

Camille is a Computer information systems major from LA, Inglewood specifically. She is the oldest of 3 siblings, the other two being brothers. She can recall loving the thrill of competition and the joy of sports early on, but also experienced fear of being in front of others. In fact, the first question that she asked about Softball was if there would be other people in the stands. Initially better at fielding than hitting, Navarro began as a catcher and was recruited at the position. However, she has since become one of the best Second basemen in all of collegiate softball. She did not give the sport her full attention until her junior year of high school, playing basketball and volleyball to round out the year. Although she had difficulties juggling travel softball with her day to day schedule, playing for her high school team presented much lower stakes. They worried about being able to field a team and teach the fundamentals, whereas travel softball was all gas no brakes. She verbally committed to Howard weeks before her Senior year and took a subsequent visit in the Fall. Navarro was on her visit with 6 of the other 10 eventual commits, and remembers being excited about what was to come. As fate would have it, the team's coaching spot became vacated and there was a threat of having no season. Navarro arrived at Howard confused but optimistic. The team was conditioning, lifting and attempting to practice. But without a coach, things were looking bleak. In November of that year(2018), Coach Tyson was eventually hired and things were finally on track. Although Navarro has grown significantly from her first year, it was no slouch of a season with her finishing as the team's Freshman of the year. Named a Captain during her Sophomore year, she was off to a smooth start. Through ~20 games, she was well on her way to being named all-conference. During what seemed to be a normal March game, both teams received word that the Covid-19 pandemic would be cutting everything short. Their season. Their semester. Everything. They played their pair of games and created an impromptu senior day, a meaningful but unfortunate ending. Like myself, the pandemic had Camille questioning when the next time she would be playing her sport would be. Her next time donning the Bison blue would be the Spring of 2021. Despite having only 12 active players for the most part, Navarro and the Bison had many highlights throughout the season. During this time, she eclipsed 100 hits for her career, and was named MEAC Player of the year. Navarro is excited to explore her interests outside of softball when she hangs the cleats up soon. But for now, she's got her eyes on a championship and trip to the Regional. Good luck to the Women's Softball team and Thank you again to Camille!Recorded: 3.3.22

Born in Malden and raised in PG county, Alex Broome pays respect to both in her introduction. Broome is a sophomore business student and lacrosse athlete at Howard. Before then, she attended Bishop McNamara high school, where she captained the lacrosse team for multiple years. Although founded by indigenous peoples, lacrosse is a white dominated sport across the nation. Broome's father introduced her to the sport, having played at Providence himself. She credits the DMV for having some of the most competitive lacrosse at all levels, aiding in her development. But, she laments at the politics that invaded the sport due to her position and to the general lack of representation. She recounts multiple anecdotes where her race played a factor in how she was perceived on the field. In addition, she recounts hearing the n-word used by a white teammate. Despite the adversity, she insists on pushing on in the sport for black girls coming after her, and for those at the games. Howard is just 1 of 2 HBCUs with a women's lacrosse team after all. Her goal is to contribute to establishing generations of black lacrosse players.Unfortunately Alex could not play interscholastically during her 2020 Senior season or her 2021 Freshman season due to the pandemic. Her true Freshman season(as many were granted a “Covid year”) was spent trying to fill a coaching vacancy for the Howard team. She worked hard to stay ready, but realized that there was no guarantee she would be playing soon. Still, she worked diligently. She is currently recovering from a concussion, but is eager to finally get back on the turf. Last Fall, Alex completed an internship with NASA, while adapting to her first on-campus college semester. We wish great luck to Alex and HU women's Lax the rest of the season!Recorded: 2.6.22

De'ja Dade is a Junior Media management major, business administration minor at Howard from Dallas,Texas. The youngest of 5 sisters, Dade has always prioritized her family. The biggest adjustment when she came to Howard was the distance between her and her family, and experiencing less frequent communication. Although De'ja spent time living in both Allen and Desoto, she eventually was living in Desoto and commuting to Allen. The hour to hour and a half long daily commune was essential for her development as far as independence. Going to a school like Allen was also incredibly demanding in itself, especially athletically. After standing out towards the tail end of middle school for her speed, Dade began taking track seriously in 9th grade. Despite not running for a Summer track club, and not running during her 11th grade year because of injury, she still garnered significant collegiate interest. Dade took two official visits, the first to Wichita state and the second to Howard. Her Freshman season at the Mecca was very successful, as she qualified for the conference meet in 2 events, missing a 3rd by .07 seconds and placing 7th in the high jump. She did as much in the face of injury, and ended up in a walking boot. The next day, the news of coronavirus hit the Howard community. Dade cherished her time at home, but struggled to find balance as time went on. Now back on campus as a Junior, Dade was grateful to return but felt the communal limitations of the hybrid environment. She is hopeful that Spring semester will feel more like the intense college experience. In the Summer of 2022, De'ja will be interning at Google. She details her story in the podcast, how her internship came about and how she was able to narrow down her interests. Recorded: 12.9.21

Messiah! is a rapper and producer from Eastside Charlotte. His most recent single, “Deville” was released on November 5th. This fast-paced and melodic tune is one of the songs that best captures Messiah!'s sound. We begin our interview talking about Charlotte, what it was like to grow up there and how it informs his music making. He says, “I feel like every time I open my mouth, I gotta climb. You at the bottom of the map, and you at the bottom of the list… so I feel like I gotta rap a little harder”. Some of his musical influences growing up include Lil Wayne, Aretha Franklin and Usher. This small mix highlights one of Messiah!'s main concepts which is black unity. He says that his curiosity brought him to the mic at the young age of 6 but his rhymes were “hot garbage”. The love for the music never wavered, and Messiah! eventually began teaching himself the ins and outs. He recorded numerous songs in his bedroom, and allowed close friends and collaborators to record there as well. One of which is current phenom MAVI and fellow member of the collaborative “Killswitch”. Messiah! speaks at length of the benefits of coming up together, while maintaining and growing into their brotherhood. He briefly previews an unreleased EP which he is most proud of to date and hopes to release by the end of the year. Once again his new single “Deville” is out now and the first song on the project. Thank you again to the man himself Messiah! for opening up and conversing with a fan

