My name is Christianna Woodard. I'm from Sacramento, California, but I grew up in San Antonio, Texas. I'm finishing my first degree in management at Prairie View A&M University. Years ago, my grandmother was accepted into Prairie View, but she decided to move to California instead of pursuing school, which ended up being a huge [...]
Upon making the decision to participate in an internship with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, I did not realize that one fateful day, I would have the privilege of experiencing a pivotal moment in American politics. Kevin McCarthy's ousting from his position as Speaker of the House was an event that offered me profound insights [...]
Like every year since the founding of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945, October 16 marks World Food Day. This year's theme is 'Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.' The 2023 World Food Day highlights the dilemma of 2.4 billion people in water-stressed countries and 600 million dependent [...]
On Saturday, August 26, 2023, thousands of individuals gathered in Washington DC to commemorate the 60thanniversary of the March on Washington for Civil Rights and to recognize the famous “I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Throughout that weekend, media outlets covered the events and conversed on how far or how [...]
As I approach another birthday, I find myself spending more time staring in the mirror. It's not vanity but rather a curious gaze. I see a few more frown lines and gray hair. But I'm curious as to what other people see. Do they see a father of two non-incarcerated sons? Do they see a [...]
Every year, the Northern Hemisphere region of the Atlantic Ocean embraces the annual hurricane season that officially starts on June 1 and ends on November 30. This period has been adopted by convention; it’s when most tropical cyclogenesis occurs in the Atlantic. Though the formation of subtropical or tropical cyclones is possible at any time [...]
My first encounter with Lucinda, an enslaved woman held at Alta Vista Plantation owned by Jared Kirby, came by way of reading her details on Rice University’s SlaveVoyages website. Kirby carried fifteen-year-old Lucinda on Tuesday, May 25, 1858, from New Orleans, Louisiana, on board the steamship Galveston to Galveston, Texas, with the help of a shipping company, Fellows & Co. The fine [...]
I am sure everyone reading this article has at one time watched the Grammy Awards. It is a peer-recognized award program that honors the industry’s highest achievers. To get to this pinnacle, there is work that must be put in. This is where Grammy U comes into action at Prairie View A&M University. Grammy U [...]
“Each one, reach one, each one, teach one.” This phrase has been passed down from my grandfather as a reminder to keep learning and never forget to reach for others. Two additional phrases serve to summarize, in a few words, the essence of my journey for which I am thankful; dare to be different and [...]
As far back as my memory goes, Black women have told some of the best stories. Whether kitchen table gossip, beauty shop talk, or classic literature, Black women have mastered the art of weaving cultural commentary between their exclamations of “bless your heart” and “I know that’s right.” Black women’s dialogue has even served as [...]