Keely Aouga is a Junior at Howard with a sociology major, with a journalism minor from Newark, NJ. Keely and I met in the summer of 2014, during prep 9. We have since attended the same schools, which we talk about at length. Her parents are from Togo, which is in West Africa. Aouga speaks about being misunderstood and feeling out of place due to her heritage. Often floating between groups, she credits Prep to giving her stability, relatability and preparedness. It was the first time that she was learning with primarily black and brown students. I asked Keely to parallel her first Andover visit versus her first day of school. After just two visits, she felt it was going to be her home. All things considered, she had as smooth a freshman year as one could have. During her sophomore year, she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, which she had to deal with for the duration of her tenure. Many times, she felt firsthand how mental health can be unfairly criminalized. Days before her graduation, and unable to miss any more class, she was unable to get out of bed. She recalls almost going home, eventually roughing out the final stretch. Keely was elected and served as student body co-president. I ask her to tell me more about the nuances of the job, what it has taught her about student influence or the lack thereof, and how hard it was to change policy. When applying to college, she wanted an authentic experience and one where her mental health would not take a sever back seat. Being rejected from UPENN she says, “Was the best thing that ever happened to her”. Since attending Howard, Keely has had a rollercoaster experience filled with pandemic and protest. Through it all, she loves the school and couldn't be happier with her decision. This past summer, Keely completed a virtual internship with CNN, where she was able to bolster her journalism skills and publish 6(!) articles. Recorded: 11.6.21

Looking around Howard's campus, there are significantly less members of the original class of 2022 than ever before. It's even more rare to find someone else who lived in Drew Hall(the best dorm). Adrian Owusu is both things, a computer information systems major from Jersey. Wu learned 2 things from his father: How to have compassion and how to work hard. He would need the latter during his journey to becoming a football player. He was inspired by the championship giants of 2008 to learn the game. After spending his freshman year elsewhere, he transferred to Paramus Catholic. At the time, they had the #1 player in the country, and Paramus was playing a National schedule. To keep up with the supporting cast of rated recruits and players, Wu worked hard and stuck to his routine. School, lift, practice, study. School, lift, practice, study. These “boring” days were much needed for Owusu and helped him progress as a player. He eventually committed to Susquehanna University, after being courted by the coaching staff. Shortly after, he was approached about an opportunity to walk-on at Howard. He spent just over a year as a member of the team, before eventually walking away from the sport. Many factors contributed to this separation from football, but regardless of the reason, it left Wu without much outside of school. During the pandemic, Wu struggled to cope with the death of a beloved Howard staff member. He details how he enjoys the sweet science of boxing and has recently joined a gym that has changed his outlook on life. The most tangible and applicable advice that he has gained thus far is to stick and move. Stay tuned for the end, and one of my favorite q and a periods!

I first heard 97pta's work on the song Colaroid from The Sample Pack by Henry Ross. His voice, ability to mend with the beat and general sound perked my ears. Since that day, I have been a big fan, eventually leading to today's episode. Our connection was facilitated by Episode 15/3 guest Henry Ross. The second episode of the second season(43) was one for the books! Justin also known as 97pta is a multitalented artist from New York. He raps, sings and produces his own music, most recently releasing the single “25 Criminal”. Before his string of individual releases, he was apart of a band called Culture Hound, performing live music. The release of “Death of Cinema” came in 2019 for Justin, and he drew heavy influence from early 2010's music. He went on to explain how his single “Bambi” increasingly grew on him and became one of the premier songs on the project. One of the things that makes 97pta so special, is his ability and willingness to adapt as an artist. He is incredibly confident in where he currently stands with his improved mastering and producing skills, and is excited to release his new single within the coming weeks. Directly after this interview, 97pta hopped into a studio session. I once again thank 97pta for a phenomenal interview! We apologize for any sound difficulties. Recorded on 10.13

Press play. The 4 agreements/ what I'm readin' ‘fore the show/ Flyest Michael onna Microphone that you know/ yeo/ my pen was bleedin' got me thinkin' what should I do?/ Filmed the first 2/ Interviews/ I put a pin in it./ I wasn't confident yet/ but I kept workin' still/ iron sharpens iron / hit Jinx/ I Hit Jay out in Charlottesville/ Chill/ was my persona/ and the Polaroids my passion/ use to act / n had a knack /for spittin' facts/ about whatever. / The Pod is My pleasure/ and I'm known to dance with hammers/ rockin' stages, twistin grammar/ comes in handy./ Nike Corteezies on my phalanges/ climbin' mountains like the Andes./ I do this for my granny/ And I do it till they stamp me / with that verified / Voices Amplified, across galaxies/ we global soon/ Duplantis over Moons/ Guess you could say that I was born to fly/ immortalized in polies/ and my guests / are the best. / steerin em east or west /behind my tiny desk / yes/ yes / yes grab you a seat and sip some green tea/ or press play on road trips while you chillin in the backseat/ welcome, or welcome back/ to the number 1 Podcast soundtrack / known to rock a backpack/ don't call this thang comeback. / used to rap in fact on violins back in the 5th grade/ back when I thought that I was Dwayne Wade/ more like Dwayne Wayne / my world different/ A calm limerick/ killed the whole beat and I wrote this whole in 10 minutes/ like I said I said too much/ so imma head out/ n let the strings take us out/ peace

Welcome to the first episode of season 2! Happy 
Friday from wherever you're listening. This episode was long overdue and one that I was overly excited for. My teammate Nnamdi Olebara stopped by to talk all things from business to track. Nnamdi was born and raised in PG county Maryland. He describes growing up around mostly black people and being connected within the community through a mentoring program. He began playing football by age 7, along with soccer and basketball. Track only emerged as his dominant sport during his Sophomore year of high school. After placing 3rd in the state as a junior, he began reaching out to colleges. He followed up his 3rd place finish with a state championship during his Senior year. Olebara verbally committing and de-commiting from West Point. He ultimately decided that he was too on the fence about Post-collegiate service to commit. Howard was his school of choice, and with the help of Boeing and an ROTC scholarship, was able to go smoothly. In addition to track, Nnamdi acquired his pilot's license at age 17. He is almost continually learning more about real estate, and has already invested in a commercial property and condo. Having competed just 2 seasons, Olebara has already had a successful college career. Despite battling a torn meniscus, and two cysts in his knee, he achieved a bronze medal in the hammer throw. He has also scored in discus and shotput(2x) at conference. Oh, and don't forget that time he played football for 3 months. Recorded: 9.28.21

Welcome to the final episode of the inaugural season of The Polaroid Podcast. Our first year has been an incredible beyond belief, and has included an array of learning experiences for myself. In this episode, I reflect on the what it's been like to host the podcast for a year. I talk through the process of building, the adversity and personal challenges faced along the way, and what you can expect moving forward. Pictured is the place where it all started, 732! Time is a flat circle!

On today's episode of the Polaroid Podcast, we have Professional U.S. Shotputter T'mond Johnson! T'mond is fresh off an impressive 10th place finish at the Olympic Trials in a stacked field. Johnson grew up in a military family, frequently moving before the age of 4. He finally settled in Killeen, Tx where he has lived since. Johnson grew up playing a variety of sports and had an early love for basketball. He admits that though he soon stopped growing vertically, he was consistently getting stronger. Johnson seriously picked up the shotput during his Senior year of high school, having previously focused on football( and even garnering D2 offers and interest). In just a short time working on the rotational movement, he had gotten out to 54' and knew that he wanted to compete at the collegiate level. He took his talents to nearby Texas State, where he would embark on a legendary career. During his tenure, the coaching staff was constantly changing, which proved difficult at times but did not prevent the work. During his Sophomore season, Johnson eclipsed the 19 meter barrier and qualified for the national collegiate championships. Through just two years, his potential was undeniable in the sport. Johnson would get out past 19 meters the following season, winning the Sun Belt conference yet again. He would culminate his collegiate career as a 6 time conference champion and 2 time All-American. In the midst of his action-packed Sophomore season, he reached out to legendary throws and powerlifting coach Dane Miller of Garage Strength throws. Johnson sent him throws and began to build the rapport that has made their relationship today possible. He now trains full-time with Miller and Garage Strength, alongside the likes of olympians, fellow hopefuls and many more impressive athletes. It has been just over a year since he has begun his post-collegiate career, and most recently Johnson landed 10th at the Olympic Trials. He details the excitement of going to such a competition and watching Ryan Crouser break the World Record in the sport. Be on the lookout for Johnson for years to come!!Recorded 7.10.21

Welcome or welcome back! On this episode, I sat down with Prolific Queens rapper Homeboy Sandman. Boy Sand was born and raised in Queens, citing his parents as incredibly helpful and determined to make ends meet. He traveled all throughout the Northeast attending schools, including UPENN, before officially entering the rap game. His 2007 EP, Nourishment, would operate as a jumping off point for his career. As he describes, from 2007 to 2009, he “couldn't lose”. From acknowledgments by mainstream radio and news publications to a plethora of co-signs, it's easy to see why he says as much. In 2011, Sandman signed a deal with Stones Throw records. Around this same time, he speaks about his ego prevented him from meeting Stones Throw royalty MF DOOM. Sandman also speaks candidly about discovering the kind of rapper and person that he wanted to be. He continued pumping out releases in the early 2010's including “First of a Living Breed”, “The Good Sun” and “ Hallways”. In 2014, Sandman shot a video for his song “Call to Arms”, which is how our paths first crossed. He shelved the video for 5 whole years as he contemplated what he was really doing for the kids invovled. Sandman has always been entertained by the questions of human nature, especially how they pertain to black livelihood. In the same year, he published “Black People Are Cowards”, an op-Ed for Gawker in the wake of the Donald Sterling case. The piece generated lots of buzz on the internet, but no action which was a loss in Sandman's mind. We also cross referenced the aftermath of that case with the NBA players' recent actions of social justice and how they affect us. Sandman truly truly loved music, which he writes to feel alive and releases because he wants to. His most recent two projects “Don't Feed the Monster” and “Dusty” are incredible installments to an already loaded discography. Sandman and Stones Throw amicably split and he has since struck a partnership with Mello Music Group. His recent single “Go Hard” is the lead track off of his upcoming project “ Anjelitu”, releasing August 6th. Recorded: 6. 27. 21

Cam Kee is a rising Junior Supply Chain Management major from Lawnside, NJ. Lawnside is roughly one square mile, placed in Camden county and heavily populated by black people. Growing up Cam followed in his older brother's footsteps, competing in multiple sports from basketball to track. His first event on the track was the 800m run, where he qualified for the Junior Olympics, also going in Relays, jumps and the heptathlon. In high school, he transitioned to the 300 hurdles, playing football in the track offseason. Although many prolific track athletes use the sport to improve in their respective sport's offseason, Cam was the other way around. He dedicated the majority his time to his technique and precision on the track, and eventually worked up to a starting role in football. Mid-podcast, Cam and I exchanged embarrassing stories from our days on the gridiron. When it came time to look at colleges, Cam was drawn to Howard on an unofficial visit. He has caught the attention of Rutgers, Monmouth and Fordham among other suitors for Track. But when it came to HU, Kee found the best of both worlds. The ability to excel as both a student and athlete, as well as learning from former world champion and coach David Oliver were too good to pass up. His Freshman year was certainly a learning experience on the track, though he found his groove socially and academically. Unable to compete in the 400 hurdles due to the pandemic, he was disgruntled and displaced just 6 months into his college experience. He described it as a “mental battle” adjusting to covid-19 life, including adversity at home. He was working jobs and training for whenever the opportunity would come to compete. Although that did not come in August as originally anticipated, in November Kee returned to campus to run his main event. The season was again cut short, this time due to an injury to his hamstring. Before his injury, he had run the 3rd fastest time in the conference for his event. Cam has aspirations of becoming a lawyer in the future and this Summer, he is interning with Cisco. Recorded: 5.18.21

Kaylah Clark is a 2021 graduate of Howard university with a B.A in Sociology and an English minor. From Miami Gardens, Florida, she grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood and surrounded by family. She loved education her entire life, and grew up with two parent educators. Despite the demographics of her neighborhood, she attended private school and magnet school before high school. Her high school, Miami Northwestern, was heavily black, sports oriented, and in the inner-city. It was there that she excelled in throwing events, which she began competing in in 4th grade. From 4th to 8th grade, she collected numerous accolades and made multiple trips to the junior Olympics. The sport allowed her to travel outside of Florida to Iowa, Texas and her personal favorite ,New Orleans. During her Sophomore and Junior years, she began to feel the pressure of chasing marks or offers. Even though she knew that going to a Power 5 school wasn't really her speed, there was still much to be decided. Going into the college experience, Clark wanted to attend an HBCU, where she could compete in track and further her education( holding a 4.0 in high school). She visited Howard and NCAT officially, and fell in love with the former. Her Howard career began with the departure of the coach that recruited her, as well as adjustments being far from home. She credits her faith and her family for holding her down through the tough times. Clark still managed to score in multiple events at the conference championships as a Freshman. She came into the following year aiming to lead by example for our younger group of throwers, while continuing to serve on campus. “I will forever be more than an athlete”, she told me as we spoke about the multiple organizations that she joined. She held positions across the board such as community service director, president, Vice President, parliamentarian, and even represented the MEAC conference for the NCAA. Balancing extracurriculars, track, and academics was difficult, but Clark enjoyed being a busybody. Unfortunately when Covid-19 cut her Junior year short, the lack of routine was very hard to overcome. Like many, living at home presented a new set of difficulties and questions about the future. Also, an ongoing injury cut short an opportunity for one last season. But again, Clark is much much more than an athlete. She has kept herself busy with her baking business, sweets by Kay, and by pledging Greek life. Immediately following her graduation, Kaylah will begin a career in education with Teach for America right in her hometown. Recorded: 5.18.21

Delayed but not denied. That is the theme of this episode and the journey of our next guest, Diana Effiom. Just recently, Effiom became the Howard school record holder in the Hammer and Conference champion. Diana is a Biology major, chem minor from Dallas, Texas. Growing up, she found it challenging to navigate balancing her identity with her surroundings. Many times she was the sole black person in school settings and athletic settings alike. Effiom maintained a straight A average while dedicating lots of time to Theater, which helped her find her voice. It would take some time before she would find Track and Field, competing in Basketball and Volleyball initially. During her Junior year, things took off when she traveled to the State Championship meet. A 3rd place finish, followed by a 2nd place finish the ensuing year bookended her high school career. Effiom was content with leaving it at that, applying to schools for medical opportunities as opposed to athletic. A few emails later, she made it to walk-on tryouts and officially joined the Howard team. Coming to Howard was a culture shock for Effiom, as she dealt with the differing social standards and conventions. Also, “people from up North are rude”. Her Freshman campaign was promising, missing the school record by inches in the weight throw(she now owns the record). She qualified for the conference championships in both weight and hammer, although she did not compete to her liking. During her Sophomore year, she took a large credit load as well as struggled with paying for school. She openly discusses the difficulties of doing so much with so little assistance. She broke and extended the school record in the weight throw in each of her first 3 meets. An incredibly strong season from Effiom was just missing the cherry on top, of a top conference performance. Here, she was insightful about the struggles of comparing herself to her competitors and not being able to chase redemption that Spring. Due to Covid-19, the Spring never came. But, Effiom was eventually on scholarship and received the call to compete again that November. A rollercoaster in and of itself, she returned determined and hungrier than ever. Effiom stayed atop the conference throughout the season, going into the championships seeded 3rd. She told herself not to overthink, and to trust her technique which she had spent the last few weeks fine tuning. Although seeded 3rd, it would take a big performance to reach gold. And she delivered. In the 3rd round, she broke the 50 meter plane, moving into 1st place and shattering the school record. From there, nobody was able to catch Effiom, as she claimed her spot on the top of the podium. She'll return this Fall as a Senior, hoping to defend her title and add more hardware to her name. In the future, Effiom hopes to become a physician. Recorded: 5.18.21

Ezra Monteiro is a Rising Junior Econ Major from Newport, Rhode Island. He grew up in a tight-knit community, and reminisced on playing sports in the street as an adolescent. Though his first love was basketball, Monteiro began throwing Hammer in High School. Rhode Island is one of the top states for the event, and it showed in the level of competition. Monteiro's own teammates qualified for new balance nationals year in and year out, and it motivated him to work even harder. During his final two high school seasons he went to New Balance and walked on to the Howard track team the ensuing fall. His Freshman year was not without its growing pains. Monteiro credits his focus on the weight room and overall work ethic for his perseverance. Due to Covid-19, Monteiro was unable to compete for the past year. Still a Freshman on the track, he returned to complete a delayed outdoor season this past Spring. Finally able to showcase his skills in his feature event, Monteiro eclipsed the school record in just his first meet. Throughout the season, he registered multiple throws near his previous record, remaining consistent. He also scored points in the Conference meet in Javelin during his first year competing in the event. In addition to further his personal and school record, he stood atop the conference in Hammer. It's safe to say that Ezra came a long way, but the sky is surely the limit. This Summer, Ezra is slated to intern with Navy Federal Credit Union. Recorded 5. 13. 21.

Welcome to episode 34! A few months ago, I sat down and watched the Netflix series We Are the Brooklyn Saints. This series highlights a youth football program in East New York, dedicated to saving lives. When I was growing up, I had friends playing for the Saints, as well as other teams across the city. After watching the touching show, I made it my mission to increase the spotlight on the team. I subsequently reached out to 9u Coach Edwin Gawuala via Instagram. Coach G is the heartbeat of the program, seen jumping around and screaming praise and support in the series. He invited me to the Brooklyn Saints award ceremony , where I met players, coaches and family alike. We talked about the origins of the Saints, having been founded in 2009. In addition to coaching the kids, he coached behind the walls of Rikers Island, again focusing on saving lives and growing the game. Coach Gawuala will be the first one to tell you that coaching kids comes with it's challenges. Because he is the emotional leader, his players often look to him during and after games. “Win, lose or draw, we have fun.” During the series he is even seen cheering the team up after losses, reminding them to have fun and improve week to week. Coach is also known as “Mr. A.D.D.”, which stands for Any Darn Day. The saying is powerful in it's simplicity, and stands for perseverance, power, family, and much more. Speaking of family, the Saints would be incomplete without the mention of family. Coach G praises them for their universal support of the team, regardless of if it is their child making a play or not. It was with the help and support of these same parents that the Saints went camping during the show. Coach G enjoyed teaching the boys life skills, but also wanted to show them that there's more to the world than their 4 walls. Being able to see his team outside of their natural habitat, exposed to something completely different was invaluable to Coach G. Again, it was phenomenal to be out in the Saints environment, interviewing a true Pillar of the community. Right at the end of the episode, Coach Gawuala allowed me to take part in a Saints ritual: 3 claps and reciting the word “Easy!” Day made. Enjoy the sounds of a 70 degree Saturday in East New York! Peace and Blessings! Recorded 5.1.21

What's goin' on ! Welcome to episode 33. This episode is dedicated to Terrence Clarke, an incredible human being taken from us to soon. Long live TC5

What's up world! Happy Friday and happy April! This episode is dedicated to my Grandmother, celebrating her birthday today! On our special episode 32, we have Collegiate Softball Juggernaut Kalita Dennis. Kalita and I became friends during our very first semester in College, both frequently visiting required athlete study hall. Hailing from Elk Grove California, Dennis is a far ways from home. She describes her upbringing as “sheltered” . An emerging outlet for Dennis became sports, playing Soccer, volleyball, Flag Football, basketball and ultimately softball growing up. For 15 years she's been playing the sport she loves, which provided her opportunities across the country. Between travel softball and playing in big tournaments, Dennis had caught the eye of various Division 3 programs. She pursued schools that would push her and force her to leave her comfort zone. A visit in Kansas was perhaps too uncomfortable , but her future was an email away. 2 of her travel teammates had committed to Howard, and Dennis shot the coaching staff and email hoping to join them at the next level. Fortunately for her she received the offer and has said that going to Howard is “the best decision” that she has made. Unfortunately not long after the commitment, the 3 learned that the coaching staff was undergoing changes. The Fall Preseason was unusual for the team, with a rush to fill the coaching vacancy looming almost constantly. Despite the adversity, the team came together in many different ways and proved competitive in the MEAC. During her Freshman campaign, she batted a whopping .411 with 32 RBIs and 62 hits. She won a plethora of awards including Meac Rookie of the Year andTeam MVP. With 8 games remaining in her Freshman year onslaught, she was recognized nationally as one of the 2019 NFCA National Freshman of the Year Award finalists. Dennis was the only HBCU player on the list, and was listed alongside the very best in women's softball. The team has taken a big leap in the past two years, loading the bullpen and developing players. Dennis came into the year with lofty expectations and respect from every pitcher in the conference. A rough start to the season was interrupted by Covid-19, which was a surreal experience for Dennis. The obvious immediate dissatisfaction of unfinished business was quickly subsided when reality set in. Dennis used the newfound time away from the game to pursue a second minor and becoming a brand ambassador for boardroom university. Roughly one year since her sophomore season ended abruptly, Dennis and the Bison secured a W. They are in the midst of the season, and are hoping to make a run at a championship. Just a few months before the season began, Dennis once again received national recognition. Below is the USA Softball Collegiate Top 50 Watch list, a massive honor for Dennis to be named. It's safe to say that she has only begun to really leave her mark on Howard, and will be remembered far past whenever she stops swinging the bat. Thanks again to Kalita and shoutout Granny

Lundon Avery is a multi-talented artist from Peoria, Illinois now relocated to New York. Avery is represented under the New York Lab label, and is one of their many up and coming artists. The majority of the diverse group of hitmakers reside together, where I was able to sit down and learn more about Avery and his vision for his impending release. Avery has deep producing roots, and has spent the last 10 years producing music. Before he got behind the mic, he got behind a piano. For as long as he could remember, he had been playing by ear, recreating what he would hear on TV or the radio. After two short stints with teachers did not pan out, Avery said lightly “maybe he wasn't meant to have a teacher”. So he taught himself, which became a recurring theme during his music journey. Through school he picked up Saxophone, bass and guitar among other things. Avery grew up listening to all genres of music, with his adoration for hip-hop stemming from Kanye West's success. Similar to West, Avery began as a producer, learning from YouTube videos and familiarizing himself with the software. One of his biggest inspirations in his musical journey is his cousin, who he unfortunately lost to gun violence, whom he used to produce for. It was soon after his passing that Avery began writing his own music. Other producing influences include Young Chop, Timbaland, and Metro Boomin'. Just about a year and a half ago, Avery heard about the New York Lab through a mutual friend. His interest in both the atmosphere and the personnel from executives to label mates led to his eventual signing. The label has seen continued success, including hearing Avery's first song under the label, Intro, played on ESPN. The accompanying video shot by Nate Antoine amassed 10s of thousands of views within its first month. Lundon Avery's upcoming album, which is self-titled, includes a vast range of sounds. He strives to capture the everyday, the good, the bad and most importantly the truth. His unique writing style is in harmony with his flow, sounds and storytelling messages. In the future, Avery hopes to expand his talents to other areas of entertainment, including scoring movies(which he has already done). In anticipation for his April 2nd album release, you can go and listen to Avery's most recent single, “Call on”, and his album “ A Tale of Two Cities”. View the “Call On” Video here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8bgtgCNo2F0&feature=youtu.be

On February 1st 2020, Rachel Edler etched her name in the Howard record books. The then Junior, now graduating Senior jumped 12.25m on her final triple jump attempt. Now over a year later, Rachel and I caught up between midterms. Born in Stone Mountain, Ga, Rachel grew up dancing and competing in gymnastics, not yet introduced to track and field. As many gymnasts do, she eventually grew too tall for competition. The transition to track was relatively smooth, though Edler was not yet jumping. As an underclassmen, she competed in the sprints and relays for her team. Along with taking on bigger leadership during her junior season and beyond, she began triple jumping. Edler had seen teammates go off to contribute to collegiate programs and saw that as a possibility. She sent out a mass of emails including one to her dream school, Howard University. After her unofficial visit, she was sold on everything, not that she needed much selling. When she came to Howard, the track program was between coaches, and Edler was adjusting to the fast-paced student-athlete life. Upon the new set of coaching hires, she decided to prioritize jumps and quickly became a mainstay in the event group. Now Captain of the jumps, she reflected greatly on her 4 year growth. Both physical and mental growth withstanding, she stood on the Runway at The Naval Academy before her last jump, ready to make a splash. By tuning out those around her, she was able to concentrate enough to leap past her goal of 12.20 and the rest is history. Unfortunately there was no follow-up outdoor season for Edler as the Pandemic began to really wreak havoc. However, Edler has taken advantage of the pandemic to grow her name as a youtuber and influencer. Her channel, sunshine.locd, was originally a page for tracking the progress and growth of her locs. Included are helpful tips, dos and don'ts, and a variety of products to use for the best results. She has grown to the level of monetization, and has shifted to more general lifestyle videos, including travel vlogs. With her upcoming completion of her degree in the school of business, Rachel has accepted a full-time offer with HubSpot. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel here!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ePoK1a4XQw&feature=youtu.be Recorded: 3.4.20.

Quincy Maxwell is a Junior business administration major at Howard, hailing from Somerset, New Jersey. He currently serves as a Cadet in the Howard ROTC program, and details his newfound wisdom from the program. During the Summer of 2018, Quincy and I were anxiously awaiting our roommate selections. They were not revealed to us until 3 days before move-in, which did not present a ton of time to iron out logistics. Low and behold, Quincy and I were slated to be roommates in Drew Hall. We speak about how both of us had conflicting ideas of the other based on our Instagram profiles. We direct messaged one another to establish the general connection, and the rest is history. Before living together, Maxwell had actually just completed a pre-med program in Howard's campus. Though he was able to meet some of his closest friends during that time, including episode 19 guest and ROTC battle buddy Samaria Campbell, he realized two things. 1) Biology was not his passion and 2) The Summer experience would be drastically different. Q and I spent the first week of School getting to know the rest of our dorm and playing lots of basketball. At the end of the week, just two days before classes were slated to begin, we both engaged in “HU Day of Service”. This volunteering event placed members all across the DMV. It was there that I first heard him make a mention of joining ROTC. He describes in detail how he saw all the benefits holistically, and knew that he could meet them in the middle with his work ethic. There were certainly growing pains, and it was by no means simple to begin running 5 miles everyday or go on long Ruck marches. However because he has stayed the course, and done so so well, he was granted with a scholarship from Howard's ROTC. In just a few months, he had shot up to the top of his class. He also appreciates ROTC because he feels like he's working for something greater than himself. Between our Freshman and Sophomore years, Maxwell finally changed his major from Biology to Business. During a pre-med Summer program, his interests had drastically shifted to the stock market. He had to question why he was going the long, taxing medical route when he was more passionate about business. Recorded 2.25.21.

What's goin on'

Lanii was born and raised in East New York, where he resides today. The hardest-working rapper in Brooklyn, I was able to sit down with him right before a video shoot. The two of us met in prep for prep, though we are clearly both different people from 9 years ago. Lanii gives immediate credit to his mother and 2 older brothers for keeping him away from the elements of the East. They have also been integral in his transition to artistry, both then and now. The first “rap” that Lanii ever heard was Paid in Full by Eric B and Rakim and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. He talks at length about how both albums helped him understand the craft of music itself, focusing on both the sonic qualities and lyrical elements. One love that Lanii never could've anticipated, was the one that he found for lacrosse. Developed during his stint at prep school, which was otherwise unpleasant, he played SSDM and enjoyed the speed of the game. Initially playing for his football development, it became an enjoyable pastime, with aspirations to play like Duke legend Myles Jones. Lanii was candid about the aforementioned prep school experience, often left stranded in his battle to be his entire self in a white setting. We echo similar sentiments about the immense pressure and unfamiliar territory that “drove him crazy” in his own words. His rap career has provided him with a positive outlet, both for his emotions and mental health, to talk about things such as that. Lanii made his writing process sound simple when he explained it to me, a skeletal approach building from the ground, humming flows into his phone before lyrics. However, his power is in his pen, and ability to make people feel as he puts it so eloquently himself. Flirting between his natural East coast roots and the melodic sound present on tracks “All Wrong” and “Took On A Lot This Year”, Lanii is in a lane of his own. He admittedly doesn't like listening to serious music all of the time, and reminds himself to have fun throughout the process. He looks back at all of his records collectively as an “audio history book” , and enjoys tracing his story through verse. Throughout the episode, Lanii made sure to acknowledge his frequent collaborators, from producers and fellow rappers to his manager. His tight-knit group often appears in his music videos(or he appears in theirs) and help provide a support system through the trials and tribulations of music making. For those who have never heard a Lanii tune, he recommends “Dussé”, “Good Riddance” and “Pyer Moss”. The former two have accompanying videos, easily findable on YouTube, and “Pyer Moss” is the most recent release of the 3. Once again living up to his work ethic, Lanii released a song just days after his interview, “Took on A Lot This Year”.The motivation melody and artwork reflect the authenticity of the record, where Lanii details prevailing through adversity. This song and more available on All streaming platforms. You can find the lyrics here on genius!: https://genius.com/Lanii-took-on-a-lot-this-year-lyrics Recorded: 1. 28.21.

Welcome or Welcome back to The Polaroid Podcast

This past June, my guest Niah Woods was one of the recipients of the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership award at the ESPYS. She was nominated for her work with middle schoolers in the DMV through The Grassroots Project. During the year, I would often seen Woods on the go, moving between her service work, practice, and academics. When we first met during our Freshman year in study hall, I had no clue that I was in the midst of such a humanitarian. Born in Fairfield, Ohio (right outside of Cincinnati), Woods grew up one of many siblings. Each of them harbored shared passions for Sports, mainly basketball. While she noted that her brothers were motivated by outpacing their peers, Woods was motivated by being her best self. She prides herself as a hard working athlete, who wants to win and prioritizes sportsmanship. Translation: A coach's dream. So, it only made sense that she had begun to catch the eye of collegiate programs. Both track and basketball were on the table, at all divisions. Schools including Tuskegee and her father's alma mater even offered full ride scholarships. Woods describes herself as a naturally quiet and introverted person, which was often comprised when she was thrust into the spotlight. A polished athlete, especially for her area, Woods eventually found her voice outside of that realm. She took on the famed So Gone Challenge with the help of her brother, and found a permanent outlet in writing. During our conversation, she even recalled her friends rapping her lyrics back to her on the challenge the following day. When I posed the question, “Why Howard?”to Woods, she made it clear that she chose the school. Perhaps better known for being an athlete, especially a dual sport athlete at the Division 1 level for 2 years, she excels academically with the best of them. Down the line she intends to become a Psychiatrist, and Howard is helping her get one step further. It ultimately came down to Howard and her father's alma mater, where she wouldn't have had the same opportunities athletically. Not too many people actively decide to walk on to 2 teams at once, but not too many people are Niah Woods. She worked meticulously in preparation for Walk-on tryouts, and continued working hard on both teams and making impressions. Though no longer apart of the basketball team, she was the recipient of the team's “Coach's Award”, and had the opportunity to play in her hometown. On the track, Woods specializes in jumps and relays. Unfortunately due to Covid-19, the outdoor season was cancelled. Woods had finished competing in the MEAC basketball tournament just days prior, and was raring to go on the runway. In hindsight, Woods is grateful that she was able to go home and regroup for herself, but at the time she was heartbroken. After a month long dry spell, she was back at it and training for the next call. During a seemingly regular day, Woods received a text from the head of the Grassroots Project, who told her of “some humanitarian award” that she was nominated for. As she began to understand the gravity of the award, she was ecstatic. In just the second class of awardees ever, Woods meets with the other members including Billie Jean King herself and hopes to continue organizing for the future. Recorded 1. 19. 21

Episode 24, you already know what's goin' on. It's incredibly difficult to believe that we're actually approaching a year since Kobe's transition, along with 8 other victims in an incredibly tragic crash. It goes without saying that Kobe's impact is ever lasting. I'll never forget watching his historic 60 point game. Rip Bean. Now, today's episode is with Union Football's Will Sirmon IV. Originally from Destrehan, Louisiana, Sirmon grew up in a world of football. From his father, who played for The University of Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, to his Grandfather being on the board of advisors at LSU, the game is in his blood. Sirmon spent his first 3 years of high school playing quarterback, patiently waiting for breakout opportunities. When he was finally slated to start, he torn his labrum in an off- field incident. This led to a position change, and an inability to throw how he had before. Switching to receiver, he was locked in yet another position battle. This one was with future NFL All-Pro, Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson. After minimal playing time at receiver, Sirmon was without offers and headed north to complete a Post graduate year at Phillips Academy, where we met. Our season was such a rollercoaster that you have to actually listen to us talk about it to understand . Regardless, we had fun and beat our rival, Exeter. Sirmon made 5 starts at quarterback, providing a much needed flash. When looking at colleges, he was sure that he was going to play receiver . Mostly Division 3 offers began flowing in, with some teams even wanting to see more of him at quarterback. Just two days before the deadline, Sirmon got a call from Holy Cross. A spot had opened up last minute, and though it was only a half-scholarship, he took it. Unfortunately as fate would have it, he torn his opposite labrum. That, combined with difficulty adjusting to being a full-time receiver, led to a split from the program. He weighed all of his options, including running track to retain scholarship money. Eventually, another call came in. This one was from Will Bellamy, the starting quarterback for Union College. Bellamy was doing his own postgrad year at Loomis in 2016-17 and is also from Louisiana. It seemed like a perfect match for Sirmon and has since been, with Union coming off a strong season and playoff berth. Another possibility that came along with the transfer was traveling abroad. Sirmon was all set to travel to Germany before Covid-19, and still has plans to go afterwards. Sirmon is a Political Science major, with a minor in German. Recorded 1. 12. 21.

What's goin on

Welcome to the LAST episode of the year 2020. Though the year has brought unthinkable hardships, it's also brought me this Podcast. I cannot thank everyone who's listened, whether you know me personally or not! On this episode, I was joined by one of my best friends, Howard Junior Bria Scott. Bria and I met during our Freshman Fall, during one of our school's many pageants . A “chance interaction” has blossomed into a great friendship, and on this episode we covered a variety of topics. Growing up in Mobile, Alabama and attending predominantly white schools, Scott recalls multiple instances of anti-blackness and identity issues. When I asked her about “finding herself” and we discussed the concept, she admitted that she had not found herself at the time. From keeping up images, to spreading herself thin for perhaps the wrong reasons, she never felt like she was doing things for herself. “Imposter Syndrome” permeated her high school experience from beginning to end. It had effected Scott so much, that she originally didn't think she was smart enough to apply to Howard. She had her sets set on Florida A and M University. Still, she applied to Howard without a visit, as well as George Mason. She received her acceptance letter just a few days before Christmas, and visited the campus the following April. After an eventful , yet trying Freshman year, Bria served as an intern with Alabama State Representative Terri Sewell. She not only had fun, but learned an incredible amount of the ins and outs of day to day politics. Bria's lifestyle blog, Blissfully Bria, is her outlet to express her life through writing, while also standing on what she believes in. This Friday, she has a Blog Post coming out about her 20 favorite products of 2020. Recorded 12.29.20. Blog Link https://bblogs-byourbestself.squarespace.com. If you've read this far, here are some Polaroid Podcast statistics to end the year!! 15- Countries reached 62- Percent of the Audience is 18-22. 653- All-Time Listens(And Counting!!!). Many- Peace and Blessings

What's goin' on, welcome or welcome back to The Polaroid Podcast! The second to last episode of the Hellish year that was 2020 was a great one. Around 4 years ago I met my episode's guest, Henry Crater. Then just Cast mates in A Chorus Line, we would expand our friendship over time. I was blown away by Crater's talent, though he was two years was Junior. On the Podcast, he walks me through music's place in his life. He recalls singing before he could remember, eventually taking piano lessons around the age of 8. Continuing to add tools to his arsenal, he found his place in musicals and dancing. Originally in the ensemble, he enjoyed being amongst his cast mates , and it was clear that Crater wanted more than just a taste of the theater. He described 6th grade as the “boom” in his development as an artist. Far different from his first role as an Alligator in the Jungle Book, he sang the national anthem at a Boston Red Sox Spring Training game. The game, which was at JetBlue Park Stadium, was meaningless to Crater, but the performance was critical for his confidence. He would need this confidence as he would start auditioning for Broadway national tours just months later. Though he did not book a tour and break into the Broadway scene at a young age, he thinks that it was for the best. I first heard bits and pieces of this story from Crater during the beginning of our work on A Chorus Line. In the months preceding, Crater was struggling with the social adjustment more so than academic adjustment. We spoke at length about the journey one takes when preparing for a role, and we both learned new things about our own personal Ragtime experiences. In the words of one of his Professors at Michigan, “You never know what you have until you put it in front of an audience”. Henry talked about wanting to be granted the keys to play bigger, more mature roles during his sophomore year. Despite the lows of Junior year, he was cast as John Valjean in Les Misérables his Senior year. The role was a dream come true, which Crater immediately dove into. He was knee- deep in notes and journals as Valjean, when Coronavirus put the world on pause. He recalls struggling with the news for multiple days, unable to accept our new reality. When he finally understood the gravity of it all, he had no choice but to turn the page. Post-Andover, he had the opportunity to bring his conceptualized album The Cycle, to life. He ran into a 90 day trial for Logic Pro, one of the best Music Producing apps on the market. Multiple hours a day for a month and a half on end led to Crater releasing the album this past year. The album details the cyclical nature of humanity, and the touches on the themes of love, loss and growth. Entirely self-written and self- produced, he was able to use the album both for his personal leisure and for the sake of closure. Crater just concluded his first semester in the renowned Michigan Musical Theatre program. Recorded 12. 21. 20. Stream The Cycle here: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-cycle/1516707609

Anthony Young goes by many different things depending on where he is. Tone. Big Tone. Tony. Anthony. And of course, TNT savage. Tone is a Junior Management major from Pittsburgh who came to Howard through athletics. Starting at a very early age, Young started playing multiple different sports ranging from baseball to soccer to Football. A family man through and through, he played baseball mostly to follow in his father and former minor leaguer Anthony Young Sr.'s footsteps. Despite being one of the biggest players for his age, Young had to have an opportunistic mindset. He was stacked behind talented players on his high school's depth chart, and finally got serious Playing time his Senior year. Along the way, he picked up his offer from Howard, who was fresh off of the biggest college upset in history. Unfortunately for Young, he was unable to find his footing after tearing his meniscus during his Senior year. Fighting through adversity, Tone made starts as both a freshman and Sophomore while battling injuries. I asked him about the mental aspects of being injured and meeting expectations at the Division One level. The pandemic has put a halt on his long awaited return to the field, and he is patiently rehabbing his knee in Pittsburgh. We shifted gears at about the midway point of the interview to focusing on Young's music from influences to process. December 20th is the target release date for his first real project, “Love Frustrations, having dropped singles here and appearing on other songs to date. Making music has helped Young further understand himself and pour his creative energy. Recorded 12.8.20. https://m.soundcloud.com/tony-young-18/maybe-it-was-prod-jaydot-x-eng?ref=clipboard&p=i&c=1

What's up

Welcome to the last episode of The Polaroid Podcast for the month of November

What's up

What's up world! In observance of Veteran's day, there was no episode yesterday(11.11), but we're back with none other than Black Voices on the Hill Host Daniel James. Daniel is an incredible mind, with an even more incredible spirit. From the moment he stepped foot on Andover's campus as a Sophomore, he was a light in everything he did. From Gospel Choir to Mock Trial, he was heavily involved. We did our fair share of reminiscing, including the incredible time we had in CRT, but also reflected on the 2016 election. Before any of that though, Daniel took me through his upbringing in South Carolina, in a town of just 6,000. Right before Andover, Daniel was able to attend a predominantly black school for the first time in his life. While he had his fair share of great times and memorizes, he recalls how the black students were governed strictly and limited in their expression. Raised with a heavy focus on education, he was thrilled to go to Andover. However his first few weeks were beyond rough, and he experienced severe homesickness. And of course like all Andover students, he struggled to balance the many things he signed himself for. But he graduated near the top of our class and with a ticket to Cornell. Since being at Cornell, Daniel has pledged a pre-law fraternity and started the Black Voices on the Hill Podcast. True to the name, he interviews and elevates black voices, discussing anything from racism to elitism. He's interviewed politicians like the Mayor of Ithaca, and hopes to one day pursue a career in elected politics. Our conversation was not only refreshing, but it was great to really sit down and talk to a great friend and mind in Daniel. Listen to Black Voices on The Hill here, and follow them! https://www.wvbr.com/blackvoices Recorded: 11.11.20

What's goin on ! Like I promised, 2 episodes this week. You also may notice that this week's photo is indeed, a Polaroid. The Polaroid has been recovered! Unfortunately this does not mean the immediate continuation of in person episodes, but it couldn't hurt to do one while I recovered it. That brings me to my next guest. As I mention in the episode, Henry and I had long made plans for him to be on the Pod. We weren't sure whether this should be episode 3 or 15. So, we settled on “The Specialsode” and made it both. Henry Ross is one of my closest, if not the closest friend that I have, whom I originally met through Putney Summer Programs(Shoutout Putney!). Henry is originally from Briarcliff which is in the Westchester, New York area and now studies Theater and creative writing at American University. When he was young, he mostly played basketball and tennis. It was his freshman year of high school, when Theater would become Ross's biggest passion yet. Though a small role, he enjoyed making people laugh, and engaging with his cast mates. The following summer is when the two of us met, and began a 3 summer journey at The Putney School Summer Programs. A massive step outside of our comfort zones to say the least, we were able to create and grow alongside tons of other talented and thoughtful people. Not to mention, the sunset is second to none! Perhaps the biggest highlight in our time was the crafting of our joint spoken word poem “Cut From The Same Cloth”. Fast forward from that moment, in August of 2017, to now in November of 2020 and Henry is releasing The Sample Pack. The Sample Pack is a 9 track experience of lyrical gymnastics, summer feelings, and the result of a diverse musical palette. In Ross's case, he took advantage of the time quarantine gave him to write music. Inspired by his best friend, local musician and episode 12 guest Jack Mcgranahan, Henry got to work. Ross worked meticulously at the last moment to make sure the tape could be uploaded by November 1st, his 21st birthday. He's incredibly happy with the way that it turned out, and his personal favorite track is Colaroid. The track features an artist near Ross, nine seven pta. Stream The Sample Pack Here: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/rsdb35mdT23bqb1A8 Recorded: 11. 3. 20

Yes, you read that correctly. Derrick. Herrick. Herrick grew up in Louisiana, and spent the first 14 years of his life in the extremely family- oriented Cajun Culture. The move lined up with Herrick's basketball development, as he recalls grabbing a rim in 8th grade for the first time. His athleticism always shined through, and he eventually high jumped 6' and 2” in the offseason. (Track sidebar: The maximum legal wind is 2.0 Meters/second. )He was just having fun with it, in his own words, but people began to ignite his curiosity surrounding his potential and aspirations. Herrick began to see just how far the game of basketball would take him. Ever since we met in the Spring of 2017, I knew that Derrick and I would get along, mostly due to our shared love for basketball and similar sense of humor. Herrick began playing Varsity at Lifestyle Christian Academy, taking the game more seriously his junior year. After a successful basketball career, Herrick had his sights set on college. Though he accumulated lots of interest across all levels, fate would have it that Herrick would spent 1 more year in high school. He traveled up to Pennsylvania to compete at Hoop Group, and it was there that he first learned of the Post Graduate experience. One thing led to another and Herrick was between Phillips Andover and Williston Northampton, both NEPSAC class A(Basketball)schools in Massachusetts. He prepared as if he was going to college, and stayed busy with showcases during the 2017 summer. During the 2017-18 year, Derrick suited up for Andover basketball alongside local legend Dallion Johnson(now at Penn State) and under coach Terrell Ivory. Herrick brought flare with his crafty finishes, range and quiet confidence. Each game was competitive, with elite talent and size on opposing teams, including the likes of Terrance Clarke(Rivers), Cole Swider(St.Andrews), Marcus Zegarowski(Tilton)and Cormac Ryan(Milton). Herrick averaged 14/5/4 and garnered interest at all levels and a few offers. He sent his own tape out to 10 schools a night for nearly a month, and ended up at Midland college, a JUCO in Texas. Though an injury cut his time short for them, he was able to play in front of scouts, which gave him hope. On the court and off the court issues led to a redshirt and transfer from Midland, which was a blessing in disguise. The name of the game was work for Herrick. When people google “grind in silence”, they should see a picture of 2019 Herrick, as motivated as ever. He worked on his knee, his mental health, himself and literally worked long shifts to keep busy. It was divine timing for Herrick, as he played at a showcase at Dallas Baptist. It was nothing new to play in a showcase, but he had something to prove coming off of injury. His emails from his high school days eventually paid dividends, when a coach at Midwestern State noticed him from there. 2 years later Herrick was stronger, more athletic, and hitting 3's which led to the offer. In the future, Derrick hopes to play professionally, whether it be in America or overseas. Coronavirus may put this upcoming season on hold, but whenever Herrick gets his next opportunity, one thing is for sure. He'll be ready. Recorded 9. 27. 20.